Search results for "Languages" in Home Design Ideas

Nestled in a wooded area in the Pacific Northwest, the 1800 sf Passive Cedar Haus was built as a retirement home. The Artisans Group designed the layout of the home, mindful of aging in place, and working to ensure that the home blended in with the surrounding natural beauty. The project meets a complex program, with an unheated sleeping porch for a master bedroom, a screened porch, a 600 sf caretakers apartment/mother in law unit, large wood shop, plus a two car carport. The home seamlessly integrates a floating cedar tongue and groove roof with large sheltering overhangs, clerestory windows, and language of cedar slats for privacy screens and doors inside and out. The warm, natural materials of wood and cork for the interior palette are punctuated by lively accents and stunning fixtures.
This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the main living area, gives an expansive view of the surrounding Northwest forest. The tops of these windows reveal the interior cedar clad and the up-swept soffits on the home’s exterior, creating a floating ceiling effect. Slatted spruce wood fly-overs break up the vertical areas of the great room and define separate areas that would otherwise feel like an overwhelmingly expansive space.
Photography by: Cheryl Ramsay of Ramsay Photography

Mimi, a collection with soft sensual feminine curves, and sophisticated architectural lines, speaks a familiar language without being retro. Sketched in sweeping lines that echo classical harmony, reinterpreted in the signature minimalism of Gessi, Mimi is comfortably at home in today’s transitional, modern and traditional bathrooms. The minimalist Mimi collection comes in chrome and brushed nickel, as well as a special 24-karat gold finish tough enough to stand up to use in top hotels around the world. For highest quality and durability, Gessi uses only solid brass for its faucets.
Like all the Gessi Collections, Mimi is available with a wide array of matching bathroom fittings including showers, body sprays, tub fillers; and pedestal, vessel and drop-in lavatory sinks. To complete the sophisticated look of the modern bathroom, Gessi offers Mimi accessories such as mirrors, soap and lotion dispensers, benches, towel racks and more. All Gessi products are manufactured in Italy in the company’s environmentally respectful facility, Gessi Park.

For a family putting down lasting roots in Park City, this 10,000-square-foot estate within the gated enclave of Quarry Mountain Ranch is conceived as both sanctuary and legacy. Designed to evolve alongside its owners, the home balances permanence with a deep sensitivity to the land it inhabits.
Thoughtfully positioned within an alpine meadow shaped by the gentle flow of McLeod Creek, the residence embraces its setting. The waterway threads through the property, sustaining native grasses and drawing elk, deer, and migratory birdlife, grounding daily life in the rhythms of season and landscape.
Broad planes of glass and sheltering rooflines frame uninterrupted views of ski slopes and distant ridgelines, while long sightlines pull natural light deep into the interior. Terraces and covered outdoor rooms mediate between house and meadow, creating spaces for gathering, reflection, and year-round connection to the outdoors.
A restrained palette of wood and stone echoes the textures of the terrain, lending warmth and durability to the home’s contemporary expression. A separate guest house extends the architectural language, forming a discreet compound that supports family life, hospitality, and the enduring cadence of alpine living.
Architecture: Advanced Design
Interior Design: Erin Brewer Design
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The Owners approached their new project with the thought that it should be a quiet addition, have an appropriate scale, and use the same architectural language as the existing house. What the Owners wanted was a more functional family space for their older children and needed a large kitchen and back entry for this original Myers Park home. The new family room would need to include the antique wood paneling the Owners had acquired. The new kitchen would need to incorporate antique wood beams, a large family table and access to a new pool deck. The back entry would need to have a place for sports bags, coats and charging station. A new landscape plan would be provided which would have a new pool requiring a renovation of an existing guest house.
The plans include the new kitchen, a bath renovation and the guest house renovation. The kitchen plan does not include a kitchen island at the request of the Owners. They wanted to have a large freestanding table for everyone to gather around. The kitchen appliances needed to be integrated or hidden from view for clear countertop spaces. The large French doors would open out onto the new pool deck. The kitchen is connected to the main house through two doorways. The first doorway goes through to the renovated family space and the second doorway goes to a new butler’s pantry hall.

