We wrapped all posts in clear anodized aluminum to provide year round good looks and to tie to the custom aluminum profile around the fence itself.
Inspiration for a contemporary exterior home remodel in Tampa

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

Resort-Style Backyard Oasis: Modern Farmhouse Meets Five-Star Outdoor Living This extraordinary backyard transformation turns a sprawling wooded property into a private resort that rivals the finest luxury hotels — a complete outdoor living destination where every detail has been considered and every zone invites you to slow down, gather, and stay a while. The centerpiece is a breathtaking freeform pool of impressive scale, its organic, curvilinear shape designed to feel as though it was carved naturally from the landscape rather than constructed within it. The pool's deep, jewel-toned water — achieved through a rich dark mosaic tile waterline and a dark plaster finish — creates an almost lagoon-like quality that shifts from teal to deep blue depending on the light and angle. In-pool sun shelf loungers sit at the water's edge, allowing guests to lounge half-submerged on warm days, while a separate built-in spa nestled at one end completes the aquatic experience. The pool's surround is equally impressive. A generous travertine patio wraps the full perimeter of the pool in warm cream and honey tones, providing abundant space for multiple entertainment zones to coexist without ever feeling crowded. A sweeping row of premium chaise lounges with crisp white cushions lines one side of the pool, shaded by a series of elegant teak-framed market umbrellas that bring a Riviera-resort sensibility to the suburban backyard. The stone hardscape tells a particularly rich material story. Dry-stacked natural stone retaining walls curve generously around the lower elevation of the pool, their warm amber, rust, and gray tones echoing the travertine patio above and connecting the pool structure organically to the sloped terrain. Stone steps with flagstone treads descend gracefully between levels, and large natural boulders are thoughtfully placed throughout the landscaping — giving the entire environment the feeling of a discovered natural water feature rather than a constructed pool. A dedicated outdoor living room sits on the patio, anchored by a woven-rope lounge chair and a coordinating sofa with generous cream cushions, gathered around a sculptural concrete pedestal side table. The furniture selection — organic, tactile, and resort-caliber — creates a seating area that feels as comfortable and considered as any indoor living room, with the forest canopy serving as a natural ceiling above. Around the corner, a separate fire pit terrace provides a second distinct outdoor destination. A massive circular stone fire pit — built from the same dry-stacked natural stone as the retaining walls — sits at the center of a gathering space ringed by weathered teak Adirondack-style chairs with white cushions. This zone feels intentionally removed from the pool's energy, offering a quieter, more intimate space for evening gatherings and cooler nights. The house itself — a stunning modern farmhouse with white board-and-batten siding, exposed timber gable trusses, black-framed windows, and a covered back porch with timber posts — anchors the entire composition. The architecture and the landscape speak the same language: natural materials, clean lines, and an effortless relationship between indoor and outdoor living. A separate carriage house or garage structure in matching architectural style rounds out the property's exterior.

The natural light in this house is just amazing! The way the light bounces off the vaulted ceiling and illuminates the room is magically. What a great place to work.

From the first step, this staircase sets the tone. A double bullnose starting step eases the entry with quiet confidence, leading into white oak treads that bring natural warmth to the climb. Slender white balusters hold a light, open rhythm alongside a sleek painted handrail that wraps the structure cleanly from bottom to top. Nothing here competes for attention. Each element defers to the whole, and the whole makes a lasting impression. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Resort-Style Backyard Oasis: Modern Farmhouse Meets Five-Star Outdoor Living This extraordinary backyard transformation turns a sprawling wooded property into a private resort that rivals the finest luxury hotels — a complete outdoor living destination where every detail has been considered and every zone invites you to slow down, gather, and stay a while. The centerpiece is a breathtaking freeform pool of impressive scale, its organic, curvilinear shape designed to feel as though it was carved naturally from the landscape rather than constructed within it. The pool's deep, jewel-toned water — achieved through a rich dark mosaic tile waterline and a dark plaster finish — creates an almost lagoon-like quality that shifts from teal to deep blue depending on the light and angle. In-pool sun shelf loungers sit at the water's edge, allowing guests to lounge half-submerged on warm days, while a separate built-in spa nestled at one end completes the aquatic experience. The pool's surround is equally impressive. A generous travertine patio wraps the full perimeter of the pool in warm cream and honey tones, providing abundant space for multiple entertainment zones to coexist without ever feeling crowded. A sweeping row of premium chaise lounges with crisp white cushions lines one side of the pool, shaded by a series of elegant teak-framed market umbrellas that bring a Riviera-resort sensibility to the suburban backyard. The stone hardscape tells a particularly rich material story. Dry-stacked natural stone retaining walls curve generously around the lower elevation of the pool, their warm amber, rust, and gray tones echoing the travertine patio above and connecting the pool structure organically to the sloped terrain. Stone steps with flagstone treads descend gracefully between levels, and large natural boulders are thoughtfully placed throughout the landscaping — giving the entire environment the feeling of a discovered natural water feature rather than a constructed pool. A dedicated outdoor living room sits on the patio, anchored by a woven-rope lounge chair and a coordinating sofa with generous cream cushions, gathered around a sculptural concrete pedestal side table. The furniture selection — organic, tactile, and resort-caliber — creates a seating area that feels as comfortable and considered as any indoor living room, with the forest canopy serving as a natural ceiling above. Around the corner, a separate fire pit terrace provides a second distinct outdoor destination. A massive circular stone fire pit — built from the same dry-stacked natural stone as the retaining walls — sits at the center of a gathering space ringed by weathered teak Adirondack-style chairs with white cushions. This zone feels intentionally removed from the pool's energy, offering a quieter, more intimate space for evening gatherings and cooler nights. The house itself — a stunning modern farmhouse with white board-and-batten siding, exposed timber gable trusses, black-framed windows, and a covered back porch with timber posts — anchors the entire composition. The architecture and the landscape speak the same language: natural materials, clean lines, and an effortless relationship between indoor and outdoor living. A separate carriage house or garage structure in matching architectural style rounds out the property's exterior.

