Example of a mountain style brown two-story wood gable roof design in New York

Inspiration for a large mid-century modern marble floor and white floor kitchen remodel in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, stainless steel appliances, two islands and gray countertops

Transitional kitchen photo in New York

Michael Hsu
Large transitional white two-story wood exterior home idea in Austin

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

Ed Butera
Trendy white floor family room photo in Other with multicolored walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary one-story glass exterior home remodel in San Francisco

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

Formerly the home's "bonus room", its transformation to master bathroom was a design challenge for the MOSS team: an odd layout, as well as three staircases in and out of the room and the top of the former kitchen’s chimney running through it were the main issues. To solve these challenges, one staircase was completely closed off and the chimney covered up so as to essentially disappear, while all the plumbing for the room had to be run through the lower level ceiling and walls up to the bathroom. The final result? A calming oasis for the homeowners to relax in at the end of the day. The large walk-in shower is beautifully hand-tiled and located next to a standalone soaking tub, which sits next to a large window that allows in plenty of natural light. The water closet area has a unique wallpaper that draws the eye, as does the curved archway above the toilet, which matches the design in the kitchen leading from the hallway. MOSS was also able to transform a beloved piece of family furniture, which had traveled the globe with the family, into the master bathroom’s vanity, adding in a gorgeous countertop. While the room was transformed almost entirely from its original purpose, the homeowners kept the original hardwood floor, which provides continuity to the rest of the home and the original look and feel of a bygone era.

When we started this project, opening up the kitchen to the surrounding space was not an option. Instead, the 10-foot ceilings gave us an opportunity to create a glamorous room with all of the amenities of an open floor plan. The beautiful sunny breakfast nook and adjacent formal dining offer plenty of seats for family and guests in this modern home. Our clients, none the less, love to sit at their new island for breakfast, keeping each other company while cooking, reading a new recipe or simply taking a well-deserved coffee break. The gorgeous custom cabinetry is a combination of horizontal grain walnut base and tall cabinets with glossy white upper cabinets that create an open feeling all the way up the walls. Caesarstone countertops and backsplash join together for a nearly seamless transition. The Subzero and Thermador appliances match the quality of the home and the cooks themselves! Finally, the heated natural limestone floors keep this room welcoming all year long. Alicia Gbur Photography

Inspiration for a rustic exterior home remodel in Portland Maine

Solar Install on Lake Anna luxury home
Inspiration for a small timeless beige one-story vinyl gable roof remodel in Richmond

This client’s house had great bones to work with, but also had a few things that made their kitchen less functional. Their main issue with the space was that their cooktop was located on the island, and since the island wasn’t very big, it limited the amount of usable counterspace. Also, they had a microwave oven stack that was housed in a massive brick enclosure that also took up a lot of valuable space. In our design, we decided to replace the cooktop and oven with a gas range and relocated it to the back wall on the L. We also move the refrigerator to the wall opposite of the sink to create the perfect working triangle. All of the cabinetry to the right of the range serves as a dry bar with lots of storage including nice display storage for wine. Originally the house had a butler’s pass between the dining room and kitchen. We decided to transform this space by closing it in on both sides and creating a nice walk-in pantry, something the kitchen did not have before! We extended their island and added space for seating on one side. The kitchen has a beautiful vaulted ceiling that we added a beam to across the center. For materials, we chose a white and grey palette with some blue and wood tones. The backsplash is a beautiful marble mosaic with blue and grey. The countertops are luna plena quartzite, and we incorporated a custom wood wrap around the hood to match the beams. We are thrilled with how we were able to help transform this kitchen into a beautiful functional space.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

When space and budget require, a beautiful spa can be all that is needed. One of the main issues Long Island Hot Tub addressed in the project was exposure. The property was open on three sides, and in full view of four homes. Through artistic use of evergreens such as Skip Laurels, Leyland, Cypress, and Cedars, an attractive privacy screen was created. Texture and color were brought in to the buffering divider by incorporating flowering deciduous shrubs. 1100-square-foot Techo-Bloc patio, in curved sweeping lines, surrounds this in-ground vinyl spa, creating an inviting hideaway to melt away the stress of the day. www.longislandhottub.com

This client’s house had great bones to work with, but also had a few things that made their kitchen less functional. Their main issue with the space was that their cooktop was located on the island, and since the island wasn’t very big, it limited the amount of usable counterspace. Also, they had a microwave oven stack that was housed in a massive brick enclosure that also took up a lot of valuable space. In our design, we decided to replace the cooktop and oven with a gas range and relocated it to the back wall on the L. We also move the refrigerator to the wall opposite of the sink to create the perfect working triangle. All of the cabinetry to the right of the range serves as a dry bar with lots of storage including nice display storage for wine. Originally the house had a butler’s pass between the dining room and kitchen. We decided to transform this space by closing it in on both sides and creating a nice walk-in pantry, something the kitchen did not have before! We extended their island and added space for seating on one side. The kitchen has a beautiful vaulted ceiling that we added a beam to across the center. For materials, we chose a white and grey palette with some blue and wood tones. The backsplash is a beautiful marble mosaic with blue and grey. The countertops are luna plena quartzite, and we incorporated a custom wood wrap around the hood to match the beams. We are thrilled with how we were able to help transform this kitchen into a beautiful functional space.

Jeff Roberts
Eclectic living room photo in Portland Maine

This client’s house had great bones to work with, but also had a few things that made their kitchen less functional. Their main issue with the space was that their cooktop was located on the island, and since the island wasn’t very big, it limited the amount of usable counterspace. Also, they had a microwave oven stack that was housed in a massive brick enclosure that also took up a lot of valuable space. In our design, we decided to replace the cooktop and oven with a gas range and relocated it to the back wall on the L. We also move the refrigerator to the wall opposite of the sink to create the perfect working triangle. All of the cabinetry to the right of the range serves as a dry bar with lots of storage including nice display storage for wine. Originally the house had a butler’s pass between the dining room and kitchen. We decided to transform this space by closing it in on both sides and creating a nice walk-in pantry, something the kitchen did not have before! We extended their island and added space for seating on one side. The kitchen has a beautiful vaulted ceiling that we added a beam to across the center. For materials, we chose a white and grey palette with some blue and wood tones. The backsplash is a beautiful marble mosaic with blue and grey. The countertops are luna plena quartzite, and we incorporated a custom wood wrap around the hood to match the beams. We are thrilled with how we were able to help transform this kitchen into a beautiful functional space.

Formerly the home's "bonus room", its transformation to master bathroom was a design challenge for the MOSS team: an odd layout, as well as three staircases in and out of the room and the top of the former kitchen’s chimney running through it were the main issues. To solve these challenges, one staircase was completely closed off and the chimney covered up so as to essentially disappear, while all the plumbing for the room had to be run through the lower level ceiling and walls up to the bathroom. The final result? A calming oasis for the homeowners to relax in at the end of the day. The large walk-in shower is beautifully hand-tiled and located next to a standalone soaking tub, which sits next to a large window that allows in plenty of natural light. The water closet area has a unique wallpaper that draws the eye, as does the curved archway above the toilet, which matches the design in the kitchen leading from the hallway. MOSS was also able to transform a beloved piece of family furniture, which had traveled the globe with the family, into the master bathroom’s vanity, adding in a gorgeous countertop. While the room was transformed almost entirely from its original purpose, the homeowners kept the original hardwood floor, which provides continuity to the rest of the home and the original look and feel of a bygone era.