A Good Design Can Improve Safety Bathrooms and kitchens are the most hazardous rooms in the home. Grease, falls, spoiled liquids and fires are just a few of the safety issues that you need to keep in mind when planning a kitchen. Aside from following the rules and guidance, the majority of safety rules are based on common sense. Here are some things that a good design should take into account: Stoves or ranges should not be put next to a door or under a window Ovens, fridges and freezers should not be placed next to one another Refrigerators should not be placed in the corner of a room Stoves should not be located near the sink You should consider having a fire blanket nearby For safety, remember the kitchen work triangle - this will help to minimise traffic encounters while cooking Consider installing non-slip flooring Pay attention to kitchen lighting (as mentioned above) Research has shown that accidents are less likely to occur in a well-designed kitchen

This 2,500 square foot “studio” is located in a neighborhood bisected by alleys and containing charming remnants of indigenous outbuildings common to the region. The desire was to create a clean, open, contemporary interior in a building that outwardly referenced its context. The primary form of the house took shape from the long, narrow lot. On the north end, which faces an alley, a patinated clad steel structure forms a canopy for the entry. This carefully scaled “cabin”, raised above the upper level to access a glimpse of the mountains, pays homage to the many sheds lining the alley. The south end features a terrace above the garage that is an extension of the primary interior space. The masonry west wall of the building provides privacy from the adjacent lot. This functional “spine” contains program elements on both levels and is visible internally and externally. A gently curved wall provides continuity between the floors and shields a bathroom and dressing area. This wall stops short of the ceiling, allowing the uninterrupted plane of maple veneer plywood to form a canopy unifying the spaces. A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004

This farmhouse style home was already lovely and inviting. We just added some finishing touches in the kitchen and expanded and enhanced the basement. In the kitchen we enlarged the center island so that it is now five-feet-wide. We rebuilt the sides, added the cross-back, “x”, design to each end and installed new fixtures. We also installed new counters and painted all the cabinetry. Already the center of the home’s everyday living and entertaining, there’s now even more space for gathering. We expanded the already finished basement to include a main room with kitchenet, a multi-purpose/guestroom with a murphy bed, full bathroom, and a home theatre. The COREtec vinyl flooring is waterproof and strong enough to take the beating of everyday use. In the main room, the ship lap walls and farmhouse lantern lighting coordinates beautifully with the vintage farmhouse tuxedo bathroom. Who needs to go out to the movies with a home theatre like this one? With tiered seating for six, featuring reclining chair on platforms, tray ceiling lighting and theatre sconces, this is the perfect spot for family movie night! Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, 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 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: Linda McManus Images

What an honor it was to be part of this Classic California Ranch remodel! Originally built in 1940 with the architectural influence of the iconic William Wurster, this beautiful home had a small, dated kitchen that didn't do it justice. The floor plan had become rather compartmentalized due to remodels and additions by the previous homeowners, and the current homeowners wanted to thoughtfully re-design the kitchen paying tribute to its roots, while also gaining more open and functional space. Ultimately, we relocated the kitchen from it's original location to what was an informal dining space. We reconfigured the mud/laundry room, as well as the space adjacent to it and the kitchen, to allow for a more natural flow between kitchen, dining, and living. The space that previously housed the kitchen was turned into a gallery, where the homeowners can sit and enjoy their morning coffee while viewing the golf course. In the gallery, the original brick from the exterior patio was uncovered under many layers of flooring, and the contractor was able to restore the brick and re-install it for the gallery floor, creating a space that truly emphasizes the leisurely, laid back California lifestyle that blends the indoor and outdoor spaces that the architecture of William Wurster so beautifully emphasizes.

Cavit Design originally did the Blue Peaks Apartments in 2001 when they were first built. We were asked to revisit the interiors for an update in 2011, ten years later. These apartments are in an alpine ski and trecking resort in the lower South Island of New Zealand and in this beautiful location these apartments have quite intense and regular use. Due to the quality and design of the furniture originally provided we merely needed to replace the sofa, coffee table and television cabinet and could reuse all of the other original furniture, including this rattan armchair which we merely restained and reupholstered. A great example that buying good design and good quality for hospitality does pay off. These items will get 20 years use - in a hotel - and still look good. If you are involved in hospitality please contact us as we would love help you to achieve the same longevity of interior design for your property. Photos provided by Blue Peaks Apartments for promotional purposes.

