The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

Designers Hugo Silva and Joana Santos. Description With a strong geometric character, DUO is a dialogue between two different shades of cork. The DUO exists in 5 versions. Each grows from its two-dimensional tile pattern making it a three-dimensional volume that ends in circular shape. Thus, we can switch between two functions: a square table and a circular bench. Together, DUOs create vibrant compositions and a set of shapes according to where they are observed. Materials Composite black cork and composite light cork. Finishes: Colorless aqueous coating with water, oil, stain and dirt repellency properties, as well as high UV resistance and aging properties. Dimension L30 x H45 x D30 cm

Set against a backdrop of sweeping meadows and Douglas Fir forests, this modern Montana retreat captures the contemplative spirit of its natural surroundings. Envisioned by Chief Designer, Lori Ryker, of studioryker and Project Manager, Tim Sanford, the home seamlessly integrates into the landscape with a minimalist footprint and a design rooted in a deep understanding of the local environment. For the homeowner, the retreat serves as an escape from urban life, offering an immersive connection with nature and a quiet vantage point to observe local wildlife with minimal disruption to the surrounding ecosystem. Central to this connection are minimal folding glass walls, which open the compact dwelling into the vast outdoors while supporting its sustainability goals.

The Stainless Steel Box Rail Kit was used to create privacy in the entrance to this master bathroom.
Zen bedroom photo in Seattle

Natural Water features demand more than a typical landscape pond. Yes we have to know our science, but for streams and creeks to appear real, we have to understand more than ecology and hydrology, we need to have worn out a closet of hiking boots to gain the artistic eye to create reality. Most people can actually sense when something looks natural, yet they cannot express why it is so. Our observations over 25 years lets us consciously see each detail that results in that natural feel.

A&E Construction. This Pennington NJ remodel of a master bath en-suite features marble basketweave tile detailing and a generous walk-in shower area. One memorable aspect of this design is the continuous marble slab that simultaneously serves as a tub deck and continues into the shower area to serve as a bench seat. Scroll through the project photos to observe this unique project.

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2015 Houzz
Pool - eclectic pool idea in Dallas

Excerpt via our website ~ "While originally designed as a Pond House, this beautiful Cabin has an endless array of uses. With a 10×16 floor plan, this cabin can be a potting shed for your garden, a child’s playhouse, a space to watch the sunset or just a place to sit by the pond. Here at the Jamaica Cottage Shop we feel that our Cabins are an asset to any landscape. With an array of available options, these cabins can compliment any property as a combination guest house, meditation room, nature observation area, yoga studio, and sometimes, a study." Available as diy plans ($50), cabin kits (estimated assembly time - 2 people, 20 hours), or fully assembled.

A&E Construction. This Pennington NJ remodel of a master bath en-suite features marble basketweave tile detailing and a generous walk-in shower area. One memorable aspect of this design is the continuous marble slab that simultaneously serves as a tub deck and continues into the shower area to serve as a bench seat. Scroll through the project photos to observe this unique project.

Bedroom - traditional carpeted bedroom idea in Chicago with white walls

This Seattle waterfront home received a design overhaul. The revamped home earns its minimalist design with Nordic profiles and Japanese allure, nestled on the banks of the Lake Washington shoreline. The Laurelhurst neighborhood is charming as well as highly desired for the region. The home is conveniently situated just north of downtown Seattle, filled with commerce, arts and culture. However, its discreet location begs for a slower pace of life with water recreation at the ready. The quiet refuge boasts a private dock and boat house for days full of lakeside enjoyment. The remodel kept the existing building perimeter intact, observing the tight bounds of the neighborhood. To optimize the location, a minimalist design with awe-inspiring materials was selected. Keeping the exterior simple, the thin white brick base of the home contrasts the Sho Sugi Ban second-story exterior. Furthermore, the gable roof mimics the traditional Scandinavian home profile that is notorious for simplicity.

