Warmly contemporary, airy, and above all welcoming, this single-family home in the heart of the city blends family-friendly living – and playing – space with rooms designed for large-scale entertaining. As at ease hosting a team’s worth of basketball-dribbling youngsters as it is gathering hundreds of philanthropy-minded guests for worthy causes, it transitions between the two without care or concern. An open floor plan is thoughtfully segmented by custom millwork designed to define spaces, provide storage, and cozy large expanses of space. Sleek, yet never cold, its gallery-like ambiance accommodates an art collection that ranges from the ethnic and organic to the textural, streamlined furniture silhouettes, quietly dynamic fabrics, and an arms-wide-open policy toward the two young boys who call this house home. Of course, like any family home, the kitchen is its heart. Here, linear forms – think wall upon wall of concealed cabinets, hugely paned windows, and an elongated island that seats eight even as it provides generous prep and serving space – define the ultimate in contemporary urban living. Photo Credit: Werner Straube

his timeless home was built in 1909 in Seattle’s Capitol Hill historic district. The house features gorgeous architectural details from the turn of the century including sculpted moldings, custom wood cutouts, and hand-made tiles. The kitchen was previously remodeled in a style that departed from the home’s historic period. Each room was thoughtfully curated to ensure aesthetic beauty inspired by the home’s original style. We renovated the kitchen, powder room, and restored the butler’s pantry with period details. Generous casement windows were added in the kitchen that flood the room with sunlight. The kitchen design needed to be functional for a family of eight, so we paid great attention to appliance placement, storage, and flow. The furniture and light fixtures selected throughout the home are simple and elegant, allowing the detailed architectural features to shine.

Photography by Jonathan Padilla
Large trendy master beige floor freestanding bathtub photo in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and quartzite countertops

A major aspect of this remodel included an extensive redesign of the kitchen. The backsplash is fashioned with subtle angles and anchors the surrounding walnut cabinetry by its attractive sea glass color. A spacious island provides a generous eating area that also doubles as an area for casual entertaining.

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The in-law suite kitchen could only be in a small corner of the basement. The kitchen design started with the question: how small can this kitchen be? The compact layout was designed to provide generous counter space, comfortable walking clearances, and abundant storage. The bold colors and fun patterns anchored by the warmth of the dark wood flooring create a happy and invigorating space. SQUARE FEET: 140

A cased opening with interior transoms looking from the family room to the kitchen flanked by built-in cases frames shallow elliptical arched openings above the refrigerator and secondary stair beyond. A generous marble-top peninsula bridges the cabinetry between rooms. James Merrell Photography

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The marble look porcelain tiled shower walls and the basket weave floor tile complement the White marble vanity top and gray stained wood cabinetry. Classic contemporary styling and attention to detail make this double duty bathroom a sophisticated but functional space for the family's two young children as well as guests. Removing a wall and expanding into a closet allowed the additional space needed for a double vanity and generous room in front of the combined tub/shower. HAVEN design+building llc

This project encompasses the renovation of two aging metal warehouses located on an acre just North of the 610 loop. The larger warehouse, previously an auto body shop, measures 6000 square feet and will contain a residence, art studio, and garage. A light well puncturing the middle of the main residence brightens the core of the deep building. The over-sized roof opening washes light down three masonry walls that define the light well and divide the public and private realms of the residence. The interior of the light well is conceived as a serene place of reflection while providing ample natural light into the Master Bedroom. Large windows infill the previous garage door openings and are shaded by a generous steel canopy as well as a new evergreen tree court to the west. Adjacent, a 1200 sf building is reconfigured for a guest or visiting artist residence and studio with a shared outdoor patio for entertaining. Photo by Peter Molick, Art by Karin Broker

I live for moments of grace, such as classical music, beautiful china, fine art, and textiles. This home is a testament of this philosophy, with an eclectic mix of the fine and the understated. Next to a work of irreplaceable fine art is hung a tapestry from Turkey, purchased in a market for pennies. On display, collections of fine Herend china and exquisite Limoges boxes sit alongside some of HomeGoods’ best ceramic offerings. In this home, I’m inspired by textiles and fabrics, different dimensions, mixes of color, history, and artistic focal points; but most of all I am inspired by the intangible feeling of a piece. Cydney Ambrose

This custom home is derived from Chinese symbolism. The color red symbolizes luck, happiness and joy in the Chinese culture. The number 8 is the most prosperous number in Chinese culture. A custom 8 branch tree is showcased on an island in the pool and a red wall serves as the background for this piece of art. The home was designed in a L-shape to take advantage of the lake view from all areas of the home. The open floor plan features indoor/outdoor living with a generous lanai, three balconies and sliding glass walls that transform the home into a single indoor/outdoor space. An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Phil Kean Design Group Designer: Phil Kean Design Group From: Winter Park, Florida

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2015 Houzz
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The reclaimed wood elements give this office a rustic feeling, while the generous shelving adds a library ambience. Photography: VanceFox.com
Study room - rustic built-in desk study room idea

We expanded the mudroom 8' into the garage to reduce how crowded the space is when the whole family arrives home at once. 4 closed off locker spaces keep this room looking clean and organized. This room also functions as the laundry room with stacked washer and dryer to save space next to the white farmhouse apron sink with aberesque tile backsplash. At the end of the room we added a full height closet style cabinet for additional coats, boots and shoes. A light grey herringbone tile on the floor helps the whole room flow together. Walnut bench and accent shelf provide striking pops of bold color to the room.

An oversized storage/guest room became a suite for children to entertain friends as well as a place to sleep and study. Ordinary closet doors were replaced with old doors covered with chalkboard paint for messages and memos sliding on a heavy metal track. An old metal work bench base was updated with a new top to house three TV’s for video gaming. A large sectional gives generous seating for his friends when playing games or just relaxing. Rustic sconces on either side of the bed create task lighting for studying. A fun dresser that mimics an old trunk provides storage. The space is topped off with accessories indigenous of a boy’s space. Photos by Randy Colwell

The Kelso's Primary Closet is a spacious and well-designed area dedicated to organizing and storing their clothing and accessories. The closet features a plush gray carpet that adds a touch of comfort and luxury underfoot. A large gray linen bench serves as a stylish and practical seating option, allowing the Kelso's to sit down while choosing their outfits. The closet itself is a generous walk-in design, providing ample space for hanging clothes, shelves for folded items, and storage compartments for shoes and accessories. The round semi-flush lighting fixtures enhance the visibility and add a modern touch to the space. The white melamine closet system offers a clean and sleek appearance, ensuring a cohesive and organized look. With the combination of the gray carpet, linen bench, walk-in layout, lighting, and melamine closet system, the Kelso's Primary Closet creates a functional and aesthetically pleasing space for their clothing storage needs.

A typical post-1906 Noe Valley house is simultaneously restored, expanded and redesigned to keep what works and rethink what doesn’t. The front façade, is scraped and painted a crisp monochrome white—it worked. The new asymmetrical gabled rear addition takes the place of a windowless dead end box that didn’t. A “Great kitchen”, open yet formally defined living and dining rooms, a generous master suite, and kid’s rooms with nooks and crannies, all make for a newly designed house that straddles old and new. Structural Engineer: Gregory Paul Wallace SE General Contractor: Cardea Building Co. Photographer: Open Homes Photography