This Raleigh, NC home was reimagined from the ground up — not room by room, but as a single, cohesive expression of how a family lives, gathers, and rests.
The architecture drove every decision. Custom millwork and panel molding were carried through every space, creating a visual language that connects the entry to the living room, the dining room to the primary suite. It's what makes the home feel complete — not like a collection of individually finished rooms.
In the kitchen, a full marble slab backsplash reads as one uninterrupted surface — giving the room its presence without competing with the custom white inset cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware. The dining room lives in deliberate contrast: deep-toned oak table, delicate botanical wallpaper, antique mirror. Light and organic, yet entirely considered.
The living room was designed around its connection to the outside — French doors that open directly to a substantial outdoor kitchen and entertaining space, anchored on the interior by a cast stone fireplace with an arched surround that commands the room.
The entry sets the expectation for everything that follows: a double-height foyer, geometric pendants cascading from above, large-scale original artwork, and a carved console that makes the first impression without overstating it.
Designed and executed by Lavish — Raleigh, NC's full-service interior design and remodeling firm.

The goal. A modern reinterpretation of a Mediterranean home with light, airy spaces leading to jaw dropping views of the ocean and private beach. Architecturally, the character of the existing house was respected while creating larger spaces to distinctly alter its appearance.The design language was simple, organic, and elegant. Classic details and a modern approach created a sophisticated and refreshing new layout. Prominent works of art featured upon entering this seaside escape by Picasso, Allora & Calzadilla, Anish Kapoor, Robert Pruitt to Blair Thurman invigorate the overall calming color palette. Contemporary furnishings, bright red color accents, luxe finishes and textures with elements of classic and contemporary design tell a story about the transformation of this property into an exquisitely bold and refined personal paradise.

This Raleigh, NC home was reimagined from the ground up — not room by room, but as a single, cohesive expression of how a family lives, gathers, and rests.
The architecture drove every decision. Custom millwork and panel molding were carried through every space, creating a visual language that connects the entry to the living room, the dining room to the primary suite. It's what makes the home feel complete — not like a collection of individually finished rooms.
In the kitchen, a full marble slab backsplash reads as one uninterrupted surface — giving the room its presence without competing with the custom white inset cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware. The dining room lives in deliberate contrast: deep-toned oak table, delicate botanical wallpaper, antique mirror. Light and organic, yet entirely considered.
The living room was designed around its connection to the outside — French doors that open directly to a substantial outdoor kitchen and entertaining space, anchored on the interior by a cast stone fireplace with an arched surround that commands the room.
The entry sets the expectation for everything that follows: a double-height foyer, geometric pendants cascading from above, large-scale original artwork, and a carved console that makes the first impression without overstating it.
Designed and executed by Lavish — Raleigh, NC's full-service interior design and remodeling firm.

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy.
The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs.
The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes.
Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork.
The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

