Built-in window seat with plenty of light. This large dining area in the eat-in kitchen area allows for flexible entertaining. All new trims, baseboards, modern lighting and du chateau, heated flooring. Bruce Damonte Photography

The infinity swimming pool is the centerpiece of this dramatic yard. The upper and lower travertine patios give depth to the entertaining space. The retaining walls double as a garden bed to bring color into the yard. The fire bowls on either side of the pool light add to the ambiance for evening entertaining.

Julie Soefer Photography
Inspiration for a transitional entryway remodel in Houston

Kitchen - contemporary kitchen idea in Miami

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Elmhurst, IL Residence by Charles Vincent George Architects Photographs by Tony Soluri
Inspiration for a country eat-in kitchen remodel in Chicago with open cabinets, white cabinets and white backsplash

Photo Credit: Mary Prince
Living room - transitional living room idea in Boston

Cesar Rubio
Example of a country medium tone wood floor living room design in San Francisco with white walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

A custom flip down bar and dining table was built to maximize the flexibility of the space
Example of a trendy home design design in Sacramento

Inspiration for a timeless nursery remodel in Orange County

Laundry room - farmhouse laundry room idea in Seattle

Casey Dunn Photography
Large cottage l-shaped light wood floor kitchen photo in Houston with an island, open cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, white backsplash and wood backsplash

Example of a cottage u-shaped eat-in kitchen design in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Glenn Rose Photography
Kitchen - transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash and an island

Example of a small transitional freestanding desk medium tone wood floor home studio design in San Francisco with gray walls

Courtesy Coastal Living, a division of the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, photograph by Tria Giovan. Coastal Living is a registered trademark of Time Inc and is used with permission.

Barry Grossman Photography
Enclosed kitchen - contemporary u-shaped enclosed kitchen idea in Miami with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops and paneled appliances

This stunning custom master closet is part of a whole house design and renovation project by Haven Design and Construction. The homeowners desired a master suite with a dream closet that had a place for everything. We started by significantly rearranging the master bath and closet floorplan to allow room for a more spacious closet. The closet features lighted storage for purses and shoes, a rolling ladder for easy access to top shelves, pull down clothing rods, an island with clothes hampers and a handy bench, a jewelry center with mirror, and ample hanging storage for clothing.

An open floor plan between the Kitchen, Dining, and Living areas is thoughtfully divided by sliding barn doors, providing both visual and acoustic separation. The rear screened porch and grilling area located off the Kitchen become the focal point for outdoor entertaining and relaxing. Custom cabinetry and millwork throughout are a testament to the talents of the builder, with the project proving how design-build relationships between builder and architect can thrive given similar design mindsets and passions for the craft of homebuilding.