The owners of this historic house on a promontory surrounded by water asked Morpurgo Architects to maximize ocean views while expanding their home for their growing family. Conforming to The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission’s requirements, our modifications to the existing structure are sympathetic to the original Stuccoed Mission-style and contextually in keeping with neighboring historic homes. This challenging site presented numerous constraints, including adherence to oceanfront setbacks and environmental and zoning regulations. We overcame imposing restrictions to develop a dynamic plan that fulfilled the clients’ programmatic and aesthetic needs. The kitchen was identified by our clients as the focal point of family activity. We maximized this lifestyle concept by developing the kitchen into a spacious living area with commanding views of the water. Renovations to the third floor allowed Morpurgo Architects to create an outdoor space offering a panorama of the historic surrounding communities.

Originally submitted for the Model Homes category, the judges felt this entry deserved an ARDA in Design Detail. This particular home was designed to meet the demands of empty nesters, seeking a low maintenance home close to everything. This design is located in a neighborhood with strict design guidelines. The garage was required to be setback 35 feet from the front of the home. Small lot constraints with a public access path on one side presented challenges fitting all requests into a single level. Coming in at just over 1,600 square foot, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with expansive great room accomplished the designer's goals. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Muddy River Design Designer: Adam R Peterson From: Bend, Oregon

Originally submitted for the Model Homes category, the judges felt this entry deserved an ARDA in Design Detail. This particular home was designed to meet the demands of empty nesters, seeking a low maintenance home close to everything. This design is located in a neighborhood with strict design guidelines. The garage was required to be setback 35 feet from the front of the home. Small lot constraints with a public access path on one side presented challenges fitting all requests into a single level. Coming in at just over 1,600 square foot, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with expansive great room accomplished the designer's goals. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Muddy River Design Designer: Adam R Peterson From: Bend, Oregon

Wet bar - mid-sized coastal single-wall light wood floor and brown floor wet bar idea in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, porcelain backsplash and white countertops

© Cindy Apple Photography
Example of a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped light wood floor enclosed kitchen design in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and gray countertops

Geometric Pool with Spa: -Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle) -Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer -Extra-large top step / sun-shelf -Dark Grey imported Granite coping -Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot) -Limestone Patio

Built in 1890, this former small apartment building had been derelict, and it was the owners’ desire to revive the existing structure and reimagine it as a modern space for living and working. Respecting the overtly historic character of the building, the design blends modern interventions with historic elements to create spaces that feel both warm and modern. The home features three levels of living space, two outdoor balconies, and spectacular views of Kansas City’s downtown skyline. DRAW worked closely with the contractor and an artist to develop details focusing on craft and materials. As the structure is located on a well-traveled street with only a 5’ setback, the need for privacy became a concern. DRAW’s design team creatively solved this challenge with an art piece by Jesse Small that acts as a screen for the front façade and casts dynamic shadows on the interior that play on organic and constructed forms. The interior stair of the 3-story structure is a central design element, whose glass, steel and open treads allow light to filter through the space.

Originally submitted for the Model Homes category, the judges felt this entry deserved an ARDA in Design Detail. This particular home was designed to meet the demands of empty nesters, seeking a low maintenance home close to everything. This design is located in a neighborhood with strict design guidelines. The garage was required to be setback 35 feet from the front of the home. Small lot constraints with a public access path on one side presented challenges fitting all requests into a single level. Coming in at just over 1,600 square foot, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with expansive great room accomplished the designer's goals. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Muddy River Design Designer: Adam R Peterson From: Bend, Oregon

Contractor: David Clough Photographer: OL+ Architects
Traditional exterior home idea in Boston

This gorgeous barndominium boasts 10′ first floor ceilings and 9′ second floor. You will enter the house from the covered porch which opens to an expansive vaulted living space. The standard plan is a one story full vaulted ceiling throughout but the optional plan has a private master suite on the second floor with a balcony open to below. A unique Home Internet Cafe’ is just inside the front door and opens onto the front lounging porch. This 3 bedroom 2 1/2- 3 bath barndominium can fit nicely in any surrounding. It can be classy, elegant or country. Choose your style from any of our three barndo choices. (This plan is on the board and under design now)

