This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

Modern Wall Unit Velvet 918 by Artigian Mobili Italy Made in Italy Velvet by ArtigianMobili is an ultra modern collection of wall unit and entertainment centers for your modern home. The Velvet line is modular, providing flexible solutions for your living room, taking into account your specific dimensions and functional requirements. All the units within this wall unit collection are made in Italy according high European quality standards and using the finest materials. The variety of units is presented in different sizes, making possible to customize any composition to fit your particular dimensions and match the design. Color is also flexible within the Velvet Wall Unit Collection. All the units can be ordered wood finished, wood open pore matt lacquered, or lacquered even in your custom RAL COLOR, either gloss or matt! Please select from our "as shown" wall unit compositions or implement your creativity building a unique one! Contact our Office regarding customization of this wall unit - we are always ready to help! MATERIAL/CONSTRUCTION: Structure is made of 18 mm (0.7") thick wooden particles melamine panels The lacquered structures and fronts are made of REAL LACQUERING, which is non toxic and non allergic product Lights (if any) CE marked and comply with the directives 93/68/EEC and 92/31/EEC The starting price is for the Wall Unit Composition Velvet 918 as shown in the main picture in Dark Oak Finish & Matt Dark Red (RAL 3007) Lacquer (Structure) and Dark Oak Finish / Extra Clear Dark Red Lacquered Glass (Fronts). Dimensions: Wall Unit: W141.7" x D14.6"/22.3" x H71" TV Space: W53" x H35.4"

This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

California modern rancher. Blend of warm and cool tones and material balance this space. Outdoor environment is low water use and drought resistant but still has greenery and inviting to hang out. In the kitchen we removed the walls that made up the tiny closet of a kitchen that was in the corner under the skylight and was able to hide the ceiling height differences at the small desk area and oven cabinets and keep the skylight. The effect is a wide-open concept with the least amount of construction possible. For the kitchen layout, we created a cozy zone for the chef to work in the corner without any cross traffic, seating area around the outside of the island keeps guest out of the work area but still close and part of the process. The warming drawer in the island positioned for proximity to the "buffet line" at the island when entertaining. On the dining end of the kitchen there is a coffee and wine bar. Coffee bar is hidden behind the metal roll up door, and the wine and liquor bar are to the left and both share the sink in the middle, making it a functional and useful space from the morning until the evening. I like to call this bar "Start and Stop" ha-ha. Even though this space is very open and airy, it has a ton of storage including underneath the seating area at the island and the little workstation, which is open and uncluttered, has lots of storage nestled in the wall and underneath the counter and hides any CPU and wires neatly. In the master bath, we updated all the colors and finishes in a clean modern European style with large format porcelain tiles and repurposed a small useless closet (with a window in it) to a second vanity for extra counter space and linen storage. Plus, we added storage over the toilet in the water closet and an updated door and casing into the walk-in closet with frosted glass panels so that at night the light in the closet glowing in those panels can act as a night light. (Photo credit; Kitchens of Diablo)

There will be no closet wars over this one! Ample storage space and a fantastic shelf just to store luggage. Just another extra amenity that Gardner provides to make everyday living as simple as possible for your family. Photograhy by Tourfactory

Solid Mahogany Exterior doors with two sidelights- Model: N-250 & N-100 Sidelight .Full glass door with sidelights Door size: 36” Sidelight size: From 11” sidelights threw 16” sidelights Glass type: Insulated Clear Class Rough opening- Custom door size - Built to suit Wood Species: 100% Solid Brazilian Mahogany (no veneers) Door Thickness: 1 3/4" Jamb size: Custom jamb size. Call- 219-663-2279 for inquiries System is Pre-hung with Solid Mahogany Jambs, 2" Brick-molding, Adjustable Continuous Bronze Threshold, Our Pre-Hung Door Systems are "NOT" Kits! Shipped truly and completely pre-hung with hinges mortised to door and pre-installed in the Jamb for the easiest installation possible. This will save you Time and Money. No extra work needed for the carpenter. Ready to install into the doorway. Your Choice of Commercial Grade Ball-Bearing Hinge Color, Q-Lon compression Weather-stripping and Rubber Door Sweep. Lock Prep included. Left or Right Hand Door Swing. Single or Double Bored. 2 1/8" diameter hole(s), w/ 2 3/4" backset, 5 1/2" spread.

