This proposal is for a new two-story home on the vacant heavily wooded lot with an existing 150-foot-long driveway lined by several beautiful oak trees culminating in a behemoth 43-inch oak tree where the driveway meets the main lot. The far end of the driveway terminates in a grove of three 43/40/43-inch redwoods and at the very center of the vacant lot stands a gargantuan V-twin 59-inch redwood tree paired with a “small” 29-inch redwood tree. The owners want to build a beautiful contemporary-styled home for their family that fully enjoys and embraces the mature trees on their cozy 65-foot by 100-foot lot. As with all small, constrained lots, this project’s site design started first with meeting the relatively large parking and car maneuvering requirements. Menlo Park’s Department of Transportation typically requires side-facing garages to have 24-feet of backup space. So that they could give the largest feature redwood tree on site an added four feet (50%) of clearance outside of its critical root zone, the owners agreed to install a vehicle turntable at the end of their driveway to eliminate the extra four feet of space needed to back up and turnaround. This allowed them to pull their garage forward an additional four feet towards the front property line on the panhandle side, drastically reducing the rest of the home’s impact on the gargantuan V-Twin paired redwood tree at the center of the lot. One of the owners has mobility issues, and accordingly, they first sought to design a one-story floor plan that incorporated all their family’s needs including plenty of covered patio and deck space to enjoy our fantastic California weather. But that single-story footprint spread too far into the critical root zones of several of the redwood trees on site, even despite the use of the vehicle turntable. During my interview process with the owners, they made it clear to me that one of their primary concerns is ensuring that the largest trees on site would thrive and become features of their new home after construction is complete. The single-story designs that removed the grove of three huge redwood trees were non-starters, as was the skimpy 5x10 master bath I designed when trying to squeeze the whole house program into an overly compromised single-story design. It was therefore deemed necessary to go with a two-story design despite the owner’s mobility issues. This two-story design has a much more compact ground floor footprint and has no bedrooms downstairs, other than the detached ADU. The owners must give up the floor area and incur the costs to install a residential elevator to access their upstairs master suite. Our ground floor footprint is smaller due to the two-story design decision, and our foundation is pulled away from the trees thanks to the vehicle turntable. Yet, a tiny portion of the home’s ground floor footprint still encroaches into the critical root zones of the largest 59” redwood tree. Therefore, as outlined in the Arborist Report prepared by Aesculus Arboricultural Consulting, the structural engineers are incorporating an array of drilled piers and shallow-grade beams for the main home’s foundation and deck area nearest the redwood’s critical root zone. This drilled piers and grade beam foundation is a type of “bridging” foundation as outlined in Aesculus’ report to preserve the health of these trees that the property was designed around. The rest of the foundation will be constructed as an insulated slab-on-grade foundation to minimize the number of steps and ramps needed for the owners to enjoy their home and patio areas. Despite the owner’s desire to keep as many trees as possible on site, and despite the smaller ground floor footprint and the advantage of the vehicle turntable, the need for a 20x20-foot garage and 20x20/25-foot guest parking space on our panhandle lot requires the removal of two heritage trees in the required driveway, a 16” coast redwood, and a 17” coast redwood. An alternate design, such as swapping the garage and guest parking locations north-to-south, still requires the removal of these two trees for vehicle maneuvering but has the added disadvantage of cutting off the home’s sightlines to the behemoth 43” oak tree just outside the currently proposed front patio space and living room. Jim Redman of Elements Landscape is proposing 13 new trees be planted on site to replace the lost value of these two heritage coast redwood trees. This contemporary architectural design features clean lines, and an abundance of full-height windows and large skylights to best take in the immense trees on site. To blend in with the forest-like setting, the home boasts a mix of rich textures and features a color palette of natural wood tones contrasted with dark blue and black. Once through the new steel gate at the street and down the 150-foot tree-lined driveway, a large covered front patio becomes visible past the neighbor’s detached accessory structure. The covered patio is just across the driveway from the beautiful 43” behemoth coast live oak. The single plane of the covered patio roof is delicately supported by a pair of steel posts in a “V-twin” configuration much like the largest redwood trees that tower over the center of the lot and will still be visible above the new two-story home, even from the front yard. The patio is covered in a dark-colored standing seam roof, with steel C-channel fascias, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling planks on the underside. Generously sized skylights on the patio roof and inside the living area allow for impressive views of the amazing oak canopy as well as precious natural light. Supporting the sloped covered patio on the other side is the two-car garage with a secondary bedroom suite stacked above the garage. This two-story volume is to be clad in vertical clear-coated redwood siding, to tie in with the grove of three 43-inch redwood trees just beyond. The garage door, and the bank of windows for Bedroom#2 above feature a steel fascia eyebrow header feature to provide shade and overhang protection, as we are not proposing a large overhang at this “redwood trunk”. The garage and