Built from the ground up on 80 acres outside Dallas, Oregon, this new modern ranch house is a balanced blend of natural and industrial elements. The custom home beautifully combines various materials, unique lines and angles, and attractive finishes throughout. The property owners wanted to create a living space with a strong indoor-outdoor connection. We integrated built-in sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings to attract ample, natural lighting. The master bathroom is spacious and features an open shower room with soaking tub and natural pebble tiling. There is custom-built cabinetry throughout the home, including extensive closet space, library shelving, and floating side tables in the master bedroom. The home flows easily from one room to the next and features a covered walkway between the garage and house. One of our favorite features in the home is the two-sided fireplace – one side facing the living room and the other facing the outdoor space. In addition to the fireplace, the homeowners can enjoy an outdoor living space including a seating area, in-ground fire pit and soaking tub.

Modern Farmhouse Audubon Square, Baton Rouge, La Photo by Craig saucier Front door Benjamin Moore HC - 148 "Jamestown Blue" Porch Ceilings Benjamin Moore 1592 "Blue Springs" Shutters & Fence Benjamin Moore HC - 167 "Amherst Gray"

As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards For years, Jeff and Ellen Miller spent their vacations sailing in Northern Michigan—so they had plenty of time to check out which small harbor town they might like to retire to someday. When that time arrived several years ago, they looked at properties up and down the coast and along inland lakes. When they discovered a sweet piece on the outskirts of Boyne City that included waterfront and a buildable lot, with a garage on it, across the street, they knew they’d found home. The couple figured they could find plans for their dream lake cottage online. After all, they weren’t looking to build anything grandiose. Just a small-to-medium sized contemporary Craftsman. But after an unfruitful online search they gave up, frustrated. Every plan they found had the back of the house facing the water—they needed a blueprint for a home that fronted on the water. The Millers first met the woman, Stephanie Baldwin, Owner & President of Edgewater Design Group, who solved that issue and a number of others on the 2015 Northern Home & Cottage Petoskey Area Home Tour. Baldwin’s home that year was a smart, 2000-square cottage on Crooked Lake with simple lines and a Craftsman sensibility. That home proved to the couple that Edgewater Design Group is as proficient at small homes as the larger ones they are often known for. Edgewater Design Group did indeed come up with the perfect plan for the Millers. At 2400 square feet, the simple Craftsman with its 3 bedrooms, vaulted ceiling in the great room and upstairs deck is everything the Millers wanted—including the fact that construction stayed within their budget. An extra courtesy of working with the talented design team is a screened in porch facing the lake (“She told us, of course you have to have a screened in porch,” Ellen says. “And we love it!’) Edgewater’s other touches are more subtle. The Millers wanted to keep the garage, but the home needed to be sited on a small knoll some feet away in order to capture the views of Lake Charlevoix across the street. The solution is a covered walkway and steps that are so artful they enhance the home. Another favor Baldwin did for them was to connect them with Legacy Construction, a firm known for its craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Miller home, outfitted with touches including custom molding, cherry cabinetry, a stunning custom range hood, built in shelving and custom vanities. A warm hickory floor and lovely earth-toned Craftsman-style color palette pull it all together, while a fireplace mantel hewn from a tree taken on the property rounds out this gracious lake cottage.

A desk in the corner forms a study area perched atop the city and flooded with light. Photography and styling by Heidi Solander
Inspiration for a small contemporary freestanding desk home office remodel in Boston with white walls

This Wilmette, IL House was remodeled by Siding & Windows Group with High Quality and Energy Efficient Marvin Wood Windows.
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless blue two-story concrete fiberboard exterior home remodel in Other with a shingle roof

Example of a beach style gray three-story wood exterior home design in Boston with a gambrel roof

This warm French Country design is enhanced by mulled double hung windows, both up and down. The rows of windows showcase the beauty of this home's idyllic setting.

This expansive Victorian had tremendous historic charm but hadn’t seen a kitchen renovation since the 1950s. The homeowners wanted to take advantage of their views of the backyard and raised the roof and pushed the kitchen into the back of the house, where expansive windows could allow southern light into the kitchen all day. A warm historic gray/beige was chosen for the cabinetry, which was contrasted with character oak cabinetry on the appliance wall and bar in a modern chevron detail. Kitchen Design: Sarah Robertson, Studio Dearborn Architect: Ned Stoll, Interior finishes Tami Wassong Interiors

Michelle Peek Photography
Inspiration for a small contemporary multicolored tile and mosaic tile marble floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Toronto with a console sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a wall-mount toilet and multicolored walls

This kitchen proves small East sac bungalows can have high function and all the storage of a larger kitchen. A large peninsula overlooks the dining and living room for an open concept. A lower countertop areas gives prep surface for baking and use of small appliances. Geometric hexite tiles by fireclay are finished with pale blue grout, which complements the upper cabinets. The same hexite pattern was recreated by a local artist on the refrigerator panes. A textured striped linen fabric by Ralph Lauren was selected for the interior clerestory windows of the wall cabinets.

