Baulinder Haus is located just a few houses down from a landmark Kansas City area home designed by Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer. Baulinder Haus draws inspiration from the details of the neighboring home. Vertically oriented wood siding, simple forms, and overhanging masses—these were part of Breuer’s modernist palette. The house’s form consists of a series of stacked boxes, with public spaces on the ground level and private spaces in the boxes above. The boxes are oriented in a U-shaped plan to create a generous private courtyard. This was designed as an extension of the interior living space, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling south facing windows in the courtyard are shaded by the overhanging second floor above to prohibit solar heat gain, but allow for passive solar heating in the winter. Other sustainable elements of the home include a geothermal heat pump HVAC system, energy efficient windows and sprayed foam insulation. The exterior wood is a vertical shiplap siding milled from FSC certified Machiche. Baulinder Haus was designed to meet and exceed requirements put forward by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their Indoor airPLUS qualified homes, and is working toward Energy Star qualification. Machiche and steel screening elements provide depth and texture to front facade.

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

The “V” pattern of the Fiberon Horizon Ipe deck boards creates an eye-catching floor design. Using the same composite deck boards as top rails provides a striking contrast to the Fiberon Horizon white posts and visually connects the space. The wide flat top rail also doubles as table-top dining. Add in the outdoor kitchen and lighting, and this deck is an impressive extension of the home. One of the best things about this outdoor space is that the decking and railing are low-maintenance Fiberon composites.

Example of a large trendy light wood floor front door design in Montreal with a glass front door and white walls

Small transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in New York with an undermount sink, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, shaker cabinets and gray cabinets

Josh Partee
Example of a trendy laundry room design in Portland with gray cabinets, blue walls, wood countertops and brown countertops

Photo: Charles Davis Smith, AIA
Inspiration for an industrial backyard concrete paver and l-shaped pool remodel in Dallas with a roof extension

Greg Reigler
This is an example of a large traditional front porch design in Miami with decking and a roof extension.

Mid-sized trendy brick townhouse exterior photo in London

Built from the ground up on 80 acres outside Dallas, Oregon, this new modern ranch house is a balanced blend of natural and industrial elements. The custom home beautifully combines various materials, unique lines and angles, and attractive finishes throughout. The property owners wanted to create a living space with a strong indoor-outdoor connection. We integrated built-in sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings to attract ample, natural lighting. The master bathroom is spacious and features an open shower room with soaking tub and natural pebble tiling. There is custom-built cabinetry throughout the home, including extensive closet space, library shelving, and floating side tables in the master bedroom. The home flows easily from one room to the next and features a covered walkway between the garage and house. One of our favorite features in the home is the two-sided fireplace – one side facing the living room and the other facing the outdoor space. In addition to the fireplace, the homeowners can enjoy an outdoor living space including a seating area, in-ground fire pit and soaking tub.

Inset cabinetry by Starmark topped with marble countertops lay atop a herringbone patterned marble floor with floor to ceiling natural marble tile in two sizes of subway separated by a chair rail. Photos by Blackstock Photography

To create a welcoming gathering space and a stronger connection the outdoors, the kitchen was reconfigured and opened up to the front entry of the home. To improve traffic flow, an additional doorway to the adjacent family room was added.

This is an example of a large cottage concrete porch container garden design with a roof extension.

Small transitional l-shaped vinyl floor and brown floor kitchen photo in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Large elegant backyard concrete paver patio photo in Louisville with a roof extension

Photography by Ellen McDermott
Sunroom - mid-sized coastal backyard stone screened-in sunroom idea in New York with a roof extension and a standard ceiling

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Ryan Galvin at ryangarvinphotography.com This is a ground up custom home build in eastside Costa Mesa across street from Newport Beach in 2014. It features 10 feet ceiling, Subzero, Wolf appliances, Restoration Hardware lighting fixture, Altman plumbing fixture, Emtek hardware, European hard wood windows, wood windows. The California room is so designed to be part of the great room as well as part of the master suite.

Knickerbocker Group | ARCHITECT Stewart Reniers Design | INTERIOR DESIGNER Knickerbocker Group | BUILDER Trent Bell | PHOTOGRAPHER
Inspiration for a coastal u-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Portland Maine with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances