Upper Valley Estate Curb Appeal – El Paso, Texas This curb appeal transformation was conceived as a deliberate sequence—an arrival experience where architecture, landscape, and lighting work together as one. Every element was designed to honor the home’s stone construction, turreted forms, and Old World character while responding precisely to the Upper Valley climate and lifestyle. By day, the experience is grounded and composed. Brick-edged concrete drives establish order and permanence, guiding movement through the property with clarity and intention. Natural stone walls and columns anchor the architecture, while layered gravel beds, drought-tolerant plantings, and manicured turf soften transitions and connect the home to its desert setting. Mature trees were preserved and carefully integrated, providing scale, shade, and a sense of continuity. As afternoon shifts toward sunset, the materials begin to speak differently. Stone warms, textures deepen, and sightlines subtly draw the eye toward the front entry. The landscape narrows the focus, creating a moment of pause before arrival—calm, quiet, and refined. At night, the design reveals its final layer. Low-voltage lighting is integrated with precision, washing stone surfaces, tracing architectural curves, and uplighting specimen trees to create depth without glare. The drive, walkways, and entry feel safe, legible, and inviting, while the home itself glows with a restrained elegance. Coming home after dark feels intentional—protected, welcoming, and unmistakably yours. What was created is more than curb appeal. It is a cohesive design-build solution where nothing is ornamental without purpose and nothing is built without intention. A daily experience of arrival that reflects craftsmanship, care, and the enduring character of the Upper Valley.

Custom tiered seating with theater step lights accenting the way to the elevated platform are some of the features that make this room a special entertainment environment. A Lutron Radio RA home automation system triggers a sequence of events leading to "show time" at the touch of one button.

This colonial home renovation reimagines the original character of the house by adding a light-filled entry gallery overlooking the covered front porch. The revised circulation plan opens up the interior to frame views and improve the flow between spaces while maintaining the traditionally defined rooms throughout. New large-paned casement windows replace the modest double-hung units to enhance the scale of the exterior facade and streamline the architectural detailing. The arrival sequence is improved by relocating a brick-lined driveway southward to extend the lawn and allow boxwood clouds set in ground cover to frame new bluestone walks. Overlooking the idyllic golf course beyond, the new rear garden and bluestone terrace better defines the yard and provides a generous outdoor living space. View more of this home through #BBAFocusOnTheFairway on Instagram

Devereux Beach House Our client presented Flavin Architects with a unique challenge. On a site that previously hosted two houses, our client asked us to design a modestly sized house and separate art studio. Both structures reduce the height and bulk of the original buildings. The modern concrete house we designed is situated on the brow of a steep cliff overlooking Marblehead harbor. The concrete visually anchors the house to stone outcroppings on the property, and the low profile ensures the structure doesn’t conflict with the surround of traditional, gabled homes. Three primary concrete walls run north to south in parallel, forming the structural walls of the home. The entry sequence is carefully considered. The front door is hidden from view from the street. An entry path leads to an intimate courtyard, from which the front door is first visible. Upon entering, the visitor gets the first glimpse of the sea, framed by a portal of cast-in-place concrete. The kitchen, living, and dining space have a soaring 10-foot ceiling creating an especially spacious sense of interiority. A cantilevered deck runs the length of the living room, with a solid railing providing privacy from beach below. Where the house grows from a single to a two-story structure, the concrete walls rise magisterially to the full height of the building. The exterior concrete walls are accented with zinc gutters and downspouts, and wooden Ipe slats which softly filter light through the windows.

This home is in Noe Valley, a highly desirable and growing neighborhood of San Francisco. As young highly-educated families move into the area, we are remodeling and adding on to the aging homes found there. This project remodeled the entire existing two story house and added a third level, capturing the incredible views toward downtown. The design features integral color stucco, zinc roofing, an International Orange staircase, eco-teak cabinets and concrete counters. A flowing sequence of spaces were choreographed from the entry through to the family room.

