This closet project cleaned up a tight (but lengthy) closet space with gorgeous new cabinetry and maximized organization. The original space is housed inside of a true log home (same house as the gorgeous Evergreen Kitchen remodel we completed last year) and so the same challenges were present. Moreso than the kitchen, dealing with the logs was very difficult. The original closet had shelves and storage pieces attached to the logs, but over time the logs shifted and expanded, causing these shelving units to detach and break. Our plan for the new closet was to construct an independent framing structure to which the new cabinetry could be attached, preventing shifting and breaking over time. This reduced the overall depth of the clear closet space, but allowed for a multitude of gorgeous cabinet boxes to be integrated into the space where there was never true storage before. We shifted the depths of each cabinet moving down through the space to allow for as much walkable space as possible while still providing storage. With a mix of drawers, hanging bars, roll out trays, and open shelving, this closet is a true beauty with lots of storage opportunity!

This closet project cleaned up a tight (but lengthy) closet space with gorgeous new cabinetry and maximized organization. The original space is housed inside of a true log home (same house as the gorgeous Evergreen Kitchen remodel we completed last year) and so the same challenges were present. Moreso than the kitchen, dealing with the logs was very difficult. The original closet had shelves and storage pieces attached to the logs, but over time the logs shifted and expanded, causing these shelving units to detach and break. Our plan for the new closet was to construct an independent framing structure to which the new cabinetry could be attached, preventing shifting and breaking over time. This reduced the overall depth of the clear closet space, but allowed for a multitude of gorgeous cabinet boxes to be integrated into the space where there was never true storage before. We shifted the depths of each cabinet moving down through the space to allow for as much walkable space as possible while still providing storage. With a mix of drawers, hanging bars, roll out trays, and open shelving, this closet is a true beauty with lots of storage opportunity!

Elevate your outdoor living with Sustainable Bamboo Blends & Solar-Powered Shade Systems, redefining eco-conscious outdoor design. Combining natural bamboo textures with recycled polyester fabrics, these shades offer 95% UV protection while supporting green building certifications like LEED and Living Building Challenge. Ideal for beachside villas or rooftop gardens, the modular shade structures feature wind-resistant aluminum frames (50mph+ durability) and OEKO-TEX hypoallergenic coatings for sensitive users. Smart climate adaptation includes automatic rain sensors and motorized lifts powered by solar-charged batteries, reducing energy costs by up to 40%. Customizable in earthy tones or vibrant colors, these awnings integrate with fire-retardant vinyl canopies for California wildfire zones and include ADA-compliant mounting systems. Featured in Houzz Pro portfolios, our solutions balance industrial minimalism with bohemian aesthetics, perfect for commercial hospitality projects or sustainable residential upgrades.

There were to many disjointed spaces in the existing Eichler home, and the owners didn’t like entering right into the kitchen wall. There were not enough functional spaces in the house but it was tricky to see how or where to add to the home without losing the atrium. The Klopf team re-arranged the spaces in the house to put the bedroom functions under the flat, 8-foot ceiling and the whole great room under the higher gable roof, moving the kitchen to the corner and creating a symmetrical and regular-shaped great room. A narrow band of skylights and a reduced, but still open, atrium brighten the family’s days and bring more greenery into their lives. The Klopf team turned the small front bedroom into a laundry room, powder room, and hallway to a large, added work-from-home office/family room that can double as a guest room. From the street the addition looks like it might have been there all along, but for the family members it’s a game-changer. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Lucie Danigo, and Biliana Stremska Structural Engineer: Sezen & Moon General Contractor: Keycon Inc. Kitchen Cabinetry: Henrybuilt Photography: ©2023 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2020

Yolseuiloyan: Nahuatl word that means "the place where the heart rests and strengthens." The project is a sustainable eco-tourism complex of 43 cabins, located in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Surrounded by a misty forest ecosystem, in an area adjacent to Cuetzalan del Progreso’s downtown, a magical place with indigenous roots. The cabins integrate bio-constructive local elements in order to favor the local economy, and at the same time to reduce the negative environmental impact of new construction; for this purpose, the chosen materials were bamboo panels and structure, adobe walls made from local soil, and limestone extracted from the site. The selection of materials are also suitable for the humid climate of Cuetzalan, and help to maintain a mild temperature in the interior, thanks to the material properties and the implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. For the architectural design, a traditional house typology, with a contemporary feel was chosen to integrate with the local natural context, and at the same time to promote a unique warm natural atmosphere in connection with its surroundings, with the aim to transport the user into a calm relaxed atmosphere, full of local tradition that respects the community and the environment. The interior design process integrated accessories made by local artisans who incorporate the use of textiles and ceramics, bamboo and wooden furniture, and local clay, thus expressing a part of their culture through the use of local materials.

