Example of a marble tile marble floor bathroom design in Boston with marble countertops

Photo Credit: © Joe Fletcher Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary concrete floor living room remodel in DC Metro with white walls and a standard fireplace

Natural materials, neutral colors, a water feature and an abundance of light combine to create this harmonious, tranquil and resort-like Master Bathroom/Spa Suite. The simplified palette and consistent building materials facilitate the transition from inside to outside. Large, square, honed and filled travertine flooring tiles run throughout the interior, across the lanai, and around the pool deck. Massive siding window walls disappear into pockets to transform the Master Bath/Spa/Pool areas into a single indoor/outdoor space. The suite's volume is defined by the crisp, geometric shape of travertine tile above the tub and on the shower walls. The spa-like atmosphere is created by natural light playing on the neutral grey and sand color of the travertine and the sand tone of the polished Crema Marfil marble slab countertop. All elements combine to provide warmth and consistency. A weeping wall water feature dat the end of the pool contributes the sound of tranquility to the bath and spa areas. Water flows over a Golden Harvest ledge stone quartzite wall into the beach area of the pool completing the resort/spa-like atmosphere desired.

This custom home is derived from Chinese symbolism. The color red symbolizes luck, happiness and joy in the Chinese culture. The number 8 is the most prosperous number in Chinese culture. A custom 8 branch tree is showcased on an island in the pool and a red wall serves as the background for this piece of art. The home was designed in a L-shape to take advantage of the lake view from all areas of the home. The open floor plan features indoor/outdoor living with a generous lanai, three balconies and sliding glass walls that transform the home into a single indoor/outdoor space. An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Phil Kean Design Group Designer: Phil Kean Design Group From: Winter Park, Florida

This sunny design aims to capture amazing views as well as every ray of sunlight throughout the day. Architectural accents of the past give this modern barn-inspired design a historical look and importance. Custom details enhance both the exterior and interior, giving this home real curb appeal. Decorative brackets and large windows surround the main entrance, welcoming friends and family to the handsome board and batten exterior, which also features a solid stone foundation, varying symmetrical roof lines with interesting pitches, trusses, and a charming cupola over the garage. An ARDA for Published Designs goes to Visbeen Architects, Inc. Designers: Visbeen Architects, Inc. with Vision Interiors by Visbeen From: East Grand Rapids, Michigan

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Houston

This design blends the recent revival of mid-century aesthetics with the timelessness of a country farmhouse. Each façade features playfully arranged windows tucked under steeply pitched gables. Natural wood lapped siding emphasizes this home's more modern elements, while classic white board & batten covers the core of this house. A rustic stone water table wraps around the base and contours down into the rear view-out terrace. A Grand ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Visbeen Architects, Inc. Designers: Vision Interiors by Visbeen with AVB Inc From: East Grand Rapids, Michigan

Photo: Jason Snyder © 2015 Houzz
Home design - eclectic home design idea in Other

Urban staircase photo in Miami

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.

This contemporary 18,000 sq. ft. home in Paradise Valley, Arizona is a perfect mix of Gray limestone used on all horizontal surfaces and Cream, vein cut limestone on all vertical surfaces. The Gray limestone flooring was mud packed to meet 1.5 in. wood flooring areas using uncoupling membrane throughout. Numerous hours went into the layout to insure architectural detail lines were met. Oversized tiles were planned to ensure all layouts met crucial lines per the design. Blue limestone was used setting the path to the front entry. All pieces at the edges were mitered to appear to be thick, block stone. The veneer walls were alternated in size to reach the exact width at the top band of the walls. The edge detailing created interesting shadow play, both day and night, at interior and exterior locations. This detail is also noted on the fireplaces. Blue limestone hearths, which floated at all locations, used the same quirk mitered edges. Five showers throughout the main house share the same veneer and flooring materials. Blue limestone slab benches were fabricated to rest on a stainless steel frame. The shower floors were mapped out to the exact dimensions so there were no cuts, but rather the same size pieces continually framing the space to the center drain.

