Q Avenue Photo
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Nashville

Reimagined as a quiet retreat on a mixed-use Mission block, this former munitions depot was transformed into a single family residence by reworking existing forms. A bunker-like concrete structure was cut in half to form a covered patio that opens onto a new central courtyard. The residence behind was remodeled around a large central kitchen, with a combination skylight/hatch providing ample light and roof access. The multiple structures are tied together by untreated cedar siding, intended to gradually fade to grey to match existing concrete and corrugated steel. Image by Mark Luthringer.

This area used to be a garden, flat, and not landscaped. For the project, we removed the existing plant material, leveled the area, and brought in new soil to build up the center island. The next step was building the small rock wall and placing the plant material and rock. The end product isn't as formal as some projects, it has a rustic charm that is appealing to the eye.

Kim Colwell Designed this living room for the Shambhalla Institute. Her specialty is combining her skill as an interior designer with her background as a second generation feng shui master and trained in design psychology. Our projects feel as good as they look. See Kim Colwell Design for full portfolio.

This private residence boasts of old-world masonry with Classic Italian Palladian Architecture. The architect designed this 6-14 acre creekside property around the 29,000 square-foot home. The estate incorporates a four-car garage inclusive of servants quarters, and a pool cabana/pavilion. Expansive areas of hardscape connect buildings on the property. The main exterior cladding is Texas Lueders Limestone. It was used for wall panels as well as plinths, window surrounds, balustrade assemblies, solid columns, and cornices. In a method of old-world construction, the limestone was fabricated to plus zero in tolerance to accomodate 1/8" lime-mortar joints. "Border Stones" were utilized with the lime-mortar joints system to interlock the stone facade to the CMU wall behind. Large stone column and window assemblies make up th east and west facades. These load-bearing elements support the pediment assemblies and structure above. The arches at the Pavilion were also designed as load-bearing, where pediment kneelers were cut from two separate carved pieces and epoxied together. Weighing 7,200 lbs each, the kneelers had to be set with a 180 ton crane in order to reach over two very large existing oak trees. The garage and pool cabana were constructed with the same stone cladding system, and with similar load-bearing elements.

Architect Architects Luc Bouliane, Toronto, ON Stone Installer D. L. Engineering Inc., Richmond Hill, ON Gentile Stone, Stouffville, ON Stone Suppliers Owen Sound Ledgerock Ltd., Georgian Bluffs, ON Stone-Tile International, Toronto, ON

This private residence involved construction of a modern architectural style estate property in Highland Park, Texas. Dee Brown Inc’s role came into play late in the project, when corrections were needed to some specialty stonework. The home’s center is formed around the main entry. The floorplan is largely open, but parallel core wall areas serve to define the foyer, kitchen, dining, and living areas. As key areas, the architect put special focus on materials selection for the core walls. It was decided that Indiana limestone would be the finish, and that the cladding panels would all have unique continuous horizontal grooves. Material was received and installed by the original subcontractor. Upon seeing the completed work, it was evident to the architect and owner that grooves in the fabricated material were not consistent, and that the installation process had left numerous chips to the panels. It was at this point that the partially completed work was removed, and the second fabricator/installer was contacted. Dee Brown Inc ordered the Indiana limestones slabs. There, special care was taken to hold tight tolerances to the horizontal grooves as well as to the typical cut-to-size aspects. Erection of these mechanically set panels was done very carefully. The result was a clean finished product with none of the tolerance and chipping issues of the original installation. Dee Brown, Inc also created and installed special stone finishes at the adjacent half-bath. Semi-precious white onyx was transformed into a lavatory top/bowl assembly, water-closet wall cladding, and even tissue and towel holders.

Architect Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, San Francisco, CA Landscape Architect Bernard Trainor and Associates, Monterey, CA Stone Installers Jamey DeMaria Masonry, Carmel, CA Stone Quarry Finger Lakes Stone Company, Conklin, NY

Kim Colwell Designed this living room for the Shambhalla Institute. Her specialty is combining her skill as an interior designer with her background as a second generation feng shui master and trained in design psychology. Our projects feel as good as they look. See Kim Colwell Design for full portfolio.