bedroom volume are pulled 16 feet away from the side property line, instead of the minimum required setback of 6’-6”, thus leaving plenty of room for the redwood grove and existing mature pear tree to continue to thrive. This existing mature green screen in this 16-foot-wide side yard is a feature worth soaking in, which is why tall windows with low sill heights are proposed for both the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Though it may be infrequent to approve side-facing 2nd floor windows with sill heights as low as what we’re proposing, we are confident that the mature green screen and the over 16-foot-wide side yard are sufficient to provide for the continued privacy of our neighbor’s rear yard space, especially considering theses windows are in walkway zones. The covered patio at the front entry is also bound by the 10-foot-tall living room. The great room is clad in a dark blue brick veneer, which wraps around all three sides of the living room. Upon entering the home from the covered patio, you are immediately greeted with one of the most impressive features of the home’s design: a 10-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide set of sliding glass doors. From the entry, this huge opening gives merely an initial glimpse of the massive trunks of the gargantuan V-twin redwoods sitting at the center of the lot. All three sliding glass panels open directly out into the smaller partially covered deck in the rear. This roof overhang element matches the design of the front patio with a steel C-channel fascia and a large skylight. But the rear deck’s roof element is set flat at a ten-foot ceiling height so that the living room’s ceiling seems to float above and out beyond the expanse of full-height sliding doors, thus creating an indoor-outdoor living space that will feel much larger than the home’s actual footprint. This rear covered deck is smaller than the patio in the front and also has a mix of solid and open-slatted roofing to allow for more solar access for the relatively small amount of open sky available. The downstairs living room is open to the dining and kitchen areas, as well as the stair-and-elevator tower beyond. The stair tower is very open and glassy, and the stairs wind up and around the redwood-clad elevator tower. From certain perspectives in the 16-foot-wide side yard, it will almost seem as if the grove of three redwoods has a fourth tree that the house and the stairs were carefully built around. Other than the 3-foot-wide windows, the exterior walls of the stair tower, downstairs utility spaces, and Bedroom#3 above are finished in cement plaster, painted dark blue and black. The sloped roof over the stair-and-elevator tower continues cleanly over the area of upstairs Bedroom#3. This roof level is set by the side daylight plane and only yields an inside wall height of just under 6 feet in height. The owners are satisfied that the rest of this upstairs room has a nice vaulted ceiling to make up for the one short wall under the daylight plane. The rest of the ground floor adjacent to the stair tower consists of a small utility wing containing a half-bath, laundry, storage area, and an exterior alcove for the electric heat pump HVAC unit. This short wing also gives more accessible access to the rear yard deck, as well as a backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. The bright white stone backsplash for the outdoor kitchen provides contrast to the otherwise consistent use of cement plaster painted dark blue and black for the two-story wing closest to the detached ADU. Though Bedroom#3 is stacked directly above this small wing, it is relatively short to comply with the side daylight plane of this narrow lot. Still, to further help break up the scale of this wall, another steel fascia eyebrow element is set about 8 feet above the rear deck. The master suite sits centered above the ten-foot-tall great room. The master bedroom and its balcony, as well as the master bathtub area, have a commanding view of the central redwood trees and their impressive canopy, though the balcony is mostly recessed and should pose no privacy concerns to the neighbor’s rear yards. The master balcony parapet is clad in the same brick veneer continuing up from the living room below. A dark-painted metal rail makes up the rest of the open guardrail height. The entire length of the master balcony is comprised of 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors, but the area above the doors, as well as the area below the master bathroom windows, is accented with more redwood siding. The remainder of the master suite bathroom and walk-in closet is finished in cement plaster painted dark blue. The master bathroom has one side yard-facing window but will be frosted glass for both the owner’s and the neighbor’s privacy. The 2nd floor is capped under a simple gable roof design with one roof ridge and varying eave and rake overhangs depending on the 2nd-floor layout and solar orientation. Since these roof planes are quite difficult to see in the middle of the heavily wooded panhandle lot, we are proposing a white TPO roofing for these two upper roof planes as a more sustainable choice compared to more dark-colored roofing like the covered patios and detached ADU. The owners also wish to build a detached 292-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as an office and guest suite. For the ADU foundation to be situated outside the central redwood tree’s critical root zone, this relatively tiny structure takes advantage of the narrower 4-foot side and rear setbacks allowed for ADUs smaller than 800 square feet. The small L-shaped detached ADU frames a wonderful quasi-courtyard around the gargantuan V-twin redwoods at the center of the lot. The ADU shares a matching material palette consisting of cement plaster painted blue and black, vertical redwood siding and soffits, and thin brick veneer. The ADU also features large full-height windows. The only difference between the main home and the ADU material palette is that the roofing will be a dark composition shingle roofing since it will be quite visible from the master balcony.

