Julie Soefer Photography
Beach style medium tone wood floor bedroom photo in Houston with white walls and no fireplace

These clients came to my office looking for an architect who could design their "empty nest" home that would be the focus of their soon to be extended family. A place where the kids and grand kids would want to hang out: with a pool, open family room/ kitchen, garden; but also one-story so there wouldn't be any unnecessary stairs to climb. They wanted the design to feel like "old Pasadena" with the coziness and attention to detail that the era embraced. My sensibilities led me to recall the wonderful classic mansions of San Marino, so I designed a manor house clad in trim Bluestone with a steep French slate roof and clean white entry, eave and dormer moldings that would blend organically with the future hardscape plan and thoughtfully landscaped grounds. The site was a deep, flat lot that had been half of the old Joan Crawford estate; the part that had an abandoned swimming pool and small cabana. I envisioned a pavilion filled with natural light set in a beautifully planted park with garden views from all sides. Having a one-story house allowed for tall and interesting shaped ceilings that carved into the sheer angles of the roof. The most private area of the house would be the central loggia with skylights ensconced in a deep woodwork lattice grid and would be reminiscent of the outdoor “Salas” found in early Californian homes. The family would soon gather there and enjoy warm afternoons and the wonderfully cool evening hours together. Working with interior designer Jeffrey Hitchcock, we designed an open family room/kitchen with high dark wood beamed ceilings, dormer windows for daylight, custom raised panel cabinetry, granite counters and a textured glass tile splash. Natural light and gentle breezes flow through the many French doors and windows located to accommodate not only the garden views, but the prevailing sun and wind as well. The graceful living room features a dramatic vaulted white painted wood ceiling and grand fireplace flanked by generous double hung French windows and elegant drapery. A deeply cased opening draws one into the wainscot paneled dining room that is highlighted by hand painted scenic wallpaper and a barrel vaulted ceiling. The walnut paneled library opens up to reveal the waterfall feature in the back garden. Equally picturesque and restful is the view from the rotunda in the master bedroom suite. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock Enterprises Contractor: Synergy General Contractors, Inc. Landscape Design: LZ Design Group, Inc. Photography: Laura Hull

From KUBE Architecture: "They [owners] wanted a house of openness and light, where their children could be free to explore and play independently, still within view of their parents. The solution was to create a courtyard house, with large sliding glass doors to bring the inside out and outside in." Greg Powers Photography Contractor: Housecraft

Mentis Photography Inc
Enclosed dining room - transitional medium tone wood floor enclosed dining room idea in New York with beige walls

The bold and rustic kitchen is large enough to cook and entertain for many guests. The edges of the soapstone counter tops were left unfinished to add to the home's rustic charm. Interior Design: Megan at M Design and Interiors

These beautiful, metallic globe lights add a contemporary element to this otherwise quaint and cozy traditional kitchen. The copper color of the pendant lights pairs well with the peach and gray color scheme of the room.

The kitchen window was oriented with full view of the backyard so they could watch their kids play. The island was designed for big potluck dinners the owners like to have with their friends and relatives. Two kinds of wood, a dark walnut and lighter ash break up the mass of cabinets. A marble pattern Pental quartz countertop and Blanco sinks make for easy clean-up. The overhead light is by Stickbulb.

Photo: Karen Melvin
Freestanding bathtub - traditional freestanding bathtub idea in Minneapolis

A new English Tudor Style residence, outfitted with all the amenities required for a growing family, includes this third-floor space that was developed into an exciting children’s play space. Tucked above the children’s bedroom wing and up a back stair, this space is a counterpoint to the formal areas of the house and provides the kids a place all their own. Large dormer windows allow for a light-filled space. Maple for the floor and end wall provides a warm and durable surface needed to accommodate such activities as basketball, indoor hockey, and the occasional bicycle. A sound-deadening floor system minimizes noise transmission to the spaces below.

