Joe and Denise purchased a large Tudor style home that never truly fit their needs. While interviewing contractors to replace the roof and stucco on their home, it prompted them to consider a complete remodel. With two young daughters and pets in the home, our clients were convinced they needed an open concept to entertain and enjoy family and friends together. The couple also desired a blend of traditional and contemporary styles with sophisticated finishes for the project. JRP embarked on a new floor plan design for both stories of the home. The top floor would include a complete rearrangement of the master suite allowing for separate vanities, spacious master shower, soaking tub, and bigger walk-in closet. On the main floor, walls separating the kitchen and formal dining room would come down. Steel beams and new SQFT was added to open the spaces up to one another. Central to the open-concept layout is a breathtaking great room with an expansive 6-panel bi-folding door creating a seamless view to the gorgeous hills. It became an entirely new space with structural changes, additional living space, and all-new finishes, inside and out to embody our clients’ dream home. PROJECT DETAILS: • Style: Transitional • Colors: Gray & White • Countertops: Quartzite • Cabinets: DeWils Frameless Shaker, White & Slate Gray *fully integrated dishwasher & fridge blend seamlessly with cabinetry as if they aren’t even there • Hardware/Plumbing Fixture Finish: Chrome • Lighting Fixtures: unique and bold lighting fixtures throughout every room in the house (pendant lighting, chandeliers, sconces, etc) • Flooring: White Oak (Titanium wash) • Tile/Backsplash: Calacatta Borghini Marble - Circle Mosaic Tiles • Photographer: Andrew (Open House VC)

Working with Bruce Buffer was nothing shy of an absolutely incredible experience. He's such a kind soul first of all, but also one of the most interesting people I've ever had the opportunity to work with. His collectibles were endlessly intriguing. Sadly, when we first met his valued priced possessions were so cluttered on his shelves you couldn't even appreciate them. This job wasn't a huge makeover but it was so rewarding for us both when it was all done. It was a process of letting go from the beginning, sorting through what really had tangible and intangible value and then finding a way to display these special pieces in a way that he and everyone who walked into his home could appreciate. He loves the way he's able to tell the story behind each item now so effortlessly. Oh, and we also discovered a balcony space he wasn't even using right outside his office door! Getting Bruce to buy into Turquoise outdoor furniture was the best! That space was as if we added a whole new room to his home and we never even went through construction! For a complete interview with Bruce please visit our website: simplystunningspaces.com and click on VIDEOS. :) Photography: Diana Thai

Working with Bruce Buffer was nothing shy of an absolutely incredible experience. He's such a kind soul first of all, but also one of the most interesting people I've ever had the opportunity to work with. His collectibles were endlessly intriguing. Sadly, when we first met his valued priced possessions were so cluttered on his shelves you couldn't even appreciate them. This job wasn't a huge makeover but it was so rewarding for us both when it was all done. It was a process of letting go from the beginning, sorting through what really had tangible and intangible value and then finding a way to display these special pieces in a way that he and everyone who walked into his home could appreciate. He loves the way he's able to tell the story behind each item now so effortlessly. Oh, and we also discovered a balcony space he wasn't even using right outside his office door! Getting Bruce to buy into Turquoise outdoor furniture was the best! That space was as if we added a whole new room to his home and we never even went through construction! For a complete interview with Bruce please visit our website: simplystunningspaces.com and click on VIDEOS. :) Photography: Diana Thai