This custom home is derived from Chinese symbolism. The color red symbolizes luck, happiness and joy in the Chinese culture. The number 8 is the most prosperous number in Chinese culture. A custom 8 branch tree is showcased on an island in the pool and a red wall serves as the background for this piece of art. The home was designed in a L-shape to take advantage of the lake view from all areas of the home. The open floor plan features indoor/outdoor living with a generous lanai, three balconies and sliding glass walls that transform the home into a single indoor/outdoor space. An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Phil Kean Design Group Designer: Phil Kean Design Group From: Winter Park, Florida

This Palm Springs inspired, one story, 8,245 sq. ft. modernist “party pad” merges golf and Rat Pack glamour. The net-zero home provides resort-style living and overlooks fairways and water views. The front elevation of this mid-century, sprawling ranch showcases a patterned screen that provides transparency and privacy. The design element of the screen reappears throughout the home in a manner similar to Frank Lloyd Wright’s use of design patterns throughout his homes. The home boasts a HERS index of zero. A 17.1 kW Photovoltaic and Tesla Powerwall system provides approximately 100% of the electrical energy needs. A Grand ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Phil Kean Design Group Designer: Phil Kean Design Group From: Winter Park, Florida

Bath of the Year winner for the 2016 Pinnacle Awards. This bath features Calacatta Caldia marble and Brazilian Perla quartzite. Imported, fabricated, installed, and designed by Ceramic Harmony in Huntsville, AL.

The clients were committed to creating an expression of the art of living by way of the thoughtful design of their ultimate home. The relationship between owner, architect and designer was a shared and genuine search for the most perfect solutions. Exterior walls of Old Spruce Mountain Stone flow seamlessly to enrich the interior. The Interior stone floors consist mainly of Cara Grande Marble with selected use of complementary stone where special patterns have been used to dramatize certain architectural spaces. An irregular kitchen island countertop consists of Azul Aran Granite with a triple laminate reverse bevel edge. The guest level powder room, referred to as "The Jewel Box," consists of multi color Persian Onyx and Red Jasper Marble arranged in angular patterns that connect across the floor, extending up the four walls and across the ceiling. Two additional guest bathrooms feature piano key stone floor patterns that turn up the wall. The custom wine room tabletop features Tiger Eye Blue, a hand-inlay of semi- precious stones. The master bathroom features a 12 foot elliptical floor medallion consisting of Bianco Laso Marble, with angular and circular pieces. In all, the interior utilizes 27 species of stone, mainly from the Verona region of Italy.

The best of the past and present meet in this distinguished design. Custom craftsmanship and distinctive detailing lend to this lakefront residences’ classic design with a contemporary and light-filled floor plan. The main level features almost 3,000 square feet of open living, from the charming entry with multiple back of house spaces to the central kitchen and living room with stone clad fireplace. An ARDA for indoor living goes to Visbeen Architects, Inc. Designers: Vision Interiors by Visbeen with Visbeen Architects, Inc. From: East Grand Rapids, Michigan

You’ll never lack for style or sunshine in this inspired transitional design perfect for a growing family. The timeless design merges a variety of classic architectural influences and fits perfectly into any neighborhood. A farmhouse feel can be seen in the exterior’s peaked roof, while the shingled accents reference the ever-popular Craftsman style. Inside, an abundance of windows flood the openplan interior with light. An ARDA for Model Home Design goes to Visbeen Architects, Inc. Designers: Visbeen Architects, Inc. with Benchmark Design Studio From: East Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Kips Bay Show House is a major fundraiser for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club. The house highlights the best the nation has to offer in interior design. Many challenges had to be overcome in order to make the show house a success. From the delivery of supplies to the official grand opening, Walker Zanger had three weeks to make the bathroom completely functional and presentable. All the materials used in the bathroom design had to be fabricated onsite to fit the bathroom. Walker Zanger was the corporate sponsor for the project, supplied all the stone, tile materials and vanity for the bathroom and was a strategic partner in implementing a seamless design between the master bedroom and bathroom.

Eric Roth
Transitional kitchen photo in Boston