A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

a custom built-in desk and playful decor and furniture options create a flexible space for both work, play and gathering
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A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

Oasis in the Desert You can find a whole lot of fun ready for the kids in this fun contemporary play-yard in the dessert. Theme: The overall theme of the play-yard is a blend of creative and active outdoor play that blends with the contemporary styling of this beautiful home. Focus: The overall focus for the design of this amazing play-yard was to provide this family with an outdoor space that would foster an active and creative playtime for their children of various ages. The visual focus of this space is the 15-foot tree placed in the middle of the turf yard. This fantastic structure beacons the children to climb the mini stumps and enjoy the slide or swing happily from the branches all the while creating a touch of whimsical nature not typically found in the desert. Surrounding the tree the play-yard offers an array of activities for these lucky children from the chalkboard walls to create amazing pictures to the custom ball wall to practice their skills, the custom myWall system provides endless options for the kids and parents to keep the space exciting and new. Rock holds easily clip into the wall offering ever changing climbing routes, custom water toys and games can also be adapted to the wall to fit the fun of the day. Storage: The myWall system offers various storage options including shelving, closed cases or hanging baskets all of which can be moved to alternate locations on the wall as the homeowners want to customize the play-yard. Growth: The myWall system is built to grow with the users whether it is with changing taste, updating design or growing children, all the accessories can be moved or replaced while leaving the main frame in place. The materials used throughout the space were chosen for their durability and ability to withstand the harsh conditions for many years. The tree also includes 3 levels of swings offering children of varied ages the chance to swing from the branches. Safety: Safety is of critical concern with any play-yard and a space in the harsh conditions of the desert presented specific concerns which were addressed with light colored materials to reflect the sun and reduce heat buildup and stainless steel hardware was used to avoid rusting. The myWall accessories all use a locking mechanism which allows for easy adjustments but also securely locks the pieces into place once set. The flooring in the treehouse was also textured to eliminate skidding.

Aria Bethards
Kids' room - contemporary gender-neutral kids' room idea in Salt Lake City

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Sausalito, CA / photo: Jay Graham Constructed by 'All Decked Out' Marin County, CA. 384299
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Photo: Keller and Keller
Bedroom - mid-sized industrial master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom idea in Boston with white walls and no fireplace

This Greek Revival row house in Boerum Hill was previously owned by a local architect who renovated it several times, including the addition of a two-story steel and glass extension at the rear. The new owners came to us seeking to restore the house and its original formality, while adapting it to the modern needs of a family of five. The detailing of the 25 x 36 foot structure had been lost and required some sleuthing into the history of Greek Revival style in historic Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition to completely re-framing the interior, the house also required a new south-facing brick façade due to significant deterioration. The modern extension was replaced with a more traditionally detailed wood and copper- clad bay, still open to natural light and the garden view without sacrificing comfort. The kitchen was relocated from the first floor to the garden level with an adjacent formal dining room. Both rooms were enlarged from their previous iterations to accommodate weekly dinners with extended family. The kitchen includes a home office and breakfast nook that doubles as a homework station. The cellar level was further excavated to accommodate finished storage space and a playroom where activity can be monitored from the kitchen workspaces. The parlor floor is now reserved for entertaining. New pocket doors can be closed to separate the formal front parlor from the more relaxed back portion, where the family plays games or watches TV together. At the end of the hall, a powder room with brass details, and a luxe bar with antique mirrored backsplash and stone tile flooring, leads to the deck and direct garden access. Because of the property width, the house is able to provide ample space for the interior program within a shorter footprint. This allows the garden to remain expansive, with a small lawn for play, an outdoor food preparation area with a cast-in-place concrete bench, and a place for entertaining towards the rear. The newly designed landscaping will continue to develop, further enhancing the yard’s feeling of escape, and filling-in the views from the kitchen and back parlor above. A less visible, but equally as conscious, addition is a rooftop PV solar array that provides nearly 100% of the daily electrical usage, with the exception of the AC system on hot summer days. The well-appointed interiors connect the traditional backdrop of the home to a youthful take on classic design and functionality. The materials are elegant without being precious, accommodating a young, growing family. Unique colors and patterns provide a feeling of luxury while inviting inhabitants and guests to relax and enjoy this classic Brooklyn brownstone. This project won runner-up in the architecture category for the 2017 NYC&G Innovation in Design Awards and was featured in The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. Photography by Francis Dzikowski / OTTO

A serene soaking tub anchors the bathroom, positioned beneath expansive windows to capture natural light and views beyond. Soft, neutral finishes and clean-lined cabinetry create a spa-like retreat that feels both timeless and restorative.

This is an example of a huge traditional outdoor playset in San Francisco.

The primary bedroom and bathroom are the showstoppers of this phase! Unused and awkwardly located closets in both the bedroom and bathroom were removed to make way for additional square-footage in the bath and replaced with a sizable and functional reach-in closet in the bedroom. A dated and cramped shower stall was removed in favor for an expansive step in shower spanning the width of the bathroom and a new transom window washes the room in natural light. While the previous bathroom was only able to accommodate a single vanity, the new layout allowed us to create double matching vanities mirrored across from each other - a much appreciated addition for a primary bath. Floating walnut vanities boast impressive storage and are capped with tower cabinets with hidden outlets for charging and storing electronic bathroom tools. While the color palette is restrained - black, white, gray, and brown - the result is a timelessly modern and masculine space that is at once striking and warm. Modern geometric patterns play with each other throughout the material selections.

Emily Minton Redfield
Inspiration for a mid-sized farmhouse enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor family room remodel in Denver with white walls, no fireplace and no tv