Our clients had just recently closed on their new house in Stapleton and were excited to transform it into their perfect forever home. They wanted to remodel the entire first floor to create a more open floor plan and develop a smoother flow through the house that better fit the needs of their family. The original layout consisted of several small rooms that just weren’t very functional, so we decided to remove the walls that were breaking up the space and restructure the first floor to create a wonderfully open feel. After removing the existing walls, we rearranged their spaces to give them an office at the front of the house, a large living room, and a large dining room that connects seamlessly with the kitchen. We also wanted to center the foyer in the home and allow more light to travel through the first floor, so we replaced their existing doors with beautiful custom sliding doors to the back yard and a gorgeous walnut door with side lights to greet guests at the front of their home. Living Room Our clients wanted a living room that could accommodate an inviting sectional, a baby grand piano, and plenty of space for family game nights. So, we transformed what had been a small office and sitting room into a large open living room with custom wood columns. We wanted to avoid making the home feel too vast and monumental, so we designed custom beams and columns to define spaces and to make the house feel like a home. Aesthetically we wanted their home to be soft and inviting, so we utilized a neutral color palette with occasional accents of muted blues and greens. Dining Room Our clients were also looking for a large dining room that was open to the rest of the home and perfect for big family gatherings. So, we removed what had been a small family room and eat-in dining area to create a spacious dining room with a fireplace and bar. We added custom cabinetry to the bar area with open shelving for displaying and designed a custom surround for their fireplace that ties in with the wood work we designed for their living room. We brought in the tones and materiality from the kitchen to unite the spaces and added a mixed metal light fixture to bring the space together Kitchen We wanted the kitchen to be a real show stopper and carry through the calm muted tones we were utilizing throughout their home. We reoriented the kitchen to allow for a big beautiful custom island and to give us the opportunity for a focal wall with cooktop and range hood. Their custom island was perfectly complimented with a dramatic quartz counter top and oversized pendants making it the real center of their home. Since they enter the kitchen first when coming from their detached garage, we included a small mud-room area right by the back door to catch everyone’s coats and shoes as they come in. We also created a new walk-in pantry with plenty of open storage and a fun chalkboard door for writing notes, recipes, and grocery lists. Office We transformed the original dining room into a handsome office at the front of the house. We designed custom walnut built-ins to house all of their books, and added glass french doors to give them a bit of privacy without making the space too closed off. We painted the room a deep muted blue to create a glimpse of rich color through the french doors Powder Room The powder room is a wonderful play on textures. We used a neutral palette with contrasting tones to create dramatic moments in this little space with accents of brushed gold. Master Bathroom The existing master bathroom had an awkward layout and outdated finishes, so we redesigned the space to create a clean layout with a dream worthy shower. We continued to use neutral tones that tie in with the rest of the home, but had fun playing with tile textures and patterns to create an eye-catching vanity. The wood-look tile planks along the floor provide a soft backdrop for their new free-standing bathtub and contrast beautifully with the deep ash finish on the cabinetry.

