Dennis and Joe have a large, light-filled house. New construction meant lofted space and open floor plans with traditional styling. Running a busy dental practice by day and engaged in a rich social life by night, this couple needed a professional to take the lead on making their house a home. That’s my cue! They wanted to take risks, and stay away from “matchy-matchy”. We gussied up a plain ol’ TV room and gave it a healthy dose of luxury. Our plan was initially inspired by an abstract painting hanging over their stone fireplace. We brought in their love of the outdoors to make things cozy and used family furniture whenever possible for nostalgia and comfort. I took their love for one-of-a-kind objects and started making a design plan, aiming to solve their biggest frustration: the family room. They had a tortured relationship with a “forgotten family room,” a great space that was spacious and bright, but not at all cozy or joyful, and certainly not “them.” I wanted to create a cozy space functional for everyday curling up with puppies and watching TV after dinner, yet chic enough for hosting the pre-dinner kitchen overflow and cocktails during parties. I went looking for contrasting textures and materials. I wanted to balance patterns and scale, and use non-traditional colors as neutrals to create an overall sense of “BAM!” Dennis and Joe loved the nod to the classics juxtaposed with new and different globally-inspired pieces. For this project our design aesthetic can be described as Middle Eastern/tribal meets mid-century modern. We played to their sensible side with proportion and balance, and stayed as far away from boring/bleh as we could. You could say this room was pretty successful...It was featured in DC Modern Luxury. (#nobigdeal, right?) From there we moved on to other spaces.. We added colorful pillows and sheer drapery to finish off their formal living room. We kept an inherited bedroom set from Dennis’ Mom and added color, draperies, and pillows to overhaul the guest bedroom. Their project was not a rip-and-replace, we weren’t starting from scratch with a blank piece of paper. Rather, our goal was to take what was already there and make it better, more like them. Using functionality first, we focused on giving the house a soothing, joyful aesthetic. We upped the chic factor by a gajillion and helped them find their ‘happy’ at home. See more Safferstone stuff at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, send us a love note at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

Bedroom - coastal bedroom idea in Charleston

Trendy bedroom photo in San Francisco

This original 1950's kitchen with a pink backsplash and pale blue appliances needed a fresh take. Hardwood floors were installed to match the existing wood on the first floor. Bright white quartz countertops and a white backsplash created using both flat/glossy and matte/raised hex tiles created a textured flower pattern. Slab front cabinets in a mixture of wood and white tackled the storage issues. The pop of orange of the Bertazonni oven is the counter balance to the cool fresh wall color and tons of natural light. A beautiful, functional space to create healthy meals for her family was paramount to our client. We created this fresh space by dropping a touch of Palm Springs into the Pacific Northwest.

Susie Soleimani - Photo Credit
Small beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile bathroom photo in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, wood countertops, a one-piece toilet and beige walls

photo-Caitlin Atkinson This is one of the new pathways that we were able to create where there had formally been lawn. By mounding the planting areas, we were able to introduce healthy new soil.

Our inspiration for this home was an updated and refined approach to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie-style”; one that responds well to the harsh Central Texas heat. By DESIGN we achieved soft balanced and glare-free daylighting, comfortable temperatures via passive solar control measures, energy efficiency without reliance on maintenance-intensive Green “gizmos” and lower exterior maintenance. The client’s desire for a healthy, comfortable and fun home to raise a young family and to accommodate extended visitor stays, while being environmentally responsible through “high performance” building attributes, was met. Harmonious response to the site’s micro-climate, excellent Indoor Air Quality, enhanced natural ventilation strategies, and an elegant bug-free semi-outdoor “living room” that connects one to the outdoors are a few examples of the architect’s approach to Green by Design that results in a home that exceeds the expectations of its owners. Photo by Mark Adams Media

Example of a mid-sized transitional light wood floor living room design in San Francisco

This is an example of a landscaping in San Diego.

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Denver.

Country living room photo in Seattle

The kitchen area is dramatically transformed to fit the needs of the owner―clean lines, open spaces, natural light, use of healthy materials and Energy Star rated appliances. FSC-certified, formaldehyde-free lumber is used throughout the house. Cabinets are carefully constructed to maintain the wood pattern of the walls and floors creating a unified look. Project designer: Sherry Williamson Architect: Andrew Mann Architecture Landscape Architect: Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture David Wakely Photography