This gorgeous home, situated in the Commonwealth subdivision of the Galisteo Basin Preserve, was designed to accommodate the beautiful but sometimes harsh weather of the Basin. Built around an inner courtyard, buffered to the somewhat inclement conditions, it allows for seasonal year around enjoyment. The floor to ceiling windows, European Reynaers Aluminum, were imported from Ireland, and appear as glassy walls that disappear into pocketing doors ensuring magnificent wraparound views. The grand entrance, encased with an oversized custom steel and brass entry door, with glass side panel and transom, open up to soaring illuminated recessed lit ceilings. Porcelain tile floors seamlessly transition between interior/exterior. An impressive 3-sided Ortal fireplace provides warmth and coziness encapsulating the entire great room. The excellence of the materials and exclusive nature of the finishes are expressed in a tailored and sophisticated manner. The 4,332 heated per square foot home is designed with two Master Suite wings that spin off the main great room. The state-of-the-art kitchen is sleek and spacious with an expansive island comprised of Elegant Brown granite countertops, luxury modern Italian Poliform custom cabinets and high-end Gaggenau appliances. The home has a highly efficient engineered heating/cooling system with heat radiant floors and Unico air conditioning. A detached guest casita/art studio sits adjacent to the main house, on a lushly landscaped protected courtyard. The exterior landscaping is organically integrated into the natural terrain, incorporating a bocce ball court, walking labyrinth, sculpture and water features. AWARDS 2016 AIA Santa Fe Design Excellence: Citation Award- Single Family Home PUBLICATIONS Santa Fe New Mexican – HOME/Santa Fe Real Estate Guide– January 2017 – A Courtyard Centered Gem in the Galisteo Basin Western Art & Architecture Magazine – February/March 2016 – Finding Home TESTIMONIAL After researching several builders in Santa Fe and then interviewing the ones of interest, we decided on Will Prull as he seemed to instantly connect to what we wanted and how to achieve it. He was also highly recommended by our architect. Our Project Manager was excellent and helped us make decisions that creep up between the plans and the actual building. Our house won the AIA award in 2016 for Santa Fe. When choosing your builder, the most important thing is that your Project Manager understands your direction and has your best interests at heart. Our's did! ARCHITECT Hoopes + Associates Architects, , Santa Fe, NM INTERIORS Paul Rau Interiors, Santa Fe, NM LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Sequis + Associates Landscape Architecture, Santa Fe, NM PHOTOGRAPHER Daniel Nadelbach Photography LLC©,

Southwest Florida’s hot summers and mild winters, along with amenity-rich communities and beautiful homes, attract retirees from around the world every year. And, it is not uncommon to see these active adults choosing to spend their summers away from Florida, only to return for the fall/winter. For our fabulous clients, that’s exactly what they did. After spending summers in Michigan, and winters in Bonita Springs, Florida, they decided to set down some roots. They purchased a home in Bonita Bay where they had enough space to build a guest suite for an aging parent who needed around the clock care. After interviewing three different contractors, the chose to retain Progressive Design Build’s design services. Progressive invested a lot of time during the design process to ensure the design concept was thorough and reflected the couple’s vision. Options were presented, giving these homeowners several alternatives and good ideas on how to realize their vision, while working within their budget. Progressive Design Build guided the couple all the way—through selections and finishes, saving valuable time and money. When all was said and done, the design plan included a completely remodeled master suite, a separate master suite for the couple’s aging parents, a new kitchen, family room entertainment area, and laundry room. The cozy home was renovated with tiled flooring throughout, with the exception of carpeting in the bedrooms. Progressive Design Build modified some interior walls, created Wainscoted panels, a new home office, and completely painted the home inside and out. This project resulted in the first of four additional projects this homeowner would complete with Progressive Design Build over the next five years. Kitchen: Varying heights and depths breaks up that long wall of DuraSupreme Cabinetry. Includes tumbled marble back splash and radiused island.

What a fun project to work on with an artist and her husband. We collaborated to create a unique soft modern kitchen that has hints of mid-century modern details while expanding the clients storage and cooking space. Subtle details that make a bold statement. It was through the clients interviewing process that they choose to go with Signature Designs Kitchen Bath over other large firms because of the personal collaboration connection. We created a curved island that resembles a piano while it maximized there countertop space it left plenty of room for them to entertain many guest in their nook.

