This modern custom home is a beautiful blend of thoughtful design and comfortable living. No detail was left untouched during the design and build process. Taking inspiration from the Pacific Northwest, this home in the Washington D.C suburbs features a black exterior with warm natural woods. The home combines natural elements with modern architecture and features clean lines, open floor plans with a focus on functional living.

Costa Christ
Kitchen - mid-sized modern l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Dallas with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The back of the house was extended with an addition made of glass and steel. Alexander Jermyn Architecture, Robert Vente Photography.
Mid-sized trendy l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, marble countertops, gray backsplash and porcelain backsplash

Eat-in kitchen - small modern galley white floor and porcelain tile eat-in kitchen idea in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island, quartz countertops, white backsplash and white countertops

Kitchen with black fixtures and hardware, ceramic tile backsplash, quartz countertops, and barbell pendant light. Photography by Kyle Born.
Kitchen - small contemporary light wood floor and beige floor kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Andrew Pogue Photography
Large trendy ceramic tile eat-in kitchen photo in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white cabinets

Sam Oberter
Inspiration for a small rustic l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood countertops, red backsplash, brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and brown countertops

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.

Featuring a classic H-shaped plan and minimalist details, the Winston was designed with the modern family in mind. This home carefully balances a sleek and uniform façade with more contemporary elements. This balance is noticed best when looking at the home on axis with the front or rear doors. Simple lap siding serve as a backdrop to the careful arrangement of windows and outdoor spaces. Stepping through a pair of natural wood entry doors gives way to sweeping vistas through the living and dining rooms. Anchoring the left side of the main level, and on axis with the living room, is a large white kitchen island and tiled range surround. To the right, and behind the living rooms sleek fireplace, is a vertical corridor that grants access to the upper level bedrooms, main level master suite, and lower level spaces. Serving as backdrop to this vertical corridor is a floor to ceiling glass display room for a sizeable wine collection. Set three steps down from the living room and through an articulating glass wall, the screened porch is enclosed by a retractable screen system that allows the room to be heated during cold nights. In all rooms, preferential treatment is given to maximize exposure to the rear yard, making this a perfect lakefront home.

This Australian-inspired new construction was a successful collaboration between homeowner, architect, designer and builder. The home features a Henrybuilt kitchen, butler's pantry, private home office, guest suite, master suite, entry foyer with concealed entrances to the powder bathroom and coat closet, hidden play loft, and full front and back landscaping with swimming pool and pool house/ADU.

Eddy Joaquim
Freestanding bathtub - mid-sized modern master gray tile and stone tile marble floor freestanding bathtub idea in San Francisco with a trough sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, solid surface countertops and white walls

Example of a large trendy backyard concrete patio design in Seattle with a fire pit and no cover

photography by: Scott Hargis
Tub/shower combo - modern white tile tub/shower combo idea in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

PHOTO: Aaron Leitz
Example of a minimalist l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Inspiration for a small industrial loft-style light wood floor bedroom remodel in Moscow with white walls

Sophie Mutevelian
Example of a minimalist white tile and subway tile light wood floor bathroom design in London with a vessel sink, light wood cabinets, white walls, a one-piece toilet and open cabinets

Design By Lorraine Franklin Design interiors@lorrainefranklin.com Photography by Valerie Wilcox http://www.valeriewilcox.ca/

The kitchen has shades of dark grey, charcoal for its countertops, kithchen island, and cabinets. The charcoal glass backsplash completes the dark look. Equipments, devices and food products are ingeniously hidden behind the charcoal lacquered panels. All the appliances are integrated and the fridge is panel-ready. The countertop wraps the kitchen island, creating one distinctive element in the middle of the space. Image credits: Francis Raymond

Drop-in bathtub - mid-sized scandinavian beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile drop-in bathtub idea in Vancouver with flat-panel cabinets and light wood cabinets