Our clients wanted their home to be host to charity functions, community events, and their family and friends, as well as a showcase for their eclectic and colorful art collection featuring works by local Oakland artists. Oh, and when they moved in, they did the work to register the house as an Oakland Historical Landmark. The fact that the couple was looking to upgrade their living room in the Hollywood Regency style (which is known for bold colors, shiny metallics, luxe fabrics, and an eye to mixing opulence with comfort while holding true to the glamor of 1930s Hollywood) made this project all the more inspiring and fun for me and my team. John recalls, “We wanted a place that was glamorous, and compelling, so that people who visit would be excited and inspired by it!” Our mission was to bring the very grand living room with its high ceilings and leaded glass bay windows to the next level for the family (including grown children Tom and Mandela) and their guests — ranging in number from 6 to 60 or more, on any given day or night. The Hollywood Regency aesthetic was a perfect canvas for mixing and matching with the couple’s significant and hyper-local pop art collection, including pieces by famed Oakland artists Mel Ramos and K-Dub. Kim and John’s personal views and aesthetics, together with their vibrant art collection, called for a bold design that is more funky and eclectic overall than many owners of historic homes like this tend to prefer. I mean, don’t get me wrong; many of our clients like to do something a little daring, and often they opt for elements of glam. However, John and Kim agreeing to our specification of a pair of peacock blue sofas — that is no small commitment to audacious color! Another furnishing element I love from this project is the custom-designed birds-eye-maple and antique glass inset bar — on wheels, which allows flexibility: a bartender can serve a large party from behind it or it can be turned around for use as self-service for a more intimate gathering. My team and I couldn’t be more proud to have created a design that inspires and supports this family so that they may continue to make significant contributions to their causes and community.

This unique IKEA wetbar fulfilled all of Nastia’s wishlist in style. “Houses in this area are not super big so the storage space is really important. “Before we added the wetbar we had an old and odd piece of furniture that was completely non-practical for this space,” she says. To that end, the wetbar really needed to store items, like plates and cups, so the couple could easily take items to the backyard during gatherings or when grilling. “Plus, our kids spend a lot of time downstairs because it’s their playroom. To help them out, I dedicated a drawer for them to keep plastic cups for drinking,” she says. IKD’s design team recommended IKEA’s SEKTION with pullout drawers and shelves along with custom door fronts from Semihandmade. (This is also an example of why The New York Times recommends us as a design resource for customers considering custom doors for their cabinets.) The upper IKEA cabinets with the pull-up function makes storage accessible while tucked against the dropped ceiling, and the custom base cabinets are convenient for the kids to grab cups for drinks from the under counter refrigerator. “My favorite part is to get a drink from the drink fridge when we watch a movie together. It’s not a part of our main kitchen, but it supports the main kitchen’s storage,” she adds. She even notes that they recently added an aquarium for the kids on the wetbar counter as well. Talk about making a splash!

Interior Design, Custom Furniture Design & Art Curation by Chango & Co.
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized coastal l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in New York with a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

The owners came to Klopf Architecture with a clear vision: Create a brighter home with clean lines and visual surprises – but that enhances the Eichler vernacular – that blurs the boundaries between inside and outside and supports “modern living”. Renovating a 1962 Eichler home into a contemporary, higher-quality home required more than a few changes. However, love of the Eichler style and respect for the house's history required keeping many elements. Klopf Architecture partnered with the owners of this Eichler home in San Francisco's Diamond Heights to balance these two competing desires while significantly updating their 2-story courtyard home on a hill. Appropriate to the style of the house, the owners have a clean, minimal aesthetic – free of clutter but filled with carefully placed art and whimsical collectibles. With white walls, warm mahogany and rich grays throughout, the home is bathed in light and feels both elegant and welcoming. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Jackie Detamore, AIA, Klara Kevane, and Yegvenia Torres-Zavala Landscape Architect: Outer Space Landscape Architects Contractor: San Francisco Design and Construction Cabinetry: Benchmarc Woodworking Zinc Panels: Product and Design Metalwork Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed