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom remodel in New York

THE SETUP These homeowners had an outdoor kitchen built when they built their home several years ago. It was functional, but the aesthetic was underwhelming. The island was clad in the same stone that was on the house, and it had basic black granite countertops. They love to grill and host outdoor gatherings, so an upgrade was definitely in order. Design Objectives: Create an elevated outdoor space that aligns with the grandeur of the elegant home Design of the new space should flow with the architecture of the house Include a serving area with a beverage fridge, a sink, and a faucet Allow for workspace in the grill area Include island seating THE REMODEL Design Challenges: Creating a layout that is in sync with the exterior architecture of the home Sourcing the perfect state-of-the-art grill with all the latest bells and whistles, and placing in an ideal layout that maximizes functionality and hospitality Specifying materials that will withstand the elements Design Solutions: A large curved island designed to mirror the curve of the home’s breakfast nook exterior A separate sink area with a disposal and a beverage fridge offers a functional space for mixing drinks and serving food Custom limestone posts echo the limestone details on the exterior of the home Diresco Quartz countertops add elegance and durability – they are designed to be used outdoors in harsh climates Decorative tile clads the sides and back of the island A raised bed for flowers and herbs adds color and softness to the space Undercounter lighting adds ambiance at night THE RENEWED SPACE From great backyard to true oasis – an outdoor kitchen makes makes elegant outdoor cooking and dining possible. The homeowners had their first outdoor kitchen cookout experience right away and report that they couldn’t be happier!

This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

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.

Solid Mahogany Exterior doors with two sidelights- Model: 8 Lite French Door & 4 Lite Sidelight Door size: 36” sidelight size: From 11” sidelights threw 18” sidelights Glass type: Clear Bevel Glass Rough opening- Built to suit Wood Species: 100% Solid Brazilian Mahogany (no veneers) Door Thickness: 1 3/4" System is Pre-hung with Solid Mahogany Jambs, 2" Brick-molding, Adjustable Continuous Bronze Threshold, Our Pre-Hung Door Systems are "NOT" Kits! Shipped truly and completely pre-hung with hinges mortised to door and pre-installed in the Jamb for the easiest installation possible. This will save you Time and Money. No extra work needed for the carpenter. Ready to install into the doorway. Your Choice of Commercial Grade Ball-Bearing Hinge Color, Q-Lon compression Weather-stripping and Rubber Door Sweep. Lock Prep included. Left or Right Hand Door Swing. Single or Double Bored. 2 1/8" diameter hole(s), w/ 2 3/4" backset, 5 1/2" spread. Price is for Unfinished - Optional Exterior Grade UV Stain and UV Sealer Finishing Available

This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

This opulent, newly constructed four-bedroom, three and a half bath residence is situated on a sprawling 1-acre lot within an exclusive gated community. Boasting an elegant exterior of four-sided brick complemented by white-washed stone accents, this home features numerous spacious living areas, each graced by a cozy fireplace and seamlessly connected to the open-concept kitchen. The shared spaces are adorned with exquisite site-finished hardwood flooring and adorned with wood-beamed ceilings, creating a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The impeccably designed kitchen features custom white cabinetry adorned with brushed gold hardware, stunning quartz countertops that seamlessly extend up the backsplash, a truly breathtaking Waterfall Kitchen Center Island, and top-of-the-line KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, including a separate gas cooktop and a convenient pot-filler. A striking office is conveniently situated just off the entry foyer, exuding an elevated sense of style with its Board and Batten walls and upgraded lighting. Whether you prefer to unwind in the expansive screened-in porch with its elegant flagstone flooring, brick fireplace, and charming tongue-and-groove ceiling, which overlooks the spacious backyard, or relax on the front porch with similar high-quality finishes, you'll find outdoor living at its finest. The main level hosts the primary suite, featuring hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling, and a walk-in closet equipped with custom shelving for optimal organization. The primary spa retreat offers a luxurious standing tub, a beautifully tiled shower, and double vanities complemented by a quartz countertop tower. Upstairs, you'll discover three more bedrooms, including a guest suite with its private bathroom, as well as two additional bedrooms connected by a convenient Jack and Jill bathroom. The upper level also boasts a generously sized bonus room, adding extra flexibility and living space to this exceptional home. This residence radiates elegant detailing and offers limitless possibilities to accommodate today's lifestyles. The partially finished Terrace Level is graced by a double-sided fireplace, and the builder has thoughtfully included all HVAC, electrical, drywall, and rough plumbing required for a full bathroom and powder room. The property's landscape is professionally designed and features an underground irrigation system to ensure the grounds remain beautifully maintained.

