Charles Hilton Architects & Renee Byers LAPC From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Originally designed by one of the most notable landscape architects in town, this once impressive project had faltered in recent years. The pool and spa still functioned well, and the client wanted to keep it intact. In addition, they wanted to keep as much of the existing landscaping as possible. The surrounding decks, walls, and steps were fair game. At first glance, one might think that our changes were simple material changes. Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the subtle, yet transformative changes that come together to update this classic pool in a tasteful, timeless manner, and improve the flow and usability of the deck areas, while softening the feel of the massive hardscape. The subtle changes begin as soon as you walk out the back door of the house. The existing decking had a lot of what we call “tweeners”; areas that are overly generous walkways, yet not large enough to house furniture. The awkwardly small bluestone patio was expanded to accommodate a generous seating area, by pushing the step-down closer to the pool. Our talented stone mason carefully married the new bluestone into the existing, resulting in an imperceptible difference between the two. As you descend the new bluestone steps to the pool level, your bare feet will be thankful for the new smooth-finished limestone colored concrete, with a hand cut pattern carefully etched into its surface. The old red brick decking was so hot that the owners could not walk around the pool in bare feet. The brick coping was also replaced with an eased edge Pennsylvania Premier Stone which matches the new step treads throughout the project. Between the house and the pool, a large raised planter was reconfigured, giving additional space to the pool deck for a shaded lounge chair area. Across the pool, a bank of rather tall painted brick retaining walls were cut down, shortened, and moved. This lessened the visual impact of the walls, which were rather overwhelming in the space, as well as opening up a new seating area, nestled under the arms of the massive pecan at the back of the property. Rather than continuing solid decking around the entire pool, the area near these walls has been transformed to large stone stepper pads set in a sea of beautiful St. Augustine lawn. This creates a visually softened area that is still suited to setting tables and chairs when the guest list calls for additional seating. The spa area is quite possibly the most dramatic change on this project. Yet more raised planter walls divided this area into awkward spaces, unsuited to proper furniture placement. The planters were removed, new stone decks, once again expertly married into the existing, opening the area to house a large dining table and new built in bbq area. The spa itself was re-imagined with the bluestone coping, and painted brick veneer. The most impressive addition though is the new handmade glazed tiles that surround the existing cast stone water feature. This water feature was almost unnoticeable against the painted brick wall, but now the dramatic arch and pop of color draw the eye to this quaint little corner of the property.

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

Entry hall - small light wood floor and beige floor entry hall idea with white walls and a light wood front door

From the beach to the shower is the way to live. Here is a custom built wood outdoor shower with a bench on a solid concrete slab that is properly drained. It even has a lower faucet for washing the dog after a play on the beach.

Example of a huge classic l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, an island, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops

Anastasia Alkema Photography
Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped brown floor and dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Atlanta with white walls, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, brown backsplash, wood backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, solid surface countertops and white countertops

Inspiration for a large country detached studio / workshop shed remodel in New York

Outdoor patio with gas fireplace that lives right off the kitchen. Perfect for hosting or being outside privately, as it's secluded from neighbors. Wood floors, cement walls with a cover.

Design ideas for a traditional partial sun wood fence landscaping in New York with a pergola.