This house was a very small mid-century bungalow with previous additions that resulted in a large but chaotic layout. The owners wanted to convert the house to a super-efficient, and charming Craftsman-style, 6 bedroom home for their large family and work at home. We achieved the space needs by moving a few walls for a more efficient, organized layout, setting up spaces for overlapping uses, and making a small upstairs addition. Every bit of square footage was optimized to meet the goals of the project without making the house huge or adding unnecessary cost. Much thought was given to the entry sequence near the front door. A large flow-through mudroom with storage for each family member, and adjacent laundry, make it easy for children to be taught to keep their things organized and to contribute to household chores. A mail station and central home admin area at the mudroom help keep clutter down at other areas and minimize home management tasks. A garage door near the kitchen gives quick access to bulk items. The existing house had too much view to the street from the living room through large corner windows, and too little entry transition, to the extent that the family did not feel comfortable using the living room much without shades drawn. We raised the window sills and brought the new windows in from the corner of the house, allowing plenty of light while protecting privacy and a sense of enclosure in the living room. We enlarged the front porch to create a more graceful transition from the public to private space. We located the front door so that the circulation from entry into the house would allow for furnishing the living room with a sitting circle that is not intruded upon by people walking through the room. Sight lines through the living spaces were an important consideration in the design. The owners wanted discreet spaces for living room, kitchen, dining and family room, but also wanted the living spaces to feel connected and to be able to easily watch their children. Being able to see the children playing in the yard while getting things done inside the house was also important. While largely working with the existing structure, we opened walls and rearranged the use of spaces to make a series of connected living spaces with long views through them. The character of the remodeled house is a contemporary Craftsman with classic materials and cool, consistent colors. A few arches echo through the house to frame spaces and soften the feeling of the rooms. Photography: Kurt Manley https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/bungalow-expansion/

Don Z Renovation — California Modern Hillside Retreat Perched on a hillside lot with sweeping views of the downtown Los Angeles skyline, this full exterior renovation transforms a traditional two-story home into a clean, contemporary California Modern retreat. The redesign features a durable standing-seam tin roof, crisp white stucco walls, and sleek black vinyl window trim that frames the home's expansive glass sliders and picture windows — bringing in natural light while creating striking contrast against the light exterior palette. A custom wood pergola anchors the entry sequence, leading guests through a permeable paver walkway to the front door, while the rear of the home opens onto an indoor-outdoor living space with oversized glass doors, a covered patio, and a sparkling pool positioned to take full advantage of the downtown LA views beyond. Landscaping was kept intentionally minimal and drought-conscious, letting the architecture and the skyline views take center stage. Beyond the exterior refresh, the home was fully upgraded into a smart home, integrating automated lighting, climate control, security, and entertainment systems that can be managed remotely — pairing timeless California Modern design with the convenience and efficiency of modern technology. Highlights: Standing-seam tin roof Black vinyl window trim Hillside lot with downtown LA skyline views Minimal, drought-tolerant landscaping Custom wood pergola and paver entry Indoor-outdoor living with pool Full smart home integration (lighting, climate, security, entertainment)

The Pool Box sites a small secondary residence and pool alongside an existing residence, set in a rolling Hill Country community. The project includes design for the structure, pool, and landscape - combined into a sequence of spaces of soft native planting, painted Texas daylight, and timeless materials. A careful entry carries one from a quiet landscape, stepping down into an entertainment room. Large glass doors open into a sculptural pool.

New 2-story residence consisting of; kitchen, breakfast room, laundry room, butler’s pantry, wine room, living room, dining room, study, 4 guest bedroom and master suite. Exquisite custom fabricated, sequenced and book-matched marble, granite and onyx, walnut wood flooring with stone cabochons, bronze frame exterior doors to the water view, custom interior woodwork and cabinetry, mahogany windows and exterior doors, teak shutters, custom carved and stenciled exterior wood ceilings, custom fabricated plaster molding trim and groin vaults.