Cost : Withheld at Owner’s Request 6880 Square Feet New and Renovated The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

Cost : Withheld at Owner’s Request 6880 Square Feet New and Renovated The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

This sustainable project was completed on a private 80 acre view parcel in the hills above Corralitos, CA. The owners were drawn to us through the Green Building link on our website and after an initial meeting, hired us to manage the preliminary feasibility studies, site work, design and eventual construction. With this type of project, we start at the beginning; making sure that development on the site is both possible and practical before we spend a lot of our client’s budget on plans that may not be suitable. After we determined that building on the property would be permitted by the Santa Cruz County Building and Planning Departments, we completed several feasibility steps that included: •A geologic review • Percolation test (for septic) • Water well probability analysis • Grading analysis • Biologic review • Site survey and topographic mapping • Earthquake zone and archeological clearances With these steps finished, we set up interviews with several local architects that we partner with to find the one that was most appealing to our client. The owners were integral to the process and agreed with our choice of Daniel Silvernail, Architect. He impressed the clients with his gracious nature and open attitude; welcoming feedback and the preferences they had throughout the design process. In addition to being very reasonably priced, Mr. Silvernail quickly gave his attention to the preliminary design plans. After client reviews and approval the full architectural and construction blueprints were finished. We had the complete ready-to-submit-for-permit documents in less than 10 weeks; this included structural engineering, energy calculations and Green Building ratings. We were all impressed by his professionalism throughout the design and building process.

"Kerry completely remodeled my kitchen. He demoed old cabinets and plumbing, knocked out a wall, took out some drywall. He redid all the kitchen electrical and plumbing. New wood cabinets, granite countertops, stone tile backsplash, sink and faucet. Installed 3 new ceiling fans. He ran home theater wiring inside the wall and attic so it would be hidden. I supplied certain fixtures and appliances, and I separately arranged for new flooring, painting, and carpeting for the rest of the house. Total project cost, including TaylorPro's part and everything else, was about $57,000. I was delighted with Kerry and his crew. They did a high quality job, and kept me informed at all times. Among the four excellent contractors we interviewed, Kerry struck me as highly experienced and confident he would complete the job on time. The work was estimated at 4 weeks; it turned out to take 5 weeks, mainly because the countertop fabricator took longer than expected. We have shown off the new kitchen to many friends, neighbors, and Facebook friends. They are stunned, it's just sooo beautiful! I get up every morning, turn on the new under cabinet lights, pour my coffee, and smile at the look of the granite. I had a special request for an island countertop that would slide back and forth. With 350 pounds of granite this is not an easy request. Kerry designed it and built it. At our unveiling we had old ladies moving it back and forth with one finger, yet it locks in place easily. A major kitchen remodel is an ordeal. You go 3 or 4 weeks with no sink or dishwasher. There's dust everywhere, even with the plastic wall they put up to keep it out. Washing dishes in the bathtub is no fun. But we designated a spare room as a temporary kitchen, and Kerry moved the fridge and microwave in there for us. We had the outdoor grill, so we didn't eat out very much. This is true with everybody, but Kerry kept the dust down to about 3 weeks. I had many detailed requests that were probably a lot fussier than the average customer. Kerry's crew was on top of every one of them, making sure I was completely satisfied. Jake, Randall, and Kevin, his crew, accommodated my every request. The cabinets are subbed out to Kitchen Emporium, who provided a high quality result, and Kerry passed along his deep discount to me. Jerry at KE was also very impressive, redesigning my kitchen layout much better than my original request. Jerry's team, Gil, Abraham, and Cesar were also very attentive to detail and made sure everything was perfect." ~ Mary Ann H, Client Shaker cabinets, Kohler faucet, custom sliding counter top, pendant lights, glass door cabinets, pocket door, custom cabinets Photo By: Kerry W. Taylor

Amy Birrer I have been working as a kitchen and bath designer in the Pacific Northwest for 13 years. I love engaging with new clients, ascertaining their needs through various interviews and meetings and then collaborating as we build their finished concept together. The variety of design styles, room layouts and function changes so much between one person and the next that no two finished products are remotely the same. This fluidity allows for endless possibilities for exploration in my field. It keeps the job interesting and has always given me a particular sense of reward and accomplishment as we near completion. The greatest personal recompense in this chosen profession is being able to walk with a client through this process and come out the other side with that client feeling elated with the end result.

