Ernesto Santalla was approached to create a new home for two Washington, DC lawyers wishing to downsize their living space. The move took them from a row house in Washington's historic Dupont Circle neighborhood to a two bedroom apartment in the vibrant, up-and-coming U Street Corridor. Our task was to transform a rather plain and generic apartment into a custom, sophisticated space in a few strategic moves. Ceiling details serve to define functional areas of the living space without creating divisions. Changing some doors from wood to frosted glass, creates a sense of continuity between spaces, and allows light to travel between spaces. Lighting was inserted strategically, to enhance certain functions of the home. The kitchen was partially enclosed with a plane of frosted glass to create visual separation from the main living space while still allowing natural light to filter in from the expansive wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Color was used to reinforce the architectural intent and simplify spaces, such as the entry, which as many doors and frames. Furniture was selected to blend with the client's collection of heirloom pieces, creating a sophisticated juxtaposition. Statement pieces like a ceiling light from Viabizzuno create impact while maintaining the visual simplicity of our minimal approach. This project was featured in DC Modern Luxury. https://www.modernluxury.com/washington-dc/story/grand-nest Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdon

Balanced on the East River between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, this cardboard box factory was the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world when it opened in 1914 and now houses 124 loft apartments. The primary components for this renovation were manufactured in Brooklyn. One end of the living space is adorned by cabinetry produced by Dado Woodworking in Red Hook (south) and hand painted on site. At the opposite end, the space is modified by double action folding steel doors fabricated by Argosy Designs in Greenpoint (north).

Cottage patio photo in Boston

Elegant u-shaped kitchen photo in Phoenix with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and white appliances

This residence is a renovation of a traditional landscape into a contemporary garden. Custom contemporary steel planters complement the steel detailing on the home and offer an opportunity to highlight unique native plant species. A large front yard living space offers easy socialization with this active neighborhood. The spectacular salvaged 15ft Organ Pipe Cactus grabs your eye as you enter the residence and anchors the contemporary garden. The back terrace has been designed to create inviting entertainment areas that overlook the golf course as well as protected private dining areas. A large family gathering spot is nestled between the pool and centered around the concrete fire pit. The relaxing spa has a negative edge that falls as a focal point towards the master bedroom. A secluded private dining area off of the kitchen incorporates a steel louver wall that can be opened and closed providing both privacy from adjacent neighbors and protection from the wind. Masses of succulents and cacti reinforce the structure of the home. Project Details: Architect: PHX Architecture Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Art Holeman

Example of a mountain style exterior home design

Great room - industrial dark wood floor and brown floor great room idea in Denver

This residential compound includes a primary residence, guesthouse, barn, dining pavilion and entry gate. The distinctive form of the architecture is derived from the Teton Range extending to the south. To respond to this phenomenon, the ridge of the gable roof is angled to allow the north wall to gently rise toward the west, mimicking the line of the mountains. The south wall naturally rises to the east capturing the preferred morning light. The materials - wood, rusted steel, copper panels, and stone - form a monochromatic palette to reinforce the sculptural energy of each building. A.I.A. Western Mountain Region Design Award of Citation 2005 A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004 Project Year: Pre-2005

Falcon House is located on Falcon Ridge Road, which winds along a steeply inclined ridge in a stretch of foothills within Carmel Valley in Monterey County. An old lichen covered barn and split rail, cedar fences characterize this area known as Markham Ranch, and contrast sharply with the preponderance of sprawling, large estate-style homes, many more at-home in the Italian countryside than any landscape of California. Designed for a young family, Falcon House responds to the family’s desire to live a more modest lifestyle, eschewing overt displays of extravagance for an intimate and deferential relation to nature. The 3,200-square-foot residence occupies a difficult portion of the northern slope of a hillside, overlooking a verdant valley and oriented toward Castle Rock in the distance. The steep terrain necessitated a compartmentalized plan capable of negotiating the gentle hillock at the center of the site. A corridor bridge spans two pieces of the house, uniting living and sleeping spaces and allowing an existing watercourse to flow essentially through the house unobstructed. Large panels of glass open the living spaces to the landscape, beneath the deep overhang of a butterfly roof. Operable clerestories placed high on the window-wall allow prevailing breezes to cool the interior spaces. The bedroom wing of the house hugs the hillside as it turns to the west, ensuring privacy from the main living spaces. The sense of seclusion and protection of this wing is reinforced by its lower roofline and its embedment into the hill. Initial resistance by neighboring homeowners has given way to appreciation, having seen the results of careful siting and a material and color palate sympathetic to the surrounding hillsides. The dwelling embodies an attitude of respect for the landscape, and through that perspective Falcon House has become as natural a part of its environment as the hawks flying overhead. 2008 AIA Orange County Chapter Merit Award

Deck - contemporary deck idea in Minneapolis with no cover

Inspiration for a cottage exterior home remodel in San Francisco

Stephen Allen Photography, Orlando
Home design - large country home design idea in Orlando

Example of a mid-sized transitional master light wood floor, beige floor, tray ceiling and wallpaper bedroom design in New York

Bathroom - 1960s bathroom idea in San Francisco

The client’s vision was to create a contemporary bathroom with custom touches to produce an earthy, relaxing aesthetic. To create the look, custom timber cabinetry was specified, contrasted with matte black fittings and fixtures. Light and dark, large-format floor and wall tiles were also chosen reinforcing the contrasting effect. The shower offers a modern touch featuring subway tiles in a herringbone pattern and a free-standing bath was installed by the large window for the ultimate indulgence. The end result is a relaxing, modern yet refined space reflecting their style and complementing the rest of their home.

Ernesto Santalla was approached to create a new home for two Washington, DC lawyers wishing to downsize their living space. The move took them from a row house in Washington's historic Dupont Circle neighborhood to a two bedroom apartment in the vibrant, up-and-coming U Street Corridor. Our task was to transform a rather plain and generic apartment into a custom, sophisticated space in a few strategic moves. Ceiling details serve to define functional areas of the living space without creating divisions. Changing some doors from wood to frosted glass, creates a sense of continuity between spaces, and allows light to travel between spaces. Lighting was inserted strategically, to enhance certain functions of the home. The kitchen was partially enclosed with a plane of frosted glass to create visual separation from the main living space while still allowing natural light to filter in from the expansive wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Color was used to reinforce the architectural intent and simplify spaces, such as the entry, which as many doors and frames. Furniture was selected to blend with the client's collection of heirloom pieces, creating a sophisticated juxtaposition. Statement pieces like a ceiling light from Viabizzuno create impact while maintaining the visual simplicity of our minimal approach. Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdon

Kitchen - mediterranean cement tile floor kitchen idea in Other with orange cabinets and no island

Inspiration for a large contemporary tile screened-in back porch remodel in Other with a roof extension

Located on a lot along the Rocky River sits a 1,300 sf 24’ x 24’ two-story dwelling divided into a four square quadrant with the goal of creating a variety of interior and exterior experiences within a small footprint. The house’s nine column steel frame grid reinforces this and through simplicity of form, structure & material a space of tranquility is achieved. The opening of a two-story volume maximizes long views down the Rocky River where its mouth meets Lake Erie as internally the house reflects the passions and experiences of its owners. Photo: Sergiu Stoian