This 2,500 square foot “studio” is located in a neighborhood bisected by alleys and containing charming remnants of indigenous outbuildings common to the region. The desire was to create a clean, open, contemporary interior in a building that outwardly referenced its context. The primary form of the house took shape from the long, narrow lot. On the north end, which faces an alley, a patinated clad steel structure forms a canopy for the entry. This carefully scaled “cabin”, raised above the upper level to access a glimpse of the mountains, pays homage to the many sheds lining the alley. The south end features a terrace above the garage that is an extension of the primary interior space. The masonry west wall of the building provides privacy from the adjacent lot. This functional “spine” contains program elements on both levels and is visible internally and externally. A gently curved wall provides continuity between the floors and shields a bathroom and dressing area. This wall stops short of the ceiling, allowing the uninterrupted plane of maple veneer plywood to form a canopy unifying the spaces. A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004

Enigmatic and refined, the SF residence is designed to draw one’s curiosity to what lies below the surface. Inspired by the Pacific Ocean just beyond its walls, the home conceptually dances between the solid and the permeable. At first glance, a collection of gabled volumes communicate volumetric simplicity. However, it is the materiality that takes precedence to the massing. The first floor’s concrete pedestal is sculpted to form curvilinear entries and passageways - its form and void paying homage to coastal bluffs. Perched above this, the entire gabled facade is enveloped in an operable, wooden veil. Located in an area with significant pedestrian traffic, this rippling screen brings versatility and beauty to the home’s juxtaposition of exposure and privacy. Light, wind, and the sounds and smells of the ocean outside its walls create spaces of reverence and reflection by day. At night, the translucence of the veil gives the home the appearance of a glowing lantern. The residence itself is organized around a series of intimate outdoor rooms, which are not immediately apparent to outside observers. From sunlight sanctuaries to reflective pools, the layout avoids traditional distinctions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Instead, nature is woven into each space through light, sky, trees, and water - culminating in an experience that is entirely unique.

The eating area connected to the kitchen is filled with light courtesy of the numerous windows and a set of French doors. The vaulted ceililng contributes to the airy feeling of the space. Sleek and contemporary, this beautiful home is located in Villanova, PA. Blue, white and gold are the palette of this transitional design. With custom touches and an emphasis on flow and an open floor plan, the renovation included the kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, mudroom, two powder rooms and floors. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 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 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: Linda McManus Images

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This home is located on a one acre parcel of land near the banks of the Milwaukee River in the older established subdivision of Sleepy Hollow Estates in Mequon, Wisconsin. The inspiration for this Glen Cove Residence was to bring the desired by many, contemporary and modern lifestyle of a down town loft and establish it in a neighborhood in the suburbs amongst traditional style homes. Sleepy Hollow Estates like many older established neighborhoods throughout the North shore and Westside communities of Milwaukee had great local architects such as John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson, who built contemporary master pieces amongst very traditional style homes. This created diversity in the style of homes in these neighborhoods which for the people living in them and the people just passing by, an experience of harmony and cultural lifestyle. Unfortunately today, many new neighborhood developments lack harmony and cultural lifestyle and don’t allow for homes such as this Glen Cove Residence to be built. And for that matter many of the homes built by John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson back in the 1950’s. When driving through these new developments, one would experience beautiful traditional style homes, but all the homes tend to look the same. There is no diversity in the styles of homes thus these neighborhoods lack the harmony and a cultural life style for the people who live there or what people are looking for when buying a home that reflects their lifestyle. This Glen Cove Residence is an example that a contemporary home which offers a modern lifestyle that many desires can be established amongst traditional homes while blending in with the neighborhood. Don’t be fooled by the flat roof of this home, building technology has come a long way since Frank Lloyd Wright! The roof system on this home is more energy efficient than most roof systems builders are putting on traditional homes today and it doesn’t leak! This Glen Cove Residence was built using all traditional building materials that you would see in homes being built in new developments today. There is a misconception out there that modern homes are expensive to build. That is not true! This Glen Cove Residence was built for roughly $130 per square foot which is the same price one would pay for a similar builder’s model traditional style home with the same upgrades. This Glen Cove Residence consists of three bedrooms and three and one half baths. All bedrooms are located on second floor with laundry, guest bath and a master suite. Located between the first and second floors off of the landing is an office/den space. The first floor is open concept with the kitchen, dining and living areas located at the rear of the home with expansive windows allowing a great connection to back yard area and outdoors. On the back of the home is a covered deck area allowing for outdoor entertaining without the worry of the elements. The first floor also offers a powder room, mudroom and walk-in pantry off the kitchen area. From the mudroom there is access to an attached four car tandem garage. From the first floor to the finished basement is an open stair allowing the basement area to feel as part of the house and not just a basement? The basement consists of a main living area, game area with wet bar, exercise room, kids play room with 14’ ceilings, full bathroom and mechanical room with storage closets throughout.

