In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

A central island has 4 stools to sit for homework, art or snacktime, and houses drawers for each of the kids to drop their keys, with a USB charger for phones and iPads.

Jacuzzi® is the most widely recognized brand in the hot tub industry. With 5 hot tub collections to choose from, Jacuzzi® has a spa to meet the needs of every customer. With impressive exterior and lighting elements, industry-leading hydrotherapy, and glass touch-screen control technology, you’ll never look at hot tubs the same way again!

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