For those lucky enough to live lakeside in New Hampshire, warm evening summer breezes are best enjoyed from a comfortable screened porch. This summer camp underwent a drastic renovation and expansion so the family could enjoy life at the lake and offer year-round living to future generations. The project’s design especially focused around expanding the existing screened porch, where the family spends most of their time. Keeping the porch at the best viewing corner of the home, while expanding into a wrap-around style to best take in the water views, was important. Meticulous planning helped navigate the design around strict allowances for a residence with such close proximity to the water, per the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. To make the camp a family cottage, there was a complete re-facing of the exterior, a mudroom addition and a dormer addition to create an office space open to living areas below. Extensive renovations to the interior resulted in a new kitchen for family to gather, reconfiguration to create a first-floor master suite and improved access to the exterior, especially the wrap-around porch. Now the home, and porch, can be enjoyed to the fullest by the owners, family and friends. Greg West

This is an example of a small modern brick back porch design in Detroit.

Reclaimed steel siding with rust and staining photo by Michael Haywood
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern gray metal exterior home remodel

Designed to offer a peaceful retreat with modern amenities and stunning lake views. The layout and materials are carefully chosen to create a balance between luxury and relaxation. The freestanding tub is positioned next to expansive glass windows that overlook Lake LBJ, providing a breathtaking view while preserving privacy. The open layout allows for ample natural light to flow in, giving the bathroom a bright and airy feel. The glass doors provide seamless access to the outdoor environment, enhancing the indoor-outdoor living experience central to the home’s design. The custom-built double vanity features clean lines and natural wood cabinetry, emphasizing a modern yet warm aesthetic. The cabinetry offers generous storage while maintaining a minimalist design. Above the vanity, a large backlit mirror adds both function and form, offering soft, even lighting, ideal for daily grooming while contributing to the luxurious feel of the bathroom. The flooring is composed of a terrazzo-style tile that complements the natural wood cabinetry and adds subtle texture to the space. The wood-paneled ceiling continues the natural elements seen throughout the home, bringing warmth and a cohesive design language from other rooms. The entire space is accented with modern fixtures, such as the floating vanity with under-cabinet lighting that creates a soft, glowing ambiance. These subtle design elements enhance the overall feeling of calm and relaxation, perfect for unwinding after a long day.

Modern farmhouse style graces the facade, from the board-and-batten siding to the black frame windows, while an arched portico presents a grand entry with an eye-catching red front door. The great room, kitchen, and dining rooms create an easy flow and a rear screened porch with skylights takes living outdoors. The master suite is a private wing with a tray ceiling, outdoor access, dual walk-in closets and a spacious bathroom. A bedroom/study provides versatility and two additional bedrooms are available. The mud room entry offers convenient storage, along with a pantry, and the utility room is adjoining with a laundry sink and built-in cabinets. A bonus room above the garage meets the homeowners needs for storage or additional square footage.

With a narrow driveway and leaning concrete retaining walls, parking was a major challenge at this 1938 brick Tudor on Spokane's South Hill. Crumbling concrete stairs added another layer of difficulty, and after a particularly rough winter, the homeowners were ready for a change. The failing concrete walls were replaced with stacked boulders, which created space for a new, wider driveway. Natural stone steps offer access to the backyard, while the new front stairs and sidewalk provide a safe route to the front door. The original iron railings were preserved and modified to be reused with the new stairs.

DJL Builders designed a mudroom between the kitchen and garage as well as a modest basement remodel with an entryway. The space for the mudroom was awkward and a catch-all for clutter. DJL Builders created a mudroom with custom cubbies with seating and a side closet to help bring order and extra storage to seasonal and everyday needs. The basement of the home was underutilized as well, so we came up with a simple, multipurpose design for entertaining and a media room. The addition of the egress door to the basement with its own private entrance gives easy access to the outside and offers a sense of privacy for when guests come to visit. C. J. South Photography

There's always room for more storage regardless of what room we are talking about, and the bathroom is no exception. If you've maxed out your linen closet and cabinet space, it's time to add bathroom hooks. While they're mainly designed for towels, these compact storage solutions are perfect for keeping your family’s towels and bathrobes tidy and easy to access. We carry a wide range of bathroom hooks so you can find the design, color, and style that matches your bathroom. Choose your favorite finish, including polished chrome, polished gold, black, and more, and then decide on what shape and style best fits your space. We have basic round hooks and modern square hooks. We even offer double hooks, triple hooks and more, to give you the storage you need without adding an extra installation step.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC
Example of a transitional home design design in Boston

