“Compelling.” That’s how one of our judges characterized this stair, which manages to embody both reassuring solidity and airy weightlessness. Architect Mahdad Saniee specified beefy maple treads—each laminated from two boards, to resist twisting and cupping—and supported them at the wall with hidden steel hangers. “We wanted to make them look like they are floating,” he says, “so they sit away from the wall by about half an inch.” The stainless steel rods that seem to pierce the treads’ opposite ends are, in fact, joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood. The result is an assembly whose stiffness underfoot defies expectation, Saniee says. “It feels very solid, much more solid than average stairs.” With the rods working in tension from above and compression below, “it’s very hard for those pieces of wood to move.” The interplay of wood and steel makes abstract reference to a Steinway concert grand, Saniee notes. “It’s taking elements of a piano and playing with them.” A gently curved soffit in the ceiling reinforces the visual rhyme. The jury admired the effect but was equally impressed with the technical acumen required to achieve it. “The rhythm established by the vertical rods sets up a rigorous discipline that works with the intricacies of stair dimensions,” observed one judge. “That’s really hard to do.”

Located in the Langley Fork Historic District in McLean, Virginia, this residence was designed to speak to the formal massing seen in the existing neighborhood fabric of stately traditional homes. The simplicity and clean lines of the stucco and limestone façade blends harmoniously with its surroundings. Traditional forms, interjected with modern twists, create a tension that carries throughout the design, creating a home that feels warm and familiar while clean and distilled at the same time. Photo Credit: Gordon Beall Photography

Located in the Langley Fork Historic District in McLean, Virginia, this residence was designed to speak to the formal massing seen in the existing neighborhood fabric of stately traditional homes. The simplicity and clean lines of the stucco and limestone façade blends harmoniously with its surroundings. Traditional forms, interjected with modern twists, create a tension that carries throughout the design, creating a home that feels warm and familiar while clean and distilled at the same time. Photo Credit: Gordon Beall Photography

Example of a beach style master white floor, vaulted ceiling, wall paneling and single-sink freestanding bathtub design in San Diego with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and a floating vanity

Tolomeo Collection By Artemide Interior Design Inspiration For Your Dining Room - Tolomeo XXL A floor standing luminaire for adjustable direct and indirect diffused LED, fluorescent, halogen or incandescent lighting• fully adjustable articulated arm body structure in extruded aluminum in high polished anodized aluminum or matte black finish • joints and tension control knobs in polished die-cast aluminum•tension cables in stainless steel •support stem in extruded aluminum in brilliant polished aluminum or matte black finish• weighted steel base with stamped aluminum or matte black cover •diffuser available in parchment paper or pale grey satin and polycarbonate fiber blend with aluminum frame or in black fabric on a white polypropylene frame• dimmer on cord

Allison Cartwright
Inspiration for a contemporary 3/4 multicolored tile and white tile white floor corner shower remodel in Austin with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and gray countertops

Simplicity and darker colors ease the tension in a space. As long as the undertones have a silver or grey to them, it allows the design of the room to move in many different directions and keeps the room from feeling dark.

Naturally simple, the TK Pad is settled organically into a reddish-brown butte 10 miles south of Jackson. From its unadorned and earthy materials—most notably the post-tensioned rammed earth walls, patented by the architect and used here for the first time—to its butte-side orientation, the residence is in harmony with its environment for a successful design that won the architects an Award of Excellence in the “Built” category from the Wyoming chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Example of a trendy bedroom design in Houston

A contemporary light fixture introduced into this formal dining room creates a tension between the two looks.
Example of a large eclectic light wood floor and coffered ceiling dining room design in Toronto with white walls

A truly Modern Farmhouse - flows seamlessly from a bright, fresh indoors to outdoor covered porches, patios and garden setting. A blending of natural interior finishes that includes natural wood flooring, interior walnut wood siding, walnut stair handrails, Italian calacatta marble, juxtaposed with modern elements of glass, tension- cable rails, concrete pavers, and metal roofing.

Name Arquitectos®
Inspiration for a contemporary pool remodel in Mexico City

Large transitional built-in desk limestone floor and beige floor craft room photo in Nashville with gray walls and no fireplace

Example of a beach style home design design in Burlington

Tension hex head Portland Stair Company
Home design - contemporary home design idea in Portland

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way. ©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

Located in the Langley Fork Historic District in McLean, Virginia, this residence was designed to speak to the formal massing seen in the existing neighborhood fabric of stately traditional homes. The simplicity and clean lines of the stucco and limestone façade blends harmoniously with its surroundings. Traditional forms, interjected with modern twists, create a tension that carries throughout the design, creating a home that feels warm and familiar while clean and distilled at the same time. Photo Credit: Gordon Beall Photography

Beautiful white Starmark cabinets and Cambria counter-tops create this amazing kitchen.
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, beige walls and an island

Inspiration for a large country detached two-car barn remodel in New York