This four-story townhome in the heart of old town Alexandria, was recently purchased by a family of four. The outdated galley kitchen with confined spaces, lack of powder room on main level, dropped down ceiling, partition walls, small bathrooms, and the main level laundry were a few of the deficiencies this family wanted to resolve before moving in. Starting with the top floor, we converted a small bedroom into a master suite, which has an outdoor deck with beautiful view of old town. We reconfigured the space to create a walk-in closet and another separate closet. We took some space from the old closet and enlarged the master bath to include a bathtub and a walk-in shower. Double floating vanities and hidden toilet space were also added. The addition of lighting and glass transoms allows light into staircase leading to the lower level. On the third level is the perfect space for a girl’s bedroom. A new bathroom with walk-in shower and added space from hallway makes it possible to share this bathroom. A stackable laundry space was added to the hallway, a few steps away from a new study with built in bookcase, French doors, and matching hardwood floors. The main level was totally revamped. The walls were taken down, floors got built up to add extra insulation, new wide plank hardwood installed throughout, ceiling raised, and a new HVAC was added for three levels. The storage closet under the steps was converted to a main level powder room, by relocating the electrical panel. The new kitchen includes a large island with new plumbing for sink, dishwasher, and lots of storage placed in the center of this open kitchen. The south wall is complete with floor to ceiling cabinetry including a home for a new cooktop and stainless-steel range hood, covered with glass tile backsplash. The dining room wall was taken down to combine the adjacent area with kitchen. The kitchen includes butler style cabinetry, wine fridge and glass cabinets for display. The old living room fireplace was torn down and revamped with a gas fireplace wrapped in stone. Built-ins added on both ends of the living room gives floor to ceiling space provides ample display space for art. Plenty of lighting fixtures such as led lights, sconces and ceiling fans make this an immaculate remodel. We added brick veneer on east wall to replicate the historic old character of old town homes. The open floor plan with seamless wood floor and central kitchen has added warmth and with a desirable entertaining space.

Jackie and Sean loved the Algonquin neighborhood they lived in with the peaceful neighborhood and the close proximity to work and school. What they didn’t love was how outdated their home had become. With a cramped kitchen and an unused dining room, they decided a remodel was the perfect solution to their problem. They would be able to continue to live in the area they loved, while at the same time they could have the dream home they envisioned. After a thorough search, Jackie came across Advance Design Studio. She was impressed by all of the positive reviews she saw on the internet and saw herself identifying with all of the project stories she saw on the website. Once they met with designer Scott Christensen and owner Todd Jurs, they knew Advance Design was the right company to make their dreams a reality. The project consisted of four main areas: the kitchen/dining/powder room, the laundry room, the master bathroom, and the kid’s bathroom. They wanted to expand the kitchen into the seldom used dining room and add a large island for hosting parties and family gatherings. They also wanted new hardwood flooring throughout the first level. The laundry room needed to be more functional, and all three bathrooms were in dire need of updating. The closed off kitchen was opened up to create a sweeping space between the new eating area and the much larger kitchen. A handsome dry bar complete with a beverage refrigerator and lighted glass door cabinetry makes an elegant transition across from a peninsula area filled with storage. An additional decorative cabinet lighting up elegant dishware through the mullioned glass sits directly across from the drybar. An expansive island was critical to the kitchen plans. Jackie, Sean and Scott worked closely together to create just the right details for their design. They wanted the island to be functional in addition to being the centerpiece of the room. Added storage for the kid’s school supplies was hidden behind cabinet doors so the children could do their schoolwork right at the island, and a microwave drawer glides open with the touch of a finger hidden inconspicuously within the island space. The easy to care for Cambria Britannica Quartz island top with its sweeping grey and white marble look perched atop hand-carved Craftsman corbels was absolutely what they were hoping for, blending both beauty and function perfectly. Adding a nice contrast to the brightness of the quartz and the white cabinetry, Kodiak - Leather granite countertops were used to balance the light and dark tones of the space. Dura Supreme Classic White painted cabinets grace the perimeter, while Maple Poppy Seed stained cabinets with a beautiful soft grey woodgrain were used in the beverage center and island. The two tones compliment the large space balancing it out nicely creating interest and elegance with the simple Craftsman style full overlay doors. A deep warm Barnwood White Oak flooring was added throughout the lower level. The new floor brings additional contrast to the bright kitchen and provides unity with the now open floorplan as it rolls in to the foyer and family room. Final details like the show-stopping lunar like duo light fixtures complete the space and intermix expertly with crisscross details of the glass door mullions, the island bar seating and even accessories in the space. The small cluttered laundry room needed more space and more storage. With a busy family it seemed to overflow daily and did not have anywhere to hide the families “in and out stuff.” Scott designed the new space with a stackable washer and dryer and much more efficiently organized cabinetry. Doing laundry is now (almost!) a pleasure and keeping everyone’s “stuff” hidden, but readily accessible is now a snap. The master bath was not a place where the couple enjoyed spending time getting ready for their day. The tub almost never was used, so removing it made it possible to build an extra-large shower, replacing the small cramped cube of the previous shower they hated. Clean, horizontal lines softly draw your eye around the space with porcelain tile called Driftwood Sea spray. Full overlay cabinetry in a soft white vanity with double sinks makes getting ready for the day much more convenient for the busy couple. Long floor planks made of porcelain tile mimic real hardwood floors in a soft grey to compliment the shower, but with the ease and care of a tile surface. Cambrian Black Granite counters with a matte finish and under mount porcelain sinks with handsome brushed chrome hardware complete the handsome space. A real bonus in any master bath; a custom built in storage nook was tucked in the corner of the space for linens and heavenly storage. The kid’s bath was in sad shape because it was original to the house. To keep the budget in control, the tub which was in great condition was retained, but focus was on the new large brick style porcelain charcoal tile on the floor, crisp white new Craftsman style cabinetry with pretty furniture details on the corner base, a striking granite top with white under mount porcelain sinks and fresh hardware and faucets. Some beautiful soft grey wood mirrors to match mom and dads were custom sized and placed under new lighting, and 4 hooks were smartly arranged down the wall for kids’ towels. This couple was determined not to move, and made their house their dream home. Not only does their home function greatly now, but Jackie says, “When the neighbors come to visit, they’re asking if they can “steal” the design”! The added functionality, elegance, and open floor plan were exactly what this family needed in order to stay. Advance Design Studio, Joe Nowak