Inspiration for a contemporary staircase remodel in New York

This colonial home in Penn Valley, PA, needed a complete interior renovation. Working closely with the owners, we renovated all three floors plus the basement. Now the house is bright and light, featuring open layouts, loads of natural light, and a clean design maximizing family living areas. Highlights include: - creating a guest suite in the third floor/attic - installing custom millwork and moulding in the curved staircase and foyer - creating a stunning, contemporary kitchen, with marble counter tops, white subway tile back splash, and an eating nook. RUDLOFF Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016 and 2017. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017 and 2018, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. RUDLOFF CUSTOM BUILDERS will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early on in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with RUDLOFF CUSTOM BUILDERS from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept, envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission; CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo credit: JMB Photoworks

Kevin Murray. Solid Apollo LED. This incredible lighting installation for the front stairs and deck of this home has been created using Warm White Driverless LED Strip Light for seamless linear lighting. To connect the parts together, multiple lengths of Driverless Interconnector Cables were used for a perfect fitting installation. The lighting from the Driverless LED Strip Light is bright enough to illuminate every inch of the deck with no shadows, and easily fits under the railings, so there is no glare to anyone coming up the stairs or sitting down on the deck. Driverless LED Strip Light requires no transformers and plugs straight into the wall, and can run up to 165 feet using just one plug! The Driverless Lights are also tied to a motion sensor, so the lights come on when a person comes near the stairs, for easy no touch lighting.

This gorgeous renovation has been designed and built by Richmond Hill Design + Build and offers a floor plan that suits today’s lifestyle. This home sits on a huge corner lot and features over 3,000 sq. ft. of living space, a fenced-in backyard with a deck and a 2-car garage with off street parking! A spacious living room greets you and showcases the shiplap accent walls, exposed beams and original fireplace. An addition to the home provides an office space with a vaulted ceiling and exposed brick wall. The first floor bedroom is spacious and has a full bath that is accessible through the mud room in the rear of the home, as well. Stunning open kitchen boasts floating shelves, breakfast bar, designer light fixtures, shiplap accent wall and a dining area. A wide staircase leads you upstairs to 3 additional bedrooms, a hall bath and an oversized laundry room. The master bedroom offers 3 closets, 1 of which is a walk-in. The en-suite has been thoughtfully designed and features tile floors, glass enclosed tile shower, dual vanity and plenty of natural light. A finished basement gives you additional entertaining space with a wet bar and half bath. Must-see quality build!

Staircase #3: Frosted glass treads and Glass railings.
Inspiration for a large modern glass l-shaped open and glass railing staircase remodel in Tampa

Cast concrete strips make up new patio and stepping stones. The dark grey concrete is stained contrasting nicely with Dwarf mondo grass and blending with the decomposed granite. Photo credit: Ashley Thorner photo credit: Ashley ThornerAshley Thorner

