Photos by Alan K. Barley, AIA Walk-in pantry, pantry with window, window, wood floor, screened in porch, Austin luxury home, Austin custom home, BarleyPfeiffer Architecture (Best of Houzz 2015 for Design) , BarleyPfeiffer, wood floors, sustainable design, sleek design, pro work, modern, low voc paint, interiors and consulting, house ideas, home planning, 5 star energy, high performance, green building, fun design, 5 star appliance, find a pro, family home, elegance, efficient, custom-made, comprehensive sustainable architects, barley & Pfeiffer architects, natural lighting, AustinTX, Barley & Pfeiffer Architects, professional services, green design, Screened-In porch, Austin luxury home, Austin custom home, BarleyPfeiffer Architecture, wood floors, sustainable design, sleek design, modern, low voc paint, interiors and consulting, house ideas, home planning, 5 star energy, high performance, green building, fun design, 5 star appliance, find a pro, family home, elegance, efficient, custom-made, comprehensive sustainable architects, natural lighting, Austin TX, Barley & Pfeiffer Architects, professional services, green design, curb appeal, LEED, AIA, Featured in September 12th, 2014's Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-rise-of-the-super-pantry-1410449896

Elegant medium tone wood floor walk-in closet photo in Hawaii with recessed-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Della Terra is a natural quartz surface, it is a blend of nature and technology, combining beauty and functionality in a high performance surface. Della Terra is comprised of more than 93% natural quartz crystals, one of the hardest minerals in nature. Color controlled quartz is blended together with technologically advanced polymers. Because of its high quartz content, Arizona Tile's Della Terra Quartz surfaces are ultra-durable and resistant to scratches and chipping. Its dense composition also makes Della Terra Quartz highly resistant to staining. Photo: Aperture Architectural Images

For durability Kim applied a couple of coats of General Finishes High Performance Flat or you could use Dixie Belle new GATOR HIDE over both cabinets and island. Both of these High Performance Top Coat is the hardest, most durable consumer top coat on the market today. Gator Hide is a water based Poly-acrylic and General Finishes is a polyurethane. If you want your paint to holdup under heavy use apply a few coats of either of these products!

Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard deck design in New York with a pergola

Photography by Richard Mandelkorn
Example of a classic dark wood floor kitchen design in Boston with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, white walls, an island, a farmhouse sink and stainless steel appliances

For durability Kim applied a couple of coats of General Finishes High Performance Flat or you could use Dixie Belle new GATOR HIDE over both cabinets and island. Both of these High Performance Top Coat is the hardest, most durable consumer top coat on the market today. Gator Hide is a water based Poly-acrylic and General Finishes is a polyurethane. If you want your paint to holdup under heavy use apply a few coats of either of these products!

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

The builder, Stellar Blu, wanted something a little different for this Parade of Homes home but Wake Forest can be a tricky market and so it was important to maintain marketability. We chose to use leaded glass, LED in cabinet lighting and other subtile features to create a timeless design. Photo by Tad Davis Photography

Project designed and built by Atlanta Decking & Fence.
Example of a classic deck design in Atlanta with a pergola

Their family expanded, and so did their home! After nearly 30 years residing in the same home they raised their children, this wonderful couple made the decision to tear down the walls and create one great open kitchen family room and dining space, partially expanding 10 feet out into their backyard. The result: a beautiful open concept space geared towards family gatherings and entertaining. Wall color: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Cabinets: Dunn Edwards Droplets Island: Dunn Edwards Stone Maison Flooring: LM Flooring Nature Reserve Silverado Countertop: Cambria Torquay Backsplash: Walker Zanger Grammercy Park Sink: Blanco Cerana Fireclay Photography by Amy Bartlam

For durability Kim applied a couple of coats of General Finishes High Performance Flat or you could use Dixie Belle new GATOR HIDE over both cabinets and island. Both of these High Performance Top Coat is the hardest, most durable consumer top coat on the market today. Gator Hide is a water based Poly-acrylic and General Finishes is a polyurethane. If you want your paint to holdup under heavy use apply a few coats of either of these products!

water features, bubbler, flagstone hardscaping, rock garden, outdoor seating, outdoor living space
Photo of a traditional backyard river rock landscaping in Portland.

photos by Steve Chenn
Mid-sized elegant u-shaped limestone floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen photo in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white backsplash, limestone backsplash, white cabinets, quartzite countertops and an island

Photo of a traditional water fountain landscape in Seattle.

Photo: Ten Ten Creative
Wet bar - transitional single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar idea in Dallas with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, black backsplash, subway tile backsplash and gray countertops

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Dallas with white walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

Certified as an Earth Advantage Gold high performance home for energy efficiency and healthier indoor air, this custom home design was built for the market and features: 3,520 square feet, four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, great room, office, bonus room, additional attached yard storage room, three car garage,

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Spiced Rum – a warm, earthy umber featuring subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense, tropical hues that will retain its lush looks for decades and Vintage Lantern – a deep-burnished bronze with Old World elegance. Additional Trex products featured include Trex Transcend railing, Trex Pergola, Trex Elevations and Trex Outdoor Lighting.