Search results for "Intimate settings" in Home Design Ideas

Located on a sprawling 50-acre equestrian estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a historic barn ruin was meticulously transformed into a luxurious, one-of-a-kind residence. This exquisite home beautifully marries the rustic charm of traditional post-and-beam construction with the elegance of modern luxury.
Central to the design is a deep respect for the site’s heritage. The home incorporates reclaimed wood and stone salvaged from the property alongside new materials, carefully integrated into the architecture to preserve the narrative of a Pennsylvania bank barn. The thoughtful use of materials ensures the legacy of the barn is honored while elevating it to meet the standards of modern living.
Serving as a testament to timeless craftsmanship, the converted barn residence features post-and-beam construction. The home’s design offers a harmonious blend of intimate living spaces and expansive entertaining areas. Four comfortable bedrooms provide ample accommodation, while the open concept main level seamlessly connects to a lower level entertainment space.
The lower level opens to the courtyard and pool deck, creating a resort-like retreat within the estate’s pastoral landscape. Indoor-outdoor flow makes it an ideal setting for gatherings and large-scale entertaining, all set against the backdrop of rural Bucks County’s serene surroundings.

The comfortable elegance of this French-Country inspired home belies the challenges faced during its conception. The beautiful, wooded site was steeply sloped requiring study of the location, grading, approach, yard and views from and to the rolling Pennsylvania countryside. The client desired an old world look and feel, requiring a sensitive approach to the extensive program. Large, modern spaces could not add bulk to the interior or exterior. Furthermore, it was critical to balance voluminous spaces designed for entertainment with more intimate settings for daily living while maintaining harmonic flow throughout.
The result home is wide, approached by a winding drive terminating at a prominent facade embracing the motor court. Stone walls feather grade to the front façade, beginning the masonry theme dressing the structure. A second theme of true Pennsylvania timber-framing is also introduced on the exterior and is subsequently revealed in the formal Great and Dining rooms. Timber-framing adds drama, scales down volume, and adds the warmth of natural hand-wrought materials. The Great Room is literal and figurative center of this master down home, separating casual living areas from the elaborate master suite. The lower level accommodates casual entertaining and an office suite with compelling views. The rear yard, cut from the hillside, is a composition of natural and architectural elements with timber framed porches and terraces accessed from nearly every interior space flowing to a hillside of boulders and waterfalls.
The result is a naturally set, livable, truly harmonious, new home radiating old world elegance. This home is powered by a geothermal heating and cooling system and state of the art electronic controls and monitoring systems.
Find the right local pro for your project

The Maya Collection is a modular seating system comprising a number of pieces that can be configured in multiple variations, allowing for endless possibilities of composition and dimension.
Highly versatile and scalable, it is ideal for large public spaces such as the open areas by the poolside, loggia, or smaller configurations to fit a terrace or veranda. The pieces can be easily and quickly rearranged to fit the space, function or event, making it as intimate or as large scaled as necessary. The pieces can be made into configurations as simple as a love seat or large daybed, to large seating configurations that can be made to accommodate “parties” large or small.
The low profile of its modular design with wide (6") wrap around armrest provides functionality with ample space for drinks yet sturdy enough to be sat or leaned on, a feature that many will find readily appealing for casual parties and events.
The Maya 6 pc Deep Seating Teak Set features:
1 left sectional, 1 Corner Sectional, 2 slipper chairs, 1 ottoman/coffee table (cushion not included for the ottoman), and 1 side table.
Cushions made with Quick Dry Foam® core and 100% solution dyed Sunbrella fabrics.
Crafted with SVLK certified Grade A Teak, harvested from sustainable plantations in Indonesia. Every piece is precision manufactured to standard specifications for commercial and residential use. Optional Teak Finishes available.

We created this built-in dining nook, under the second story addition of the master bath
Example of a small classic medium tone wood floor and brown floor breakfast nook design in Philadelphia with white walls
Example of a small classic medium tone wood floor and brown floor breakfast nook design in Philadelphia with white walls

The master bedroom suite combines a home office with a sleeping area and intimate reading corner. Exterior views are private and take advantage of natural wooded landscaping. Rift cut oak veneer with its linear horizontal graining is used on all custom designed millwork. Flush millwork design is consistent with the minimalist aesthetic intent.
Hedrich Blessing Photography

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Hope Restoration & General Contracting
Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

Nestled in the woods, this 1920’s style home draws on architectural references from he homes nearby Linville, NC. While the home has no distinct view, we were guided by the Tudor and Cotswold influence brought over by the setters in the area to anchor it in its intimate setting.

