This project, an extensive remodel and addition to an existing modern residence high above Silicon Valley, was inspired by dominant images and textures from the site: boulders, bark, and leaves. We created a two-story addition clad in traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban burnt wood siding that anchors home and site. Natural textures also prevail in the cosmetic remodeling of all the living spaces. The new volume adjacent to an expanded kitchen contains a family room and staircase to an upper guest suite. The original home was a joint venture between Min | Day as Design Architect and Burks Toma Architects as Architect of Record and was substantially completed in 1999. In 2005, Min | Day added the swimming pool and related outdoor spaces. Schwartz and Architecture (SaA) began work on the addition and substantial remodel of the interior in 2009, completed in 2015. Photo by Matthew Millman

Once a foreclosure in shambles, this house was gutted and completely flipped into a gorgeous family home. The entry, living and kitchen were unlivable and required in depth redesign to create the open flow the home offers now. Clean lines and modern tranquility are now enjoyed daily by these homeowners! Design by Chad Hatfield, CR, CRKB. Photography by Versatile Imaging.

Our clients came to us because they were tired of looking at the side of their neighbor’s house from their master bedroom window! Their 1959 Dallas home had worked great for them for years, but it was time for an update and reconfiguration to make it more functional for their family. They were looking to open up their dark and choppy space to bring in as much natural light as possible in both the bedroom and bathroom. They knew they would need to reconfigure the master bathroom and bedroom to make this happen. They were thinking the current bedroom would become the bathroom, but they weren’t sure where everything else would go. This is where we came in! Our designers were able to create their new floorplan and show them a 3D rendering of exactly what the new spaces would look like. The space that used to be the master bedroom now consists of the hallway into their new master suite, which includes a new large walk-in closet where the washer and dryer are now located. From there, the space flows into their new beautiful, contemporary bathroom. They decided that a bathtub wasn’t important to them but a large double shower was! So, the new shower became the focal point of the bathroom. The new shower has contemporary Marine Bone Electra cement hexagon tiles and brushed bronze hardware. A large bench, hidden storage, and a rain shower head were must-have features. Pure Snow glass tile was installed on the two side walls while Carrara Marble Bianco hexagon mosaic tile was installed for the shower floor. For the main bathroom floor, we installed a simple Yosemite tile in matte silver. The new Bellmont cabinets, painted naval, are complemented by the Greylac marble countertop and the Brainerd champagne bronze arched cabinet pulls. The rest of the hardware, including the faucet, towel rods, towel rings, and robe hooks, are Delta Faucet Trinsic, in a classic champagne bronze finish. To finish it off, three 14” Classic Possini Euro Ludlow wall sconces in burnished brass were installed between each sheet mirror above the vanity. In the space that used to be the master bathroom, all of the furr downs were removed. We replaced the existing window with three large windows, opening up the view to the backyard. We also added a new door opening up into the main living room, which was totally closed off before. Our clients absolutely love their cool, bright, contemporary bathroom, as well as the new wall of windows in their master bedroom, where they are now able to enjoy their beautiful backyard!

Modern ski chalet with walls of windows to enjoy the mountainous view provided of this ski-in ski-out property. Formal and casual living room areas allow for flexible entertaining. Construction - Bear Mountain Builders Interiors - Hunter & Company Photos - Gibeon Photography

Mountain style dark wood floor kitchen photo with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, beige backsplash, an island and multicolored countertops

Keith LeBlanc
Mid-sized minimalist backyard deck photo in Boston with no cover

Luke Gibson Photography
Inspiration for a transitional living room remodel in Los Angeles

Today, almost any activity you enjoy inside your home you can bring to the outside. Depending on your budget, your outdoor room can be simple, with a stamped concrete patio, a grill and a table for dining, or more elaborate with a fully functional outdoor kitchen complete with concrete countertops for preparing and serving food, a sink and a refrigerator. You can take the concept even further by adding such amenities as a concrete pizza oven, a fireplace or fire-pit, a concrete bar-top for serving cocktails, an architectural concrete fountain, landscape lighting and concrete statuary. Sunset Construction and Design specializes in creating residential patio retreats, outdoor kitchens with fireplaces and luxurious outdoor living rooms. Our design-build service can turn an ordinary back yard into a natural extension of your home giving you a whole new dimension for entertaining or simply unwinding at the end of the day. If you’re interested in converting a boring back yard or starting from scratch in a new home, give us a call today! A great patio and outdoor living area can easily be yours. Greg, Sunset Construction & Design in Fresno, CA.

Covered living space on a golf course. This beautiful house on a golf course had it all, almost.. What was it lacking?.. An outdoor living space! This 224 square foot addition is what every house in Washington needs. Escape the rain and still have space to read a book or enjoy a family meal outside while staying dry. I think this space is pretty keen and I hope you do to.

