Search results for "Offering visitors" in Home Design Ideas

Relatives spending the weekend? Daughter moving back in? Could you use a spare bedroom for surprise visitors? Here’s an idea that can accommodate that occasional guest while maintaining your distance: Add a studio apartment above your garage.
Studio apartments are often called mother-in-law apartments, perhaps because they add a degree of privacy. They have their own kitchen, living room and bath. Often they feature a Murphy bed. With appliances designed for micro homes becoming more popular it’s easier than ever to plan for and build a studio apartment.
Rick Jacobson began this project with a large garage, capable of parking a truck and SUV, and storing everything from bikes to snowthrowers. Then he added a 500+ square foot apartment above the garage.
Guests are welcome to the apartment with a private entrance inside a fence. Once inside, the apartment’s open design floods it with daylight from two large skylights and energy-efficient Marvin double hung windows. A gas fireplace below a 42-inch HD TV creates a great entertainment center. It’s all framed with rough-cut black granite, giving the whole apartment a distinctive look. Notice the ¾ inch thick tongue in grove solid oak flooring – the perfect accent to the grey and white interior design.
The kitchen features a gas range with outdoor-vented hood, and a space-saving refrigerator and freezer. The custom kitchen backsplash was built using 3 X 10 inch gray subway glass tile. Black granite countertops can be found in the kitchen and bath, and both featuring under mounted sinks.
The full ¾ bath features a glass-enclosed walk-in shower with 4 x 12 inch ceramic subway tiles arranged in a vertical pattern for a unique look. 6 x 24 inch gray porcelain floor tiles were used in the bath.
A full-sized murphy bed folds out of the wall cabinet, offering a great view of the fireplace and HD TV. On either side of the bed, 3 built-in closets and 2 cabinets provide ample storage space. And a coffee table easily converts to a laptop computer workspace for traveling professionals or FaceBook check-ins.
The result: An addition that has already proved to be a worthy investment, with the ability to host family and friends while appreciating the property’s value.

This guest bedroom was designed with a great perch for lake watching. A custom seat cushion and patterned pillows welcome any visitor for a quick sit or to relax and read a book. All furnishings procured by Lenox House Design. The wall color is Benjamin Moore French Toile.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER
This 1970’s split-level single-family home in an upscale Arlington neighborhood had been neglected for years. With his surrounding neighbors all doing major exterior and interior remodeling, however, the owner decided it was time to renovate his property as well. After several consultation meetings with the design team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, he settled on an exterior layout to create an Art & Craft design for the home.
It all got started by excavating the front and left side of the house and attaching a wrap-around stone porch. Key design attributes include a black metal roof, large tapered columns, blue and grey random style flag stone, beaded stain ceiling paneling and an octagonal seating area on the left side of this porch. The front porch has a wide stairway and another set of stairs leads to the back yard.
All exterior walls of the home were modified with new headers to allow much larger custom-made windows, new front doors garage doors, and French side and back doors. A custom-designed mahogany front door with leaded glass provides more light and offers a wider entrance into the home’s living area.
Design challenges included removing the entire face of the home and then adding new insulation, Tyvek and Hardiplank siding. The use of high-efficiency low-e windows makes the home air tight.
The Arts & Crafts design touches include the front gable over the front porch, the prairie-style grill pattern on the windows and doors, the use of tapered columns sitting over stone columns and the leaded glass front door. Decorative exterior lighting provides the finishing touches to this look.
Inside, custom woodwork, crown molding, custom glass cabinets and interior pillars carry the design. Upon entering the space, visitors face a large partition that separates the living area from a gourmet Arts & Crafts kitchen and dining room.
The home’s signature space, the kitchen offers contrasting dark and light cherry cabinets. Wide plank hard wood floors, exotic granite counters and stainless steel professional-grade appliances make this a kitchen fit for any chef.
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Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture designed this textural, drought tolerant, warm modern garden to complement the mid-century design of the home. The use of various materials including gravel, wood, and concrete mixed with a lush drought resistant planting palette offer a homeowners and visitors a multi sensory environment.
Photos by Art Gray

A powder room on the first floor is a joy. We made the most of this small space by making every choice count. The mirror features capiz shells, the vanity is clean and neat, and the flooring a really great marble tile. Choose the right paint color and a window treatment that offers privacy yet filters light, and you've got a functional yet beautiful space that can hold up to the rigors of kids and visitors.
Photo by Eric Roth

Living Room looking into Entry
Sara Essex Bradley
Example of a small eclectic medium tone wood floor foyer design in San Francisco with gray walls
Example of a small eclectic medium tone wood floor foyer design in San Francisco with gray walls

