Elegant bedroom photo in Baltimore

This project was kick-started by the removal of a large intrusive peninsula that competed with the young family’s bustling daily routine. Having already experienced the time investment of a sweat equity remodel, our clients enlisted us to do things a bit different while still paying careful attention to their personal aesthetic and lifestyle needs. The design sought to recreate a kitchen layout that would encourage gathering and create a welcoming space for friends and family, young and old. To open things up, the wall between the kitchen and dining room was eliminated. But we chose to retain and added on architectural elements to maintain a sense of intimate space within the new open concept. Those architectural elements were a creative way to accommodate existing structural elements and respect the bones of the home. The chunky early 00s arches were squared off for a more modern feel that better aligned with the client’s style. The hub of the home centers around the large walnut island featuring storage on three sides and seating for four. Handmade tile from Heath Ceramic creates a bold focal point. To ensure the space was bright and open, we opted for the two-tone mix of walnut and white cabinetry. The walnut cabinetry grounds the island and adds a touch of symmetry by flanking either side of the gas range. A new broom closet offers visual separation between the kitchen and the garage entry. Just of the garage door are a set of three tall cabinets that have been configured as locker storage for their kid's book bags, jackers, and shoes. Opposite the lockers is an overflow pantry space, window seat with extra storage, a nook for the dog bowls, and a mail station. A glass table in front of the window seat turns this area into the perfect homework nook. A set of three glass pendants from Pottery Barn illuminate the island. The soft white countertops are Daltile’s, Lincoln White matte quartz. Sleek cabinetry pulls from Amerock add that final touch. We are so in love with this cheerful, inviting main-level and are so happy our clients get to create memories inside these walls!

The best of the past and present meet in this distinguished design. Custom craftsmanship and distinctive detailing give this lakefront residence its vintage flavor while an open and light-filled floor plan clearly mark it as contemporary. With its interesting shingled roof lines, abundant windows with decorative brackets and welcoming porch, the exterior takes in surrounding views while the interior meets and exceeds contemporary expectations of ease and comfort. The main level features almost 3,000 square feet of open living, from the charming entry with multiple window seats and built-in benches to the central 15 by 22-foot kitchen, 22 by 18-foot living room with fireplace and adjacent dining and a relaxing, almost 300-square-foot screened-in porch. Nearby is a private sitting room and a 14 by 15-foot master bedroom with built-ins and a spa-style double-sink bath with a beautiful barrel-vaulted ceiling. The main level also includes a work room and first floor laundry, while the 2,165-square-foot second level includes three bedroom suites, a loft and a separate 966-square-foot guest quarters with private living area, kitchen and bedroom. Rounding out the offerings is the 1,960-square-foot lower level, where you can rest and recuperate in the sauna after a workout in your nearby exercise room. Also featured is a 21 by 18-family room, a 14 by 17-square-foot home theater, and an 11 by 12-foot guest bedroom suite. Photography: Ashley Avila Photography & Fulview Builder: J. Peterson Homes Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen

This single family home that was once used as a rental for university students was completely renovated with a new addition and transformed into a highly optimized haven for a family of four. The brief was modern but colorful!

This bathroom make over included moving the laundry to the second floor, relocating the toilet, updating the vanity, adding floating shelves, painting, retailing the shower and adding the swinging pull out Bain Signature glass. Notice the four niches with the hand painted tiles and fun wall paper.

This contemporary take on the classic beach house combines the traditional cottage look with contemporary elements. Three floors contain 3,452 SF of living space with four bedrooms, three baths, game room and study. A dramatic three-story foyer with floating staircase, a private third floor master suite and ocean views from almost every room make this a one-of-a-kind home. Deremer Studios

Example of a transitional kids' white tile and subway tile porcelain tile, gray floor and single-sink bathroom design in Jacksonville with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

