Near the center of this photo is the outdoor Dining Patio, where the owners can enjoy breakfasts at sunrise over Camel Head Mountain to the east. A great place to sit and relax and enjoy chatting with the neighbors as they walk by. Natural stone accents as well as wood outriggers and beams finish off the smooth stucco exterior with that extra Southwestern touch.

Awarded "Best Smart Home of the Year" by EH. Spire outfitted this beautiful Michigan home with the best in high quality luxury technology. The homeowners enjoy the complete control of their home, from lighting and shading to entertainment and security, through the Savant Control System. Homeowners and guests can easily create “scenes” to manage their days and social gatherings. Lutron shades help maintain light, climate and privacy to balance the inside and outside views. Outdoor entertaining is easy with the Sonance Landscape Audio System, Lutron light controls for pools and fountains and Savant control of outdoor fire pits. The fully managed Whyreboot network allows for uninterrupted system control. To maintain security, Holovision doors and gates are equipped with Doorbird system to notify residents of visitors and to give control to open and close doors and gates. Music lovers can enjoy the highest level in audio from Meridian 7200 speakers in the lower level, as well as, Sonance in wall and in ceiling speakers throughout the home. In order for the homeowners to enjoy different music and entertainment in various rooms, 14 zones of video and 26 zones of audio were necessary. Spire added many special touches to this amazing home. The master bathroom boasts a MirrorTV so owners can enjoy some entertainment while preparing for the day. A floor lift in the kitchen and dining room allows for entertainment, but can be tucked away when distractions are not wanted. A floor lift in the bedroom makes watching TV convenient, but can be put away when not in use. A fingerprint lock was placed at the bar for peace of mind. Spire’s expertise and commitment to detail were key to the intricate design concepts throughout the home. Spire worked closely with design teams to ensure under cabinet lighting was just right.

The soaking tub is placed near large windows to either let in lots of light or to enjoy the night sky. If you need extra privacy, just close the beautiful curtains. Photo credit: Nat Rea

This super soft bonded leather sectional is versatile as well as comfortable. Choose the configuration that works best in your room, then enjoy this extra deep seating experience. Comfort coil cushions for added comfort in each seat.

For post-ping pong relaxing, we chose a quartet of low-profile lounge chairs where family and friends can discuss the finer points of the game and enjoy some snacks. For extra seating, we added a pair of oversized pillow/ottomans and leather upholstered bar stools with a gunmetal finish.

Our customer came to us with a bit of an issue.. a small backyard and big dreams. Guess what? Clear Tech took on the challenge and created a space that was enjoyable. We started from grass and turned the space into a relaxing pool area. We completed the look with outdoor furniture that brought the whole project together. Our customer is so excited to enjoy their new and useable outdoor living space.

Most downtown city backyards are "petite" to say the least! However, nothing is impossible! These urbanites wanted to ensure that this small footprint was utilized to its best potential while adding the joy of water. This particular home is a semi-detached with a back patio and walkway to their private garage. This year round concrete spa is a wonderful place to enjoy in all seasons! It can be kept at pool temperatures for summer enjoyment or turned up to enjoy as a spa throughout the seasons. An autocover (as pictured) helps to keep the spa clean as well as reducing temperature loss. The wood decking and the beautiful coping surround allow for lots of extra seating when needed. McNeill Phototgraphy

Doing the roof deck for this home was a fun project. Weather durable elements of minimum maintenance were key such Bamboo furniture. The theme palette was about sunshine, enjoying the outdoors and beach. We added antique roth iron columns to hold the new owning for extra shade over the table. Old recycled stadium seats allowed for extra seating that could be folded away. We created a one of a kind coffee table with concrete elements and a thick acrylic sheet on top. The deck was stainned on a sage green and bright aqua blue garden stools serve as side tables or extra seating. An antique trolley for drinks and vintage Coca-Cola/Pepsi crates are great for holding beverages. One can enjoy the views under the sunny skylight and the smells of BBQ while still in the city, Photos by: Inna Spivakova

Mark Lohman
Large beach style light wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

A casual modern family room for a family of 6 to enjoy the summers in the Hamptons. A large sectional provides seating for the family to relax and play games or read. Extra seating provides room for guests when entertaining. A colorful array of fabric and art brighten up the space and a bit of energy to a large common space.

We feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on this clean NW Contemporary home. Due to its remote location, our goal was to pre-fabricate as much as possible and shorten the installation time on site. We were able to cut and pre-fit all the glue-laminated timber frame structural elements, the Douglas Fir tongue and groove ceilings, and even the open riser Maple stair. The pictures mostly speak for themselves; but it is worth noting, we were very pleased with the final result. Despite its simple modern aesthetic with exposed concrete walls and miles of glass on the view side, the wood ceilings and the warm lighting give a cozy, comfy feel to the spaces. The owners were very involved with the design and build, including swinging hammers with us, so it was a real labor of love. The owners, and ourselves, walked away from the project with a great pride and deep feeling of satisfied accomplishment. Design by Level Design Photography by C9 Photography

All of our homes are designed specifically for their lots and surroundings, but the unique shape of this lot required extra creativity to best utilize the space while capturing the park views.

As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards In general, Bryan and Connie Rellinger loved the charm of the old cottage they purchased on a Crooked Lake peninsula, north of Petoskey. Specifically, however, the presence of a live-well in the kitchen (a huge cement basin with running water for keeping fish alive was right in the kitchen entryway, seriously), rickety staircase and green shag carpet, not so much. An extreme renovation was the only solution. The downside? The rebuild would have to fit into the smallish nonconforming footprint. The upside? That footprint was built when folks could place a building close enough to the water to feel like they could dive in from the house. Ahhh... Stephanie Baldwin of Edgewater Design helped the Rellingers come up with a timeless cottage design that breathes efficiency into every nook and cranny. It also expresses the synergy of Bryan, Connie and Stephanie, who emailed each other links to products they liked throughout the building process. That teamwork resulted in an interior that sports a young take on classic cottage. Highlights include a brass sink and light fixtures, coffered ceilings with wide beadboard planks, leathered granite kitchen counters and a way-cool floor made of American chestnut planks from an old barn. Thanks to an abundant use of windows that deliver a grand view of Crooked Lake, the home feels airy and much larger than it is. Bryan and Connie also love how well the layout functions for their family - especially when they are entertaining. The kids' bedrooms are off a large landing at the top of the stairs - roomy enough to double as an entertainment room. When the adults are enjoying cocktail hour or a dinner party downstairs, they can pull a sliding door across the kitchen/great room area to seal it off from the kids' ruckus upstairs (or vice versa!). From its gray-shingled dormers to its sweet white window boxes, this charmer on Crooked Lake is packed with ideas! - Jacqueline Southby Photography

Another great placement for a wall mounted electric fireplace is a sitting or lounge area of your living room. Picture having a deep conversation with your friend sitting on a couple of chairs in front of the fireplace while enjoying the peaceful flickering of the flames. Or reading a book on a chaise next to the fireplace and absorbing the warmth radiating from the it.

This creative transitional space was transformed from a very dated layout that did not function well for our homeowners - who enjoy cooking for both their family and friends. They found themselves cooking on a 30" by 36" tiny island in an area that had much more potential. A completely new floor plan was in order. An unnecessary hallway was removed to create additional space and a new traffic pattern. New doorways were created for access from the garage and to the laundry. Just a couple of highlights in this all Thermador appliance professional kitchen are the 10 ft island with two dishwashers (also note the heated tile area on the functional side of the island), double floor to ceiling pull-out pantries flanking the refrigerator, stylish soffited area at the range complete with burnished steel, niches and shelving for storage. Contemporary organic pendants add another unique texture to this beautiful, welcoming, one of a kind kitchen! Photos by David Cobb Photography.

Photo: Lauren Andersen © 2017 Houzz
Living room - industrial medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room idea in San Francisco with beige walls

When you need a bit of extra space, consider re-purposing and updating an existing area in your home. Here, we took an unused sun room and transformed it into a finished space for the family to enjoy.

Example of a beach style l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Grand Rapids with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

so, as you see in the before photo this was the family/dining room that was connected to the kitchen. We closed off the room making the house from a 2/2 into a 3/2. Who does not like an extra bedroom? Featuring a slider door to an outside paver patio to enjoy the canal.