This 4 bedroom (2 en suite), 4.5 bath home features vertical board–formed concrete expressed both outside and inside, complemented by exposed structural steel, Western Red Cedar siding, gray stucco, and hot rolled steel soffits. An outdoor patio features a covered dining area and fire pit. Hydronically heated with a supplemental forced air system; a see-through fireplace between dining and great room; Henrybuilt cabinetry throughout; and, a beautiful staircase by MILK Design (Chicago). The owner contributed to many interior design details, including tile selection and layout.

This Gulf facing property is nestled among a native Cabbage Palm hammock, supplemented with new palms and native grasses, sea grapes and other salt-tolerant native vegetation.

Many recent renovations had already taken place at this phenomenal old Tudor home. The kitchen redo was saved for last. Our mission, imposed by our client, was to create a jaw-dropping, ultra-functional space for family and friends to gather in for years to come. Naturally, the new kitchen would have to reflect the style of the home seamlessly. One challenge was to incorporate very large professional style appliances into the space while keeping the feel of a stately, yet warm home. Custom wood panels were designed for the refrigerator units to give a furniture feel. A copper hood was designed to bring in an old world element. Wood panels were applied to all other appliances – two dishwashers, a wine refrigerator, and a beverage refrigerator. An iron I-beam that separated the original kitchen from the butler’s pantry and back entry was covered in wood with chamfers to match the other ceiling beams in the home by a local woodworker. Due to the age of the home, the outside walls are concrete block. This necessitated chiseling troughs into the concrete for electrical wiring. Ceilings were studded randomly, so finding openings for recessed lighting was hit or miss. A large cluster of wiring and plumbing to the second floor had to be hidden behind cabinetry to the left of and above the refrigerators. HVAC wasn’t straight forward either. Toe kick heaters from the old kitchen had to be replaced with other sources. A propane tank had to be added to fuel the large dual fuel, double oven range. The homeowner wanted to add a walk-in pantry for extra storage, so space was taken from an existing exterior space. This created the need for extra insulation, supplemental heat and added lighting. Needless to say, mechanicals were a big challenge. Natural stone was added in backsplash areas to the ceiling to mimic the rectangular stone on the exterior of the home. Wood panels fill the backsplash areas under wall cabinets. Large chandeliers light the space. Open shelves at the wet bar/prep area offer convenient storage for grab and go service items. A built-in pantry with antique mirrored mullion doors hides a microwave, several other small appliances as well as dishes and food items. This pantry was tucked into an alcove for an added architectural element. Herringbone wood floors are classic and timeless. Wrought iron hardware and shelf brackets fit right in. Large Barley twist legs ground the island giving a nod to the Tudor style. Mission accomplished. Matt Villano Photography

Interior Designer: MOTIV Interiors LLC Photography: Laura Rockett Photography Design Challenge: MOTIV Interiors created this colorful yet relaxing retreat - a space for guests to unwind and recharge after a long day of exploring Nashville! Luxury, comfort, and functionality merge in this AirBNB project we completed in just 2 short weeks. Navigating a tight budget, we supplemented the homeowner’s existing personal items and local artwork with great finds from facebook marketplace, vintage + antique shops, and the local salvage yard. The result: a collected look that’s true to Nashville and vacation ready!

The rooms in this charming 1920’s Burns Park home were completely compartmentalized (typical for homes built in this period). The homeowners wanted a more open space with sightlines into the dining and living spaces, and a kitchen that could accommodate more than one cook! We removed a wall and replaced it with a beautiful Butternut beam and countertop seating, a more casual eating area to supplement their dining room. Bringing this home into 2018 while paying respect to its historic neighborhood was an important part of this project. The personality, cabinetry and contemporary finishes in this kitchen better mirror this cheerful and vibrant family.