Our inspiration for this home was an updated and refined approach to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie-style”; one that responds well to the harsh Central Texas heat. By DESIGN we achieved soft balanced and glare-free daylighting, comfortable temperatures via passive solar control measures, energy efficiency without reliance on maintenance-intensive Green “gizmos” and lower exterior maintenance. The client’s desire for a healthy, comfortable and fun home to raise a young family and to accommodate extended visitor stays, while being environmentally responsible through “high performance” building attributes, was met. Harmonious response to the site’s micro-climate, excellent Indoor Air Quality, enhanced natural ventilation strategies, and an elegant bug-free semi-outdoor “living room” that connects one to the outdoors are a few examples of the architect’s approach to Green by Design that results in a home that exceeds the expectations of its owners. Photo by Mark Adams Media

Our inspiration for this home was an updated and refined approach to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie-style”; one that responds well to the harsh Central Texas heat. By DESIGN we achieved soft balanced and glare-free daylighting, comfortable temperatures via passive solar control measures, energy efficiency without reliance on maintenance-intensive Green “gizmos” and lower exterior maintenance. The client’s desire for a healthy, comfortable and fun home to raise a young family and to accommodate extended visitor stays, while being environmentally responsible through “high performance” building attributes, was met. Harmonious response to the site’s micro-climate, excellent Indoor Air Quality, enhanced natural ventilation strategies, and an elegant bug-free semi-outdoor “living room” that connects one to the outdoors are a few examples of the architect’s approach to Green by Design that results in a home that exceeds the expectations of its owners. Photo by Mark Adams Media

200 Sq. meters dassoXTR deck used near the swimming pool. Finished in 2013.
Inspiration for an asian water fountain deck remodel in Atlanta with no cover

Across the country, builders and architects are embracing sustainable building and design practices more than ever before. The use of eco-friendly products and materials help to create living environments that are not only sensitive to nature, but still achieves the look and feel desired by the original design. Eldorado Stone is proud to be part of a growing number of award-winning projects that have won the highest levels in sustainable building practices and products available today. Whether it’s a traditional or contemporary design, Eldorado’s versatility and appeal offers an authentic architectural statement while adding the warmth and texture that only stone can provide. Studio26homes, a design/ build firm dedicated to creating highly efficient, healthy homes, recently completed a 4,700+ sf project in Orefield, PA. The private residence earned the Gold rating from the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Green Building Guidelines certification program as the 19th certified project of any level in the country. To reach the gold standard, Orefield had to earn at least 395 points and ended up surpassing that requirement with a grand total of 542 points. Studio26homes hadn’t used Eldorado Stone before this project and were pleased to find that Eldorado is not only passionate about what they do but also back up their products should any problems arise. The fact that Eldorado Stone is locally manufactured, offers low maintenance, is competitively priced, and features the geometric shape they were looking for provided further confirmation that this was the company to work with. They chose Eldorado’s Castle Stone and were originally going to only apply it onto the fireplace and chimney. However, because the product complemented the home’s shade of red, they chose to do a more dramatic application, which resulted in great satisfaction for both the team and the homeowners. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Custom Castle Stone Builder: studio26homes, Orefield, PA Website: www.studio26homes.com Architect: Alan Mascord Design Associates, Portland, OR Website: www.mascord.com Mason: CM Masonry, Allentown, PA Website: www.cmmasonry.com

Our inspiration for this home was an updated and refined approach to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie-style”; one that responds well to the harsh Central Texas heat. By DESIGN we achieved soft balanced and glare-free daylighting, comfortable temperatures via passive solar control measures, energy efficiency without reliance on maintenance-intensive Green “gizmos” and lower exterior maintenance. The client’s desire for a healthy, comfortable and fun home to raise a young family and to accommodate extended visitor stays, while being environmentally responsible through “high performance” building attributes, was met. Harmonious response to the site’s micro-climate, excellent Indoor Air Quality, enhanced natural ventilation strategies, and an elegant bug-free semi-outdoor “living room” that connects one to the outdoors are a few examples of the architect’s approach to Green by Design that results in a home that exceeds the expectations of its owners. Photo by Mark Adams Media

Our inspiration for this home was an updated and refined approach to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie-style”; one that responds well to the harsh Central Texas heat. By DESIGN we achieved soft balanced and glare-free daylighting, comfortable temperatures via passive solar control measures, energy efficiency without reliance on maintenance-intensive Green “gizmos” and lower exterior maintenance. The client’s desire for a healthy, comfortable and fun home to raise a young family and to accommodate extended visitor stays, while being environmentally responsible through “high performance” building attributes, was met. Harmonious response to the site’s micro-climate, excellent Indoor Air Quality, enhanced natural ventilation strategies, and an elegant bug-free semi-outdoor “living room” that connects one to the outdoors are a few examples of the architect’s approach to Green by Design that results in a home that exceeds the expectations of its owners. Photo by Mark Adams Media

Paul Finkel
Bedroom - modern bedroom idea in Austin