The exterior of what looks like a vernacular Hamptons shingle cottage, designed by architect Blaze Makoid, is intentionally deceiving. For the interiors, Axis Mundi typically decided not to play by the rules. Instead of de rigeur nautical artifacts, floppy sofas and wicker furniture, the firm responded to Makoid’s all-white interior envelope by injecting rooms with comfortable modern elegance that’s more contemporary Cap Ferrat than Eastern Long Island. Clean furniture silhouettes—from Cassina, Poltrona Frau and B&B Italia—a Massimo Vitali beach scene, a Moooi chandelier and industrial finishes (such as the steel of the fireplace surround and the anodized aluminum of a sleek Bulthaup kitchen) spark a creative tension between indoors and out. The gray palette provides a quiet backdrop for the nature outside, except for the master suite, where custom oak panels and blue shades create a reassuring warmth conducive to sleep. Size: 1,920 sf Project Team: John Beckmann, Nick Messerlian and Richard Rosenbloom Architect: Blaze Makoid Architecture Photographer: Mark Roskams © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

Who wouldn't want to keep their apartment in Buenos Aires? This family did. Which meant their new home in Bloomington was a fresh start and needed remodeling as well as furnishings—rugs, seating, art and everything in between. Local architect Russ Herndon revamped and opened up the kitchen in this 1970s ranch, moving awkwardly placed doors in three different locations to improve the traffic flow and allow for optimal furniture placement. SYI swept in to furnish and finish the public spaces with a careful mix of vintage and new, neutral and bold, family comfort and modern chic. The homeowner (turned friend) was a wonderful collaborator and speedy decision maker. Only one hard and fast rule governed the process: no yellow and blue, the colors of Brazil, Argentina's arch rival in soccer.

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com Project Entry: Pembrooke Estate Rain Garden 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Sustainable Landscape &60,000-$120,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: The client contracted our company to solve multiple existing drainage problems. In a heavy rain event the existing French drain system would overflow, causing water to pool in the driveway. After investigating the system we found that the capacity of the French drain was undersized for the amount of storm water from the large rain events received in recent years. As a result of our findings and at the request of the homeowner, we designed a storm water management system to capture all storm water from the structures on the property and regenerate the underground aquifers for the volume of a 5.8” rainstorm. In addition to the new drain system, the homeowners wanted a rain garden to provide a backdrop for an existing formal garden, provide a habitat for wildlife, and provide screening from an adjacent neighbor. Throughout the design process many challenges were presented, including an existing gas line, which ran directly through the area that best suited the bioswale. The existence of the gas line caused us to alter the shape and depth of the bioswale in some areas. We also inspected the existing downspouts to make sure there were no obstructions that would impede the system’s efficiency, and then conducted a test pit dig to make sure we had sufficient percolation rates for disposal of storm water. To effectively capture the storm water runoff, the existing downspouts were piped from the main house and the large detached garage to a large catch basin located at the low point in the driveway. The driveway catch basin contains two outlet pipes at different elevations within the basin allowing water from smaller rain events to enter the bioswale and rain garden area to percolate into the soil before excess water overflows into a sediment trap which filters out any debris and is then piped to an underground StormTech® pit to slowly percolate into the ground. The other outlet pipe in the driveway catch basin is used for larger storm water events, taking the water directly to the StormTech® pit. Accepting and slowing the velocity of the storm water, mitigation of erosion, and filtering out pollutants contained in the “first flush” of rainfall are the primary functions of the bioswale and rain garden. Planting these areas with mostly native plant species helps carry out these functions while attracting and providing shelter for wildlife. The ‘Niobe’ weeping willow is the centerpiece of the rain garden, connecting with the axis of the existing formal garden. To screen the neighboring property we chose Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ for its graceful evergreen habit and tolerance of wet sites. ‘Ivory Halo’ dogwood and Panicum ‘Cloud Nine’ were used for screening as well as winter interest. To provide deciduous structure to the garden Taxodium distichum and Magnolia virginiana were used in conjunction with witch hazel. Mostly native wetland perennials were used due to their tolerance of wet conditions and occasional drought. The area above the StormTech® pit provides space for the client’s family to relax. The rain garden and bioswale provide screening, storm water management, a habitat for wildlife, and plants that enhance the adjacent formal garden. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

This home remodel is a celebration of curves and light. Starting from humble beginnings as a basic builder ranch style house, the design challenge was maximizing natural light throughout and providing the unique contemporary style the client’s craved. The Entry offers a spectacular first impression and sets the tone with a large skylight and an illuminated curved wall covered in a wavy pattern Porcelanosa tile. The chic entertaining kitchen was designed to celebrate a public lifestyle and plenty of entertaining. Celebrating height with a robust amount of interior architectural details, this dynamic kitchen still gives one that cozy feeling of home sweet home. The large “L” shaped island accommodates 7 for seating. Large pendants over the kitchen table and sink provide additional task lighting and whimsy. The Dekton “puzzle” countertop connection was designed to aid the transition between the two color countertops and is one of the homeowner’s favorite details. The built-in bistro table provides additional seating and flows easily into the Living Room. A curved wall in the Living Room showcases a contemporary linear fireplace and tv which is tucked away in a niche. Placing the fireplace and furniture arrangement at an angle allowed for more natural walkway areas that communicated with the exterior doors and the kitchen working areas. The dining room’s open plan is perfect for small groups and expands easily for larger events. Raising the ceiling created visual interest and bringing the pop of teal from the Kitchen cabinets ties the space together. A built-in buffet provides ample storage and display. The Sitting Room (also called the Piano room for its previous life as such) is adjacent to the Kitchen and allows for easy conversation between chef and guests. It captures the homeowner’s chic sense of style and joie de vivre.