Water loving plants were placed closest to the house to provided needed shade and limit the amount of supplemental water due to evaporation.
Example of a small arts and crafts blue one-story wood house exterior design in San Francisco

This small house was designed as a retreat for an artist and photographer couple. To blend into the beautiful rugged setting the materials were selected to be basic and durable. Thick walls are finished with white interior plaster and black exterior stucco. Natural wood is layered at the ceilings and extend southward to shade the large windows. The floors are of radiantly heated concrete. Supplemental heat is provided by a Danish wood stove. The roof extends east covering a flagstone terrace for exterior gatherings and dining.

photos by Pedro Marti The owner’s of this apartment had been living in this large working artist’s loft in Tribeca since the 70’s when they occupied the vacated space that had previously been a factory warehouse. Since then the space had been adapted for the husband and wife, both artists, to house their studios as well as living quarters for their growing family. The private areas were previously separated from the studio with a series of custom partition walls. Now that their children had grown and left home they were interested in making some changes. The major change was to take over spaces that were the children’s bedrooms and incorporate them in a new larger open living/kitchen space. The previously enclosed kitchen was enlarged creating a long eat-in counter at the now opened wall that had divided off the living room. The kitchen cabinetry capitalizes on the full height of the space with extra storage at the tops for seldom used items. The overall industrial feel of the loft emphasized by the exposed electrical and plumbing that run below the concrete ceilings was supplemented by a grid of new ceiling fans and industrial spotlights. Antique bubble glass, vintage refrigerator hinges and latches were chosen to accent simple shaker panels on the new kitchen cabinetry, including on the integrated appliances. A unique red industrial wheel faucet was selected to go with the integral black granite farm sink. The white subway tile that pre-existed in the kitchen was continued throughout the enlarged area, previously terminating 5 feet off the ground, it was expanded in a contrasting herringbone pattern to the full 12 foot height of the ceilings. This same tile motif was also used within the updated bathroom on top of a concrete-like porcelain floor tile. The bathroom also features a large white porcelain laundry sink with industrial fittings and a vintage stainless steel medicine display cabinet. Similar vintage stainless steel cabinets are also used in the studio spaces for storage. And finally black iron plumbing pipe and fittings were used in the newly outfitted closets to create hanging storage and shelving to complement the overall industrial feel. Pedro Marti

This contemporary kitchen provides ample space to move and socialize. The stainless appliances along with the white cabinets and backsplash give a very sleek and updated look without being cold. The sliding glass door allows for natural light to be the primary form of lighting for this space, while flush-mount ceiling lights supplement the glass pendant lighting when needed. The dark wood of the stools along with the grey wood of the island contrasts the clean, white walls and cabinets. The tiles above the counter add texture and tie the room together.

The Catalina Collection combines nautical design themes with functionality. This Outdoor Wall Lantern offers both accent lighting and supplemental area lighting as it stands out and showcases the outdoor decor.

Retro Black color of this sofa is supplemented with the best leather textile. This stylish furniture has a very comfy transformation function which allow turn this sofa into bed. The Icomfort mattress included to the durable design. This modern decor item is available in 3 different leather textile Black / White and Camel. See more colors in the Sly Deluxe Q Collection below. From www.modern-sofabeds.com Free shipping US

Tiered of the looking out at a shabby brown lawn in their front yard and unwilling to use the water to keep it green these homeowners decided to go for something different. The wife in this household worked from home and was motivated to have a better view from her home office. As an enthusiastic bird watcher, I wanted to give her a view that included happy birds fluttering about. The husband was annoyed by the fact that some of the neighbors allowed their dogs to use this corner lot a toilet without having the curtesy of cleaning up after them. My job was to create a low water landscape (also known as xeriscape) that attracted birds, bees and butterflies but kept the dogs off. We started with directing down spouts in to catch basins called infiltration swales. These swales capture water storing it in the soil where it can be accessed by plants months after the rains have stopped. Then we integrated primarily California native plants and succulents into the design. Special attention was payed to the water needs of the plants and the ideal growing conditions for each species so that the combination of earthworks and plant choice and placement this landscape can get by with zero supplemental irrigation after the period of establishment this landscape. By incorporating flowering California native plants, native birds and insects flocked to the site in a neighborhood otherwise dominated by lifeless landscapes. By surrounding the garden with decomposed granite and succulents we created a space that was unpleasant and unappealing for dogs to relive themselves while remaining appealing to more human sensibilities. Today this property sits on the corner in a suburban neighborhood of Goleta, California. Hopefully serving as inspiration to take out lawns and build beautiful gardens that work to integrate the man made landscape with the natural ecosystem in which it is built.

The rooms in this charming 1920’s Burns Park home were completely compartmentalized (typical for homes built in this period). The homeowners wanted a more open space with sightlines into the dining and living spaces, and a kitchen that could accommodate more than one cook! We removed a wall and replaced it with a beautiful Butternut beam and countertop seating, a more casual eating area to supplement their dining room. Bringing this home into 2018 while paying respect to its historic neighborhood was an important part of this project. The personality, cabinetry and contemporary finishes in this kitchen better mirror this cheerful and vibrant family.