The seated vanity is accessed via the ante for quiet separation from the bedroom. As a more curated space, it sets the tone before entering the bathroom and provides easy access to the private water closet. The built-in cabinetry and tall lit mirror draw the eye upward to the silver metallic grasscloth that lines the ceiling light cove with a glamorous shimmer. As a simple transitory space without the untidiness of a sink, it provides an attractive everyday sequence that announces the entry to the en suite bathroom. A marble slab opening leads into the main bathroom amenities.

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

The upper double-sided glass cabinet allow you to look right through. You are able to see the water view through the cabinets. The glass is sequence matched Baroque pattern from Spectrum Glass. The Baroque pattern is a wave pattern which blends beautiful with the waterfront view. Cabinet are a stained Alder.

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

Construct No. 1 explores the quiet relationship between structure and intuition. Developed through a custom indexing system, each element was individually positioned before becoming part of the final composition, allowing the work to emerge through a sequence of deliberate decisions rather than predetermined geometry. Available

Wall cabinets adjacent to the range had the backs tiled in sequence to minimize their dominance. They were also finished to match the range and hood in color and sheen. The bread drawer was flushed into the corner wall

This classic 1970's rambler was purchased by our clients as their 'forever' retirement home and as a gathering place for their large, extended family. Situated on a large, verdant lot, the house was burdened with extremely dated finishes and poorly conceived spaces. These flaws were more than offset by the overwhelming advantages of a single level plan and spectacular sunset views. Weighing their options, our clients executed their purchase fully intending to hire us to immediately remodel this structure for them. Our first task was to open up this plan and give the house a fresh, contemporary look that emphasizes views toward Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Our initial response was to recreate our favorite Great Room plan. This started with the elimination of a large, masonry fireplace awkwardly located in the middle of the plan and to then tear out all the walls. We then flipped the Kitchen and Dining Room and inserted a walk-in pantry between the Garage and new Kitchen location. While our clients' initial intention was to execute a simple Kitchen remodel, the project scope grew during the design phase. We convinced them that the original ill-conceived entry needed a make-over as well as both bathrooms on the main level. Now, instead of an entry sequence that looks like an afterthought, there is a formal court on axis with an entry art wall that arrests views before moving into the heart of the plan. The master suite was updated by sliding the wall between the bedroom and Great Room into the family area and then placing closets along this wall - in essence, using these closets as an acoustical buffer between the Master Suite and the Great Room. Moving these closets then freed up space for a 5-piece master bath, a more efficient hall bath and a stacking washer/dryer in a closet at the top of the stairs.

Rose arbor, iron gate, outdoor lighting, french,
Design ideas for a mediterranean full sun backyard decomposed granite and metal fence gate in Seattle for summer.

The site features a storm water control system done with artful rocks & boulders arranged to control the rain water runoff from around the house and the property in general. The stained board and batten wood siding merges the home into the forest.

The Courtyard House, designed in 1964 by Sarasota School of Architecture's Jack West, is a Homes for Better Living Award winner, published in Architectural Record Houses of 1965. Known for it's simple materiality, open plan, and sweeping curving roof shape, the home had seen several renovations before the current owners came to us with a challenge: let us celebrate the spirit of the Courtyard House with a serene reflecting pool at the entry of the home. The design strategy was to introduce several wall planes, perforated and screened with wood-look aluminum battens, that gradually reveal the home and provide a neutral base for the strong, sweeping curved form of the existing roof. The introduction of the wall planes allowed for a subtle reorganization of the entry sequence, and a unique opportunity to experience the reflecting pool with a sense of privacy. A new pool and terrace with integrated fire feature look over the beautiful Dolphin Waterway, and provide for a relaxing evening for the family, or a backdrop for a large gathering. Winner of 2020 SRQ Magazine Home of the Year Platinum aware for Best Remodel/Renovation and Gold award for Band Best Landscape Design.