Eric Roth Photography
Farmhouse l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Boston with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This beautiful custom wine cellar / wine wall / wine room in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California is truly a jaw dropper. Vintage Cellars, wine cellar builders out of san diego, california, were able to design and build this masterpiece as a major centerpoint of this dining room and kitchen. A custom wine cellar designed and built by vintage wine cellars out of San Diego, California - this custom wine wall has tons of unique and noteworthy features throughout. The bottom of the cellar begins with multiple areas for wine case storage and other bulk storage options. The great thing about this space is that it was designed for multi-use capability, leaving ample room to store multiple layers deep of single bottle storage as well. Directly above the case storage lie multiple layers of easy pull out shelving on smooth rolling tracks, seamlessly allowing for drawer sliding with no risk of bottle movement or abrupt stops. These are fantastic features to have, especially in the case of having flights of wines from your favorite wineries. A collection of 2010 through 2016 Larkmeade Cabernet Sauvignon bottles from Napa have never looked so good. In the center, a small countertop and opening are used for a practical space to open and decant wines. Glass shelving features and acrylic wine racking dividers make for a fun, transparent, and sleek looking centerpiece. On either side of this wine wall feature / kitchen wine cellar are long rows of high reveal display of wine bottles, carefully designed and engineered to lay down properly so that the cork will stay wet and wines are aged perfectly and gracefully over time. These display rows act as fantastic "show off" sections - perfectly highlighting each bottle's respective label and giving you the ability to really display your gems. More sections sit above these displays, turning the bottles inward and facing them cork out. In this certain circumstance and with this specific client's collection, these sections really popped with color and intrigue with many cases of the same wines being placed into the racking. Intense hues of Red and Yellow POP, keeping this wine cellar interesting and a pleasure to look at no matter what section you're exploring. Horizontal stainless steel metal rods are Integrated into the custom cabinetry horizontally and angled across each multiple sections, again offering another unique and different design feature, now with wine bottle labels facing outward and completely visible. This look in custom wine wall / custom wine cellar / custom wine room / custom wine display / custom wine storage solutions is a great way to integrate modern nuances into your cellar. Accents of metal into an otherwise "traditional" wooden wine cellar can actually add a unique change of pace and give an entire new breath of life to an existing wine storage space. 700 bottle capacity, with room for magnum storage above. Vintage Cellars enjoys working directly with NOE Design Co. and MAIDEN Steel companies when integrating a major glass door feature. The quality of work is second to none, unparalleled, and we are able to ensure that our clients are left with an absolutely stunning, but more importantly, 100% perfectly sealed and specified door and stainless steel framing system. With so many different kinds of wine racks / wine racking / wine cellar designs and styles, you can really go in any and every direction in the discovery and design phase of a custom wine cellar project. The Custom wine cellar builder custom wine cellar builders team at Vintage Cellars make the entire process exciting, informative, and smooth from start to finish. Vintage Cellars has built gorgeous custom wine cellars and wine storage rooms across the United States and World for over 25 years. We are your go-to business for anything wine cellar and wine storage related! Whether you're interested in a wine closet, wine racking, custom wine racks, a custom wine cellar door, or a cooling system for your existing space, Vintage Cellars has you covered! We carry all kinds of wine cellar cooling and refrigeration systems, incuding: Breezaire, CellarCool, WhisperKool, Wine Guardian, CellarPro and Commercial systems. We also carry many types of Wine Refrigerators, Wine Cabinets, and wine racking types, including La Cache, Marvel, N'Finity, Transtherm, Vinotheque, Vintage Series, Credenza, Walk in wine rooms, Climadiff, Riedel, Fontenay, and VintageView. Vintage Cellars also does work in many styles, including Contemporary and Modern, Rustic, Farmhouse, Traditional, Craftsman, Industrial, Mediterranean, Mid-Century, Industrial and Eclectic. Some locations we cover often include: Agora Hills, Alameda, Albany, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Altadena, Anaheim, Angwin, Arcadia, Aromas, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Atherton, Avila Beach, Balboa Terrace, Bel Air, Belmont, Belvedere, Benton, Berkeley, Bermuda Dunes, Beverly Hills, Big Sur, Bolinas, Boyle Heights, Bradbury, Bradley, Brea, Brentwood, Bridgeport, Brisbane, Buellton, Buena Park, Burbank, Burlingame, Calabasas, Calistoga, Cambria, Canoga Park, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Carmel, Carmel By The Sea, Carmel Valley, Carnelian Bay, Carpinteria, Casmalia, Castroville, Cathedral City, Cayucos, Chatsworth, Chualar, City of LA, City of SF, Coachella, Coleville, Colma, Corona