Entry hall - large contemporary concrete floor and gray floor entry hall idea in Dallas with white walls and a glass front door

Frank Ooms
Living room - modern open concept living room idea in Austin with white walls

At this Palo Alto home, a concrete wall provides privacy for front yard seating. Existing boxwoods and dogwood tree at right were kept per client's wishes. (Photography by Paul Dyer)

Formal curving entrance stairs. Natural stone with flagstone capping on the lamp posts and curving retaining walls. We also installed a stone walkway to the front door. The patterning of the stone is exceptional - we have master masons!

Lose the clunky under-the-bed storage containers and replace them with this clever and convenient alternative. With eight large rolling drawers, the Storage Platform is sure to give your closet or dresser some breathing room. Pair it with the LAXseries Storage Headboard for the ultimate storage combination.

Inspiration for a transitional marble floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and gray walls

Irene Kalina-Jones
Example of a classic deck design in New York with a pergola

Three story modern farmhouse though located on the East Coast of Virginia combines Southern charm with a relaxing California vibe.
Inspiration for a large country white three-story concrete fiberboard and shingle house exterior remodel

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography Eric Roth Photo

Classic, timeless and ideally positioned on a sprawling corner lot set high above the street, discover this designer dream home by Jessica Koltun. The blend of traditional architecture and contemporary finishes evokes feelings of warmth while understated elegance remains constant throughout this Midway Hollow masterpiece unlike no other. This extraordinary home is at the pinnacle of prestige and lifestyle with a convenient address to all that Dallas has to offer.

Possibly the only major improvement that needed addressed upon moving in was the landscaping. After removing overgrown shrubs, pruning trees, and replacing the old fencing, the couple tackled the largest part: the parking lot. Outside of what had been the dentist's waiting room, the entire side yard had been covered in asphalt, with a separate entrance to the street. That has since been removed and replaced with grass, resulting in a minimalist, tranquil spot under the trees. Adrienne DeRosa Photography © 2013 Houzz

Ron Rosenzweig
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master blue tile gray floor freestanding bathtub design in Miami with white walls, a hinged shower door, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an undermount sink, quartz countertops and white countertops

In Southern California there are pockets of darling cottages built in the early 20th century that we like to call jewelry boxes. They are quaint, full of charm and usually a bit cramped. Our clients have a growing family and needed a modern, functional home. They opted for a renovation that directly addressed their concerns. When we first saw this 2,170 square-foot 3-bedroom beach cottage, the front door opened directly into a staircase and a dead-end hallway. The kitchen was cramped, the living room was claustrophobic and everything felt dark and dated. The big picture items included pitching the living room ceiling to create space and taking down a kitchen wall. We added a French oven and luxury range that the wife had always dreamed about, a custom vent hood, and custom-paneled appliances. We added a downstairs half-bath for guests (entirely designed around its whimsical wallpaper) and converted one of the existing bathrooms into a Jack-and-Jill, connecting the kids’ bedrooms, with double sinks and a closed-off toilet and shower for privacy. In the bathrooms, we added white marble floors and wainscoting. We created storage throughout the home with custom-cabinets, new closets and built-ins, such as bookcases, desks and shelving. White Sands Design/Build furnished the entire cottage mostly with commissioned pieces, including a custom dining table and upholstered chairs. We updated light fixtures and added brass hardware throughout, to create a vintage, bo-ho vibe. The best thing about this cottage is the charming backyard accessory dwelling unit (ADU), designed in the same style as the larger structure. In order to keep the ADU it was necessary to renovate less than 50% of the main home, which took some serious strategy, otherwise the non-conforming ADU would need to be torn out. We renovated the bathroom with white walls and pine flooring, transforming it into a get-away that will grow with the girls.

photography: Karyn Millet
Beach style front door photo in Orange County with a blue front door

