Photos courtesy of BrazelBerries Peach Sorbet blueberry - one of the Brazelberries

This home in a popular neighborhood close to Arizona State University dates probably to just before "mid-century and now has all NEW Fixtures and Finishes. The room was gutted and a new bathroom created. The goal of the project was to have a bathroom for this 1940's cottage that looked like it could be original but, was clean and fresh and healthy. Actually the windows and millwork and door openings are all original. The fixtures and finishes selected were to be in character with the decade in which the home was built which means the look is more World War II era and cottage / bungalow in ambiance. All this was softly and gently dramatized with the use and design of the 2 tone tile in creamy white and soft gray tiles throughout.

Cinnamon Snow Hellebore / Helleborus x ballardiae Gold Collection® Cinnamon Snow Pink buds open to creamy white flowers suffused with warm rose and cinnamon. Dark cinnamon rose petal reverse. Large blooms face outward. Handsome dark foliage. Deer resistant. Skagit Gardens

The new second floor, with trim and doors to match the original 1930's home, all built atop the slightly sloping and deflected original floor. Now a much better full height and larger footprint, with improved insulation and mechanical systems for a more comfortable and healthy abode, all the while retaining the original character and charm.

Example of a trendy sunroom design in Ahmedabad

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

Small elegant gray one-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Charleston

Gorgeous master bath with dramatic retro "wave" tile. Peak Photography
Example of a 1950s bathroom design in Los Angeles

Engineered cedar siding creates beautiful gray-blue tones at the exterior of the home, while adding a textural element to activate the simple exterior design.

Photo: Nanette Wong © 2014 Houzz
Example of an eclectic living room design in San Francisco

Inspiration for a mid-sized tropical drought-tolerant and full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in San Diego.

Two Birds Photography
Kids' room - transitional kids' room idea in Chicago

Inspiration for a transitional bathroom remodel in Los Angeles

Collaboration with Canonbury Homes and Frank Neely Design Associates.
Inspiration for a timeless open concept kitchen remodel in Atlanta with beaded inset cabinets and two islands

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

The "secret ingredient" in organic container gardens: worm castings with live worms. Red compost worms convert organic nutrients in potting soils into plant-available form, and the last chamber of the worm gut is loaded with beneficial bacteria and fungi that boost plant immunity, cycle nutrients, and increase the water-holding capacity of the potting soil. Photo by Steve Masley.

Julie Florio Photography
Mid-sized trendy master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom photo in New York with white walls

Cottage home design photo in San Francisco

Fresh harvest of tomatoes, broccoli, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, beans, carrots, radishes, and cabbage from the delicious organic garden!
Design ideas for a farmhouse landscaping in Miami.