Built for the Bluff, A Sea Ranch Home is Remade from the Inside Out The house had always been grounded, on an ocean bluff at The Sea Ranch. It sits unencumbered, adjacent to one of the most dramatic stretches of the Sonoma coast with protected commons meadow to the east, uninterrupted Pacific views to the west, and a bluff trail running alongside. What it lacked was the feeling of home, one that could hold up its own against the natural landscape. The owners are entrepreneurs with deep involvement across tech, real estate, and development and they know how things are built. The Sea Ranch house had been in their lives for years, a second residence and a place for family to gather. Built for a different time, it felt more compromising than comfortable. Sitting in a closed off nook, the kitchen fit one cook at a time and turned its back on the rest of the house. The entry was dim and compressed, divided by a structural column that presented itself at exactly the wrong moment. The primary suite was small relative to the view outside it. A large rear bedroom sat behind a lowered ceiling with a bathroom that had never been added. The house was certainly worth the trouble of doing it right. What followed was not one project but four, each with its own design challenge, each addressed over a period of time. Where the House Meets the Ocean The most complex piece of the project, in both structural and spatial terms, was the kitchen expansion. The existing room was a single-person galley squeezed in as an afterthought with no meaningful connection to the dining room, the living space, or the deck outside. To make it useful for a family that cooks and gathers, it needed to grow outward into an existing patio and flow into the rooms around it. A big challenge was the roofline. Several planes at different pitches and angles converged directly where additional volume was needed. A new form had to join that geometry without reading as a correction. The solution found the simplest possible connection between the existing angles, a roofline that from outside the structure, appears entirely original. From the bluff trail where the addition is visible, there is no discernible seam. Inside, the kitchen is now open to the living and dining rooms without interruption. A large sliding glass door connects the space onto the rear deck. The deck itself was expanded and oriented so that the body of the house shields it from the coastal wind which is a common consideration that determines whether outdoor space at The Sea Ranch actually gets used. The result is a room that works for large family gatherings where no one feels cutoff, and one that makes the boundary between being inside and outside easy to ignore. Welcoming Light A structural column stood at the convergence of eight distinct roof planes in the entry. It was load-bearing, but it was also the reason the entry had always felt like a hallway rather than a welcoming arrival. With the structural engineer, a custom steel connector was designed to receive beams from six separate directions, redistributing the load through a single new continuous beam. The column was surgically removed. Three triangular skylights were then cut into the roof above, their shapes drawn from the existing geometry of the planes around them. The entry is now bright and open. The skylights feel native to the structure because they follow the logic already present in the roof. Two Suites, Two Views At opposite ends of the house, the two bedroom suites were each reconfigured, and each found a different way to introduce more of the landscape into the room. An addition to the primary suite extended the structure outward to create a wraparound plan with a loop from the bedroom through bath and closet that had not been possible before. The expansion opened a slot view from the tub and shower toward the ocean. The view is precise and private. The ocean view is present and deliberate. The rear bedroom absorbed an adjacent storage room to transform it into a full second suite with a vaulted ceiling, a large bathroom with a tub, a shower, and a sauna. A private fenced garden courtyard sits just beyond the glass bringing the outdoors inside. The tub was placed so that, looking past the courtyard and through the bedroom beyond, the ocean is visible at the far end. It is a long view and it makes the room feel larger and more settled than its footprint would suggest. Glass on Four Sides, Fire at the Center The main living and gathering room had always been caught between two competing facts: glass on four sides meant exceptional views but at The Sea Ranch, it also meant a cold room. A 360-degree cylindrical fireplace was added at the center on a raised stone base, providing radiant heat in every direction and giving the room a focal point around which a group naturally orients itself, whether that means two people at the end of the day or the whole family after dinner. Owners Who Picked Up the Tools The owner was not a passive client. they came with construction knowledge, specific ideas, and the desire to be an active part of the process, a dynamic that other architects may had found difficult, which Klopf Architecture accepted as an asset. They took it upon themselves to complete some of the work during construction, including the installation of a new radiant heating system beneath the floors. The radiant system added to the older and less-desirable forced-air setup. At The Sea Ranch, that change matters as the house sits close enough to the ocean and moving air competes with the sound of it, where radiant heat does not. Solar panels were added to the roof as part of the new system. Insulation was upgraded throughout the walls, roof, and crawl space. The house that had always had the right setting now holds warmth the way a house on the bluff should. They were also deeply involved in the design and selections throughout, and the finished house reflects both of them in ways that are specific rather than generic. The process took longer and moved through more iterations than a more arms-length relationship might have allowed. The result is more defined and personal because of it. The Landscape Holds Priority Every exterior decision was shaped by The Sea Ranch Design Standards, which require that buildings defer to the landscape around them rather than compete with it. Because this house sits on the bluff and is visible from the public trail, the additions faced a close review. Existing materials were matched. Geometries were resolved. The additions had to become indistinguishable from the original building. From the trail, the house reads exactly as it always has — low, cedar-clad, secondary to the meadow and the water. The setting holds priority. Inside, the house has been remade. Klopf Architecture Project Team: Geoff Campen and Trenton Jewett
Contractor: Shawn Bettega Construction
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023
Location: The Sea Ranch, CA

