Family room - mid-sized rustic dark wood floor and gray floor family room idea in DC Metro with gray walls and no fireplace

Sarah Szwajkos Photography Architect Joe Russillo
Living room - large contemporary formal and open concept living room idea in Portland Maine with a ribbon fireplace, white walls and a plaster fireplace

This new 6400 s.f. two-story split-level home lifts upward and orients toward unobstructed views of Windy Hill. The deep overhanging flat roof design with a stepped fascia preserves the classic modern lines of the building while incorporating a Zero-Net Energy photovoltaic panel system. From start to finish, the construction is uniformly energy efficient and follows California Build It Green guidelines. Many sustainable finish materials are used on both the interior and exterior, including recycled old growth cedar and pre-fabricated concrete panel siding. Photo by: www.bernardandre.com

Troy Thies Photography
Trendy living room photo in Minneapolis with a music area and white walls

Mid-sized transitional enclosed light wood floor and beige floor family room photo in Orange County with a music area, beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

A basement level family room with music related artwork. Framed album covers and musical instruments reflect the home owners passion and interests. Photography by: Peter Rymwid

Jason Schmidt
Inspiration for a contemporary medium tone wood floor home studio remodel in New York with white walls

Nancy Nolan Photography
Kids' room - mid-sized transitional gender-neutral carpeted kids' room idea in Little Rock with multicolored walls

Photo by: Bill Timmerman, Architect : Ibarra Rosano Design Architects, Builder: Process Designs
Living room - large contemporary open concept concrete floor and gray floor living room idea in Phoenix with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a metal fireplace

A. Hubbell
Kitchen - transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Phoenix with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Trendy gray floor living room photo in Chicago with gray walls

Inspiration for a coastal blue tile and white tile beige floor and single-sink bathroom remodel in Boston with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped dark wood floor and beige floor wet bar remodel in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and white countertops

As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards Sara and Paul Matthews call their head-turning home, located in a sweet neighborhood just up the hill from downtown Petoskey, “a very human story.” Indeed it is. Sara and her husband, Paul, have a special-needs son as well as an energetic middle-school daughter. This home has an answer for everyone. Located down the street from the school, it is ideally situated for their daughter and a self-contained apartment off the great room accommodates all their son’s needs while giving his caretakers privacy—and the family theirs. The Matthews began the building process by taking their thoughts and needs to Stephanie Baldwin and her team at Edgewater Design Group. Beyond the above considerations, they wanted their new home to be low maintenance and to stand out architecturally, “But not so much that anyone would complain that it didn’t work in our neighborhood,” says Sara. “We were thrilled that Edgewater listened to us and were able to give us a unique-looking house that is meeting all our needs.” Lombardy LLC built this handsome home with Paul working alongside the construction crew throughout the project. The low maintenance exterior is a cutting-edge blend of stacked stone, black corrugated steel, black framed windows and Douglas fir soffits—elements that add up to an organic contemporary look. The use of black steel, including interior beams and the staircase system, lend an industrial vibe that is courtesy of the Matthews’ friend Dan Mello of Trimet Industries in Traverse City. The couple first met Dan, a metal fabricator, a number of years ago, right around the time they found out that their then two-year-old son would never be able to walk. After the couple explained to Dan that they couldn’t find a solution for a child who wasn’t big enough for a wheelchair, he designed a comfortable, rolling chair that was just perfect. They still use it. The couple’s gratitude for the chair resulted in a trusting relationship with Dan, so it was natural for them to welcome his talents into their home-building process. A maple floor finished to bring out all of its color-tones envelops the room in warmth. Alder doors and trim and a Doug fir ceiling reflect that warmth. Clearstory windows and floor-to-ceiling window banks fill the space with light—and with views of the spacious grounds that will become a canvas for Paul, a retired landscaper. The couple’s vibrant art pieces play off against modernist furniture and lighting that is due to an inspired collaboration between Sara and interior designer Kelly Paulsen. “She was absolutely instrumental to the project,” Sara says. “I went through two designers before I finally found Kelly.” The open clean-lined kitchen, butler’s pantry outfitted with a beverage center and Miele coffee machine (that allows guests to wait on themselves when Sara is cooking), and an outdoor room that centers around a wood-burning fireplace, all make for easy, fabulous entertaining. A den just off the great room houses the big-screen television and Sara’s loom— making for relaxing evenings of weaving, game watching and togetherness. Tourgoers will leave understanding that this house is everything great design should be. Form following function—and solving very human issues with soul-soothing style.

This classic Spanish home in South Pasadena was decorated to reflect the homeowners bohemian style, vintage collections, and subtle art deco features in the architecture. Highlights include a hand-painted ceiling mural, custom cat covers on sofa, and a vintage record player. Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Example of a trendy boy medium tone wood floor and brown floor kids' room design in San Francisco with black walls

Who lives there: Asha Mevlana and her Havanese dog named Bali Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Size: Main house (400 sq ft), Trailer (160 sq ft.), 1 loft bedroom, 1 bath What sets your home apart: The home was designed specifically for my lifestyle. My inspiration: After reading the book, "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying," I got inspired to just live with things that bring me joy which meant scaling down on everything and getting rid of most of my possessions and all of the things that I had accumulated over the years. I also travel quite a bit and wanted to live with just what I needed. About the house: The L-shaped house consists of two separate structures joined by a deck. The main house (400 sq ft), which rests on a solid foundation, features the kitchen, living room, bathroom and loft bedroom. To make the small area feel more spacious, it was designed with high ceilings, windows and two custom garage doors to let in more light. The L-shape of the deck mirrors the house and allows for the two separate structures to blend seamlessly together. The smaller "amplified" structure (160 sq ft) is built on wheels to allow for touring and transportation. This studio is soundproof using recycled denim, and acts as a recording studio/guest bedroom/practice area. But it doesn't just look like an amp, it actually is one -- just plug in your instrument and sound comes through the front marine speakers onto the expansive deck designed for concerts. My favorite part of the home is the large kitchen and the expansive deck that makes the home feel even bigger. The deck also acts as a way to bring the community together where local musicians perform. I love having a the amp trailer as a separate space to practice music. But I especially love all the light with windows and garage doors throughout. Design team: Brian Crabb (designer), Zack Giffin (builder, custom furniture) Vickery Construction (builder) 3 Volve Construction (builder) Design dilemmas: Because the city wasn’t used to having tiny houses there were certain rules that didn’t quite make sense for a tiny house. I wasn’t allowed to have stairs leading up to the loft, only ladders were allowed. Since it was built, the city is beginning to revisit some of the old rules and hopefully things will be changing. Photo cred: Don Shreve

Jessica Cain © 2018 Houzz
Example of a small farmhouse kitchen/dining room combo design in Kansas City with black walls

After just completing a project for a client's second home, the house accidentally caught fire and most of the exisiting structure and furnishings was burned. This unfortunate episode allowed us an opportunity to create the dream home that our clients always wanted. After the fire, we were able to remodel an entirely new space including a wood celing with beams, venetian plaster walls, and wide plank white oak flooring. The installation although eclectic, reflects a mediterranean atmosphere filled with light and texture.