Considering the flashy nature and the innovative designs that rustic contemporary houses are sporting of late, it really is not easy to fabricate a home that can showcase a mountain rustic look with just the right touch of contemporary. Yet, this bold design, is really something ‘different' and the moment you lay your eyes on it, you cannot but help fall in love with its well-defined plan, sleek look, amazing use of natural stone and integration of BC fir and raw metal into the structure. This house is a direct design response to site, form and utility of building material, which combine to create a solid, robust structure. Disclosure of the stone work, expansive art glass windows and timber frame accents creates a visual impact. The front entry and facade is aligned with the midday sun. The long side of the triple garage act as a retaining wall. Inside this house, rooms slide into each other, dissolving the problem of further enclosure. The plan is unrestricted by the geometry and a sense of infinite space is achieved. Materials are reduced to a palette of metal, concrete, glass and timber, underpinning the desire for a rustic but still contemporary home to be basic and creating an embedded modesty.

Some of the aesthetic changes of this renovation involved removing the wallpaper and painting the walls a soft, neutral shade of gray. This change alone made a world of difference! The refreshed walls provided a beautiful backdrop against the rich, dark stain of the new cabinets and white granite counters. For the ‘Hers’ vanity, we filled in the sit-down vanity area with additional storage drawers, complete with electrical outlets inside – perfect for the hairdryer and styling tools. At the far end of the vanity, we installed a glass-front cabinet tower for more added storage. Reducing the size of the mirror and installing a matching frame allowed ample space for decorative sconces on each end. Final photos by www.impressia.net

This is garage we were able to help utilize the height of their garage and give them back the floor space that they had lost. There is always a lot of room along the walls and up the walls that aren't used correctly to reduce clutter.

M-S Pro Architects announce the completion of an indoor swimming pool in a state-of-the-art, single storey family home set in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Bratislava - one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, was chosen to craft the ceiling of the swimming pool, which is designed to emulate rippling waves as well as for the terrace deck and structural beams. Sustainability and a desire to recreate the close proximity often seen between wood and water in the natural environment were primary focuses in the design of this project. This led a requirement for a low maintenance wood, compatible humidity and with advanced durability, for the swimming pool ceiling. In addition, a high level of precision when cutting the wood was required in order to achieve the desired appearance of waves. Supplied by Leading Market, Kebony was carefully selected for the pool ceiling, which consists of 490 lamellae of timber, due to its versatility, durability and environmental credentials. Kebony was also installed throughout the exterior of this property, both for the spacious outdoor terrace and the exterior and interior beams. One of the reasons to choose Kebony was the unified look of wood in all these different applications. Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably managed forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Tomáš Hubinský, Lead Architect at M-S Pro, commented: “From conception through to completion, the creation of this ceiling has been a real feat. Despite the challenges faced by such an intricate design, Kebony was the perfect material to convey our desired effect of waves rippling along the ceiling. We will continue to incorporate Kebony into our interior and exterior designs, with wood fast becoming the first choice material for all architects.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony, explained: “The distinctive nature of this design cleverly portrays the capability of Kebony, demonstrating both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the product. We would be honoured to work with M-S Pro in the future and look forward to seeing how they utilise Kebony in their future projects.”

Block the sun and maintain your view! Our large selection of interior solar screens is the ideal solution to your indoor natural lighting needs. Allow the proper amount of sunlight in while creating the perfect environment in your home. Utilize the interior solar screens to reduce the sun’s glare while saving money by blocking the heat from entering the room. Choose from a variety of fabrics that can blend with their surroundings or feature them as a design aspect in the room. Our interior solar screens are best for windows, glass doors, and sunrooms. Maintain your view while blocking harmful UV rays.

BEAT THE HEAT. DO IT IN STYLE. Our Premier Radiance® shingles provide more than just a roof over your head. Infused with solar-reflective granules, this shingle reflects heat-producing ultraviolet rays from the sun back into the atmosphere, which may reduce heat transfer into your home. Premier Radiance is available in several vibrant colors, so you don’t need to compromise on style. By utilizing PABCO®’s proven cool technology, Premier Radiance solar reflective shingles are perfect for hotter climates where air conditioning use is high. Premier Radiance meets UL790 Class A Fire Resistance Standard and certain colors are available with Algae Defender®.

