Located on a steep hill above downtown Ventura, this modern Spanish house features panoramic views of town with the ocean and Channel Islands beyond. While the views are amazing from a large front deck, the steep slope presented some constraints on the landscape design. Although the property is about a third-of-an-acre, the only useable and open garden space is a small (about 500 square feet) area to the West of the house. The house sits at the back of the property, and another steep hill on the neighboring property behind is held back by a tall retaining wall, leaving just enough room for a narrow, hardscaped patio in the back yard. Bright plantings along the back of the property delineate the home from the neighboring property, and we chose plantings to help stabilize the soil and further develop the Spanish garden look while creating a lush, inviting feel. Additionally, we added 52 pieces of pottery to soften and add interest to the back garden and patio areas. Succulents, herbs, and California natives fill the pottery along with bright, sweet-smelling, tropical-looking, and climate-appropriate plants. Slope stabilization was paramount for the front hill. Beyond that, finding plants that would thrive on the steep slope was the next obstacle. Finally, the aesthetics could be addressed, and we worked to find plants that meshed with the architecture—blending plants with white and orange to play off the red-tiled roofs and white-plastered walls that are emblematic of the Spanish style of this house as well as the predominate style of the neighborhood. The flattish area to the West was designed with the idea of creating a contemporary take on the parterre garden. Reminiscent of Mediterranean gardens, this vegetable and herb garden substitutes formal hedges with formal Corten steel planters to honor the modern Spanish architecture of the house. The citrus, herbs, and vegetables serve the foodie clients well.

A young family in a new development and wanting more out of their home decided to remodel the 2500 square feet of unfinished space in their basement. Their goals were to have a future au-pair suite, large entertainment area, multi -seating spaces, a gym, and last but not the least, a state-of-the- art home theater. Additionally, they have been accustomed to large gatherings with 50 and more guests, so it was essential to have a large bar/kitchenette area serving the dual purpose. The highlight of this renovation is the new home movie theatre. Complete with HD screen, projector and sound system, the motif for the room is the Renaissance, complete with fluted columns and arched panel walls. Double wood theatre doors open to theatre seating featuring burgundy leather theatre recliners. The basement also touts a large au-pair bedroom suite, large walk-in closet and full bath furnished with walk-in shower stall, built-in bench and niches, frameless glass enclosure, cherry vanity cabinets and brick color porcelain tiles. A custom bar/kitchenette uses cherry stained cabinets with dark granite countertops. It offers a built-in oven, microwave, wine coolers and a full refrigerator. So whether the family wants to watch a favorite movie, work out in the home gym or have friends over for a party, this fully equipped basement is ready for the job.

Rooftopia continues to enjoy working with this client on multiple projects, starting with this lovely first collaboration. The clients goals were to use mostly black finishes with a pink statement dining chair! We developed the space with some existing project challenges so our first tasks involved modifications to the existing pergola and flooring tiles. We integrated a retractable fabric shade canopy and several up/down light fixtures into the new space. We designed, built and installed privacy screens made of faux greenery to block out unsightly views toward the alley. We added cedar screens for privacy and to act as a backdrop for an outdoor TV. We also customized and installed a lovely outdoor cabinet system with drawers and a built-in outdoor refrigerator. Their coffee table doubles as an ice bin to top off the overall party vibe!

This is the perfect backyard oasis with every amenity from the pool to the covered deck and seating area. This backyard is extremely spacious and perfect for hosting parties or simply spending a day lounging by the pool, reading a book or taking a snooze.

Steffi Rost
Home design - mid-sized contemporary home design idea in Other

Built on a unique shaped lot our Wheeler Home hosts a large courtyard and a primary suite on the main level. At 2,400 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, and 2.5 baths the floor plan includes; open concept living, dining, and kitchen, a small office off the front of the home, a detached two car garage, and lots of indoor-outdoor space for a small city lot. This plan also includes a third floor bonus room that could be finished at a later date. We worked within the Developer and Neighborhood Specifications. The plans are now a part of the Wheeler District Portfolio in Downtown OKC.

