After remodeling and living in a 1920s Colonial for years, creative consultant and editor Michelle Adams set out on a new project: the complete renovation of a new mid-century modern home. Though big on character and open space, the house needed work—especially in terms of functional storage in the master bedroom. Wanting a solution that neatly organized and hid everything from sight while staying true to the home’s aesthetic, Michelle called California Closets Michigan to create a custom design that achieved the style and functionality she desired. Michelle started the process by sharing an inspiration photo with design consultant Janice Fisher, which highlighted her vision for long, clean lines and feature lighting. Janice translated this desire into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling custom unit that stored Michelle’s wardrobe to a T. Multiple hanging sections of varying heights corral dresses, skirts, shirts, and pants, while pull-out shoe shelves keep her collection protected and accessible. In the center, drawers provide concealed storage, and shelves above offer a chic display space. Custom lighting throughout spotlights her entire wardrobe. A streamlined storage solution that blends seamlessly with her home’s mid-century style. Plus, push-to-open doors remove the need for handles, resulting into a clean-lined solution from inside to out.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

Boasting views of the Museum of Natural History and Central Park, the Beaux Arts and French Renaissance style building built in 1900 was once home to a luxury hotel. Over the years multiple hotel rooms were combined into the larger apartment residences that exist today. The resulting units, while large in size, lacked the continuity of a single formed space. StudioLAB was presented with the challenge of re-designing the space to fit a modern family’s lifestyle today with the flexibility to adjust as they evolve into their tomorrow. Thus, the existing configuration was completely abandoned with new programmatic elements being relocated in each and every corner of the space. For clients that are big wine connoisseurs, the focal point of entry and circulation lies in a 400 bottle, custom built, blackened steel and glass, temperature controlled wine cabinet. The once enclosed living room was demolished to create one main entertaining space that includes a new dining area and open kitchen. Hafele bi-folding pocket door slides were used in the Living room wall unit to conceal the television, bar and display shelves when not in use. Posing as kitchen cabinetry, a hidden integrated door opens to reveal a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Down the hallway of wide plank ebony stained walnut flooring, a compact powder room was built to house an original Paul Villinski installation of small butterflies cut from recycled aluminum cans, entitled Mistral. Continuing down the hall, and through one of the walnut veneered doors, is the shared kids bedroom where a custom-built bunk bed with integrated storage steps and desk was designed to allow for play space and a reading corner. The kids bathroom across the hall is decorated with custom Lego inspired hand cast concrete tiles and integrated pull-out footstools residing underneath the floating vanity. The master suite features a bio-ethanol fireplace wrapped in blackened steel and integrated into the Tabu veneered built-in. The spacious walk-in closet serves several purposes, which include housing the apartment’s new central HVAC system as well as a sleeping spot for the family’s dog. An integrated URC control system paired with Lutron Radio RA lighting keypads were installed to control the AV, HVAC, lighting and solar shades all by the use of smartphones.

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley. The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic. We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws. The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year. Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

House paint We are Northern Westchester County's Painting and Carpentry Professionals. We have repaired, painted and built beautiful wainscoting and stairway framing for 25 years. Our customers call us back time after time for knowing that our work provides that new home feeling. We are a multiple crew business with the emphasis on great finishing. The shared emphasis on the details has cultivated appreciative alliances with some of Westchester County's top designers, contractors, and architects. So if you live in Bedford Hills, Bedford, Armonk, North Salem, Katonah, Yorktown Heights, Cortlandt, Pound Ridge or nearby towns, we are your professional for repairs and painting that will last 10 years and more! Call us today for your complimentary project estimate. For more on us: See us at our website: http://www.raulspainting.com North Salem Portfolio: http://raulspainting.com/exterior.html Pound Ridge Portfolio: http://raulspainting.com/exterior.html Yorktown Heights Portfolio: http://raulspainting.com/exterior.html Exterior House painting and Repairs: http://raulspainting.com/exterior.html Interior Painting: http://raulspainting.com/interior.html About us: http://raulspainting.com/aboutus.html