At Archadeck of Nova Scotia we love any size project big or small. But, that being said, we have a soft spot for the projects that let us show off our talents! This Halifax house was no exception. The owners wanted a space to suit their outdoor lifestyle with materials to last far into the future. The choices were quite simple: stone veneer, Timbertech composite decking and glass railing. What better way to create that stability than with a solid foundation, concrete columns and decorative stone veneer? The posts were all wrapped with stone and match the retaining wall which was installed to help with soil retention and give the backyard more definition (it’s not too hard on the eyes either). A set of well-lit steps will guide you up the multi-level deck. The built-in planters soften the hardness of the Timbertech composite deck and provide a little visual relief. The two-tone aesthetic of the deck and railing are a stunning feature which plays up contrasting tones. From there it’s a game of musical chairs; we recommend the big round one on a September evening with a glass of wine and cozy blanket. We haven’t gotten there quite yet, but this property has an amazing view (you will see soon enough!). As to not spoil the view, we installed TImbertech composite railing with glass panels. This allows you to take in the surrounding sights while relaxing and not have those pesky balusters in the way. In any Canadian backyard, there is always the dilemma of dealing with mosquitoes and black flies! Our solution to this itchy problem is to incorporate a screen room as part of your design. This screen room in particular has space for dining and lounging around a fireplace, perfect for the colder evenings! Ahhh…there’s the view! From the top level of the deck you can really get an appreciation for Nova Scotia. Life looks pretty good from the top of a multi-level deck. Once again, we installed a composite and glass railing on the new composite deck to capture the scenery. What puts the cherry on top of this project is the balcony! One of the greatest benefits of composite decking and railing is that it can be curved to create beautiful soft edges. Imagine sipping your morning coffee and watching the sunrise over the water. If you want to know more about composite decking, railing or anything else you’ve seen that sparks your interest; give us a call! We’d love to hear from you.

When the owner of this petite c. 1910 cottage in Riverside, RI first considered purchasing it, he fell for its charming front façade and the stunning rear water views. But it needed work. The weather-worn, water-facing back of the house was in dire need of attention. The first-floor kitchen/living/dining areas were cramped. There was no first-floor bathroom, and the second-floor bathroom was a fright. Most surprisingly, there was no rear-facing deck off the kitchen or living areas to allow for outdoor living along the Providence River. In collaboration with the homeowner, KHS proposed a number of renovations and additions. The first priority was a new cantilevered rear deck off an expanded kitchen/dining area and reconstructed sunroom, which was brought up to the main floor level. The cantilever of the deck prevents the need for awkwardly tall supporting posts that could potentially be undermined by a future storm event or rising sea level. To gain more first-floor living space, KHS also proposed capturing the corner of the wrapping front porch as interior kitchen space in order to create a more generous open kitchen/dining/living area, while having minimal impact on how the cottage appears from the curb. Underutilized space in the existing mudroom was also reconfigured to contain a modest full bath and laundry closet. Upstairs, a new full bath was created in an addition between existing bedrooms. It can be accessed from both the master bedroom and the stair hall. Additional closets were added, too. New windows and doors, new heart pine flooring stained to resemble the patina of old pine flooring that remained upstairs, new tile and countertops, new cabinetry, new plumbing and lighting fixtures, as well as a new color palette complete the updated look. Upgraded insulation in areas exposed during the construction and augmented HVAC systems also greatly improved indoor comfort. Today, the cottage continues to charm while also accommodating modern amenities and features.

Custom industrial cable-style stainless steel railings wrap this amazing cantilever staircase.
Example of an urban staircase design in Hawaii

Wood wrapped posts and beams, tong-and-groove wood stained soffit and stamped concrete complete the new patio.
This is an example of a huge traditional stamped concrete porch design in Seattle with a roof extension.

