Photo: Danielle Sykes © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in Boston.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Our clients had been in their home since the early 1980’s and decided it was time for some updates. We took on the kitchen, two bathrooms and a powder room. The layout in the kitchen was functional for them, so we kept that pretty much as is. Our client wanted a contemporary-leaning transitional look — nice clean lines with a gray and white palette. Light gray cabinets with a slightly darker gray subway tile keep the northern exposure light and airy. They also purchased some new furniture for their breakfast room and adjoining family room, so the whole space looks completely styled and new. The light fixtures are staggered and give a nice rhythm to the otherwise serene feel. The homeowners were not 100% sold on the flooring choice for little powder room off the kitchen when I first showed it, but now they think it is one of the most interesting features of the design. I always try to “push” my clients a little bit because that’s when things can get really fun and this is what you are paying for after all, ideas that you may not come up with on your own. We also worked on the two upstairs bathrooms. We started first on the hall bath which was basically just in need of a face lift. The floor is porcelain tile made to look like carrera marble. The vanity is white Shaker doors fitted with a white quartz top. We re-glazed the cast iron tub. The master bath was a tub to shower conversion. We used a wood look porcelain plank on the main floor along with a Kohler Tailored vanity. The custom shower has a barn door shower door, and vinyl wallpaper in the sink area gives a rich textured look to the space. Overall, it’s a pretty sophisticated look for its smaller fooprint. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Robert Granoff Photography
Kitchen - contemporary kitchen idea in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and white appliances

A West Village Bachelor pad bedroom, featuring a hand-painted geometric design that highlights the pre-war features of the space, like the picture moldings. Additionally, because the client wanted both a work space and a place to put his TV (the pre-war wall could not hold a wall mounted tv!), we designed a custom desk/console piece out of reclaimed wood and metal hairpin legs that served both purposes, and fit the space perfectly. Photos by Matthew Williams

davidduncanlivingston.com
Large elegant medium tone wood floor enclosed dining room photo in San Francisco with orange walls and no fireplace

Kitchen - kitchen idea in Houston

Holger Obenaus
Inspiration for a transitional dark wood floor family room remodel in Charleston with blue walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls and an undermount sink

Not all garage doors are created equal. Dynamic Garage Doors are custom designed for each individual project. Our full custom design and manufacturing abilities allow us to create unique custom garage doors that naturally blend into each home's authentic architectural style. This Mid Century style carport was converted into a fully functional garage but presented a problem when it came time to retrofit it with a custom wood garage door. Since the ground was pitched at a sloping angle it required the need of a custom designed asymmetrical garage door that would compensate for the huge gap at the bottom of the garage door opening. Taking careful measurements was of essence to handcraft a garage door that would fit perfectly into the awkwardly shaped garage opening. Once everything was calculated to perfection our designers came up with a minimalistic Mid Century style garage door design that would complement the home's architectural elements. The answer was a fine-lined garage door design with horizontal tongue and groove slats in solid mahogany that were carefully stained to simulate and match the home's existing ipe wood accents. We opted for ipe-stained mahogany in lieu of real ipe to save the client on the custom garage door cost while still delivering a garage door that will last a lifetime and look like a naturally blended architectural element of the home. Enclosing the carport and adding a Dynamic Garage Door re-purposed and graduated a simple carport to a fully functional garage with a working automatic garage door. Investing in a custom garage door for this sloping carport will prove to return the investment at time of resale. Not to mention, of course, the curb appeal enhancement it gave the home.

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Studio Munroe, Photography by Thomas Kuoh
Tuscan brown floor dining room photo in San Francisco with beige walls

This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

Example of a mid-sized minimalist outdoor patio shower design in Miami with decking and no cover