San Marino based clients were interested in developing a property that had been in their family for generations. This was an exciting proposition as it was one of the last surviving bayside double lots on the scenic Coronado peninsula in San Diego. They desired a holiday home that would be a gathering place for their large, close- knit family.
San Marino based clients were interested in developing a property that had been in their family for generations. This was an exciting proposition as it was one of the last surviving bayside double lots on the scenic Coronado peninsula in San Diego. They desired a holiday home that would be a gathering place for their large, close-knit family. Facing the Back Bay, overlooking downtown and the Bay Bridge, this property presented us with a unique opportunity to design a vacation home with a dual personality. One side faces a bustling harbor with a constant parade of yachts, cargo vessels and military ships while the other opens onto a deep, quiet contemplative garden. The home’s shingle-style influence carries on the historical Coronado tradition of clapboard and Craftsman bungalows built in the shadow of the great Hotel Del Coronado which was erected at the turn of the last century. In order to create an informal feel to the residence, we devised a concept that eliminated the need for a “front door”. Instead, one walks through the garden and enters the “Great Hall” through either one of two French doors flanking a walk-in stone fireplace. Both two-story bedroom wings bookend this central wood beam vaulted room which serves as the “heart of the home”, and opens to both views. Three sets of stairs are discretely tucked away inside the bedroom wings.
In lieu of a formal dining room, the family convenes and dines around a beautiful table and banquette set into a circular window bay off the kitchen which overlooks the lights of the city beyond the harbor. Working with noted interior designer Betty Ann Marshall, we designed a unique kitchen that was inspired by the colors and textures of a fossil the couple found on a honeymoon trip to the quarries of Montana. We set that ancient fossil into a matte glass backsplash behind the professional cook’s stove. A warm library with walnut paneling and a bayed window seat affords a refuge for the family to read or play board games. The couple’s fine craft and folk art collection is on prominent display throughout the house and helps to set an intimate and whimsical tone.
Another architectural feature devoted to family is the play room lit by a dramatic cupola which beacons the older grandchildren and their friends. Below the play room is a four car garage that allows the patriarch space to refurbish an antique fire truck, a mahogany launch boat and several vintage cars. Their jet skis and kayaks are housed in another garage designed for that purpose. Lattice covered skylights that allow dappled sunlight to bathe the loggia affords a comfortable refuge to watch the kids swim and gaze out upon the rushing water, the Coronado Bay Bridge and the romantic downtown San Diego skyline.
Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA
Interior Design: Betty Ann Marshall
Construction: Bill Lyons
Photographer: Laura Hull
Styling: Zale Design Studio

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours
Bobcat Lodge- Lake Rabun
Be welcomed to this perfect mountain/lake lodge through stone pillars down a driveway of stamped concrete and brick paver patterns to the porte cochere. The design philosophy seen in the home's exterior extends to the interior with 10 fireplaces, the finest materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship.
Great Room
Enter the striking foyer with the antique heart pine, walnut and bird's-eye maple inlaid pattern that harmonizes with the natural unity of the spacious great room. The visually anchored stone fireplace accented by hand hewn circa 1800 oak beams silhouettes the soft lake views making a dynamic design statement. The great room was designed with togetherness in mind and features high vaulted ceilings, wormy oak flooring with walnut borders, a spacious dining area, a gourmet kitchen and for softer and more intimate moments a keeping room.
Kitchen:
Wormy chestnut cabinets,
Complimenting South American granite countertops
Wolf cooktop, double oven
Preparation bar
Serving Buffet
Separate wet bar
Walk-in Pantry
Laundry Room: entrance off the foyer, wormy chestnut cabinets and South American granite
Keeping Room: Nestled off the kitchen area intimately scaled for quieter moments, wormy chestnut ceilings with hand hewn oak beams from Ohio and Pennsylvania, wormy oak flooring accented with walnut and sycamore, and private fireplace
Powder Room off foyer
Three Master Bedroom Suites: each with its own unique full bathroom and private alcove with masonry wood burning fireplace
Master suite on the main floor with full bath enlivened by a fish theme with earthtones and blue accents, a copper soaking tub, large shower and copper sinks
Upstairs master suite with wormy oak flooring sits snug above the lake looking through a tree canopy as from a tree house facilitating a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere- full bath features jetted tub, separate shower, large closet, and friendly lizards sitting on copper sinks
Terrace Level Master Suite offers trey ceilings, entrance to stone terrace supported by cyprus tree trunks giving the feel of a rainforest floor: Full bath includes double mosaic-raised copper sinks, antler lighting, jetted tub accented with aquatic life tiles and separate water closet
This warm and inviting rustic interior perfectly balances the outdoor lake vistas with the comfort of indoor living.moving directly to the outdoor living spaces. A full length deck supported by cyprus trees offers the opportunity for serious entertaining. The stone terrace off the downstairs family room leads directly to the two stall boathouse for lakeside entertaining with its own private fireplace.
Terrace Level:
14 foot ceilings, transom windows
A master suite
A guest room with trey ceilings, wool carpet, and full bath with copper sinks,double vanity and riverock shower
Family room with focal stone fireplace, wet bar with wine cooler, separate kitchen with sink, mini refrigerator and built in microwave
Wine closet with hand painted plaster finish
A full bath for drippy swimmers with oversized river rock shower accented with crayfish and salamander tiles
Extras
All windows are Loewen windows
A ridge vent system
Custom design closets
Poured foundation for house and boathouse
European spruce framing
Exterior siding: 1 x 12 pressure treated pine with 1 x 4 batten strips
Siding has three coat process of Sikkens stain finish
Ten masonry fireplaces
Stacked rock from Rocky Gap Virginia
Eight foot custom Honduran Pine
True plaster walls with three coat process faux finish
Locust hand rails for the deck
Support cyprus tree trunks from Charleston
Outside light fixtures custom made in NY
Five hot water heaters, circulating pump
Duel fuel heat pump/propane, 1000 gallon buried propane tank, four zone heating system
Two laundry rooms
All Fireplaces set up for flat screen TV's
Adjacent lot available for purchase