Yolseuiloyan: Nahuatl word that means "the place where the heart rests and strengthens." The project is a sustainable eco-tourism complex of 43 cabins, located in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Surrounded by a misty forest ecosystem, in an area adjacent to Cuetzalan del Progreso’s downtown, a magical place with indigenous roots. The cabins integrate bio-constructive local elements in order to favor the local economy, and at the same time to reduce the negative environmental impact of new construction; for this purpose, the chosen materials were bamboo panels and structure, adobe walls made from local soil, and limestone extracted from the site. The selection of materials are also suitable for the humid climate of Cuetzalan, and help to maintain a mild temperature in the interior, thanks to the material properties and the implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. For the architectural design, a traditional house typology, with a contemporary feel was chosen to integrate with the local natural context, and at the same time to promote a unique warm natural atmosphere in connection with its surroundings, with the aim to transport the user into a calm relaxed atmosphere, full of local tradition that respects the community and the environment. The interior design process integrated accessories made by local artisans who incorporate the use of textiles and ceramics, bamboo and wooden furniture, and local clay, thus expressing a part of their culture through the use of local materials.

This closet project cleaned up a tight (but lengthy) closet space with gorgeous new cabinetry and maximized organization. The original space is housed inside of a true log home (same house as the gorgeous Evergreen Kitchen remodel we completed last year) and so the same challenges were present. Moreso than the kitchen, dealing with the logs was very difficult. The original closet had shelves and storage pieces attached to the logs, but over time the logs shifted and expanded, causing these shelving units to detach and break. Our plan for the new closet was to construct an independent framing structure to which the new cabinetry could be attached, preventing shifting and breaking over time. This reduced the overall depth of the clear closet space, but allowed for a multitude of gorgeous cabinet boxes to be integrated into the space where there was never true storage before. We shifted the depths of each cabinet moving down through the space to allow for as much walkable space as possible while still providing storage. With a mix of drawers, hanging bars, roll out trays, and open shelving, this closet is a true beauty with lots of storage opportunity!

Crown Heights Limestone living room Photographer: Brett Beyer Paint: Benjamin Moore - First Snowfall 1618 Lighting: Brass Light Gallery, Milwaukee
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in New York with blue walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

www.LeichtCA.com Concrete, a very special material for people who want to reduce their living environment to essentials - both in terms of the architecture of their houses and interior design. With the new CONCRETE range, a kitchen front of true craftsmanship made of fine concrete in three blended colors, LEICHT is looking back to the classic Bauhaus tradition and thus providing this target group with new inspiration for interior design. Concrete surfaces have a characteristic expression that is always entirely unique. It is precisely these characteristics that make the timeless material so precious for the design of individual kitchens. By applying concrete to the kitchen front by hand using the putty technique you get a unique surface structure with varying light refraction. The kitchen front comes alive.

I think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly. Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam. On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck. I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape. As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member. -Tyler Collins, Operations Manager

Hidden away amidst the wilderness in the outskirts of the central province of Sri Lanka, is a modern take of a lightweight timber Eco-Cottage consisting of 2 living levels. The cottage takes up a mere footprint of 500 square feet of land, and the structure is raised above ground level and held by stilts, reducing the disturbance to the fauna and flora. The entrance to the cottage is across a suspended timber bridge hanging over the ground cover. The timber planks are spaced apart to give a delicate view of the green living belt below. Even though an H-iron framework is used for the formation of the shell, it is finished with earthy toned materials such as timber flooring, timber cladded ceiling and trellis, feature rock walls and a hay-thatched roof. The bedroom and the open washroom is placed on the ground level closer to the natural ground cover filled with delicate living things to make the sleeper or the user of the space feel more in one with nature, and the use of sheer glass around the bedroom further enhances the experience of living outdoors with the luxuries of indoor living. The living and dining spaces are on the upper deck level. The steep set roof hangs over the spaces giving ample shelter underneath. The living room and dining spaces are fully open to nature with a minimal handrail to determine the usable space from the outdoors. The cottage is lit up by the use of floor lanterns made up of pale cloth, again maintaining the minimal disturbance to the surroundings.