Losing large specimen trees is never desirable. But when the unimaginable happens, we are presented with an opportunity to rethink and refresh, even in traditional residential settings. We replaced the lawn area beneath the remaining London plane with a fine fescue seed mix. Our design strategy was to hold space and create immediate impact while reducing maintenance needs as the landscape matured. Into this base, we planted evergreen basal foliage, long bloomers and early spring/late fall color to create an immersive all-season groundcover that will slowly intermingle. Annually, this low mow is cut no lower than 4” (thereby safeguarding habitat) while the tidily trimmed perimeter utilizes remnant turf grass as visible cues to care. Dissecting the rectilinear green space, permeable hardscaping offers a gently curved path towards the front entryway; an invitation to pause and observe the landscape’s diverse textures and activity up close. Within which, a legacy planting of new specimen trees. Traditional shrub heavy foundation plantings are often static and rigid; this perennial rich redesign is structured yet airy to retain design cohesion with the naturalistic stylized meadow and offer vibrant textural all-season interest. This project blends different landscape styles to create a biodiverse habitat that is ecologically beneficial, beautiful and resilient. In high summer, a doe finds refuge for her fawn while the family’s children delight in the buzzing activity of smaller inhabitants, native bees and assorted pollinators, that now call this habitat home.

Another fun Crestview project! This young couple wanted a back yard that reflected their bohemian-eclectic style and could add additional privacy from the ever climbing construction around them. A place for “hanging out and drinking coffee or beer in the backyard.” But what was most exciting, was the air stream they had just purchased and were in the process of restoring. With the end goal of using it as a guest home for family and friends, we were challenged with creating a space that was cohesive and connected this new living space with the rest of the yard. In the front we had another quark to fix. The sidewalk from their front door to the street suddenly stopped 5 feet from the curb, making a less than inviting entry for guests. So, creating a new usable entryway with additional curb appeal was a top priority. We managed the entertainment space by using modern poured concrete pad’s as a focal. A poured concrete wall serves as a bench as well as creates a visual anchor for the patio area. To soften the hard materials, small plantings of succulents and ground cover were planted in the spaces between the pads. For a backdrop, a custom Cedar Plank wall and trellis combined to soften the vertical space and add plenty of privacy. The trellis is anchored by a Coral Vine to add interest. Cafe style lighting was strung across the area create a sense of intimacy. We also completed the fence transition, and eliminated the grass areas that were not being utilized to reduce the amount of water waste in the landscape, and replaced these areas with beneficial plantings for the wildlife. Overall, this landscape was completed with a cohesive Austin-friendly design in mind for these busy young professionals! Caleb Kerr - http://www.calebkerr.com

This is a custom kitchen design we remodeled the cabinets and countertops for. There are many unique features. There is a reduced depth cabinet with glass inserts. I can do different styles of glass and add in cabinet lighting for different styles. Also I love the coffee bar style enclosure next to the refrigerator. The tall cabinet on the end faces out and is a utility cabinet for brooms and cleaning supplies. The one left of the Refrigerator is a tall pantry closet that is full depth and roll out trays for organized storage. Overall this kitchen is functional and fits the clients style choices.

Xeriscaping is extremely popular, especially in Southern California. With rising water costs, many homeowners have turned to xeriscaping to lower their utility bills and reduce their carbon footprint. Xeriscaping entails the creative use of hardscape and native and succulant plants to create a beautiful, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscape design. Our experienced landscape architects and garden designers specialize in planning out practical, efficient garden designs that use little to no water.

