Oliver Irwin Photography www.oliveriphoto.com Uptic Studios designed the space in such a way that the exterior and interior blend together seamlessly, bringing the outdoors in. The interior of the space is designed to provide a smooth, heartwarming, and welcoming environment. With floor to ceiling windows, the views from inside captures the amazing scenery of the great northwest. Uptic Studios provided an open concept design to encourage the family to stay connected with their guests and each other in this spacious modern space. The attention to details gives each element and individual feature its own value while cohesively working together to create the space as a whole.

A little 'oasis' was created in this compact urban yard as a 'mini pool' for a family with young children. The plunge-pool/spa with black slate interior and integrated rock feature, has a waterfall surrounded by the lush plantings. The deck is natural square-cut flagstone set on a concrete base. A natural cedar hedge and custom cedar side screens provide privacy. With equipment in the garage, insulated plumbing lines and a custom cover allow for year round use. (8 x 13, kidney shape)

Distinctive detailing and craftsmanship make this custom mudroom both a welcoming entry and a functional drop zone for backpacks, muddy boots, keys and mail. Shoe drawers fitted with metal mesh allow air to circulate and a custom upholstered cushion in wool windowpane plaid provides a comfortable seat. Leather cabinet pulls, woven wool baskets and lots of Shaker wall pegs make this mudroom a practical standout. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

"photography by John Merkl"
Inspiration for a large gender-neutral medium tone wood floor playroom remodel in San Francisco with multicolored walls

Condominium home with a mid-century modern flair, bright white with plenty of natural light, and colorful accents. This home is sprinkled with evidence that the owner is an avid world traveler and has an appreciation for various arts.

Photo by George Dzahristos
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Detroit.

This contemporary deck off the kitchen features vibrant orange wire dining chairs paired with concrete benches and dining tabletops supported by black metal legs. A sliding glass door with black trim connects the indoor and outdoor spaces, while a black metal awning provides shade and architectural interest. The wood deck adds warmth and texture, creating a stylish and functional outdoor dining area that complements the modern kitchen interior. Photo by Thomas Kuoh.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary formal and open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in San Francisco with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

This project reimagines an under-used back yard in Portland, Oregon, creating an urban garden with an adjacent writer’s studio. Taking inspiration from Japanese precedents, we conceived of a paving scheme with planters, a cedar soaking tub, a fire pit, and a seven-foot-tall cedar fence. The fence is sheathed on both sides to afford greater privacy as well as ensure the neighbors enjoy a well-made fence too. Photo: Anna M Campbell: annamcampbell.com

Minimalist backyard hot tub photo in Toronto with decking

Interior Design by Pamala Deikel Design Photos by Paul Rollis
Example of a mid-sized country wood brown floor front door design in San Francisco with beige walls

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Photography by Juliana Franco
Mid-sized 1950s beige one-story brick gable roof idea in Houston with a shingle roof

This room needed to serve two purposes for the homeowners - a spare room for guests and a home office for work. A custom murphy bed is the ideal solution to be functional for a weekend visit them promptly put away for Monday meetings.

Halkin Mason Photography
Example of a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Inspiration for a large coastal master carpeted and beige floor bedroom remodel in San Diego with white walls and no fireplace

Lincoln Barbour
Elegant mosaic tile floor bathroom photo in Portland with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and white walls

Photo by Ryann Ford
Photo of a transitional partial sun backyard landscaping in Austin with a fire pit.

Mid-sized trendy master gray tile concrete floor and gray floor walk-in shower photo in Los Angeles with light wood cabinets, flat-panel cabinets, white walls and white countertops