We were hired to finish the basement of our clients cottage in Haliburton. The house is a woodsy craftsman style. Basements can be dark so we used pickled pine to brighten up this 3000 sf space which allowed us to remain consistent with the vibe of the overall cottage. We delineated the large open space in to four functions - a Family Room (with projector screen TV viewing above the fireplace and a reading niche); a Game Room with access to large doors open to the lake; a Guest Bedroom with sitting nook; and an Exercise Room. Glass was used in the french and barn doors to allow light to penetrate each space. Shelving units were used to provide some visual separation between the Family Room and Game Room. The fireplace referenced the upstairs fireplace with added inspiration from a photo our clients saw and loved. We provided all construction docs and furnishings will installed soon.

Designed in 1970 for an art collector, the existing referenced 70’s architectural principles. With its cadence of ‘70’s brick masses punctuated by a garage and a 4-foot-deep entrance recess. This recess, however, didn’t convey to the interior, which was occupied by disjointed service spaces. To solve, service spaces are moved and reorganized in open void in the garage. (See plan) This also organized the home: Service & utility on the left, reception central, and communal living spaces on the right. To maintain clarity of the simple one-story 70’s composition, the second story add is recessive. A flex-studio/extra bedroom and office are designed ensuite creating a slender form and orienting them front to back and setting it back allows the add recede. Curves create a definite departure from the 70s home and by detailing it to "hover like a thought" above the first-floor roof and mentally removable sympathetic add.Existing unrelenting interior walls and a windowless entry, although ideal for fine art was unconducive for the young family of three. Added glass at the front recess welcomes light view and the removal of interior walls not only liberate rooms to communicate with each other but also reinform the cleared central entry space as a hub. Even though the renovation reinforms its relationship with art, the joy and appreciation of art was not dismissed. A metal sculpture lost in the corner of the south side yard bumps the sculpture at the front entrance to the kitchen terrace over an added pedestal. (See plans) Since the roof couldn’t be railed without compromising the one-story '70s composition, the sculpture garden remains physically inaccessible however mirrors flanking the chimney allow the sculptures to be appreciated in three dimensions. The mirrors also afford privacy from the adjacent Tudor's large master bedroom addition 16-feet away.

Located in a neighborhood characterized by traditional bungalow style single-family residences, Orange Grove is a new landmark for the City of West Hollywood. The building is sensitively designed and compatible with the neighborhood, but differs in material palette and scale from its neighbors. Referencing architectural conventions of modernism rather than the pitched roof forms of traditional domesticity, the project presents a characteristic that is consistent with the eclectic and often unconventional demographic of West Hollywood. Distinct from neighboring structures, the building creates a strong relationship to the street by virtue of its large amount of highly usable balcony area in the front façade. While there are dramatic and larger scale elements that define the building, it is also broken down into comprehensible human scale parts, and is itself broken down into two different buildings. Orange Grove displays a similar kind of iconoclasm as the Schindler House, an icon of California modernism, located a short distance away. Like the Schindler House, the conventional architectural elements of windows and porches become part of an abstract sculptural ensemble. At the Schindler House, windows are found in the gaps between structural concrete wall panels. At Orange Grove, windows are inserted in gaps between different sections of the building. The design of Orange Grove is generated by a subtle balance of tensions. Building volumes and the placement of windows, doors and balconies are not static but rather constitute an active three-dimensional composition in motion. Each piece of the building is a strong and clearly defined shape, such as the corrugated metal surround that encloses the second story balcony in the east and north facades. Another example of this clear delineation is the use of two square profile balcony surrounds in the front façade that set up a dialogue between them—one is small, the other large, one is open at the front, the other is veiled with stainless steel slats. At the same time each balcony is balanced and related to other elements in the building, the smaller one to the driveway gate below and the other to the roll-up door and first floor balcony. Each building element is intended to read as an abstract form in itself—such as a window becoming a slit or windows becoming a framed box, while also becoming part of a larger whole. Although this building may not mirror the status quo it answers to the desires of consumers in a burgeoning niche market who want large, simple interior volumes of space, and a paradigm based on space, light and industrial materials of the loft rather than the bungalow.

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc. Interior Design: Mocoro Studio We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us! The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are: 1) Space heating and Cooling 2) Water Heating 3) Lights and Appliances 4) Wall assemblies and insulation Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.

Referencing this square footage as an internal courtyard might be a stretch. A more accurate description would perhaps be the awesome things that New Yorkers can do with the tiny spaces we have. The parameters of the project lend to its description. This Tribeca residential building’s shared amenity space and gym on the lower level opens up onto a 350 square foot space of brick walls and concrete pavers. The south wall of this space is made up by the terraces belonging to the residential units above and while the setting allows for minimal ambient light, each balcony looks down onto the shared space below. In order to provide visual interest from the gym and the overhead views, Blondie’s designers Sara Baerwald and Eva Vessio utilized Jay Scott’s rectangle containers lining the north wall as well as surrounding the utilities in the southwest corner. They then created 8 foot faux boxwood hedge on the north wall and the appropriate height to conceal the utilities. From below the hedge creates the feeling of a courtyard and from above it softens the view of the once barren space. Adding color and functionality, the concrete pavers were replaced with rubber tiles in a bright aqua. To play off of this color and add a unique level of visual impact, artist Chris Pearson designed and painted a multi-color prism mural. Primarily on the east wall and then stretching over the hedges to the south, the depth and dimension that this mural provides for the space is incredible. It is a testament to the successful solutions we conjure when thinking outside the box and allowing for unique site specific resolutions.

