Our landscape design seamlessly integrates natural elements, featuring a harmonious blend of smooth river rocks, stepping stones, and lush greenery. This elegant combination creates a serene and inviting pathway, perfect for your outdoor space.

Design ideas for a small contemporary partial sun backyard concrete paver and wood fence landscaping in Toronto for summer.

The owners of this beautiful historic farmhouse had been painstakingly restoring it bit by bit. One of the last items on their list was to create a wrap-around front porch to create a more distinct and obvious entrance to the front of their home. Aside from the functional reasons for the new porch, our client also had very specific ideas for its design. She wanted to recreate her grandmother’s porch so that she could carry on the same wonderful traditions with her own grandchildren someday. Key requirements for this front porch remodel included: - Creating a seamless connection to the main house. - A floorplan with areas for dining, reading, having coffee and playing games. - Respecting and maintaining the historic details of the home and making sure the addition felt authentic. Upon entering, you will notice the authentic real pine porch decking. Real windows were used instead of three season porch windows which also have molding around them to match the existing home’s windows. The left wing of the porch includes a dining area and a game and craft space. Ceiling fans provide light and additional comfort in the summer months. Iron wall sconces supply additional lighting throughout. Exposed rafters with hidden fasteners were used in the ceiling. Handmade shiplap graces the walls. On the left side of the front porch, a reading area enjoys plenty of natural light from the windows. The new porch blends perfectly with the existing home much nicer front facade. There is a clear front entrance to the home, where previously guests weren’t sure where to enter. We successfully created a place for the client to enjoy with her future grandchildren that’s filled with nostalgic nods to the memories she made with her own grandmother. "We have had many people who asked us what changed on the house but did not know what we did. When we told them we put the porch on, all of them made the statement that they did not notice it was a new addition and fit into the house perfectly.” – Homeowner

Near Lake Minnetonka in the Wayzata Bay area, this remodel and addition features exquisite integrated millwork, beautiful stone and tile, and expansive exterior pocketing doors that seamlessly integrate indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces. This home is a timeless and perfect balance of traditional detailing and simple sophistication. Photo Credit: Scott Amundson

This clean cut but elegant entry hall is a mix of Champagne Modern Polished Collection and Emperador Dark Harmony Polished Collection. http://www.countryfloors.com/categories/collection/champagne-modern-polished/ http://www.countryfloors.com/categories/collection/emperador-dark-harmony-polished/

This functional and highly stylized entry area perfectly showcases how we maximized every square inch of the home's layout. Serving as a seamless transition zone, this side entryway combines everyday utility with clean, modern design. Key Design Highlights of This Space: High-Contrast Styling: A striking black-trimmed glass entry door floods the space with natural light, contrasting beautifully with the crisp white walls and custom light gray double closet doors. Functional Warmth: Warm oak hardwood flooring runs seamlessly through the space, complemented by a cozy tufted mustard-yellow bench and a matching wooden wall-mounted coat rack. Smart Transition Flow: Located just steps away from the kitchen, this zone acts as a highly organized landing pad for jackets, bags, and shoes, keeping the rest of the home's open-concept living areas entirely clutter-free.

This functional and highly stylized entry area perfectly showcases how we maximized every square inch of the home's layout. Serving as a seamless transition zone, this side entryway combines everyday utility with clean, modern design. Key Design Highlights of This Space: High-Contrast Styling: A striking black-trimmed glass entry door floods the space with natural light, contrasting beautifully with the crisp white walls and custom light gray double closet doors. Functional Warmth: Warm oak hardwood flooring runs seamlessly through the space, complemented by a cozy tufted mustard-yellow bench and a matching wooden wall-mounted coat rack. Smart Transition Flow: Located just steps away from the kitchen, this zone acts as a highly organized landing pad for jackets, bags, and shoes, keeping the rest of the home's open-concept living areas entirely clutter-free.