The owner of this historic and landmarked town-home renovation in Hudson Square, originally built in 1826, hired Gallery Kitchen and Bath to fully gut-renovate this 3-unit row-home. The scope of work included a full-scale renovation of the owners unit, including the renovation of the kitchen, one 4-piece master ensuite bathroom, one 3-piece bathroom with a walk-in steam shower, and a beautiful powder room. Additional work in the owners unit also included flooring, electrical upgrade, major plumbing work, new HVAC system, restoration of a fireplace, installation of a fully integrated smart home system and landmarked approved windows. CELLAR RENOVATION IN NYC LANDMARKED TOWN-HOME Rounding out the owners unit we renovated the cellar, which was converted into an entertainment space and featured a custom glass curtain wall, along with a custom staircase with an exposed brick wall. During the demolition phase of the cellar, our team discovered 56 wine jugs filled with wine from the prohibition era, leading us to name this project the prohibition house. For the two tenant units, Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the renovation of 2 kitchens, 4 bathrooms, new hardwood flooring throughout, along with detailed carpentry work in the entire home. WHY GALLERY KITCHEN AND BATH After interviewing multiple contractors, our client decided on Gallery Kitchen and Bath primarily because of our turnkey design, selection, and build process. In a renovation of this magnitude it is crucial to have a centralized full service contractor under one roof to handle all of the aspects and simultaneous moving parts of the project. Decentralizing the entire process by having multiple unaffiliated vendors handle various parts of the process can easily become chaotic, time consuming, and costly. Because Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the entire process, from the design of the entire space to the selection and procurement of all finishes and fixtures, down to the procurement of all permits and LPC filings, it made a seemingly chaotic project a’lot more manageable. PHASE 1: DESIGN, SELECTION, PROCUREMENT Our client wanted the renovation to incorporate a fully modern design into his Hudson Square town-house. Being that this is a landmarked property, the exterior facade had to be restored and kept with the original aesthetic, the interior of the home however was a whole different story. In keeping up with the modern aesthetic, our designers went to work to design a custom kitchen that included fully custom flat panel base cabinets in a white high gloss finish and an absolute matte black appliance/pantry wall. The kitchen design also included a white quartz countertop and backsplash with a waterfall edge island. To bring warmth to the modern kitchen, our designers incorporated a rifted and quartered select oak wood floor in a herringbone pattern, and custom blended stain with matte polyurethane finish. For continuity, the wood floor was also extended throughout the entire owners unit. In the ensuite bathroom we created a “wet area” which houses a standalone soaking tub as well as a beautiful rainfall shower, completely leveled with the rest of the floor in the bathroom. Some highlights within this space include a tiled square drain, large niche cutouts with a carrera marble accents. Once again, to bring warmth to this modern bathroom, our designers incorporated a floating rustic oak vanity and carrera marble mosaic floor tile. Last on the list on the owners unit floor was the cellar, which our client wanted to utilize as an entertainment space for his friends and family. During the design phase, we incorporated an open concept layout, wedding the indoor and outdoor space with a custom glass curtain wall. The design also included custom walnut built-ins that serve as a custom wet bar and storage piece. With the design approved and selections made our office liaisons moved to procure all of the material selections and finishes. PHASE 2: DEMO Because this home is almost two centuries old, we had to take extra precaution during the interior demolition phase of the project. One specific area that we had to pay special attention to was the existing brick. Over time the mortar in old brick homes deteriorates and turns into dust – for this reason it was extremely important that a thorough and ongoing inspection of the exteriors and interior walls took place during the demolition of the space. After 14 30-yard debris containers and 56 wine filled jugs from the prohibition era later , the demolition of this historic Hudson Square town-home came to an end. If you are wondering whether we tried the wine? After notifying the owner we agreed to open one of the jugs and try them together – nothing but vinegar. PHASE 3: BUILD One of the challenges in a renovation project of this scope is nailing down the logistics and delivery of fixtures and finish material. Adding to this challenge was a narrow entry door that required us to use a boom truck in order to deliver some of the larger materials on site. To ensure a succinct time schedule, we boomed all of the materials through the 3rd floor for the entire project and worked our renovation work from top floor to cellar. This technique also insured that any unexpected water issues during the renovation process would not damage a finished floor. With all roughing and framing complete, the Gallery KBNY team proceeded to execute on the design plan. THE REVEAL From what was once a dilapidated town-home with nothing but potential, to a glamorous and luxurious modern interior space – the prohibition house was complete. Ready to speak with us about your renovation project? Contact us to schedule your free consultation and let Gallery KBNY show you why our all-inclusive approach to your renovation is the smartest way to renovating in NYC.