2010 NATIONAL NARI REGIONAL AWARD WINNER Project Scope The owners of this 7,000 square foot colonial in Oakton, Virginia, were seeking a multi-level Mediterranean-style indoor/outdoor living space off the back of their home. They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes for a design solution that would include a stone patio, a second-story deck, a screened-in porch and linking staircases. While the structure was designed primarily for family dining and entertaining, it also had to accommodate periodic social gatherings of one hundred guests or more. To meet these needs, the project would include a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, several serving counters with permanent refrigeration, and well-delineated socializing and dining zones. The existing home’s setting offered several impressive assets the new outdoor living area was designed to exploit. The sprawling acreage features old stand trees, wooded paths and a private lake. Beautifully landscaped, it unfolds as an idyllic panorama that naturally draws people to the outdoors. Challenges Since the rear elevation was situated on a slope that drops away from the house, the Michael Nash team had to raise the grade two feet within in a 2,000 square foot area extending out from the back of the house. Infrastructure plans also called for a sophisticated drainage system that had to accommodate a whole series of water “runoff” considerations to be integrated into the decking itself. Excavation included constructing retaining walls to bolster the elevated grade—which also had to support a concrete slab, the primary foundation for the entire complex. Solutions The ground level decking consists of a 2,000 square foot flagstone patio level with the home’s lower level doors. There is a decorative water fountain mid-patio—an ornate collectible acquired in Florida. Food preparation is concentrated within a specially designed semi-circular wall that creates an “outdoor kitchen” equipped with a 60” Viking barbecue grill, a prep sink, a warming drawer, refrigerator and appropriate storage. There is a granite surfaced dining counter with seating for eight. Wrought iron railing and approximately 20 decorative columns (some encasing steel vertical supports) are incorporated into the design scheme. Many of the columns house accent lights. The top level—supported by horizontal steel beams– is a 2,500 square foot deck constructed entirely of Trex decking. The open air decking is, again, directly accessible from rooms on the second level of the house including the kitchen, sunroom and family room. The platform’s most prominent feature is a U-shaped “kitchenette” with cedar shake shingle roofing. Like its counterpart one level below, the facility is equipped with grill, refrigerator and stainless steel cabinetry. One portion of the deck has been allocated for a 16’ x 16’ octagonal screened-in porch crowned by a pair of 2’ x 4’ skylights. The porch can be accessed from the home’s conservatory via a set of French doors. With its mosaic tile flooring, stained cedar panel ceiling and honed granite counters, the interior is elegant and calming. Hand-painted stenciling and a wall-mounted water feature provide distinctive detailing. Finally, the design introduced elements to highlight and reinforce an awareness of the lovely bucolic setting. Fountains and water features combined with textured surfaces and mosaic tiling and backsplashes to present a villa-like ambiance well-suited to the Virginia countryside.

The owners came to Klopf Architecture with a clear vision: Create a brighter home with clean lines and visual surprises – but that enhances the Eichler vernacular – that blurs the boundaries between inside and outside and supports “modern living”. Renovating a 1962 Eichler home into a contemporary, higher-quality home required more than a few changes. However, love of the Eichler style and respect for the house's history required keeping many elements. Klopf Architecture partnered with the owners of this Eichler home in San Francisco's Diamond Heights to balance these two competing desires while significantly updating their 2-story courtyard home on a hill. Appropriate to the style of the house, the owners have a clean, minimal aesthetic – free of clutter but filled with carefully placed art and whimsical collectibles. With white walls, warm mahogany and rich grays throughout, the home is bathed in light and feels both elegant and welcoming. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Jackie Detamore, AIA, Klara Kevane, and Yegvenia Torres-Zavala Landscape Architect: Outer Space Landscape Architects Contractor: San Francisco Design and Construction Cabinetry: Benchmarc Woodworking Zinc Panels: Product and Design Metalwork Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed

