@Amber Frederiksen Photography
Example of a large trendy backyard patio design in Miami with a fire pit, decking and a roof extension

Michelle Rose Photography
Example of a large transitional dark wood floor enclosed dining room design in New York with black walls and no fireplace

The top-down, bottom-up option allows you to block the sun specifically where it is most intense. This allows you to keep the room full of soft lighting without that intense glare.

Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Homes Location: Boulder, Colorado, USA Interior design, space planning and architectural details converge thoughtfully in this transformative project. A 15-year old, 9,000 sf. home with generic interior finishes and odd layout needed bold, modern, fun and highly functional transformation for a large bustling family. To redefine the soul of this home, texture and light were given primary consideration. Elegant contemporary finishes, a warm color palette and dramatic lighting defined modern style throughout. A cascading chandelier by Stone Lighting in the entry makes a strong entry statement. Walls were removed to allow the kitchen/great/dining room to become a vibrant social center. A minimalist design approach is the perfect backdrop for the diverse art collection. Yet, the home is still highly functional for the entire family. We added windows, fireplaces, water features, and extended the home out to an expansive patio and yard. The cavernous beige basement became an entertaining mecca, with a glowing modern wine-room, full bar, media room, arcade, billiards room and professional gym. Bathrooms were all designed with personality and craftsmanship, featuring unique tiles, floating wood vanities and striking lighting. This project was a 50/50 collaboration between Rodwin Architecture and Kimball Modern

Each and every one of the François & Co. Period Reproduction pieces is born from the original antique – “The Master Piece”. We scrupulously follow molding techniques and the exacting processes used by museums to capture and preserve the integrity of master works of all kinds. We “seal” details down to the tiniest blemish —a labor-intensive process our skilled mold makers follow to deliver a product that is a beautiful thumbprint from the original artist.

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Photo by Langdon Clay
This is an example of a large rustic full sun backyard brick garden path in San Francisco.

Eat-in kitchen - large coastal u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Charleston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, an island and paneled appliances

The kitchen was the most dramatic change- we put in a beam to open up the wall between the kitchen and dining area. We also eliminated the cabinets on the far wall so we could re introduce a window that had been eliminated in a prior remodeling. The back door is in the far left in the picture.

Bedroom - huge coastal master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom idea in Orange County with white walls

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Spiced Rum – a is a warm, earthy umber featuring subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense, tropical hues that will retain its lush looks for decades, Trex Transcend Vintage Lantern – a deep-burnished bronze with Old World elegance and Trex Transcend railing.

Pool - large modern backyard tile and rectangular infinity pool idea in Los Angeles

West Coast Vibes

Jacob Termansen
Example of a minimalist concrete floor family room design in Austin

A colorful kids' bathroom holds its own in this mid-century ranch remodel.
Mid-sized 1960s kids' orange tile and ceramic tile single-sink tub/shower combo photo in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops and a floating vanity

Living room - modern open concept and formal living room idea in Phoenix with a two-sided fireplace and a brick fireplace

Example of a mid-century modern home design design in Phoenix

Kitchen - eclectic l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and purple countertops

A new Seattle modern house designed by chadbourne + doss architects houses a couple and their 18 bicycles. 3 floors connect indoors and out and provide panoramic views of Lake Washington. The Great Room has large windows opening to views of the lake and mountains. photo by Benjamin Benschneider