Example of a mid-sized classic kitchen pantry design in San Diego with open cabinets and white cabinets

Perfectly embedded on an acre of land overlooking a pond, in the heart of Willow Bend of Plano, this dated, traditional home got more than a complete facelift. The wife is a “farmer’s daughter” and could have never imagined having a home like this to call her own one day. Finding a 15’ dining table was a tall task… especially for a family of four. Using a local craftsman, the most gorgeous white oak table was created to host everyone in the neighborhood! The clients told a lot of stories about their past and children. The designer realized that the stories were actually treasures as she incorporated their memories and symbols in every room. She brought these memories to life in a custom artwork collage above the family room mantel. From a tractor representing the grandfather, to the Russian alphabet portraying the roots of their adopted sons and some Cambodian script, there were meanings behind each piece. In order to bring nature indoors, the designer decided to demo the exterior wall to the patio to add a large folding door and blew out the wall dividing the formal dining room and breakfast room so there would be a clear sight through to the outdoors. Throughout the home, each family member was thought of. The fabrics and finishes had to withstand small boys, who were extremely active. The use of outdoor fabrics and beautiful scratch proof finishes were incorporated in every space – bring on the hotwheels.

This proposal is for a new two-story home on the vacant heavily wooded lot with an existing 150-foot-long driveway lined by several beautiful oak trees culminating in a behemoth 43-inch oak tree where the driveway meets the main lot. The far end of the driveway terminates in a grove of three 43/40/43-inch redwoods and at the very center of the vacant lot stands a gargantuan V-twin 59-inch redwood tree paired with a “small” 29-inch redwood tree. The owners want to build a beautiful contemporary-styled home for their family that fully enjoys and embraces the mature trees on their cozy 65-foot by 100-foot lot. As with all small, constrained lots, this project’s site design started first with meeting the relatively large parking and car maneuvering requirements. Menlo Park’s Department of Transportation typically requires side-facing garages to have 24-feet of backup space. So that they could give the largest feature redwood tree on site an added four feet (50%) of clearance outside of its critical root zone, the owners agreed to install a vehicle turntable at the end of their driveway to eliminate the extra four feet of space needed to back up and turnaround. This allowed them to pull their garage forward an additional four feet towards the front property line on the panhandle side, drastically reducing the rest of the home’s impact on the gargantuan V-Twin paired redwood tree at the center of the lot. One of the owners has mobility issues, and accordingly, they first sought to design a one-story floor plan that incorporated all their family’s needs including plenty of covered patio and deck space to enjoy our fantastic California weather. But that single-story footprint spread too far into the critical root zones of several of the redwood trees on site, even despite the use of the vehicle turntable. During my interview process with the owners, they made it clear to me that one of their primary concerns is ensuring that the largest trees on site would thrive and become features of their new home after construction is complete. The single-story designs that removed the grove of three huge redwood trees were non-starters, as was the skimpy 5x10 master bath I designed when trying to squeeze the whole house program into an overly compromised single-story design. It was therefore deemed necessary to go with a two-story design despite the owner’s mobility issues. This two-story design has a much more compact ground floor footprint and has no bedrooms downstairs, other than the detached ADU. The owners must give up the floor area and incur the costs to install a residential elevator to access their upstairs master suite. Our ground floor footprint is smaller due to the two-story design decision, and our foundation is pulled away from the trees thanks to the vehicle turntable. Yet, a tiny portion of the home’s ground floor footprint still encroaches into the critical root zones of the largest 59” redwood tree. Therefore, as outlined in the Arborist Report prepared by Aesculus Arboricultural Consulting, the structural engineers are incorporating an array of drilled piers and shallow-grade beams for the main home’s foundation and deck area nearest the redwood’s critical root zone. This drilled piers and grade beam foundation is a type of “bridging” foundation as outlined in Aesculus’ report to preserve the health of these trees that the property was designed around. The rest of the foundation will be constructed as an insulated slab-on-grade foundation to minimize the number of steps and ramps needed for the owners to enjoy their home and patio areas. Despite the owner’s desire to keep as many trees as possible on site, and despite the smaller ground floor footprint and the advantage of the vehicle turntable, the need for a 20x20-foot garage and 20x20/25-foot guest parking space on our panhandle lot requires the removal of two heritage trees in the required driveway, a 16” coast redwood, and a 17” coast redwood. An alternate design, such as swapping the garage and guest parking locations north-to-south, still requires the removal of these two trees for vehicle maneuvering but has the added disadvantage of cutting off the home’s sightlines to the behemoth 43” oak tree just outside the currently proposed front patio space and living room. Jim Redman of Elements Landscape is proposing 13 new trees be planted on site to replace the lost value of these two heritage coast redwood trees. This contemporary architectural design features clean lines, and an abundance of full-height windows and large skylights to best take in the immense trees on site. To blend in with the forest-like setting, the home boasts a mix of rich textures and features a color palette of natural wood tones contrasted with dark blue and black. Once through the new steel gate at the street and down the 150-foot tree-lined driveway, a large covered front patio becomes visible past the neighbor’s detached accessory structure. The covered patio is just across the driveway from the beautiful 43” behemoth coast live oak. The single plane of the covered patio roof is delicately supported by a pair of steel posts in a “V-twin” configuration much like the largest redwood trees that tower over the center of the lot and will still be visible above the new two-story home, even from the front yard. The patio is covered in a dark-colored standing seam roof, with