Search results for "Preserving remarkable" in Home Design Ideas

Mid-Century Modern Restoration
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized 1950s terrazzo floor, white floor and exposed beam eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized 1950s terrazzo floor, white floor and exposed beam eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

There’s something truly special about mid-century homes—the craftsmanship, the character, and the little surprises tucked into every corner. As mid-century enthusiasts ourselves, we were thrilled when a client asked us to help redesign their grandmother’s house, blending nostalgia with a fresh, modern perspective. The homeowners envisioned a French Provincial-inspired style while preserving the soul of the home. We introduced modern amenities like a full-scale kitchen, mudroom, and open-concept great room while carefully maintaining cherished details—original hallway built-ins, foyer pocket doors, and other vintage touches that carry the home’s history forward. The best compliment? When family remarked, “It feels like you, with an essence of Grandma, but it’s not Grandma’s house anymore.” That perfect balance of honoring the past while celebrating the future is what makes Juniper Lane so special.

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture
Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset.
The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu .
Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home.
The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south.
Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape.
The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature.
Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design.
Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view.
Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward.
Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan
Structural Engineer: ZFA
Contractor: Maison D’Artiste
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023
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Town & Style Magazine
I would characterize this MCM project as a bundle of stress, labor of love in more ways than one. Picture this…clients come in town from LA for one weekend, tour a sprawling 7000 sf home nestled in Frontenac, share their vision with us, and away they go, back to LA, pack up their life and prepare for their move that was quickly approaching. First things first, I must say, it is one of my most favorite projects and homes to date. I. want. this. house. Like, for real.
Walking in the home, you are welcomed by wall to wall sliding glass doors that house an indoor pool, center courtyard, and this [now] gorgeous home wraps itself around these unique centerpieces of living space. You can see the pool and courtyard from almost any point of the home. The natural light, clean lines and mid century modern architecture was preserved and honed back to its remarkable state.
We had to design, project manage, construct the renovations…everything from the ground up within just a few months. Did I mention the kitchen was nearly gutted, new floors, removing walls, bathroom face lifts, overall design, interior and exterior paint, electrical…..whew, I’m tired just reliving the experience.

Truckee, CA — Nestled in the exclusive Lake Tahoe community of Martis Camp, this remarkable mountain home exemplifies the height of refined mountain modern design. Recently updated with a seamless transition from cool to warm tones, it offers a luxurious, inviting atmosphere ideal for both relaxation and entertaining. The renovation thoughtfully preserves the home's original charm and honors the legacy it represents.

This MossCreek custom designed family retreat features several historically authentic and preserved log cabins that were used as the basis for the design of several individual homes. MossCreek worked closely with the client to develop unique new structures with period-correct details from a remarkable collection of antique homes, all of which were disassembled, moved, and then reassembled at the project site. This project is an excellent example of MossCreek's ability to incorporate the past in to a new home for the ages. Photo by Erwin Loveland

This cozy living room area features a wood-burning stove, as well as a comfortable upholstered lounge chair and an elegant antique writing desk.
WKD’s experience in historic preservation and antique curation restored this gentleman’s farm into a casual, comfortable, livable home for the next chapter in this couple’s lives.
The project included a new family entrance and mud room, new powder room, and opening up some of the rooms for better circulation. While WKD curated the client’s existing collection of art and antiques, refurbishing where necessary, new furnishings were also added to give the home a new lease on life.
Working with older homes, and historic homes, is one of Wilson Kelsey Design’s specialties.
This project was featured on the cover of Design New England's September/October 2013 issue. Read the full article at: http://wilsonkelseydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Heritage-Restored1.pdf
It was also featured in the Sept. issue of Old House Journal, 2016 - article is at http://wilsonkelseydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-09-OHJ.pdf
Photo by Michael Lee

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture
Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset.
The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu .
Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home.
The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south.
Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape.
The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature.
Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design.
Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view.
Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward.
Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan
Structural Engineer: ZFA
Contractor: Maison D’Artiste
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023

Truckee, CA — Nestled in the exclusive Lake Tahoe community of Martis Camp, this remarkable mountain home exemplifies the height of refined mountain modern design. Recently updated with a seamless transition from cool to warm tones, it offers a luxurious, inviting atmosphere ideal for both relaxation and entertaining. The renovation thoughtfully preserves the home's original charm and honors the legacy it represents.

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture
Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset.
The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu .
Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home.
The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south.
Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape.
The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature.
Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design.
Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view.
Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward.
Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan
Structural Engineer: ZFA
Contractor: Maison D’Artiste
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023

There’s something truly special about mid-century homes—the craftsmanship, the character, and the little surprises tucked into every corner. As mid-century enthusiasts ourselves, we were thrilled when a client asked us to help redesign their grandmother’s house, blending nostalgia with a fresh, modern perspective. The homeowners envisioned a French Provincial-inspired style while preserving the soul of the home. We introduced modern amenities like a full-scale kitchen, mudroom, and open-concept great room while carefully maintaining cherished details—original hallway built-ins, foyer pocket doors, and other vintage touches that carry the home’s history forward. The best compliment? When family remarked, “It feels like you, with an essence of Grandma, but it’s not Grandma’s house anymore.” That perfect balance of honoring the past while celebrating the future is what makes Juniper Lane so special.