As Sheila Gibson Stoodley writes in an article about this project in Robb Report, “Brian Hemingway is sensitive to light in the best way possible.” “The Vancouver, British Columbia-based architect wanted this 22,000-square-foot home near Boston to glow like a lantern at night, and he attained that goal on behalf of the homeowners.” The wood and stone that Hemingway favored for the home informed the space’s color palette. So critical were these materials that settling on a shade of stain for the Douglas fir and the finishes to be used on the Virginia Mist granite took months of consultation. Walker Zanger, the stone supplier, worked with the owner and with Colin Flavin, a Boston-based architect who partnered with Hemingway, to choose, detail, and fabricate the granite. The stone is used indoors and out, heightening the boundary-blurring effect that the design team desired. Though the owners are ardent art collectors, they did not build their home to showcase specific works; the real artists here are the architects, Hemingway and Flavin. So deft were they at inviting nature into their creation that, from certain angles, it can be hard to tell where the outdoors stops and starts. “There are deliberately no window treatments so that Mother Nature weaves the most beautiful textural backgrounds,” said interior designer Andrew Sheinman, of New York’s Pembrooke & Ives. He oversaw the interiors, working alongside his colleague Michael Lewis. “The seasons change the look and aspect of the house,” said Sheinman, “and we wanted to play on this.” Bleu de Savoie marble, from France, is used in the baths, to contrast with the Virginia Mist granite and soften the palette and give the baths a spa-like serenity. Hand-chiseled Oxford Black granite is used on exterior landscape walls, to tie the Virginia Mist seamlessly to the natural stone outcroppings.

SteelHouse 1 and 2 is an exploration in maximizing the density of urban infill housing in an already dense city; in creating small, but spatially dynamic and efficient spaces; in the creative and expressive use of a standard palette of materials and hand-crafted details - all to achieve unique, comfortable and unapologetic modern buildings in what is typically an architecturally conservative city. Image by Bruce Damonte.

The client’s coastal New England roots inspired this Shingle style design for a lakefront lot. With a background in interior design, her ideas strongly influenced the process, presenting both challenge and reward in executing her exact vision. Vintage coastal style grounds a thoroughly modern open floor plan, designed to house a busy family with three active children. A primary focus was the kitchen, and more importantly, the butler’s pantry tucked behind it. Flowing logically from the garage entry and mudroom, and with two access points from the main kitchen, it fulfills the utilitarian functions of storage and prep, leaving the main kitchen free to shine as an integral part of the open living area. An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Royal Oaks Design Designer: Kieran Liebl From: Oakdale, Minnesota

Italianate home built with vinyl siding
Elegant exterior home photo in DC Metro

2018 HNA Awards Winner - Concrete Paver - Residential (size more than 3,000 sf) Contractor: LR Landscaping Producer: Keystone Hardscapes Designer: Tanna Johns Venetian pavers were selected for their ability to integrate with the earthen tones found in the area’s natural grasses, granite, oaks and rust-toned soil. Pavers were tumbled to achieve a weathered and rustic look, complementing the limestone used on the home. The home’s exterior includes exudes quality and includes limestone as well as both precast and oil rubbed bronze iron accents. Tumbled pavers balance German Schmear grout style used on the limestone walls and the roof tile mudded ridges and bumps. The commitment to craftsmanship necessitated a 2.5 year build process. Keystone Hardscapes samples were created and brought to the home during the final stages of constructions to ensure critical harmony between the pavers and exterior elements of the home. The paver samples were laid against the stucco, precast, limestone and cedar garage doors to confirm design alignment and flow. The natural grade of this site was mitigated through a significant backfill and retaining wall; delivering a subtle slope from street to a flat grade driveway. This provided an even surface for vehicles and, with Venetian pavers, a seamless transition from the entry gate in to the inner courtyard.

