Architect: Portuondo Perotti Architects Photography: Carlos Domenech “This is well detailed and consistent inside and out. It is a classic Mediterranean Revival in the Floridian tradition of Mizner.” This single-family residential home in Gables Estates, Coral Gables, Florida, successfully pays respect to the architecture of the Mediterranean and Renaissance Italian styles. From the use of courtyards to the high level of detailing, this project emphasizes the most picturesque and expressive qualities of these styles. The residence reflects the visions of two of Coral Gables’ first architects, who designed beautiful and timeless architecture in this garden city to become a lasting piece in the landscape. This project not only captures the breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay, but with timeless style and lush landscaping, it creates a centerpiece for the view from the bay to Coral Gables. The home is designed as a long gallery, with spaces connected by courtyards and public realms. Another large inspiration for this project was the idea of the garden and landscape. With Coral Gables as a garden city, landscape became an integral part of the conception and design. The durability of Marvin products, their ability to stand up to the South Florida climate, as well as the Marvin attention to detail and proportion, made them the perfect choice to employ in a project of such high standards. The range of products allowed the freedom of design to explore all possibilities and turn visions into reality. The result was a lasting piece of architecture that would reflect a level of detail in every part of its structure. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Marvin Round Top Window Marvin Ultimate Arch Top French Door Marvin Ultimate Swinging French Door Marvin Ultimate Venting Picture Window Marvin Casemaster

This new modern house is located in a meadow in Lenox MA. The house is designed as a series of linked pavilions to connect the house to the nature and to provide the maximum daylight in each room. The center focus of the home is the largest pavilion containing the living/dining/kitchen, with the guest pavilion to the south and the master bedroom and screen porch pavilions to the west. While the roof line appears flat from the exterior, the roofs of each pavilion have a pronounced slope inward and to the north, a sort of funnel shape. This design allows rain water to channel via a scupper to cisterns located on the north side of the house. Steel beams, Douglas fir rafters and purlins are exposed in the living/dining/kitchen pavilion. Photo by: Nat Rea Photography

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

A single wall in this tiny condo separates the multiple functions of a fully functional home. The open, public area includes a living room, full kitchen, and ample storage, with wall space and lighted cubbies to showcase art and personal items. Bright white walls and a simple color pallete help keep the small space clean and inviting. Photography by Cynthia Lynn Photography

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

Rising amidst the grand homes of North Howe Street, this stately house has more than 6,600 SF. In total, the home has seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three powder rooms. Designed with an extra-wide floor plan (21'-2"), achieved through side-yard relief, and an attached garage achieved through rear-yard relief, it is a truly unique home in a truly stunning environment. The centerpiece of the home is its dramatic, 11-foot-diameter circular stair that ascends four floors from the lower level to the roof decks where panoramic windows (and views) infuse the staircase and lower levels with natural light. Public areas include classically-proportioned living and dining rooms, designed in an open-plan concept with architectural distinction enabling them to function individually. A gourmet, eat-in kitchen opens to the home's great room and rear gardens and is connected via its own staircase to the lower level family room, mud room and attached 2-1/2 car, heated garage. The second floor is a dedicated master floor, accessed by the main stair or the home's elevator. Features include a groin-vaulted ceiling; attached sun-room; private balcony; lavishly appointed master bath; tremendous closet space, including a 120 SF walk-in closet, and; an en-suite office. Four family bedrooms and three bathrooms are located on the third floor. This home was sold early in its construction process. Nathan Kirkman

Breezy beach condo. Soft blue and taupe fabrics with sun washed woods.
Example of a beach style formal living room design in San Diego

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2017 Houzz Living Room: April in Paris Designer: Jonathan Rachman Design
Living room - traditional formal living room idea in San Francisco with green walls and a standard fireplace

Rick McKee
Entryway - large traditional entryway idea in Other with a medium wood front door

An imposing heritage oak and fountain frame a strong central axis leading from the motor court to the front door, through a grand stair hall into the public spaces of this Italianate home designed for entertaining, out to the gardens and finally terminating at the pool and semi-circular columned cabana. Gracious terraces and formal interiors characterize this stately home.