After remodeling and living in a 1920s Colonial for years, creative consultant and editor Michelle Adams set out on a new project: the complete renovation of a new mid-century modern home. Though big on character and open space, the house needed work—especially in terms of functional storage in the master bedroom. Wanting a solution that neatly organized and hid everything from sight while staying true to the home’s aesthetic, Michelle called California Closets Michigan to create a custom design that achieved the style and functionality she desired. Michelle started the process by sharing an inspiration photo with design consultant Janice Fisher, which highlighted her vision for long, clean lines and feature lighting. Janice translated this desire into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling custom unit that stored Michelle’s wardrobe to a T. Multiple hanging sections of varying heights corral dresses, skirts, shirts, and pants, while pull-out shoe shelves keep her collection protected and accessible. In the center, drawers provide concealed storage, and shelves above offer a chic display space. Custom lighting throughout spotlights her entire wardrobe. A streamlined storage solution that blends seamlessly with her home’s mid-century style. Plus, push-to-open doors remove the need for handles, resulting into a clean-lined solution from inside to out.

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Boasting views of the Museum of Natural History and Central Park, the Beaux Arts and French Renaissance style building built in 1900 was once home to a luxury hotel. Over the years multiple hotel rooms were combined into the larger apartment residences that exist today. The resulting units, while large in size, lacked the continuity of a single formed space. StudioLAB was presented with the challenge of re-designing the space to fit a modern family’s lifestyle today with the flexibility to adjust as they evolve into their tomorrow. Thus, the existing configuration was completely abandoned with new programmatic elements being relocated in each and every corner of the space. For clients that are big wine connoisseurs, the focal point of entry and circulation lies in a 400 bottle, custom built, blackened steel and glass, temperature controlled wine cabinet. The once enclosed living room was demolished to create one main entertaining space that includes a new dining area and open kitchen. Hafele bi-folding pocket door slides were used in the Living room wall unit to conceal the television, bar and display shelves when not in use. Posing as kitchen cabinetry, a hidden integrated door opens to reveal a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Down the hallway of wide plank ebony stained walnut flooring, a compact powder room was built to house an original Paul Villinski installation of small butterflies cut from recycled aluminum cans, entitled Mistral. Continuing down the hall, and through one of the walnut veneered doors, is the shared kids bedroom where a custom-built bunk bed with integrated storage steps and desk was designed to allow for play space and a reading corner. The kids bathroom across the hall is decorated with custom Lego inspired hand cast concrete tiles and integrated pull-out footstools residing underneath the floating vanity. The master suite features a bio-ethanol fireplace wrapped in blackened steel and integrated into the Tabu veneered built-in. The spacious walk-in closet serves several purposes, which include housing the apartment’s new central HVAC system as well as a sleeping spot for the family’s dog. An integrated URC control system paired with Lutron Radio RA lighting keypads were installed to control the AV, HVAC, lighting and solar shades all by the use of smartphones.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

Boasting views of the Museum of Natural History and Central Park, the Beaux Arts and French Renaissance style building built in 1900 was once home to a luxury hotel. Over the years multiple hotel rooms were combined into the larger apartment residences that exist today. The resulting units, while large in size, lacked the continuity of a single formed space. StudioLAB was presented with the challenge of re-designing the space to fit a modern family’s lifestyle today with the flexibility to adjust as they evolve into their tomorrow. Thus, the existing configuration was completely abandoned with new programmatic elements being relocated in each and every corner of the space. For clients that are big wine connoisseurs, the focal point of entry and circulation lies in a 400 bottle, custom built, blackened steel and glass, temperature controlled wine cabinet. The once enclosed living room was demolished to create one main entertaining space that includes a new dining area and open kitchen. Hafele bi-folding pocket door slides were used in the Living room wall unit to conceal the television, bar and display shelves when not in use. Posing as kitchen cabinetry, a hidden integrated door opens to reveal a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Down the hallway of wide plank ebony stained walnut flooring, a compact powder room was built to house an original Paul Villinski installation of small butterflies cut from recycled aluminum cans, entitled Mistral. Continuing down the hall, and through one of the walnut veneered doors, is the shared kids bedroom where a custom-built bunk bed with integrated storage steps and desk was designed to allow for play space and a reading corner. The kids bathroom across the hall is decorated with custom Lego inspired hand cast concrete tiles and integrated pull-out footstools residing underneath the floating vanity. The master suite features a bio-ethanol fireplace wrapped in blackened steel and integrated into the Tabu veneered built-in. The spacious walk-in closet serves several purposes, which include housing the apartment’s new central HVAC system as well as a sleeping spot for the family’s dog. An integrated URC control system paired with Lutron Radio RA lighting keypads were installed to control the AV, HVAC, lighting and solar shades all by the use of smartphones.