Eat-in kitchen - large traditional u-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

When the owner of this petite c. 1910 cottage in Riverside, RI first considered purchasing it, he fell for its charming front façade and the stunning rear water views. But it needed work. The weather-worn, water-facing back of the house was in dire need of attention. The first-floor kitchen/living/dining areas were cramped. There was no first-floor bathroom, and the second-floor bathroom was a fright. Most surprisingly, there was no rear-facing deck off the kitchen or living areas to allow for outdoor living along the Providence River. In collaboration with the homeowner, KHS proposed a number of renovations and additions. The first priority was a new cantilevered rear deck off an expanded kitchen/dining area and reconstructed sunroom, which was brought up to the main floor level. The cantilever of the deck prevents the need for awkwardly tall supporting posts that could potentially be undermined by a future storm event or rising sea level. To gain more first-floor living space, KHS also proposed capturing the corner of the wrapping front porch as interior kitchen space in order to create a more generous open kitchen/dining/living area, while having minimal impact on how the cottage appears from the curb. Underutilized space in the existing mudroom was also reconfigured to contain a modest full bath and laundry closet. Upstairs, a new full bath was created in an addition between existing bedrooms. It can be accessed from both the master bedroom and the stair hall. Additional closets were added, too. New windows and doors, new heart pine flooring stained to resemble the patina of old pine flooring that remained upstairs, new tile and countertops, new cabinetry, new plumbing and lighting fixtures, as well as a new color palette complete the updated look. Upgraded insulation in areas exposed during the construction and augmented HVAC systems also greatly improved indoor comfort. Today, the cottage continues to charm while also accommodating modern amenities and features.

Master bath with dual vanities and wood-wrapped mirror.
Bathroom - traditional gray tile and mosaic tile ceramic tile and beige floor bathroom idea in Seattle with shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, gray walls and quartzite countertops

Attics to Basements Building and Renovations, Inc
Home design - large craftsman home design idea in Minneapolis

Custom Gable Patio Cover with Skylights & Heaters | All-Season Outdoor Living in Washington. This custom patio cover project in Washington transforms an open backyard into a comfortable, year-round outdoor living space. Designed as a gable style patio cover with a skillion roof extension, the structure provides expanded coverage and a seamless connection to the home while protecting the space from Pacific Northwest rain and weather. The covered patio features a warm pine soffit ceiling, wrapped posts, and four skylights that bring in natural light while maintaining full overhead protection. Integrated can lighting, dimmer controls, and Bromic heaters create a cozy environment for evening gatherings and cooler seasons, making the space functional in every month of the year. Built with a durable wood frame, composite CertainTeed Landmark roofing, and tied-in gutters and drainage, this custom patio cover is engineered for long-term performance and clean integration with the home’s existing siding and architecture. Thoughtful detailing and finish carpentry ensure the structure looks like a natural extension rather than an add-on. Perfect for covered outdoor dining, entertaining, or relaxing, this backyard upgrade adds both value and everyday livability.

Close to Lincoln Center Plaza, two existing apartments were combined into a single custom tailored 4-bedroom residence. Characteristic with other buildings from the same post-war era, the existing apartments suffered greatly from a low, monotonous ceiling slab. To break up the ceiling, floating planes containing low-profile LED recessed lighting were incorporated throughout. Grey-washed birch veneer millwork is seen as you enter into the new foyer space. A blackened steel inlaid panel serves as a datum that continues throughout the apartment, wrapping the entry unit and extending around the corner to then transform into a floating bookshelf. The unit not only divides the entry area from the Living room, but also serves its utilitarian purpose on the foyer side as coat and storage closets, and then an entertaining function on the opposing side with a TV niche and custom liquor bar. Whitewashed rift and quartered white oak floors were used to brighten the space. In the kitchen, marble counters extend up the wall and onto the ceiling marking the separation of the kitchen/dining area from the living room/entry area. The kid’s room contains a custom curved desk area built beneath the bay windows to take advantage of the views. In the master bedroom, the blackened steel inlay reappears inset into the wardrobe wall unit.

Cory Residence Decidedly Scandinavian influence, and minimalist details make this sleek kitchen shine. When the owners purchased this property, it was dramatically different from the new layout. All very closed off – with only small openings between each room, making the space feel dark and small. Walls were removed, and the kitchen was moved from the original dining location to create a better a relationship from room to room. This enabled a large wrap around peninsula that transitions into a bar with wine cooler and use as a dining server. Ample seating for casual eating flanks the living room side of the peninsula, with simple post details. The overall result has dramatically improved the look and function of the space which can accommodate several helpers at one time. The Warm grey cabinetry and walnut accented hood and floating shelves a moody, masculine palate and adds feeling of warmth to the space, while the white upper cabinets provide the needed lightness to balance it all off. Blending the combination of shaker styled upper cabinetry provides just enough detail to the design. The thermofoil dark grey slab door base cabinetry adds the right touch of modern, and ensures ease of clean up of base cabinetry for a busy household. The hexagonal tile backsplash carried up to the ceiling draws the eye upward giving the illusion of more height in the space, and adds texture and added warmth. Accessories such as the spice pull out cabinetry which flank each side of the range providing easy access storage for need at hand items.

From the first step, this staircase sets the tone. A double bullnose starting step eases the entry with quiet confidence, leading into white oak treads that bring natural warmth to the climb. Slender white balusters hold a light, open rhythm alongside a sleek painted handrail that wraps the structure cleanly from bottom to top. Nothing here competes for attention. Each element defers to the whole, and the whole makes a lasting impression. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

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.