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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

Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces.
We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem.
Extensive alterations include:
- a completely redesigned floor plan to promote a more intuitive flow throughout
- vaulted the ceilings over the great room to create an amazing entrance and feeling of inspired openness
- redesigned entry and driveway to be more inviting and welcoming as well as to experientially set the mid-century modern stage
- the removal of a visually disruptive load bearing central wall and chimney system that formerly partitioned the homes’ entry, dining, kitchen and living rooms from each other
- added clerestory windows above the new kitchen to accentuate the new vaulted ceiling line and create a greater visual continuation of indoor to outdoor space
- drastically increased the access to natural light by increasing window sizes and opening up the floor plan
- placed natural wood elements throughout to provide a calming palette and cohesive Pacific Northwest feel
- incorporated Universal Design principles to make the home Aging In Place ready with wide hallways and accessible spaces, including single-floor living if needed
- moved and completely redesigned the stairway to work for the home’s occupants and be a part of the cohesive design aesthetic
- mixed custom tile layouts with more traditional tiling to create fun and playful visual experiences
- custom designed and sourced MCM specific elements such as the entry screen, cabinetry and lighting
- development of the downstairs for potential future use by an assisted living caretaker
- energy efficiency upgrades seamlessly woven in with much improved insulation, ductless mini splits and solar gain
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This home features a covered outdoor living area which includes a pair of dramatic chandeliers. The roof includes recessed lighting as well. The access to the back patio is gained through a pair of sliding glass doors.

The owners of a charming home in the hills west of Paso Robles recently decided to remodel their not-so-charming kitchen. Referred to San Luis Kitchen by several of their friends, the homeowners visited our showroom and soon decided we were the best people to design a kitchen fitting the style of their home. We were delighted to get to work on the project right away.
When we arrived at the house, we found a small, cramped and out-dated kitchen. The ceiling was low, the cabinets old fashioned and painted a stark dead white, and the best view in the house was neglected in a seldom-used breakfast nook (sequestered behind the kitchen peninsula). This kitchen was also handicapped by white tile counters with dark grout, odd-sized and cluttered cabinets, and small ‘desk’ tacked on to the side of the oven cabinet. Due to a marked lack of counter space & inadequate storage the homeowner had resorted to keeping her small appliances on a little cart parked in the corner and the garbage was just sitting by the wall in full view of everything! On the plus side, the kitchen opened into a nice dining room and had beautiful saltillo tile floors.
Mrs. Homeowner loves to entertain and often hosts dinner parties for her friends. She enjoys visiting with her guests in the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Sadly, her small kitchen really limited her interactions with her guests – she often felt left out of the mix at her own parties! This savvy homeowner dreamed big – a new kitchen that would accommodate multiple workstations, have space for guests to gather but not be in the way, and maybe a prettier transition from the kitchen to the dining (wine service area or hutch?) – while managing the remodel budget by reusing some of her major appliances and keeping (patching as needed) her existing floors.
Responding to the homeowner’s stated wish list and the opportunities presented by the home's setting and existing architecture, the designers at San Luis Kitchen decided to expand the kitchen into the breakfast nook. This change allowed the work area to be reoriented to take advantage of the great view – we replaced the existing window and added another while moving the door to gain space. A second sink and set of refrigerator drawers (housing fresh fruits & veggies) were included for the convenience of this mainly vegetarian cook – her prep station. The clean-up area now boasts a farmhouse style single bowl sink – adding to the ‘cottage’ charm. We located a new gas cook-top between the two workstations for easy access from each. Also tucked in here is a pullout trash/recycle cabinet for convenience and additional drawers for storage.
Running parallel to the work counter we added a long butcher-block island with easy-to-access open shelves for the avid cook and seating for friendly guests placed just right to take in the view. A counter-top garage is used to hide excess small appliances. Glass door cabinets and open shelves are now available to display the owners beautiful dishware. The microwave was placed inconspicuously on the end of the island facing the refrigerator – easy access for guests (and extraneous family members) to help themselves to drinks and snacks while staying out of the cook’s way.
We also moved the pantry storage away from the dining room (putting it on the far wall and closer to the work triangle) and added a furniture-like hutch in its place allowing the more formal dining area to flow seamlessly into the up-beat work area of the kitchen. This space is now also home (opposite wall) to an under counter wine refrigerator, a liquor cabinet and pretty glass door wall cabinet for stemware storage – meeting Mr. Homeowner’s desire for a bar service area.
And then the aesthetic: an old-world style country cottage theme. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to have a warm feel while still loving the look of white cabinetry. San Luis Kitchen melded country-casual knotty pine base cabinets with vintage hand-brushed creamy white wall cabinets to create the desired cottage look. We also added bead board and mullioned glass doors for charm, used an inset doorstyle on the cabinets for authenticity, and mixed stone and wood counters to create an eclectic nuance in the space. All in all, the happy homeowners now boast a charming county cottage kitchen with plenty of space for entertaining their guests while creating gourmet meals to feed them.