I think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly. Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam. On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck. I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape. As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member. -Tyler Collins, Operations Manager

I think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly. Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam. On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck. I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape. As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member. -Tyler Collins, Operations Manager

The Rancho Estate provides a level of luxury that sets it apart from any residence in Los Angeles, breaking the record for the most expensive home ever sold in the Encino area. The Eden Group worked with the client to achieve all their development goals by providing integrated design and engineering services which developed concurrently achieving project milestones while staying within the construction budget. Our residential design team used modern aesthetics which entailed of design elements tailored to provide spacious and unparalleled views of the San Fernando Valley. Attracting a dream buyer is the most important aspect in the eyes of any real estate developer and that is why we chose two words to describe the amenities we incorporated into the design: Vast & Spectacular. The estate allows you to swim with infinite views, get your work out on at the indoor gym, shoot hoops with your friends in the indoor basketball court, go for a round of bowling with your child, chomp on popcorn in your theater, get a massage after the steam room at your private spa, putt a couple hole-in-ones, and if you get bored you can always choose to go for a ride from the collection inside your 16-car garage. Majestic high ceilings mixed wide span openings created a challenge for our engineers given the strict rules in the Baseline Hillside Ordinance and the California Building Code. Our structural engineers prepared innovative design plans which entailed of 150 deep pile foundations mixed with steel and laminated timber framing members. We also used permanent shoring techniques to reduce construction cost by eliminating the need for temporary shoring plans for both the structure foundation and on-site retaining walls. Given that California has some of the strictest stormwater management requirements and the total amount of non-permeable areas on this project, the client was required to construct a 35,000-gallon rain harvesting tank per the Low Impact Development Plan Best Management Practice (BMP’s) standards. Our specialized drainage design team captured all on-site stormwater through trench drains, area drains, and downspouts which routed water to a mechanical sump pump that connected to the storage tank for irrigation use later. Innovative design engineering techniques used on this project allowed for increased safety and sustainability making the Rancho Estate a masterpiece of contemporary construction.

Kittery Junction was originally constructed by the York Harbor & Beach Railroad Co. between 1886 and 1887. In the days when the locomotive was the preferred method of transportation for much of America’s population, this project site provided both passenger and freight service between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and York Beach, Maine. It was usually the case that a train station constructed during this period would have its own unique architecture, and this site was no exception. Now privately owned, this structure proudly stands overlooking Barrell’s Pond. To capture this view, the new owner approached our design team with a vision of a master bedroom Victorian conservatory facing the serene body of water. Respectful of the existing architectural details, Sunspace Design worked to bring this vision to reality using our solid conventional walls, custom Marvin windows, and a custom shop-built octagonal conservatory glass roof system. This combination enabled us to meet strong energy efficiency requirements while creating a classic Victorian conservatory that met the client’s hopes. The glass roof system was constructed in the shop, transported to site, and raised in place to reduce on site construction time. With windows and doors provided by a top window manufacturer, the 2’ x 6’ wall construction with gave us complete design control. With solid wood framing, fiberglass R-21 insulation in the walls, and sputter coated low-E sun control properties in the custom glass roof system, the construction is both structurally and thermally sound. The end result is a comfortable Victorian conservatory addition that can easily withstand the harsh elements of a Maine winter. We’ve been designing and building conservatories in New England since 1981. This project stands as a model of our commitment to quality. We utilize this construction process for all of our sunrooms, skylights, conservatories, and orangeries to ensure a final product that is unsurpassed in quality and performance.

The goal of this project was to transform the existing decrepit landscape into a newly modern space with the purpose of entertaining family and friends. The clients also wanted a hint of ‘steam-punk’ incorporated into the overall theme. To achieve the wants and needs of the client a new composite deck was installed with an angular form to maximize space on an already tight backyard with large setbacks. A swim spa was built into the deck and a secret hatch door was installed for any future maintenance. Large angled steps lead you from the deck down to the new random flagstone patio. A large custom pavilion was installed over the patio to shelter users from the elements. Oversized rough Douglas Fir posts and beams were used along with some black powder coated steel bars to achieve the steam punk theme. Extensive engineering was involved to achieve the cantilevered look and reduce the need for an outside post. Tongue and groove cedar planks make up the ceiling of the structure along with LED pot lights. 3 pieces of sandblasted Eramosa stone acts as a bar area for users in the newly installed hot tub. Lastly a frosted glass privacy screen with LED colour changing lights separates the sitting area under the pavilion and the barbecue area of the deck. Some existing plants and shrubs were salvaged during construction and were reused in the new low maintenance-planting plan. A new section of fence closes off the backyard for the homeowner’s dogs and a new gate was created with the use of steel bars to mirror the pavilion.