Living Wood Design collaborated on a custom live edge black walnut dining table with Allison Babcock, a Sag Harbor, NY designer with an elegant approach to interior design. This live edge black walnut table was handcrafted in Living Wood Design's Muskoka, Ontario studio, with custom made modern white steel base and shipped to Sag Harbor. This contemporary dining table perfectly complements the interior in this beautiful renovation.

At Velène Design House, we revived the home’s vintage charm, balancing original mid‑century elements, like stone fireplaces and wood paneling, with clean, contemporary lines, subtle traditional touches, and thoughtful textures.
This mid‑century ranch remodel transformed a largely untouched 1960s home into a refined, family‑ready retreat.

Inspiration for a transitional open concept porcelain tile family room remodel in Chicago with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Trish Takacs Design
Award Winning & Highly Skilled Kitchen & Bath Designer in Columbus

This 3300 sq. ft. Park Avenue apartment was gut renovated and re-designed for a young couple with three young children, originally a classic pre-war, the goal was to create an open, loft-like, elegant, modernist kid-friendly apartment. The work included custom millwork, interior furniture, finishes, lighting and artwork. The emphasis was on a sophisticated color palette with modern lighting, luxurious fabrics and elegant furniture while maintaining a feeling of “home”. To accommodate the needs for a common area for the family to gather the kitchen, breakfast room, and playroom are open to each other for a spacious casual-living area for the entire family. The Dining Room offers an intimate setting for entertaining formal dinner parties with soft lighting and sensuous materials and textiles while the custom French-polished macassar ebony millwork adds a touch of drama to the space. The Living Room/Den is connected by a partial dividing wall and can be separated by scaled full-height sliding glass doors.

Dining nook in living room. Photo by Exceptional Frames.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor great room remodel in San Francisco with blue walls and no fireplace
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor great room remodel in San Francisco with blue walls and no fireplace

An intimate sitting area by the living room’s balcony window is an example of combining the old and the new.
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in Miami
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in Miami

Situated on a private cove of Lake Lanier this stunning project is the essence of Indoor-outdoor living and embraces all the best elements of its natural surroundings. The pool house features an open floor plan with a kitchen, bar and great room combination and panoramic doors that lead to an eye-catching infinity edge pool and negative knife edge spa. The covered pool patio offers a relaxing and intimate setting for a quiet evening or watching sunsets over the lake. The adjacent flagstone patio, grill area and unobstructed water views create the ideal combination for entertaining family and friends while adding a touch of luxury to lakeside living.

Sponsored
Delaware, OH
Buckeye Basements, Inc.
Central Ohio's Basement Finishing ExpertsBest Of Houzz '13-'21

