Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows. This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces. The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall. In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas. archphoto.com

For this beautiful Tampa home, our studio employed a rustic approach that blended well with the contemporary nature of the home. We used a beautiful wooden tone for the kitchen cabinets and island, giving it a lived-in feel. Terracotta-colored backsplash and wooden beams on the ceiling complete the rustic appeal. We also added attractive, thoughtful decor all over the space, seamlessly tying it to the desired theme. --- Project designed by interior design studio Home Frosting. They serve the entire Tampa Bay area including South Tampa, Clearwater, Belleair, and St. Petersburg. For more about Home Frosting, see here: https://homefrosting.com/

The Magpies are delighted! This stunning project is nestled in the South Australian country township of Willunga, whose name is derived from the Aboriginal word meaning “The locality of green trees”. During the course of the renovations a family of 11 magpies swooped in and now call this abundantly treed property ‘Home’. The clever design frames the natural views to the north, uninhibited by the alfresco structure. Passive solar design methodology is employed by utilising optimal eaves overhang allowing warming winter sun to penetrate into the interior of the building, whilst excluding the harsh rays during summer. A blending of the old and new help to keep a sense of history whilst combining a modern, natural feel with a semi industrial working space. Bringing the outdoors in by maximising the views of the abundant vegetation and birdlife is a feature of this addition. Well known local identities, and the owners of this spectacular building, are now enjoying their lifestyle passion for preparing food and entertaining in this enlarged, purpose built space…. As are their fine feathered friends.

Located in Bumpass, Virginia, one of our current projects is sited on the shore of Lake Anna. The owners, a realtor and graphic artist, desired an aesthetic that was rustic and lodge-like while staying within their tight budget constraints. Our solution employs large, central great rooms on each level with expansive window walls to capture natural light and views of the lake. At 3250 sf, this vacation home serves as both a rural weekend retreat and a destination for extended family gatherings. The structure can sleep up to 14 comfortably. While Bumpass has achieved moderate fame for its unusual name (from the French Bon Pas meaning "good step"), the small town is actually named for the family who lived in this area when it was originally settled. Bumpass contains several houses and estates from the 18th to early 20th centuries, including Jerdone Castle, a Virginia Historic Landmark plantation dating to 1742 that is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. The nostalgic phrase “George Washington slept here” also applies to this area as on June 10, 1791, the former President made an overnight visit to Jerdone Castle.

At Rhodes Architecture, we prioritize greenspaces as a key element of wellness-centered design. Outside, we like to employ courtyards, planters, and garden areas, and inside, we open the space up with glass doors and extensive windows that offer views and easy access to greenspace and community. “There are nice views from every window and several wood-framed glass doors leading outside. The airiness makes the whole home such a gathering place and we love to entertain our neighbors and friends,” they said.

Tuscan Stone Mantels uses a centuries old process to produce fine architectural stonework. By using this process, our stone is completely formed and finished by hand reflecting the beauty of natural quarried stone. By employing modern gypsums and techniques, we are able to offer products of strength and durability for numerous architectural applications such as mantels & over-mantels, entertainment centers, cladding, niches, shelving, corbels/brackets, molding, kitchen hoods, columns, pediments, and more. Tuscan Stone Mantels provides architects, builders, designers and homeowners with hand crafted stone products of exceptional beauty and durability.

In case you assume that the prerequisite for a contemporary kitchen is monochromatic white, this design will shatter your misconceptions. Admittedly, the upper cabinets are gloss white, but there are two additional cabinet materials that create a rich combination of color and texture. The bases and back of the island are high-gloss dark teak-patterned laminate that echo the dark tongue-and-groove wood ceiling. The tall cabinets, fridge panels, and front and sides of the island are a soft matte gray-toned rift cut patterned laminate. For a clean profile, the white cabinets use touch latches, while the gray and dark doors employ aluminum channel pulls that add a low-sheen metallic accent. Tying everything together is the gray and taupe marble countertops with matching slab backsplashes. The subtly mottled limestone-like porcelain tile flooring is the perfect backdrop for the room’s lively mix. Influenced by innovative European kitchens, these cabinets use gray metal drawer boxes, elevated to luxury status with walnut knife and cutlery inserts. A popular corner solution is the LeMans corner swing-out, which provides full accessibility to what is ordinarily a dead zone. Undercounter illumination is supplied by LED lights set into grooves routed out in the bottom of the wall cabinets.

