2012 NARI CAPITAL COTY, MERIT AWARD WINNER, RESIDENTIAL BASEMENT INTERIOR A newer house in the suburb of Ashburn, Virginia, is home to this military couple. With a growing family and a daughter moving back home, they were in need of more space. An unfinished basement offered plenty of space for a remodel, but coming up with a desirable floor plan was difficult due to the location of a stairway that the builder had installed and the location of the furnace and hot water heater. Working with Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, the couple came up with a plan that moved the furnace and hot water heater to a storage room and redirected the stairway in order to create a workable layout. The primary goal was to have a home office, full bathroom, guest bedroom and a large entertaining area. The focal point of the design is a new gas fireplace embedded in ledge stone with a large LED television above it. A bar with custom cabinetry, exotic stone countertops and decorative pendant lighting creates a central area for the family to gather.

**Please Note--If you click on the tags in this photo you may NOT be taken to the actual vendors. Anyone may tag photos and redirect you to their own site. Photo: Donovan Roberts Witmer

Mid-sized mountain style brown one-story wood gable roof photo in Other

**Please Note--If you click on the tags in this photo you may NOT be taken to the actual vendors. Anyone may tag photos and redirect you to their own site. Large Custom Kitchen in Mechanicsburg, PA

Typical of bungalows and city lots, the footprint of this home was narrow with living spaces in front, bedrooms in back and kitchen centrally located. However, unlike most bungalows, the hall running from front to back have been closed off to, presumably, accommodate a walk-in pantry. Couple that with the fact that this circa 1925 bungalow had seen a lot of living – read boisterous children and remodeling trends like z-brick, soffits, and fluorescent overhead lighting – the kitchen was due for a major overhaul. Truly the hub of this house, the modest 11’ x 12’ kitchen was most in need of additional countertop space, convenient garbage/recycle bin, counter-depth refrigerator, storage aids, informal dining for two, and sound-proofing to enable this musically adept family to coexist despite varied schedules. Gone are the wall soffits, boxy overhead lighting, six-foot baseboard heat unit, extra deep refrigerator, refurbished cabinets, laminate countertops, z-brick wall covering, and makeshift door swags. Enter rich mahogany cabinets, roll and pull-out storage units, endcap spice storage, gorgeous granite tops, marble backsplash, LED lighting, acoustic insulation and solid-wood doors. Under the guise of such a handsome room, provisions such as a period style sink allow for more efficient use of corners with pull-out half-moon trays for storage. Redirecting the baseboard heat to a compact, toekick unit, means more cabinet and counter space – perfect for a baking and/or entertaining area removed from the basic work triangle. The eating area, also, doubles as a work station with drawers for office supplies and dedicated outlet for cable tv. Functional yet beautiful, this kitchen is at the ready as its owners look forward to their golden years. Designed by: The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn Photography by: Dawn Jackman For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Complete re-design and remodeling of existing unfinished basement with creation of separate function areas: wet bar, home theater, play room, gym, pantry, bath and storage rooms. New, re-directed stairs emphasize new layout.

This large and private city garden is nestled behind a handsome 3 story Edwardian, protected from Dolores Street and adjacent buildings. It is owned by four parties with as many garden activities and varied styles. Creating distinct outdoor rooms was never more important! Curved and meandering pathways were designed to (re)direct views. Down one path you become immersed in a lush explosion of foliage and flowers and charmingly repurposed brick and boulders. In another direction, peace reigns amidst well groomed and organized plants, the structure of the sensible geometry of decking, and book matched large scale pottery. Edibles are mixed throughout, and again, some are kept tidy and controlled such as the formally espaliered apple tree and lemon archway (Eureka meets Meyers), while others are allowed to wend and wind. Plant screens are used as baffles and living walls to mask unwanted views between rooms while allowing us to retain the sunlight and openness of the site.

The project began with this request to have a home that was understated but uniquely unfolded after entering. Each living space redirects orientation; expansive courtyard views shift to private gardens, and neighborhood foliage is displayed in vaulted clerestory windows, also giving unexpected volume to the low-slung house. The house is organized around an existing pecan tree and proposed pool with bedrooms off the courtyard. The living room and master bedroom bookend this oasis with covered patios under the canopy overlooking the pool.

BEAUTIFUL FROM ALL ANGLES The A9 is designed and crafted like a beautiful piece of furniture – with a careful selection of materials and a great attention to detail. The days of wanting to hide your bulky black stereo are over. No matter where you choose to place the A9, it's going to look beautiful.

The original main entrance to this mid-century modern home was a mere afterthought. There was no direct path from the sidewalk to the front door. You either squeezed past parked cars in the driveway or trudged over a rutted lawn and ducked under a prickly ornamental tree to reach the front landing. Plus, during winter rains, water gushed from the corner downspout, across the narrow landing, and poured down into the garage. In 2010 I redesigned the entire front yard with several key fixes in mind. First, out went the lawn and the dense ornamental tree. Next, storm runoff was redirected underground to a gravel catch basin and channeled beneath the sidewalk to the street. Finally, the front landing was leveled and extended to allow access from two directions. Now the main entry carries you down a wide concrete path past a giant Octopus Agave (Agave vilmoriniana) and a flower bed full of specimen plants from the Berkeley Botanical Garden to a simple redwood threshold. A single step up takes you to the exposed aggregate landing where you meet the original stairs and tangerine-toned front door. Photo: mwelschmeyer

Creative drainage solutions address historic surface drainage issues due to the property's sub-street-level positioning. No soil was exported or imported to the site: all sandstone cobble excavated for the pool and addition was incorporated into the landscape to form the swales and berms that shape the front yard rainwater management. A dry creek captures and redirects rainwater and is crossed by an attractive Oklahoma flagstone bridge to the front door.

The project began with this request to have a home that was understated but uniquely unfolded after entering. Each living space redirects orientation; expansive courtyard views shift to private gardens, and neighborhood foliage is displayed in vaulted clerestory windows, also giving unexpected volume to the low-slung house. The house is organized around an existing pecan tree and proposed pool with bedrooms off the courtyard. The living room and master bedroom bookend this oasis with covered patios under the canopy overlooking the pool.

This family room wall was updated with a modern linear fireplace and custom stone facade. Additionally we redirected a corner hallway for a improved seating area.

The master bedroom embodies the principles of the SVITLO game: WIND and KVITKA are the natural harmony of light captured in ceramics. WIND is a tile that can catch and redirect the rays like a sail or a breeze. Thanks to its special dynamic shape, the play of light and shadow brings the walls to life with exquisite patterns. Turning day or night light into artistic illumination.

**Please Note--If you click on the tags in this photo you may NOT be taken to the actual vendors. Anyone may tag photos and redirect you to their own site. Photo Donovan Roberts Witmer

The challenge: Create a dual office that can be closed and secured when the weather turns ugly and soccer practice comes inside. In addition, incorporate design feature to redirect heat from wall-length baseboard. The result: Large-scale custom cabinets open to reveal individualized offices—a balance of performance and design. Pocket doors disappear, creating leg room below and exposing open work areas above. File drawers are in abundance and a supply cabinet in between provides the two spaces with ample storage for office necessities. When closed, the doors protect computers and technology creating a barrier against whatever life throws at them. An inset backer board channels heat from baseboard to air vents above and below cabinets. Kara Lashuay