Single-family new construction in Albinea (RE), Italy, certified Class A by CasaClima Agency for high energy efficiency. This single-family home was designed as part of an existing development plan near Albinea (in the province of Reggio Emilia), for which there were prescribed traditional design guidelines imposed. The architectural form, therefore, references a traditional Emilian farmhouse with a central "porta morta" area that acts as the entrance and stairwell. The color palette blends in with the surrounding hay fields, and the rear of the house offers decks and balconies overlooking the hills of the Reggiano Apennines. Our challenge was to focus on the efficiency of the building envelope, without changing the orientation of the building. Despite the fact that the shorter side of the house is facing South and through careful design calculations and testing during construction, we were able to achieve Class A in the CasaClima rating scheme, one of the highest Italian certifications available. This project is a joint development with Roverella SRL and is now for sale: httpa//www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html::: http://www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html photos by Sara Salsi

Single-family new construction in Albinea (RE), Italy, certified Class A by CasaClima Agency for high energy efficiency. This single-family home was designed as part of an existing development plan near Albinea (in the province of Reggio Emilia), for which there were prescribed traditional design guidelines imposed. The architectural form, therefore, references a traditional Emilian farmhouse with a central "porta morta" area that acts as the entrance and stairwell. The color palette blends in with the surrounding hay fields, and the rear of the house offers decks and balconies overlooking the hills of the Reggiano Apennines. Our challenge was to focus on the efficiency of the building envelope, without changing the orientation of the building. Despite the fact that the shorter side of the house is facing South and through careful design calculations and testing during construction, we were able to achieve Class A in the CasaClima rating scheme, one of the highest Italian certifications available. This project is a joint development with Roverella SRL and is now for sale: httpa//www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html::: http://www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html photos by Sara Salsi

Single-family new construction in Albinea (RE), Italy, certified Class A by CasaClima Agency for high energy efficiency. This single-family home was designed as part of an existing development plan near Albinea (in the province of Reggio Emilia), for which there were prescribed traditional design guidelines imposed. The architectural form, therefore, references a traditional Emilian farmhouse with a central "porta morta" area that acts as the entrance and stairwell. The color palette blends in with the surrounding hay fields, and the rear of the house offers decks and balconies overlooking the hills of the Reggiano Apennines. Our challenge was to focus on the efficiency of the building envelope, without changing the orientation of the building. Despite the fact that the shorter side of the house is facing South and through careful design calculations and testing during construction, we were able to achieve Class A in the CasaClima rating scheme, one of the highest Italian certifications available. This project is a joint development with Roverella SRL and is now for sale: httpa//www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html::: http://www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html photos by Sara Salsi

Single-family new construction in Albinea (RE), Italy, certified Class A by CasaClima Agency for high energy efficiency. This single-family home was designed as part of an existing development plan near Albinea (in the province of Reggio Emilia), for which there were prescribed traditional design guidelines imposed. The architectural form, therefore, references a traditional Emilian farmhouse with a central "porta morta" area that acts as the entrance and stairwell. The color palette blends in with the surrounding hay fields, and the rear of the house offers decks and balconies overlooking the hills of the Reggiano Apennines. Our challenge was to focus on the efficiency of the building envelope, without changing the orientation of the building. Despite the fact that the shorter side of the house is facing South and through careful design calculations and testing during construction, we were able to achieve Class A in the CasaClima rating scheme, one of the highest Italian certifications available. This project is a joint development with Roverella SRL and is now for sale: httpa//www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html::: http://www.immobiliare.it/44731806-Vendita-Villa-via-Conte-6-Albinea.html photos by Sara Salsi

Beach style gray floor dining room photo in DC Metro with white walls

Rodwin Architecture and Skycastle Homes Location: Boulder, CO, United States The 3300 s.f. Dineen Residence is nestled into a forested hillside glade, and combines old world materials with clean contemporary lines. Big southern windows, carefully calculated overhangs, and “tuned” glazing create a strong passive solar design. The Great room features 12 ft tall ceilings, a see-through fireplace, and oversized French doors leading out to flagstone patios. The dining room includes a stunning chandelier and connects directly to the sunny gourmet kitchen. In all these rooms, it feels like you’re standing outside. The expansive mudroom is perfect for pets, kids and gardening mess. The second floor features an expansive study/rec room with a large deck to capture the huge views of the forest and plains. Radiant concrete floors, a solar electric PV system and excellent insulation combine to achieved a HERS 32 (uses 68% less energy than allowed by code). This home was completed in October by our construction arm, Skycastle Homes, on time and under budget.