A family that spends a lot of time in and around their beautiful saltwater pool, did not have a place in their home that provided them a visual or physical connection. They also lacked any storage for all their pool “stuff”. With small children and a love for entertaining, they needed a room that served and supported their watery lifestyle. We took over an empty and unused notch along the back of the house adjacent to the pool patio to create a new bright and airy pool house. The new out building attempts to unify 4 areas; an existing deck, an upper master bedroom balcony, a lower lawn, and the pool itself, and provide the missing storage. By locating the pool house at the juxtaposition of these areas, the new room was able to provide a new expanded rooftop balcony for the master, anchor and define the dining and barbeque deck, extend and connect to the pool and patio, and create a new access to integrate the lower lawn – and carve out the much needed storage for the variety of pool toys and equipment. The building itself is 400 sf with bath, laundry, storage, mechanical, kitchen, and living. A single new secure connection is made into the house through the existing mudroom. Clad with crisply detailed ship lap cedar, it draws on the existing material palate of the house and nods to the boat aesthetic in expression and efficiency. With pocketing glass walls the pool house is both the utility building needed, and an expansion of the vibrant pool scene itself, inside and outside, along the poolside. Photographer: Brandon Stengelwww.farmkidstudios.com Location: Edina, MN Completed: 2013 Project Team: Ben Awes AIA, Principal-In-Charge Bob Ganser AIA Christian Dean AIA Nate Dodge

The owners came to Klopf Architecture with a clear vision: Create a brighter home with clean lines and visual surprises – but that enhances the Eichler vernacular – that blurs the boundaries between inside and outside and supports “modern living”. Renovating a 1962 Eichler home into a contemporary, higher-quality home required more than a few changes. However, love of the Eichler style and respect for the house's history required keeping many elements. Klopf Architecture partnered with the owners of this Eichler home in San Francisco's Diamond Heights to balance these two competing desires while significantly updating their 2-story courtyard home on a hill. Appropriate to the style of the house, the owners have a clean, minimal aesthetic – free of clutter but filled with carefully placed art and whimsical collectibles. With white walls, warm mahogany and rich grays throughout, the home is bathed in light and feels both elegant and welcoming. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Jackie Detamore, AIA, Klara Kevane, and Yegvenia Torres-Zavala Landscape Architect: Outer Space Landscape Architects Contractor: San Francisco Design and Construction Cabinetry: Benchmarc Woodworking Zinc Panels: Product and Design Metalwork Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed

This renovation was all about turning frustration into function for a family of four who loved their neighborhood but felt boxed in by their outdated, choppy layout. The kitchen was tired, the rooms felt dark, and nothing quite worked the way they needed it to. With a clear goal—bring in more light, open up the space, and create a kitchen worthy of a passionate home cook—they trusted our team to reimagine their home from the ground up. They even moved into a rental during construction to give us full access to do the work right (and on schedule). What We Did: Opened Up the Main Floor: By engineering the removal of major structural walls (and reinforcing from the basement up), we transformed the layout into one cohesive, flowing space. Maximized Natural Light: A new family room window turned a once-dark corner into a bright, cozy gathering spot. Created a Statement Kitchen: Featuring navy lowers, white uppers, and a quartz backsplash that continues seamlessly over a waterfall island—both bold and functional. Upgraded Flooring & Storage: Wide-plank white oak flooring throughout, with custom millwork in the family room and mudroom for stylish, everyday storage solutions. The Result? A main floor that finally supports the way this family lives, entertains, and relaxes. It’s light-filled, beautifully functional, and—most importantly—it feels like home.

We used: Custom cherry cabinetry in Arts & Crafts Shaker style by Kabinart in Boulder and Espresso stains. Liberty Hardware Venetian bronze 1-1/2" cabinet knobs. KitchenAid Architect II Series 22 CF counter-depth French door refrigerator. KitchenAid Architect Series II 27" convection single wall oven. KitchenAid 36" 6-burner dual fuel freestanding commercial-style range. KitchenAid Architect II Series 24" dishwasher. Sharp Insight Pro Series 24" built-in microwave drawer (Model #KB6524PS). Crystorama Solaris 12" wide pendant lights in English bronze. Granite countertops in Brown Fantasy. 3"x6" polished marble backsplash. Paint colors: Walls: Glidden Silver Cloud 30YY 63/024 Ceilings/Trims/Doors: Glidden Swan White GLC23 Robert B. Narod Photography