Sharifi-ha House Uncertainty and flexibility lie at the heart of the design concept in Sharifi-ha House. The sensational, spatial qualities of the interiors, as well as the formal configuration of its exterior, directly respond to the displacement of turning boxes that lead the building volume to become open or closed, obtaining introverted or extroverted character. These changes may occur according to changing seasons or functional scenarios of floor plans. Like many other urban plots, the land for this project had a noticeably narrow façade-width compared with its length. Consequently, our expertise in transforming a two-dimensional façade to a three-dimensional one became indispensable. Here, the openness /closure of the building volume is a reference to traditional Iranian houses, which would dynamically serve as seasonal modes of habitation by offering both a Zemestan-Neshin (winter living room) and Taabestan-Neshin (summer living room) to their residents. In summertime, Sharifi-ha House offers an open /transparent /perforated volume with wide, large terraces. In contrast, during Tehran’s cold, snowy winters the volume closes itself, offering minimal openings in total absence of those wide summer terraces. In this project, the challenges to the concepts of open/closed typology (introverted/extroverted character) led to an exciting spatial transformation of an ever-changing residential building. The House is distributed over seven floors: the two basement floors are allocated to family conviviality, fitness facilities, and wellness areas, while the ground floor hosts parking and housekeeping rooms. Public activities all happen on the first and second floors, and the family’s private life takes place on the third and fourth floors. The project consisted of four major parts; the fixed volume of the structure, the void, and the fixed volume and the mobile volume, respectively. When the turning boxes are closed, the building captures sunlight throughout the space of the central void, which also connects the two fixed volumes by suspended bridges. The house adapts to the functional needs of its residents. For instance, depending on whether there is a guest or not, the guest room (located on the second floor) can be reconfigured for different purposes. Similarly, home office and breakfast room (turning rooms on the first and third floors) can change the formality of their appearance according to their residents’ desire. In other words, there is always the possibility of having different seasonal or lighting scenarios, some of which have been already considered in the BMS program of the project. From the initial design steps, we noticed that three pine trees outside could be incorporated into the spaces of the interior. Now, in the open mode of the house, the trees are pleasantly captured by the window frames. Stepping back for about three meters from the permitted construction boundary line allowed us to provide splendid daylight for the basement floors by inserting a glass fountain. The fitness and wellness areas are accommodated between this fountain and the basement pool where reflective installations reverberate the water’s radiance all over the space. The applied manufacturing technique for the turning mechanism was in fact a simple one; the same method which is currently employed in turning theatrical scenes, turning the floor of car exhibitions, steel companies and the shipping industry in Iran. But as our client himself was into importing CNC and other similar industrial German machines, he preferred the structural system to be fabricated in Germany. In doing so, he could engage his employees in the manufacturing process and thus train them for future maintenance purposes. Details of the handrails and air-penetration controlling methods were major issues considered in developing the design of the turning boxes. Designing foldable handrails and refining the edges of the boxes happened to be our feasible solutions. Considering the specialties of this kind of architecture, the structural system was inevitably a customized one. After digitally modeling the structure, a series of SAP2000 analysis were undertaken to examine static/dynamic performance of the proposed system. Being partially moveable is the dominant feature of this structural assembly, which was contemplated throughout the fabrication process by the German manufacturer company. The main loads all rest on the beams of the living rooms. Due to the various configurations the turning boxes may take, the loading calculation has been estimated based on the largest possible loading value applied to the system. Additionally, in order to prevent structural deformation controlling the probable vibrations in the turning boxes was taken into account during the design/calculations of the structure. The house was titled Sharifi-ha House, in honor of traditional Iranian mansions.

