In our busy lives, creating a peaceful and rejuvenating home environment is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Built less than five years ago, this Stinson Beach Modern home is your own private oasis. Surrounded by a butterfly preserve and unparalleled ocean views, the home will lead you to a sense of connection with nature. As you enter an open living room space that encompasses a kitchen, dining area, and living room, the inspiring contemporary interior invokes a sense of relaxation, that stimulates the senses. The open floor plan and modern finishes create a soothing, tranquil, and uplifting atmosphere. The house is approximately 2900 square feet, has three (to possibly five) bedrooms, four bathrooms, an outdoor shower and spa, a full office, and a media room. Its two levels blend into the hillside, creating privacy and quiet spaces within an open floor plan and feature spectacular views from every room. The expansive home, decks and patios presents the most beautiful sunsets as well as the most private and panoramic setting in all of Stinson Beach. One of the home's noteworthy design features is a peaked roof that uses Kalwall's translucent day-lighting system, the most highly insulating, diffuse light-transmitting, structural panel technology. This protected area on the hill provides a dramatic roar from the ocean waves but without any of the threats of oceanfront living. Built on one of the last remaining one-acre coastline lots on the west side of the hill at Stinson Beach, the design of the residence is site friendly, using materials and finishes that meld into the hillside. The landscaping features low-maintenance succulents and butterfly friendly plantings appropriate for the adjacent Monarch Butterfly Preserve. Recalibrate your dreams in this natural environment, and make the choice to live in complete privacy on this one acre retreat. This home includes Miele appliances, Thermadore refrigerator and freezer, an entire home water filtration system, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry by SieMatic, Ceasarstone kitchen counter tops, hardwood and Italian ceramic radiant tile floors using Warmboard technology, Electric blinds, Dornbracht faucets, Kalwall skylights throughout livingroom and garage, Jeldwen windows and sliding doors. Located 5-8 minute walk to the ocean, downtown Stinson and the community center. It is less than a five minute walk away from the trail heads such as Steep Ravine and Willow Camp.

Well-Traveled Alys Beach Home Photo: Jack Gardner
Inspiration for a small coastal guest medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel with white walls

This Upper East Side prewar interior was specifically designed as a guest apartment for friends and family to stay for long periods of time. They wanted their guests to feel like home while staying in the city. Our criteria was that it had to be functional while remaining tailored, sophisticated and inviting. The space was rather dark so we opted for wallcoverings and paint colors that were soft, textural and exuded contrast. Our design was to completely renovate the living room, bathroom and master bedroom/sitting area. The kitchen was cosmetic with floor stain, paint, hardware and lighting. Grey, taupe, white and black were accents in the living room and created a friendly environment. This room also had to function as a guest room therefore a pullout sofa covered in a Lee Jofa linen was the perfect choice. The Bedroom has a soft palate which is extremely welcoming with touches of silver and pale grey. The hints of peacock blue and brown transform the space completely and work well with the pheasant mirror above the bed. There is also a reading nook where our star Winston occasionally takes naps when he returns from his runs in Central Park. Photo Jane Beiles

A bright and spacious floor plan mixed with custom woodwork, artisan lighting, and natural stone accent walls offers a warm and inviting yet incredibly modern design. The organic elements merge well with the undeniably beautiful scenery, creating a cohesive interior design from the inside out. Warm and inviting dining room with natural materials, wood, glass, metal. Views of vineyards and hills. Designed by Design Directives, LLC., based in Scottsdale, Arizona and serving throughout Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, and Sedona. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/modern-napa/

This Livingston, New Jersey homeowner contacted CLC Landscape Design looking for a backyard that would function as a space for their young family to relax and play while also being a space to entertain family and friends. Luckily for us, their backyard was a blank slate with little more than overgrown grass and some trees occupying the backyard. To meet both of the client's needs, a space that's functional for the family and for entertaining, we designed a backyard with multiple spaces. First, we designed a deck off the back of the house. The composite deck contains an outdoor gas firepit as well as a built-in outdoor BBQ. As you descend from the deck onto the patio, there is a hot tub near the pool. Techo-Bloc Blu 60 Smooth in shale grey was chosen for the pool patio. To go along with the architectural aesthetic of the home, we designed a rectangular vinyl-liner swimming pool with a pavilion aligned to the center axis of the pool. The pavilion includes a ceiling fan, ceiling lights, an outdoor television, and a bar. At 20' x 14', the pavilion is spacious enough for multiple chairs, outdoor sofas, and a small table. To finish off the pool area, we selected a variety of plants to provide multiple seasons of interest. Some clients are indifferent when it comes to the plant palette. Others, like this client, share our passion for plants. As such, we worked closely with the homeowner on selecting the plants. As you leave the pool area, there is a lawn area behind and next to it. We selected a spot near the pool area for a playset for the homeowner's children. It is close enough to the pool area that the parents can keep an eye on their children, but also far enough away so the adults can relax while their children play. We'd be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the exquisite taste of the homeowner in selecting all the patio and deck furniture. We love everything the homeowner selected and think it all perfectly compliments our landscape design.

