We were approached by a San Francisco firefighter to design a place for him and his girlfriend to live while also creating additional units he could sell to finance the project. He grew up in the house that was built on this site in approximately 1886. It had been remodeled repeatedly since it was first built so that there was only one window remaining that showed any sign of its Victorian heritage. The house had become so dilapidated over the years that it was a legitimate candidate for demolition. Furthermore, the house straddled two legal parcels, so there was an opportunity to build several new units in its place. At our client’s suggestion, we developed the left building as a duplex of which they could occupy the larger, upper unit and the right building as a large single-family residence. In addition to design, we handled permitting, including gathering support by reaching out to the surrounding neighbors and shepherding the project through the Planning Commission Discretionary Review process. The Planning Department insisted that we develop the two buildings so they had different characters and could not be mistaken for an apartment complex. The duplex design was inspired by Albert Frey’s Palm Springs modernism but clad in fibre cement panels and the house design was to be clad in wood. Because the site was steeply upsloping, the design required tall, thick retaining walls that we incorporated into the design creating sunken patios in the rear yards. All floors feature generous 10 foot ceilings and large windows with the upper, bedroom floors featuring 11 and 12 foot ceilings. Open plans are complemented by sleek, modern finishes throughout.

This light filled laundry room is as functional as it is beautiful. It features a vented clothes drying cabinet, complete with a hanging rod for air drying clothes and pullout mesh racks for drying t-shirts or delicates. The handy dog shower makes it easier to keep Fido clean and the full height wall tile makes cleaning a breeze. Open shelves above the dog shower provide a handy spot for rolled up towels, dog shampoo and dog treats. A laundry soaking sink, a custom pullout cabinet for hanging mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies, and ample cabinet storage make this a dream laundry room. Design accents include a fun octagon wall tile and a whimsical gold basket light fixture.

Huge beach style open concept light wood floor living room photo in Los Angeles

Photo: Corynne Pless © 2013 Houzz
Eclectic home office photo in New York

Photo by Karen Melvin
Elegant enclosed dark wood floor living room photo in Minneapolis with beige walls

Point West at Macatawa Park J. Visser Design Insignia Homes
Inspiration for a coastal u-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Grand Rapids with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets and stainless steel appliances

The homeowner of this traditional home requested a traditional pool and spa with a resort-like style and finishes. AquaTerra was able to create this wonderful outdoor environment with all they could have asked for. While the pool and spa may be simple on the surface, extensive planning went into this environment to incorporate the intricate deck pattern. During site layout and during construction, extreme attention to detail was required to make sure nothing compromised the precise deck layout. The pool is 42'x19' and includes a custom water feature wall, glass waterline tile and a fully tiled lounge with bubblers. The separate spa is fully glass tiled and is designed to be a water feature with custom spillways when not in use. LED lighting is used in both the pool and spa to create dramatic lighting that can be enjoyed at night. The pool/spa deck is made of 2'x2' travertine stones, four to a square, creating a 4'x4' grid that is rotated 45 degrees in relation to the pool. In between all of the stones is synthetic turf that ties into the synthetic turf putting green that is adjacent to the deck. Underneath all of this decking and turf is a concrete sub-deck to support and drain the entire system. Finishes and details that increase the aesthetic appeal for project include: -All glass tile spa and spa basin -Travertine deck -Tiled sun lounge with bubblers -Custom water feature wall -LED lighting -Synthetic turf This traditional pool and all the intricate details make it a perfect environment for the homeowners to live, relax and play! Photography: Daniel Driensky

Example of a beach style galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, white appliances and an island

Since the laundry originates primarily on the second floor and the area above this space was acceptable to a Laundry Shoot, careful placement of the cabinets allows the flow of laundry into a center cabinet on the back wall with a stationary top door. All cabinets on that rear wall were made 28” Deep for the Stackables and to house more laundry. Detergents and Laundry Items are stored on Pull Outs below. The sink cabinet had to be narrower than most drop sink requirements but the clients were able to find the perfect smaller version to enhance the area and provide the ability for the occasional hand washables with a rod above for drip drying. Donna Siben/ Designer for Closet Organizing Systems

Inspiration for a timeless dining room remodel in Houston

Example of a large farmhouse u-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Boston with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, shaker cabinets, brown backsplash and matchstick tile backsplash

By completely gutting the old kitchen, we were able to start with a clean slate and to integrate the homeowner’s list of requirements. Both love to entertain, so this included two refrigerators, a full pantry, an island, a large-capacity 48-inch Viking range and two dishwashers.

Our clients need a complete update to their master bathroom. Storage and comfort were the main focus with this remodel. Design elements included built in medicine cabinets, cabinet pullouts and a beautiful teak wood shower floor. Textured tile in the shower gives an added dimension to this luxurious new space.

Ostrich ferns. Photo by Jay Sifford.
Design ideas for an eclectic landscaping in Charlotte.

This family’s basement had become a catch-all space and was sorely underutilized. Although it was spacious, the current layout wasn’t working. The homeowners wanted to transform this space from closed and dreary to open and inviting. Specific requirements of the design included: - Opening up the area to create an awesome family hang out space game room for kids and adults - A bar and eating area - A theater room that the parents could enjoy without disturbing the kids at night - An industrial design aesthetic The transformation of this basement is amazing. Walls were opened to create flow between the game room, eating space and theater rooms. One end of a staircase was closed off, enabling the soundproofing of the theater. A light neutral palette and gorgeous lighting fixtures make you forget that you are in the basement. Unique materials such as galvanized piping, corrugated metal and cool light fixtures give the space an industrial feel. Now, this basement functions as the great family hang out space the homeowners envisioned.

Example of a mountain style dark wood floor kids' room design in Sacramento with orange walls

Example of a large trendy gray three-story mixed siding flat roof design in Vancouver

Photo by Carolyn Bates
Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept concrete floor and gray floor living room design in Burlington with a wood stove

Bathroom - small modern bathroom idea in DC Metro