Given a very limited time frame, we were asked to assist a client in downsizing their home of 40 years into a small condominium. Our challenge was to determine which items would be preserved and incorporated into the new space and how to integrate supplemental furniture and art with those well-loved retained pieces.

In order to furnish and style the interior of a modern builder’s show house in Los Feliz, many pieces from the SMJ furniture and accessory collection were supplemented by items from local sources in Los Angeles. This project was featured as an episode on HGTV's "Before and After" show. Paintings by artist Cindy Lopez. Stephen Mark Johnston

We borrowed square footage from the bedroom to create a luxurious en suite bathroom. In order to make sure the bedroom didn't feel too small, we designed custom built-ins in lieu of dressers. These drawer/shelf combination units perfectly blend with the white walls and, when supplemented with closet storage, provide clothing storage that is visually quiet and well-composed.

This 900 square foot NYC residence features a wealth of fold-out furniture, hidden storage, and other space-saving features. What really makes it feel expansive, though, is the use of specially-coated front-surface mirrors in strategic locations. These mirrors are placed above eye level to make the ceiling appear to extend far beyond the perimeter walls. Front-surface mirrors are also located directly adjacent to windows to multiply the views and increase the light brought into the space. It is a new take on an old idea, and one that subtly and invisibly reinforces the architecture. The loft is mainly one big open space that includes a kitchen and living room supplemented with a multi-use area that can serve as an office, guest bedroom, or 10-person dining room depending on the configuration of the retractable furniture.The bathroom and main bedroom are designed as small ͞cabinets͟ that flow from this space. White epoxy floors and gloss lacquered surfaces continue the sense of reflectivity, and contrast sharply with dark walnut cabinetry and panels at the perimeter. Dimmable concealed lighting at the perimeter combined with small point sources at art locations allow for a wide variety of moods depending on the light levels.The overall effect is minimal, yet warm and inviting. Architect: Specht Architects Contractor: TCM Photographer: Dror Baldinger

Blau-Thompson Residence This Civil War era, 1680-square-foot three-story row house is located in the Italian Market section of Philadelphia. The BluPath Design principals and their young child were the clients. The project goal was to upgrade a traditional housing type to meet a contemporary lifestyle, applying both sustainable criteria and clean, modern yet sensual aesthetics. The challenge of the property (only 830 square feet in lot size) was to create a design that was small, but smart. The structure formerly housed a luncheonette with two apartments above. The interior was gutted and renovated into a single family home. The construction of a small rear addition added a new kitchen on the first floor and new bathrooms on the second and third levels. The east-west orientation of the home was ideal for the roof-mounted solar collectors, which were installed to provide domestic hot water and supplement the new radiant floor heating system. Exterior sensors improve the efficiency of the heating system's response to fluctuations in outside temperature. A new white-coated, rubber membrane roof reduced the structure's heat gain by 20 percent. A water catch system collects rainwater and air conditioner condensation to water the home's small rear garden. Large windows and skylights bring light deep into the row house and reduce the use of light fixtures. The rear yard garden features ipe decking (a dense, water-repellent hardwood) on permeable compacted gravel to minimize storm water runoff. BluPath Design’s principals used the project to demonstrate how sustainability can be integrated with beauty and function, with sensual materials and colors, well-proportioned and light-filled rooms, economic use of space, and thoughtful details. Cherry flooring and custom stairs complement the Indian slate tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. The kitchen features custom walnut cabinets with blue granite counters and backsplashes. The first floor dining area is illuminated by a BluPath-designed fiber-optic chandelier. Ipe hardwood is also used for the master bath tub-surround and shower floor. Sliding frosted glass panels separating the master bath from other living areas allows light from the corner windows to naturally illuminate the adjacent room. Awards Honorable Mention for Sustainability and Energy Efficiency IIDA Philadelphia City Center Chapter 3rd Annual Interior Design Awards, June 2007 Bronze 2006 Commonwealth Design Award 10,000 Friends of PA, May 2006 Media HGTV ‘What You Get for the Money’ February 2007 Philadelphia Style Magazine March/April 2007 Philadelphia Inquirer June 11, 2006 Philadelphia CityPaper September 25-October 2, 2003 Photography by Barry Halkin

Inspiration for a patio remodel in Montreal