You can find a whole lot of fun ready for the kids in this fun contemporary play-yard. Theme: The overall theme of the play-yard is a blend of creative and active outdoor play that blends with the contemporary styling of this beautiful home. Focus: The overall focus for the design of this amazing play-yard was to provide this family with an outdoor space that would foster an active and creative playtime for their children of various ages. The visual focus of this space is the 15-foot tree placed in the middle of the turf yard. This fantastic structure beacons the children to climb the mini stumps and enjoy the slide or swing happily from the branches all the while creating a touch of whimsical nature. Surrounding the tree the play-yard offers an array of activities for these lucky children from the chalkboard walls to create amazing pictures to the custom ball wall to practice their skills, the custom myWall system provides endless options for the kids and parents to keep the space exciting and new. Rock holds easily clip into the wall offering ever changing climbing routes, custom water toys and games can also be adapted to the wall to fit the fun of the day. Storage: The myWall system offers various storage options including shelving, closed cases or hanging baskets all of which can be moved to alternate locations on the wall as the homeowners want to customize the play-yard. Growth: The myWall system is built to grow with the users whether it is with changing taste, updating design or growing children, all the accessories can be moved or replaced while leaving the main frame in place. The materials used throughout the space were chosen for their durability and ability to withstand the harsh conditions for many years. The tree also includes 3 levels of swings offering children of varied ages the chance to swing from the branches. Safety: Safety is of critical concern with any play-yard and a space in the harsh hot summers presented specific concerns which were addressed with light colored materials to reflect the sun and reduce heat buildup and stainless steel hardware was used to avoid rusting. The myWall accessories all use a locking mechanism which allows for easy adjustments but also securely locks the pieces into place once set. The flooring in the treehouse was also textured to eliminate skidding.

This coastal, contemporary Tiny Home features a warm yet industrial style kitchen with stainless steel counters and husky tool drawers with black cabinets. the silver metal counters are complimented by grey subway tiling as a backsplash against the warmth of the locally sourced curly mango wood windowsill ledge. I mango wood windowsill also acts as a pass-through window to an outdoor bar and seating area on the deck. Entertaining guests right from the kitchen essentially makes this a wet-bar. LED track lighting adds the right amount of accent lighting and brightness to the area. The window is actually a french door that is mirrored on the opposite side of the kitchen. This kitchen has 7-foot long stainless steel counters on either end. There are stainless steel outlet covers to match the industrial look. There are stained exposed beams adding a cozy and stylish feeling to the room. To the back end of the kitchen is a frosted glass pocket door leading to the bathroom. All shelving is made of Hawaiian locally sourced curly mango wood. A stainless steel fridge matches the rest of the style and is built-in to the staircase of this tiny home. Dish drying racks are hung on the wall to conserve space and reduce clutter. The centerpiece and focal point to this tiny home living room is the grand circular-shaped window which is actually two half-moon windows jointed together where the mango woof bar-top is placed. This acts as a work and dining space. Hanging plants elevate the eye and draw it upward to the high ceilings. Colors are kept clean and bright to expand the space. The love-seat folds out into a sleeper and the ottoman/bench lifts to offer more storage. The round rug mirrors the window adding consistency. This tropical modern coastal Tiny Home is built on a trailer and is 8x24x14 feet. The blue exterior paint color is called cabana blue. The large circular window is quite the statement focal point for this how adding a ton of curb appeal. The round window is actually two round half-moon windows stuck together to form a circle. There is an indoor bar between the two windows to make the space more interactive and useful- important in a tiny home. There is also another interactive pass-through bar window on the deck leading to the kitchen making it essentially a wet bar. This window is mirrored with a second on the other side of the kitchen and the are actually repurposed french doors turned sideways. Even the front door is glass allowing for the maximum amount of light to brighten up this tiny home and make it feel spacious and open. This tiny home features a unique architectural design with curved ceiling beams and roofing, high vaulted ceilings, a tiled in shower with a skylight that points out over the tongue of the trailer saving space in the bathroom, and of course, the large bump-out circle window and awning window that provides dining spaces.