A bright and spacious floor plan mixed with custom woodwork, artisan lighting, and natural stone accent walls offers a warm and inviting yet incredibly modern design. The organic elements merge well with the undeniably beautiful scenery, creating a cohesive interior design from the inside out. Modern architecture in Napa with views of vineyards and hills. Floor to ceiling glass brings in the outdoors, complete with contemporary designer furnishings and accessories. Designed by Design Directives, LLC., based in Scottsdale, Arizona and serving throughout Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, and Sedona. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/modern-napa/

Casually luxurious describes this patio design of ours. We created an outdoor dining area for when family and guests want to spend quality time in the gorgeous California outdoors as well as an outdoor seating area. Equipped with soft textiles, chandelier lighting, and plenty of table space, this outdoor design is functional, beautiful, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Aerial picture of the redesigned pool area. The pool area and deck are meant to maximize the outdoor space as well as give an unencumbered view to the water, the main reason the clients purchased the house. Photo by Susan Sotera

Jeff Allen
Bedroom - coastal bedroom idea in Boston with white walls

The entire CRISTAL range forms part of a solution with structural lines, allowing for a clean, linear design. The various compositions are enriched with HANEX work tops. The result of a sophisticated production process, which merges the quality of the acrylic resin and the rock minerals. It is perfectly stable, extremely hard, smooth and resistant to high temperatures. It ensures high levels of hygiene, making it ideal upon contact with food. The complete CRISTAL range welcomes the trend where natural and eco-sustainable materials take centre stage in daily life.
Respect for nature and human well-being has led to the adoption of water-based paint coatings, applied to the gloss glass CRISTAL doors.

Painted Banquette with base to match existing trim
Trendy dark wood floor dining room photo in New York with white walls

Ulrich Designer: Tom Santarsiero Photography by Peter Rymwid This is a master bath with subtle sophistication and understated elegance. The cabinets were custom designed by Tom, with straight, simple lines, and custom built by Draper DBS of walnut, with a deep, rich brown finish. The richness of the dark cabinetry juxtaposed with the elegance of the white carrara marble on the countertop, wall and floors contributes to the room's sophistication. Ample storage is found in the large vanity and an armoire style cabinet, designed to mimic a free-standing furniture piece, that is positioned behind the door. Architectural beams placed across the vaulted ceiling bring a sense of scale to the room and invite natural light in through the skylight.

Trendy open concept living room photo in Los Angeles with white walls

A dark backyard was given a new life with dramatic additions of built in planting beds, custom cut salvaged pavers, green screen trellis and a ton of charm. The reclaimed barn doors add a focal point to the east wall while the custom built two-tier planting system allows vines to fill this garden which spans two floors of the client's home.

The Owners of a home that had been consumed by the moving dunes of Lake Michigan wanted a home that would not only stand the test of aesthetic time, but survive the vicissitudes of the environment. With the assistance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as the consulting civil engineer and the City of Grand Haven Zoning Department, a soil stabilization site plan was developed based on raising the new home’s main floor elevation by almost three feet, implementing erosion studies, screen walls and planting indigenous, drought tolerant xeriscaping. The screen walls, as well as the low profile of the home and the use of sand trapping marrum beachgrass all help to create a wind shadow buffer around the home and reduce blowing sand erosion and accretion. The Owners wanted to minimize the stylistic baggage which consumes most “cottage” residences, and with the Architect created a home with simple lines focused on the view and the natural environment. Sustainable energy requirements on a budget directed the design decisions regarding the SIPs panel insulation, energy systems, roof shading, other insulation systems, lighting and detailing. Easily constructed and linear, the home harkens back to mid century modern pavilions with present day environmental sensitivities and harmony with the site. Photos by John Allegretti

While the Southern California drought is keeping homeowners water usage to a minimum, there are an abundance of plants that thrive on minimal water. A combination of drip irrigation systems and drought tolerant plants can keep your exterior spaces green and beautiful as well as water efficient. This image features our design a few months down the road. With the addition of a few spring flowers, this front yard is officially ready for the Spring and Summer season.

Kitchen/dining room combo - contemporary medium tone wood floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in Los Angeles with white walls

This major kitchen remodeling project in Palo Alto included opening up the kitchen and dining areas to create a more fluid and functional space, as well as replacing the central staircase. The kitchen base cabinets from the Aran Cucine’s Doga collection in Graphite with white and frosted glass upper cabinets. A ceiling mounted glass cabinet on stainless steel rods floats between the kitchen and dining areas and is integrated with an under cabinet light. Vertical cabinets in the dining room from the Miro collection in Iguana Green.

Another fun Crestview project! This young couple wanted a back yard that reflected their bohemian-eclectic style and could add additional privacy from the ever climbing construction around them. A place for “hanging out and drinking coffee or beer in the backyard.” But what was most exciting, was the air stream they had just purchased and were in the process of restoring. With the end goal of using it as a guest home for family and friends, we were challenged with creating a space that was cohesive and connected this new living space with the rest of the yard. In the front we had another quark to fix. The sidewalk from their front door to the street suddenly stopped 5 feet from the curb, making a less than inviting entry for guests. So, creating a new usable entryway with additional curb appeal was a top priority. We managed the entertainment space by using modern poured concrete pad’s as a focal. A poured concrete wall serves as a bench as well as creates a visual anchor for the patio area. To soften the hard materials, small plantings of succulents and ground cover were planted in the spaces between the pads. For a backdrop, a custom Cedar Plank wall and trellis combined to soften the vertical space and add plenty of privacy. The trellis is anchored by a Coral Vine to add interest. Cafe style lighting was strung across the area create a sense of intimacy. We also completed the fence transition, and eliminated the grass areas that were not being utilized to reduce the amount of water waste in the landscape, and replaced these areas with beneficial plantings for the wildlife. Overall, this landscape was completed with a cohesive Austin-friendly design in mind for these busy young professionals! Caleb Kerr - http://www.calebkerr.com