On a quiet street just steps from San Francisco’s beloved Dolores Park, a formerly modest urban structure has been transformed into a luminous vertical residence that quietly redefines contemporary city living. Through a comprehensive remodel and both vertical and horizontal expansion, the project turns a constrained urban footprint into a sequence of serene, art-forward living spaces that unfold upward toward expansive city views.
The architecture balances restraint and warmth: crisp contemporary geometry softened by natural materials, artful lighting, and carefully curated interiors. The result is a home that feels simultaneously grounded and elevated—deeply connected to its neighborhood yet remarkably private.
Reimagining the Urban Envelope
The original building has been almost entirely reconceived. The facade now reads as a disciplined composition of plaster volumes and precisely detailed window openings framed by subtle projecting bands. The geometry references San Francisco’s classic rhythm of bayed facades while stripping the language down to a refined modern expression.
Behind this quiet exterior lies a dramatically expanded interior volume. The redesign adds both additional floor area and new vertical circulation, transforming what was once a conventional city house into a multi-level architectural sequence organized around light, art, and views.
At the roofline, planted terraces soften the building’s silhouette and create a green crown visible from surrounding hillsides.
Interiors as a Sequence of Galleries
Inside, the home unfolds as a series of spatial moments connected by a sculptural stair and gallery-like corridors.
Wide plank oak floors run throughout, providing continuity and warmth against a palette of plaster walls, dark steel detailing, and natural stone. The hallways function almost as curated galleries, with layered artworks suspended in front of mesh panels that create depth and subtle shadow.
Light filters through carefully placed windows and stair openings, transforming circulation spaces into contemplative transitions rather than mere passageways.
A Living Room Anchored by Stone and Light
The primary living room occupies one of the home’s central floors, where a quiet interplay of texture and geometry defines the space.
A monumental fireplace wrapped in dark stone forms the room’s anchor, its mass contrasting with a recessed ceiling plane that seems to float above the seating area. Integrated perimeter lighting creates a soft architectural glow that washes the ceiling and walls.
Furniture is sculptural yet understated—rounded lounge chairs in warm ochre velvet, tailored sofas, and a striking marble cocktail table whose expressive veining becomes a focal artwork in itself. Deep blue carpeting grounds the seating arrangement and subtly absorbs light, enhancing the calm atmosphere.
Above the fireplace, a delicate projection artwork introduces a moment of visual poetry—an unexpected cinematic gesture that transforms the wall into a quietly animated canvas.
Kitchen as Architectural Furniture
The kitchen expresses a different register: crisp, tactile, and materially rich.
Custom walnut cabinetry spans the wall in a continuous plane, punctuated only by the sculpted hood and integrated appliances. The wood’s depth and warmth are balanced by expanses of pale marble that flow seamlessly from countertop to backsplash.
Three dome pendants hover above the island like industrial sculptures, casting pools of warm light onto the stone surface.
A row of vivid red stools introduces a controlled burst of color, a small but confident departure from the otherwise restrained palette.
Dining With a Living Backdrop
Adjacent to the kitchen, the dining room opens toward a glass wall overlooking a vertical garden of climbing ivy. The greenery becomes a constantly changing backdrop—lush and shadowy during the day, atmospheric and cinematic after sunset.
A dark wood table anchors the room, surrounded by pale oak chairs whose understated forms echo Scandinavian design traditions. The simplicity of the furniture allows the view and natural light to become the dominant experience.
Intimate Spaces and Material Contrast
Throughout the home, smaller rooms offer moments of intimacy and material experimentation.
The powder room pairs textured wall coverings with a dramatic black marble vanity whose bold veining feels almost geological. A suspended mirror and slender pendant create a sculptural composition against the tactile backdrop.
The primary bedroom, by contrast, feels serene and expansive. Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames sweeping views of the city, while soft textiles and warm wood paneling create a cocooning effect. Slender black columns subtly define a sitting area without interrupting the openness of the space.
Bathing Above the City
In the primary bathroom, a sculptural freestanding tub sits beside a panoramic window overlooking San Francisco’s hills and rooftops.
The room’s palette—light oak, grey stone, and matte metals—reinforces the spa-like atmosphere. Floating cabinetry and integrated lighting maintain a sense of visual lightness despite the richness of the materials.
Entertaining Above the Park
Higher in the house, a lounge and bar area becomes the social heart of the home. Here, dark stone slabs with dramatic veining wrap the bar wall like a piece of monumental art.
Open shelving displays glassware and spirits, while integrated wine storage hints at the home’s entertaining ambitions. A soft leather sectional and low glass table create a relaxed setting for conversation, framed by expansive views of the city skyline.
Cinema and Retreat
The lower level introduces yet another atmosphere: a dedicated media room designed for immersive viewing.
Dark walls, plush seating, and soft lighting create a cinematic environment that contrasts intentionally with the airy upper floors. It’s a retreat within the home—intimate, quiet, and removed from the brightness above.
Architecture That Balances Discipline and Warmth
What makes the project particularly compelling is its balance between architectural discipline and lived warmth.
Every element—from the carefully framed views to the restrained material palette—contributes to a cohesive spatial narrative. Yet the home never feels austere. Natural materials, curated art, and layered lighting create a sense of comfort and depth.
The result is a house that feels both architecturally rigorous and deeply human.
A Contemporary Interpretation of San Francisco Living
In a neighborhood defined by historic homes and iconic park views, this transformation offers a contemporary interpretation of San Francisco living.
It respects the city’s urban density while embracing openness, light, and vertical living. The home rises quietly above its surroundings, culminating in panoramic vistas that stretch across rooftops, hills, and sky.
What began as a conventional structure has become something far more nuanced: a modern urban sanctuary—part gallery, part retreat, and wholly connected to the vibrant city just beyond its walls.

