Jack Michaud Photography
Example of a transitional freestanding desk medium tone wood floor home studio design in Portland Maine with gray walls

Minimalist detached garden shed photo in San Francisco

Mid-sized minimalist attached two-car garage photo in St Louis

Architect: Richard Warner General Contractor: Allen Construction Photo Credit: Jim Bartsch Award Winner: Master Design Awards, Best of Show
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open concept light wood floor living room remodel in Santa Barbara with a standard fireplace, no tv, a plaster fireplace and white walls

Small bath remodel inspired by Japanese Bath houses. Wood for walls was salvaged from a dock found in the Willamette River in Portland, Or. Jeff Stern/In Situ Architecture

A Northwest Modern, 5-Star Builtgreen, energy efficient, panelized, custom residence using western red cedar for siding and soffits. Photographs by Miguel Edwards

Installation of new kitchen marble countertops; reconditioned exposed ceiling joists; locally custom-fabricated steel floor-to-ceiling bay window. Photographer: Jeffrey Totaro

Brett Winter Lemon Photography
Mountain style one-story wood exterior home photo in Portland Maine

Bedroom - contemporary concrete floor bedroom idea in Seattle with beige walls

VERMONT CABIN Location: Jamaica, VT Completion Date: 2009 Size: 1,646 sf Typology: T Series Modules: 5 Boxes Program: o Bedrooms: 3 o Baths: 2 o Features: Media Room, Outdoor Fireplace, Outdoor Stone Terrace o Environmentally Friendly Features: Off Grid Home, 3kW Solar Photovoltaic System, Radiant Floor Heat Materials: o Exterior: Corrugated Metal Siding, Cedar Siding, Ipe Wood Decking, Cement Board Panels o Interior: Bamboo Flooring, Ceasarstone Countertops, Slate Bathroom Floors, Maple Cabinets, Aluminum Clad Wood Windows with Low E, Insulated Glass, Black Steel, Custom Baltic Birch Bench Project Description: Isolated in the Green Mountain National Forest of Vermont, this 1,650 sf prefab home is an escape for a retired Brooklyn couple. With no electric or cell phone service, this ‘Off-the-Grid’ home functions as the common gathering space for the couple, their three grown children and grandchildren to get away and spend quality time together. The client, an avid mushroom hunter and connoisseur, often transverses the 200 acre property for the delicacy, then returns to her home which rests on the top of the mini-mountain. With stunning views of nearby Stratton Mountain, the home is a ‘Head & Tail’ design, where the communal space is the ‘head’, and the private bar of bedrooms and baths forms the longer ‘tail’. Together they form an ‘L’, creating an outdoor terrace to capture the western sun and to enjoy the exterior fireplace which is clad in cement board panels, and radiates heat during the cool summer evenings. Just inside, is the expansive kitchen, living, and dining areas, perfect for preparing meals for their guests. This communal space is wrapped with a custom Baltic Birch bookshelf and window bench so one can soak up the south sun and view of the fern meadow and surrounding wilderness. With dark bamboo floors over radiant heating, and a wood-burning fireplace, the living area is as cozy as can be. The exterior is clad in a maintenance-free corrugated Corten Kynar painted metal panel system to withstand the harsh Vermont winters. Accents of cedar siding add texture and tie the strategically placed windows together. The home is powered by a 3,000 KwH solar array with a back-up generator in case the sun is hidden for an extended period of time. A hybrid insulation system, combining both a closed cell spray foam insulation and batt insulation, along with radiant floor heat ensures the home stays airtight and warm in the winter. Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz Project Architect: Justin Barnes Manufacturer: Simplex Industries Project Coordinator: Jason Drouse Engineer: Lynne Walshaw, P.E., Greg Sloditskie Contractor: Big Pine Builders, INC. Photographer: © RES4

Sun Room. Exteiror Sunroom -Photographer: Rob Karosis
Elegant two-story wood exterior home photo in New York

Mid-century modern living room with open plan and floor to ceiling windows for indoor-outdoor ambiance, redwood paneled walls, exposed wood beam ceiling, wood flooring and mid-century modern style furniture, in Berkeley, California. - Photo by Bruce Damonte.

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

Foley Fiore Architecture
Example of a classic kitchen design in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, a farmhouse sink, wood countertops, beige cabinets and brown countertops

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Brandi Ajah
Large french country yellow two-story stucco exterior home idea in Santa Barbara

Photos by Jeff Zaruba. Tiny House in Marin County. Bedroom.
Example of a country guest bedroom design in San Francisco with white walls

Claw-foot bathtub - coastal mosaic tile floor claw-foot bathtub idea in Austin with white walls