Kitchen in a 1926 bungalow, done to my client's brief that it should look 'original' to the house. The three 'jewels' of the kitchen are the immaculately restored 1928 Wedgwood high-oven stove, the SubZero refrigerator/freezer designed to look like an old-fashioned ice box, and the island referencing a farmhouse table with pie-save cabinet underneath, done in ebonized oak and painted bead-board. The red Marmoleum floor has double inlaid borders, the counters are honed black granite, and the walls, cabinets, and trim are all painted a soft ocher-based cream-colour taken from a 1926 DutchBoy paint deck. Virtually everything is custom, save the sink, faucets, and pulls, done to my original designs. The Bosch dishwasher, washer, and dryer are all hidden in the cabinetry. All photographs courtesy David Duncan Livingston. (Kitchen featured in Fall 2018 AMERICAN BUNGALOW magazine)

Referencing the wife and 3 daughters for which the house was named, four distinct but cohesive design criteria were considered for the 2016 renovation of the circa 1890, three story masonry rowhouse: 1. To keep the significant original elements – such as the grand stair and Lincrusta wainscoting. 2. To repurpose original elements such as the former kitchen pocket doors fitted to their new location on the second floor with custom track. 3. To improve original elements - such as the new "sky deck" with its bright green steel frame, a new kitchen and modern baths. 4. To insert unifying elements such as the 3 wall benches, wall openings and sculptural ceilings. Photographer Jesse Gerard - Hoachlander Davis Photography

This NoHo apartment, in a landmarked circa 1870 building designed by Stephen Decatur Hatch and converted to lofts in 1987, had been interestingly renovated by a rock musician before being purchased by a young hedge fund manager and his gallery director girlfriend. Naturally, the couple brought to the project their collection of painting, photography and sculpture, mostly by young emerging artists. Axis Mundi accommodated these pieces within a neutral palette accented with occasional flashes of bright color that referenced the various artworks. Major furniture pieces – a sectional in the library, a 12-foot-long dining table–along with a rich blend of textures such as leather, linen, fur and warm woods, helped bring the sprawling dimensions of the loft down to human scale. Size: 3,400 sf Design Team: John Beckmann and Nick Messerlian Architect: Nemaworkshop Photography: Durston Saylor, and Mark Roskams © Axis Mundi Design LLC.

Strategically adding decorative lighting locations and restoring paneling and wood floors to glowing finishes was step one. Sculpting the living room ceiling, absent of any detail, helped define the space and connect to the rest of the main level. To improve the feeling of lightness, we transformed the ceiling with pearlescent plaster and paint, and enhanced the walls with pale apple-green plaster and artistic platinum panels that referenced both the main and second floor levels. Another highlight of the living room: a Chinese altar table repurposed as a console.

Architecture: John Lum Architecture Interior Design: NicoleHollis Contractor: Jetton Construction Landscape: Arterra Landscape Architects Photography: Douglas Friedman We reworked a spec-level Mediterranean into a design that quietly fits its spectacular bay-side setting. Referencing Sausalito’s fishing village roots, the stucco and styrofoam detailing were replaced with environmentally-conscious materials designed to weather, utilizing a palette of Kebony, cement plaster, and copper standing seam roof.

This NoHo apartment, in a landmarked circa 1870 building designed by Stephen Decatur Hatch and converted to lofts in 1987, had been interestingly renovated by a rock musician before being purchased by a young hedge fund manager and his gallery director girlfriend. Naturally, the couple brought to the project their collection of painting, photography and sculpture, mostly by young emerging artists. Axis Mundi accommodated these pieces within a neutral palette accented with occasional flashes of bright color that referenced the various artworks. Major furniture pieces – a sectional in the library, a 12-foot-long dining table–along with a rich blend of textures such as leather, linen, fur and warm woods, helped bring the sprawling dimensions of the loft down to human scale. Size: 3,400 sf Design Team: John Beckmann and Nick Messerlian Architect: Nemaworkshop Photography: Durston Saylor, and Mark Roskams © Axis Mundi Design LLC

The hardy palm trees grow about 1 foot in height each year - so these have added 3 feet on top,since being planted in 2021. Some idea of their height and scale can be referenced to the ladder next to them. They have weathered 3 winters outside in zone 4b (USDA 3b) without any difficulty, being carefully protected from November through to April. What a joy to unwrap them in the spring and enjoy them through the clement weather!

