This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to math the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who could not live in a tiny house, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design assistance by Jimmy Thornton

Inspiration for a timeless detached garage remodel in Houston

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the most challenging. We built the base and top of this out of solid white oak. The shape seems simple enough but the way this is built required 48 different sides to line up nicely on the pedestal with floating mortise and tenon joinery to support it. All that on compound angles that are tapered. The top is connected and supported via steel c channels that are recessed into the table top. This has the added benefit of keeping the table top flat on over the large cantilever. A lot of math and planning but the end result was so amazing to see come together. And the space that it sat in was such a wonderful backdrop. We couldn't be happier with it. As with all of our pieces, this custom dining table was hand made in San Diego, CA.

Margot Hartford Photography
Inspiration for an eclectic master blue tile and subway tile beige floor bathroom remodel in San Francisco with blue walls

Cesar Rubio Hulburd Design transformed a 1920s French Provincial-style home to accommodate a family of five with guest quarters. The family frequently entertains and loves to cook. This, along with their extensive modern art collection and Scandinavian aesthetic informed the clean, lively palette.

This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Philadelphia.

Cesar Rubio Hulburd Design transformed a 1920s French Provincial-style home to accommodate a family of five with guest quarters. The family frequently entertains and loves to cook. This, along with their extensive modern art collection and Scandinavian aesthetic informed the clean, lively palette.

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to math the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who could not live in a tiny house, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design assistance by Jimmy Thornton

Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Indianapolis

The math worked and we did it! The wall oven was placed under the induction cooktop. No worries about cleaning under the "range" -ever. Plenty of ventilation between the two appliances. A little more expense but desired in this country orchard side condo. Note the under-cabinet lighting is not installed yet and may not be required. Smooth solid maple upper drawer is a cooks choice for quick wipe down. photo: Laurie Brasnett

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the most challenging. We built the base and top of this out of solid white oak. The shape seems simple enough but the way this is built required 48 different sides to line up nicely on the pedestal with floating mortise and tenon joinery to support it. All that on compound angles that are tapered. The top is connected and supported via steel c channels that are recessed into the table top. This has the added benefit of keeping the table top flat on over the large cantilever. A lot of math and planning but the end result was so amazing to see come together. And the space that it sat in was such a wonderful backdrop. We couldn't be happier with it. As with all of our pieces, this custom dining table was hand made in San Diego, CA.

Inspiration for a farmhouse hallway remodel in Minneapolis

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the most challenging. We built the base and top of this out of solid white oak. The shape seems simple enough but the way this is built required 48 different sides to line up nicely on the pedestal with floating mortise and tenon joinery to support it. All that on compound angles that are tapered. The top is connected and supported via steel c channels that are recessed into the table top. This has the added benefit of keeping the table top flat on over the large cantilever. A lot of math and planning but the end result was so amazing to see come together. And the space that it sat in was such a wonderful backdrop. We couldn't be happier with it. As with all of our pieces, this custom dining table was hand made in San Diego, CA.

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the most challenging. We built the base and top of this out of solid white oak. The shape seems simple enough but the way this is built required 48 different sides to line up nicely on the pedestal with floating mortise and tenon joinery to support it. All that on compound angles that are tapered. The top is connected and supported via steel c channels that are recessed into the table top. This has the added benefit of keeping the table top flat on over the large cantilever. A lot of math and planning but the end result was so amazing to see come together. And the space that it sat in was such a wonderful backdrop. We couldn't be happier with it. As with all of our pieces, this custom dining table was hand made in San Diego, CA.

Our clients owned a secondary home in Bellevue and decided to do a major renovation as the family wanted to make this their main residence. A decision was made to add 3 bedrooms and an expanded large kitchen to the property. The homeowners were in love with whites and grays, and their idea was to create a soft modern look with transitional elements. We designed the kitchen layout to capitalize on the view and to meet all of the homeowners requirements. Large open plan kitchen lets in plenty of natural light and lots of space for their 3 boys to run around. We redesigned all the bathrooms, helped the clients with selection of all the finishes, materials, and fixtures for their new home.

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the most challenging. We built the base and top of this out of solid white oak. The shape seems simple enough but the way this is built required 48 different sides to line up nicely on the pedestal with floating mortise and tenon joinery to support it. All that on compound angles that are tapered. The top is connected and supported via steel c channels that are recessed into the table top. This has the added benefit of keeping the table top flat on over the large cantilever. A lot of math and planning but the end result was so amazing to see come together. And the space that it sat in was such a wonderful backdrop. We couldn't be happier with it. As with all of our pieces, this custom dining table was hand made in San Diego, CA.

Inspiration for a large contemporary galley porcelain tile and gray floor open concept kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, white walls, granite countertops and a peninsula

Japanese soaking tub in steam shower
Inspiration for a mid-sized zen master white tile pebble tile floor and beige floor japanese bathtub remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, concrete countertops, white countertops, a one-piece toilet, white walls and an integrated sink