Project Details Lake home features traditional cottage theme with a combination of stone, stucco and shake siding. Features include custom red wood garage doors, special order Marvin front entry system and custom alder cabinetry. The most unique part of this home was the butler’s pantry housing an extra refrigerator, dishwasher and pantry storage. Client Objectives The homeowners were looking for a contractor that could help them convert their dreams a building a practice lake home, ideal for the pro fisherman on Lake Minnetonka into reality. They wanted a cozy home for family gatherings while also keeping the ability for resale an option. “I waited several years to find the right time and the right lot to build my lake home. After interviewing several contractors I turned to Jeff because he was able to take the plans that I had spent years working on and design something that fit my needs while also keep an eye on resale. I was impressed with his expertise and knowledge of Orono’s zoning regulations. In the end, we partnered together to build the lake home of my dreams.”

The renovation of an extensive linear residence and site facing Port Orchard waterway embraces water, greenspace and forested hillside. The home, completed this fall, serves as an artist’s studio, galleries, family space, game room, outdoor living areas and peaceful retreat. New interiors and exterior spaces and finishes, cabinetry, lighting, paving, landscape and courtyards become settings for the owner’s art + collections, three-generations of family and the wonderful colors and textures of the land + water. Inside, a monumental central stair and tapered two-story tall red cedar and steel column was designed as the residence’s entry focal point and internal landmarks, guiding the visitor’s eye to the main atrium…. and upward. Heavy wide-flange steel moment frames support the house and enable whole walls of glass. Rough, mill-finished steel contrasts refined cabinetry, stone, wood structure and defining dropped ceilings, reflecting the opener’s love of the tension between highly polished and detailed + rough, found art. Outside, A new southern “dining room” was designed for warm summer evening gatherings under a heavy-timber trellis. The focus, opposite water and island views, is a metal perforated screen. The final screen is composed of the lyrics from a Joe Cocker song of great meaning to the owners, cut from ½” marine bronze, set into dark-fired brick. “Oh My Darling, Be Home Soon….” Natural daylight and high-efficiency lighting are central players as in any gallery. From a high clerestory and extensive southern and eastern window-walls to carefully selected up-lighting, pendants, and accent fixtures, Rhodes Architecture + Light worked closely with the owner to ensure that their dark existing house would become one filled with light…. night and day. The owners, Ken and Jane, allowed us to interview them about their experience working with Rhodes Architecture + Light, and how they are feeling about living with the architecture today. What was your experience like, working with Rhodes Architecture + Light? “They worked with us because it was a remodel, an existing thing, and we had to try to make it work for all of our interests and how our family operated. They listened, and we listened, and it was a great communication back and forth.”–Jane How has the renovation changed the way you live and enjoy your home? “I remember saying to them that I want the whole floor heated because it gets so chilly down here. And we had the wood burning stove, but it was over there and now we just turn the floor heat on and we can come down. It’s cozy and nice. So we’re looking forward to winter now.”–Ken “We have 5 kids together and now a bunch of grandchildren. I wanted a marble countertop, but there’s just no way. I didn’t want it to be a place where I had to say, ‘No, no, no. Wipe up your drink, do this, do that.’ I wanted it to be a place where everybody can come with all the kids, and we make a big mess, and I can clean it up. And we can enjoy ourselves here, because that room upstairs, we almost never went in. And now we’re in there eating pizza and watching the game.” –Jane As an artist, Jane enjoyed the collaborative process. “I can’t believe it was as positive as it was. I went into it thinking it would be a great, creative, fun, collaborative thing, and I have to say, with our architects, it was. I like that creative process. I always say when I am doing a painting, it’s a series of problem solving so it wasn’t unusual for me. I am completely blown away by them and had fun with that part of it.” –Jane Architect: Tim James Rhodes RA AIA, Rhodes Architecture + Light Builder: Fairbank Construction Company Structural: Swensen Say Faget

This home was built in the 70's and as you can imagine has acquired a few "ailments" over the past 40 years, one of the more serious being the deterioration of the front entrance. The brick started to loosen over the years and eventually started to break apart completely, it got to the point that the family could not use the front entrance at all due to the safety hazard it represented. After interviewing with several contractors the home owners contacted David Sharp with DSLD Land Management and he was able to ease the tension and offer a solution that not only resulted in a beautifully restored front entrance but that also fit comfortably into their budget. The project took less than a week to complete and as you can imagine the home owners are thrilled with the final product!

