Eichler in Marinwood - At the larger scale of the property existed a desire to soften and deepen the engagement between the house and the street frontage. As such, the landscaping palette consists of textures chosen for subtlety and granularity. Spaces are layered by way of planting, diaphanous fencing and lighting. The interior engages the front of the house by the insertion of a floor to ceiling glazing at the dining room. Jog-in path from street to house maintains a sense of privacy and sequential unveiling of interior/private spaces. This non-atrium model is invested with the best aspects of the iconic eichler configuration without compromise to the sense of order and orientation. photo: scott hargis

Rising amidst the grand homes of North Howe Street, this stately house has more than 6,600 SF. In total, the home has seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three powder rooms. Designed with an extra-wide floor plan (21'-2"), achieved through side-yard relief, and an attached garage achieved through rear-yard relief, it is a truly unique home in a truly stunning environment. The centerpiece of the home is its dramatic, 11-foot-diameter circular stair that ascends four floors from the lower level to the roof decks where panoramic windows (and views) infuse the staircase and lower levels with natural light. Public areas include classically-proportioned living and dining rooms, designed in an open-plan concept with architectural distinction enabling them to function individually. A gourmet, eat-in kitchen opens to the home's great room and rear gardens and is connected via its own staircase to the lower level family room, mud room and attached 2-1/2 car, heated garage. The second floor is a dedicated master floor, accessed by the main stair or the home's elevator. Features include a groin-vaulted ceiling; attached sun-room; private balcony; lavishly appointed master bath; tremendous closet space, including a 120 SF walk-in closet, and; an en-suite office. Four family bedrooms and three bathrooms are located on the third floor. This home was sold early in its construction process. Nathan Kirkman

The young couple created a bedroom for their toddler reflective of their shared vision. The rocking chair is hand crafted by the Architect while studying in Copenhagen. The light fixture is from Ikea Alise O'Brien Photography

Photography by Giovanni Photograhpy
Inspiration for a tropical backyard custom-shaped hot tub remodel in Miami

David Heald
This is an example of a farmhouse full sun water fountain landscape in New York.

Example of a trendy backyard deck design in San Diego with no cover

Inspiration for a large contemporary porcelain tile dining room remodel in Los Angeles with white walls and no fireplace

Photo of a traditional landscaping in San Francisco.

Mariko Reed
Mountain style backyard patio photo in San Francisco with a fire pit and no cover

At night the skin and the reflecting pool glow while the entrance is highlighted with a single light. The living room ceiling plane floats above it all due to up lighting. Photography by Andrew Fabin

Epei benches warm the platinum gray concrete benches and the Firepit will warm legs and bodies as some will eventually sink into the rattan couch or chair which sits squarley on the stamped concrete Sandstone pool deck.

Modern Classic Coastal Living room with an inviting seating arrangement. Classic paisley drapes with iron drapery hardware against Sherwin-Williams Lattice grey paint color SW 7654. Keep it classic - Despite being a thoroughly traditional aesthetic wing back chairs fit perfectly with modern marble table. An Inspiration for a classic living room in San Diego with grey, beige, turquoise, blue colour combination. Sand Kasl Imaging

Vincent Ivicevic
Inspiration for a mid-sized tropical living room remodel in Orange County with white walls

This is an example of a mid-sized front yard garden path in New York.

Great room with nook in the center leading to massive 10 ft island. Stained beams and glass cabinets doors complete the space.
Family room - mid-sized country open concept medium tone wood floor and beige floor family room idea in San Francisco with white walls and no fireplace

Master Bathroom
Drop-in bathtub - large traditional master subway tile dark wood floor and brown floor drop-in bathtub idea in Orange County with brown walls, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, an undermount sink and a hinged shower door

This modern farmhouse located outside of Spokane, Washington, creates a prominent focal point among the landscape of rolling plains. The composition of the home is dominated by three steep gable rooflines linked together by a central spine. This unique design evokes a sense of expansion and contraction from one space to the next. Vertical cedar siding, poured concrete, and zinc gray metal elements clad the modern farmhouse, which, combined with a shop that has the aesthetic of a weathered barn, creates a sense of modernity that remains rooted to the surrounding environment. The Glo double pane A5 Series windows and doors were selected for the project because of their sleek, modern aesthetic and advanced thermal technology over traditional aluminum windows. High performance spacers, low iron glass, larger continuous thermal breaks, and multiple air seals allows the A5 Series to deliver high performance values and cost effective durability while remaining a sophisticated and stylish design choice. Strategically placed operable windows paired with large expanses of fixed picture windows provide natural ventilation and a visual connection to the outdoors.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

Custom backyard in Manhattan.
Photo of a mid-sized modern full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in New York.