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

Lee Manning Photography
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and wood countertops

Living room - mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in Orange County with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Photography by Laura Moss
Inspiration for a coastal kitchen remodel in New York

Inspiration for a timeless dark wood floor kitchen remodel in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Taylor Photo
Transitional kitchen photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash and stainless steel appliances

ALT BREEDING SCHWARZ ARCHITECTS - ANNAPOLIS, MD - ABSARCHITECTS.COM - 410.268.1213
Staircase - transitional wooden curved staircase idea in Baltimore with painted risers

Airoom remodeled this kitchen with Old Hollywood glamour in mind, but included contemporary touches like appliances from Subzero and Wolf. Large windows provide natural light and a stunning lakefront view. Sparkling crystal cabinets flank a backsplash in laser-cut Calcutta Gold marble – also featured in the polished countertops. A barreled ceiling crowns the butler’s pantry, and the warmth of these durable Brazilian cherry floors balance the gleaming monochrome look throughout the kitchen area.

The best kitchen showroom in your area may be closer closer than you think. The four designers there are some of the most experienced award winning kitchen designers in the Delaware Valley. They design in and sell 6 national cabinet lines. And their pricing for cabinetry is slightly less than at home centers in apples to apples comparisons. Where is this kitchen showroom and how come you don’t remember seeing it when it is so close by? It’s in your own home! Main Line Kitchen Design brings all the same samples you select from when you travel to other showrooms to your home. We make design changes on our laptops in 20-20 CAD with you present usually in the very kitchen being renovated. Understanding what designs will look like and how sample kitchen cabinets, doors, and finishes will look in your home is easy when you are standing in the very room being renovated. Design changes can be emailed to you to print out and discuss with friends and family if you choose. Best of all our design time is free since it is incorporated into the very competitive pricing of your cabinetry when you purchase a kitchen from Main Line Kitchen Design. Finally there is a kitchen business model and design team that carries the highest quality cabinetry, is experienced, convenient, and reasonably priced. Call us today and find out why we get the best reviews on the internet or Google us and check. We look forward to working with you. As our company tag line says: “The world of kitchen design is changing…” Scott Fredrick Photography

Situated on a sloping site with a shared driveway and prescribed parking on the lower level, the home was designed to maximize daylight into the walk-out basement. In placing the parking in the center and wrapping the basement spaces around it, all rooms are afforded exterior views. By locating much of the home’s program below street level, the 3244 s.f. house is able to maintain a scale in keeping with the surrounding residences. The grade along the front of the site was pulled back from the home with stepped retaining walls revealing a sunken garden and above-ground basement walls. An entry bridge allows access to the front door above the sunken garden. UV-responsive, color-changing metal siding and cedar rainscreen clad the flat roof volumes of the home while fiber cement boards encase the shed roof volume. The shed was created to provide passive solar daylighting and conditioning in the vaulted living and dining rooms as well as an ideal surface for future solar panels. The home possesses a myriad of outdoor living spaces including a front balcony and sunken courtyard, side balcony terrace, and rear screened porch and deck above a covered patio. The south side balcony is wrapped with a metal and cedar clad bamboo planter which acts as a privacy screen and shading device. Accessibility was a strong consideration in the design as the homeowners were forward-thinking about aging in place. ADA-sized doorways and thresholds are provided as well as a shelled elevator shaft from the basement level.

Photography by William Quarles
Transitional kitchen photo in Charleston

Raul Garcia: www.rauljgarcia.com/
Contemporary exterior home idea in Denver

Example of a classic master bedroom design in New York with beige walls

Daughters go to college—that's typical. But when they come home for the summer to find their parents now living in the neighbor's house? Not so typical. That's exactly what happened to Sue and John McKinley's twin daughters when their parents downsized to a house just two doors down. "We were already familiar with the home and liked its open floor plan and high ceilings," says Sue. "We just customized the interior to suit our tastes." In their kitchen, the couple worked with designer Suzanne Kasler to combine practicality with style. Photo by Erica George Dines for Southern Living

Tom Marks Photography
Family room - traditional family room idea in Seattle

Baulinder Haus is located just a few houses down from a landmark Kansas City area home designed by Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer. Baulinder Haus draws inspiration from the details of the neighboring home. Vertically oriented wood siding, simple forms, and overhanging masses—these were part of Breuer’s modernist palette. The house’s form consists of a series of stacked boxes, with public spaces on the ground level and private spaces in the boxes above. The boxes are oriented in a U-shaped plan to create a generous private courtyard. This was designed as an extension of the interior living space, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling south facing windows in the courtyard are shaded by the overhanging second floor above to prohibit solar heat gain, but allow for passive solar heating in the winter. Other sustainable elements of the home include a geothermal heat pump HVAC system, energy efficient windows and sprayed foam insulation. The exterior wood is a vertical shiplap siding milled from FSC certified Machiche. Baulinder Haus was designed to meet and exceed requirements put forward by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their Indoor airPLUS qualified homes, and is working toward Energy Star qualification. Machiche and steel screening elements provide depth and texture to front facade.

Pool fountain - huge mediterranean backyard custom-shaped and tile lap pool fountain idea in Houston

This beautiful farmhouse kitchen in soft grey tones bridge the gap between old and new. Thermador appliances work hard for the avid cooks who live here. Design by Jarrett Design, LLC. Cabinetry by Plain & Fancy Cabinetry. Counters by Bucks County Soapstone. Matt Villano Photography

A home In harmony with nature.
Example of a minimalist one-story flat roof design in New York