Privacy screens and sunken hot tub
Large island style backyard gravel patio photo in Toronto with a pergola

a cozy nook to sit back and enjoy a fire on a crisp fall night.
Mid-sized trendy backyard deck photo in Philadelphia with a fire pit and a roof extension

We expanded the kitchen and opened up the room using lots of glass windows, note the kitchen corner window; and used mirrors to expand the size and show off the amazing expansive ocean view.

An ART-DECO Lobby in an vintage DECO Building on NY's Upper West side, cried out for a new fireplace screen to "fit" with the authentically DECO details in this lobby. I wa contacted by Tony- a Resident-(& Condo Board President) who's passion for DECO & his Buildings aesthetic- created this commission.

This is an example of an eclectic porch design in Wilmington.

Great room - mid-sized traditional dark wood floor and brown floor great room idea in Minneapolis with white walls

In the living room, a massive black Venetian glass chandelier suspends dramatically from a 12-foot tray ceiling, offset by detailed triple-crown molding. Custom wall molding adds texture to charcoal gray walls. Black granite frames the ventless fireplace, where black fire glass is used to conceal the gas plumbing lines. A flat screen television and integrated speakers are among several devices comprising a home automation system that wirelessly controls technology by a wall-mounted iPad or any smartphone. A long modular sofa with custom silk pillows anchors the living room seating arrangement, which is flanked by low-profile lounge chairs and a heavy slatted metal coffee table atop a large cowhide rug. Metal nesting tables and porcelain garden stools quickly double as extra seating. Louisiana artist Joseph “Jojo” Jilbert was commissioned to create a custom sculpture for the living room. Towering at more than eight feet, “Nebulas 1” is forged from fire in his signature style using reclaimed metal objects. The welded creation is modeled after the famed Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, where light and heat from young stars create columns that are trillions of miles long. The sculpture is burnished to a deep patina and engraved with intricate scrollwork. Large Fiddle Leaf Fig ficuses bring color and texture to the opposing corner, offering a natural foil to the spiny details of the artwork.

In the living room, a massive black Venetian glass chandelier suspends dramatically from a 12-foot tray ceiling, offset by detailed triple-crown molding. Custom wall molding adds texture to charcoal gray walls. Black granite frames the ventless fireplace, where black fire glass is used to conceal the gas plumbing lines. A flat screen television and integrated speakers are among several devices comprising a home automation system that wirelessly controls technology by a wall-mounted iPad or any smartphone. A long modular sofa with custom silk pillows anchors the living room seating arrangement, which is flanked by low-profile lounge chairs and a heavy slatted metal coffee table atop a large cowhide rug. Metal nesting tables and porcelain garden stools quickly double as extra seating. Louisiana artist Joseph “Jojo” Jilbert was commissioned to create a custom sculpture for the living room. Towering at more than eight feet, “Nebulas 1” is forged from fire in his signature style using reclaimed metal objects. The welded creation is modeled after the famed Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, where light and heat from young stars create columns that are trillions of miles long. The sculpture is burnished to a deep patina and engraved with intricate scrollwork. Large Fiddle Leaf Fig ficuses bring color and texture to the opposing corner, offering a natural foil to the spiny details of the artwork.

The Watermill House is a beautiful example of a classic Hamptons wood shingle style home. The design and renovation would maintain the character of the exterior while transforming the interiors to create an open and airy getaway for a busy and active family. The house comfortably sits within its one acre lot surrounded by tall hedges, old growth trees, and beautiful hydrangeas. The landscape influenced the design approach of the main floor interiors. Walls were removed and the kitchen was relocated to the front of the house to create an open plan for better flow and views to both the front and rear yards. The kitchen was designed to be both practical and beautiful. The u-shape design features modern appliances, white cabinetry and Corian countertops, and is anchored by a beautiful island with a knife-edge marble countertop. The island and the dining room table create a strong axis to the living room at the rear of the house. To further strengthen the connection to the outdoor decks and pool area of the rear yard, a full height sliding glass window system was installed. The clean lines and modern profiles of the window frames create unobstructed views and virtually remove the barrier between the interior and exterior spaces. The open plan allowed a new sitting area to be created between the dining room and stair. A screen, comprised of vertical fins, allows for a degree of openness, while creating enough separation to make the sitting area feel comfortable and nestled in its own area. The stair at the entry of the house was redesigned to match the new elegant and sophisticated spaces connected to it. New treads were installed to articulate and contrast the soft palette of finishes of the floors, walls, and ceilings. The new metal and glass handrail was intended to reduce visual noise and create subtle reflections of light. Photo by Guillaume Gaudet

Closeup view of the family room from the backyard. Floor to ceiling windows allow maximum light and a feeling of openness that brings the outside in. All new trims, baseboards and doors in the redone family room. All new, modern lighting was installed. Heated du chateau flooring was added. The fireplace was reconfigured to allow for a wide-screen TV on the family room side of this vaulted, open space. Bruce Damonte Photography

Outdoor bath off the master bedroom, heated by heat lamps, and made private by remote-control screens. Photographer: Matthew Millman
Trendy exterior home photo in San Francisco

The Council Crest Residence is a renovation and addition to an early 1950s house built for inventor Karl Kurz, whose work included stereoscopic cameras and projectors. Designed by prominent local architect Roscoe Hemenway, the house was built with a traditional ranch exterior and a mid-century modern interior. It became known as “The View-Master House,” alluding to both the inventions of its owner and the dramatic view through the glass entry. Approached from a small neighborhood park, the home was re-clad maintaining its welcoming scale, with privacy obtained through thoughtful placement of translucent glass, clerestory windows, and a stone screen wall. The original entry was maintained as a glass aperture, a threshold between the quiet residential neighborhood and the dramatic view over the city of Portland and landscape beyond. At the south terrace, an outdoor fireplace is integrated into the stone wall providing a comfortable space for the family and their guests. Within the existing footprint, the main floor living spaces were completely remodeled. Raised ceilings and new windows create open, light filled spaces. An upper floor was added within the original profile creating a master suite, study, and south facing deck. Space flows freely around a central core while continuous clerestory windows reinforce the sense of openness and expansion as the roof and wall planes extend to the exterior. Images By: Jeremy Bitterman, Photoraphy Portland OR

The stunning kitchen features handcrafted cabinetry, a marble topped island and counters, a low profile paneled ceiling, and premium appliances. Transitioning from the kitchen to the dining room, is a unique entertaining area which includes a rough-hewn board sided bar featuring road sign décor, a 3” thick marble countertop and galvanized steel pipe footrest. The bar is flanked on each side by a double glass door presentation wine cellar and a built-in liquor cabinet with glass shelves and ice maker.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

Susan Gilmore
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless blue two-story concrete fiberboard exterior home remodel in Minneapolis

Three Season room with views of the golf course. Boardwalk Builders, Rehoboth Beach, DE www.boardwalkbuilders.com Sue Fortier
Sunroom - mid-sized traditional ceramic tile sunroom idea in Other with a standard ceiling

Wood-Mode Kitchen with Francois & Co Limestone Hood, Wolf & Sub-Zero Appliances Walker Zanger Stone Mosaic Tile with Quartzite counter tops, with Reclaimed Chestnut Flooring, as well as a Franke Pot Filler. Photo credit: Mary Ann Elston

Bob Greenspan

The design intent for the elevated primary bedroom was to complement the home’s original Japanese architectural details—shoji screens, exposed beams, and warm layered wood. A low-profile bed, vintage nightstands, and hand-sourced textiles were chosen to echo the space’s quiet elegance and wabi-sabi sensibility, creating a restful and grounded retreat.