This MossCreek custom designed family retreat features several historically authentic and preserved log cabins that were used as the basis for the design of several individual homes. MossCreek worked closely with the client to develop unique new structures with period-correct details from a remarkable collection of antique homes, all of which were disassembled, moved, and then reassembled at the project site. This project is an excellent example of MossCreek's ability to incorporate the past in to a new home for the ages. Photo by Erwin Loveland

There’s something truly special about mid-century homes—the craftsmanship, the character, and the little surprises tucked into every corner. As mid-century enthusiasts ourselves, we were thrilled when a client asked us to help redesign their grandmother’s house, blending nostalgia with a fresh, modern perspective. The homeowners envisioned a French Provincial-inspired style while preserving the soul of the home. We introduced modern amenities like a full-scale kitchen, mudroom, and open-concept great room while carefully maintaining cherished details—original hallway built-ins, foyer pocket doors, and other vintage touches that carry the home’s history forward. The best compliment? When family remarked, “It feels like you, with an essence of Grandma, but it’s not Grandma’s house anymore.” That perfect balance of honoring the past while celebrating the future is what makes Juniper Lane so special.

Easton, Maryland Traditional Kitchen Design by #JenniferGilmer with a lake view
http://gilmerkitchens.com/
Photography by Bob Narod

Klopf Architecture and Jesse Ososki Art remodeled an existing Eichler atrium home into a brighter, more open, and more functional version of its original self.
The goals were to preserve the Eichler look and feel without the need to strictly adhere to it. The scope of work included re-configuring the master bedroom/bath, the kitchen, and the hall bath/laundry area, as well as updating interior finishes throughout to be more sophisticated.
The owners are detail-oriented and were very involved in the design process, down to the selection of lighting controls and stainless steel faceplates.Their design aesthetic leans toward the Scandinavian — light and bright, with simple straight lines and pure geometric shapes.
The finish flooring is large porcelain tile (24” x 24”) in a neutral grey tone, providing a uniform backdrop against which other materials can stand out. The same tile continues into the shower floor (with a different finish texture for slip-resistance) and up the shower/tub walls (in a smaller size). Heath Classic Field ceramic tile in Modern Blue was used sparingly, to add color at the hall bath vanity backsplash and at the shampoo niches in both bathrooms. Back-painted soda glass in pale blue to match the Heath tile was used at the kitchen backsplash. This same accent color was also used at the front entry atrium door. Kitchen cabinetry, countertops, appliances, and light fixtures are all white, making the kitchen feel more airy and light. Countertops are Caesarstone Blizzard.
The owners chose to keep some of the original Eichler elements: the concrete masonry fireplace; the stained tongue-and-groove redwood ceiling decking; and the luan wall paneling. The luan paneling was lightly sanded, cleaned, and re-stained. The owners also kept an added element that was installed by a previous owner: sliding shoji panels at all bedroom windows and sliding glass doors, for both privacy and sun control. Grooves were cut into the new tile flooring for the shoji panels to slide in, creating a more integrated look. Walnut was used to add warmth and contrast at the kitchen bar top and niche, the bathroom vanities, and the window sill/ledge under the kitchen window.
This Burlingame Eichler Remodel is a 2,121 sf, 4 bedroom/2 bath home located in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, Klara Kevane and Yegvenia Torres Zavala
Contractor: Jesse Ososki Art
Structural Engineer: Emmanuel Pun
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed
Location: Burlingame, CA
Year completed: 2017

There’s something truly special about mid-century homes—the craftsmanship, the character, and the little surprises tucked into every corner. As mid-century enthusiasts ourselves, we were thrilled when a client asked us to help redesign their grandmother’s house, blending nostalgia with a fresh, modern perspective. The homeowners envisioned a French Provincial-inspired style while preserving the soul of the home. We introduced modern amenities like a full-scale kitchen, mudroom, and open-concept great room while carefully maintaining cherished details—original hallway built-ins, foyer pocket doors, and other vintage touches that carry the home’s history forward. The best compliment? When family remarked, “It feels like you, with an essence of Grandma, but it’s not Grandma’s house anymore.” That perfect balance of honoring the past while celebrating the future is what makes Juniper Lane so special.

This MossCreek custom designed family retreat features several historically authentic and preserved log cabins that were used as the basis for the design of several individual homes. MossCreek worked closely with the client to develop unique new structures with period-correct details from a remarkable collection of antique homes, all of which were disassembled, moved, and then reassembled at the project site. This project is an excellent example of MossCreek's ability to incorporate the past in to a new home for the ages. Photo by Erwin Loveland

This MossCreek custom designed family retreat features several historically authentic and preserved log cabins that were used as the basis for the design of several individual homes. MossCreek worked closely with the client to develop unique new structures with period-correct details from a remarkable collection of antique homes, all of which were disassembled, moved, and then reassembled at the project site. This project is an excellent example of MossCreek's ability to incorporate the past in to a new home for the ages. Photo by Erwin Loveland

This MossCreek custom designed family retreat features several historically authentic and preserved log cabins that were used as the basis for the design of several individual homes. MossCreek worked closely with the client to develop unique new structures with period-correct details from a remarkable collection of antique homes, all of which were disassembled, moved, and then reassembled at the project site. This project is an excellent example of MossCreek's ability to incorporate the past in to a new home for the ages. Photo by Erwin Loveland
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