Leucadendron 'Summer Red' common name, Cone Flower, blooming in summer. Ephorbia characias in background in bloom. This vast hillside in San Anselmo, Northern California has evolved over the years and is the personal sanctuary of Landscape Designer Eileen Kelly, owner of Dig Your Garden Landscape Design. This sustainable garden also serves as Eileen's "living laboratory" where she observes and learns from the habits and growth of her extensive selection of plants. They include hundreds of varieties of low-water plants that range from California natives to plants from other Mediterranean regions such as South Africa and Australia, and a few exotics from Hawaii and other regions. Succulents have always been one of Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design http://www.digyourgarden.com

This side view shows the pool area of this amazing custom home in TerraBella Village, Covington, LA. Spanish cedar louvered shutters surround the pool area under the pergula and an unusual tower can be seen in the background with a reading room located at the top. This home features a sleeping porch, two wine rooms and a beautiful antique cypress kitchen island.

Saturday, June 20, 2:00 to 3:30pm | Amagansett The Gillman Garden by Victoria Fensterer of Victoria Fensterer Landscape and Garden Design, LLC Flowers overflow in this lush, sun-filled garden for a charming and historic farmhouse. The landscape for this Amangassett retreat includes a courtyard and pool area. In the courtyard garden, a central axis provides structure to the design while old large evergreens provide height and a sense of enclosure. A rose pergola and vine-covered arbor lead to garden spaces beyond. An existing pool was recreated into a more organic shape, lined with large stones and boulders. Small evergreens complement older established ones, creating a secluded enclave. The patio was paved with warm-hued stone and edged by planting beds. Here the plantings take on a tropical feeling. A rustic pavilion provides a cozy place to sit and observe the light dancing off the water and to listen to the sound of birds and wind in the trees. On the south side of the property, the landscape architect planted a group of large broadleaf and needled evergreens to provide privacy and year-round interest. Additional windows were added to the farmhouse to take full advantage of the beautiful view. Photo by Robert Eckholm

A collection that unites the poetic and unique beauty of stones harnessed by Dekton® technology, as those dreams where we observe and vaguely feel in control but only the deepest part of our mind truly understands. The collection is named in honor of the lavish inspiration of the two worlds conveyed in marbled colors to captivate our eyes and bring to any space a feeling we understand but cannot explain.

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

Sebastian and Tanja DiGrande's quest for natural light and open, modern design led them to Klopf Architecture in San Francisco. Working hand-in-hand with homeowner/designer Tanja DiGrande, Klopf collaborated on a modern addition to the rear of a traditional-style home. The idea was to depart from the original style completely to draw a distinction between the original house and any later additions, as well as observe a very minimal, clean, gallery-like modern style against which changing daylight, art, furniture, and of course the people provide the color and motion. With its dark gray stuccoed walls, dark steel railing, and floor-to-ceiling windows, the exterior of the addition is at the same time an open, modern box as well as a receding volume that acts almost as a backdrop for the house, receding visually out of respect for the original home. From the interior, windows bring in nature and views from all around the lush property. They also allow views of the original house. Up on the roof deck the views magnify. The owners use a boom and crank to bring up food and drinks when entertaining! Inside, the simple clean-lined spaces showcase the couple’s minimal, modern taste. The open bathroom epitomizes the clean, minimal style of the addition. On the exterior, steel elements bring a more industrial modern feeling to the addition from the rear. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Geoff Campen, and Angela Todorova Co-Designer: Tanja DiGrande Contractor: Jose Ramirez & J-C General Contractors Inc. Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed Location: Orinda, CA Year completed: 2014

A&E Construction. This Pennington NJ remodel of a master bath en-suite features marble basketweave tile detailing and a generous walk-in shower area. One memorable aspect of this design is the continuous marble slab that simultaneously serves as a tub deck and continues into the shower area to serve as a bench seat. Scroll through the project photos to observe this unique project.

Gallery Wall - During the Victorian era there was an obsession with the natural world. Travel became accessible and Victorian's could visit exotic locations and observe rare specimens of floral and fauna. They were creating detailed sketches and collecting actual specimens of plants, birds, insects, seashells, and fossils. The sketches would be framed and specimens would be showcased in a shadowbox or glass dome. These treasures were displayed as decorative art in the Victorian home. Our gallery wall is an update of those traditional collections. Reproduction botanical prints, decorative plates and framed photographs focus on close up views of birds, bees and butterflies.