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER
This 1970’s split-level single-family home in an upscale Arlington neighborhood had been neglected for years. With his surrounding neighbors all doing major exterior and interior remodeling, however, the owner decided it was time to renovate his property as well. After several consultation meetings with the design team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, he settled on an exterior layout to create an Art & Craft design for the home.
It all got started by excavating the front and left side of the house and attaching a wrap-around stone porch. Key design attributes include a black metal roof, large tapered columns, blue and grey random style flag stone, beaded stain ceiling paneling and an octagonal seating area on the left side of this porch. The front porch has a wide stairway and another set of stairs leads to the back yard.
All exterior walls of the home were modified with new headers to allow much larger custom-made windows, new front doors garage doors, and French side and back doors. A custom-designed mahogany front door with leaded glass provides more light and offers a wider entrance into the home’s living area.
Design challenges included removing the entire face of the home and then adding new insulation, Tyvek and Hardiplank siding. The use of high-efficiency low-e windows makes the home air tight.
The Arts & Crafts design touches include the front gable over the front porch, the prairie-style grill pattern on the windows and doors, the use of tapered columns sitting over stone columns and the leaded glass front door. Decorative exterior lighting provides the finishing touches to this look.
Inside, custom woodwork, crown molding, custom glass cabinets and interior pillars carry the design. Upon entering the space, visitors face a large partition that separates the living area from a gourmet Arts & Crafts kitchen and dining room.
The home’s signature space, the kitchen offers contrasting dark and light cherry cabinets. Wide plank hard wood floors, exotic granite counters and stainless steel professional-grade appliances make this a kitchen fit for any chef.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER
This 1970’s split-level single-family home in an upscale Arlington neighborhood had been neglected for years. With his surrounding neighbors all doing major exterior and interior remodeling, however, the owner decided it was time to renovate his property as well. After several consultation meetings with the design team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, he settled on an exterior layout to create an Art & Craft design for the home.
It all got started by excavating the front and left side of the house and attaching a wrap-around stone porch. Key design attributes include a black metal roof, large tapered columns, blue and grey random style flag stone, beaded stain ceiling paneling and an octagonal seating area on the left side of this porch. The front porch has a wide stairway and another set of stairs leads to the back yard.
All exterior walls of the home were modified with new headers to allow much larger custom-made windows, new front doors garage doors, and French side and back doors. A custom-designed mahogany front door with leaded glass provides more light and offers a wider entrance into the home’s living area.
Design challenges included removing the entire face of the home and then adding new insulation, Tyvek and Hardiplank siding. The use of high-efficiency low-e windows makes the home air tight.
The Arts & Crafts design touches include the front gable over the front porch, the prairie-style grill pattern on the windows and doors, the use of tapered columns sitting over stone columns and the leaded glass front door. Decorative exterior lighting provides the finishing touches to this look.
Inside, custom woodwork, crown molding, custom glass cabinets and interior pillars carry the design. Upon entering the space, visitors face a large partition that separates the living area from a gourmet Arts & Crafts kitchen and dining room.
The home’s signature space, the kitchen offers contrasting dark and light cherry cabinets. Wide plank hard wood floors, exotic granite counters and stainless steel professional-grade appliances make this a kitchen fit for any chef.

Photo: Faith Towers © 2015 Houzz
Coastal exterior home idea in Boston
Coastal exterior home idea in Boston

This Beacon Hill brownstone started with a new rubber roof, bare and sprawling, the ideal spot for a great family gathering place. After thoughtful consideration, a master plan was developed to provide all the amenities an urban outdoor space could offer; comfortable seating, customized storage, mature plantings, a fully functioning outdoor kitchen, comprehensive irrigation, discrete lighting, natural materials and open space for larger groups.
As this project was completed in the context of a comprehensive renovation of the building, we were easily afforded access below the deck to augment the structure and accommodate the added weight of the roof deck elements. A new staircase and generous hatch were added from the top floor inside to home to provide easy and convenient use of the deck. Similarly, bringing gas to the large grill, and hot and cold water to the sink, ice-maker and irrigation system were relatively straightforward.
Through the careful use of natural materials and the well designed layout, the space feels like an extension of the inside living space and welcomes its visitors to sounds of music coming from the Hatch Shell steps away and views unique to the character and history of Boston.
Photographer: Eric Roth