And though the one-bedroom apartment is small in size, our client needed a second convertible bedroom in her apartment for her parents when they visit from Japan. Frosted glass sliding doors were cleverly added to the end of the living room to divide the space to allow for a second bedroom and a home office, without taking any daylight away from the living room. In the guest area, Ashley introduced a round graphic black and white patterned rug for added personality, while minimal floating iron and glass shelves provide both extra surfaces and added visual interest. A gallery wall featuring rows of carefully installed personal and family photos line the petite hallway that leads to the master suite. Our client requested a crisp black and white bedroom so Ashley used a wide variety of materials to give the room warmth through material instead of color. Ashley also once again brought in a textured white rug to work as a focal point and to make the room appear as large as possible. She kept furnishings timeless and pared back but full of strength thanks to their moody matte gray tones and symmetrical setup. A single armed sturdy clothing rack was also brought in to help our client better prepare for the day ahead every morning.

Glass is ideal for protecting surfaces and can be custom cut to fit any size kitchen countertop, table or desktop. We can cut intricate designs, shapes and patterns that include custom cutouts and notches and with a wide variety of glass options, the possibilities are endless! Arrow Glass and Mirrors team is also able to deliver and set-up your custom glass design, which comes in handy for those extra-large pieces. For more information on ordering custom glass kitchen countertops, tabletops, desktops or shelving please contact our Residential Team today at 512-339-4888 or email sales@glassgang.com. #glass #glasstabletops #glasskitchencountertops #customcutglass #arrowglassandmirroraustin

Japandi Kitchen – Chino Hills A kitchen extension is the ultimate renovation to enhance your living space and add value to your home. This new addition not only provides extra square footage but also allows for endless design possibilities, bringing your kitchen dreams to life. This kitchen was inspired by the Japanese-Scandinavian design movement, “Japandi”, this space is a harmonious blend of sleek lines, natural materials, and warm accents. With a focus on functionality and clean aesthetics, every detail has been carefully crafted to create a space that is both stylish, practical, and welcoming. When it comes to Japandi design, ALWAYS keep some room for wood elements. It gives the perfect amount of earth tone wanted in a kitchen. These new lights and open spaces highlight the beautiful finishes and appliances. This new layout allows for effortless entertaining, with a seamless flow to move around and entertain guests. Custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, and a large custom island with a sink with ample seating; come together to create a chef’s dream kitchen. The added space that has been included especially under this new Thermador stove from ‘Build with Ferguson’, has added space for ultimate organization. We also included a new microwave drawer by Sharp. It blends beautifully underneath the countertop to add more space and makes it incredibly easy to clean. These Quartz countertops that are incredibly durable and resistant to scratches, chips, and cracks, making them very long-lasting. The backsplash is made with maple ribbon tiles to give this kitchen a very earthy tone. With wide shaker cabinets, that are both prefabricated and custom, that compliments every aspect of this kitchen. Whether cooking up a storm or entertaining guests, this Japandi-style kitchen extension is the perfect balance of form and function. With its thoughtfully designed layout and attention to detail, it’s a space that’s guaranteed to leave a lasting impression where memories will be made, and future meals will be shared.