Project Details Lake home features traditional cottage theme with a combination of stone, stucco and shake siding. Features include custom red wood garage doors, special order Marvin front entry system and custom alder cabinetry. The most unique part of this home was the butler’s pantry housing an extra refrigerator, dishwasher and pantry storage. Client Objectives The homeowners were looking for a contractor that could help them convert their dreams a building a practice lake home, ideal for the pro fisherman on Lake Minnetonka into reality. They wanted a cozy home for family gatherings while also keeping the ability for resale an option. “I waited several years to find the right time and the right lot to build my lake home. After interviewing several contractors I turned to Jeff because he was able to take the plans that I had spent years working on and design something that fit my needs while also keep an eye on resale. I was impressed with his expertise and knowledge of Orono’s zoning regulations. In the end, we partnered together to build the lake home of my dreams.”

Working with Bruce Buffer was nothing shy of an absolutely incredible experience. He's such a kind soul first of all, but also one of the most interesting people I've ever had the opportunity to work with. His collectibles were endlessly intriguing. Sadly, when we first met his valued priced possessions were so cluttered on his shelves you couldn't even appreciate them. This job wasn't a huge makeover but it was so rewarding for us both when it was all done. It was a process of letting go from the beginning, sorting through what really had tangible and intangible value and then finding a way to display these special pieces in a way that he and everyone who walked into his home could appreciate. He loves the way he's able to tell the story behind each item now so effortlessly. Oh, and we also discovered a balcony space he wasn't even using right outside his office door! Getting Bruce to buy into Turquoise outdoor furniture was the best! That space was as if we added a whole new room to his home and we never even went through construction! For a complete interview with Bruce please visit our website: simplystunningspaces.com and click on VIDEOS. :) Photography: Diana Thai

This proposal is for a new two-story home on the vacant heavily wooded lot with an existing 150-foot-long driveway lined by several beautiful oak trees culminating in a behemoth 43-inch oak tree where the driveway meets the main lot. The far end of the driveway terminates in a grove of three 43/40/43-inch redwoods and at the very center of the vacant lot stands a gargantuan V-twin 59-inch redwood tree paired with a “small” 29-inch redwood tree. The owners want to build a beautiful contemporary-styled home for their family that fully enjoys and embraces the mature trees on their cozy 65-foot by 100-foot lot. As with all small, constrained lots, this project’s site design started first with meeting the relatively large parking and car maneuvering requirements. Menlo Park’s Department of Transportation typically requires side-facing garages to have 24-feet of backup space. So that they could give the largest feature redwood tree on site an added four feet (50%) of clearance outside of its critical root zone, the owners agreed to install a vehicle turntable at the end of their driveway to eliminate the extra four feet of space needed to back up and turnaround. This allowed them to pull their garage forward an additional four feet towards the front property line on the panhandle side, drastically reducing the rest of the home’s impact on the gargantuan V-Twin paired redwood tree at the center of the lot. One of the owners has mobility issues, and accordingly, they first sought to design a one-story floor plan that incorporated all their family’s needs including plenty of covered patio and deck space to enjoy our fantastic California weather. But that single-story footprint spread too far into the critical root zones of several of the redwood trees on site, even despite the use of the vehicle turntable. During my interview process with the owners, they made it clear to me that one of their primary concerns is ensuring that the largest trees on site would thrive and become features of their new home after construction is complete. The single-story designs that removed the grove of three huge redwood trees were non-starters, as was the skimpy 5x10 master bath I designed when trying to squeeze the whole house program into an overly compromised single-story design. It was therefore deemed necessary to go with a two-story design despite the owner’s mobility issues. This two-story design has a much more compact ground floor footprint and has no bedrooms downstairs, other than the detached ADU. The owners must give up the floor area and incur the costs to install a residential elevator to access their upstairs master suite. Our ground floor footprint is smaller due to the two-story design decision, and our foundation is pulled away from the trees thanks to the vehicle turntable. Yet, a tiny portion of the home’s ground floor footprint still encroaches into the critical root zones of the largest 59” redwood tree. Therefore, as outlined in the Arborist Report prepared by Aesculus Arboricultural Consulting, the structural engineers are incorporating an array of drilled piers and shallow-grade beams for the main home’s foundation and deck area nearest the redwood’s critical root zone. This drilled piers and grade beam foundation is a type of “bridging” foundation as outlined in Aesculus’ report to preserve the health of these trees that the property was designed around. The rest of the foundation will be constructed as an insulated slab-on-grade foundation to minimize the number of steps and ramps needed for the owners to enjoy their home and patio areas. Despite the owner’s desire to keep as many trees as possible on site, and despite the smaller ground floor footprint and the advantage of the vehicle turntable, the need for a 20x20-foot garage and 20x20/25-foot guest parking space on our panhandle lot requires the removal of two heritage trees in the required driveway, a 16” coast redwood, and a 17” coast redwood. An alternate design, such as swapping the garage and guest parking locations north-to-south, still requires the removal of these two trees for vehicle maneuvering but has the added disadvantage of cutting off the home’s sightlines to the behemoth 43” oak tree just outside the currently proposed front patio space and living room. Jim Redman of Elements Landscape is proposing 13 new trees be planted on site to replace the lost value of these two heritage coast redwood trees. This contemporary architectural design features clean lines, and an abundance of full-height windows and large skylights to best take in the immense trees on site. To blend in with the forest-like setting, the home boasts a mix of rich textures and features a color palette of natural wood tones contrasted with dark blue and black. Once through the new steel gate at the street and down the 150-foot tree-lined driveway, a large covered front patio becomes visible past the neighbor’s detached accessory structure. The covered patio is just across the driveway from the beautiful 43” behemoth coast live oak. The single plane of the covered patio roof is delicately supported by a pair of steel posts in a “V-twin” configuration much like the largest redwood trees that tower over the center of the lot and will still be visible above the new two-story home, even from the front yard. The patio is covered in a dark-colored standing seam roof, with steel C-channel fascias, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling planks on the underside. Generously sized skylights on the patio roof and inside the living area allow for impressive views of the amazing oak canopy as well as precious natural light. Supporting the sloped covered patio on the other side is the two-car garage with a secondary bedroom suite stacked above the garage. This two-story volume is to be clad in vertical clear-coated redwood siding, to tie in with the grove of three 43-inch redwood trees just beyond. The garage door, and the bank of windows for Bedroom#2 above feature a steel fascia eyebrow header feature to provide shade and overhang protection, as we are not proposing a large overhang at this “redwood trunk”. The garage and bedroom volume are pulled 16 feet away from the side property line, instead of the minimum required setback of 6’-6”, thus leaving plenty of room for the redwood grove and existing mature pear tree to continue to thrive. This existing mature green screen in