The Cicero is a modern styled home for today’s contemporary lifestyle. It features sweeping facades with deep overhangs, tall windows, and grand outdoor patio. The contemporary lifestyle is reinforced through a visually connected array of communal spaces. The kitchen features a symmetrical plan with large island and is connected to the dining room through a wide opening flanked by custom cabinetry. Adjacent to the kitchen, the living and sitting rooms are connected to one another by a see-through fireplace. The communal nature of this plan is reinforced downstairs with a lavish wet-bar and roomy living space, perfect for entertaining guests. Lastly, with vaulted ceilings and grand vistas, the master suite serves as a cozy retreat from today’s busy lifestyle. Photographer: Brad Gillette

Kolanowski Studio
Living room - huge mediterranean living room idea in Houston with a music area, white walls and a standard fireplace

Visual Comfort Darlana 4 Light Medium Lantern
Kitchen - traditional dark wood floor kitchen idea in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

David Lauer Photography
1950s light wood floor kitchen photo in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white walls and an island

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Master bath Photo by: Papillos
Inspiration for a transitional beige tile and stone tile beige floor freestanding bathtub remodel in New Orleans with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Rosenberg Kolb Architects is proud to announce our renovation of a 1747 timber frame house on Nantucket Island, completed in 2011. The first historic renovation project in Nantucket to receive LEED Gold status. The project was given a Grand Award by Eco Home Magazine in July, 2011. The project included: Restructuring the foundations to align and stabilize the structure in addition to providing for a new insulated crawl space; A 260 square foot addition for a kitchen, bath, and new entry; New cedar shingles, roof shingles, and restored historic windows; The house met the strict regulations of Nantucket's Historic District. On the inside, LEED Gold certification was met through: High R-value insulation and reduced air leakage; High efficiency heating, air conditioning, plumbing fixtures, and appliances; Low-emission paints and finishes as well as a clay wall finish; Using reclaimed materials from the original house and other sites. The project has been published in: N Magazine July 2011 Eco Home Magazine July 2011 New England Home June 2011

With edible gardens surrounding the home, keep the kitchen's pantry stocked with canned tomatoes from the season's bumper crop.
Kitchen pantry - large contemporary u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen pantry idea in San Francisco with white cabinets, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

Transitional living room photo in Miami

A relatively new existing home on a steep downsloping lot where you park and enter at the upper floor needed to have a dramatic stairway entry. By refining and reducing structure and scale, introducing new glass railing and a combination of wood and white cabinetry, the space now expresses a clean, crisp aesthetic reflecting how the owners want to live. Working with German cabinets by Leicht the kitchen area was sculpted to create more usable cabinet pantry and counter area in a combination of white oak and gloss white lacquer paint. Final touches include a new porcelain tiled fireplace surround and hearth with gas insert and powder room with figured wall and floating walnut vanity. Previously partially blocked by cabinetry, now the new kitchen, dining and living rooms now all share equal access to dramatic views of the bay. Photo Credits: Treve Johnson.

Leger Wanaselja Architecture, Kiera Marie Condrey
Inspiration for a small eclectic two-story mixed siding exterior home remodel in San Francisco

Looking for a nice clean crown molding, but what something different? These homeowners did just that with a simple clean flat molding applied to the wall and ceiling to create this look.

The landscape of this home honors the formality of Spanish Colonial / Santa Barbara Style early homes in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. By re-grading the lot and allowing for terraced opportunities, we featured a variety of hardscape stone, brick, and decorative tiles that reinforce the eclectic Spanish Colonial feel. Cantera and La Negra volcanic stone, brick, natural field stone, and handcrafted Spanish decorative tiles are used to establish interest throughout the property. A front courtyard patio includes a hand painted tile fountain and sitting area near the outdoor fire place. This patio features formal Boxwood hedges, Hibiscus, and a rose garden set in pea gravel. The living room of the home opens to an outdoor living area which is raised three feet above the pool. This allowed for opportunity to feature handcrafted Spanish tiles and raised planters. The side courtyard, with stepping stones and Dichondra grass, surrounds a focal Crape Myrtle tree. One focal point of the back patio is a 24-foot hand-hammered wrought iron trellis, anchored with a stone wall water feature. We added a pizza oven and barbecue, bistro lights, and hanging flower baskets to complete the intimate outdoor dining space. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Sam Rosenbaum

The gift wrapping room is part of the laundry room. The workspace features built-in racks for wrapping paper. Mark Lohman Photography
Example of a tuscan yellow floor home office design in Los Angeles with beige countertops

Patrick Ketchum Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary master white tile porcelain tile freestanding bathtub remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and quartzite countertops

Dan Farmer, Seattle Home Tours
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Seattle

The engraved skylight cover can be closed to reduce light in the daytime and keep the space cool. Rolling drawer trays underneath the bed supply plenty of storage for visitors' belongings in addition to the hooks and fold-down desk. Individual sconces above the bed and desk provide light for reading or work space. Photo Credit: Stephen Cardinale

Photo: Hoi Ning Wong © 2014 Houzz
Example of a transitional powder room design in San Francisco

This minimalistic landscape design of grasses and concrete allow the dominate form of the residence shine. Photography Credit: Wade Griffith
Mid-sized rustic full sun and brown front yard wood gable roof idea for summer in Dallas