The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

**Project Overview** This new custom home is filled with personality and individual touches that make it true to the owners' vision. When creating the guest bath, they wanted to do something truly unique and a little bit whimsical. The result is a custom-designed furniture piece vanity in a custom royal blue finish, as well as matching mirror frames. **What Makes This Project Unique?** The clients had an image in their minds and were determined to find a place for it in their new custom home. Their love of bold blue and this unique style led to the creation of this one-of-a-kind piece. The room is bathed in natural light, and the use of light colors in the tile to complement the brilliant blue, help ensure that the space remains light, airy and welcoming. **Design Challenges** Because this furniture piece doesn't start with a standard vanity, our biggest challenge was simply determining what pieces we could draw upon from a semi-custom custom cabinet line. Photo by MIke Kaskel

Spacecrafting Photography
Inspiration for a large transitional gray two-story mixed siding house exterior remodel in Minneapolis with a hip roof and a shingle roof

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Austin

Red Ranch Studio photography
Inspiration for a large modern master white tile and subway tile ceramic tile and gray floor alcove bathtub remodel in New York with a two-piece toilet, gray walls, distressed cabinets, a vessel sink, solid surface countertops and flat-panel cabinets

When designing an outdoor space, we always ensure that we carry the indoor style outside so that one space flows into another. We chose swivel wicker chairs so that family and friends can converse or turn toward the lake to enjoy the view and the activity.

Spacecrafting
Inspiration for a country master white floor bathroom remodel in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and white countertops

Inspiration for a contemporary reach-in closet remodel in New York with open cabinets and white cabinets

Patio - transitional patio idea in San Francisco with a bbq area

The kitchen was created in collaboration with Smallbone of Devizes. The electronic stove from Wolf has a stainless steel finish and allows residents to choose from ten different cooking modes with even temperatures and airflow throughout. The available dual fuel ranges are natural or LP gas. The refrigerator is a product of Sub-Zero and is built into the surrounding cabinetry. To ensure freshness of food and water, the refrigerator features an air purification system, that reduces stench, odors, bacteria and viruses. The residents will be accustom to cleaning without error, with the help of their fully integrated dishwasher from Miele.

Inspiration for a coastal single-wall light wood floor wet bar remodel in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and blue backsplash

PixelProFoto
Large 1960s side yard concrete patio photo in San Diego with a fireplace and a pergola

Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in St Louis.

Danish 3/4 white tile multicolored floor alcove shower photo in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink and wood countertops

This elegant mudroom features custom built-in cabinetry painted in a soothing blue, complemented by beadboard paneling and a warm wooden bench. The brass chandelier adds a touch of sophistication, while ample storage and practical hooks ensure functionality and organization in this stylish space.

Inspiration for a huge contemporary u-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Charleston with a single-bowl sink, glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are planted above yellow melampodium. Learn how to grow easy vegetables that look great on your patio from the book "Easy Container Combos: Vegetables & Flowers." See a free, 24 page sample of the book at www.pamela-crawford.com. in the 'Books' section. Pamela Crawford designed and photographed the planter. Pamela designs landscapes throughout Palm Beach County, FL, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, the town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Wellington.

John Sutton Photography
Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in San Francisco.

The goal of this project was to upgrade the builder grade finishes and create an ergonomic space that had a contemporary feel. This bathroom transformed from a standard, builder grade bathroom to a contemporary urban oasis. This was one of my favorite projects, I know I say that about most of my projects but this one really took an amazing transformation. By removing the walls surrounding the shower and relocating the toilet it visually opened up the space. Creating a deeper shower allowed for the tub to be incorporated into the wet area. Adding a LED panel in the back of the shower gave the illusion of a depth and created a unique storage ledge. A custom vanity keeps a clean front with different storage options and linear limestone draws the eye towards the stacked stone accent wall. Houzz Write Up: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/inside-houzz-a-chopped-up-bathroom-goes-streamlined-and-swank-stsetivw-vs~27263720 The layout of this bathroom was opened up to get rid of the hallway effect, being only 7 foot wide, this bathroom needed all the width it could muster. Using light flooring in the form of natural lime stone 12x24 tiles with a linear pattern, it really draws the eye down the length of the room which is what we needed. Then, breaking up the space a little with the stone pebble flooring in the shower, this client enjoyed his time living in Japan and wanted to incorporate some of the elements that he appreciated while living there. The dark stacked stone feature wall behind the tub is the perfect backdrop for the LED panel, giving the illusion of a window and also creates a cool storage shelf for the tub. A narrow, but tasteful, oval freestanding tub fit effortlessly in the back of the shower. With a sloped floor, ensuring no standing water either in the shower floor or behind the tub, every thought went into engineering this Atlanta bathroom to last the test of time. With now adequate space in the shower, there was space for adjacent shower heads controlled by Kohler digital valves. A hand wand was added for use and convenience of cleaning as well. On the vanity are semi-vessel sinks which give the appearance of vessel sinks, but with the added benefit of a deeper, rounded basin to avoid splashing. Wall mounted faucets add sophistication as well as less cleaning maintenance over time. The custom vanity is streamlined with drawers, doors and a pull out for a can or hamper. A wonderful project and equally wonderful client. I really enjoyed working with this client and the creative direction of this project. Brushed nickel shower head with digital shower valve, freestanding bathtub, curbless shower with hidden shower drain, flat pebble shower floor, shelf over tub with LED lighting, gray vanity with drawer fronts, white square ceramic sinks, wall mount faucets and lighting under vanity. Hidden Drain shower system. Atlanta Bathroom.