Oceanfront Windsor Estate Renovation | Vero Beach, FL 32963
A full-scale renovation of an oceanfront estate in Windsor, the celebrated New Urbanist seaside community on Vero Beach's barrier island (32963). Our team reimagined this residence as a bright, breezy coastal retreat where every primary room captures the Atlantic, and the original architecture—coffered and beamed ceilings, arched passages, soaring window walls—was preserved and brought fully current.
At the heart of the home, an open kitchen and dining space pairs crisp white cabinetry and stone countertops with terracotta floors, a Viking range beneath a plaster hood, woven pendant lighting, and French doors that fold open to a covered loggia. The great room rises to a vaulted shiplap ceiling under woven chandeliers, anchored by a limestone fireplace and walls of glass. Throughout, the palette stays light and elemental—white oak floors, natural fibers, soft coastal blues—so the ocean remains the focal point.
The renovation extends to a window-wrapped oceanview office, a serene primary bath with frameless walk-in shower and direct sea views, a fully fitted dressing room, an oversized dual laundry, and a beachfront sitting room where turquoise water fills the frame. Upstairs, light-filled lounges and a media room continue the relaxed, refined coastal language.
This is turnkey oceanfront living in one of the Treasure Coast's most distinctive gated communities—Windsor's beach club, golf, equestrian center, and village amenities just beyond the door, with the shops and dining of Vero Beach's barrier island close at hand.
Renovation by Ryan A. Jones & Associates — construction, renovation, and estate management, Vero Beach, FL.

LEICHT presented the surface program BOSSA in 2020 – a type of front that had not existed in that form in the global kitchen market until then and which has succeeded in creating a completely new visual language in the kitchen and the entire living area since it was launched

This daughter’s bathroom highlights our commitment to consistent, top-tier craftsmanship across every wing of the home. By pairing hand-selected Knotty Alder cabinetry with durable Italian porcelain stone, we created a space that is both visually stunning and engineered for longevity.
Signature Features & Technical Execution:
Custom Artisan Millwork: The centerpiece of the room is the expansive, floor-to-ceiling Knotty Alder linen tower and vanity suite. Featuring traditional Shaker-style door panels and multiple deep-storage drawers, the cabinetry provides high-capacity organization while showcasing the natural, rustic grain of the wood.
Polished Quartz Surfaces: We topped the vanity with a sleek, low-maintenance honed quartz countertop, featuring a clean undermount basin and professional-grade oil-rubbed bronze fixtures. The dark stone provides a sophisticated contrast to the warm wood tones.
Large-Format Stone Integration: The walk-in shower features the same large-format Italian porcelain tile found in the master suite, ensuring a cohesive design language. Note the integrated shampoo niche with a mosaic tile back—a small but "expensive" detail that adds depth and texture.
Precision Built-Ins: The cabinetry was precision-fit into the architectural alcoves, including a integrated baseboard vent to maintain the home’s efficient climate control without breaking the visual lines of the millwork.
Natural Ambiance: The warm wood casings around the doorways and the high-definition vanity mirror (reflecting the adjacent shower) ensure the room feels open and bright, perfectly suited for a high-end residential environment.

This Modern Coastal Contemporary residence, designed by Preston Design Inc., is created for those who want the ocean to shape their daily life. The architecture embraces the beauty of the Atlantic with broad overhangs, exposed beams, natural wood siding, and a sculpted stone chimney that give the home a warm and refined presence on the shoreline. Expansive glass captures the changing sky and the rhythm of the waves, bringing the landscape into every interior space. The property sits within a VE flood zone, so the lower level is dedicated to parking and service areas, with an elevator lifting you to the main living level where sunlight floods the interior and every room is oriented toward uninterrupted ocean views. The master suite occupies the highest point of the home, reserved as a private retreat with the most commanding view of the coastline. A separate guest house follows the same modern coastal language, providing an inviting and independent space for visitors while maintaining complete harmony with the main residence. This home invites you to live where architecture and shoreline meet and where beauty becomes a part of everyday life through the thoughtful vision of Preston Design Inc.

This Raleigh, NC home was reimagined from the ground up — not room by room, but as a single, cohesive expression of how a family lives, gathers, and rests.
The architecture drove every decision. Custom millwork and panel molding were carried through every space, creating a visual language that connects the entry to the living room, the dining room to the primary suite. It's what makes the home feel complete — not like a collection of individually finished rooms.
In the kitchen, a full marble slab backsplash reads as one uninterrupted surface — giving the room its presence without competing with the custom white inset cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware. The dining room lives in deliberate contrast: deep-toned oak table, delicate botanical wallpaper, antique mirror. Light and organic, yet entirely considered.
The living room was designed around its connection to the outside — French doors that open directly to a substantial outdoor kitchen and entertaining space, anchored on the interior by a cast stone fireplace with an arched surround that commands the room.
The entry sets the expectation for everything that follows: a double-height foyer, geometric pendants cascading from above, large-scale original artwork, and a carved console that makes the first impression without overstating it.
Designed and executed by Lavish — Raleigh, NC's full-service interior design and remodeling firm.