Nestled in the heart of Dallas, our clients enjoy a 4-acre estate where they have developed the property for a "park" and "garden" like feel with lots of privacy and sound barrier from the neighbors and busy street along the front. They travel a lot for work and want to be able to come home and enjoy their own backyard oasis that is properly maintained and cared for. They also have 4 grandchildren who live on part of the property and roam around everywhere, so having lots of manicured lawn space to drive their toys around on, explore, etc. is important too. We service the property one day per week, since they retain a full-time porter. However, he is stretched thin as doesn't tend to much of the landscaping as needed as he's typically working on other side projects for the client. In order to complete our maintenance work within 5 hours on our service day, we work diligently with the client and the client’ assistant to constantly communicate issues we see and/or need to have resolved. Thankfully our client is very quick to respond and allows us an abundance of freedom to make necessary improvements when deemed necessary. Additionally, last minute work functions and/or parties are often hosted at their house. We often times have to respond quickly with an extra service visit, service date change, seasonal color change, bed mulching, etc. to help get it ready for their company. We value the trust and communication we have with this client and look forward to working with them for years to come!

Master Bathroom Photo. "Business in the Front, Party in the Back" This project provided Mark with the opportunity to revisit a project from the first year of his practice. Our clients were the third owners since Mark first worked on this house in 1987. The original project had consisted of a small addition to the rear of an existing single-story (over garage) house. The new owners wanted to completely remodel the house and add two floors. In addition they wanted it to be MODERN. This was a perfect fit for where the firm had evolved to over the years, but the neighbors weren't having it. The neighbors were very organized and didn’t like the idea of a large modern structure in what was a mostly traditional block. We were able to work with the neighbors to agree to a design that was Craftsman on the front and modern on the interior and rear. Because of this dichotomy, we sometimes refer to this as the "Mullet House". We were able to minimize the apparent height of the facade by hiding the top floor behind a dormered roof. Unique features of this house include a stunning roof deck with glass guardrails, a custom stair with a zigzag edge and a guardrail composed of vertical stainless steel tubes and an asymmetrical fireplace composition. Photo by Michael David Rose.

This traditional open concept kitchen was wonderfully developed by our designer, Pam! This space is perfect for entertainment, and the driftwood maple stained doors around the perimeter would definitely be the talk of the party!! Additionally, the quartz countertops, painted shaker cabinets, and the dark blue island really bring this space together.

Inspiration for a modern home design remodel in Indianapolis

The residence on the third level of this live/work space is completely private. The large living room features a brick wall with a long linear fireplace and gray toned furniture with leather accents. The dining room features banquette seating with a custom table with built in leaves to extend the table for dinner parties. The kitchen also has the ability to grow with its custom one of a kind island including a pullout table. An ARDA for indoor living goes to Visbeen Architects, Inc. Designers: Visbeen Architects, Inc. with Vision Interiors by Visbeen From: East Grand Rapids, Michigan

After returning from a winter trip to discover his house had been flooded by a burst second-floor pipe, this homeowner was ready to address the renovations and additions that he had been pondering for about a decade. It was important to him to respect the original character of the c. +/- 1910 two-bedroom small home that had been in his family for years, while re-imagining the kitchen and flow. In response, KHS proposed a one-story addition, recalling an enclosed porch, which springs from the front roof line and then wraps the house to the north. An informal front dining space, complete with built-in banquette, occupies the east end of the addition behind large double-hung windows sized to match those on the original house, and a new kitchen occupies the west end of the addition behind smaller casement windows at counter height. New French doors to the rear allow the owner greater access to an outdoor room edged by the house to the east, the existing one-car garage to the south, and a rear rock wall to the west. Much of the lot to the north was left open for the owner’s annual summer volley ball party. The first-floor was then reconfigured, capturing additional interior space from a recessed porch on the rear, to create a rear mudroom entrance hall, full bath, and den, which could someday function as a third bedroom if needed. Upstairs, a rear shed dormer was extended to the north and east so that head room could be increased, rendering more of the owner’s office/second bedroom usable. Windows and doors were relocated as necessary to better serve the new plan and to capture more daylight. Having expanded from its original 1100 square feet to approximately 1700 square feet, it’s still a small, sweet house – only freshly updated, and with a hint of porchiness. Photos by Katie Hutchison