Introducing the extraordinary "Hidden Door" from our exclusive Planum collection. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this remarkable product combines the timeless elegance of pine wood with the innovative construction of honeycomb, resulting in a prime offering for those seeking both style and functionality in their home design. One of the most remarkable features of the Hidden Door is its concealed Concealed Hinges, offering a sleek and seamless appearance. The absence of visible Concealed Hinges adds a touch of sophistication to the door, creating an uninterrupted visual appeal that enhances the overall elegance of your interior design. Designed with versatility in mind, the Hidden Door can be configured to suit your specific needs. Choose between a left-hand or right-hand orientation to ensure a smooth and intuitive user experience. Additionally, you can opt for either an inswing or outswing configuration, adapting the door to your spatial requirements and personal preference. The Hidden Door features a hidden frame, available in either a striking black or sleek silver color. This subtle yet impactful detail adds an extra layer of intrigue to the door, complementing its contemporary design and offering a cohesive look to your living space. The hidden frame seamlessly integrates with the door, creating an illusion of a door suspended in mid-air, captivating the attention of all who encounter it. Not only does the Hidden Door offer an exquisite aesthetic appeal, but it also excels in its practicality. The combination of pine wood and honeycomb construction ensures the door's durability and stability, providing long-lasting performance and peace of mind. The honeycomb core enhances the door's lightweight nature, making it easy to operate while maintaining its strength and integrity. With its impeccable craftsmanship, customizable features, concealed Concealed Hinges, adaptable configurations, and hidden frame options, the Hidden Door from the Planum collection is the epitome of modern sophistication. Whether you seek to create a seamless and harmonious living space or make a bold statement with a captivating design element, this product will undoubtedly elevate your home's aesthetic and leave a lasting impression on all who encounter it. Transform your space with the Hidden Door and unlock a world of possibilities where beauty and functionality seamlessly converge. Discover the perfect harmony of design and practicality, setting new standards in interior door innovation. Choose the Hidden Door from the Planum collection, and elevate your home to new heights of elegance. SOLID CORE Solid wood with honeycomb core made by laminated wood with honeycomb using Ciplex technology. NO FORMALDEHYDE Environmentally friendly using only latest eco-friendly materials. Company requires use of only the safest materials. We care about our planet, the environment and you and your loved ones. Sarto Doors are Ideal for use in hospitals and childcare centers. SOUND ATTENUATION Door's 40mm thick solid wood with honeycomb construction yields 30% noise reduction over standard doors.

Faux Wood Blinds Imagine the Possibilities with Faux Wood Transform any room with Graber Faux Wood Blinds, a sturdy, strong, and cost-effective way to decorate your home. Available styles: Lake Forest® Faux Wood Blinds An affordable alternative to wood, these enduring, easy-to-clean blinds are engineered to withstand moisture. Lake Forest Premium Faux Wood Blinds The perfect counterpart for the Graber Wood Blinds throughout your home, Lake Forest Premium Faux Wood Blinds coordinate beautifully in matching color and wood grain. Traditions® Composite Blinds Get the look you want with the strength and resilience you need. Composite blinds combine the extraordinary look of wood with extra durability, making them a perfect addition to high humidity areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, or laundry rooms. Where traditional wood blinds are not recommended, these perform beautifully. Wood Blinds Warmth and Beauty Used in furnishings for centuries from the most elegant carved filigrees to the simplest Shaker chairs, wood can embody any style. From rustic to ultramodern, wood can take on a variety of paint and stain colors, setting the tone for your living spaces and carrying an aesthetic theme from room to room. We start with the basics—superior materials and craftsmanship—so you can focus on the details that will make your Graber Traditions Wood Blinds the perfect addition to your home. Whether your home décor is traditional, contemporary, or eclectic, versatile Graber Traditions Wood Blinds can add warmth and beauty to your living spaces.

This custom kitchen renovation in a beautiful historic home in Glen Ridge NJ, was made possible by taking down interior walls to gain extra space for a large island with a 4’ Galley sink, seating, and a lower walnut butcher block work area. A custom tray ceiling was also designed with accent lighting and pendants over the island. Perimeter cabinetry is Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Recessed in Nordic White with special Chippendale X-Mullion doors for accent, and Siver Shadow honed quartz. Hutches are also Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Recessed in Vintage Dover Cliffs with custom wire mesh doors. Island is Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Raised in Antique Leather with mirror toe kick and Pegasus honed marble and Sapele Mahogany Grothouse Lumber butcher block. Appliance highlights include a 43” Navy blue Cornufe’ La Cornue Range with stainless steel and polished brass trim, and a matching antique stainless and brass custom hood. Integrated Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer to match the perimeter cabinetry.

This custom kitchen renovation in a beautiful historic home in Glen Ridge NJ, was made possible by taking down interior walls to gain extra space for a large island with a 4’ Galley sink, seating, and a lower walnut butcher block work area. A custom tray ceiling was also designed with accent lighting and pendants over the island. Perimeter cabinetry is Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Recessed in Nordic White with special Chippendale X-Mullion doors for accent, and Siver Shadow honed quartz. Hutches are also Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Recessed in Vintage Dover Cliffs with custom wire mesh doors. Island is Wood-Mode Yardley Inset Raised in Antique Leather with mirror toe kick and Pegasus honed marble and Sapele Mahogany Grothouse Lumber butcher block. Appliance highlights include a 43” Navy blue Cornufe’ La Cornue Range with stainless steel and polished brass trim, and a matching antique stainless and brass custom hood. Integrated Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer to match the perimeter cabinetry.

This newly remodeled 3 bedroom 2 bathroom single story home has aprox 1,137 square feet of living space and sits on a 6,754 square foot lot. The large bay windows provide the home with natural sunlight and look out upon the large grassy front yard. Features of the home include all new HVA C, laminate wood flooring, new kitchen with stainless steel appliances and gorgeous white quartz counter tops, new plumbing, electrical fixtures. The bathrooms are appointed with new white quartz counters, frameless doors, tile and new plumbing fixtures. The backyard is spacious and is complete with beautiful wood decking and a detached 2 car garage. Zoned R2 so you can possibly add an ADU or extra unit.

