Alan Tansey
Dining room - contemporary dining room idea in New York

Freestanding bathtub - mid-sized contemporary master white tile and marble tile porcelain tile, gray floor and double-sink freestanding bathtub idea in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

Southwest dark wood floor and brown floor entryway photo in Houston with white walls

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

Front deck and pool.
Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard deck design in Santa Barbara with no cover

Design: Charlie & Co. Design | Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Interiors & Photo Styling: Lucy Interior Design | Susan Gilmore Photography
Trendy open concept dark wood floor living room photo in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and white walls

The landscape has multiple activity areas for the children -- a lawn, a lap pool specially designed for games of water volleyball, and a sport court. White trellises link this part of the landscape back to the main patio and house.

photography by Andrea Calo • Maharam Symmetry wallpaper in "Patina" • custom cabinetry by Amazonia Cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore 1476 "Squirrel Tail" • polished Crema Marfil countertop • Solids in Design tile backsplash in bone matte • Artesso faucet by Brizo • Isla Intarsia 8” Hex tile floor by Kingwood in "nut" • Emtek 86213 satin nickel cabinet knobs • Leona Hamper from World Market

Mid-Century Remodel on Tabor Hill This sensitively sited house was designed by Robert Coolidge, a renowned architect and grandson of President Calvin Coolidge. The house features a symmetrical gable roof and beautiful floor to ceiling glass facing due south, smartly oriented for passive solar heating. Situated on a steep lot, the house is primarily a single story that steps down to a family room. This lower level opens to a New England exterior. Our goals for this project were to maintain the integrity of the original design while creating more modern spaces. Our design team worked to envision what Coolidge himself might have designed if he'd had access to modern materials and fixtures. With the aim of creating a signature space that ties together the living, dining, and kitchen areas, we designed a variation on the 1950's "floating kitchen." In this inviting assembly, the kitchen is located away from exterior walls, which allows views from the floor-to-ceiling glass to remain uninterrupted by cabinetry. We updated rooms throughout the house; installing modern features that pay homage to the fine, sleek lines of the original design. Finally, we opened the family room to a terrace featuring a fire pit. Since a hallmark of our design is the diminishment of the hard line between interior and exterior, we were especially pleased for the opportunity to update this classic work.

Terraced Retaining Wall of AllenBlock Europa Series with low voltage landscape lighting and new plantings.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional partial sun and drought-tolerant backyard concrete paver retaining wall landscape in Seattle for summer.

Minimalist concrete patio photo in Toronto with no cover

Vanity in a rosewood finish with onyx tile accents and floating shelve over tub. Photography by: Jeffrey E. Tryon
Walk-in shower - mid-sized modern master beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and beige floor walk-in shower idea in New York with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, quartzite countertops, an undermount sink and a hinged shower door

Jimmy White
Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Tampa with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, paneled appliances and two islands

Photos by Lori Cannava
Trendy patio photo in New York with no cover

Inspiration for a coastal gray floor mudroom remodel in Boston with white walls

Interior design by McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors using Ames Ingham Lighting. Custom Rectangle 4.
Inspiration for a contemporary patio remodel in Orange County with no cover and a fireplace

Mid-sized modern brown two-story mixed siding flat roof idea in Atlanta

Freestanding bathtub - large modern master porcelain tile, gray floor, double-sink and vaulted ceiling freestanding bathtub idea in Philadelphia with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

Mid-sized modern two-story mixed siding flat roof idea in Edmonton