camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

Complete bathroom remodel - The bathroom was completely gutted to studs. A curb-less stall shower was added with a glass panel instead of a shower door. This creates a barrier free space maintaining the light and airy feel of the complete interior remodel. The fireclay tile is recessed into the wall allowing for a clean finish without the need for bull nose tile. The light finishes are grounded with a wood vanity and then all tied together with oil rubbed bronze faucets.

This homeowner is part of a new development and they had a blank slate to start with. They wanted to have a few different spaces but at the same time make them feel that they are separate spaces/rooms. We also mixed in a few different materials utilizing natural bluestone and Unilock pavers. We went over the existing concrete steps with bluestone that complements the Unilock Richcliff paver. We created three rooms that are all broken up with a built in planter. They have their outdoor dining room/kitchen, a lounge area with a custom built fire feature and a quiet sitting area.

camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

The Cobblestone Bar - This corner was an eyesore in Cincinnati's OTR neighborhood for several decades. Our team gave this old bar a new life with a modern rustic aesthetic preserving the original brick and incorporating leather, wood and brass details throughout to create an elegant bar with a neighborhood feel where connections are made. We completely restored an existing, broken backbar into a historic gem, installed a new concrete front bar with brass inlay with a custom tap system connected into a renovated basement cellar below. Customers can enjoy a variety of seating and intimate, thoughtful details. The name 'Cobblestone' came from Cincinnati’s history - old horse-drawn carriages, historic streetcar, pathways through the city - and the ceiling design enhances the concept of pathways and connections using simple electric conduit and junction boxes. Visit www.cobblestoneotr.com for more info!

Nestled in a wooded area in the Pacific Northwest, the 1800 sf Passive Cedar Haus was built as a retirement home. The Artisans Group designed the layout of the home, mindful of aging in place, and working to ensure that the home blended in with the surrounding natural beauty. The project meets a complex program, with an unheated sleeping porch for a master bedroom, a screened porch, a 600 sf caretakers apartment/mother in law unit, large wood shop, plus a two car carport. The home seamlessly integrates a floating cedar tongue and groove roof with large sheltering overhangs, clerestory windows, and language of cedar slats for privacy screens and doors inside and out. The warm, natural materials of wood and cork for the interior palette are punctuated by lively accents and stunning fixtures. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the main living area, gives an expansive view of the surrounding Northwest forest. The tops of these windows reveal the interior cedar clad and the up-swept soffits on the home’s exterior, creating a floating ceiling effect. Slatted spruce wood fly-overs break up the vertical areas of the great room and define separate areas that would otherwise feel like an overwhelmingly expansive space. Photography by: Cheryl Ramsay of Ramsay Photography

Nestled in a wooded area in the Pacific Northwest, the 1800 sf Passive Cedar Haus was built as a retirement home. The Artisans Group designed the layout of the home, mindful of aging in place, and working to ensure that the home blended in with the surrounding natural beauty. The project meets a complex program, with an unheated sleeping porch for a master bedroom, a screened porch, a 600 sf caretakers apartment/mother in law unit, large wood shop, plus a two car carport. The home seamlessly integrates a floating cedar tongue and groove roof with large sheltering overhangs, clerestory windows, and language of cedar slats for privacy screens and doors inside and out. The warm, natural materials of wood and cork for the interior palette are punctuated by lively accents and stunning fixtures. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the main living area, gives an expansive view of the surrounding Northwest forest. The tops of these windows reveal the interior cedar clad and the up-swept soffits on the home’s exterior, creating a floating ceiling effect. Slatted spruce wood fly-overs break up the vertical areas of the great room and define separate areas that would otherwise feel like an overwhelmingly expansive space. Photography by: Cheryl Ramsay of Ramsay Photography

According to Liz, the biggest obstacle was coming up with a layout that worked to meet her design wish list. She explains: “The refrigerator used to open up next to the column. The area between the fridge and the column was the primary traffic pattern from the kitchen to the living room. When the fridge door was opened it would block that access path entirely.” This also limited the style of refrigerator that would fit the space. For instance, a French Door refrigerator with freezer wasn’t an option because the freezer drawer wouldn’t open all the way. This is another reason she opted to keep her existing Whirlpool refrigerator. “Correcting this traffic pattern was a big challenge for me,” she adds. “I actually spent years trying to figure out how to correct it. Plus, because the column was just sitting out in the middle of the room, it was very disconnected and detracted from the rest of the space.” She adds that previously all of the counter space were literally swaths of counter every two feet or so. Not very conducive to food prep or work flow! To remedy this, Liz had added an island cart years ago in the hopes of creating more space. However like the column, that too began to feel disconnected and not cohesive. She explains: “We had to walk around it to get from the fridge to the pantry, oven, and stove. The pantry was also on the opposite side of the kitchen from the fridge and made meal preparation cumbersome.” With IKD’s help, the solution presented itself. She explains: “By moving the pantry next to the fridge and extending the corner and adding the peninsula, we gained large areas of counter space as well as correcting the cumbersome traffic pattern. Baking and meal prep is now so efficient! All of the food is right next to each other. We have dedicated baking and prep areas, and a dedicated cooking area. Previously all of the food, prep, and cooking was all broken up throughout the space.” “As for installation, the only issue was that I gave an incorrect dimension to IKD on the location of the window over the sink. I ended up needing to get different dimension cabinets on both sides of the sink and window. Thankfully I noticed this at the very beginning and we were able to recover really easily from the mistake,” she concludes.