This remodel incorporated the client’s love of artwork and color into a cohesive design with elegant, custom details that will stand the test of time. The space was closed in, dark and dated. The walls at the island were the first thing you saw when entering the condo. So we removed the walls which really opened it up to a welcoming space. Storage was an issue too so we borrowed space from the main floor bedroom closet and created a ‘butler’s pantry’. The client’s flair for the contemporary, original art, and love of bright colors is apparent in the materials, finishes and paint colors. Jewelry-like artisan pulls are repeated throughout the kitchen to pull it together. The Butler’s pantry provided extra storage for kitchen items and adds a little glam. The drawers are wrapped in leather with a Shagreen pattern (Asian sting ray). A creative mix of custom cabinetry materials includes gray washed white oak to complimented the new flooring and ground the mix of materials on the island, along with white gloss uppers and matte bright blue tall cabinets. With the exception of the artisan pulls used on the integrated dishwasher drawers and blue cabinets, push and touch latches were used to keep it as clean looking as possible. Kitchen details include a chef style sink, quartz counters, motorized assist for heavy drawers and various cabinetry organizers.

One of our Louisville clients showed her sister what we had done for her Great Room with our Personal Shopper Service, and her sister said, “Do they travel?” The answer is “Absolutely!” When we arrived in the Windy City, we were absolutely blown away by the view and were excited to put the finishing touches on this High Rise condo. We worked with the homeowner’s existing furniture pieces (sofa, club chairs, and media console with towers) and added personality with accent furniture, accessories, lighting, and artwork. We opened up the seating area and made their beautiful rug more visible by selecting a sleek glass-topped coffee table. Accessories in a range of metal tones complement the existing furniture and rug. Oil canisters in pewter tones look fantastic on the coffee table. We added this concrete base lamp with square shade in between the club chairs. The white marble-topped two-tiered side table breaks up the dark leather of the club chairs. The countertops in the small galley kitchen are a grey blue, so we pulled that color into living space by selecting these great nesting tables with a blue soapstone top. We topped it with a metal lamp and organic white vases to soften the edges. The hallway prints and this beautiful blue watercolor pull the colors from the living space into the Entry. The homeowner was not fond of the existing media cabinet, but not anymore! We accessorized with varying metal tones and lots of texture that bring interest to an otherwise generic furniture piece.  With limited space, we made the most of views by placing our favorite marble writing desk in the bay window. We plan to add upholstered arm chairs on either end that can serve as dining chairs or extra seating for the living area. The important thing is to keep that view as open as possible. A big thanks to our Chicago client for having us up there to make her condo more of a home. Maybe we should change our motto to “Have paint deck & measuring tape, Will Travel!” Enjoy!

Titanium Granite is very bold, full of movement and contrast. The main color in this stone is black. It also has large veins of white, brown, black and cream throughout. The white cabinets make this stone stand out front and center in this kitchen. This stone has an Ogee edge profile and a full height Granite back splash for extra wow-factor. The island has a waterfall edge which is a laminated edge. Laminated edges give the stone that thick look you see in their island. They are made possible by using hard epoxy to affix two pieces of granite together. This kitchen is considered large coming in over 70 square feet when you include the island. Titanium is considered an exotic stone and is labeled a Category D stone.

Transitional kitchen photo in Sacramento

Designed by Jen Denham of Reico Kitchen & Bath in White Plains, MD in collaboration with Potomac LLC, this kitchen remodeling project features a transitional style inspired design with Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the door style Martel in the finish Evercore Rainfall. The kitchen countertops are Cambria Torquay. The kitchen also includes Roma Splendor Keystone Blend tile, Adex Habitat Leaf Glossy tile and 12x24 Nashville Nord Cement tile. “The clients were a joy to work with! They were able to roll with the process during all the issues and delays with Covid and were gracious and kind when everything was finished. They were so full of inspiration and were not afraid of color. They wanted to incorporate their favorite shades of green into each aspect of the kitchen,” said Jen. “We tried to open up the kitchen as much as possible and allow a bit more counter and storage space. A nice feature was being able to take the cabinets up to the ceiling to give more storage. Adding accessories like roll outs, a utensil pull out by the stove and a mixer lift up brought the extra storage needed.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