I designed and assisted the homeowners with their material and fixture choices while employed at Corvallis Custom Kitchens and Baths. Our clients live south of Corvallis on a small farm and wanted to update their kitchen which the previous owners had installed IKEA cabinetry into. We decided to keep the layout the same, but customize all of the limited space in this small kitchen. Cherry cabinetry was chosen to add to the warmth of the space, but not darken the kitchen too much. We added a built-in above the countertop for their microwave to free up much needed counter space. We added a false panel above the range hood to hide the piping for the hood. An island with storage was added with a small seating area for the owners to enjoy their morning coffee. Under cabinet lighting was also updated. To finish the kitchen remodel Caesarstone Atlantic Salt quartz was installed and used for the backsplash.

THE SETUP Upon moving to Glen Ellyn, the homeowners were eager to infuse their new residence with a style that resonated with their modern aesthetic sensibilities. The primary bathroom, while spacious and structurally impressive with its dramatic high ceilings, presented a dated, overly traditional appearance that clashed with their vision. Design objectives: Transform the space into a serene, modern spa-like sanctuary. Integrate a palette of deep, earthy tones to create a rich, enveloping ambiance. Employ a blend of organic and natural textures to foster a connection with nature. THE REMODEL Design challenges: Take full advantage of the vaulted ceiling Source unique marble that is more grounding than fanciful Design minimal, modern cabinetry with a natural, organic finish Offer a unique lighting plan to create a sexy, Zen vibe Design solutions: To highlight the vaulted ceiling, we extended the shower tile to the ceiling and added a skylight to bathe the area in natural light. Sourced unique marble with raw, chiseled edges that provide a tactile, earthy element. Our custom-designed cabinetry in a minimal, modern style features a natural finish, complementing the organic theme. A truly creative layered lighting strategy dials in the perfect Zen-like atmosphere. The wavy protruding wall tile lights triggered our inspiration but came with an unintended harsh direct-light effect so we sourced a solution: bespoke diffusers measured and cut for the top and bottom of each tile light gap. THE RENEWED SPACE The homeowners dreamed of a tranquil, luxurious retreat that embraced natural materials and a captivating color scheme. Our collaborative effort brought this vision to life, creating a bathroom that not only meets the clients’ functional needs but also serves as a daily sanctuary. The carefully chosen materials and lighting design enable the space to shift its character with the changing light of day. “Trust the process and it will all come together,” the home owners shared. “Sometimes we just stand here and think, ‘Wow, this is lovely!'”

Tuscan Stone Mantels uses a centuries old process to produce fine architectural stonework. By using this process, our stone is completely formed and finished by hand reflecting the beauty of natural quarried stone. By employing modern gypsums and techniques, we are able to offer products of strength and durability for numerous architectural applications such as mantels & over-mantels, entertainment centers, cladding, niches, shelving, corbels/brackets, molding, kitchen hoods, columns, pediments, and more. Tuscan Stone Mantels provides architects, builders, designers and homeowners with hand crafted stone products of exceptional beauty and durability.

Project: Residential interior refurbishment Site: Kensington, London
 Designer: Deik (www.deik.co.uk) Photographer: Anna Stathaki Floral/prop stylish: Simone Bell We have also recently completed a commercial design project for Café Kitsuné in Pantechnicon (a Nordic-Japanese inspired shop, restaurant and café). Simplicity and understated luxury The property is a Grade II listed building in the Queen’s Gate Conservation area. It has been carefully refurbished to make the most out of its existing period features, with all structural elements and mechanical works untouched and preserved. The client asked for modest, understated modern luxury, and wanted to keep some of the family antique furniture. The flat has been transformed with the use of neutral, clean and simple elements that blend subtly with the architecture of the shell. Classic furniture and modern details complement and enhance one another. The focus in this project is on craftsmanship, handiwork and the use of traditional, natural, timeless materials. A mix of solid oak, stucco plaster, marble and bronze emphasize the building’s heritage. The raw stucco walls provide a simple, earthy warmth, referencing artisanal plasterwork. With its muted tones and rough-hewn simplicity, stucco is the perfect backdrop for the timeless furniture and interiors. Feature wall lights have been carefully placed to bring out the surface of the stucco, creating a dramatic feel throughout the living room and corridor. The bathroom and shower room employ subtle, minimal details, with elegant grey marble tiles and pale oak joinery creating warm, calming tones and a relaxed atmosphere.

A stunning mountain home that offers cosiness and warmth in it's tones and colours. Beautiful rustic elements meet with a contemporary/ retro aesthetic makes this home truly unique. Nearly a full home renovation, Smith & Sons completed two bathroom remodels, master bedroom renovation as well as seeing to the great room; kitchen, dining and living area. This renovation makes the most of the glorious lake views with floor to ceiling windows and open plan kitchen and dining space. The bedrooms and bathrooms show how the attention to detail employed throughout this project produces a beautifully finished home.