- CORAL SOFA. The Coral sofa has removable fabric or leather covers. Its wide seat gives an unprecedented comfort. Wood frame and wood chipboard with elastic strips. Matt painted metal feet. Also sectional with different modules available. https://cassoni.com/bon-coral_sofa-03 - TIE COFFEE TABLE. The slim bent sheet metal feet support the table top, affording an extremely light-weight appearance. The base of Tie, which is made of painted metal (white, anthracite grey, dove-grey or amaranth) or brass, copper or pickled effect, contrasts with the different textured materials of the table tops, in biomalta, glossy lacquered, heat-treated oak-wood or ceramic. Tie is available in the version with a round or hexagonal table top. Available in different sizes and shapes. https://cassoni.com/Tie_coffee_table-01 - MONFORTE COFFEE TABLE. A discrete design, based on the balance between shape and material, an evergreen accessory that teams elegance with simplicity. The solid American walnut-wood legs contrast with the linear table tops, made of ceramic, metal or crystal. Available in different sizes and shapes. https://cassoni.com/Monforte_coffee_table-01

Living room - small contemporary formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in DC Metro with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Designed by Akram Aljahmi of Reico Kitchen & Bath in King of Prussia, PA in collaboration with Property Remodeling Group, this transitional inspired kitchen design features white and grey finishes complemented by a bold splash of blue tile. The kitchen design features Merillat Classic kitchen cabinets in Portrait door style with 5 piece drawer head in 2 finishes. The wall cabinets features a painted white Cotton finish and the base cabinets feature a painted grey Graphite finish. Kitchen countertops are engineered quartz in the color Carrera Marmi from Q by MSI. The kitchen also features a stunning blue herringbone tile back splash with 3x10 tiles. According to the client, "Akram solved a fundamental function problem that I could not see a solution for. His re-imagining of how the main floor of our home could function was a dramatic shift that I can't wait to experience as part of day-to-day life. Really appreciate his space plan and layout, as well as his support selecting finishes. Akram and team were great to work with!". Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

This photo demonstrates a three sided ventless fireplace built with the help of The Bio Flame 16" Ethanol Burner.
Living room - mid-sized modern open concept living room idea in Indianapolis with no tv, gray walls, a two-sided fireplace and a stone fireplace

A calm and inviting modern farmhouse great room featuring vertical paneling, natural white oak built-ins, and a soft blue fireplace surround as the focal point. Layered textures, warm wood tones, and simple styling create a relaxed, collected feel while large windows fill the space with natural light.

This renovation was all about turning frustration into function for a family of four who loved their neighborhood but felt boxed in by their outdated, choppy layout. The kitchen was tired, the rooms felt dark, and nothing quite worked the way they needed it to. With a clear goal—bring in more light, open up the space, and create a kitchen worthy of a passionate home cook—they trusted our team to reimagine their home from the ground up. They even moved into a rental during construction to give us full access to do the work right (and on schedule). What We Did: Opened Up the Main Floor: By engineering the removal of major structural walls (and reinforcing from the basement up), we transformed the layout into one cohesive, flowing space. Maximized Natural Light: A new family room window turned a once-dark corner into a bright, cozy gathering spot. Created a Statement Kitchen: Featuring navy lowers, white uppers, and a quartz backsplash that continues seamlessly over a waterfall island—both bold and functional. Upgraded Flooring & Storage: Wide-plank white oak flooring throughout, with custom millwork in the family room and mudroom for stylish, everyday storage solutions. The Result? A main floor that finally supports the way this family lives, entertains, and relaxes. It’s light-filled, beautifully functional, and—most importantly—it feels like home.

