Mike Schwartz
Example of a trendy backyard deck design in Chicago with no cover

This Greek Revival row house in Boerum Hill was previously owned by a local architect who renovated it several times, including the addition of a two-story steel and glass extension at the rear. The new owners came to us seeking to restore the house and its original formality, while adapting it to the modern needs of a family of five. The detailing of the 25 x 36 foot structure had been lost and required some sleuthing into the history of Greek Revival style in historic Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition to completely re-framing the interior, the house also required a new south-facing brick façade due to significant deterioration. The modern extension was replaced with a more traditionally detailed wood and copper- clad bay, still open to natural light and the garden view without sacrificing comfort. The kitchen was relocated from the first floor to the garden level with an adjacent formal dining room. Both rooms were enlarged from their previous iterations to accommodate weekly dinners with extended family. The kitchen includes a home office and breakfast nook that doubles as a homework station. The cellar level was further excavated to accommodate finished storage space and a playroom where activity can be monitored from the kitchen workspaces. The parlor floor is now reserved for entertaining. New pocket doors can be closed to separate the formal front parlor from the more relaxed back portion, where the family plays games or watches TV together. At the end of the hall, a powder room with brass details, and a luxe bar with antique mirrored backsplash and stone tile flooring, leads to the deck and direct garden access. Because of the property width, the house is able to provide ample space for the interior program within a shorter footprint. This allows the garden to remain expansive, with a small lawn for play, an outdoor food preparation area with a cast-in-place concrete bench, and a place for entertaining towards the rear. The newly designed landscaping will continue to develop, further enhancing the yard’s feeling of escape, and filling-in the views from the kitchen and back parlor above. A less visible, but equally as conscious, addition is a rooftop PV solar array that provides nearly 100% of the daily electrical usage, with the exception of the AC system on hot summer days. The well-appointed interiors connect the traditional backdrop of the home to a youthful take on classic design and functionality. The materials are elegant without being precious, accommodating a young, growing family. Unique colors and patterns provide a feeling of luxury while inviting inhabitants and guests to relax and enjoy this classic Brooklyn brownstone. This project won runner-up in the architecture category for the 2017 NYC&G Innovation in Design Awards and was featured in The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. Photography by Francis Dzikowski / OTTO

Complete bathroom remodel. this project was taken down to the studs. Custom design vanity with spa tower which incorporates a styling tools drawer, shallow makeup drawers and plenty of functional storage. To reduce waster space under the sink we made the cabinet below more shallow in order to have a drawer below which will optimize usable storage space.

Design ideas for a contemporary privacy backyard concrete paver landscaping in Orange County.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

John Gillooly/PEI
Enclosed kitchen - traditional enclosed kitchen idea in Boston with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Home office - transitional home office idea in Dallas

ChiChi Ubiña
Entryway - mid-sized transitional limestone floor entryway idea in New York with white walls

Design-build kitchen, powder room, and butler’s pantry remodel in an 1890 Victorian home in Wakefield, MA. Full renovation included reconfiguring the powder room layout and opening a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room to improve flow and functionality. Kitchen remodel features frameless full overlay cabinetry in Steel Blue, quartz countertops (Alleanza Dolomiti Extra), beveled crackle tile backsplash, and hardwood flooring. Island addition replaces freestanding table and adds prep space with microwave drawer. Full-height wall cabinets maximize kitchen storage. Historic-inspired details include ogee-edge countertops, bridge-style faucet in English Bronze, decorative corbels, polished nickel hardware, and industrial-style sconces. Powder room renovation includes reduced footprint layout, basketweave floor tile, applied molding, wallpaper, and vintage-inspired plumbing fixtures in chrome. Butler’s pantry remodel features inset cherry cabinetry in a coffee stain finish, quartz countertops, glass-front cabinets, beverage fridge, bar sink, and wallpapered cabinetry interiors. Designed as a functional wet bar and storage extension off dining room. Style: Traditional / Victorian kitchen remodel, historic home renovation, design-build remodeling contractor Wakefield MA.

Inspiration for a contemporary bedroom remodel in Atlanta

Incorporating a reclaimed wood wall into this newly renovated East Village Duplex, brought in warm materials into an open stairwell. © Devon Banks
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor hallway remodel in New York with white walls

Ulimited Style Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern tile patio fountain remodel in Los Angeles with an awning

Orinda, CA full property design and remodel by Canyon Design Build. Canyon completed every aspect of this design from the outdoor entertaining space, to the kitchen, living, dining, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

Scott Hargis Photography
Ornate dark wood floor kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

A merge of modern lines with classic shapes and materials creates a refreshingly timeless appeal for these secondary bath remodels. All three baths showcasing different design elements with a continuity of warm woods, natural stone, and scaled lighting making them perfect for guest retreats.

The lifestyle shift to empty-nesters inspires the creation of a dream space to entertain and enjoy. Photographed by David Lauer Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard concrete patio remodel in Denver with no cover

Photo by Jeremy Bittermann
Example of a minimalist master bedroom design in Portland

Built-in work station in open concept kitchen and dining room remodel. Custom white cabinets with glass front doors and built-in lighting. Custom storage nooks and hidden electrical outlets. Hardwood floors, white trim and copper coffered ceiling.

This Brookline remodel took a very compartmentalized floor plan with hallway, separate living room, dining room, kitchen, and 3-season porch, and transformed it into one open living space with cathedral ceilings and lots of light. photos: Abby Woodman