Chip Riegel www.chipriegel.com
Example of a transitional kitchen design in Providence

Clear skies and a gentle breeze make for a gorgeous afternoon full of lawn games and relaxation. Rest amid an assortment of decorative pillows and floor cushions made using durable and fade-resistant Sunbrella® fabrics while an awning offers just the right amount of protection from the sun without blocking the view.

Example of a classic corner shower design in San Francisco

Master Bathroom with a gray monochromatic look with accents of porcelain tile and floating wood vanity and brass hardware. Also featuring modern lighting, jack and jill sinks, and textured wall finish.

Transitional freestanding desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor study room photo in Orange County with brown walls and no fireplace

Brooklyn backyard patio design in Prospect Heights for a young, professional couple who loves to both entertain and relax! This space includes a West Elm outdoor sectional and round concrete outdoor coffee table.

A little greenery goes a long way! Here, the tall fiddle-leaf fig tree next to the client's monumental painting was the perfect antidote to an otherwise gaping white space. Shiny brass accents complement the warm walnut finishes throughout. Photo by Claire Esparros.

The 800 Series Washer & Dryer are One of the Few ENERGY STAR® Qualified 24" Pairs Offering Quality, Water Protection & Design.
Dedicated laundry room - mid-sized modern single-wall ceramic tile and beige floor dedicated laundry room idea in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, gray walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

This master bath layout was large, but awkward, with faux Grecian columns flanking a huge corner tub. He prefers showers; she always bathes. This traditional bath had an outdated appearance and had not worn well over time. The owners sought a more personalized and inviting space with increased functionality. The new design provides a larger shower, free-standing tub, increased storage, a window for the water-closet and a large combined walk-in closet. This contemporary spa-bath offers a dedicated space for each spouse and tremendous storage. The white dimensional tile catches your eye – is it wallpaper OR tile? You have to see it to believe!

Terrain Collection offers the timeless appeal of warm earthy tones with a natural beauty that beckons and inspires. Shown here in Sandy Birch, other colors include Brown Oak and Silver Maple. The scalloped edge of all Terrain Collection boards make these affordable alternatives with the same superior quality and low maintenance that homeowners have come to expect from capped composites. Capped with a protective polymer shell, Terrain Collection is scratch, stain and fade resistant and backed by an additional 25 Year Fade and Stain Warranty for total peace of mind.

Lagoon-side property in the Bel Marin Keys, Novato, CA. Entertaining and enjoying the views were a primary design goal for this project along with replacing the lawn with CA native and low water plants and a total renovation. The project includes a large camaru deck with built-in seating. The concrete steps and pavers lead down to the water's edge. I included a sunken patio on one side and a beautiful Buddha statue on the other, surrounded by succulents and other low-water, contemporary plantings. I also used Dymondia ground cover to create a natural pathways within the garden. Plants shown: Bush Germander (Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum'), Sea Lavender (Limonium perezii, and Blue Oat Grass. Photo: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design. Design Eileen Kelly

Custom Sunbrella Retracting Sun Shades. This outdoor kitchen was a new build and needed protection from the harsh sun. Costello Contruction and Associates, Inc. built the structure keeping in mind the specs for the shading. The Sunbrella shades offer UV protection and retract manually on stainless steel cabling components. Shades can be constructed with solar shading that offer UV protection. Photo by Dian Garbarini

This beautiful, hand-made custom wine cabinet takes advantage of the unused space under the stairs. Insulated glass doors with brushed stainless trim and pole handles offer modern appeal to the room. Metal racking holds bottles securely in place while two Wine Mate Cooling Systems ensure the entire collection is stored at the right temperature and humidity. By Vinotemp International

Example of a large classic backyard concrete paver patio design in Richmond with a fireplace and a gazebo

Sunset Construction and Design specializes in creating residential patio retreats, outdoor kitchens with fireplaces and luxurious outdoor living rooms. Our design-build service can turn an ordinary back yard into a natural extension of your home giving you a whole new dimension for entertaining or simply unwinding at the end of the day. Today, almost any activity you enjoy inside your home you can bring to the outside. Depending on your budget, your outdoor room can be simple, with a stamped concrete patio, a grill and a table for dining, or more elaborate with a fully functional outdoor kitchen complete with concrete countertops for preparing and serving food, a sink and a refrigerator. You can take the concept even further by adding such amenities as a concrete pizza oven, a fireplace or fire-pit, a concrete bar-top for serving cocktails, an architectural concrete fountain, landscape lighting and concrete statuary. Cooking Something to cook with, such as a barbecue grill or wood-fired pizza oven, and countertops for food preparation and serving are key elements in a well-designed outdoor kitchen. Concrete countertops offer the advantages of weather resistance and versatility, since they can be formed into any shape you desire to suit the space. A coat of sealer will simplify cleanup by protecting your countertop from stains. Other amenities, such as concrete bar-tops and outdoor sinks with plumbing, can expand your entertainment options. Hearth Wood-burning or gas fireplaces, fire pits, chimineas and portable patio heaters extend the enjoyment of outdoor living well into the evening while creating a cozy conversation area for people to gather around. If you’re interested in converting a boring back yard or starting from scratch in a new home, look us up! A great patio and outdoor living area can easily be yours. Greg, Sunset Construction & Design in Fresno, CA.

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

This is an example of a small farmhouse full sun backyard gravel formal garden in Bridgeport for summer.

At night the skin and the reflecting pool glow while the entrance is highlighted with a single light. The living room ceiling plane floats above it all due to up lighting. Photography by Andrew Fabin

This 3200 square foot home features a maintenance free exterior of LP Smartside, corrugated aluminum roofing, and native prairie landscaping. The design of the structure is intended to mimic the architectural lines of classic farm buildings. The outdoor living areas are as important to this home as the interior spaces; covered and exposed porches, field stone patios and an enclosed screen porch all offer expansive views of the surrounding meadow and tree line. The home’s interior combines rustic timbers and soaring spaces which would have traditionally been reserved for the barn and outbuildings, with classic finishes customarily found in the family homestead. Walls of windows and cathedral ceilings invite the outdoors in. Locally sourced reclaimed posts and beams, wide plank white oak flooring and a Door County fieldstone fireplace juxtapose with classic white cabinetry and millwork, tongue and groove wainscoting and a color palate of softened paint hues, tiles and fabrics to create a completely unique Door County homestead. Mitch Wise Design, Inc. Richard Steinberger Photography