Del Mar, Coronado, Coronado Island, Corte Madera, Costa Mesa, Coto De Caza, Creston, Crystal Cove, Cupertino, Cypress, Danville, Deer Park, Del Mar, Diablo, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Palo Alto, East Pasadena, Echo Park, El Granada, El Monte, Emeryville, Encinitas, Encino, Fairfax, Foster City, Fountain Valley, Fremont, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Glendale, Golden Gate Park, Goleta, Gonzales, Granada Hills, Granite Bay, Greenbrae, Greenfield, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Half Moon Bay, Hancock Park, Harmony, Hidden Hills, Hillsborough, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Huntington Beach, Indian Wells, Indio, Industry, Inner Richmond, Inverness, Irvine, Jolon, June Lake, Kentfield, King City, La Canada Flintridge, La Habra, La Honda, La Jolla, La Palma, La Quinta, Ladera Heights, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Balboa, Lake Forest, Lake Tahoe, Lake View Terrace, Larkspur, Laurel Canyon, Lee Vining, Lockwood, Lompoc, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Alamos, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Angeles, Los Gatos, Los Olivos, Los Osos, Malibu, Mammoth Lakes, Manhattan Beach, Marin, Marina, Marshall, Mayflower Village, Menlo Park, Mill Valley, Millbrae, Mission Hills, Mission Viejo, Mono, Monrovia, Montara, Montebello, Monterey, Monterey Park, Morro Bay, Moss Beach, Moss Landing, Mountain View, Napa, New Cuyama, Newark, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Nicasio, Nipomo, North Hills, Northridge, Novato, Oakland, Oakville, Ocean Beach, Oceano, Orange, Orange County, Pacific Grove, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palo Alto, Palos Verdes, Panorama City, Pasadena, Paso Robles, Pebble Beach, Pescadero, Piedmont, Pismo Beach, Placentia, Point Reyes Station, Pope Valley, Portola Valley, Presidio, Presidio Heights, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Redwood City, Reseda, Rosemead, Russian Cliff, Rutherford, Saint Helena, Salinas, San Anselmo, San Ardo, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Clemente, San Diego, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Gabriel, San Gregorio, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, San Lucas, San Luis Obispo, San Marino, San Mateo, San Miguel, San Rafael, San Simeon, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Clarita, Santa Margarita, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Ynez, Saratoga, Sausalito, Sea Cliff, Seal Beach, Seaside, Shadow Hills, Shandon, Sherman Oaks, Sierra Madre, Silver Lake, Solana Beach, Soledad, Solvang, Sonoma, South El Monte, South Pasadena, South San Gabriel, Spreckels, Squaw Valley, St Helena, Stanford, Stanton, Stinson Beach, Stough Park, Studio City, Summerland, Sun Valley, Sunland, Sunnyvale, Sylmar, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, Tarzana, Temple City, Templeton, Thousand Oaks, Thousand Palms, Tiburon, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Topaz, Torrey Pines, Tujanga, Tustin, Union City, Valencia, Verdugo Mountains, Vernon, Villa Park, Walnut, Walnut Creek, West Puente Valley, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier, Woodside, Yorba Linda, Yountville San Diego Wine Cellars, Rancho Santa Fe Wine Cellars, Beverly Hills Wine Cellars, Bel Air Wine Cellars, Orange County Wine Cellars, Newport Beach Wine Cellars, San Francisco Wine Cellars, Napa Wine Cellars, Sonoma Wine Cellars, Los Angeles Wine Cellars, Santa Barbara Wine Cellars, Palm Desert Wine Cellars, La Jolla Wine Cellars, Del Mar Wine Cellars, Coronado Wine Cellars, Pacific Palisades Wine Cellars, Malibu Wine Cellars, Santa Monica Wine Cellars, Brentwood Wine Cellars, Laguna Wine Cellars, Crystal Cove Wine Cellars, Hollywood Wine Cellars, Bay Area Wine Cellars, South Bay Wine Cellars, LA Wine Cellars, SD Wine Cellars, OC Wine Cellars, SF Wine Cellars, Huntington Beach Wine Cellars, Carlsbad Wine Cellars, Palos Verdes Wine Cellars, Paso Robles Wine Cellars, Encinitas Wine Cellars, Manhattan Beach Wine Cellars, Marin Wine Cellars, Tiburon Wine Cellars, Coto De Caza Wine Cellars, Thousand Oaks Wine Cellars, Cardiff Wine Cellars, RSF Wine Cellars, San Marino Wine Cellars, Ladera Heights Wine Cellars, Westwood Wine Cellars, Hillsborough Wine Cellars, Luxury Wine Cellars, Custom Wine Cellars, High End Wine Cellars, Estate Wine Cellars, Modern Wine Cellars, Contemporary Wine Cellars, Rustic Wine Cellars, Traditional Wine Cellars Contact Vintage Cellars today with any of your Wine Cellar needs! (800) 876-8789 Vintage Cellars 904 Rancheros Drive San Marcos, California 92069 (800) 876-8789

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Trendy 3/4 gray floor alcove shower photo in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an integrated sink, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Gazebo, Covered Wood Structure, Ambient Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Exterior Design, Custom Wood Decking, Custom Wood Structures, Outdoor Cook Station, Outdoor Kitchen, Outdoor Fireplace, Outdoor Electronics

Photo: www.mikikokikuyama.com
Mid-sized trendy loft-style medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in New York with brown walls and no fireplace

Cottage family room photo in Salt Lake City

Sleek and organic design with pebbles stone giving a natural look of a river walk running from the inside bathroom to the outdoor shower in a private patio. Design by Luz Marina Selles. Photos by Mike Small Photography.