Resort-Style Backyard Oasis: Modern Farmhouse Meets Five-Star Outdoor Living
This extraordinary backyard transformation turns a sprawling wooded property into a private resort that rivals the finest luxury hotels — a complete outdoor living destination where every detail has been considered and every zone invites you to slow down, gather, and stay a while.
The centerpiece is a breathtaking freeform pool of impressive scale, its organic, curvilinear shape designed to feel as though it was carved naturally from the landscape rather than constructed within it. The pool's deep, jewel-toned water — achieved through a rich dark mosaic tile waterline and a dark plaster finish — creates an almost lagoon-like quality that shifts from teal to deep blue depending on the light and angle. In-pool sun shelf loungers sit at the water's edge, allowing guests to lounge half-submerged on warm days, while a separate built-in spa nestled at one end completes the aquatic experience.
The pool's surround is equally impressive. A generous travertine patio wraps the full perimeter of the pool in warm cream and honey tones, providing abundant space for multiple entertainment zones to coexist without ever feeling crowded. A sweeping row of premium chaise lounges with crisp white cushions lines one side of the pool, shaded by a series of elegant teak-framed market umbrellas that bring a Riviera-resort sensibility to the suburban backyard.
The stone hardscape tells a particularly rich material story. Dry-stacked natural stone retaining walls curve generously around the lower elevation of the pool, their warm amber, rust, and gray tones echoing the travertine patio above and connecting the pool structure organically to the sloped terrain. Stone steps with flagstone treads descend gracefully between levels, and large natural boulders are thoughtfully placed throughout the landscaping — giving the entire environment the feeling of a discovered natural water feature rather than a constructed pool.
A dedicated outdoor living room sits on the patio, anchored by a woven-rope lounge chair and a coordinating sofa with generous cream cushions, gathered around a sculptural concrete pedestal side table. The furniture selection — organic, tactile, and resort-caliber — creates a seating area that feels as comfortable and considered as any indoor living room, with the forest canopy serving as a natural ceiling above.
Around the corner, a separate fire pit terrace provides a second distinct outdoor destination. A massive circular stone fire pit — built from the same dry-stacked natural stone as the retaining walls — sits at the center of a gathering space ringed by weathered teak Adirondack-style chairs with white cushions. This zone feels intentionally removed from the pool's energy, offering a quieter, more intimate space for evening gatherings and cooler nights.
The house itself — a stunning modern farmhouse with white board-and-batten siding, exposed timber gable trusses, black-framed windows, and a covered back porch with timber posts — anchors the entire composition. The architecture and the landscape speak the same language: natural materials, clean lines, and an effortless relationship between indoor and outdoor living. A separate carriage house or garage structure in matching architectural style rounds out the property's exterior.

This recently built Bethesda home features two distinctive staircases that share a cohesive design language. The main staircase pairs natural wood treads with sleek steel horizontal rods, creating clean lines. The black wood newels and handrail create striking contrast with the lighter details.
A custom spiral staircase echoes this aesthetic with jet-black metal triangular frames supporting natural wood treads. The geometric structure winds upward, maintaining the same material palette of warm wood and dark metal found throughout the home's vertical connections.
1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

This interior remodel reimagined a dated kitchen and bathroom as one cohesive, light-filled living environment. The homeowners wanted a home that felt calm, organized, and effortless to live in — spaces that support everyday routines rather than complicate them.
D&G managed the entire project under a single Design-Build process: design, material selections, engineering, permitting, construction, and final quality control handled by one team with one point of accountability.
The Kitchen
The galley kitchen was opened into an adjacent dining area to improve flow and natural light. Soft white cabinetry pairs with quartz countertops and a full-height marble-look quartz backsplash behind the induction cooktop, creating a clean, uninterrupted surface that's as practical as it is refined.
A vertical shiplap accent wall introduces subtle texture and depth, balanced by a floating natural maple shelf that echoes the wood tones throughout the home. Integrated appliance placement — a wall oven, concealed microwave shelf, and under-cabinet ventilation — keeps countertops clear and sightlines uncluttered.
Adjacent to the kitchen, a custom built-in storage wall blends natural maple upper cabinetry with white base cabinetry, delivering pantry-level capacity without the visual weight of a closed pantry. Timeless, functional, and designed to age well.
The Bathroom
The bathroom carries the same design language as the kitchen: a natural maple vanity with raised-panel doors, brushed nickel hardware, quartz countertop with integrated backsplash, and an undermount sink.
A recessed medicine cabinet extends storage without intruding on the room, while a glass-enclosed shower with a low-threshold base and window-driven natural light keeps the space open, bright, and easy to maintain.
Wood-look tile flooring ties the bathroom to the wide-plank flooring used throughout the home — a detail that makes the renovation read as one intentional project rather than a series of separate updates.