This Queen Anne style five story townhouse in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn is one of a pair that were built in 1887 by Charles Erhart, a co-founder of the Pfizer pharmaceutical company. The brownstone façade was restored in an earlier renovation, which also included work to main living spaces. The scope for this new renovation phase was focused on restoring the stair hallways, gut renovating six bathrooms, a butler’s pantry, kitchenette, and work to the bedrooms and main kitchen. Work to the exterior of the house included replacing 18 windows with new energy efficient units, renovating a roof deck and restoring original windows. In keeping with the Victorian approach to interior architecture, each of the primary rooms in the house has its own style and personality. The Parlor is entirely white with detailed paneling and moldings throughout, the Drawing Room and Dining Room are lined with shellacked Oak paneling with leaded glass windows, and upstairs rooms are finished with unique colors or wallpapers to give each a distinct character. The concept for new insertions was therefore to be inspired by existing idiosyncrasies rather than apply uniform modernity. Two bathrooms within the master suite both have stone slab walls and floors, but one is in white Carrara while the other is dark grey Graffiti marble. The other bathrooms employ either grey glass, Carrara mosaic or hexagonal Slate tiles, contrasted with either blackened or brushed stainless steel fixtures. The main kitchen and kitchenette have Carrara countertops and simple white lacquer cabinetry to compliment the historic details.

The SIX is a 52-unit affordable housing project provides a home, support services and rehabilitation for disabled veterans. It is located in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles. McArthur Park has one of the highest densities in the USA with over 38,000 people per square mile and a total population of 120,000 people in 2.72 square miles. Offering shelter and comfort, the SIX breaks the prescriptive mold of the traditional shelter by creating public and private "zones" in which private space is deemphasized, in favor of large public areas. The organization of the space is intended to transform the way people live-away from a reclusive, isolating layout towards a community-oriented, interactive space. The ground level contains offices, support spaces for the veterans, bike storage and parking while the second level has a large public courtyard. Surrounded by four levels of housing units with balconies wrapped with a wood screen made from recycle planking the courtyard has large openings with green roofs that visually connects the space to the street on the lower level beyond. This allows the tenants to enjoy a secured open space while still connecting to the larger community. The uppermost level has a green roof, large public patio and edible garden with panoramic views of the area. The SIX distinguishes itself from most conventionally developed projects in that it incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy. The planning and design emerged from close consideration and employment of passive design strategies. These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; utilizing low flow fixtures and storm water management; shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution. These passive strategies alone make this building 50% more efficient than a conventionally designed structure.

In this home we employed many of our high performance home techniques to build a very comfortable, healthy and beautiful home. The architects were Moskow-Linn of Boston. Photography: Gil Jacobs

This home has clean, crisp lines, a simple colour palette and the use of materials that compliment the design and layout. This modern design employs a sense of simplicity in every element, including furniture.

Waverly Cove sold out in April 2021. Located within the Pilgrim Triton master plan, Waverly Cove offers 20 townhomes with 3 bedrooms and 3-3.5 bathrooms in approx. 2,300 sq. Ft. These are the ideal low-maintenance townhomes that live like a single-family home, with spacious rooms for entertainment and inviting outdoor decks. Each plan offers outdoor decks in the living area and off the bedrooms (per plan). - Plan 1 offers 5 decks - 1: family room, 2: kitchen 3: dining room, 4: bedroom two, 5: master bedroom - Plan 2 offers 3-4 decks - 2a 1: family room, 2: dining room, 3: bedroom two, plan 2b 4: master bedroom - Plan 3 offers 1 amazing deck at the master bedroom area! This community offers a great commute location close to HWY 101, excellent schools, close proximity to charming downtown San Mateo, and conveniently located near top employers like Visa, Gilead Sciences, Sony PlayStation, Illumina, Fisher Investments, Guckenheimer Inc, and Rakuten. Schools: • Audubon Elementary • Bowditch Middle School • San Mateo High School.

Landscape Steps Design Developed under Employment at Studio Schicketanz Design: Lorena Akin & Mary Ann Schicketanz Photography by: Lorena Akin Photoshoot styling: Studio Schicketanz (Lindsay Bauer & Nicole Clapman) Kitchen Design: Lorena Akin & Mary Ann Schicketanz Construction administration: Lorena Akin Doors & Windows: Fleetwood Furnishings by owner

The Borghorst Residence is a "plate-up" remodeling of a modest single story ranch house on a Willamette riverfront lot. The client had grown up in the original house, purchasing the property from his retiring parents. Seeking a break from traditional forms, the new owners supported a clean modernist image employing a partie of solids and voids to define major spatial groupings. The approach reveals the more public areas that in turn frame a two-story view through the house westward to the river, while private areas are appropriately opened only to the river. This play of opacity and transparency, separated largely by the vertical circulation elements, offers interesting compositional opportunities and a legible clue to the building's organization.