Originally a nearly three-story tall 1920’s European-styled home was turned into a modern villa for work and home. A series of low concrete retaining wall planters and steps gradually takes you up to the second level entry, grounding or anchoring the house into the site, as does a new wrap around veranda and trellis. Large eave overhangs on the upper roof were designed to give the home presence and were accented with a Mid-century orange color. The new master bedroom addition white box creates a better sense of entry and opens to the wrap around veranda at the opposite side. Inside the owners live on the lower floor and work on the upper floor with the garage basement for storage, archives and a ceramics studio. New windows and open spaces were created for the graphic designer owners; displaying their mid-century modern furnishings collection. A lot of effort went into attempting to lower the house visually by bringing the ground plane higher with the concrete retaining wall planters, steps, wrap around veranda and trellis, and the prominent roof with exaggerated overhangs. That the eaves were painted orange is a cool reflection of the owner’s Dutch heritage. Budget was a driver for the project and it was determined that the footprint of the home should have minimal extensions and that the new windows remain in the same relative locations as the old ones. Wall removal was utilized versus moving and building new walls where possible. Photo Credit: John Sutton Photography.

Example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor enclosed kitchen design in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, brick backsplash and an island

The custom in-ground raised spa, with 4-foot-high cascading waterfall spills into the pool, fits beautifully with the patio, pool, and the additional water feature - a separate 6-foot-high waterfall flowing into the pool. www.longislandhottub.com

Here is a drought tolerant ground cover, flagstone and native meadow. Perfect for the California climate!
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean drought-tolerant and full sun backyard stone vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco for summer.

Reverse Shed Eichler This project is part tear-down, part remodel. The original L-shaped plan allowed the living/ dining/ kitchen wing to be completely re-built while retaining the shell of the bedroom wing virtually intact. The rebuilt entertainment wing was enlarged 50% and covered with a low-slope reverse-shed roof sloping from eleven to thirteen feet. The shed roof floats on a continuous glass clerestory with eight foot transom. Cantilevered steel frames support wood roof beams with eaves of up to ten feet. An interior glass clerestory separates the kitchen and livingroom for sound control. A wall-to-wall skylight illuminates the north wall of the kitchen/family room. New additions at the back of the house add several “sliding” wall planes, where interior walls continue past full-height windows to the exterior, complimenting the typical Eichler indoor-outdoor ceiling and floor planes. The existing bedroom wing has been re-configured on the interior, changing three small bedrooms into two larger ones, and adding a guest suite in part of the original garage. A previous den addition provided the perfect spot for a large master ensuite bath and walk-in closet. Natural materials predominate, with fir ceilings, limestone veneer fireplace walls, anigre veneer cabinets, fir sliding windows and interior doors, bamboo floors, and concrete patios and walks. Landscape design by Bernard Trainor: www.bernardtrainor.com (see “Concrete Jungle” in April 2014 edition of Dwell magazine). Microsoft Media Center installation of the Year, 2008: www.cybermanor.com/ultimate_install.html (automated shades, radiant heating system, and lights, as well as security & sound).

A clean Saarinen table and 4 swivel tulip chairs are the go-to spot for art and homework projects. The bold pink cowhide is an unexpected fun touch and grounds an area that was deliberately left open for free-wheeling play.

The new backyard is perfect for entertaining large groups, hosting intimate dinners, or relaxing. Birdhouses and plants line the new space and a pergola shades a table for al fresco dining. A pass-through into the basement allows guests to pull a stool right up to the bar.

Example of a trendy master beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and beige floor corner shower design in San Francisco with gray walls

Photo by Allan Zepeda
Living room - small contemporary open concept and formal medium tone wood floor living room idea in New York with white walls

The Sennett Residence in Asheville, NC boasts a striking midcentury modern exterior crafted by Living Stone Design + Build. Featuring clean lines, expansive glass windows, and natural materials like stone and wood, this home seamlessly merges modern luxury with the surrounding mountain landscape for an elegant and sustainable design.

Inspiration for a traditional shade stone landscaping in Santa Barbara.

Inspiration for a mid-century modern light wood floor bedroom remodel in Houston with white walls and no fireplace

Patio kitchen - contemporary backyard and one-story concrete paver patio kitchen idea in Houston

Example of a trendy backyard deck design in New York with a fire pit and no cover

Pool cabana with kitchen and bath, built by Trueblood.
Example of a large classic custom-shaped pool house design in Philadelphia

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.

Custom built under stair storage
Staircase - traditional staircase idea in Boston

Sean Malone
Living room - large traditional formal and enclosed living room idea in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Example of a huge mid-century modern master white tile and mosaic tile ceramic tile doorless shower design in Los Angeles with white walls and a niche