Situated within a one-acre lot in Austin’s Tarry Trail neighborhood, the backyard of this existing 1933- vintage historical house was underutilized. The owners felt that the main drawbacks of the existing backyard were a general disconnection between each outdoor area and a general lack of relationship to the house proper. Therefore, the primary goal of the redesign was a scheme that would promote the use of the outdoor zones, with the pool as a centerpiece.
The first major design move was to frame the pool with a new structure as a backdrop. This cabana is perpendicular to the main house and creates a clear “bookend” to the upper level deck while housing indoor and outdoor activities. Under the cabana’s overhang, an integrated seating space offers a balance of sunlight and shade while an outdoor grill and bar area facilitate the family’s outdoor lifestyle. The only enclosed program exists as a naturally lit perch within the canopy of the trees, providing a serene environment to exercise within the comfort of a climate-controlled space.
A corollary focus was to create sectional variation within the volume of the pool to encourage dynamic use at both ends while relating to the interior program of the home. A shallow beach zone for children to play is located near the family room and the access to the play space in the yard below. At the opposite end of the pool, outside the formal living room, another shallow space is made to be a splash-free sunbathing area perfect for enjoying an adult beverage.
The functional separation set up by the pool creates a subtle and natural division between the energetic family spaces for playing, lounging, and grilling, and the composed, entertaining and dining spaces. The pool also enhances the formal program of the house by acting as a reflecting pool within a composed view from the front entry that draws visitors to an outdoor dining area under a majestic oak tree.
By acting as a connector between the house and the yard, the elongated pool bridges the day-to-day activities within the house and the lush, sprawling backyard. Planter beds and low walls provide loose constraints to organize the overall outdoor living area, while allowing the space to spill out into the yard. Terraces navigate the sectional change in the landscape, offering a passage to the lower yard where children can play on the grass as the parents lounge by the outdoor fireplace.

The lush planting and unique design details in this contemporary residential garden offer a fresh, bold aesthetic within a suburban neighbourhood. Frame views and thoughtful transitions from one outdoor space to the next, creat strong connections between the indoor and outdoor spaces. The materials and colours used also provide a strong integration with the design language of the house and many unique details contribute to the bold contemporary aesthetic. A mix of ground covers and mid-height plants provide a layered base with taller plants occasionally poking through to add interest and punctuation. The overall effect of the lush plantings, contrasted with clean lines of wood, concrete and metal elements is a design that is at once bold and innovative, but – as clusters of daisies graze the metal screens - also delicate and at times playful.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER
This 1970’s split-level single-family home in an upscale Arlington neighborhood had been neglected for years. With his surrounding neighbors all doing major exterior and interior remodeling, however, the owner decided it was time to renovate his property as well. After several consultation meetings with the design team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, he settled on an exterior layout to create an Art & Craft design for the home.
It all got started by excavating the front and left side of the house and attaching a wrap-around stone porch. Key design attributes include a black metal roof, large tapered columns, blue and grey random style flag stone, beaded stain ceiling paneling and an octagonal seating area on the left side of this porch. The front porch has a wide stairway and another set of stairs leads to the back yard.
All exterior walls of the home were modified with new headers to allow much larger custom-made windows, new front doors garage doors, and French side and back doors. A custom-designed mahogany front door with leaded glass provides more light and offers a wider entrance into the home’s living area.
Design challenges included removing the entire face of the home and then adding new insulation, Tyvek and Hardiplank siding. The use of high-efficiency low-e windows makes the home air tight.
The Arts & Crafts design touches include the front gable over the front porch, the prairie-style grill pattern on the windows and doors, the use of tapered columns sitting over stone columns and the leaded glass front door. Decorative exterior lighting provides the finishing touches to this look.
Inside, custom woodwork, crown molding, custom glass cabinets and interior pillars carry the design. Upon entering the space, visitors face a large partition that separates the living area from a gourmet Arts & Crafts kitchen and dining room.
The home’s signature space, the kitchen offers contrasting dark and light cherry cabinets. Wide plank hard wood floors, exotic granite counters and stainless steel professional-grade appliances make this a kitchen fit for any chef.

The guest room of this stately mountain home boasts a cozy corner for its visitors. Ivory walls are trimmed with rich taupe moldings, and windows painted Sherwin Williams Black Fox offer a peek of the mountainous lake views just outside. Pencil-pleated draperies in an almond and vanilla floral fall from iron rods. In the window hangs a woven blind that echoes the walnut stain of the hardwood floors. Two-toned inset cabinets offer both storage and display space and are painted the same color as the moldings. The stained interior brims with personal touches including books, a mirrored photo frame, bronze bunny and ivy-filled vanilla pot. The traditional tufted chair is covered in cream chenille and topped with an eggshell throw. A black chairside chest provides a place to rest a book or drink. Beside the chair stands an iron floor lamp topped with an ecru shade. The lamp’s body is made to look like a tree’s branch, mirroring the nearby landscape.

