The Art of Turning a House into a Home Remodeling or custom-creating elements of the home to suit the client’s taste is an art – one of which Bentz has delicately mastered. With careful attention to detail, W.A. Bentz Construction can steer any project in the right direction, from complete interior and exterior home renovations to deck or room additions. Each member of the W.A. Bentz Construction team is licensed, insured and experienced at all facets of home renovations. They can advise on a variety of building topics such as: which projects are likely to increase the value of a home; whether or not a building permit is needed; and which design ideas work well for the space. They also take careful precautions throughout the building process to protect the home and ensure maximum security. With over 35 years of experience plus access to a vast network of top subcontractors in the area, Bentz and his team flawless manage each project so that it’s completed on time, on budget, and to the client’s expectations.

Coastal Shingle Style on St. Andrew Bay Private Residence / Panama City Beach, Florida Architect: Eric Watson Builder: McIntosh-Myers Construction For this lovely Coastal Shingle–style home, E. F. San Juan supplied Loewen impact-rated windows and doors, E. F. San Juan Invincia® impact-rated custom mahogany entry doors, exterior board-and-batten siding, exterior shingles, and exterior trim and millwork. We also supplied all the interior doors, stair parts, paneling, mouldings, and millwork. Challenges: At over 10,000 square feet, the sheer size of this home—coupled with the extensive amount of materials we produced and provided—made for a great scheduling challenge. Another significant challenge for the E. F. San Juan team was the homeowner’s desire for an electronic locking system on numerous Invincia® doors we custom manufactured for the home. This was a first-time request for us, but a challenge we gladly accepted! Solution: We worked closely with the builder, Cliff Myers of McIntosh-Myers Construction, as well as the architect, Eric Watson, to ensure the timeliness of decisions as they related to the home’s critical production timeline. We also worked closely with our design engineer and the home’s engineer of record, Allen Barnes of Apex Engineering Group, to provide a solution that allowed for an electronic lock on our custom Invincia® mahogany doors. The completed home is a stunning example of coastal architecture that is as safe and secure as it is beautiful. --- Photography by Jack Gardner

Shiflet Group Architects Photographer Nick Johnson
Inspiration for a cottage dining room remodel in Austin with white walls

Riad Zasha: Middle Eastern Beauty at the Beach Private Residence / Alys Beach, Florida Architect: Khoury & Vogt Architects Builder: Alys Beach Construction --- “Riad Zasha resides in Alys Beach, a New Urbanist community along Scenic Highway 30-A in the Florida Panhandle,” says the design team at Khoury & Vogt Architects (KVA), the town architects of Alys Beach. “So named by the homeowner, who came with an explicit preference for something more exotic and Middle Eastern, the house evokes Moroccan and Egyptian influences spatially and decoratively while maintaining continuity with its surrounding architecture, all of which is tightly coded.” E. F. San Juan furnished Weather Shield impact-rated windows and doors, a mahogany impact-rated front door, and all of the custom exterior millwork, including shutters, screens, trim, handrails, and gates. The distinctive tower boasts indoor-outdoor “Florida room” living spaces caged in beautiful wooden mashrabiya grilles created by our team. The execution of this incredible home by the professionals at Alys Beach Construction and KVA resulted in a landmark residence for the town. Challenges: “Part of [the Alys Beach] coding, along with the master plan itself, dictated that a tower mark the corner of the lot,” says KVA. “Aligning this with the adjoining park to the south reinforces the axiality of each and locks the house into a greater urban whole.” The sheer amount of custom millwork created for this house made it a challenge, but a welcome one. The unique exterior called for wooden details everywhere, from the shutters to the handrails, mouldings and trim, roof decking, courtyard gates, ceiling panels for the Florida rooms, loggia screen panels, and more—but the tower was the standout element. The homeowners’ desire for Middle Eastern influences was met through the wooden mashrabiya (or moucharaby) oriel-style wooden latticework enclosing the third-story tower living space. Creating this focal point was some of our team’s most unique work to date, requiring the ultimate attention to detail, precision, and planning. The location close to the Gulf of Mexico also dictated that we partner with our friends at Weather Shield on the impact-rated exterior windows and doors, and their Lifeguard line was perfect for the job. The mahogany impact-rated front door also combines safety and security with beauty and style. Solution: Working closely with KVA and Alys Beach Construction on the timeline and planning for our custom wood products, windows, and doors was monumental to the success of this build. The amount of millwork produced meant our team had to carefully manage their time while ensuring we provided the highest quality of detail and work. The location south of Scenic Highway 30-A, steps from the beach, also meant deciding with KVA and Alys Beach Construction what materials should be used for the best possible production quality and looks while adhering to coding and standing the test of time in the harsh Gulfside elements such as high winds, humidity, and salt. The tower elements alone required the utmost care for building and installation. It was truly a test of skill for our team and Alys Beach Construction to create the corbels and other support pieces that would hold up the wooden oriel windows and latticework screens. We couldn’t be happier with the result and are genuinely honored to have been part of the talented team on such a cornerstone residence in the Alys Beach townscape. --- Photography courtesy of Alys Beach