This home is located on a one acre parcel of land near the banks of the Milwaukee River in the older established subdivision of Sleepy Hollow Estates in Mequon, Wisconsin. The inspiration for this Glen Cove Residence was to bring the desired by many, contemporary and modern lifestyle of a down town loft and establish it in a neighborhood in the suburbs amongst traditional style homes. Sleepy Hollow Estates like many older established neighborhoods throughout the North shore and Westside communities of Milwaukee had great local architects such as John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson, who built contemporary master pieces amongst very traditional style homes. This created diversity in the style of homes in these neighborhoods which for the people living in them and the people just passing by, an experience of harmony and cultural lifestyle. Unfortunately today, many new neighborhood developments lack harmony and cultural lifestyle and don’t allow for homes such as this Glen Cove Residence to be built. And for that matter many of the homes built by John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson back in the 1950’s. When driving through these new developments, one would experience beautiful traditional style homes, but all the homes tend to look the same. There is no diversity in the styles of homes thus these neighborhoods lack the harmony and a cultural life style for the people who live there or what people are looking for when buying a home that reflects their lifestyle. This Glen Cove Residence is an example that a contemporary home which offers a modern lifestyle that many desires can be established amongst traditional homes while blending in with the neighborhood. Don’t be fooled by the flat roof of this home, building technology has come a long way since Frank Lloyd Wright! The roof system on this home is more energy efficient than most roof systems builders are putting on traditional homes today and it doesn’t leak! This Glen Cove Residence was built using all traditional building materials that you would see in homes being built in new developments today. There is a misconception out there that modern homes are expensive to build. That is not true! This Glen Cove Residence was built for roughly $130 per square foot which is the same price one would pay for a similar builder’s model traditional style home with the same upgrades. This Glen Cove Residence consists of three bedrooms and three and one half baths. All bedrooms are located on second floor with laundry, guest bath and a master suite. Located between the first and second floors off of the landing is an office/den space. The first floor is open concept with the kitchen, dining and living areas located at the rear of the home with expansive windows allowing a great connection to back yard area and outdoors. On the back of the home is a covered deck area allowing for outdoor entertaining without the worry of the elements. The first floor also offers a powder room, mudroom and walk-in pantry off the kitchen area. From the mudroom there is access to an attached four car tandem garage. From the first floor to the finished basement is an open stair allowing the basement area to feel as part of the house and not just a basement? The basement consists of a main living area, game area with wet bar, exercise room, kids play room with 14’ ceilings, full bathroom and mechanical room with storage closets throughout.

Transitional mosaic tile floor, black floor, double-sink and wallpaper bathroom photo in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and a built-in vanity