Inspiration for a rustic medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances and two islands

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Photos by Francis and Francis Photography The Anderson Residence is ‘practically’ a new home in one of Las Vegas midcentury modern neighborhoods McNeil. The house is the current home of Ian Anderson the local Herman Miller dealer and Shanna Anderson of Leeland furniture family. When Ian first introduced CSPA studio to the project it was burned down house. Turns out that the house is a 1960 midcentury modern sister of two homes that was destroyed by arson in a dispute between landlord and tenant. Once inside the burned walls it was quite clear what a wonderful house it once was. Great care was taken to try and restore the house to a similar splendor. The reality is the remodel didn’t involve much of the original house, by the time the fire damage was remediated there wasn’t much left. The renovation includes an additional 1000 SF of office, guest bedroom, laundry, mudroom, guest toilet outdoor shower and a garage. The roof line was raised in order to accommodate a forced air mechanical system, but care was taken to keep the lines long and low (appearing) to match the midcentury modern style. The House is an H-shape. Typically houses of this time period would have small rooms with long narrow hallways. However in this case with the walls burned out one can see from one side of the house to other creating a huge feeling space. It was decided to totally open the East side of the house and make the kitchen which gently spills into the living room and wood burning fireplace the public side. New windows and a huge 16’ sliding door were added all the way around the courtyard so that one can see out and across into the private side. On the west side of the house the long thin hallway is opened up by the windows to the courtyard and the long wall offers an opportunity for a gallery style art display. The long hallway opens to two bedrooms, shared bathroom and master bedroom. The end of the hallway opens to a casual living room and the swimming pool area. The house has no formal dining room but a 15’ custom crafted table by Ian’s sculptor father that is an extension of the kitchen island. The H-shape creates two covered areas, one is the front entry courtyard, fenced in by a Brazilian walnut enclosure and crowned by a steel art installation by Ian’s father. The rear covered courtyard is a breezy spot for chilling out on a hot desert day. The pool was re-finished and a shallow soaking deck added. A new barbeque and covered patio added. Some of the large plant material was salvaged and nursed back to health and a complete new desert landscape was re-installed to bring the exterior to life.

Resting upon a 120-acre rural hillside, this 17,500 square-foot residence has unencumbered mountain views to the east, south and west. The exterior design palette for the public side is a more formal Tudor style of architecture, including intricate brick detailing; while the materials for the private side tend toward a more casual mountain-home style of architecture with a natural stone base and hand-cut wood siding. Primary living spaces and the master bedroom suite, are located on the main level, with guest accommodations on the upper floor of the main house and upper floor of the garage. The interior material palette was carefully chosen to match the stunning collection of antique furniture and artifacts, gathered from around the country. From the elegant kitchen to the cozy screened porch, this residence captures the beauty of the White Mountains and embodies classic New Hampshire living. Photographer: Joseph St. Pierre

Charles Hilton Architects & Renee Byers LAPC From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Joe Fletcher Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains of Carmel, California, an oak tree stands elevated above the fog and wrapped at its base in this ranch retreat. The weekend home’s design grew around the 100-year-old Valley Oak to form a horseshoe-shaped house that gathers ridgeline views of Oak, Madrone, and Redwood groves at its exterior and nestles around the tree at its center. The home’s orientation offers both the shade of the oak canopy in the courtyard and the sun flowing into the great room at the house’s rear façades. This modern take on a traditional ranch home offers contemporary materials and landscaping to a classic typology. From the main entry in the courtyard, one enters the home’s great room and immediately experiences the dramatic westward views across the 70 foot pool at the house’s rear. In this expansive public area, programmatic needs flow and connect - from the kitchen, whose windows face the courtyard, to the dining room, whose doors slide seamlessly into walls to create an outdoor dining pavilion. The primary circulation axes flank the internal courtyard, anchoring the house to its site and heightening the sense of scale by extending views outward at each of the corridor’s ends. Guest suites, complete with private kitchen and living room, and the garage are housed in auxiliary wings connected to the main house by covered walkways. Building materials including pre-weathered corrugated steel cladding, buff limestone walls, and large aluminum apertures, and the interior palette of cedar-clad ceilings, oil-rubbed steel, and exposed concrete floors soften the modern aesthetics into a refined but rugged ranch home.

A 43” diameter heritage pecan guided the plan of this neighborhood-scaled, modestly-priced, single-story, L-shaped house. In Austin’s seemingly perpetual drought, the goal was to create a symbiotic relationship between house and tree: to complement, not combat each other. The roof’s east/west parallel ridges create a valley directly across from the base, where water is collected at a grate, nourishing the tree. The roof also maximizes south facing surfaces, elevated at 15 degrees for future solar collection. The open, public spaces of the home maximize the north-south light. The private zone of the bedrooms and bathrooms include a generous gallery; its angled walls and large sliding doors are faceted about the tree. The pecan becomes a central focus for indoor and outdoor living, participating in the house in both plan and section. The design welcomes and nurtures the tree as integral to its success. Photo Credit: Chris Diaz

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

Designed by KBK Interior Design KBKInteriorDesign.com Photo by Wing Wong
Enclosed dining room - mid-sized traditional dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room idea in New York with beige walls and no fireplace