Randolph Ashey
Bedroom - large traditional master carpeted bedroom idea in Portland Maine with green walls, a standard fireplace and a plaster fireplace

Governor's House Master Bedroom by Lisa Tharp. 2019 Bulfinch Award - Interior Design. Photo by Michael J. Lee
Bedroom - coastal master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom idea with white walls

Copyright © 2009 Robert Reck. All Rights Reserved.
Example of a huge southwest master carpeted bedroom design in Albuquerque with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Mid-sized beach style master white tile and subway tile limestone floor and beige floor freestanding bathtub photo in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops and a hinged shower door

With a view like this and your favorite music playing, it would be really hard not to enjoy taking a bath here. The distributed audio system in this home can stream music from an iPad or iPhone to every room.

TEAM Architect: LDa Architecture & Interiors Builder: 41 Degrees North Construction, Inc. Landscape Architect: Wild Violets (Landscape and Garden Design on Martha's Vineyard) Photographer: Sean Litchfield Photography

Insight Photography
Example of a 1950s bathroom design in San Diego

Example of a beach style master light wood floor bedroom design in Miami with white walls

Bathroom - large transitional master marble floor and white floor bathroom idea in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, marble countertops and white countertops

A lake house on Smith Mountain lake. The residence uses stone, glass, and wood to provide views to the lake. The large roof overhangs protect the glass from the sun. An open plan allows for the sharing of space between functions. Most of the rooms enjoy a view of the water.

design by d. schmunk ids; general contractor, High Street Design, Simsbury, CT; cabinets supplied by CT Ktichen and Bath Studio, Avon, CT; photo by e. barry of rehabitat

Example of a huge transitional master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in Dallas with gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal master white tile gray floor and porcelain tile freestanding bathtub remodel in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and gray countertops

Beach house master bath
Bathroom - coastal blue tile and subway tile marble floor bathroom idea in Baltimore with blue cabinets, marble countertops, shaker cabinets and white walls

Designed for a waterfront site overlooking Cape Cod Bay, this modern house takes advantage of stunning views while negotiating steep terrain. Designed for LEED compliance, the house is constructed with sustainable and non-toxic materials, and powered with alternative energy systems, including geothermal heating and cooling, photovoltaic (solar) electricity and a residential scale wind turbine. Builder: Cape Associates Interior Design: Forehand + Lake Photography: Durston Saylor

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 multicolored tile and mosaic tile bathroom photo in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Kirsten Hepburn
Example of a mid-sized transitional master concrete floor bedroom design in Salt Lake City with white walls and no fireplace

Tom Arban
Large trendy master gray tile and stone tile limestone floor freestanding bathtub photo in Toronto with a one-piece toilet and gray walls