steel C-channel fascias, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling planks on the underside. Generously sized skylights on the patio roof and inside the living area allow for impressive views of the amazing oak canopy as well as precious natural light. Supporting the sloped covered patio on the other side is the two-car garage with a secondary bedroom suite stacked above the garage. This two-story volume is to be clad in vertical clear-coated redwood siding, to tie in with the grove of three 43-inch redwood trees just beyond. The garage door, and the bank of windows for Bedroom#2 above feature a steel fascia eyebrow header feature to provide shade and overhang protection, as we are not proposing a large overhang at this “redwood trunk”. The garage and bedroom volume are pulled 16 feet away from the side property line, instead of the minimum required setback of 6’-6”, thus leaving plenty of room for the redwood grove and existing mature pear tree to continue to thrive. This existing mature green screen in this 16-foot-wide side yard is a feature worth soaking in, which is why tall windows with low sill heights are proposed for both the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Though it may be infrequent to approve side-facing 2nd floor windows with sill heights as low as what we’re proposing, we are confident that the mature green screen and the over 16-foot-wide side yard are sufficient to provide for the continued privacy of our neighbor’s rear yard space, especially considering theses windows are in walkway zones. The covered patio at the front entry is also bound by the 10-foot-tall living room. The great room is clad in a dark blue brick veneer, which wraps around all three sides of the living room. Upon entering the home from the covered patio, you are immediately greeted with one of the most impressive features of the home’s design: a 10-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide set of sliding glass doors. From the entry, this huge opening gives merely an initial glimpse of the massive trunks of the gargantuan V-twin redwoods sitting at the center of the lot. All three sliding glass panels open directly out into the smaller partially covered deck in the rear. This roof overhang element matches the design of the front patio with a steel C-channel fascia and a large skylight. But the rear deck’s roof element is set flat at a ten-foot ceiling height so that the living room’s ceiling seems to float above and out beyond the expanse of full-height sliding doors, thus creating an indoor-outdoor living space that will feel much larger than the home’s actual footprint. This rear covered deck is smaller than the patio in the front and also has a mix of solid and open-slatted roofing to allow for more solar access for the relatively small amount of open sky available. The downstairs living room is open to the dining and kitchen areas, as well as the stair-and-elevator tower beyond. The stair tower is very open and glassy, and the stairs wind up and around the redwood-clad elevator tower. From certain perspectives in the 16-foot-wide side yard, it will almost seem as if the grove of three redwoods has a fourth tree that the house and the stairs were carefully built around. Other than the 3-foot-wide windows, the exterior walls of the stair tower, downstairs utility spaces, and Bedroom#3 above are finished in cement plaster, painted dark blue and black. The sloped roof over the stair-and-elevator tower continues cleanly over the area of upstairs Bedroom#3. This roof level is set by the side daylight plane and only yields an inside wall height of just under 6 feet in height. The owners are satisfied that the rest of this upstairs room has a nice vaulted ceiling to make up for the one short wall under the daylight plane. The rest of the ground floor adjacent to the stair tower consists of a small utility wing containing a half-bath, laundry, storage area, and an exterior alcove for the electric heat pump HVAC unit. This short wing also gives more accessible access to the rear yard deck, as well as a backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. The bright white stone backsplash for the outdoor kitchen provides contrast to the otherwise consistent use of cement plaster painted dark blue and black for the two-story wing closest to the detached ADU. Though Bedroom#3 is stacked directly above this small wing, it is relatively short to comply with the side daylight plane of this narrow lot. Still, to further help break up the scale of this wall, another steel fascia eyebrow element is set about 8 feet above the rear deck. The master suite sits centered above the ten-foot-tall great room. The master bedroom and its balcony, as well as the master bathtub area, have a commanding view of the central redwood trees and their impressive canopy, though the balcony is mostly recessed and should pose no privacy concerns to the neighbor’s rear yards. The master balcony parapet is clad in the same brick veneer continuing up from the living room below. A dark-painted metal rail makes up the rest of the open guardrail height. The entire length of the master balcony is comprised of 9-foot-tall sliding glass doors, but the area above the doors, as well as the area below the master bathroom windows, is accented with more redwood siding. The remainder of the master suite bathroom and walk-in closet is finished in cement plaster painted dark blue. The master bathroom has one side yard-facing window but will be frosted glass for both the owner’s and the neighbor’s privacy. The 2nd floor is capped under a simple gable roof design with one roof ridge and varying eave and rake overhangs depending on the 2nd-floor layout and solar orientation. Since these roof planes are quite difficult to see in the middle of the heavily wooded panhandle lot, we are proposing a white TPO roofing for these two upper roof planes as a more sustainable choice compared to more dark-colored roofing like the covered patios and detached ADU. The owners also wish to build a detached 292-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as an office and guest suite. For the ADU foundation to be situated outside the central redwood tree’s critical root zone, this relatively tiny structure takes advantage of the narrower 4-foot side and rear setbacks allowed for ADUs smaller than 800 square feet. The small L-shaped detached ADU frames a wonderful quasi-courtyard around the gargantuan V-twin redwoods at the center of the lot. The ADU shares a matching material palette consisting of cement plaster painted blue and black, vertical redwood siding and soffits, and thin brick veneer. The ADU also features large full-height windows. The only difference between the main home and the ADU material palette is that the roofing will be a dark composition shingle roofing since it will be quite visible from the master balcony.