New Additions to Hoover + Hill This project is a continuation of the renovation and updating work Flavin Architects had previously completed at the 1958 Wales house, designed by architect Henry Hoover and Walter Hill. Our clients, a young family, desired more space for guests, a home office, a yoga studio, and covered car parking. The challenge was to respect the architects’ original vision and not to interfere with the perfect cruciform plan of the house. To accomplish these goals, we converted the existing garage/workshop structure into a guest house and then designed a new, separate carport/storage building. The new carport building shares the low-slope gable of the original Hoover structure. The post and beam structure characteristic of Hoover’s design is updated through the use of galvanized steel posts and I beams. The galvanized beams cantilever to support a sheltered walkway leading from the parking to a guest house terrace defined in relationship to the three structures surrounding it. The terrace is paved in slate with a central rain garden. Wood lattice clads the carport, providing good ventilation and letting the building glow like a lantern at night. Our guest house renovation celebrates the unique structural timber ceiling of the original garage. We replaced opaque plywood trusses with a slender cable truss structurally engineered by Webb Structural Services. This cable truss allows for a view of the timber ceiling. A wall of glass facing the courtyard replaced the original garage door. A murphy bed in the rear room enables quick conversion from guest quarters to weight room.

Starr Custom Homes is excited to share the photos of our lakefront contemporary farmhouse, DreamDesign 28, located in Pablo Creek Reserve, a gated community in Jacksonville, FL. Full of beautiful luxury finishes, this two-story, five bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home has all the modern conveniences today’s families are looking for: open concept floor plan, first-floor master suite and a large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry leading to the formal dining room. The two-story family room has coffered ceilings with multiple windows and sliding glass doors, offering views of the pool and sunsets on the lake. The contemporary farmhouse is a popular style, and DreamDesign 28 doesn’t disappoint. Stylish features include wide plank hardwood flooring, board and batten wainscoting in the dining room and study and a tiled fireplace wall. A luxurious master bath with freestanding tub and large walk-in shower features Kallista plumbing fixtures. Emtek door hardware and statement lighting fixtures are the jewelry that finishes off the home.

Lindsey and Patrick have young daughters and live in a beautiful colonial home. They spent most of their time in the family room and kitchen, and hardly used the formal living room or formal dining room. They wanted ideas on different uses for these rooms so that the family and their friends would want to spend time there. Also, their daughters are heavily into arts and crafts. All of their supplies were located in a hall closet, which was congested with materials and difficult to organize. They love the look of mid-century modern design and wanted to sprinkle elements of this aesthetic into the space. The front formal living room was transformed into a dual-purpose space: office area for her and a craft area for the girls. Lindsey loves that she can now sit at a desk with a view of the front yard to be on her computer, while her girls create artwork just a few feet away. An art cabinet was placed in the room which has two large doors that swing out and contains a flip-down desk, with multiple bins to store and organize all the art supplies. A modern etagere divides this space from the Lounge area, carefully decorated with contemporary and modern decor. The lounge area was created as an inviting space for the adults to relax in and share drinks with their friends. They say they now use these rooms every day, and hang out there more often than in the family room!

Photo credit Michael Moran. The design for this client’s “dream house on the water” capitalizes on every opportunity to incorporate views of the Long Island Sound within the home. The placement and expanse of the fir windows and sliding doors underscore the water’s proximity. The interior gathering space spills out onto the raised outdoor deck and lap pool overlooking the seawall. Reducing the house’s carbon footprint is another priority, accomplished by generating renewable energy on site. The precise angle of the house on the property is calculated for optimal solar energy production by the rooftop photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system installed under the driveway provides heating and cooling for the house. Due to the fact that the site is located on a floodplain, the ground floor of the house is raised and no basement is allowed. This presents a challenge in terms of carving out enough storage space in the main house that one might normally relegate to a basement. Rooms are efficiently sized and serve multiple functions and storage is built-in wherever possible.

Crafted by designer Wayne Chevalier of Studio Bracket, this beautiful home was built for a longtime car enthusiast and his wife with entertaining in mind. Thanks to Series 600 Multi-Slide and Sliding Glass Doors located in almost every room of this house, the homeowners are able to extend their living spaces to the beautiful koi pond, backyard or swimming pool with ease. Inspired by Mid-Century Modern architecture, the doors and Series 600 Window Walls create an open, light-filled structure that feels luxurious yet comfortable.

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley. The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic. We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws. The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year. Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.