Joe Fletcher Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains of Carmel, California, an oak tree stands elevated above the fog and wrapped at its base in this ranch retreat. The weekend home’s design grew around the 100-year-old Valley Oak to form a horseshoe-shaped house that gathers ridgeline views of Oak, Madrone, and Redwood groves at its exterior and nestles around the tree at its center. The home’s orientation offers both the shade of the oak canopy in the courtyard and the sun flowing into the great room at the house’s rear façades. This modern take on a traditional ranch home offers contemporary materials and landscaping to a classic typology. From the main entry in the courtyard, one enters the home’s great room and immediately experiences the dramatic westward views across the 70 foot pool at the house’s rear. In this expansive public area, programmatic needs flow and connect - from the kitchen, whose windows face the courtyard, to the dining room, whose doors slide seamlessly into walls to create an outdoor dining pavilion. The primary circulation axes flank the internal courtyard, anchoring the house to its site and heightening the sense of scale by extending views outward at each of the corridor’s ends. Guest suites, complete with private kitchen and living room, and the garage are housed in auxiliary wings connected to the main house by covered walkways. Building materials including pre-weathered corrugated steel cladding, buff limestone walls, and large aluminum apertures, and the interior palette of cedar-clad ceilings, oil-rubbed steel, and exposed concrete floors soften the modern aesthetics into a refined but rugged ranch home.

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern built-in desk dark wood floor study room remodel in Chicago with beige walls and no fireplace

Mid-century was the peak of Palm Springs glamour, and the inspiration behind this room designed by Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry. The angular lines of the Seagram® Freestanding Soaking Tub made it a dynamic focal point for their design. Behind it lies the tropical indoor/ outdoor shower, a refreshing expression of desert modernism. Bright whites, bursts of colors and organic patterns are all set off by a few rich hits of quirky fun, setting the tone for a true sense of leisure that’s as timeless today as it was yesterday.

Photography by Erhard Pfeiffer © Rizzoli
Inspiration for a contemporary open concept living room remodel in New York with a music area

Country brick floor and multicolored floor mudroom photo in Minneapolis with white walls

Lisa Patrole Photography
Mid-sized transitional three-story wood exterior home photo in Toronto

Inspiration for a french country patio remodel in San Francisco with a pergola

Rob Karosis Photography
Example of a minimalist dining room design in Boston

Inspiration for a contemporary master dark wood floor bedroom remodel in Dallas with gray walls

We worked with our client to design a modified rectangle that would complement the serene coastal setting and natural property curves. The interior pool steps, benches, and lounge areas are situated facing outward from the home so that swimmers can enjoy the stunning view. The pool is finished with an expansive Bluestone deck set in a random rectangular pattern. Phil Nelson Imaging

Kitchen with concrete countertops and double hung windows allowing to see the natural landscapes. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Eat-in kitchen - large farmhouse u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in New York with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, concrete countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, black countertops and shiplap backsplash

Chuck Choi Architectural Photography
Home office - modern built-in desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor home office idea in Boston with white walls

MJLID
Dining room - contemporary dark wood floor dining room idea in Los Angeles with white walls

Small cottage chic light wood floor bedroom photo in San Francisco with white walls and no fireplace

Randy Angell, Designer The beautiful estate already had a well-designed backyard by a prominent landscape architect. This included the upper spa area, which we had built for the previous owner. The challenge presented by the new homeowner was to create a seamless design that integrated the new with the existing, remained true to the original architects vision, and created a space to be enjoyed by the family's children, as well as the many business and charity event guests that would be frequenting the home.

Large trendy l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash and glass tile backsplash

Inspiration for a contemporary dining room remodel in New York

Sitting room with four custom chairs around tea table sitting comfortably on a natural sheepskin rug and lit up by a gold beaded chandelier. This Denver home was decorated by Andrea Schumacher Interiors using gorgeous color choices and prints. Photo Credit: Emily Minton Redfield

Photography by Richard Mandelkorn
Large traditional white two-story exterior home idea in Boston