**Project Overview** This new construction home is built next to a picturesque lake, and the bar adjacent to the kitchen and living areas is designed to frame the breathtaking view. This custom, curved bar creatively echoes many of the lines and finishes used in other areas of the first floor, but interprets them in a new way. **What Makes This Project Unique?** The bar connects visually to other areas of the home custom columns with leaded glass. The same design is used in the mullion detail in the furniture piece across the room. The bar is a flowing curve that lets guests face one another. Curved wainscot panels follow the same line as the stone bartop, as does the custom-designed, strategically implemented upper platform and crown that conceal recessed lighting. **Design Challenges** Designing a curved bar with rectangular cabinets is always a challenge, but the greater challenge was to incorporate a large wishlist into a compact space, including an under-counter refrigerator, sink, glassware and liquor storage, and more. The glass columns take on much of the storage, but had to be engineered to support the upper crown and provide space for lighting and wiring that would not be seen on the interior of the cabinet. Our team worked tirelessly with the trim carpenters to ensure that this was successful aesthetically and functionally. Another challenge we created for ourselves was designing the columns to be three sided glass, and the 4th side to be mirrored. Though it accomplishes our aesthetic goal and allows light to be reflected back into the space this had to be carefully engineered to be structurally sound. Photo by MIke Kaskel

**Project Overview** This new construction home is built next to a picturesque lake, and the bar adjacent to the kitchen and living areas is designed to frame the breathtaking view. This custom, curved bar creatively echoes many of the lines and finishes used in other areas of the first floor, but interprets them in a new way. **What Makes This Project Unique?** The bar connects visually to other areas of the home custom columns with leaded glass. The same design is used in the mullion detail in the furniture piece across the room. The bar is a flowing curve that lets guests face one another. Curved wainscot panels follow the same line as the stone bartop, as does the custom-designed, strategically implemented upper platform and crown that conceal recessed lighting. **Design Challenges** Designing a curved bar with rectangular cabinets is always a challenge, but the greater challenge was to incorporate a large wishlist into a compact space, including an under-counter refrigerator, sink, glassware and liquor storage, and more. The glass columns take on much of the storage, but had to be engineered to support the upper crown and provide space for lighting and wiring that would not be seen on the interior of the cabinet. Our team worked tirelessly with the trim carpenters to ensure that this was successful aesthetically and functionally. Another challenge we created for ourselves was designing the columns to be three sided glass, and the 4th side to be mirrored. Though it accomplishes our aesthetic goal and allows light to be reflected back into the space this had to be carefully engineered to be structurally sound. Photo by MIke Kaskel

Gulf-Front Grandeur Private Residence / Alys Beach, Florida Architect: Khoury & Vogt Architects Builder: Hufham Farris Construction --- This one-of-a-kind Gulf-front residence in the New Urbanism community of Alys Beach, Florida, is truly a stunning piece of architecture matched only by its views. E. F. San Juan worked with the Alys Beach Town Planners at Khoury & Vogt Architects and the building team at Hufham Farris Construction on this challenging and fulfilling project. We supplied character white oak interior boxed beams and stair parts. We also furnished all of the interior trim and paneling. The exterior products we created include ipe shutters, gates, fascia and soffit, handrails, and newels (balcony), ceilings, and wall paneling, as well as custom columns and arched cased openings on the balconies. In addition, we worked with our trusted partners at Loewen to provide windows and Loewen LiftSlide doors. Challenges: This was the homeowners’ third residence in the area for which we supplied products, and it was indeed a unique challenge. The client wanted as much of the exterior as possible to be weathered wood. This included the shutters, gates, fascia, soffit, handrails, balcony newels, massive columns, and arched openings mentioned above. The home’s Gulf-front location makes rot and weather damage genuine threats. Knowing that this home was to be built to last through the ages, we needed to select a wood species that was up for the task. It needed to not only look beautiful but also stand up to those elements over time. Solution: The E. F. San Juan team and the talented architects at KVA settled upon ipe (pronounced “eepay”) for this project. It is one of the only woods that will sink when placed in water (you would not want to make a boat out of ipe!). This species is also commonly known as ironwood because it is so dense, making it virtually rot-resistant, and therefore an excellent choice for the substantial pieces of millwork needed for this project. However, ipe comes with its own challenges; its weight and density make it difficult to put through machines and glue. These factors also come into play for hinging when using ipe for a gate or door, which we did here. We used innovative joining methods to ensure that the gates and shutters had secondary and tertiary means of support with regard to the joinery. We believe the results speak for themselves! --- Photography by Layne Lillie, courtesy of Khoury & Vogt Architects