The 2021 Southern Living Idea House is inspiring on multiple levels—from the stunning location in Louisville, Kentucky overlooking the Ohio river, to the design-driven home that marries European countryside vibes with a timeless aesthetic. Dubbed the “forever home,” the concept was to design for all stages of life, with thoughtful spaces that meet the ever-evolving needs of families today. The 5,545-square-foot, Colonial Greek Revival Cottage-style home is located in The Breakers at Prospect community and is the collective effort of many. While it may have formerly been a trend to embrace open layout living spaces, following the pandemic families are seeking spaces in the home that feel separated, to allow for privacy. Rooms with clear intentions allow more options for areas in which to spend time, depending on your mood, and this home perfectly balances livable and lively ideas. Marvin products were chosen for this project to maximize the use of natural light, allow airflow from outdoors to indoors, and provide expansive views that overlook the Ohio River. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Marvin Awaken Skylight Marvin Ultimate Casement Window Marvin Ultimate Double Hung G2 Window Marvin Ultimate Picture Window Marvin Ultimate Direct Glaze Round Top Window Marvin Ultimate Swinging French Door G2 BUILDER: Jason Black and Jimmy King of Artisan Signature Homes ARCHITECT: Brandon Ingram of C. Brandon Ingram Design INTERIOR DESIGNER: Sarah Bartholomew, Sarah Bartholomew Design LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Josh Myers of Myers & Co. Landscape Architecture PHOTOGRAPHY: Laurey W. Glenn, Marta Xochilt Perez, and Kriech-Higdon Photography for Southern Living

Good things come in small packages, as Tricklebrook proves. This compact yet charming design packs a lot of personality into an efficient plan that is perfect for a tight city or waterfront lot. Inspired by the Craftsman aesthetic and classic All-American bungalow design, the exterior features interesting roof lines with overhangs, stone and shingle accents and abundant windows designed both to let in maximum natural sunlight as well as take full advantage of the lakefront views. The covered front porch leads into a welcoming foyer and the first level’s 1,150-square foot floor plan, which is divided into both family and private areas for maximum convenience. Private spaces include a flexible first-floor bedroom or office on the left; family spaces include a living room with fireplace, an open plan kitchen with an unusual oval island and dining area on the right as well as a nearby handy mud room. At night, relax on the 150-square-foot screened porch or patio. Head upstairs and you’ll find an additional 1,025 square feet of living space, with two bedrooms, both with unusual sloped ceilings, walk-in closets and private baths. The second floor also includes a convenient laundry room and an office/reading area. Photographer: Dave Leale

This functional and beautiful master bathroom is a gentle way to start or end your day. Designer: Peggy Fuller Photo Credit: Brad Carr - B-Rad Studios

Sara Essex Bradley
Kitchen - small traditional l-shaped kitchen idea in New Orleans with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, wood countertops, white appliances and a peninsula

Photo: Corynne Pless © 2013 Houzz
Example of a cottage medium tone wood floor bedroom design in New York with white walls and no fireplace

This cozy lake cottage skillfully incorporates a number of features that would normally be restricted to a larger home design. A glance of the exterior reveals a simple story and a half gable running the length of the home, enveloping the majority of the interior spaces. To the rear, a pair of gables with copper roofing flanks a covered dining area and screened porch. Inside, a linear foyer reveals a generous staircase with cascading landing. Further back, a centrally placed kitchen is connected to all of the other main level entertaining spaces through expansive cased openings. A private study serves as the perfect buffer between the homes master suite and living room. Despite its small footprint, the master suite manages to incorporate several closets, built-ins, and adjacent master bath complete with a soaker tub flanked by separate enclosures for a shower and water closet. Upstairs, a generous double vanity bathroom is shared by a bunkroom, exercise space, and private bedroom. The bunkroom is configured to provide sleeping accommodations for up to 4 people. The rear-facing exercise has great views of the lake through a set of windows that overlook the copper roof of the screened porch below.

Mike Rebholz Photography
Large trendy brown two-story wood exterior home photo in Other

Custom thermally broken steel windows and doors for every environment. Experience the evolution! #JadaSteelWindows
Huge mountain style carpeted bedroom photo in Sacramento with beige walls

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017