This home is located on a one acre parcel of land near the banks of the Milwaukee River in the older established subdivision of Sleepy Hollow Estates in Mequon, Wisconsin. The inspiration for this Glen Cove Residence was to bring the desired by many, contemporary and modern lifestyle of a down town loft and establish it in a neighborhood in the suburbs amongst traditional style homes. Sleepy Hollow Estates like many older established neighborhoods throughout the North shore and Westside communities of Milwaukee had great local architects such as John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson, who built contemporary master pieces amongst very traditional style homes. This created diversity in the style of homes in these neighborhoods which for the people living in them and the people just passing by, an experience of harmony and cultural lifestyle. Unfortunately today, many new neighborhood developments lack harmony and cultural lifestyle and don’t allow for homes such as this Glen Cove Residence to be built. And for that matter many of the homes built by John Randall McDonald and Russell Barr Williamson back in the 1950’s. When driving through these new developments, one would experience beautiful traditional style homes, but all the homes tend to look the same. There is no diversity in the styles of homes thus these neighborhoods lack the harmony and a cultural life style for the people who live there or what people are looking for when buying a home that reflects their lifestyle. This Glen Cove Residence is an example that a contemporary home which offers a modern lifestyle that many desires can be established amongst traditional homes while blending in with the neighborhood. Don’t be fooled by the flat roof of this home, building technology has come a long way since Frank Lloyd Wright! The roof system on this home is more energy efficient than most roof systems builders are putting on traditional homes today and it doesn’t leak! This Glen Cove Residence was built using all traditional building materials that you would see in homes being built in new developments today. There is a misconception out there that modern homes are expensive to build. That is not true! This Glen Cove Residence was built for roughly $130 per square foot which is the same price one would pay for a similar builder’s model traditional style home with the same upgrades. This Glen Cove Residence consists of three bedrooms and three and one half baths. All bedrooms are located on second floor with laundry, guest bath and a master suite. Located between the first and second floors off of the landing is an office/den space. The first floor is open concept with the kitchen, dining and living areas located at the rear of the home with expansive windows allowing a great connection to back yard area and outdoors. On the back of the home is a covered deck area allowing for outdoor entertaining without the worry of the elements. The first floor also offers a powder room, mudroom and walk-in pantry off the kitchen area. From the mudroom there is access to an attached four car tandem garage. From the first floor to the finished basement is an open stair allowing the basement area to feel as part of the house and not just a basement? The basement consists of a main living area, game area with wet bar, exercise room, kids play room with 14’ ceilings, full bathroom and mechanical room with storage closets throughout.

This LEED-H Platinum-certified custom luxury home in Oregon demonstrates an exceptional commitment to excellence. Designed by Green Hammer architect Jan Fillinger, the Fineline House was designed and built with unprecedented precision — from the interior finishes to the state-of-the-art lighting, ventilation, and built-in home energy-monitoring systems. It utilizes Passivhaus detailing and 100% of the lumber used for the structure and framing of the project was Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)-certified.

Dakin has been working with the owners of this site realize their dream of cultivating a rich and meaningful landscape around their home. Because of their deep engagement with their land and garden, the landscape has guided the entire design process, from architecture to civil engineering to landscape design. All architecture on site is oriented toward the garden, a park-like, multi-use environment that includes a walking labyrinth, restored prairie, a Japanese garden, an orchard, vegetable beds, berry brambles, a croquet lawn and a charred wood outdoor shower. Dakin pays special attention to materials at every turn, selecting an antique sugar bowl for the outdoor fire pit, antique Japanese roof tiles to create blue edging, and stepping stones imported from India. In addition to its diversity of garden types, this permacultural paradise is home to chickens, ducks, and bees. A complex irrigation system was designed to draw alternately from wells and cisterns. Dakin has also had the privilege of creating an arboretum of diverse and rare trees that she based on Olmsted’s design for Central Park. Trees were selected to display a variety of seasonally shifting delights: spring blooms, fall berries, winter branch structure. Mature trees onsite were preserved and sometimes moved to new locations.

Sleek and contemporary, this beautiful home is located in Villanova, PA. Blue, white and gold are the palette of this transitional design. With custom touches and an emphasis on flow and an open floor plan, the renovation included the kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, mudroom, two powder rooms and floors. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 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 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: Linda McManus Images

SDH Studio - Architecture and Design Location: Boca Raton, Florida, USA Set on a 8800 Sq. Ft. lot in Boca Raton waterway, this contemporary design captures the warmth and hospitality of its owner. A sequence of cantilevering covered terraces provide the stage for outdoor entertaining.

Stunning transformation of a 160 year old Victorian home in very bad need of a renovation. This stately beach home has been in the same family for over 70 years. It needed to pay homage to its roots while getting a massive update to suit the needs of this large family, their relatives and friends. DREAM...DESIGN...LIVE...