Example of a trendy medium tone wood floor kitchen design in Ottawa with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, an island, an undermount sink and stainless steel appliances

This prefabricated 1,800 square foot Certified Passive House is designed and built by The Artisans Group, located in the rugged central highlands of Shaw Island, in the San Juan Islands. It is the first Certified Passive House in the San Juans, and the fourth in Washington State. The home was built for $330 per square foot, while construction costs for residential projects in the San Juan market often exceed $600 per square foot. Passive House measures did not increase this projects’ cost of construction. The clients are retired teachers, and desired a low-maintenance, cost-effective, energy-efficient house in which they could age in place; a restful shelter from clutter, stress and over-stimulation. The circular floor plan centers on the prefabricated pod. Radiating from the pod, cabinetry and a minimum of walls defines functions, with a series of sliding and concealable doors providing flexible privacy to the peripheral spaces. The interior palette consists of wind fallen light maple floors, locally made FSC certified cabinets, stainless steel hardware and neutral tiles in black, gray and white. The exterior materials are painted concrete fiberboard lap siding, Ipe wood slats and galvanized metal. The home sits in stunning contrast to its natural environment with no formal landscaping. Photo Credit: Art Gray

The tea-for-two bathtub by Kohler was surrounded by the blue agate slab. The shampoo niche was fabricated out of the same solid slab. The obscure crackle glass window was inspired by the vessel sinks.

This home was a sweet 30's bungalow in the West Hollywood area. We flipped the kitchen and the dining room to allow access to the ample backyard. The design of the space was inspired by Manhattan's pre war apartments, refined and elegant.

Gibeon Photography
Living room - large rustic open concept light wood floor living room idea in Other with black walls, a stone fireplace and no tv

Spacecrafters Photography
Entryway - craftsman entryway idea in Minneapolis

An intimate dining area is endowed with vast proportions thanks to the soaring vaulted ceiling and eight-foot tall windows. Franklin designed and fabricated the dining room group out of glass and solid light maple. It's modern design and materials compliment the lightness created in contrast to the barn's rough-hewn framework. Adrienne DeRosa Photography

The Yin-Yang House is a net-zero energy single-family home in a quiet Venice, CA neighborhood. The design objective was to create a space for a large and growing family with several children, which would create a calm, relaxed and organized environment that emphasizes public family space. The home also serves as a place to entertain, and a welcoming space for teenagers as they seek social space with friends. The home is organized around a series of courtyards and other outdoor spaces that integrate with the interior of the house. Facing the street the house appears to be solid. However, behind the steel entry door is a courtyard, which reveals the indoor-outdoor nature of the house behind the solid exterior. From the entry courtyard, the entire space to the rear garden wall can be seen; the first clue of the home’s spatial connection between inside and out. These spaces are designed for entertainment, and the 40 foot sliding glass door to the living room enhances the harmonic relationship of the main room, allowing the owners to host many guests without the feeling of being overburdened. The tensions of the house’s exterior are subtly underscored by a 12-inch steel band that hews close to, but sometimes rises above or falls below the floor line of the second floor – a continuous loop moving inside and out like a pen that is never lifted from the page, but reinforces the intent to spatially weave together the indoors with the outside as a single space. Scale manipulation also plays a formal role in the design of the structure. From the rear, the house appears to be a single-story volume. The large master bedroom window and the outdoor steps are scaled to support this illusion. It is only when the steps are animated with people that one realizes the true scale of the house is two stories. The kitchen is the heart of the house, with an open working area that allows the owner, an accomplished chef, to converse with friends while cooking. Bedrooms are intentionally designed to be very small and simple; allowing for larger public spaces, emphasizing the family over individual domains. The breakfast room looks across an outdoor courtyard to the guest room/kids playroom, establishing a visual connection while defining the separation of uses. The children can play outdoors while under adult supervision from the dining area or the office, or do homework in the office while adults occupy the adjacent outdoor or indoor space. Many of the materials used, including the bamboo interior, composite stone and tile countertops and bathroom finishes are recycled, and reinforce the environmental DNA of the house, which also has a green roof. Blown-in cellulose insulation, radiant heating and a host of other sustainable features aids in the performance of the building’s heating and cooling. The active systems in the home include a 12 KW solar photovoltaic panel system, the largest such residential system available on the market. The solar panels also provide shade from the sun, preventing the house from becoming overheated. The owners have been in the home for over nine months and have yet to receive a power bill.

