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.

Luxurious Master Bath
Inspiration for a timeless brown tile bathroom remodel in New Orleans

The Bravo was the winner of the Best Master Suite award in the 2015 Parade of Homes. With marble on the floors, counter tops, and throughout the shower, this master bath has a serious wow factor.

Artsy and Edgy Master Bathroom with custom window treatments using fabric from the Kelly Wearstler collection. Photo Credit: Amy Bartlam
Bathroom - mid-sized contemporary master white floor and marble floor bathroom idea in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, green countertops and an undermount sink

The refrigerator was relocated to the right side of the Kitchen. The stainless steel Fisher-Paykel "Professional" 36" counter-depth fridge completes the stylish Kitchen.

Example of a classic master dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in Oklahoma City with gray walls

The goal of this project was to update the outdated master bathroom to better meet the homeowners design tastes and the style of the rest of this foothills home, as well as update all the doors on the first floor, and create a contemporary mud room and staircase to the basement. The homeowners wanted a master suite that had a masculine feel, incorporated elements of black steel, wood, and contrast with clean white tiles and counter-tops and helped their long and skinny layout feel larger/ make better use of the space they have. They also wanted a more spacious and luxurious shower with water temperature control. A large window that existed above the original soaking tub offered spectacular views down into Boulder valley and it was important to keep this element in the updated design. However, privacy was also very important. Therefore, a custom-built powder coated steel shelf, was created to provide privacy blocking, add storage, and add a contrasting design element to the white wall tiles. Black honeycomb floor tiles, new black walnut cabinetry, contemporary wall paper, a floor to ceiling glass shower wall, and updated fixtures elevated the space and gave the clients exactly the look and feel that they wanted. Unique custom metal design elements can be found throughout the new spaces (shower, mud room bench and shelving, and staircase railings and guardrails), and give this home the contemporary feel that the homeowners desired.

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless gender-neutral dark wood floor dressing room remodel in Other with glass-front cabinets and white cabinets

A basement level family room was excavated and enlarged into the hillside to create a larger master bedroom suite. A personal-sized private deck was built as a cozy space with great views and hot tub. New sliders by Fleetwood open up to the deck and view, and built-in headboard cabinet provides tons of storage, and reading lights.

Example of a transitional bathroom design in Richmond with dark wood cabinets

Modern master bath oasis. Expansive double sink, custom floating vanity with under vanity lighting, matching storage linen tower, airy master shower with bench, and a private water closet.

San Marino based clients were interested in developing a property that had been in their family for generations. This was an exciting proposition as it was one of the last surviving bayside double lots on the scenic Coronado peninsula in San Diego. They desired a holiday home that would be a gathering place for their large, close- knit family. San Marino based clients were interested in developing a property that had been in their family for generations. This was an exciting proposition as it was one of the last surviving bayside double lots on the scenic Coronado peninsula in San Diego. They desired a holiday home that would be a gathering place for their large, close-knit family. Facing the Back Bay, overlooking downtown and the Bay Bridge, this property presented us with a unique opportunity to design a vacation home with a dual personality. One side faces a bustling harbor with a constant parade of yachts, cargo vessels and military ships while the other opens onto a deep, quiet contemplative garden. The home’s shingle-style influence carries on the historical Coronado tradition of clapboard and Craftsman bungalows built in the shadow of the great Hotel Del Coronado which was erected at the turn of the last century. In order to create an informal feel to the residence, we devised a concept that eliminated the need for a “front door”. Instead, one walks through the garden and enters the “Great Hall” through either one of two French doors flanking a walk-in stone fireplace. Both two-story bedroom wings bookend this central wood beam vaulted room which serves as the “heart of the home”, and opens to both views. Three sets of stairs are discretely tucked away inside the bedroom wings. In lieu of a formal dining room, the family convenes and dines around a beautiful table and banquette set into a circular window bay off the kitchen which overlooks the lights of the city beyond the harbor. Working with noted interior designer Betty Ann Marshall, we designed a unique kitchen that was inspired by the colors and textures of a fossil the couple found on a honeymoon trip to the quarries of Montana. We set that ancient fossil into a matte glass backsplash behind the professional cook’s stove. A warm library with walnut paneling and a bayed window seat affords a refuge for the family to read or play board games. The couple’s fine craft and folk art collection is on prominent display throughout the house and helps to set an intimate and whimsical tone. Another architectural feature devoted to family is the play room lit by a dramatic cupola which beacons the older grandchildren and their friends. Below the play room is a four car garage that allows the patriarch space to refurbish an antique fire truck, a mahogany launch boat and several vintage cars. Their jet skis and kayaks are housed in another garage designed for that purpose. Lattice covered skylights that allow dappled sunlight to bathe the loggia affords a comfortable refuge to watch the kids swim and gaze out upon the rushing water, the Coronado Bay Bridge and the romantic downtown San Diego skyline. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Betty Ann Marshall Construction: Bill Lyons Photographer: Laura Hull Styling: Zale Design Studio

Master Bath
Inspiration for a large transitional master white tile marble floor, white floor and double-sink bathroom remodel in Austin with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and a built-in vanity

The phrase "luxury master suite" brings this room to mind. With a double shower, double hinged glass door and free standing tub, this water room is the hallmark of simple luxury. It also features a drop down lighting, a hemlock ceiling and brushed nickel fixtures paired with a majestic view. Photo by Azevedo Photo

Matthew Niemann Photography
Inspiration for a transitional master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom remodel in Austin with beige walls

Gardner/Fox designed and updated this home's master and third-floor bath, as well as the master bedroom. The first step in this renovation was enlarging the master bathroom by 25 sq. ft., which allowed us to expand the shower and incorporate a new double vanity. Updates to the master bedroom include installing a space-saving sliding barn door and custom built-in storage (in place of the existing traditional closets. These space-saving built-ins are easily organized and connected by a window bench seat. In the third floor bath, we updated the room's finishes and removed a tub to make room for a new shower and sauna.

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

The homeowners were seeking a major renovation from their original master bath. The young family had completed several remodeling projects on the first floor of their 1980’s era home and the time had finally come where they wanted to focus on the second floor, particularly their master bath which was cramped and overpowered by a Jacuzzi-style tub. After multiple design meetings spent choosing the right hardware and materials, everything was set, and the transformation began! Drury designer, Diana Burton, began by borrowing some space from the bedroom this way they were able to reconfigure the whole layout, which made a big difference to the homeowner. The floating vanity cabinets paired with quartz counters, wall-mounted fixtures, and mirrors featuring built-in lighting enhance the room’s sleek, clean look.

Hollub Homes | Interior design by Helene Hollub | Ken Hayden Photography
Example of a trendy girl carpeted kids' room design in Miami with white walls