Residential swimming pool client in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania receives a custom Baby-Loc Safety Pool Fence supplied and installed by Colony Pool Service of Delaware, Inc.
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BABY-LOC is also the perfect choice for a raised deck or dock.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

Sponsored
Sunbury, OH
J.Holderby - Renovations
Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

Photo by Morehead Marketing, Inc.
Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Cleveland
Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Cleveland

The main goal for the owners of this 1926 house was an addition to gain more closet space near their main floor master bedroom. During the design stage, they also decided to create a zen home office for one of the owner’s reiki business that had direct access for visitors from the backyard, rather than walking through the house. Painted stucco was used on the new addition to match a previously added sunroom at the other side of the house. Matching windows were also added.
The proposed design featured a simple shed roof at the side addition and a hip roof at the front and back. View of addition from the back of the house – the French doors lead into the office. We extended the existing flagstone patio to the addition and office entry.
In assessing the feasibility of the project, the first thing the designer did was to check the zoning regulations. After a thorough study, it was determined that a 7-foot side addition was possible. This 7-foot addition was adequate for a built-in cabinetry storage and a new powder room. The design proposal also included a rear wraparound 13ftx13ft home office, that gave the existing rear patio a courtyard feel. The proposed addition was accessed from both the existing master bedroom and another bedroom that was converted into a family/ TV room. The main access to the home office addition was through the backyard.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

The original historical home had very low ceilings and limited views and access to the deck and pool. By relocating the laundry to a new mud room (see other images in this project) we were able to open the views and space to the back yard. By lowering the floor into the basement creating a small step down from the front dining room, we were able to gain more head height. Additionally, adding a coffered ceiling, we disguised the structure while offering slightly more height in between the structure members. While this job was an exercise in structural gymnastics, the results are a clean, open and functional space for today living while honoring the historic nature and proportions of the home.
Kubilus Photo

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

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Columbus, OH
Free consultation for landscape design!
Peabody Landscape Group
Columbus' Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

Those hard to reach corners are gone! Soft wood pie shaped corner pullouts makes it easy to gain access to deep corners without sacrificing storage spaces.
Design by Tina Harvey, Allied ASID

The main goal for the owners of this 1926 house was an addition to gain more closet space near their main floor master bedroom. During the design stage, they also decided to create a zen home office for one of the owner’s reiki business that had direct access for visitors from the backyard, rather than walking through the house. Painted stucco was used on the new addition to match a previously added sunroom at the other side of the house. Matching windows were also added.
The proposed design featured a simple shed roof at the side addition and a hip roof at the front and back. View of addition from the back of the house – the French doors lead into the office. We extended the existing flagstone patio to the addition and office entry.
In assessing the feasibility of the project, the first thing the designer did was to check the zoning regulations. After a thorough study, it was determined that a 7-foot side addition was possible. This 7-foot addition was adequate for a built-in cabinetry storage and a new powder room. The design proposal also included a rear wraparound 13ftx13ft home office, that gave the existing rear patio a courtyard feel. The proposed addition was accessed from both the existing master bedroom and another bedroom that was converted into a family/ TV room. The main access to the home office addition was through the backyard.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

Sponsored
Sunbury, OH
J.Holderby - Renovations
Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.

In this 1930’s home, the kitchen had been previously remodeled in the 90’s. The goal was to make the kitchen more functional, add storage and bring back the original character of the home. This was accomplished by removing the adjoining wall between the kitchen and dining room and adding a peninsula with a breakfast bar where the wall once existed. A redesign of the original breakfast nook created a space for the refrigerator, pantry, utility closet and coffee bar which camouflages the radiator. An exterior door was added so the homeowner could gain access to their back patio. The homeowner also desired a better solution for their coats, so a small mudroom nook was created in their hallway.

This 600sf addition in Folsom created much need space for a growing family. In addition to gaining space, functionality and pantry storage were requirements in the design program. We opened up the kitchen and dining area to great room, with a vaulted ceiling, lots of natural light, created a private office, and new flooring throughout. We also designed a warm and cozy sitting area with a new LED fireplace, stacked stacked stone and a rustic mantel. Schrock cabinets provided a lot more storage and functionality. The countertops are a combination of granite and quartz; the backsplash is natural stone. The 'floating' soffit above the island provided an opportunity for more LED up-lights and a great focal point. New concrete walkways, a patio, and an easy-access area for the garbage cans completed the exterior.
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