OVERVIEW Set into a mature Boston area neighborhood, this sophisticated 2900SF home offers efficient use of space, expression through form, and myriad of green features. MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING Designed to accommodate three family generations, paired living spaces on the first and second levels are architecturally expressed on the facade by window systems that wrap the front corners of the house. Included are two kitchens, two living areas, an office for two, and two master suites. CURB APPEAL The home includes both modern form and materials, using durable cedar and through-colored fiber cement siding, permeable parking with an electric charging station, and an acrylic overhang to shelter foot traffic from rain. FEATURE STAIR An open stair with resin treads and glass rails winds from the basement to the third floor, channeling natural light through all the home’s levels. LEVEL ONE The first floor kitchen opens to the living and dining space, offering a grand piano and wall of south facing glass. A master suite and private ‘home office for two’ complete the level. LEVEL TWO The second floor includes another open concept living, dining, and kitchen space, with kitchen sink views over the green roof. A full bath, bedroom and reading nook are perfect for the children. LEVEL THREE The third floor provides the second master suite, with separate sink and wardrobe area, plus a private roofdeck. ENERGY The super insulated home features air-tight construction, continuous exterior insulation, and triple-glazed windows. The walls and basement feature foam-free cavity & exterior insulation. On the rooftop, a solar electric system helps offset energy consumption. WATER Cisterns capture stormwater and connect to a drip irrigation system. Inside the home, consumption is limited with high efficiency fixtures and appliances. TEAM Architecture & Mechanical Design – ZeroEnergy Design Contractor – Aedi Construction Photos – Eric Roth Photography

The new morning room is the size of the original kitchen. It features a beverage center, window seat, and custom table. It also showcases the pastoral views. Photo Credit: David Bader Interior Design Partner: Becky Howley

To create a more open plan, our solution was to replace the current enclosed stair with an open, glass stair and to create a proper dining space where the third bedroom used to be. This allows the light from the large living room windows to cascade down the length of the apartment brightening the front entry. The Venetian plaster wall anchors the new stair case and LED lights illuminate each glass tread. Photography: Anice Hoachlander, Hopachlander Davis Photography

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

This stately townhouse underwent a full renovation from both the DHD Architecture and Interiors team to provide a young family with rooms to grow into. Spaces were updated with contemporary furnishings and refined architectural details, while still honoring the classic, formal elements of the historic home. The expansive outdoor space is framed by the dining area’s floor to ceiling windows and bold window treatment. DHD’s interiors team aimed to transform the room into an inviting and livable space for the family, designing a custom kitchen banquette and using playfully bright, warm color tones. While the master bedroom keeps to a soft, muted palette incorporating deep shades of purples, the children’s rooms are extravagantly fun, complete with fuchsia bedding and oversized Lucite table lamps. Photography: Emily Andrews 3 Bedrooms / 6,000 Square Feet

David Duncan Livingston
Example of a transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen design in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash and an island

Leanna Rathkelly
Inspiration for a contemporary gray tile and stone tile beige floor bathroom remodel in Vancouver with medium tone wood cabinets, beige walls and an undermount sink

Spacecrafting
Example of a beach style medium tone wood floor sunroom design in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a standard ceiling

Family members enter this kitchen from the mud room where they are right at home in this friendly space. The Kitchens central banquette island seats six on cozy upholstered benches with another two diners at the ends. There is table seating for EIGHT plus the back side boasts raised seating for four more on swiveling bar stools. The show-stopping coffered ceiling was custom designed and features beaded paneling, recessed can lighting and dramatic crown molding. The counters are made of Labradorite which is often associated with jewels. It's iridescent sparkle adds glamour without being too loud. The wood paneled backsplash allows the cabinetry to blend in. There is glazed subway tile behind the range. This lovely home features an open concept space with the kitchen at the heart. Built in the late 1990's the prior kitchen was cherry, but dark, and the new family needed a fresh update. This great space was a collaboration between many talented folks including but not limited to the team at Delicious Kitchens & Interiors, LLC, L. Newman and Associates/Paul Mansback, Inc with Leslie Rifkin and Emily Shakra. Additional contributions from the homeowners and Belisle Granite. John C. Hession Photographer

Sam Gray Photography
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Boston with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, blue backsplash, stainless steel appliances and matchstick tile backsplash