APEX received the Gold 2017 Minnesota Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award for Additions up to $250,000 for this St. Paul, MN project. The new kitchen in the 1912 home features restored vintage appliances and fixtures, custom cabinetry and table, and custom-cut commercial tile floor. Modern conveniences cleverly hidden. Small bump-out squared the space, enhanced the south-facing view of the charming yard and made room for a new portico, mudroom and and main-level bath. Photographed by: Patrick O'Loughlin

When a large family renovated a home nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, all bathrooms received dazzling upgrades and this master bathroom was no exception. The spacious room faces a private yard with an abundance of greenery and views of the foothills, so I chose light, cool colors and organic materials to reference the beauty just outside. We chose an elegantly curved freestanding bath tub which echoes the beautiful, sinuous twists of the tub filler and sink faucets. I worked with my client to create a massive steam shower lined with porcelain tile that mimics marble, a much more durable and steam-friendly material than porous marble. A grand custom vanity spans one half of the bathroom and features a seated make-up area. For the vanity lighting, my client fell in love with pendants that look as if they are faceted jewels. The entire bathroom is now a luxurious, sophisticated spa. Photos by: Bernardo Grijalva

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

This was one of those unfortunate projects no homeowner should have to experience. We had originally provided an estimate, but the homeowners decided to move forward with a lower-priced contractor. A few weeks later, we received an emotional call asking us to step in and help. The previous contractor had abandoned the project after receiving payment, leaving behind incomplete and severely compromised work. Unfortunately, the condition of the job made the repairs more difficult than they would have been from the beginning. We were happy to come in, correct the problems, and get the project back on track. In the end, we were able to turn a stressful situation into a successfully completed project and, most importantly, leave the homeowners feeling relieved and happy with the finished result.

This beverage area has a wet bar within its absolute black polished granite counter, tops white shaker cabinets. The backsplash is tin. The open shelves are made from reclaimed wood and feature subtle and modern lighting. The black iron hardware matches the hardware on the adjacent Dutch door. After tearing down this home's existing addition, we set out to create a new addition with a modern farmhouse feel that still blended seamlessly with the original house. The addition includes a kitchen great room, laundry room and sitting room. Outside, we perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

Bedroom - industrial bedroom idea in Atlanta

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

Photo: Lauren Andersen © 2018 Houzz
Example of an eclectic kitchen design in San Francisco

A grand home on Philadelphia's Main Line receives a freshening up when clients buy an old home and bring in their previous traditional furnishings but add lots of new contemporary and colorful furnishings to bring the house up to date. A gold and silver wallpaper left by the previous owner becomes the backdrop for a gray and yellow color scheme in a massive master bedroom suite. Jay Greene Photography

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

A trellised terrace opens up to a quieter view of a magnificent existing redwood grove and bioswale filled with clusters of ornamental grasses and perennials. Photography by Marion Brenner

We custom made these built in cubbies. They have storage nooks, coat hooks, and beadboard back capped with a top rail. We added a small wood doorstop on the lower right to prevent the door from banging into piece. After tearing down this home's existing addition, we set out to create a new addition with a modern farmhouse feel that still blended seamlessly with the original house. The addition includes a kitchen great room, laundry room and sitting room. Outside, we perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

With a complete transformation of the main level of this Vienna home, especially with the removal of a wall and raising of the floor, the retro modern and open vibe of the entire space shines with light and function. Fun design highlights: the kitchen pantry and bar area are tucked off behind the main kitchen area, providing more storage and counterspace than expected, the mudroom now provides better flow for entry and exit, and the lower laundry room received a well-deserved update.

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

This lake home remodeling project involved significant renovations to both the interior and exterior of the property. One of the major changes on the exterior was the removal of a glass roof and the installation of steel beams, which added structural support to the building and allowed for the creation of a new upper-level patio. The lower-level patio also received a complete overhaul, including the addition of a new pavilion, stamped concrete, and a putting green. The exterior of the home was also completely repainted and received extensive updates to the hardscaping and landscaping. Inside, the home was completely updated with a new kitchen, a remodeled upper-level sunroom, a new upper-level fireplace, a new lower-level wet bar, and updated bathrooms, paint, and lighting. These renovations all combined to turn the home into the homeowner's dream lake home, complete with all the features and amenities they desired. Helman Sechrist Architecture, Architect; Marie 'Martin' Kinney, Photographer; Martin Bros. Contracting, Inc. General Contractor.

With a complete transformation of the main level of this Vienna home, especially with the removal of a wall and raising of the floor, the retro modern and open vibe of the entire space shines with light and function. Fun design highlights: the kitchen pantry and bar area are tucked off behind the main kitchen area, providing more storage and counterspace than expected, the mudroom now provides better flow for entry and exit, and the lower laundry room received a well-deserved update.

With a complete transformation of the main level of this Vienna home, especially with the removal of a wall and raising of the floor, the retro modern and open vibe of the entire space shines with light and function. Fun design highlights: the kitchen pantry and bar area are tucked off behind the main kitchen area, providing more storage and counterspace than expected, the mudroom now provides better flow for entry and exit, and the lower laundry room received a well-deserved update.