? New Project Alert from Levite Construction Co.! ? ? We're excited to unveil our latest creation - a uniquely designed guest bathroom in Sammamish. This project wasn't just about renovation, but about crafting an oasis of comfort and style. ✨ Highlight Features ✨ - Tub Installation: Our team skillfully executed a precise tub installation, blending functionality with an eye-catching design. - Precision Plumbing: Every pipe and fitting was meticulously installed, setting the stage for the elegant and innovative features in this bathroom. - Fountain Faucet: The vanity sink is graced with a beautiful fountain faucet, a blend of modern design and timeless elegance. - Color Harmony: A serene light blue tile covers the walls, perfectly complementing the crisp white floor tiles. The custom-made colors for the faucets add an extra touch of personalization. - Custom Glass Shower Doors: Tailored to perfection, these doors add both beauty and practicality to the space. - Innovative Lighting: We installed lights over a tiled wall, a design choice that elevates the ambiance of the bathroom. ? Levite's Touch ? This project is a showcase of Levite Construction Co.’s dedication to detailed planning and creative design. From the rough phase to the final touches, every step was taken with precision and care. ? Kudos to Our Team ? A huge shoutout to our design team, whose vision and expertise made this beautiful guest bathroom possible. Their impressive work is a testament to our commitment to excellence. Book us now! ? (425) 998-8958 ? info@leviteconstruction.com #LeviteConstruction #BathroomRemodel #SammamishHomes #LuxuryDesign #ModernBathroom #HomeRenovation #DesignExcellence #GuestBathroomTransformation #seattlehomedesign #remodelingbathroom #homerenovationspecialist #remodelingproject #residentialrenovation #seattlehome #housebuilder #bathroomdesigner #houseremodeling #seattlehomes #bathroomrenovations #bathroomremodeling #bathroomdesigns #bathroominterior #bathroomreno #homeremodeling #homeimprovements #bathroomremodel #homerenovation