This home is located on a one acre parcel of land near the banks of the Milwaukee River in the older established subdivision of Sleepy Hollow Estates in Mequon, Wisconsin. The inspiration for this Glen Cove Residence was to bring the desired by many, contemporary and modern lifestyle of a down town loft and establish it in a neighborhood in the suburbs amongst traditional style homes. Sleepy Hollow Estates like many older established neighborhoods throughout the North shore and Westside communities of Milwaukee had great local architects such as John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson, who built contemporary master pieces amongst very traditional style homes. This created diversity in the style of homes in these neighborhoods which for the people living in them and the people just passing by, an experience of harmony and cultural lifestyle. Unfortunately today, many new neighborhood developments lack harmony and cultural lifestyle and don’t allow for homes such as this Glen Cove Residence to be built. And for that matter many of the homes built by John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson back in the 1950’s. When driving through these new developments, one would experience beautiful traditional style homes, but all the homes tend to look the same. There is no diversity in the styles of homes thus these neighborhoods lack the harmony and a cultural life style for the people who live there or what people are looking for when buying a home that reflects their lifestyle. This Glen Cove Residence is an example that a contemporary home which offers a modern lifestyle that many desires can be established amongst traditional homes while blending in with the neighborhood. Don’t be fooled by the flat roof of this home, building technology has come a long way since Frank Lloyd Wright! The roof system on this home is more energy efficient than most roof systems builders are putting on traditional homes today and it doesn’t leak! This Glen Cove Residence was built using all traditional building materials that you would see in homes being built in new developments today. There is a misconception out there that modern homes are expensive to build. That is not true! This Glen Cove Residence was built for roughly $130 per square foot which is the same price one would pay for a similar builder’s model traditional style home with the same upgrades. This Glen Cove Residence consists of three bedrooms and three and one half baths. All bedrooms are located on second floor with laundry, guest bath and a master suite. Located between the first and second floors off of the landing is an office/den space. The first floor is open concept with the kitchen, dining and living areas located at the rear of the home with expansive windows allowing a great connection to back yard area and outdoors. On the back of the home is a covered deck area allowing for outdoor entertaining without the worry of the elements. The first floor also offers a powder room, mudroom and walk-in pantry off the kitchen area. From the mudroom there is access to an attached four car tandem garage. From the first floor to the finished basement is an open stair allowing the basement area to feel as part of the house and not just a basement? The basement consists of a main living area, game area with wet bar, exercise room, kids play room with 14’ ceilings, full bathroom and mechanical room with storage closets throughout.

Elegant master mosaic tile mosaic tile floor freestanding bathtub photo in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Design by Astro Design Centre - Ottawa, Canada Photo by DoubleSpace Photography The large tiled Travertine wall meets a smaller scaled subway tile to connect the shower to the vanity wall. The vanity was designed to compliment a free standing piece of bedroom furniture. The shaker drawers marry the traditional details with an oversized contemporary build up of the counter. A trough sink equipped with two faucets addresses the challenge of ‘his and hers’ sinks in a master. The uninterrupted mirror length with built in sconces, further add to the concept of interconnecting the various functions of the bathroom.

This design / build project in Los Angeles, CA. focused on a couple’s master bathroom. There were multiple reasons that the homeowners decided to start this project. The existing skylight had begun leaking and there were function and style concerns to be addressed. Previously this dated-spacious master bathroom had a large Jacuzzi tub, sauna, bidet (in a water closet) and a shower. Although the space was large and offered many amenities they were not what the homeowners valued and the space was very compartmentalized. The project also included closing off a door which previously allowed guests access to the master bathroom. The homeowners wanted to create a space that was not accessible to guests. Painted tiles featuring lilies and gold finishes were not the style the homeowners were looking for. Desiring something more elegant, a place where they could pamper themselves, we were tasked with recreating the space. Chief among the homeowners requests were a wet room with free standing tub, floor-mounted waterfall tub filler, and stacked stone. Specifically they wanted the stacked stone to create a central visual feature between the shower and tub. The stacked stone is Limestone in Honed Birch. The open shower contrasts the neighboring stacked stone with sleek smooth large format tiles. A double walnut vanity featuring crystal knobs and waterfall faucets set below a clearstory window allowed for adding a new makeup vanity with chandelier which the homeowners love. The walnut vanity was selected to contrast the light, white tile. The bathroom features Brizo and DXV.

Peter Aaron
Minimalist master concrete floor freestanding bathtub photo in New York with an integrated sink and concrete countertops