The Harlow's entry welcomes you with its stunning features and a seamless blend of modern and timeless design elements. As you step through the 4-lit front door, the light hardwood floor leads you into the space, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The contrasting combination of dark wood cabinets and a white countertop in the entry adds a touch of sophistication and serves as a practical storage solution. The white walls, trim, and window trim create a clean and airy feel, allowing natural light to flow throughout the area. Well-placed can lights and stylish white light fixtures illuminate the space, highlighting its beauty. A white bench offers a convenient spot to sit and take off your shoes while also adding a stylish touch to the entry. The open-concept layout creates a sense of spaciousness and facilitates a seamless flow into the rest of the home. Overall, the Harlow's entry sets the tone for the elegance and functionality that awaits within its well-designed interior.

This functional and highly stylized entry area perfectly showcases how we maximized every square inch of the home's layout. Serving as a seamless transition zone, this side entryway combines everyday utility with clean, modern design. Key Design Highlights of This Space: High-Contrast Styling: A striking black-trimmed glass entry door floods the space with natural light, contrasting beautifully with the crisp white walls and custom light gray double closet doors. Functional Warmth: Warm oak hardwood flooring runs seamlessly through the space, complemented by a cozy tufted mustard-yellow bench and a matching wooden wall-mounted coat rack. Smart Transition Flow: Located just steps away from the kitchen, this zone acts as a highly organized landing pad for jackets, bags, and shoes, keeping the rest of the home's open-concept living areas entirely clutter-free.

From Mid-Century Classic to the Present An iconic design updated with comfort, function, and flow for today. A Remodel That Balances Past and Present What started as a desire to update a classic Eichler soon became an exploration of how Mid-Century Modern design can successfully evolve for today. The client, a tech professional with a passion for scuba diving and underwater photography, wanted a home that would both honor its original character and feel tailored to his daily life. A lifelong technology enthusiast, he still owns the very first Mac desktop he saved up for as a teenager working at Radio Shack, a detail that underscores his appreciation for design that melds function and form. Honoring Separation While Expanding Possibility Unlike many contemporary remodels where walls are opened up to create expansive living spaces, this project took a more restrained approach. The client valued the defined rooms of the original plan and wanted to preserve as much wall space as possible for displaying his large-format underwater photography. The emphasis was not on dramatic spatial reinvention, but on thoughtful refinements. Klopf Architecture shaped a gallery-like backdrop while also expanding the primary suite, modernizing materials and fixtures throughout the home, and improving the functionality and layout of the kitchen. The finished home feels at once timeless and renewed, an Eichler that continues to inspire while fully supporting the lifestyle of its present-day owner. A major turning point came mid-design. The original project brief had not included an addition, but as the reconfiguration of the primary bedroom and bath unfolded, it became clear that an expansion was the best approach to achieve the client’s vision of a more spacious suite. Fortunately, the adjustment came at a stage when revisions were still manageable and was integrated seamlessly, showing how thoughtful course corrections can strengthen a project rather than hinder it. Navigating Challenges With Precision The design development included multiple conceptual rounds, balancing preservation with subtle expansion. During construction, an existing post previously thought to be load-bearing turned out not to be. The structural engineer was able to pivot quickly, and both the post and the cross beam that had been intended to replace it could be omitted, allowing the original rhythm of the Eichler beam bays to be preserved. Sustainability was not just a checklist item, but a way to align the home with the client’s values of simplicity, efficiency, and long-term functionality. R-38 roof insulation reduced energy usage, solar panels with battery storage provided independence and resilience, and passive comfort strategies eliminated the need forenergy-intensive air conditioning. An electric vehicle charger and an on-demand hot water recirculation system (with call buttons as opposed to having constant circulation) add to the home’s long-term efficiency factors. Together, these moves created a home that is quieter, more comfortable, and better equipped for the future, qualities that supported the client’s pragmatic approach to design and living lightly. Details That Respect the Eichler DNA The remodel carries forward the Eichler’s original spirit while introducing new layers of modern livability. Originally, the house was approached along a deep, narrow walk, with the garage on one side and the house on the other, leaving the front door tucked far back within this chasm-like space. By pulling the entry forward, the design reshaped the arrival experience, creating a clearer threshold and a natural drop-off zone for bags, shoes, and keys. This shift also made room for a custom bench at the entry that extends seamlessly through the glass sidelight. The bench and drop-off zone now work together as a single, integrated sequence that supports everyday living while offering a tactile reminder of Eichler’s philosophy of connectedness. At the client’s request, Klopf reintroduced a classic Eichler gesture by extending the exterior siding into the entry and living room. The detail reinforces a sense of indoor/outdoor continuity while providing a subtle architectural surface that allows the client’s photography to take visual precedence. The signature concrete masonry wall at the front was reconstructed using blocks sourced to match the originals, now strengthened with rebar for seismic resilience while maintaining a private outdoor courtyard, visually extending the kitchen outward. A decorative trellis element, a detail borrowed from a neighboring Eichler, restores a familiar mid-century modern architectural motif. At the courtyard entry door, a custom etched glass sidelight with an ocean-themed design featuring kelp and jellyfish serves as a subtle homage to the client’s passion for deep-sea diving. Landscaping became an integral part of the overall transformation. The homeowner engaged landscape architect Randi Johnsen of Third Nature Studio to shape a series of calm, inviting outdoor rooms that read as a natural extension of the interiors. While technically outside of the core construction scope, the landscape design proved central to achieving a sense of completeness and connectedness across the property. Such whole-property considerations often emerge as design ideas take shape, underscoring the importance of flexibility in planning and budgeting, as well as close collaboration among the design team starting early in the process. The Value of Evolving Scope As with many custom residential projects, the scope evolved during the design process. What began as a targeted remodel grew to include a new/expanded primary suite, a rebuilt CMU patio wall for strength and longevity, and a solar panel array and battery storage for energy resilience and carbon-reduction. Each thoughtful decision represented a conscious investment in the home’s performance and character, rather than a cost overrun. The result was a project delivered on schedule, tailored precisely to the client’s lifestyle, and positioned to add long-term value both functionally and aesthetically. By embracing scope evolution as an opportunity rather than a challenge, and relying on good design paired with transparent communication, this remodel demonstrates how Eichler homes can be adapted for contemporary living without erasing their DNA. Klopf Architecture project team: John Klopf, AIA, and Klara Kevane, Elise Webb and Nicholas LaNasa. Contractor: Golden Cove Construction Landscape Design: Third Nature Studio Structural Engineer: Daniel Bastiao Design Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2024 Location: Sunnyvale, CA