This proposal is for a new two-story home on the vacant heavily wooded lot with an existing 150-foot-long driveway lined by several beautiful oak trees culminating in a behemoth 43-inch oak tree where the driveway meets the main lot. The far end of the driveway terminates in a grove of three 43/40/43-inch redwoods and at the very center of the vacant lot stands a gargantuan V-twin 59-inch redwood tree paired with a “small” 29-inch redwood tree. The owners want to build a beautiful contemporary-styled home for their family that fully enjoys and embraces the mature trees on their cozy 65-foot by 100-foot lot. As with all small, constrained lots, this project’s site design started first with meeting the relatively large parking and car maneuvering requirements. Menlo Park’s Department of Transportation typically requires side-facing garages to have 24-feet of backup space. So that they could give the largest feature redwood tree on site an added four feet (50%) of clearance outside of its critical root zone, the owners agreed to install a vehicle turntable at the end of their driveway to eliminate the extra four feet of space needed to back up and turnaround. This allowed them to pull their garage forward an additional four feet towards the front property line on the panhandle side, drastically reducing the rest of the home’s impact on the gargantuan V-Twin paired redwood tree at the center of the lot. One of the owners has mobility issues, and accordingly, they first sought to design a one-story floor plan that incorporated all their family’s needs including plenty of covered patio and deck space to enjoy our fantastic California weather. But that single-story footprint spread too far into the critical root zones of several of the redwood trees on site, even despite the use of the vehicle turntable. During my interview process with the owners, they made it clear to me that one of their primary concerns is ensuring that the largest trees on site would thrive and become features of their new home after construction is complete. The single-story designs that removed the grove of three huge redwood trees were non-starters, as was the skimpy 5x10 master bath I designed when trying to squeeze the whole house program into an overly compromised single-story design. It was therefore deemed necessary to go with a two-story design despite the owner’s mobility issues. This two-story design has a much more compact ground floor footprint and has no bedrooms downstairs, other than the detached ADU. The owners must give up the floor area and incur the costs to install a residential elevator to access their upstairs master suite. Our ground floor footprint is smaller due to the two-story design decision, and our foundation is pulled away from the trees thanks to the vehicle turntable. Yet, a tiny portion of the home’s ground floor footprint still encroaches into the critical root zones of the largest 59” redwood tree. Therefore, as outlined in the Arborist Report prepared by Aesculus Arboricultural Consulting, the structural engineers are incorporating an array of drilled piers and shallow-grade beams for the main home’s foundation and deck area nearest the redwood’s critical root zone. This drilled piers and grade beam foundation is a type of “bridging” foundation as outlined in Aesculus’ report to preserve the health of these trees that the property was designed around. The rest of the foundation will be constructed as an insulated slab-on-grade foundation to minimize the number of steps and ramps needed for the owners to enjoy their home and patio areas. Despite the owner’s desire to keep as many trees as possible on site, and despite the smaller ground floor footprint and the advantage of the vehicle turntable, the need for a 20x20-foot garage and 20x20/25-foot guest parking space on our panhandle lot requires the removal of two heritage trees in the required driveway, a 16” coast redwood, and a 17” coast redwood. An alternate design, such as swapping the garage and guest parking locations north-to-south, still requires the removal of these two trees for vehicle maneuvering but has the added disadvantage of cutting off the home’s sightlines to the behemoth 43” oak tree just outside the currently proposed front patio space and living room. Jim Redman of Elements Landscape is proposing 13 new trees be planted on site to replace the lost value of these two heritage coast redwood trees. This contemporary architectural design features clean lines, and an abundance of full-height windows and large skylights to best take in the immense trees on site. To blend in with the forest-like setting, the home boasts a mix of rich textures and features a color palette of natural wood tones contrasted with dark blue and black. Once through the new steel gate at the street and down the 150-foot tree-lined driveway, a large covered front patio becomes visible past the neighbor’s detached accessory structure. The covered patio is just across the driveway from the beautiful 43” behemoth coast live oak. The single plane of the covered patio roof is delicately supported by a pair of steel posts in a “V-twin” configuration much like the largest redwood trees that tower over the center of the lot and will still be visible above the new two-story home, even from the front yard. The patio is covered in a dark-colored standing seam roof, with steel C-channel fascias, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling planks on the underside. Generously sized skylights on the patio roof and inside the living area allow for impressive views of the amazing oak canopy as well as precious natural light. Supporting the sloped covered patio on the other side is the two-car garage with a secondary bedroom suite stacked above the garage. This two-story volume is to be clad in vertical clear-coated redwood siding, to tie in with the grove of three 43-inch redwood trees just beyond. The garage door, and the bank of windows for Bedroom#2 above feature a steel fascia eyebrow header feature to provide shade and overhang protection, as we are not proposing a large overhang at this “redwood trunk”. The garage and bedroom volume are pulled 16 feet away from the side property line, instead of the minimum required setback of 6’-6”, thus leaving plenty of room for the redwood grove and existing mature pear tree to continue to thrive. This existing mature green screen in this 16-foot-wide side yard is a feature worth soaking in, which is why tall windows with low sill heights are proposed for both the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Though it may be infrequent to approve side-facing 2nd floor windows with sill heights as low as what we’re proposing, we are confident that the mature green screen and the over 16-foot-wide side yard are sufficient to provide for the continued privacy of our neighbor’s rear yard space, especially considering theses windows are in walkway zones. The covered patio at the front entry is also bound by the 10-foot-tall living room. The great room is clad in a dark blue brick veneer, which wraps around all three sides of the living room. Upon entering the home from the covered patio, you are immediately greeted with one of the most impressive features of the home’s design: a 10-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide set of sliding glass doors. From the entry, this huge opening gives merely an initial glimpse of the massive trunks of the gargantuan V-twin redwoods sitting at the center of the lot. All three sliding glass panels open directly out into the smaller partially covered deck in the rear. This roof overhang element matches the design of the front patio with a steel C-channel fascia and a large skylight. But the rear deck’s roof element is set flat at a ten-foot ceiling height so that the living room’s ceiling seems to float above and out beyond the expanse of full-height sliding doors, thus creating an indoor-outdoor living space that will feel much larger than the home’s actual footprint. This rear covered deck is smaller than the patio in the front and also has a mix of solid and open-slatted roofing to allow for more solar access for the relatively small amount of open sky available. The downstairs living room is open to the dining and kitchen areas, as well as the stair-and-elevator tower beyond. The stair tower is very open and glassy, and the stairs wind up and around the redwood-clad elevator tower. From certain perspectives in the 16-foot-wide side yard, it will almost seem as if the grove of three redwoods has a fourth tree that the house and the stairs were carefully built around. Other than the 3-foot-wide windows, the exterior walls of the stair tower, downstairs utility spaces, and Bedroom#3 above are finished in cement plaster, painted dark blue and black. The sloped roof over the stair-and-elevator tower continues cleanly over the area of upstairs Bedroom#3. This roof level is set by the side daylight plane and only yields an inside wall height of just under 6 feet in height. The owners are satisfied that the rest of this upstairs room has a nice vaulted ceiling to make up for the one short wall under the daylight plane. The rest of the ground floor adjacent to the stair tower consists of a small utility wing containing a half-bath, laundry, storage area, and an exterior alcove for the electric heat pump HVAC unit. This short wing also gives more accessible access to the rear yard deck, as well as a backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. The bright white stone backsplash for the outdoor kitchen provides contrast to the otherwise consistent use of cement plaster painted dark blue and black for the two-story wing closest to the detached ADU. Though Bedroom#3 is stacked directly above this small wing, it is relatively short to comply with the side daylight plane of this narrow lot. Still, to further help break up the scale of this wall, another steel fascia eyebrow element is set about 8 feet above the rear deck. The master suite sits centered above the ten-foot-tall great room. The master bedroom and its balcony, as well as the master bathtub area, have a commanding view of the central redwood trees and their impressive canopy, though the balcony is mostly recessed and should pose no privacy concerns to the neighbor’s rear yards. The master balcony parapet is clad in the same brick veneer continuing up from the living room below. A dark-painted metal rail makes up the rest of the open guardrail height. The entire length of the master balcony is comprised of 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors, but the area above the doors, as well as the area below the master bathroom windows, is accented with more redwood siding. The remainder of the master suite bathroom and walk-in closet is finished in cement plaster painted dark blue. The master bathroom has one side yard-facing window but will be frosted glass for both the owner’s and the neighbor’s privacy. The 2nd floor is capped under a simple gable roof design with one roof ridge and varying eave and rake overhangs depending on the 2nd-floor layout and solar orientation. Since these roof planes are quite difficult to see in the middle of the heavily wooded panhandle lot, we are proposing a white TPO roofing for these two upper roof planes as a more sustainable choice compared to more dark-colored roofing like the covered patios and detached ADU. The owners also wish to build a detached 292-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as an office and guest suite. For the ADU foundation to be situated outside the central redwood tree’s critical root zone, this relatively tiny structure takes advantage of the narrower 4-foot side and rear setbacks allowed for ADUs smaller than 800 square feet. The small L-shaped detached ADU frames a wonderful quasi-courtyard around the gargantuan V-twin redwoods at the center of the lot. The ADU shares a matching material palette consisting of cement plaster painted blue and black, vertical redwood siding and soffits, and thin brick veneer. The ADU also features large full-height windows. The only difference between the main home and the ADU material palette is that the roofing will be a dark composition shingle roofing since it will be quite visible from the master balcony.

