Before renovating, this bright and airy family kitchen was small, cramped and dark. The dining room was being used for spillover storage, and there was hardly room for two cooks in the kitchen. By knocking out the wall separating the two rooms, we created a large kitchen space with plenty of storage, space for cooking and baking, and a gathering table for kids and family friends. The dark navy blue cabinets set apart the area for baking, with a deep, bright counter for cooling racks, a tiled niche for the mixer, and pantries dedicated to baking supplies. The space next to the beverage center was used to create a beautiful eat-in dining area with an over-sized pendant and provided a stunning focal point visible from the front entry. Touches of brass and iron are sprinkled throughout and tie the entire room together. Photography by Stacy Zarin

Nothing evokes the spirit of the ocean more than unobstructed cliff side views of the Pacific and nautical décor. This custom home was built to entertain guests who can’t help but enjoy the pleasures of sunny days and the warmth and light of the unique fire wall into the night.

Plastic benches held up by concrete block make a simple benching system. Wire closet shelving adds extra room for plants. 3/8" pea stone floor with drainage pipe beneath keeps the floor dry. Photo by Bob Trainor

Addison Hill Photography
Utility room - farmhouse l-shaped dark wood floor utility room idea in Atlanta with white walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Transitional living room photo in Dallas

This master spa bath has a soaking tub, steam shower, and custom cabinetry. The cement tiles add pattern to the shower walls. The porcelain wood look plank flooring is laid in a herringbone pattern.

Constructed of dark-stained cedar, the carport was designed to contrast with the shiny metal house. PHOTO: Ignacio Salas-Humara
Urban carport photo in Austin

White oak flooring, walnut cabinetry, white quartzite countertops, stainless appliances, white inset wall cabinets
Open concept kitchen - large scandinavian u-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Denver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

design by d. schmunk ids; general contractor, High Street Design, Simsbury, CT; cabinets supplied by CT Ktichen and Bath Studio, Avon, CT; photo by e. barry of rehabitat

David Papazian
Inspiration for a timeless patio remodel in Portland with no cover and a bbq area

It was arduous to find space for sleeping, reading, sewing, writing, painting and sitting - all within a 168 square foot room. Success depended on creative use of every nook and savvy space planning. There were two closets, so one was repurposed into a small office area. The mesh bins are used for storing sewing materials or other craft supplies.

Kibo Group of Missoula (a Division of Rocky Mountain Homes) provided architectural services. Shannon Callaghan Interior Design of Missoula provided extensive consultative services during the project. Rocky Mountain Log Homes Supplied materials and provided the Photos

Inspiration for a rustic one-car garage remodel in Atlanta

Inspiration for a farmhouse sunroom remodel in New York

Metropolis Textured Melamine door style in Argent Oak Vertical finish. Designed by Danielle Melchione, CKD of Reico Kitchen & Bath. Photographed by BTW Images LLC.

Example of a large cottage detached barn design in Manchester with no cover

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Large beach style single-wall wet bar photo in Bridgeport with white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets and brown countertops

Photo byAngie Seckinger Small walk-in designed for maximum use of space. Custom accessory storage includes double-decker jewelry drawer with velvet inserts, Maple pull-outs behind door for necklaces & scarves, vanity area with mirror, slanted shoe shelves, valet rods & hooks.