German Embassy in Pristina - Kosovo, contracted the architecture office “Ferizi + Ferizi Architects” to plan and implement an Annex Office building for their purposes. As detached part of this building is designed the waiting area, as alone standing structure.
This Office Building is constructed by assembling of Eight used office containers that were delivered on trucks and set up after only a few hours on the basis of the LEGO principle, according to the planning on strip foundations.
By removing the flexible exterior wall panels, a large room of 115 m² was created, with the counter wall as a room partition between two office spaces, each with seven workstations as well as three counters for agents on one side and a room for visitors on the other side.
With this system, room solutions can be easily implemented in all dimensions.
The container, seen as a geometric shape, is a simple, octagonal, solid box.
The standardized perfection of its dimensions is striking: 2.44 meters wide, 2.59 meters high and 6.06 meters or 12.19 meters long.
Since its introduction in 1956 by the American transport entrepreneur Malcom McLean, the container has become a standardized transport module worldwide, whether on ships, trucks or construction sites.
The shipping containers have additionally revolutionized the transport industry, pushed the globalization noticeably, and thus directly or indirectly influenced all our lives.
But after only a few years, when the first overseas containers wore out, many engineers recognized the positive properties of used shipping containers for building houses, especially since they are robust, flexible, multifunctional and second-hand relatively inexpensive to purchase. The time has long passed by to treat containers exclusively as transport objects.
As a "measure of all things", containers can hardly be ignored in construction.
Their use is no longer limited to temporary use since school containers, information containers, office containers or entire residential buildings are now part of our everyday life in the construction industry.
However, current examples of the container architecture prove that even the most demanding solutions for container building are feasible. For their specific aesthetic and spatial qualities, containers also serve as design parameters for the development of new forms of architecture and urbanity.
The office building as an extension of the visa section, characterized by modern materials and contemporary aesthetics has been designed and built mainly as a low-energy building.
Extensive insulation to achieve a comfortable and sustainable constant temperature in the interior, high window quality and low energy consumption make the building energy-efficient.
The sophisticated lighting technology, networks, heating systems and air-conditioning systems are also components of this equipment.
It creates an overall harmonic picture and guarantees the highest standard in sustainable construction, taking into consideration the fact that environmentally friendly recycling and reutilization have become an increasingly important issue in our society.
West and East side of the wooden facade is compact and has few openings, while the southern facade is completely open with lot of glass. Its spatial openness ensures a transparent, friendly work environment, which allows a lot of light into the space.
This openness allows an uninterrupted, pleasant and close-to-nature view from interior spaces into the beautiful garden. During the installation of sophisticated light sources in the garden, emphasis was not only put on functionality and security, but also on the beauty of the garden shown through the illumination in the evening.
Large, horizontal white “brisole” serve as external sun protection systems, mounted on the canopies of the entrance areas of the modular construction and the enclosure, adeptly cast shade on these areas and at the same time shape the entire architectural language.
While on one hand, the two quadratic ledges suspended in the air, are docked with steel stairs and match the wooden façade, lead the staff to their office space, the artful modern interior, on the other hand, perfectly unites the functionality, innovative technology, culture and positive effects on the employees' efficiency and wellbeing.
A lot of white, interjected by warm wooden and colored accents, determines the ambience.
In the case of the lighting solution, the mainly linear ceiling lighting is used as the overlapping design element both for the offices of the visa section as well as for the counters and the waiting area for the visitors.
They underline the puristic design in order to create a pleasant light for a desired general illumination and ensure optimal light conditions without causing disturbing reflections on the computer screens.
In addition, precisely positioned pendant luminaires are installed at the workstations, which ensure pleasant room brightness.
In the entrance area, the harmonic and uniform lighting effect from the ground highlights the integration of photography and architecture.
Photographs of landscapes, people, places, expressing unforgettable, impressive moments and memories have been lovingly engraved on 8 x 8cm square oak blocks.
The idea of an effective, impressive environment that stimulates and inspires the work was the premiss on which the whole design concept was based. Consequently, the modular construction was no longer viewed through its history of utilization and scars, but rather as a structure of work ambiance, art and elegance.
FERIZI + FERIZI Architects
Photo: Arben Llapashtica