This pool has everything you could possibly want - a water slide and lots of room for everyone to gather around and enjoy the cool blue water! The pergola is useful for entertaining both during the day and in the evening. Landscape lighting throughout also allows you to get the most use out of your pool, water slide, and natural stone landscaping. The pebbled concrete poolside helps to combat slips and adds a little extra interest to a fun backyard retreat.

This proposal is for a new two-story home on the vacant heavily wooded lot with an existing 150-foot-long driveway lined by several beautiful oak trees culminating in a behemoth 43-inch oak tree where the driveway meets the main lot. The far end of the driveway terminates in a grove of three 43/40/43-inch redwoods and at the very center of the vacant lot stands a gargantuan V-twin 59-inch redwood tree paired with a “small” 29-inch redwood tree. The owners want to build a beautiful contemporary-styled home for their family that fully enjoys and embraces the mature trees on their cozy 65-foot by 100-foot lot. As with all small, constrained lots, this project’s site design started first with meeting the relatively large parking and car maneuvering requirements. Menlo Park’s Department of Transportation typically requires side-facing garages to have 24-feet of backup space. So that they could give the largest feature redwood tree on site an added four feet (50%) of clearance outside of its critical root zone, the owners agreed to install a vehicle turntable at the end of their driveway to eliminate the extra four feet of space needed to back up and turnaround. This allowed them to pull their garage forward an additional four feet towards the front property line on the panhandle side, drastically reducing the rest of the home’s impact on the gargantuan V-Twin paired redwood tree at the center of the lot. One of the owners has mobility issues, and accordingly, they first sought to design a one-story floor plan that incorporated all their family’s needs including plenty of covered patio and deck space to enjoy our fantastic California weather. But that single-story footprint spread too far into the critical root zones of several of the redwood trees on site, even despite the use of the vehicle turntable. During my interview process with the owners, they made it clear to me that one of their primary concerns is ensuring that the largest trees on site would thrive and become features of their new home after construction is complete. The single-story designs that removed the grove of three huge redwood trees were non-starters, as was the skimpy 5x10 master bath I designed when trying to squeeze the whole house program into an overly compromised single-story design. It was therefore deemed necessary to go with a two-story design despite the owner’s mobility issues. This two-story design has a much more compact ground floor footprint and has no bedrooms downstairs, other than the detached ADU. The owners must give up the floor area and incur the costs to install a residential elevator to access their upstairs master suite. Our ground floor footprint is smaller due to the two-story design decision, and our foundation is pulled away from the trees thanks to the vehicle turntable. Yet, a tiny portion of the home’s ground floor footprint still encroaches into the critical root zones of the largest 59” redwood tree. Therefore, as outlined in the Arborist Report prepared by Aesculus Arboricultural Consulting, the structural engineers are incorporating an array of drilled piers and shallow-grade beams for the main home’s foundation and deck area nearest the redwood’s critical root zone. This drilled piers and grade beam foundation is a type of “bridging” foundation as outlined in Aesculus’ report to preserve the health of these trees that the property was designed around. The rest of the foundation will be constructed as an insulated slab-on-grade foundation to minimize the number of steps and ramps needed for the owners to enjoy their home and patio areas. Despite the owner’s desire to keep as many trees as possible on site, and despite the smaller ground floor footprint and the advantage of the vehicle turntable, the need for a 20x20-foot garage and 20x20/25-foot guest parking space on our panhandle lot requires the removal of two heritage trees in the required driveway, a 16” coast redwood, and a 17” coast redwood. An alternate design, such as swapping the garage and guest parking locations north-to-south, still requires the removal of these two trees for vehicle maneuvering but has the added disadvantage of cutting off the home’s sightlines to the behemoth 43” oak tree just outside the currently proposed front patio space and living room. Jim Redman of Elements Landscape is proposing 13 new trees be planted on site to replace the lost value of these two heritage coast redwood trees. This contemporary architectural design features clean lines, and an abundance of full-height windows and large skylights to best take in the immense trees on site. To blend in with the forest-like setting, the home boasts a mix of rich textures and features a color palette of natural wood tones contrasted with dark blue and black. Once through the new steel gate at the street and down the 150-foot tree-lined driveway, a large covered front patio becomes visible past the neighbor’s detached accessory structure. The covered patio is just across the driveway from the beautiful 43” behemoth coast live oak. The single plane of the covered patio roof is delicately supported by a pair of steel posts in a “V-twin” configuration much like the largest redwood trees that tower over the center of the lot and will still be visible above the new two-story home, even from the front yard. The patio is covered in a dark-colored standing seam roof, with steel C-channel fascias, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling planks on the underside. Generously sized skylights on the patio roof and inside the living area allow for impressive views of the amazing oak canopy as well as precious natural light. Supporting the sloped covered patio on the other side is the two-car garage with a secondary bedroom suite stacked above the garage. This two-story volume is to be clad in vertical clear-coated redwood siding, to tie in with the grove of three 43-inch redwood trees just beyond. The