this 16-foot-wide side yard is a feature worth soaking in, which is why tall windows with low sill heights are proposed for both the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Though it may be infrequent to approve side-facing 2nd floor windows with sill heights as low as what we’re proposing, we are confident that the mature green screen and the over 16-foot-wide side yard are sufficient to provide for the continued privacy of our neighbor’s rear yard space, especially considering theses windows are in walkway zones. The covered patio at the front entry is also bound by the 10-foot-tall living room. The great room is clad in a dark blue brick veneer, which wraps around all three sides of the living room. Upon entering the home from the covered patio, you are immediately greeted with one of the most impressive features of the home’s design: a 10-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide set of sliding glass doors. From the entry, this huge opening gives merely an initial glimpse of the massive trunks of the gargantuan V-twin redwoods sitting at the center of the lot. All three sliding glass panels open directly out into the smaller partially covered deck in the rear. This roof overhang element matches the design of the front patio with a steel C-channel fascia and a large skylight. But the rear deck’s roof element is set flat at a ten-foot ceiling height so that the living room’s ceiling seems to float above and out beyond the expanse of full-height sliding doors, thus creating an indoor-outdoor living space that will feel much larger than the home’s actual footprint. This rear covered deck is smaller than the patio in the front and also has a mix of solid and open-slatted roofing to allow for more solar access for the relatively small amount of open sky available. The downstairs living room is open to the dining and kitchen areas, as well as the stair-and-elevator tower beyond. The stair tower is very open and glassy, and the stairs wind up and around the redwood-clad elevator tower. From certain perspectives in the 16-foot-wide side yard, it will almost seem as if the grove of three redwoods has a fourth tree that the house and the stairs were carefully built around. Other than the 3-foot-wide windows, the exterior walls of the stair tower, downstairs utility spaces, and Bedroom#3 above are finished in cement plaster, painted dark blue and black. The sloped roof over the stair-and-elevator tower continues cleanly over the area of upstairs Bedroom#3. This roof level is set by the side daylight plane and only yields an inside wall height of just under 6 feet in height. The owners are satisfied that the rest of this upstairs room has a nice vaulted ceiling to make up for the one short wall under the daylight plane. The rest of the ground floor adjacent to the stair tower consists of a small utility wing containing a half-bath, laundry, storage area, and an exterior alcove for the electric heat pump HVAC unit. This short wing also gives more accessible access to the rear yard deck, as well as a backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. The bright white stone backsplash for the outdoor kitchen provides contrast to the otherwise consistent use of cement plaster painted dark blue and black for the two-story wing closest to the detached ADU. Though Bedroom#3 is stacked directly above this small wing, it is relatively short to comply with the side daylight plane of this narrow lot. Still, to further help break up the scale of this wall, another steel fascia eyebrow element is set about 8 feet above the rear deck. The master suite sits centered above the ten-foot-tall great room. The master bedroom and its balcony, as well as the master bathtub area, have a commanding view of the central redwood trees and their impressive canopy, though the balcony is mostly recessed and should pose no privacy concerns to the neighbor’s rear yards. The master balcony parapet is clad in the same brick veneer continuing up from the living room below. A dark-painted metal rail makes up the rest of the open guardrail height. The entire length of the master balcony is comprised of 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors, but the area above the doors, as well as the area below the master bathroom windows, is accented with more redwood siding. The remainder of the master suite bathroom and walk-in closet is finished in cement plaster painted dark blue. The master bathroom has one side yard-facing window but will be frosted glass for both the owner’s and the neighbor’s privacy. The 2nd floor is capped under a simple gable roof design with one roof ridge and varying eave and rake overhangs depending on the 2nd-floor layout and solar orientation. Since these roof planes are quite difficult to see in the middle of the heavily wooded panhandle lot, we are proposing a white TPO roofing for these two upper roof planes as a more sustainable choice compared to more dark-colored roofing like the covered patios and detached ADU. The owners also wish to build a detached 292-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as an office and guest suite. For the ADU foundation to be situated outside the central redwood tree’s critical root zone, this relatively tiny structure takes advantage of the narrower 4-foot side and rear setbacks allowed for ADUs smaller than 800 square feet. The small L-shaped detached ADU frames a wonderful quasi-courtyard around the gargantuan V-twin redwoods at the center of the lot. The ADU shares a matching material palette consisting of cement plaster painted blue and black, vertical redwood siding and soffits, and thin brick veneer. The ADU also features large full-height windows. The only difference between the main home and the ADU material palette is that the roofing will be a dark composition shingle roofing since it will be quite visible from the master balcony.

The 2018 NBC Olympic coverage will feature daily broadcasts and interviews from the Winter Lodge studio. Covering the walls of this extraordinary lodge is our Golden 8″ Round EverLog Siding. This 1,000 sf studio is located in the International Broadcast Center in Pyeongchang, South Korea with views of the Alpensia Ski Resort and the surrounding Taebaek Mountains. While replicating the exact look and feel of real wood, our concrete log siding also enhances the overall warmth and rustic feel of the lodge.