The Lorraine Modern Residence is a fully integrated front and backyard project designed and built by The Northstone Group, the #1 landscape architecture, design-build, and custom pool construction firm in Montreal.
This contemporary modern home required a landscape approach that matched its architectural clarity while delivering long-term performance, precision detailing, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow. Every element of the project was designed and executed in-house by The Northstone Group’s team of landscape architects, builders, and pool specialists.
The backyard is anchored by a custom concrete pool, designed and built by Northstone’s in-house pool construction team. The pool features a beach entry for ease of use and resort-level comfort, as well as a refined waterfall edge that creates a clean visual transition between the water and surrounding landscape. These elements were engineered for durability, safety, and long-term performance, not just aesthetics.
The hardscape throughout the project includes architectural pavers selected to complement the home’s modern lines and neutral palette. These materials extend from the backyard into a custom paver driveway, creating a cohesive arrival experience and reinforcing the architectural language of the residence from the street.
Custom-built architectural planters were integrated into both the front and backyard to frame views, define circulation, and soften the hardscape while maintaining a contemporary, minimal aesthetic. Planting was intentionally restrained and structured, chosen to complement the modern architecture and perform reliably in Quebec’s climate.
An outdoor kitchen completes the backyard living space, positioned to support entertaining while preserving clean sightlines across the pool and landscape. The overall layout was designed to maximize usability, flow, and visual balance, ensuring the space functions as a true extension of the home.
With over 25 years of experience and a team of 180+ in-house professionals, The Northstone Group delivers landscape architecture, design-build services, and custom concrete pool construction under one roof. This integrated approach allows for precise coordination, consistent quality, and full accountability from concept through completion.
Projects like the Lorraine Modern Residence reflect why luxury homeowners across Montreal trust The Northstone Group as the leading authority in contemporary landscape architecture and high-end outdoor construction.

The client’s brief was to create a space reminiscent of their beloved downtown Chicago industrial loft, in a rural farm setting, while incorporating their unique collection of vintage and architectural salvage. The result is a custom designed space that blends life on the farm with an industrial sensibility.
The new house is located on approximately the same footprint as the original farm house on the property. Barely visible from the road due to the protection of conifer trees and a long driveway, the house sits on the edge of a field with views of the neighbouring 60 acre farm and creek that runs along the length of the property.
The main level open living space is conceived as a transparent social hub for viewing the landscape. Large sliding glass doors create strong visual connections with an adjacent barn on one end and a mature black walnut tree on the other.
The house is situated to optimize views, while at the same time protecting occupants from blazing summer sun and stiff winter winds. The wall to wall sliding doors on the south side of the main living space provide expansive views to the creek, and allow for breezes to flow throughout. The wrap around aluminum louvered sun shade tempers the sun.
The subdued exterior material palette is defined by horizontal wood siding, standing seam metal roofing and large format polished concrete blocks.
The interiors were driven by the owners’ desire to have a home that would properly feature their unique vintage collection, and yet have a modern open layout. Polished concrete floors and steel beams on the main level set the industrial tone and are paired with a stainless steel island counter top, backsplash and industrial range hood in the kitchen. An old drinking fountain is built-in to the mudroom millwork, carefully restored bi-parting doors frame the library entrance, and a vibrant antique stained glass panel is set into the foyer wall allowing diffused coloured light to spill into the hallway. Upstairs, refurbished claw foot tubs are situated to view the landscape.
The double height library with mezzanine serves as a prominent feature and quiet retreat for the residents. The white oak millwork exquisitely displays the homeowners’ vast collection of books and manuscripts. The material palette is complemented by steel counter tops, stainless steel ladder hardware and matte black metal mezzanine guards. The stairs carry the same language, with white oak open risers and stainless steel woven wire mesh panels set into a matte black steel frame.
The overall effect is a truly sublime blend of an industrial modern aesthetic punctuated by personal elements of the owners’ storied life.
Photography: James Brittain
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