Several years ago, Jill and Brian remodeled their kitchen with TKS Design Group and recently decided it was time to look at a primary bath remodel. Jill and Brian wanted a completely fresh start. We tweaked the layout slightly by reducing the size of the enormous tub deck and expanding the vanities and storage into the old tub deck zone as well as pushing a bit into the awkward carpeted dressing area. By doing so, we were able to substantially expand the existing footprint of the shower. We also relocated the French doors so that the bath would take advantage of the light brought in by the skylight in that area. A large arched window was replaced with a similar but cleaner lined version, and we removed the large bulkhead and columns to open the space. A simple freestanding tub now punctuates the area under the window and makes for a pleasing focal point. Subtle but significant changes. We chose a neutral gray tile for the floor to ground the space, and then white oak cabinetry and gold finishes bring warmth to the pallet. The large shower features a mix of white and gray tile where an electronic valve system offers a bit of modern technology and customization to bring some luxury to the everyday. The bathroom remodel also features plenty of storage that keeps the everyday necessities tucked away. The result feels modern, airy and restful!

Metal roofing is a lightweight, strong and long-lasting material that can be installed on steep slopes and low slopes. Valentine Roofing offers sturdy standing seam metal panels that come in a variety of colors that will bring beauty and vibrancy to any Puget Sound area home. Metal roofing is a long-lasting and low maintenance option that is weather ready year-round. Metal roofing systems are a great option for many Pacific Northwest area homes. Metal roofs have a long life span due to the strength of the material itself. A well maintained metal roof system can last anywhere from 30 to 70 years depending on which material is used. Another advantage that metal roofing offers is durability. Metal roofing holds up against high winds (up to 120mph) and tends to be less prone to cracking, erosion, and can often be more resistant to impact than other roofing materials. Metal roofs are also fire resistant and thus will not spark and ignite into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike. Another large advantage that metal roofing offers is energy efficiency. Standing seam metal roofing reflects solar radiant heat which can help reduce cooling costs up to 25% on average. In addition, metal roofing is also an environmentally conscious option. Metal roofs are often made up of 25 to 95% recycled materials and at the end of their life-cycle are 100% recyclable. We install the highest quality metal roofing material available from Nu-Ray Metals, our local metal supplier based in Auburn, Washington. We offer a variety of panel and color options so that you can choose the right fit for your home and your budget.

Trica's mission is to provide you with pieces that become the heart and soul of your home. They focus on quality products, quality service, quality relationships with customers, employees and suppliers. “Made in Canada” means many things to many people. At Trica Furniture it means designs perfectly adapted to North American needs and proudly manufactured by craftsmen in our factory in St-Jerome. It also means superior quality and value, shorter waits for delivery and a reduced carbon footprint through shorter shipping distances. Working with wood, metal and glass, Trica is able to offer an almost infinite variety of dimensions, fabrics and finishes – allowing you to build the perfect piece of furniture to fit your home and your life.

Metal roofing is a lightweight, strong and long-lasting material that can be installed on steep slopes and low slopes. Valentine Roofing offers sturdy standing seam metal panels that come in a variety of colors that will bring beauty and vibrancy to any Puget Sound area home. Metal roofing is a long-lasting and low maintenance option that is weather ready year-round. Metal roofing systems are a great option for many Pacific Northwest area homes. Metal roofs have a long life span due to the strength of the material itself. A well maintained metal roof system can last anywhere from 30 to 70 years depending on which material is used. Another advantage that metal roofing offers is durability. Metal roofing holds up against high winds (up to 120mph) and tends to be less prone to cracking, erosion, and can often be more resistant to impact than other roofing materials. Metal roofs are also fire resistant and thus will not spark and ignite into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike. Another large advantage that metal roofing offers is energy efficiency. Standing seam metal roofing reflects solar radiant heat which can help reduce cooling costs up to 25% on average. In addition, metal roofing is also an environmentally conscious option. Metal roofs are often made up of 25 to 95% recycled materials and at the end of their life-cycle are 100% recyclable. We install the highest quality metal roofing material available from Nu-Ray Metals, our local metal supplier based in Auburn, Washington. We offer a variety of panel and color options so that you can choose the right fit for your home and your budget.

Great grids! The simulated divided lite grids (a.k.a. muntins) in these Harvey Tribute double hung windows are done in a 4-over-1 pattern, a great choice for smaller windows like this, or for when you want grids but don't want to obstruct too much of your view.

PIROUETTE® WINDOW SHADINGS With Pirouette® window shadings, the look and feel of a traditional fabric shade is improved: the gentle pull of a cord lets you change a room’s lighting in a whole new way. Soft, horizontal fabric vanes expand to filter natural light, or contract to give you a perfect outside view. Our revolutionary Invisi-Lift™ system allows the vanes to float gracefully, and even opened they offer UV protection and reduced glare through the sheer backing.