Blue sky days invite visitors to maintenance free Mitten Sentry Khaki Brown vinyl siding with Miratec trim painted in Benjamin Moore 926 Seashell & accented by Bucks County Southern Ledgestone. The standing seam metal roof in Sierra Tan.

Renovation of existing basement space as a completely separate ADU (accessory dwelling unit) registered with the City of Portland. Clients plan to use the new space for short term rentals and potentially a rental on Airbnb.
Kuda Photography

This beautiful, all-cedar privacy fence warmly welcomes visitors and keeps the eyes looking around the yard. The arbor extends over the patio to continue the green-black trim to better frame the white house. The HVAC units have been fenced in with a visual screen that lets airflow through - and the panels are removable for maintenance access. We also replaced the old planter boxes on the front windows.

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Belleville Coastal in Hilton Head, South Carolina, effortlessly balances classic architectural details with coastal charm. Spanning a generous 3,182 square feet, this two-story custom house plan is masterfully engineered for premium multigenerational living or hosting extended guests, showcasing an open great room that serves as the home's central gathering hub. A standout feature of the main level is the primary owner’s retreat, a true private sanctuary complete with a deluxe primary bath, an expansive walk-in closet, and a dedicated flex space. This versatile front room has been masterfully converted into a custom home fitness room and exercise studio, making daily workouts completely effortless. Providing ultimate flexible living, the main floor also includes a second junior suite or secondary main-level guest suite ideal for out-of-town visitors.
The thoughtful architecture continues across the second story and beyond. Overlooking the open great room below is a bright, 14' x 11' second-story loft that serves as a flexible upstairs lounge or children's play space. The upper level also accommodates the additional secondary bedrooms, which are intelligently arranged to share a functional Jack-and-Jill bath alongside one private en-suite bathroom. Expanding the estate's footprint, the property features a detached garage with a converted bonus room studio above. This fully private detached living space functions as an independent guest apartment or premium home office, complete with its own full bathroom and dedicated workspace to offer the ultimate retreat for long-term visitors.

Pelican Bay Home Reborn: A Complete Redesign and Rebuild
Pelican Bay Home Reborn: A Complete Redesign and Rebuild
Blog Introduction: The Pelican Bay community in Naples, Florida has seen many homes come and go, but one house stands out from the rest. Recently, a 3,400 square-foot, four bedroom home underwent a complete renovation that breathed new life into it. With a renewed design and upgraded features, this is the perfect example of what can be done when you take on a full redesign and rebuild of your property. Let’s explore what makes this home so special.
The Open Kitchen & Dining Room
One of the most striking elements of the home is its open kitchen and dining room. The kitchen area was designed to maximize space by utilizing an island with storage underneath as well as bar seating for entertaining guests. The cabinets are made from solid wood with intricate details that add to the overall aesthetic of the kitchen. Adjacent to this area is a spacious dining room with enough seating for six people comfortably. The unique ceiling feature adds drama to the room while still keeping it light and airy.
The Gas Fireplace & Ground Floor Living Room
The cozy living room is anchored by a gas fireplace covered in stone tile that gives off a warm ambiance throughout the whole house. This space was designed to be inviting yet comfortable, allowing visitors to relax while still feeling inspired by its modern touches such as built-in shelves and neutral furniture pieces. There are also two sliding doors that lead out onto the back patio which gives even more options for entertaining guests or just enjoying some fresh air on a nice day!
The dramatic entryway sets the tone for what's to come throughout this newly renovated Pelican Bay home in Naples, Florida. With its inviting living areas, open kitchen/dining area, gas fireplace centerpiece, ceiling features throughout, outdoor patio space—this home has been completely transformed into something truly special! Whether you're looking for inspiration on how to renovate your own property or just want to admire an amazing work of art—this remodeled Pelican Bay home should definitely be at the top of your list!
About Pelican Bay
Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida is known for its stunning beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters. Its ideal location nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and a vast nature preserve ensures that visitors to the area can experience an array of outdoor activities, from fishing and kayaking, to swimming, golfing or hiking through mangrove swamps. With an abundance of luxurious resorts, fine dining establishments, spa treatments and shopping galore, Pelican Bay is one of the premier destinations on the west coast of Florida. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an action packed getaway full of adventure and excitement, Pelican Bay offers something for everyone.
Award-Winning House Builders in Florida
If you're looking for a reliable house builder in Florida, look no further! Every project is important to us and each one is completed with the utmost commitment to quality and attention to detail. With years of experience in the field, our team has the expertise and resources necessary to create whatever kind of home you can imagine. Whether you're building from scratch or remodeling an existing structure, we provide friendly and professional service every step of the way, from initial design and permitting all the way through construction and follow up! Let us help make your dream house a reality today.
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