The Johnson-Thompson House, built c. 1750, has the distinct title as being the oldest structure in Winchester. Many alterations were made over the years to keep up with the times, but most recently it had the great fortune to get just the right family who appreciated and capitalized on its legacy. From the newly installed pine floors with cut, hand driven nails to the authentic rustic plaster walls, to the original timber frame, this 300 year old Georgian farmhouse is a masterpiece of old and new. Together with the homeowners and Cummings Architects, Windhill Builders embarked on a journey to salvage all of the best from this home and recreate what had been lost over time. To celebrate its history and the stories within, rooms and details were preserved where possible, woodwork and paint colors painstakingly matched and blended; the hall and parlor refurbished; the three run open string staircase lovingly restored; and details like an authentic front door with period hinges masterfully created. To accommodate its modern day family an addition was constructed to house a brand new, farmhouse style kitchen with an oversized island topped with reclaimed oak and a unique backsplash fashioned out of brick that was sourced from the home itself. Bathrooms were added and upgraded, including a spa-like retreat in the master bath, but include features like a claw foot tub, a niche with exposed brick and a magnificent barn door, as nods to the past. This renovation is one for the history books! Eric Roth

Perfectly embedded on an acre of land overlooking a pond, in the heart of Willow Bend of Plano, this dated, traditional home got more than a complete facelift. The wife is a “farmer’s daughter” and could have never imagined having a home like this to call her own one day. Finding a 15’ dining table was a tall task… especially for a family of four. Using a local craftsman, the most gorgeous white oak table was created to host everyone in the neighborhood! The clients told a lot of stories about their past and children. The designer realized that the stories were actually treasures as she incorporated their memories and symbols in every room. She brought these memories to life in a custom artwork collage above the family room mantel. From a tractor representing the grandfather, to the Russian alphabet portraying the roots of their adopted sons and some Cambodian script, there were meanings behind each piece. In order to bring nature indoors, the designer decided to demo the exterior wall to the patio to add a large folding door and blew out the wall dividing the formal dining room and breakfast room so there would be a clear sight through to the outdoors. Throughout the home, each family member was thought of. The fabrics and finishes had to withstand small boys, who were extremely active. The use of outdoor fabrics and beautiful scratch proof finishes were incorporated in every space – bring on the hotwheels.

The Magnolia Renovation has been primarily concerned with the design of a new, highly crafted modern kitchen in a traditional home located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. The kitchen design relies on the creation of a very simple continuous space that is occupied by highly crafted pieces of furniture, cabinets and fittings. Materials such as steel, bronze, bamboo, stained elm, woven cattail, and sea grass are used in juxtaposition, allowing each material to benefit from adjacent contrasts in texture and color. The existing kitchen and dining room consisted of separate rooms with a dividing wall. This wall was removed to create a long, continuous, east-west space, approximately 34 feet long, with cabinets and counters along each wall. The west end of the space has glass doors and views to the Puget Sound. The east end also has glass doors, leading to a small garden space. In the center of the new kitchen/dining space, we designed two long, custom tables from reclaimed elm planks (20" wide, 2" thick). The first table is a working kitchen island, the second table is the dining table. Both tables have custom blued-steel bases with laser-cut bronze overlay. We also designed custom stools with blued-steel bases and woven cattail rush seats. The lighting of the kitchen consists of 15 small, candle-like fixtures arranged in a random array with custom steel brackets. The cabinets are custom designed, with bleached Alaskan yellow cedar frames and bamboo panels. The counters are a dark limestone with a beautiful stone mosaic backsplash with a bamboo-like pattern. Adjacent to the backsplash is a long horizontal window with a “beargrass” resin panel placed on the interior side of the window. The “beargrass” panel contains actual sea grasses, which are backlit by the window behind the panel. Photo: Benjamin Benschneider

Please visit my website directly by copying and pasting this link directly into your browser: http://www.berensinteriors.com/ to learn more about this project and how we may work together! The homeowners' wanted a retreat/spa like master suite that was unique. Mixing the modern sliding "barn" door with the wood ceiling accents creates an interesting space. Martin King Photography

Our client desired a bespoke farmhouse kitchen and sought unique items to create this one of a kind farmhouse kitchen their family. We transformed this kitchen by changing the orientation, removed walls and opened up the exterior with a 3 panel stacking door. The oversized pendants are the subtle frame work for an artfully made metal hood cover. The statement hood which I discovered on one of my trips inspired the design and added flare and style to this home. Nothing is as it seems, the white cabinetry looks like shaker until you look closer it is beveled for a sophisticated finish upscale finish. The backsplash looks like subway until you look closer it is actually 3d concave tile that simply looks like it was formed around a wine bottle. We added the coffered ceiling and wood flooring to create this warm enhanced featured of the space. The custom cabinetry then was made to match the oak wood on the ceiling. The pedestal legs on the island enhance the characterizes for the cerused oak cabinetry. Fabulous clients make fabulous projects.