The Roger Lee designed house from 1962 was purchased by the current homeowners in almost original condition, as the previous owners elected to defer most maintenance projects over the years. The clients were able to see beyond the dated materials and finishes, single-paned glass and uninsulated walls and they approached Klopf Architecture to help them expand and update the entire home, one the family could settle into and enjoy for years to come. It was important that the new designs were aligned with Lee's original intent not only because of the client's appreciation for mid-century modern architecture, but also because the house was deemed historical. The Stanford Real Estate Office requires a stringent design review which safeguards the integrity of the community, which Klopf Architecture was happy to oblige going into their updated designs. As with many original mid-century modern homes, the house was scaled to the 1960s lifestyle where rooms were smaller and openings to views were limited and tightly framed. The original conditions defined the direction the family of four would take in updating the house and making it comfortable for their modern lifestyle. Klopf designed a full gut remodel and major addition to bring the house into the 21st century and provide the living area needed for the client's family. The newly expanded house added just about 1,100 sf to create an airy, comfortable and family friendly house, taking full advantage of the beautiful southwestern views that extend out to the hills beyond. The enclosed garage created an additional 240 sf of covered space for long-term storage. A cracked swimming pool created an eyesore taking up a majority of the backyard landscape, so it was one of the first elements to go during the transformation. Working with Outer Space Landscape Architects, the family asked for a mix of relaxing outdoor patio spaces that eventually blend into the native landscaping, extending their views outward toward the natural greenery of the trees beyond their property. Filling in the old pool was a smart way to expand the living spaces outward. The orientation of the house was designed to enjoy the views, but the original architecture provided the first homeowners with mere glimpses of the landscape outside. Klopf was able to broaden those views, continuing and extending on the original architecture to take full advantage of the unobstructed natural views across the rear facade of the house. Small horizontal openings in the primary bedroom and office were replaced with much taller windows that now follow the angled roof line upward, extending across almost all of the facade. We worked with Western Windows, whose designs included an oblique-shaped, operable casement that allowed our design to rise with the slope. A new corner office added to the primary suite, offers a bright and functional work-from-home solution that looks out at the distant views and added natural light from the expanded window configuration that now wraps around the corner. The existing lower level was designed by Lee as a utilitarian space, serving as a wet pool room with a drain in the center of the floor, bathroom, laundry and storage areas. Without the need for a pool room, Klopf was able to convert the area into a much more comfortable and functional living space with a new family room and guest suite. The new spaces enjoy easy access to a new outdoor patio through floor to ceiling, full-width glass sliders. Continuing along the rear facade, a previously exposed deck extending from the living room and hallway provided access to the backyard through a single set of stairs leading toward the side of the house which made sense when the pool was in place. The new deck was re-envisioned as an extension of the main living room and now serves as a second outdoor living room. A new slatted pergola above provides the homeowners welcome relief from the hot afternoon sun. A second set of stairs now creates a better connection to the redesigned lower level. Klopf was able to reconfigure the spaces, extending the living room outward toward the views, where the family now claims it as the heart of the home, spending a large majority of their time outdoors. Back inside, the original wood-burning Malm fireplace was beautifully restored and a gas burner installed to comply with California's strict air standards. It now rests in front of a wall of Heath accent tiles where a dated red brick wall used to stand. A new taller window brings more light and views into the refreshed interior living room. The original glass doors opposite the fireplace were replaced by larger sliders that when fully opened, create a seamless transition to the new outdoor living area so the two spaces feel like one connected space. The original utilitarian kitchen was needlessly tucked into the far back corner and closed-off, out of sight from the living room, so the clients asked Klopf to open it up and expand the kitchen forward so it felt more connected. Today the much larger kitchen is connected to the living area where a short wall with a cutout offers a visual glimpse into the kitchen and a handy pass-through counter for serving guests. A new breakfast nook was also added to create another spot where the family can gather for casual meals. Just outside, a new built-in outdoor grill and prep area extends the kitchen outside and connects to a new outdoor dining spot nestled amongst the trees, taking advantage of the views out back. Klopf was able to expand the other two bedrooms, add a new laundry room and half-bath and convert the carport to an enclosed garage to add more storage areas which was lost when the pool house was converted to the family and guest room. To maintain a historical connection to the original designs, the exterior siding was repeated on all exterior walls, a full-height stained glass window at the front entryway restored, and an interior slatted screen element repeated outside at the exterior entry courtyard and over the new outdoor living room to create a shade trellis. The new house stands proudly and shines against it's new landscaping features, while respecting and expanding on the original intent of Roger Lee's designs epitomizing the comforts of indoor-outdoor living in Northern California. Completion year: 2020 Klopf Architecture project team: John Klopf, Klara Kevane, Noel Andrade Contractor: ORB Construction, Brendan O'Reilly Structural engineer: Sezen and Moon Landscape architect: Outer space Furnishings and decoration: Urbanism Designs Photographer: Mariko Reed

This large bathroom was designed to offer an open, airy feel, with ample storage and space to move, all the while adhering to the homeowner's unique coastal taste. The sprawling louvered cabinetry keeps both his and hers vanities accessible regardless of someone using either. The tall, above-counter linen storage breaks up the large wall space and provides additional storage with full size pull outs.

At the tip of a prominent peninsula on Lake Sunapee, this stunning lakefront home is comfortably tucked into a community of cottages. The waterfront site is an enticing mixture of level topography, outstanding mountain and lighthouse views, and sunny southern exposure. This cottage-style home provides easy access to single-story living with a first-floor primary bedroom suite, living space, office, laundry, and an ample mudroom. The second floor offers three additional bedrooms with lake views, bathrooms, a sitting area, an exercise area, and a second office space to simplify working-from-home needs. Living space spills out the kitchen doors to a reclaimed stone patio with an adjacent outdoor cooking area and access to the lawn and lakeside amenities. A huge thank you to our wonderful clients, our design team at Bonin Architects, the highly recommended general contractor-McGray & Nichols, Inc., all of the subcontractors and consultants who helped craft this beautiful Lake Sunapee home. www.boninarchitects.com Photography by John W. Hession, Advanced Digital Photography Drone photos by Peter Bloch, Earth Aerial Productions

The Jackson II is a spacious four bedroom home with a downstairs office/study, which can also be configured as a guest suite with bay window. The two story foyer has a railed overlook above, and encompasses a stairway with a feature window over the landing. The family room and breakfast overlook the rear yard, and the centrally located kitchen is open to all main living areas of the home, for good traffic flow and entertaining. A large pass-through utility room/mudroom is on the first floor, and accesses a back hallway convenient to the powder room and kitchen. The office or study is located off this hallway, creating a nice combination of privacy and accessibility. When the optional guest suite replaces the office/study, a drop zone is also available leading from the garage to house. The upstairs primary suite features a large bedroom with a trey ceiling, and a luxury bath with dual vanities, linen closet, enclosed commode, garden tub, and separate shower, adjacent to a roomy closet. Additional luxury bath options are also offered on this plan. Three additional bedrooms, one with a large walk-in closet, share a hall bath. Exterior plan details include a front porch, shake siding accents, and true radius head windows.