Boho meets Portuguese design in a stunning transformation of this Van Ness tudor in the upper northwest neighborhood of Washington, DC. Our team’s primary objectives were to fill space with natural light, period architectural details, and cohesive selections throughout the main level and primary suite. At the entry, new archways are created to maximize light and flow throughout the main level while ensuring the space feels intimate. A new kitchen layout along with a peninsula grounds the chef’s kitchen while securing its part in the everyday living space. Well-appointed dining and living rooms infuse dimension and texture into the home, and a pop of personality in the powder room round out the main level. Strong raw wood elements, rich tones, hand-formed elements, and contemporary nods make an appearance throughout the newly renovated main level and primary suite of the home.

This Pella® Architect Series® wood with aluminum-clad sliding patio door features Pella’s unique design with the sliding panel on the outside — so the harder the wind blows, the tighter the seal against the elements.

Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Houston.

Cary Hazlegrove
Beach style formal living room photo in Boston with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace

Awarded "Best Smart Home of the Year" by EH. Spire outfitted this beautiful Michigan home with the best in high quality luxury technology. The homeowners enjoy the complete control of their home, from lighting and shading to entertainment and security, through the Savant Control System. Homeowners and guests can easily create “scenes” to manage their days and social gatherings. Lutron shades help maintain light, climate and privacy to balance the inside and outside views. Outdoor entertaining is easy with the Sonance Landscape Audio System, Lutron light controls for pools and fountains and Savant control of outdoor fire pits. The fully managed Whyreboot network allows for uninterrupted system control. To maintain security, Holovision doors and gates are equipped with Doorbird system to notify residents of visitors and to give control to open and close doors and gates. Music lovers can enjoy the highest level in audio from Meridian 7200 speakers in the lower level, as well as, Sonance in wall and in ceiling speakers throughout the home. In order for the homeowners to enjoy different music and entertainment in various rooms, 14 zones of video and 26 zones of audio were necessary. Spire added many special touches to this amazing home. The master bathroom boasts a MirrorTV so owners can enjoy some entertainment while preparing for the day. A floor lift in the kitchen and dining room allows for entertainment, but can be tucked away when distractions are not wanted. A floor lift in the bedroom makes watching TV convenient, but can be put away when not in use. A fingerprint lock was placed at the bar for peace of mind. Spire’s expertise and commitment to detail were key to the intricate design concepts throughout the home. Spire worked closely with design teams to ensure under cabinet lighting was just right.

Laundry Room Troy Theis Photography
Dedicated laundry room - small transitional l-shaped brick floor dedicated laundry room idea in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, multicolored walls, a stacked washer/dryer and an undermount sink

A perfectly low maintenance kitchen for watching the ocean tides and brewing a pot of tea.
Example of a beach style l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Jacksonville with a farmhouse sink, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Rebecca Westover
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless light wood floor and beige floor entryway remodel in Salt Lake City with white walls and a glass front door

Example of a mid-sized transitional master white floor, double-sink and wallpaper bathroom design in Atlanta with turquoise cabinets, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a freestanding vanity and recessed-panel cabinets

Lisa Romerein
Inspiration for a cottage single front door remodel in San Francisco with beige walls and a glass front door

Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Custom Millwork Design, Furniture Design, Art Curation, & Landscape Architecture by Chango & Co. Photography by Ball & Albanese

In the primary bath, all of the original features had been removed, except for the low sloped MCM ceiling that was prominently interrupted by a rectangular AC soffit that was added on later. We relocated the AC ducting to vent through the floor instead, and once again revealed the bath’s iconic low sloped triangular ceiling. Then, we began re-creating the new MCM space from the floor up. We widened the original primary bath by 2’ to accommodate an enclosed toilet room, at the request of the homeowners. This was quite a feat, as it required structural engineering to relocate one vertical steel column that interfered with the new toilet room layout. The new 14’ tall steel column, which supported part of the steel roof trusses, had to be extended through the home’s bathroom floor and into a cave underground secured by a concrete pier. Oh, did I mention that this home has a cave under part of it? Haha—when I say that this home was a challenge to remodel, I do mean it was a CHALLENGE.

Inspiration for a transitional porcelain tile and black floor entryway remodel in Grand Rapids with white walls and a black front door

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional 3/4 white tile and subway tile brown floor alcove shower remodel in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door, white countertops and quartz countertops

This beautiful home in Westfield, NJ needed a little front porch TLC. Anthony James Master builders came in and secured the structure by replacing the old columns with brand new custom columns. The team created custom screens for the side porch area creating two separate spaces that can be enjoyed throughout the warmer and cooler New Jersey months.