I located this vintage record console on the curb, set out for trash. Components inside were in bad condition and wiring was in disarray. My wife and I had been looking into a TV stand but we didn't feel like spending a couple hundred dollars on one. I brought it home, stripped out the old broken components and wiring, sanded it, and applied flat black Icon paint which is available at Lowe's. Behind the spindles were greenish-brown cloth curtains which were removed and replaced with scrap copper sheeting. The faux hinges and handles were spray painted with copper paint. The middle door is the only one that opens but have utilized the space on the sides to hide the wiring. Total cost with paint and materials was about 30$. Brian Moore

The living, dining, and kitchen opt for views rather than walls. The living room is encircled by three, 16’ lift and slide doors, creating a room that feels comfortable sitting amongst the trees. Because of this the love and appreciation for the location are felt throughout the main floor. The emphasis on larger-than-life views is continued into the main sweet with a door for a quick escape to the wrap-around two-story deck. The Glo A5 triple-pane windows and doors were utilized for their advanced performance capabilities. Year-round comfort is achieved by the thermally-broken aluminum frame, low iron glass, multiple air seals, and argon-filled glazing. Advanced thermal technology was pivotal for the home’s design considering the amount of glazing that is used throughout the home. The windows and multiple 16’ sliding doors are one of the main features of the home’s design, focusing heavily on the beauty of Idaho.

camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley. The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic. We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws. The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year. Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.

Reclaimed Corsica – 1st Cut is a richly textured stone with warm tones of sand, biscuit, taupe, pale grey, and touches of honey and smoke. Its natural patina, softly broken edges, and hand-crafted character give it an authentic old-world feel, making it especially striking for staircases, fireplace surrounds, feature walls, passages, and arched openings.

Custom built island-table with Titanium granite top and a river-brushed broken edge for a rustic natural feel.
Kitchen photo in Other with an island and granite countertops

About the project: Originally a single family home, this four unit apartment building was broken up in a way that each apartment has a different layout. The challenge for Piperbear Designs was how to reimagine each space to conform with the needs of the modern tenant – while also adding design flourishes that will make each unit feel special. Located on historic West Grace in Richmond, Virginia, the property is surrounded by a mix of attractive single family homes and small historic apartment buildings. Walking distance to the Science Museum of Virginia, Monument Ave, many hip restaurants, this block is a sought after location for young professionals moving to Richmond. Piperbear wanted to restore this building in a manner that respects the history of the area while also adding a design aesthetic that is in touch with the change happening in Richmond.

About this project: Originally a single family home, this four unit apartment building was broken up in a way that each apartment has a different layout. The challenge for Piperbear Designs was how to reimagine each space to conform with the needs of the modern tenant – while also adding design flourishes that will make each unit feel special. Located on historic West Grace in Richmond, Virginia, the property is surrounded by a mix of attractive single family homes and small historic apartment buildings. Walking distance to the Science Museum of Virginia, Monument Ave, many hip restaurants, this block is a sought after location for young professionals moving to Richmond. Piperbear wanted to restore this building in a manner that respects the history of the area while also adding a design aesthetic that is in touch with the change happening in Richmond.

camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

Erik Grammer Photography - I recently came across a post on Facebook with a photo of an elderly couple with a quote saying "We were born in a time when if something was broken we would fix it, not throw it away..." This quote resonated with me. I found myself thinking of it while working on the same house - for the fourth time. I affectionately call this beautiful Southern California beach house the Humpty Dumpty home. I started a wonderful business relationship with one of my favorite clients back in 2003. Initially, I was called in to "fix" and finish what another designer started. Once completed and with everything just so, the couple unfortunately divorced and amicably divided the art, rugs and furnishings. I was hired for a second time to recreate each room as close as possible to replace all items that were missing. The house was happily restored back to the original design and all was well for a few years. My client relocated to the East Coast for a temporary job assignment and the house was rented to a person (whose name I can't say) from a famous all-girl band. During this time there was a problem with the upstairs laundry room and water damage occurred. I was hired for the third time to help repair and update (ever so slightly) some areas in the house. My client requested to keep the design and feeling of the house intact because he loved it so much. A few years passed before a pipe broke in the master bathroom while the new renter was out of town on vacation. Unfortunately, things like this do happen - and if not attended to quickly, major damage can occur. In this case, nearly the entire house was flooded requiring it to be completely gutted and stripped down to the floorboards and studs. In January of this year, I was hired to help the client, the insurance company, and the contractor put the house back together again. But unlike the Humpty Dumpty story, this house has actually been put back together again - several times over. Although, this house and client have experienced some challenges, I say this is a perfect example of design success. My client has had many opportunities to change and create something new in his environment with every mis-adventure. Instead, he realizes his home is exactly the way he likes it. It has been such an honor to work with this man who is definitive, trusting, and confident enough to create (or re-create) the perfect home that "fits" his personality and lifestyle. Although this Humpty Dumpty home has been good for my business, I hope the next project with this client is to decorate another property - perhaps a New York City Apartment!

Complete bathroom remodel - The bathroom was completely gutted to studs. A curb-less stall shower was added with a glass panel instead of a shower door. This creates a barrier free space maintaining the light and airy feel of the complete interior remodel. The fireclay tile is recessed into the wall allowing for a clean finish without the need for bull nose tile. The light finishes are grounded with a wood vanity and then all tied together with oil rubbed bronze faucets.