Entryway - contemporary light wood floor, beige floor and wood ceiling entryway idea in Austin with white walls and a black front door

Casey Dunn Photography
Large contemporary beige two-story brick gable roof idea in Austin

Demo of kitchen passthrough to create a seamless entry into the clients dining room, new granite, backsplash, furniture, fireplace surround, lighting
Example of a transitional kitchen design in Denver

Model the hardware of your bathtub after the dark wooden cabinets in your master bathroom for a complementary design. Seen in Fiddler's Creek, a Naples community.

This elegant corner of the Laguna Niguel bathroom remodel showcases a stylish blend of form and function. A custom built-in linen cabinet with shaker-style drawers and soft blue finish offers organized storage while adding a pop of coastal charm. The warm under-cabinet lighting enhances the space’s inviting atmosphere. To the right, a bold sliding barn door in matching blue creates a seamless entry into the bathroom, tying the design together while adding a touch of modern flair. Neutral tile flooring and cool-toned area rugs complement the soft palette, completing this serene and functional transition area between the bedroom and the master bath. This design reflects USA Home Remodeling’s attention to detail and commitment to creating functional, beautiful bathrooms in Laguna Niguel and throughout Orange County.

Effortlessly combining the modern black hexagon embossed tile with the existing hardwood floors to create a seamless entry from the master suite into the ensuite.

Photo Credit: Andrew Beasley
Example of a trendy exterior home design in London

Demo of kitchen passthrough to create a seamless entry into the clients dining room, new granite, backsplash, furniture, fireplace surround, lighting
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Denver

Doorless walk-in shower provides a more seamless entry and is also great for keeping bathroom space spacious and bright. Half glass frame is a more modern approach to prevent splash.