The request from my client for this kitchen remodel was to imbue the room with a rustic farmhouse feeling, but without the usual tropes or kitsch. What resulted is a beautiful mix of refined and rural. To begin, we laid down a stunning silver travertine floor in a Versailles pattern and used the color palette to inform the rest of the space. The bleached silvery wood of the island and the cream cabinetry compliment the flooring. Of course the stainless steel appliances continue the palette, as do the porcelain backsplash tiles made to look like rusted or aged metal. The deep bowl farmhouse sink and faucet that looks like it is from a bygone era give the kitchen a sense of permanence and a connection to the past without veering into theme-park design. Photos by: Bernardo Grijalva

The goal of this master suite remodel was to design a luxurious yet simple environment that was not only beautiful but also comfortable, and designer Lori Wiles brought the transformation to life. The remodel was a transformation of the unused storage area in the bottom level of the clients’ home. Wiles' creative problem solving did more than just hide basement remodel problems like low ductwork and poorly located pipes. Instead, these obstacles served as a source of inspiration for some of the most interesting aspects of her design, such as the angular wood-paneled headboard wall with built-in nightstands. Following a stone, fire, water, and wood theme, the materials used in this master suite strongly relate to nature. Water flows to the tub from the stone accent wall in the bathroom, and an opposing stone wall in the bedroom creates a dramatic backdrop for a seating area. Both walls contain candle-filled niches and Cherry wood is employed throughout, creating warmth and continuity. To further achieve the natural look and feel of the bathroom, Wiles incorporated a variety of stones. The shower and immediate area around the freestanding tub feature pebble accent flooring that complement the surrounding large, rectangular tile floors. Eldorado Stone’s Black River Stacked Stone was chosen because it offered different textures and dimensions of the black, rugged, stacked stone, resulting in an organic environment that provides relief from the flat surfaces. By using quality materials such as Eldorado Stone, designer Lori Wiles was able to create a zen-like space that exceeded her client’s expectations. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Black River Stacked Stone installed with a Dry-Stack grout technique Designer: Lori Wiles Design Website: www.loriwilesdesign.com Phone: (319) 310-6214 Contact Lori Wiles Design Houzz: www.houzz.com/pro/loriwiles/lori-wiles-design Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Lori-Wiles-Design Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/loriwilesdesign/ Photography: Lori Wiles Design Mason: Iowa Stone Supply Website: www.iowastonesupply.com Phone: (319) 533-4299 Contact Iowa Stone Supply Eastern Iowa Showroom (Monday-Friday 7:30-4:00 or by appointment) 1530 Stamy Road Hiawatha, IA 52233 Central Iowa Showroom (by appointment) 2913 99th Street Urbandale, IA 50322 Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Iowa-Stone-Supply

Custom cabinetry makes this marble topped vanity a standout piece. Paired with unique lighting features and hardware. Jim Brady Architectural Photography

Thse clients came to me for a kitchen refresh. Keeping the existing floor plan but updating as much as possible. After explaining my thoughts, they chose to go with a much larger project. The wall to the garage wash pushed bach 12" to allow for the island to happen. This almost couldn't happen as there is a support post in the garage we had to keep. I designed the last pantry area as on 10" deep, allowing us to conceal that behind the cabinets. Then, we opend up the wall to the dining room to make the rooms one large space. The wall to the family room was also openend up, leaving the half wall to allow for the kitchen eating area. They wanted to incorporate a bar area, without it feeling like a "bar" The fabulous tall custom unit houses their wine collection and then half of the dining room buffet area holds glassware and other bar items. I helped the clients with all of the design choices.We all wanted to keep the space classic, war, functional and with mixed materials. I chose to use the same countertop material for the backsplash, to keep the space feeling as large as possible.

Project Feature in: Luxe Magazine & Luxury Living Brickell From skiing in the Swiss Alps to water sports in Key Biscayne, a relocation for a Chilean couple with three small children was a sea change. “They’re probably the most opposite places in the world,” says the husband about moving from Switzerland to Miami. The couple fell in love with a tropical modern house in Key Biscayne with architecture by Marta Zubillaga and Juan Jose Zubillaga of Zubillaga Design. The white-stucco home with horizontal planks of red cedar had them at hello due to the open interiors kept bright and airy with limestone and marble plus an abundance of windows. “The light,” the husband says, “is something we loved.” While in Miami on an overseas trip, the wife met with designer Maite Granda, whose style she had seen and liked online. For their interview, the homeowner brought along a photo book she created that essentially offered a roadmap to their family with profiles, likes, sports, and hobbies to navigate through the design. They immediately clicked, and Granda’s passion for designing children’s rooms was a value-added perk that the mother of three appreciated. “She painted a picture for me of each of the kids,” recalls Granda. “She said, ‘My boy is very creative—always building; he loves Legos. My oldest girl is very artistic— always dressing up in costumes, and she likes to sing. And the little one—we’re still discovering her personality.’” To read more visit: https://maitegranda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/LX_MIA11_HOM_Maite_12.compressed.pdf Rolando Diaz Photographer