This home was a brand-new construction bought by a single father of two. With no furnishings, color palette, or concept for design, we started from scratch. We designed the floor plan for the home, deciding what each space would be dedicated to. By selecting custom colors and furniture that was neither too feminine or too masculine, we made the space enjoyable and functional for both him and his children. Scott Nelson Photography

The outdoor living area on this traditional split level has it all when it come to low maintenance and a space you can really enjoy. TimberTech Earthwood Teak decking, a custom bronze colored patio cover with solar bronze panels overhead, CRL aluminum picket rails, and custom wood framed spa enclosure with frosted glass panels around. Photo By Doug Woodside, Decks and Patio Covers

The outdoor pavilion with a cantilevered roof provides protection and style for the alfresco entertainment lounge. A contemporary sectional, loveseat and coffee table from Patio Rennaisance create the perfect relaxation spot to take in the dramatic television wall. Cladded with Norstone stone veneer and glass tile insert, the television wall features four 50” televisions. The sights and sounds of this high tech lounge can also be enjoyed from the hearth area. Photography by Joe Traina

The Avignon features breathtaking views of Quail West’s Arthur Hills-designed golf course and coveted southern exposure. Fully furnished by Romanza Interior Design, the open floor plan offers a formal dining room, study, second-floor loft and two guest suites with balconies. The kitchen, casual dining area and great room create a large gathering space, with rooms defined by beamed ceilings and archways. The first-floor owner’s suite features a sitting area framed by a rectangular bay window, a coffered ceiling and two large walk-in closets. Sliding glass doors in the master bath reveal a garden area and outdoor shower. The outdoor living areas offer motorized screens and insect control to enjoy uninhibited views of the golf course as you grill from the outdoor kitchen, or enjoy a relaxing swim in the custom pool, which includes a sun shelf and spa.

Tom Holdsworth Photography Our clients wanted to create a room that would bring them closer to the outdoors; a room filled with natural lighting; and a venue to spotlight a modern fireplace. Early in the design process, our clients wanted to replace their existing, outdated, and rundown screen porch, but instead decided to build an all-season sun room. The space was intended as a quiet place to read, relax, and enjoy the view. The sunroom addition extends from the existing house and is nestled into its heavily wooded surroundings. The roof of the new structure reaches toward the sky, enabling additional light and views. The floor-to-ceiling magnum double-hung windows with transoms, occupy the rear and side-walls. The original brick, on the fourth wall remains exposed; and provides a perfect complement to the French doors that open to the dining room and create an optimum configuration for cross-ventilation. To continue the design philosophy for this addition place seamlessly merged natural finishes from the interior to the exterior. The Brazilian black slate, on the sunroom floor, extends to the outdoor terrace; and the stained tongue and groove, installed on the ceiling, continues through to the exterior soffit. The room's main attraction is the suspended metal fireplace; an authentic wood-burning heat source. Its shape is a modern orb with a commanding presence. Positioned at the center of the room, toward the rear, the orb adds to the majestic interior-exterior experience. This is the client's third project with place architecture: design. Each endeavor has been a wonderful collaboration to successfully bring this 1960s ranch-house into twenty-first century living.

Welcome to the essential refined mountain rustic home: warm, homey, and sturdy. The house’s structure is genuine heavy timber framing, skillfully constructed with mortise and tenon joinery. Distressed beams and posts have been reclaimed from old American barns to enjoy a second life as they define varied, inviting spaces. Traditional carpentry is at its best in the great room’s exquisitely crafted wood trusses. Rugged Lodge is a retreat that’s hard to return from.

Karen Cole
Photo of a farmhouse landscaping in Philadelphia.

This kitchen was designed by Bilotta senior designer, Randy O’Kane, CKD with (and for) interior designer Blair Harris. The apartment is located in a turn-of-the-20th-century Manhattan brownstone and the kitchen (which was originally at the back of the apartment) was relocated to the front in order to gain more light in the heart of the home. Blair really wanted the cabinets to be a dark blue color and opted for Farrow & Ball’s “Railings”. In order to make sure the space wasn’t too dark, Randy suggested open shelves in natural walnut vs. traditional wall cabinets along the back wall. She complemented this with white crackled ceramic tiles and strips of LED lights hidden under the shelves, illuminating the space even more. The cabinets are Bilotta’s private label line, the Bilotta Collection, in a 1” thick, Shaker-style door with walnut interiors. The flooring is oak in a herringbone pattern and the countertops are Vermont soapstone. The apron-style sink is also made of soapstone and is integrated with the countertop. Blair opted for the trending unlacquered brass hardware from Rejuvenation’s “Massey” collection which beautifully accents the blue cabinetry and is then repeated on both the “Chagny” Lacanche range and the bridge-style Waterworks faucet. The space was designed in such a way as to use the island to separate the primary cooking space from the living and dining areas. The island could be used for enjoying a less formal meal or as a plating area to pass food into the dining area.

The homeowner of this traditional home requested a traditional pool and spa with a resort-like style and finishes. AquaTerra was able to create this wonderful outdoor environment with all they could have asked for. While the pool and spa may be simple on the surface, extensive planning went into this environment to incorporate the intricate deck pattern. During site layout and during construction, extreme attention to detail was required to make sure nothing compromised the precise deck layout. The pool is 42'x19' and includes a custom water feature wall, glass waterline tile and a fully tiled lounge with bubblers. The separate spa is fully glass tiled and is designed to be a water feature with custom spillways when not in use. LED lighting is used in both the pool and spa to create dramatic lighting that can be enjoyed at night. The pool/spa deck is made of 2'x2' travertine stones, four to a square, creating a 4'x4' grid that is rotated 45 degrees in relation to the pool. In between all of the stones is synthetic turf that ties into the synthetic turf putting green that is adjacent to the deck. Underneath all of this decking and turf is a concrete sub-deck to support and drain the entire system. Finishes and details that increase the aesthetic appeal for project include: -All glass tile spa and spa basin -Travertine deck -Tiled sun lounge with bubblers -Custom water feature wall -LED lighting -Synthetic turf This traditional pool and all the intricate details make it a perfect environment for the homeowners to live, relax and play! Photography: Daniel Driensky

Example of a mid-sized classic enclosed and formal medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Salt Lake City with blue walls, no fireplace and no tv