Anchored by the homeowner’s 42-foot-long painting, the interiors of this Palm Springs residence were designed to showcase the owner’s art collection, and create functional spaces for daily living that can be easily adapted for large social gatherings. Referencing the environment and architecture in both form and material, the finishes and custom furnishings bring the interior to life. Alluding to the roofs that suspend over the building, the sofas seem to hover above the carpets while the knife-edge table top appears to float above a metal base. Bleached and cerused wood mimic the “desert effect” that would naturally occur in this environment, while the textiles on the sofa are the same shade as the rocks of the landscape. Monolithic concrete floors connect all of the spaces while concealing mechanical systems, and stone thresholds signal vertical level changes and exterior transitions. Large wall masses provide the optimal backdrop for the homeowner’s oversized art. The wall structures ground the interior, while the opposing expanses of glass frame the desert views. The location and use of operable doors and windows allows the house to naturally ventilate, reducing cooling loads. The furnishings create spaces in an architectural fashion. Designed and fabricated for flexibility, the pieces easily accommodate the owners’ large social gatherings. The dining table can be split into two and the sofas can be pushed out along the walls, opening the center of the space to entertain. The design of the interior spaces and furnishings seamlessly integrates the setting, architecture, artwork and spaces into a cohesive whole.

Still on the hunt for the perfect painting for over the fireplace, this room has made the leap from a dated 80’s interior to a stylish stone statement for the future. The angular framed mass that originally housed the TV was eliminated in favor of a curvilinear banco which sweeps along the wall and continues in front of the fireplace as the hearth. White stacked stone was used to face the entire area from the new limestone slab surface of the banco to the ceiling. The new, slim TV is now mounted on the stone wall. Read more and see before and after pictures at the above referenced website.

Example of a transitional bedroom design in Toronto

The design goal of this home was to create an old English cottage. Francis Garcia of Francis Garcia Architect studied the architecture of aged English cottages through photos as well as referenced various homes in Carmel, CA. In search of a stone to complement the client’s stylistic goals, Eldorado Stone’s York Limestone proved to be exactly what they were looking for. The sense of age and authenticity in conjunction with a consistent color palette and profile cut produced the exact feel Garcia was hoping to recreate. Having experienced a great deal of success with the installation, both Francis Garcia and Ken Blaise of Blaise Construction & Development receive a great deal of requests from people inquiring about the kind of stone that brought such a strong sense of authenticity to the client’s home. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: York Limestone Architect & Photographer: Francis Garcia of Francis Garcia Architect Phone: (925) 984 9983 Website: www.francisgarciaarchitect.com Builder: Ken Blaise of Blaise Construction & Development Phone: (925) 820-4737 Website: www.blaise-construction.com

We were hired to finish the basement of our clients cottage in Haliburton. The house is a woodsy craftsman style. Basements can be dark so we used pickled pine to brighten up this 3000 sf space which allowed us to remain consistent with the vibe of the overall cottage. We delineated the large open space in to four functions - a Family Room (with projector screen TV viewing above the fireplace and a reading niche); a Game Room with access to large doors open to the lake; a Guest Bedroom with sitting nook; and an Exercise Room. Glass was used in the french and barn doors to allow light to penetrate each space. Shelving units were used to provide some visual separation between the Family Room and Game Room. The fireplace referenced the upstairs fireplace with added inspiration from a photo our clients saw and loved. We provided all construction docs and furnishings will installed soon.

This NoHo apartment, in a landmarked circa 1870 building designed by Stephen Decatur Hatch and converted to lofts in 1987, had been interestingly renovated by a rock musician before being purchased by a young hedge fund manager and his gallery director girlfriend. Naturally, the couple brought to the project their collection of painting, photography and sculpture, mostly by young emerging artists. Axis Mundi accommodated these pieces within a neutral palette accented with occasional flashes of bright color that referenced the various artworks. Major furniture pieces – a sectional in the library, a 12-foot-long dining table–along with a rich blend of textures such as leather, linen, fur and warm woods, helped bring the sprawling dimensions of the loft down to human scale. Size: 3,400 sf Design Team: John Beckmann and Nick Messerlian Architect: Nemaworkshop Photography: Durston Saylor, and Mark Roskams © Axis Mundi Design LLC.

This 2,500 square foot “studio” is located in a neighborhood bisected by alleys and containing charming remnants of indigenous outbuildings common to the region. The desire was to create a clean, open, contemporary interior in a building that outwardly referenced its context. The primary form of the house took shape from the long, narrow lot. On the north end, which faces an alley, a patinated clad steel structure forms a canopy for the entry. This carefully scaled “cabin”, raised above the upper level to access a glimpse of the mountains, pays homage to the many sheds lining the alley. The south end features a terrace above the garage that is an extension of the primary interior space. The masonry west wall of the building provides privacy from the adjacent lot. This functional “spine” contains program elements on both levels and is visible internally and externally. A gently curved wall provides continuity between the floors and shields a bathroom and dressing area. This wall stops short of the ceiling, allowing the uninterrupted plane of maple veneer plywood to form a canopy unifying the spaces. A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004