After. We could look at this stunning curbless shower all day! Universal design features which aid in safe access are beautifully and subtly worked into the design.

Who lives there: Asha Mevlana and her Havanese dog named Bali Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Size: Main house (400 sq ft), Trailer (160 sq ft.), 1 loft bedroom, 1 bath What sets your home apart: The home was designed specifically for my lifestyle. My inspiration: After reading the book, "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying," I got inspired to just live with things that bring me joy which meant scaling down on everything and getting rid of most of my possessions and all of the things that I had accumulated over the years. I also travel quite a bit and wanted to live with just what I needed. About the house: The L-shaped house consists of two separate structures joined by a deck. The main house (400 sq ft), which rests on a solid foundation, features the kitchen, living room, bathroom and loft bedroom. To make the small area feel more spacious, it was designed with high ceilings, windows and two custom garage doors to let in more light. The L-shape of the deck mirrors the house and allows for the two separate structures to blend seamlessly together. The smaller "amplified" structure (160 sq ft) is built on wheels to allow for touring and transportation. This studio is soundproof using recycled denim, and acts as a recording studio/guest bedroom/practice area. But it doesn't just look like an amp, it actually is one -- just plug in your instrument and sound comes through the front marine speakers onto the expansive deck designed for concerts. My favorite part of the home is the large kitchen and the expansive deck that makes the home feel even bigger. The deck also acts as a way to bring the community together where local musicians perform. I love having a the amp trailer as a separate space to practice music. But I especially love all the light with windows and garage doors throughout. Design team: Brian Crabb (designer), Zack Giffin (builder, custom furniture) Vickery Construction (builder) 3 Volve Construction (builder) Design dilemmas: Because the city wasn’t used to having tiny houses there were certain rules that didn’t quite make sense for a tiny house. I wasn’t allowed to have stairs leading up to the loft, only ladders were allowed. Since it was built, the city is beginning to revisit some of the old rules and hopefully things will be changing. Photo cred: Don Shreve

Our clients came to us because they were tired of looking at the side of their neighbor’s house from their master bedroom window! Their 1959 Dallas home had worked great for them for years, but it was time for an update and reconfiguration to make it more functional for their family. They were looking to open up their dark and choppy space to bring in as much natural light as possible in both the bedroom and bathroom. They knew they would need to reconfigure the master bathroom and bedroom to make this happen. They were thinking the current bedroom would become the bathroom, but they weren’t sure where everything else would go. This is where we came in! Our designers were able to create their new floorplan and show them a 3D rendering of exactly what the new spaces would look like. The space that used to be the master bedroom now consists of the hallway into their new master suite, which includes a new large walk-in closet where the washer and dryer are now located. From there, the space flows into their new beautiful, contemporary bathroom. They decided that a bathtub wasn’t important to them but a large double shower was! So, the new shower became the focal point of the bathroom. The new shower has contemporary Marine Bone Electra cement hexagon tiles and brushed bronze hardware. A large bench, hidden storage, and a rain shower head were must-have features. Pure Snow glass tile was installed on the two side walls while Carrara Marble Bianco hexagon mosaic tile was installed for the shower floor. For the main bathroom floor, we installed a simple Yosemite tile in matte silver. The new Bellmont cabinets, painted naval, are complemented by the Greylac marble countertop and the Brainerd champagne bronze arched cabinet pulls. The rest of the hardware, including the faucet, towel rods, towel rings, and robe hooks, are Delta Faucet Trinsic, in a classic champagne bronze finish. To finish it off, three 14” Classic Possini Euro Ludlow wall sconces in burnished brass were installed between each sheet mirror above the vanity. In the space that used to be the master bathroom, all of the furr downs were removed. We replaced the existing window with three large windows, opening up the view to the backyard. We also added a new door opening up into the main living room, which was totally closed off before. Our clients absolutely love their cool, bright, contemporary bathroom, as well as the new wall of windows in their master bedroom, where they are now able to enjoy their beautiful backyard!

Photos By; Nate Grant
Design ideas for a contemporary side yard wood fence landscaping in Portland.