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.

I was contacted by the Realtor who sold this house to his friend in San Marino to help with the interior design of the extensive remodel. The 3,777 sf house with 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms was built in 1948 and was in need of some major changes. San Marino, CA, incorporated in 1913, was designed by its founders to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways. In 2010, Forbes Magazine ranked the city as the 63rd most expensive area to live in the United States. There are little to no homes priced under US$1,000,000, with the median list price of a single family home at US$2,159,000. We decided to tear down walls, remove a fireplace (gasp!), reconfigure bathrooms and update all the finishes while maintaining the integrity of the San Marino style. Here are some photos of the home after. The kitchen was totally gutted. Custom, lacquered black and white cabinetry was built for the space. We decided on 2-tone cabinets and 2 door styles on the island and surrounding cabinets for visual impact and variety. Cambria quartz in Braemar was installed on the counters and back splash for easy clean up and durability. New Schonbek crystal chandeliers and silver cabinetry hardware are the jewelry, making this space sparkle. Custom Roman shades add a bit of softness to the room and custom barstools in white and black invite guests to have a seat while dinner is being prepared. In the dining room we opted for custom moldings to add architectural detail to the walls and infuse a hint of traditional style. The black lacquer table and Louis chairs are custom made for the space with a peacock teal velvet. A traditional area rug and custom window treatments in a blue-green were added to soften the space. The Schonbek Crystal Rain chandelier is the show stopper in the space with pure sparkle and graceful traditional form. The living room is host to custom tufted grey velvet sofas, custom accent chair with ottoman in a silver fabric, custom black and while media center, baby grand piano with mini Schonbeck Crystal Rain chandelier hung above, custom tufted velvet tuffet for extra seating, one-of-a-kind art and custom window coverings in a diamond grey fabric. Sparkle and pizzazz was added with purple, crystal and mirrored accessories. The occupant of this home is a 21 year old woman. Her favorite colors are baby pink and blue. I knew this was possibly going to be my only chance in my design career to go nuts with the color pink, so I went for it! A majestic pink velvet tufted bed dressed with luxurious white linens is the focal point. Flanking the bed are two pink crystal chandeliers, a custom white lacquer desk with a baby blue Louis chair and a custom baby blue nightstand with a Moroccan door design. A super soft white shag rug graces the floor. Custom white silk window coverings with black out lining provide privacy and a completely dark room when wanted. An acrylic hanging bubble chair adds whimsy and playfulness. The master bathroom was a complete transformation. A clawfoot slipper tub sits inside the shower, clad with marble wall and floor tiles and a basketweave with custom baby blue accent tiles. A frameless shower wall separates the wet and dry areas. A custom baby blue cabinet with crystal knobs, topped with Cambria Quartz Whitney, was built to match the bedroom’s nightstand. Above hangs a pair of pink crystal wall sconces and a vintage rococo mirror painted in high gloss white. Crystal and nickel faucets and fixtures add more sparkle and shine.

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.

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.

We love living in a healthy environment and want to keep that way for generations to come. We are experts in water conservation and using our precious water resources the best ways possible. Greywater is a great source of reusable water. This is waste water that is captured from sinks, showers, and washing machines and has been legalized for irrigation use in California since 2009. Most of these systems are gravity flow and very simple to install into a new or existing home. They are great ways to water a fruit orchard without paying for extra water costs.