Michele Lee Willson Photography
Bedroom - transitional bedroom idea in San Francisco with white walls

Kolanowski Studio
Example of a large tuscan enclosed dark wood floor game room design in Houston with no fireplace

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile concrete floor and gray floor drop-in bathtub remodel in Houston with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and marble countertops

In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

Large trendy galley light wood floor great room photo in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, glass tile backsplash, paneled appliances, a peninsula, white walls and no fireplace

Wine cubbies on either side of the sink bring nice focus to the center of the kitchen
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized cottage u-shaped eat-in kitchen idea in Cedar Rapids with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Small trendy green one-story concrete fiberboard exterior home photo in Austin with a shed roof

Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped staircase remodel in San Francisco with orange walls

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop

Photo Credit: Tim Bies
Example of a trendy staircase design in Seattle

Whenever possible sill and threshold conditions are developed to create the minimal transition between interior and exterior walking surfaces. The majority of our projects have cut or cast stone threshold treatments. Some extruded sill solutions can be introduced if needed. Outswing doors typically have a step down from interior to exterior. Inswing door sills typically need a raised threshold to prevent water blowing in. Sliding doors have top hung floor guides that are flush to finish floor and offer the most seamless transition while still acting as a water return. Bottom rolling sliding doors have a water return guide track that sits a subtle 3/16" above finish floor for a near flush transition. Whenever weather exposure is a concern, drain slots should be added to the inswing sill designs. Extreme weather environments need more extreme measures and coordination with waterproofing consultants. #JadaSteelWindows

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop

In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop

Inspiration for a rustic u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, brown backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Pale-greay wood-grain resin cabinets were installed above and below the new mottled-gray resin countertop that runs along three sides of the kitchen. The island-expanded slightly and given new white lacquer cabinets and a black granite work surface - now stands as a contrasting, yet complementary, element in the center of the room. Long, slotted brushed-steel pulls aligned horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinets - are a unifying element, and a new hardwood floor warms they way only wood can. The stainless-steel refrigerator and dual oven are now flush with the cabinets. Reed also added touch- recessed LED lights that turn on automatically when a cabinet door is opened, illuminating the interior, plus touch-activated LEDs on the bottom of the cabinets to light the countertop