Make a Dream Home proudly presents a remarkable showcase of our recently completed window replacement project in Chicago, IL. With a focus on transforming homes and enhancing their energy efficiency, we have replaced outdated windows with high-quality, stylish alternatives that bring a fresh outlook to each space. Our team of skilled professionals meticulously executed the window replacement process, ensuring a seamless and precise installation. Every window has been carefully chosen to not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the home but also improve functionality and energy efficiency. With the new windows in place, homeowners can enjoy an abundance of natural light that brightens and revitalizes the interior spaces. The stylish designs of the replacement windows add a touch of elegance and sophistication to the overall appearance of the home. Make a Dream Home's commitment to excellence extends beyond aesthetics. Our carefully selected windows are equipped with advanced features that contribute to energy efficiency, helping homeowners save on energy costs while reducing their environmental footprint. The completed window replacement project is a testament to our dedication to craftsmanship and exceptional service. Our team employed expert techniques and utilized high-quality materials to ensure durability and longevity. The finished windows not only enhance the home's curb appeal but also provide improved insulation and noise reduction. By choosing Make a Dream Home for their window replacement needs, homeowners can experience the joy of a transformed living space. With our expertise and attention to detail, we have brought light, style, and enhanced energy efficiency to homes across Chicago, IL. If you seek to upgrade your windows, improve energy efficiency, and enhance the beauty of your home, trust Make a Dream Home. Our window replacement services in Chicago, IL offer a seamless and transformative solution, leaving you with a refreshed and invigorated living space that surpasses expectations.

8' Dining Table, expandable to 12' with two 2' leaves and matching Buffet. This set utilizes eco-friendly reconstituted veneers that reduce pressure on our tropical forests. Zebrawood and Wenge patterns were used here in combination to create a contrast that helps define the elements of the design.

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.

High-efficiency in-floor radiant heat was utilized throughout the home to reduce energy usage. Photo: Josh Yamamoto Builders: Todd Evans | Blackdog Builders

Abundant natural daylight via the kitchen's skylight reduces the need to turn interior lights on during the day – a recipe for lower utility bills.
Arts and crafts kitchen photo in Other

Make a Dream Home proudly presents a remarkable showcase of our recently completed window replacement project in Chicago, IL. With a focus on transforming homes and enhancing their energy efficiency, we have replaced outdated windows with high-quality, stylish alternatives that bring a fresh outlook to each space. Our team of skilled professionals meticulously executed the window replacement process, ensuring a seamless and precise installation. Every window has been carefully chosen to not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the home but also improve functionality and energy efficiency. With the new windows in place, homeowners can enjoy an abundance of natural light that brightens and revitalizes the interior spaces. The stylish designs of the replacement windows add a touch of elegance and sophistication to the overall appearance of the home. Make a Dream Home's commitment to excellence extends beyond aesthetics. Our carefully selected windows are equipped with advanced features that contribute to energy efficiency, helping homeowners save on energy costs while reducing their environmental footprint. The completed window replacement project is a testament to our dedication to craftsmanship and exceptional service. Our team employed expert techniques and utilized high-quality materials to ensure durability and longevity. The finished windows not only enhance the home's curb appeal but also provide improved insulation and noise reduction. By choosing Make a Dream Home for their window replacement needs, homeowners can experience the joy of a transformed living space. With our expertise and attention to detail, we have brought light, style, and enhanced energy efficiency to homes across Chicago, IL. If you seek to upgrade your windows, improve energy efficiency, and enhance the beauty of your home, trust Make a Dream Home. Our window replacement services in Chicago, IL offer a seamless and transformative solution, leaving you with a refreshed and invigorated living space that surpasses expectations.

These modest homeowners were looking for drainage solutions, low maintenance plantings, and an entertainment space they could enjoy outside. Mowing the grass had been a pain in the past, so with this design we decided to remove it entirely. Instead, more native grasses were utilized to take in water and reduce erosion. A new fence modernized and updated the space and allowed the interior of the backyard to be leveled providing more opportunities for design elements like a floating bench and custom built fire pit.

Block the sun and maintain your view! Our large selection of interior solar screens is the ideal solution to your indoor natural lighting needs. Allow the proper amount of sunlight in while creating the perfect environment in your home. Utilize the interior solar screens to reduce the sun’s glare while saving money by blocking the heat from entering the room. Choose from a variety of fabrics that can blend with their surroundings or feature them as a design aspect in the room. Our interior solar screens are best for windows, glass doors, and sunrooms. Maintain your view while blocking harmful UV rays.

This is garage we were able to help utilize the height of their garage and give them back the floor space that they had lost. There is always a lot of room along the walls and up the walls that aren't used correctly to reduce clutter.