John Evans
Inspiration for a timeless white tile and marble tile bathroom remodel in Columbus with gray walls

AFTER: DINING ROOM | We removed the etched glass windows that ran throughout the main floor. We completely redesigned the staircase getting rid of the faux bamboo handrails and replacing them with solid maple handrails and hand forged iron detailing. New dark hardwood floors replace the previous travertine flooring. We replaced the existing lighting with double coco bead chandeliers and added custom drapery for a pop of color. | Renovations + Design by Blackband Design | Photography by Tessa Neustadt

Photo by Amanda Kirkpatrick
Cottage kitchen photo in Austin

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Custom thermally broken steel windows and doors for every environment. Experience the evolution!
Large transitional porch idea in Sacramento with decking and a roof extension

Folding windows opening even from the center for fresh air and an open view. Folding windows are an excellent alternative to a stationary, fixed window.

Windows from Italy, Secco Legno windows. One big piece of insulated glass 10' x 11' in Master Bedroom.
Trendy bedroom photo in San Francisco

Tom Holdsworth Photography The clients’ wish-list, for this mid-sized coastal master bathroom, was very specific. It was to have a light, airy, and open feeling; raised ceilings; a window in the shower area; a soaking tub; double sinks; inclusion of the clients’ stained-glass window; and specialty tile. To create this light, airy, and open feeling, half of the old interior wall [hiding the old shower area] was removed. In its place, is an open shower. Water flows from a large rain showerhead mounted on the raised ceiling. The floor under the showerhead slopes, on all four sides, so that water can funnel into the floor drain. The shower window [with obscure glass, to bring in more light], shower bench, recessed-shampoo niche, and electronic temperature-control unit [on the wall panel] add to the shower’s ambiance and serviceability. Unique details, that balance and enhance the dynamics of the bathroom, include: quartz solid-surface material on top of the shower bench, undermount tub, and undermount sinks’ counter-top; vintage-styled light fixtures over the two sinks; grey recessed-paneled linen and vanity cabinets, that compliment the white walls and vertical tiles; dark ceramic flooring; large-awning windows that swing open; pivot mirrors; a colorful-interior stained-glass window, that can be seen from both the new bath and adjacent master bedroom; and a specialty tile [of a person relaxing in a tub] positioned flush with the large-white wall tiles. After seeing the original bathroom, it is hard to imagine, that this renovation includes all of the Broadwater’s wish list. They are more than satisfied with their new crisp, clean, airy space.

kenhaden.com Photography
Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Los Angeles with a wall-mount sink

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This client wanted a complete update of their kitchen and came to us with several objectives. They wanted a larger island and easier access to the dining room. They also wanted to eliminate the existing cooktop location from the island and make the island larger. Because the existing space was not able to accommodate all those requests, we decided to eliminate the breakfast area and incorporate that space into the kitchen. By eliminating an existing bay window and making the kitchen sink window larger, we were able to make the new layout work without sacrificing any natural light. A French door to the newly added and adjoining sunroom and casual outdoor dining spot still allows for multiple dining options. And by enlarging the opening to the dining room, it allows for easier access to this space on a daily basis versus for special occasions only. The client already had a large desk in the kitchen and spends a lot of time at this area. We were able to make the new desk even larger by moving the refrigerator to another area. The refrigerator is covered in decorative panels so that it blends nicely into the furniture look of the room. The larger island can now seat several people comfortably. The room’s traditional feel was achieved by providing different finishes on the perimeter, island and desk cabinetry. Handmade gray backsplash tile, a combination of soapstone and Carrera marble give the space a classic appeal. Details provide interest – custom glass mullions, decorative wood hood and bronze hardware give the space character and charm. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Interior Design by: Rachel Alcorn Architect: Rick Rearick Contractor: KJN Renovations Photography by: Mike Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

“Dramatic” and “no detail spared” are two ways to describe this stunning home in Corona del Mar. Located on an oversized bluff side lot with views of Newport Harbor, Catalina, and the Pacific Ocean, the contemporary dwelling is the work of Brandon Architects Inc. and Spinnaker Development. Door and window systems from Western are used throughout, especially the Series 600 Multi-Slide, where it’s used to enhance features such as indoor/outdoor living areas and a guest casita that opens to a courtyard. Photos by Jeri Koegel.