A little over a year ago my retaining wall collapsed by the entrance to my house bringing down several tons of soil on to my property. Not exactly my finest hour but I was determined to see as an opportunity to redesign the entry way that I have been less than happy with since I got the house. I wanted to build a structure together with a new wall I quickly learned it required foundation with cement caissons drilled all the way down to the bedrock. It also required 16 ft setbacks from the hillside. Neither was an option for me. After much head scratching I found the shed building ordinance that is the same for the hills that it is for the flatlands. The basics of it is that everything less than 120 ft, has no plumbing and with electrical you can unplug is considered a 'Shed' in the City of Los Angeles. A shed it is then. This is lead me the excellent high-end prefab shed builders called Studio Shed. I combined their structure with luxury vinyl flooring from Amtico and the 606 Universal Shelving System from Vitsoe. All the interior I did myself with my power army called mom and dad. I'm rather pleased with the result which has been dubbed the 'SheShed'

Framed by mature trees and nestled within Sarasota’s historic McClellan Park, Sunset Place is a home shaped by a deep understanding of, and sensibility for, its setting—reflecting the charm of the neighborhood, the rhythm of downtown living, and the client’s vision of entertaining, connection, and family life. Every decision—from site strategy to spatial flow—was made with intention: to support a lifestyle centered on warmth, community, and a strong sense of place. At its core, the project is a masterclass in leveraging zoning and code to unlock the full potential of a complex site. Though landlocked, the home lives like waterfront—offering openness, privacy, and expansive sunset views. Placing the pool in the front yard, within the 25-foot setback, redefines the entry experience. It captures the western light and sets a relaxed, resort-like tone from the very first step inside the gate. Paired with a rear-loaded garage, accessed discreetly via the side setback, the layout transforms the site’s limitations into its greatest assets. Architecture and landscape take center stage, while the full buildable envelope is maximized without compromise. A natural rise of eight feet from front to back—rare in Sarasota—was embraced as an opportunity. Site walls function as both retaining structures and architectural elements, elevating the pool terrace and entry by over four feet to align with the main interior floor level. The result is a fluid connection between indoors and out: kitchen, dining, and living spaces unfold onto the terrace, blurring boundaries and enhancing everyday rituals as well as social gatherings. Architecturally, the home is coastal contemporary: open yet composed, airy yet grounded. Clarity in the massing tells a story of the inhabitants from the first glance, while the interior planning offers spatial generosity and ease. The interiors echo this sensibility with a palette that is soft, natural, and tactile—serene without being neutral. The landscape design provides a lush tropical frame, softening edges and reinforcing privacy through layered plantings rather than enclosure. Ultimately, Sunset Place is not defined by any single gesture, but by the way the home reflects its owners. Their gracious, family-centered nature informed every layer of design—resulting in a space that feels deeply personal, tailored for connection and ease, and perfectly suited for gathering, unwinding, and watching the sun slip behind the trees from the comfort of home.

Geometric Pool with Spa: -Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle) -Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer -Extra-large top step / sun-shelf -Dark Grey imported Granite coping -Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot) -Limestone Patio

Built covered porch with storage and bathroom matched to house and HOA specification.
Example of a mid-sized tuscan backyard concrete patio design in Raleigh with a fireplace and a gazebo

Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Our retired homeowners have a large, beautiful property. With a property this large and a fixed income budget, we decided to prioritize the garden space close to the house. The homeowner’s wish list included a French lavender garden and space to entertain another couple or two, as well as protection from the afternoon sun. We designed a new covered patio space with large format pavers, pulling it away from the house to meet code setbacks, building an expansive patio for both living dining. Hidden automatic electric shades give protection from afternoon sun. With the addition of a fan, shade cloth and heaters, the homeowners have a space to enjoy year-round.

Challenged with strict lot coverage regulations and setback rules from the City of Atlanta, our design team expertly designed this private, contemporary style, outdoor living space for these busy city dwellers to enjoy year-round. The custom, rectangular swimming pool is composed of clean, sleek lines and boasts a tanning ledge and seating bench that runs the entire length of the pool. The decorative concrete pool deck and coping flow right over the edge of the pool giving the area a greater sense of space while complimenting the contemporary look our clients desired.

Twilight exterior front elevation. This home has Hardi-shingle siding painted gray with white trim. The roof is a dark gray concrete tile. The driveway is a dark gray tinted concrete, while the sidewalk leading to the front door is paved with bluestone. The stone on the house and retaining wall is a limestone called Cottonwood. Photo by Paul Bonnichsen.

gold and black oceanside glass tile
Example of a large trendy backyard tile and rectangular infinity hot tub design in San Diego