Photography by Jennifer Hughes
Transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Baltimore with shaker cabinets, marble countertops, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Pool - modern backyard concrete and rectangular pool idea in Los Angeles with a bbq area

Inspiration for a huge timeless black floor sunroom remodel in Chicago with no fireplace

Robert Radifera
Photo of a contemporary courtyard landscaping in DC Metro with decking.

Dave Burk Hedrich Blessing
Inspiration for a large timeless master white tile mosaic tile floor bathroom remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and marble countertops

Three apartments were combined to create this 7 room home in Manhattan's West Village for a young couple and their three small girls. A kids' wing boasts a colorful playroom, a butterfly-themed bedroom, and a bath. The parents' wing includes a home office for two (which also doubles as a guest room), two walk-in closets, a master bedroom & bath. A family room leads to a gracious living/dining room for formal entertaining. A large eat-in kitchen and laundry room complete the space. Integrated lighting, audio/video and electric shades make this a modern home in a classic pre-war building. Photography by Peter Kubilus

Living Room with Acid Etched Glass Doors Closed. Photo by: David Mitchell
Example of a small trendy formal and enclosed light wood floor and brown floor living room design in New York with white walls and no fireplace

This hall leads from the living area to the master suite and features silver leaf with an acid wash stain to bring dimension to the natural wood finishes.

Photo Credit: Amy Barkow | Barkow Photo, Lighting Design: LOOP Lighting, Interior Design: Blankenship Design, General Contractor: Constructomics LLC

Brick stamped concrete steps leading to a acid stained porch and stamped patio below.

Unique, acid-etched frosted glass partitions lead to the master bathroom.
Inspiration for a contemporary hallway remodel in New York

Completed acid washed poured concrete steps leading to the front door of the residence. [photos by Susan Calhoun]

The large pool deck is finished in premium acid washed concrete to provide the look of limestone. Extra thick natural limestone coping in a bullnose finish was chosen for its pleasing proportion with the large the pool. The classic diagonal grass inserts in the deck utilize artificial turf to ensure a continuous manicured look.

The meandering pink walkway leads to the lovely mid-sized amphitheater that can hold up to 500 people.
Huge contemporary exterior home idea in San Francisco

This long view of the home includes the living area, kitchen and dining, and hallway leading to the front entry. The acid-stained and wire-brushed oak flooring is exceptional, as are the clear cedar features and exquisite custom cabinetry.

Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard concrete patio design in Los Angeles with a fire pit and no cover

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Topher Ayrhart
Example of a trendy white tile and subway tile black floor alcove shower design in Austin with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Patterned bluestone, board-on-board concrete and seasonal containers establish strength of line in the front landscape design. Plants are subordinate components of the design and just emerging from their winter dormancy.