Developer George Kevo collaborated with Creative Edge Master Shop, Inc., and Aalto Design to design and fabricate floors for a French chateau masterpiece home. A project of this nature requires meticulous care and excellent craftsmanship. Both developer George Kevo and Harri Aalto, President of Aalto Design, have discerning eyes and discriminating tastes. Working together, Harri Aalto was able to interpret and add his design style to George's idea. Their collaboration yielded floors containing over 20 colors and over 2,200 ft. of stunning artistry. Some of the stones used in this project were Crema Marfil, Emperador Dark, Jerusalem Gold, Indus Gold, Quetzel Green and French Vanilla. Design and colors were carefully chosen following the developer's interior decorations. After a month of designing and programming, Creative Edge Master Shop, iNc. fabricated and shipped over 40,000 pieces of preassembled stone flooring for installation.

This private residence involved construction of a modern architectural style estate property in Highland Park, Texas. Dee Brown Inc’s role came into play late in the project, when corrections were needed to some specialty stonework. The home’s center is formed around the main entry. The floorplan is largely open, but parallel core wall areas serve to define the foyer, kitchen, dining, and living areas. As key areas, the architect put special focus on materials selection for the core walls. It was decided that Indiana limestone would be the finish, and that the cladding panels would all have unique continuous horizontal grooves. Material was received and installed by the original subcontractor. Upon seeing the completed work, it was evident to the architect and owner that grooves in the fabricated material were not consistent, and that the installation process had left numerous chips to the panels. It was at this point that the partially completed work was removed, and the second fabricator/installer was contacted. Dee Brown Inc ordered the Indiana limestones slabs. There, special care was taken to hold tight tolerances to the horizontal grooves as well as to the typical cut-to-size aspects. Erection of these mechanically set panels was done very carefully. The result was a clean finished product with none of the tolerance and chipping issues of the original installation. Dee Brown, Inc also created and installed special stone finishes at the adjacent half-bath. Semi-precious white onyx was transformed into a lavatory top/bowl assembly, water-closet wall cladding, and even tissue and towel holders.

This residential kitchen project was performed in conjunction with Legacy Custom Homes/RSD, Frank Ponterio Interiors, and NuHaus/Exclusive Woodworking. The goal of this project was to fabricate and install marble slabs in a fashion that mimicked the custom millwork in the rest of this estate home on the Northshore of Chicago. John Tithof and Jason Cranmer, along with the fabrication production team, executed this project on behalf of Tithof Tile & Marble. The client wanted the panels to appear as if carved from dimensional stone blocks rather than the classic full height stone backsplash. One of the primary focuses was keeping the client involved through the templating and layout process to ensure they knew what their project would look like before anything was cut or installed. The evolution of this process has changed in recent years. Gone are the days of blue tape and visualizing the completed job. With the recent introduction of the revolutionary Perfect Match and Slabsmith software programs we have the ability to digitally layout every slab project and create a virtual representation of the project for approval prior to cutting.

Accessed by way of a backlit onyx clad elevator, the home’s lower level is paved with matched vein-cut travertine, traveling to three unique rooms. The caretaker’s bathroom contains vein-cut Palissandro Blue marble with a distinct linear pattern that covers the floor, walls, ceiling, and vanity, merging into shower walls shaped in unique marble picture frame moldings. The bungalow bathroom is clad in dark Pietra d’Avola limestone, and the guest’s bathroom has a travertine clad shower with a bathtub made from one single block of travertine.

A research scientist with an eye for detail approached Studio VARA with a modest vision to transform a 1908 Noe Valley cottage – with a history of subpar alterations – into a cohesive modern dwelling; to provide an enclosed garage in a neighborhood with tough parking; and to create an organized space for a sprawling collection of wine. The grand stair separates public spaces to the south and private spaces to the north. The new garage is incorporated into the “public” massing, with guest suites both above and below. To the north, the open living area at the heart of the home bleeds out through the folding window wall to the east-facing deck beyond, where one can bask in the panoramic views of the City and East Bay, or contemplate the juxtaposition of urban and natural in the garden below. Image by Bruce Damonte.