This 3300 sq. ft. Park Avenue apartment was gut renovated and re-designed for a young couple with three young children, originally a classic pre-war, the goal was to create an open, loft-like, elegant, modernist kid-friendly apartment. The work included custom millwork, interior furniture, finishes, lighting and artwork. The emphasis was on a sophisticated color palette with modern lighting, luxurious fabrics and elegant furniture while maintaining a feeling of “home”. To accommodate the needs for a common area for the family to gather the kitchen, breakfast room, and playroom are open to each other for a spacious casual-living area for the entire family. The Dining Room offers an intimate setting for entertaining formal dinner parties with soft lighting and sensuous materials and textiles while the custom French-polished macassar ebony millwork adds a touch of drama to the space. The Living Room/Den is connected by a partial dividing wall and can be separated by scaled full-height sliding glass doors.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours
Bobcat Lodge- Lake Rabun
Be welcomed to this perfect mountain/lake lodge through stone pillars down a driveway of stamped concrete and brick paver patterns to the porte cochere. The design philosophy seen in the home's exterior extends to the interior with 10 fireplaces, the finest materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship.
Great Room
Enter the striking foyer with the antique heart pine, walnut and bird's-eye maple inlaid pattern that harmonizes with the natural unity of the spacious great room. The visually anchored stone fireplace accented by hand hewn circa 1800 oak beams silhouettes the soft lake views making a dynamic design statement. The great room was designed with togetherness in mind and features high vaulted ceilings, wormy oak flooring with walnut borders, a spacious dining area, a gourmet kitchen and for softer and more intimate moments a keeping room.
Kitchen:
Wormy chestnut cabinets,
Complimenting South American granite countertops
Wolf cooktop, double oven
Preparation bar
Serving Buffet
Separate wet bar
Walk-in Pantry
Laundry Room: entrance off the foyer, wormy chestnut cabinets and South American granite
Keeping Room: Nestled off the kitchen area intimately scaled for quieter moments, wormy chestnut ceilings with hand hewn oak beams from Ohio and Pennsylvania, wormy oak flooring accented with walnut and sycamore, and private fireplace
Powder Room off foyer
Three Master Bedroom Suites: each with its own unique full bathroom and private alcove with masonry wood burning fireplace
Master suite on the main floor with full bath enlivened by a fish theme with earthtones and blue accents, a copper soaking tub, large shower and copper sinks
Upstairs master suite with wormy oak flooring sits snug above the lake looking through a tree canopy as from a tree house facilitating a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere- full bath features jetted tub, separate shower, large closet, and friendly lizards sitting on copper sinks
Terrace Level Master Suite offers trey ceilings, entrance to stone terrace supported by cyprus tree trunks giving the feel of a rainforest floor: Full bath includes double mosaic-raised copper sinks, antler lighting, jetted tub accented with aquatic life tiles and separate water closet
This warm and inviting rustic interior perfectly balances the outdoor lake vistas with the comfort of indoor living.moving directly to the outdoor living spaces. A full length deck supported by cyprus trees offers the opportunity for serious entertaining. The stone terrace off the downstairs family room leads directly to the two stall boathouse for lakeside entertaining with its own private fireplace.
Terrace Level:
14 foot ceilings, transom windows
A master suite
A guest room with trey ceilings, wool carpet, and full bath with copper sinks,double vanity and riverock shower
Family room with focal stone fireplace, wet bar with wine cooler, separate kitchen with sink, mini refrigerator and built in microwave
Wine closet with hand painted plaster finish
A full bath for drippy swimmers with oversized river rock shower accented with crayfish and salamander tiles
Extras
All windows are Loewen windows
A ridge vent system
Custom design closets
Poured foundation for house and boathouse
European spruce framing
Exterior siding: 1 x 12 pressure treated pine with 1 x 4 batten strips
Siding has three coat process of Sikkens stain finish
Ten masonry fireplaces
Stacked rock from Rocky Gap Virginia
Eight foot custom Honduran Pine
True plaster walls with three coat process faux finish
Locust hand rails for the deck
Support cyprus tree trunks from Charleston
Outside light fixtures custom made in NY
Five hot water heaters, circulating pump
Duel fuel heat pump/propane, 1000 gallon buried propane tank, four zone heating system
Two laundry rooms
All Fireplaces set up for flat screen TV's
Adjacent lot available for purchase

The comfortable elegance of this French-Country inspired home belies the challenges faced during its conception. The beautiful, wooded site was steeply sloped requiring study of the location, grading, approach, yard and views from and to the rolling Pennsylvania countryside. The client desired an old world look and feel, requiring a sensitive approach to the extensive program. Large, modern spaces could not add bulk to the interior or exterior. Furthermore, it was critical to balance voluminous spaces designed for entertainment with more intimate settings for daily living while maintaining harmonic flow throughout.
The result home is wide, approached by a winding drive terminating at a prominent facade embracing the motor court. Stone walls feather grade to the front façade, beginning the masonry theme dressing the structure. A second theme of true Pennsylvania timber-framing is also introduced on the exterior and is subsequently revealed in the formal Great and Dining rooms. Timber-framing adds drama, scales down volume, and adds the warmth of natural hand-wrought materials. The Great Room is literal and figurative center of this master down home, separating casual living areas from the elaborate master suite. The lower level accommodates casual entertaining and an office suite with compelling views. The rear yard, cut from the hillside, is a composition of natural and architectural elements with timber framed porches and terraces accessed from nearly every interior space flowing to a hillside of boulders and waterfalls.
The result is a naturally set, livable, truly harmonious, new home radiating old world elegance. This home is powered by a geothermal heating and cooling system and state of the art electronic controls and monitoring systems.
Roof is simulated slate made from recycled materials. The company for this home is no longer in business but today we specify Inspire by Boral https://www.boralroof.com/product-profile/composite/classic-slate/4IFUE5205/
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