A commercial restoration with Tigerwood Decks and Cedar Siding located in Atlanta's Armour Yard district. Developed by: Third & Urban Real Estate Designed by: Smith Dalia Architects Built by: Gay Construction

A commercial restoration with Tigerwood Decks and Cedar Siding located in Atlanta's Armour Yard district. Developed by: Third & Urban Real Estate Designed by: Smith Dalia Architects Built by: Gay Construction

A third view of the rooftop deck in Denver.
Deck - contemporary deck idea in Denver

Private location at the end of the development, this freestanding 3/3.5 features tons of natural light and great floorplan for entertaining. First floor bedroom or office includes sliding doors to private patio. Second floor living area includes incredible chef's kitchen with eat-in island, abundance of cabinetry and Stainless Steel Appliances. Kitchen opens to dining and living room with stylish light fixture and gorgeous hardwoods throughout. Note the numerous windows & warm, natural light, along with second floor private balcony. Third floor features guest suite with private bath along with sizable primary suite with large double vanity bathroom and tons of closet space. Fourth floor is the real showstopper with panoramic views of the city and downtown... absolutely breathtaking! Close to amazing retail, restaurants, bike trail and everything the city has to offer.

Pristine, WATERFRONT and completely UPDATED CCLA home! A rarity at its best! The recent (Late 2017) addition of a new master bath and closet area, along with a revamping/remodeling of the entire home; addition of a new outdoor kitchen, creation of an upstairs family room and office/study, all new baths, all new interior and exterior paint, new generator, complete refurbishing of all landscaping, fountains and pool... makes this home perfectly ready to move right in! Stunning Louisiana style architecture welcomes you into this completely modernized home basking in natural light, high ceilings and 180 degree views of the large lake. Leading off of the foyer, the formal dining area features a very stylish metal-like wallpaper, while the oversized formal living room is designed for hosting large get-togethers. Designed to pamper the homeowners, the master suite is a secluded retreat, functional and stylish which includes a cozy den with a full morning kitchen. Spa-like master bath/closet area is covered in marble for a dramatic visual impact! Overlooking the courtyard and lake, the kitchen, breakfast area and keeping room offfers superior style and exceptional efficiency. Marble, painted brick floors, exposed beams.. gorgeous! The rear guest suite shines beautifully with a complete bathroom makeover! The upstairs landing area beckons you to a fantastic family room/gameroom/media area, complete with a chic new open bar addition for game-time parties! All of the lush wood floors have been refinished, new carpet in upstairs bedrooms, new baths created for suites upstairs, new doors out to the balconies overlooking the lake and massive rear landscaping, enhanced lighting throughout, new hardware throughout... you get the picture! A full list of work performed on the home is included in the documents section. This home is a one of a kind masterpiece in the beautifully manicured and gated community of Baton Rouge's premier Country Club of Louisiana. WOW!!!

This dining nook is located right off of the kitchen and had sliding door to access the outdoor living area - a perfect set-up for hosing parties and events.

Private location at the end of the development, this freestanding 3/3.5 features tons of natural light and great floorplan for entertaining. First floor bedroom or office includes sliding doors to private patio. Second floor living area includes incredible chef's kitchen with eat-in island, abundance of cabinetry and Stainless Steel Appliances. Kitchen opens to dining and living room with stylish light fixture and gorgeous hardwoods throughout. Note the numerous windows & warm, natural light, along with second floor private balcony. Third floor features guest suite with private bath along with sizable primary suite with large double vanity bathroom and tons of closet space. Fourth floor is the real showstopper with panoramic views of the city and downtown... absolutely breathtaking! Close to amazing retail, restaurants, bike trail and everything the city has to offer.