Furnishings and design services by August Haven in collaboration with Gryboski Builders in Green Bay, WI.

Jeff Allen
Beach style living room photo in Boston

We developed this innovative solution using a motorized mylar roller shade combined with a motorized cellular shade. With the mylar roller shade down, the views are unobstructed but 99% of the UV is blocked, minimizing heating issues during long summer days. The mylar shade can be retracted to allow full solar heating during the winter. Lowering the cellular honeycomb shade provides optimal insulation on the window, which is further boosted if the mylar shade is also lowered. Best of all, it can be controlled using hand-held remotes, or controlled or programmed for automatic operation, even from halfway around the world using a tablet or mobile phone.

Example of a classic kitchen design in Houston

Country home design photo in New York

Country home design photo in New York

Stephen Govel

This double wooden gate included a split into 1/3 - 2/3 to create an enclosed courtyard in the carport area. There were children at the property, and so stoutness of hardware as well as security were of utmost importance. The home is a Craftsman style, and the gates were built to complement that. The hardware chosen was made of solid bronze to coordinate with the Craftsman appearance. Photos by Victor Robinson Design (www.vicrobinson.com)

This was a large sliding door that we wanted to be able to see out during the day but get diffused privacy and sun control. The Hunter Douglas Pirouette worked perfectly on this door. We treated this door with three shades so that you could just raise up one side to go in and out the door without having to open up the entire wall of glass. At night this can be closed for full privacy and it gives you the look of a roman shade. These shades were done with power view so no cords would be hanging down into the glass.

Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in DC Metro

Modern backyards with raised planter, clipped Hornbeam hedge, lawn and swings for kids
This is an example of a modern landscaping in Toronto.

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©

Classic barn doors

Gina Cholick Photography
Home design - coastal home design idea in Los Angeles