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours and High Resolution Photography is your best choice to find just what you are looking for in the Lake Burton Area . Knowing the areas and resources of Lake Burton is our specialty Lake Burton is a 2,775 acre man-made lake with 62 miles of shoreline located in the northeastern corner of Georgia in Rabun County. It is the first lake in a five-lake series called the Tallulah River Watershed that follows the original course of the Tallulah River. The series of lakes starts with Lake Burton as the northernmost lake followed by Lake Seed, Lake Rabun, Lake Tallulah Falls and the eastern arm of Lake Tugalo (the western arm is formed by the Chattooga River. The lakes are owned and operated by the Georgia Power Company to generate hydroelectric energy for Georgia's largest city, Atlanta. At one time these lakes were the largest producers of electricity in the state of Georgia. Now, they only provide peak power supply. The lake was built in a deep valley located along a 10 mile section of the Tallulah River. The Lake Burton Dam was closed on December 22, 1919 and the lake started to fill. The dam is a gravity concrete dam, with a height of 128 feet and a span of 1,100 feet. The spillway is equipped with eight gates 22 feet wide by 6.6 feet high. The total capacity at an elevation of 1,866.6 feet is 108,000 acre-ft, of which 106,000 acre-ft is usable storage. The generating capacity of the dam is 6,120 kilowatts (two units).Lake Burton is the highest Georgia Power lake in Georgia. Lake Burton gets its named from the town of Burton, which was the second largest town in Rabun County with a population of approximately 200 but now lies below the lake's surface. The town (and the lake) was named after local prominent citizen Jeremiah Burton and was situated along the road from Clayton, Georgia to the Nacoochee Valley. Andrew Jackson Ritchie served as the postmaster for the area for several years. Gold was first discovered in Rabun County where Dicks Creek and the Tallulah River come together and was the reason for the town's founding in the early 1800s. The Lake Burton Fish Hatchery and Moccasin Creek State Park are located on the western side of the lake. Lake Burton is home to several species of fish, including Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, White Catfish, Walleye, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Yellow Perch. The residents of Lake Burton are a mix of permanent residents and seasonal vacationers who together make-up the Lake Burton Civic Association, a local organization who goal is to maintain the lake through volunteer clean-ups and other such events. Let a Lake Burton resident and expert show you the way The Lake Burton Civic Association is an active homeowners association for residents of the Lake Burton area and sponsors many events throughout the year such as: burton, custom, envision, georgia, lake, mountain, nc, north, photography, web, western, Lake Burton, Lake Rabun, Seed Lake,Virtual Tours.

Governor's House Study by Lisa Tharp. 2019 Bulfinch Award - Interior Design. Photo by Michael J. Lee
Inspiration for a transitional built-in desk light wood floor and gray floor study room remodel with white walls

MA Peterson met all the homeowner’s entertaining needs, which included a much-desired area for bar serving that opened up to the newly-added circular four-season porch. Having one location for food and drink staging was a priority for our entertaining couple, and using the transition space between the existing mudroom and kitchen granted perfect access to the prep area nearby. With refrigeration and a beverage center, it’s a great space to host a bartender during an event or to use daily as a cozy spot. The room was created to stand out, and it does just that. The existing stone from the exterior of the home was brought indoors as the surround for the serving bar, giving the perfect rustic pub room feel. The cabinets were stained a dark cherry to match the stain found throughout the house, and Rembrandt glass mosaic tile was added to break up the darker hues. The white bead board ceiling behind the stone wall was lowered and a unique Milton Road pendant, perfectly setting the mood to give it that pub room touch. Susan Gilmore Photography

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

Transitional mosaic tile floor, black floor, double-sink and wallpaper bathroom photo in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and a built-in vanity

The home of Nobel Prize and Pullitzer Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck is located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Each year they host the Festival of Trees holiday event. I was selected to decorate the large library. The tree depicted holiday traditions throughout the world. Different framed photos were hung, along with traditional holiday decorations. A sleigh filled with gifts and books sits adjacent to the tree. A bircage filled with seasonal decor is the focus of the seating area. Two carolers adorn the fireplace.

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Tucked into a leafy street in Sleightsburgh across from Kingston’s Rondout waterfront sits a freshly reborn 19th-century Second Empire home with a mansard roof that gleams like an epaulet in the autumn light. It’s the site of the seventh annual Kingston Design Showhouse—an event that’s equal parts creative laboratory, professional showcase, and social mixer for the Hudson Valley design community—that runs through October 26. The house at 271 Second Avenue had good bones when designer Ana Claudia of Rhinebeck-based Ana Claudia Design took on its gut renovation earlier this year. The transformation added a third bedroom and bath, and—hallelujah—closets in every bedroom. Claudia oversaw the architectural overhaul and designed the showhouse’s open kitchen and dining room, a bright, breezy space that wears its sophistication lightly. Her bird-patterned green wallpaper from Fromental flutters above a handcrafted dining table, bench, and stools by Stone Ridge woodworker Andrew Finnegan. Ceiling lights and sconces from Kingston-based RBW cast the room in warm modern light, while clear switch plates by Corston add a note of barely-there precision. It’s the sort of room that makes you think life could be this orderly and elegant, if only for a weekend.

This 1980's home started out looking more like a cabin in the woods rather than the ocean front beach house it is. It had cedar wood ceilings, walls, wood-look laminate flooring, oak cabinets, and very outdated tile everywhere else. Almost everything was torn out with only the ceiling and some of the walls remaining, which were painted out in white and light gray to open up and brighten the space. Existing walls were smooth plastered to remove the dated heavy texture and the floors were replaced with a very beach friendly and practical wood-print porcelain tile in a herringbone pattern. Everything beach was the inspiration without becoming too kitschy. And the one rule was "no lighthouses", but there are corals, sea shells, coral, and a sail boat for good measure.