The need for a productive and comfortable space was the motive for the study design. A culmination of ideas supports daily routines from the computer desk for correspondence, the worktable to review documents, or the sofa to read reports. The wood mantel creates the base for the art niche, which provides a space for one homeowner’s taste in modern art to be expressed. Horizontal wood elements are stained for layered warmth from the floor, wood tops, mantel, and ceiling beams. The walls are covered in a natural paper weave with a green tone that is pulled to the built-ins flanking the marble fireplace for a happier work environment. Connections to the outside are a welcome relief to enjoy views to the front, or pass through the doors to the private outdoor patio at the back of the home. The ceiling light fixture has linen panels as a tie to personal ship artwork displayed in the office.

©Finished Basement Company
Multiuse home gym - large transitional black floor multiuse home gym idea in Denver with beige walls

This lower-level rec room features a gaming space, with exposed brick wall, relaxed leather chairs and built-in cabinetry. A glass-front built in houses memorabilia and personal items.

Mountain style basement photo in Philadelphia

Bedroom - mid-sized 1950s guest carpeted and gray floor bedroom idea in Los Angeles with white walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern loft-style medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Nashville with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

Mid-sized trendy gender-neutral light wood floor playroom photo in Miami with beige walls

Beach style concrete patio photo in Los Angeles with a roof extension

Mid-sized trendy formal and open concept dark wood floor living room photo in Nashville with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Example of a study space transitional gender-neutral carpeted kids' study room design in Houston with blue walls

Single front door - farmhouse medium tone wood floor and brown floor single front door idea with beige walls and a black front door

Tamara Flanagan Photography
Living room - transitional formal living room idea in Boston with white walls

Inspiration for a large contemporary look-out vinyl floor and red floor basement remodel in Chicago with gray walls and no fireplace

A lower level made for entertaining, with a recreation area, wet bar, powder room and a guest suite that feels more like a resort than a basement.
Inspiration for a contemporary basement remodel in Detroit

Gorgeous Living/Dinning Room By 2id Interiors Photo Credits Emilio Collavino
Huge trendy open concept ceramic tile and beige floor living room photo in Miami with multicolored walls and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a large trendy open concept dark wood floor living room library design in Nashville with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Margot Hartford Photography
Example of an eclectic bathroom design in San Francisco

This project is a new 5,900 sf. primary residence for a couple with three children. The site is slightly elevated above the residential street and enjoys winter views of the Potomac River. The family’s requirements included five bedrooms, five full baths, a powder room, family room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, walk-in pantry, mudroom, lower level recreation room, exercise room, media room and numerous storage spaces. Also included was the request for an outdoor terrace and adequate outdoor storage, including provision for the storage of bikes and kayaks. The family needed a home that would have two entrances, the primary entrance, and a mudroom entry that would provide generous storage spaces for the family’s active lifestyle. Due to the small lot size, the challenge was to accommodate the family’s requirements, while remaining sympathetic to the scale of neighboring homes. The residence employs a “T” shaped plan to aid in minimizing the massing visible from the street, while organizing interior spaces around a private outdoor terrace space accessible from the living and dining spaces. A generous front porch and a gambrel roof diminish the home’s scale, providing a welcoming view along the street front. A path along the right side of the residence leads to the family entrance and a small outbuilding that provides ready access to the bikes and kayaks while shielding the rear terrace from view of neighboring homes. The two entrances join a central stair hall that leads to the eat-in kitchen overlooking the great room. Window seats and a custom built banquette provide gathering spaces, while the French doors connect the great room to the terrace where the arbor transitions to the garden. A first floor guest suite, separate from the family areas of the home, affords privacy for both guests and hosts alike. The second floor Master Suite enjoys views of the Potomac River through a second floor arched balcony visible from the front. The exterior is composed of a board and batten first floor with a cedar shingled second floor and gambrel roof. These two contrasting materials and the inclusion of a partially recessed front porch contribute to the perceived diminution of the home’s scale relative to its smaller neighbors. The overall intention was to create a close fit between the residence and the neighboring context, both built and natural. Builder: E.H. Johnstone Builders Anice Hoachlander Photography

In Old Town Alexandria, homeowners of a beautiful historic home built a colonial garden on an adjacent corner lot. They had vision and patience. The lot was home to a 1920’s stucco-covered storefront with eight garage bays, which included a delicatessen and drycleaners. The process of building the garden took three years from start to finish, including Old and Historic Alexandria Board of Architecture Review approval, re-routing utility lines, a grading plan, and an archaeological dig. A re-gilded slate sundial reads “Sic Vita” or “such is life” was originally found outside of London on the wall of a hospital founded by Queen Victoria’s daughter. Black wig apples and Heritage crabapples, cardoons, leeks, cherry tomatoes, chives, red peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and broccoli all grow in this plentiful garden. Photography by Greg Hadley