Images by Nic LeHoux Designed as a home and studio for a photographer and his young family, Lightbox is located on a peninsula that extends south from British Columbia across the border to Point Roberts. The densely forested site lies beside a 180-acre park that overlooks the Strait of Georgia, the San Juan Islands and the Puget Sound. Having experienced the world from under a black focusing cloth and large format camera lens, the photographer has a special fondness for simplicity and an appreciation of unique, genuine and well-crafted details. The home was made decidedly modest, in size and means, with a building skin utilizing simple materials in a straightforward yet innovative configuration. The result is a structure crafted from affordable and common materials such as exposed wood two-bys that form the structural frame and directly support a prefabricated aluminum window system of standard glazing units uniformly sized to reduce the complexity and overall cost. Accessed from the west on a sloped boardwalk that bisects its two contrasting forms, the house sits lightly on the land above the forest floor. A south facing two-story glassy cage for living captures the sun and view as it celebrates the interplay of light and shadow in the forest. To the north, stairs are contained in a thin wooden box stained black with a traditional Finnish pine tar coating. Narrow apertures in the otherwise solid dark wooden wall sharply focus the vibrant cropped views of the old growth fir trees at the edge of the deep forest. Lightbox is an uncomplicated yet powerful gesture that enables one to view the subtlety and beauty of the site while providing comfort and pleasure in the constantly changing light of the forest.

Hidden away amidst the wilderness in the outskirts of the central province of Sri Lanka, is a modern take of a lightweight timber Eco-Cottage consisting of 2 living levels. The cottage takes up a mere footprint of 500 square feet of land, and the structure is raised above ground level and held by stilts, reducing the disturbance to the fauna and flora. The entrance to the cottage is across a suspended timber bridge hanging over the ground cover. The timber planks are spaced apart to give a delicate view of the green living belt below. Even though an H-iron framework is used for the formation of the shell, it is finished with earthy toned materials such as timber flooring, timber cladded ceiling and trellis, feature rock walls and a hay-thatched roof. The bedroom and the open washroom is placed on the ground level closer to the natural ground cover filled with delicate living things to make the sleeper or the user of the space feel more in one with nature, and the use of sheer glass around the bedroom further enhances the experience of living outdoors with the luxuries of indoor living. The living and dining spaces are on the upper deck level. The steep set roof hangs over the spaces giving ample shelter underneath. The living room and dining spaces are fully open to nature with a minimal handrail to determine the usable space from the outdoors. The cottage is lit up by the use of floor lanterns made up of pale cloth, again maintaining the minimal disturbance to the surroundings.

The goal of this project was to transform the existing decrepit landscape into a newly modern space with the purpose of entertaining family and friends. The clients also wanted a hint of ‘steam-punk’ incorporated into the overall theme. To achieve the wants and needs of the client a new composite deck was installed with an angular form to maximize space on an already tight backyard with large setbacks. A swim spa was built into the deck and a secret hatch door was installed for any future maintenance. Large angled steps lead you from the deck down to the new random flagstone patio. A large custom pavilion was installed over the patio to shelter users from the elements. Oversized rough Douglas Fir posts and beams were used along with some black powder coated steel bars to achieve the steam punk theme. Extensive engineering was involved to achieve the cantilevered look and reduce the need for an outside post. Tongue and groove cedar planks make up the ceiling of the structure along with LED pot lights. 3 pieces of sandblasted Eramosa stone acts as a bar area for users in the newly installed hot tub. Lastly a frosted glass privacy screen with LED colour changing lights separates the sitting area under the pavilion and the barbecue area of the deck. Some existing plants and shrubs were salvaged during construction and were reused in the new low maintenance-planting plan. A new section of fence closes off the backyard for the homeowner’s dogs and a new gate was created with the use of steel bars to mirror the pavilion.