Designed for the lifestyle and budget of a young married couple and growing family, this home offers a viable alternative to the generic speculative home. Occupying a small leftover developer site, just under four tenths of an acre at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac, the Lanning Residence site is anchored by a one hundred year old oak tree. The parcel, once undesirable to developers and their speculative plans, became the inspiration for the project form. Acting as both designers and builders, the decision was made early to utilize a strategy typical to most suburban construction; maximizing square footage while minimizing the building perimeter. An analysis of the surrounding suburban fabric revealed that the adjoining property lines were heavily planted. Views and window placement were organized to take advantage of the adjacent landscape while maximizing natural light. The house program is distributed within two main volumes that are connected by a translucent circulation volume. The spacious interior volumes, large windows, plywood shear walls, sheetrock, and simple details allowed for a light construction budget. Spray foam insulation and well designed mechanical systems allowed the family to reduce their monthly utility bills by over half, creating a far more energy efficient lifestyle.

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Denver

Country home design photo in Bridgeport

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

This Minnesota Artisan Tour showcase home features three exceptional natural stone fireplaces. A custom blend of ORIJIN STONE's Alder™ Split Face Limestone is paired with custom Indiana Limestone for the oversized hearths. Minnetrista, MN residence. MASONRY: SJB Masonry + Concrete BUILDER: Denali Custom Homes, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHY: Landmark Photography

This collection was inspired by mid-century styling yet has a dramatic flair all its own. The remarkable combination of American Alder and Black Walnut hardwoods is stunning. Complementing this beautiful blend are bold design choices that set this group apart. A precisely engineered 45-degree miter face frame seamlessly surrounds spacious inset drawers. Coved drawer fronts exude solid wood and ensure the solid Black Walnut drawer pulls are a stand out feature. Beds offered in two styles for differing design aesthetics. Features Duet finish. Made of solid American Alder and Black Walnut hardwood veneer. Solid Black Walnut drawer pulls. Full extension metal ball bearing drawer slides. English dovetail drawer construction. Mortise and tenon joinery for strength and stability. Fitted back for structural strength. Dust bottoms. Tipping restraints included. Chest and dressers include an anti-tipping safety mechanism that reduces the risk of tip-over. Adjustable levers on all legs.

The garden accentuates and continues the central axis established by the alignment of the front and back doors of the house, which is key to classic villa design. The homeowners sought to establish a traditional villa garden, one that would be essentially an additional room and which would flow easily from the interior. The garden has a formal layout and uses classic boxwoods to establish the formality and expand on the existing walled courtyard, another feature of authentic villa gardens. Plant selections create a tapestry effect through the use of large blocks of various leaf shapes and foliage colors. Ferns and grasses chosen for ground cover offer the benefit of reduced maintenance. Taking inspiration from the name of the house, Villa Mira Flores, Musso and Cooke added blooming shrubs, trees and perennials including hydrangea, gardenia, crepe myrtle, clematis, iris, laurel and holly.

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube Michael Eric Berube, Maine Virtual Home Tours

Metal roofing is a lightweight, strong and long-lasting material that can be installed on steep slopes and low slopes. Valentine Roofing offers sturdy standing seam metal panels that come in a variety of colors that will bring beauty and vibrancy to any Puget Sound area home. Metal roofing is a long-lasting and low maintenance option that is weather ready year-round. Metal roofing systems are a great option for many Pacific Northwest area homes. Metal roofs have a long life span due to the strength of the material itself. A well maintained metal roof system can last anywhere from 30 to 70 years depending on which material is used. Another advantage that metal roofing offers is durability. Metal roofing holds up against high winds (up to 120mph) and tends to be less prone to cracking, erosion, and can often be more resistant to impact than other roofing materials. Metal roofs are also fire resistant and thus will not spark and ignite into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike. Another large advantage that metal roofing offers is energy efficiency. Standing seam metal roofing reflects solar radiant heat which can help reduce cooling costs up to 25% on average. In addition, metal roofing is also an environmentally conscious option. Metal roofs are often made up of 25 to 95% recycled materials and at the end of their life-cycle are 100% recyclable. We install the highest quality metal roofing material available from Nu-Ray Metals, our local metal supplier based in Auburn, Washington. We offer a variety of panel and color options so that you can choose the right fit for your home and your budget.

Elegant kitchen photo in Chicago