garage door, and the bank of windows for Bedroom#2 above feature a steel fascia eyebrow header feature to provide shade and overhang protection, as we are not proposing a large overhang at this “redwood trunk”. The garage and bedroom volume are pulled 16 feet away from the side property line, instead of the minimum required setback of 6’-6”, thus leaving plenty of room for the redwood grove and existing mature pear tree to continue to thrive. This existing mature green screen in this 16-foot-wide side yard is a feature worth soaking in, which is why tall windows with low sill heights are proposed for both the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Though it may be infrequent to approve side-facing 2nd floor windows with sill heights as low as what we’re proposing, we are confident that the mature green screen and the over 16-foot-wide side yard are sufficient to provide for the continued privacy of our neighbor’s rear yard space, especially considering theses windows are in walkway zones. The covered patio at the front entry is also bound by the 10-foot-tall living room. The great room is clad in a dark blue brick veneer, which wraps around all three sides of the living room. Upon entering the home from the covered patio, you are immediately greeted with one of the most impressive features of the home’s design: a 10-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide set of sliding glass doors. From the entry, this huge opening gives merely an initial glimpse of the massive trunks of the gargantuan V-twin redwoods sitting at the center of the lot. All three sliding glass panels open directly out into the smaller partially covered deck in the rear. This roof overhang element matches the design of the front patio with a steel C-channel fascia and a large skylight. But the rear deck’s roof element is set flat at a ten-foot ceiling height so that the living room’s ceiling seems to float above and out beyond the expanse of full-height sliding doors, thus creating an indoor-outdoor living space that will feel much larger than the home’s actual footprint. This rear covered deck is smaller than the patio in the front and also has a mix of solid and open-slatted roofing to allow for more solar access for the relatively small amount of open sky available. The downstairs living room is open to the dining and kitchen areas, as well as the stair-and-elevator tower beyond. The stair tower is very open and glassy, and the stairs wind up and around the redwood-clad elevator tower. From certain perspectives in the 16-foot-wide side yard, it will almost seem as if the grove of three redwoods has a fourth tree that the house and the stairs were carefully built around. Other than the 3-foot-wide windows, the exterior walls of the stair tower, downstairs utility spaces, and Bedroom#3 above are finished in cement plaster, painted dark blue and black. The sloped roof over the stair-and-elevator tower continues cleanly over the area of upstairs Bedroom#3. This roof level is set by the side daylight plane and only yields an inside wall height of just under 6 feet in height. The owners are satisfied that the rest of this upstairs room has a nice vaulted ceiling to make up for the one short wall under the daylight plane. The rest of the ground floor adjacent to the stair tower consists of a small utility wing containing a half-bath, laundry, storage area, and an exterior alcove for the electric heat pump HVAC unit. This short wing also gives more accessible access to the rear yard deck, as well as a backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. The bright white stone backsplash for the outdoor kitchen provides contrast to the otherwise consistent use of cement plaster painted dark blue and black for the two-story wing closest to the detached ADU. Though Bedroom#3 is stacked directly above this small wing, it is relatively short to comply with the side daylight plane of this narrow lot. Still, to further help break up the scale of this wall, another steel fascia eyebrow element is set about 8 feet above the rear deck. The master suite sits centered above the ten-foot-tall great room. The master bedroom and its balcony, as well as the master bathtub area, have a commanding view of the central redwood trees and their impressive canopy, though the balcony is mostly recessed and should pose no privacy concerns to the neighbor’s rear yards. The master balcony parapet is clad in the same brick veneer continuing up from the living room below. A dark-painted metal rail makes up the rest of the open guardrail height. The entire length of the master balcony is comprised of 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors, but the area above the doors, as well as the area below the master bathroom windows, is accented with more redwood siding. The remainder of the master suite bathroom and walk-in closet is finished in cement plaster painted dark blue. The master bathroom has one side yard-facing window but will be frosted glass for both the owner’s and the neighbor’s privacy. The 2nd floor is capped under a simple gable roof design with one roof ridge and varying eave and rake overhangs depending on the 2nd-floor layout and solar orientation. Since these roof planes are quite difficult to see in the middle of the heavily wooded panhandle lot, we are proposing a white TPO roofing for these two upper roof planes as a more sustainable choice compared to more dark-colored roofing like the covered patios and detached ADU. The owners also wish to build a detached 292-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as an office and guest suite. For the ADU foundation to be situated outside the central redwood tree’s critical root zone, this relatively tiny structure takes advantage of the narrower 4-foot side and rear setbacks allowed for ADUs smaller than 800 square feet. The small L-shaped detached ADU frames a wonderful quasi-courtyard around the gargantuan V-twin redwoods at the center of the lot. The ADU shares a matching material palette consisting of cement plaster painted blue and black, vertical redwood siding and soffits, and thin brick veneer. The ADU also features large full-height windows. The only difference between the main home and the ADU material palette is that the roofing will be a dark composition shingle roofing since it will be quite visible from the master balcony.