Built for the Bluff, A Sea Ranch Home is Remade from the Inside Out The house had always been grounded, on an ocean bluff at The Sea Ranch. It sits unencumbered, adjacent to one of the most dramatic stretches of the Sonoma coast with protected commons meadow to the east, uninterrupted Pacific views to the west, and a bluff trail running alongside. What it lacked was the feeling of home, one that could hold up its own against the natural landscape. The owners are entrepreneurs with deep involvement across tech, real estate, and development and they know how things are built. The Sea Ranch house had been in their lives for years, a second residence and a place for family to gather. Built for a different time, it felt more compromising than comfortable. Sitting in a closed off nook, the kitchen fit one cook at a time and turned its back on the rest of the house. The entry was dim and compressed, divided by a structural column that presented itself at exactly the wrong moment. The primary suite was small relative to the view outside it. A large rear bedroom sat behind a lowered ceiling with a bathroom that had never been added. The house was certainly worth the trouble of doing it right. What followed was not one project but four, each with its own design challenge, each addressed over a period of time. Where the House Meets the Ocean The most complex piece of the project, in both structural and spatial terms, was the kitchen expansion. The existing room was a single-person galley squeezed in as an afterthought with no meaningful connection to the dining room, the living space, or the deck outside. To make it useful for a family that cooks and gathers, it needed to grow outward into an existing patio and flow into the rooms around it. A big challenge was the roofline. Several planes at different pitches and angles converged directly where additional volume was needed. A new form had to join that geometry without reading as a correction. The solution found the simplest possible connection between the existing angles, a roofline that from outside the structure, appears entirely original. From the bluff trail where the addition is visible, there is no discernible seam. Inside, the kitchen is now open to the living and dining rooms without interruption. A large sliding glass door connects the space onto the rear deck. The deck itself was expanded and oriented so that the body of the house shields it from the coastal wind which is a common consideration that determines whether outdoor space at The Sea Ranch actually gets used. The result is a room that works for large family gatherings where no one feels cutoff, and one that makes the boundary between being inside and outside easy to ignore. Welcoming Light A structural column stood at the convergence of eight distinct roof planes in the entry. It was load-bearing, but it was also the reason the entry had always felt like a hallway rather than a welcoming arrival. With the structural engineer, a custom steel connector was designed to receive beams from six separate directions, redistributing the load through a single new continuous beam. The column was surgically removed. Three triangular skylights were then cut into the roof above, their shapes drawn from the existing geometry of the planes around them. The entry is now bright and open. The skylights feel native to the structure because they follow the logic already present in the roof. Two Suites, Two Views At opposite ends of the house, the two bedroom suites were each reconfigured, and each found a different way to introduce more of the landscape into the room. An addition to the primary suite extended the structure outward to create a wraparound plan with a loop from the bedroom through bath and closet that had not been possible before. The expansion opened a slot view from the tub and shower toward the ocean. The view is precise and private. The ocean view is present and deliberate. The rear bedroom absorbed an adjacent storage room to transform it into a full second suite with a vaulted ceiling, a large bathroom with a tub, a shower, and a sauna. A private fenced garden courtyard sits just beyond the glass bringing the outdoors inside. The tub was placed so that, looking past the courtyard and through the bedroom beyond, the ocean is visible at the far end. It is a long view and it makes the room feel larger and more settled than its footprint would suggest. Glass on Four Sides, Fire at the Center The main living and gathering room had always been caught between two competing facts: glass on four sides meant exceptional views but at The Sea Ranch, it also meant a cold room. A 360-degree cylindrical fireplace was added at the center on a raised stone base, providing radiant heat in every direction and giving the room a focal point around which a group naturally orients itself, whether that means two people at the end of the day or the whole family after dinner. Owners Who Picked Up the Tools The owner was not a passive client. they came with construction knowledge, specific ideas, and the desire to be an active part of the process, a dynamic that other architects may had found difficult, which Klopf Architecture accepted as an asset. They took it upon themselves to complete some of the work during construction, including the installation of a new radiant heating system beneath the floors. The radiant system added to the older and less-desirable forced-air setup. At The Sea Ranch, that change matters as the house sits close enough to the ocean and moving air competes with the sound of it, where radiant heat does not. Solar panels were added to the roof as part of the new system. Insulation was upgraded throughout the walls, roof, and crawl space. The house that had always had the right setting now holds warmth the way a house on the bluff should. They were also deeply involved in the design and selections throughout, and the finished house reflects both of them in ways that are specific rather than generic. The process took longer and moved through more iterations than a more arms-length relationship might have allowed. The result is more defined and personal because of it. The Landscape Holds Priority Every exterior decision was shaped by The Sea Ranch Design Standards, which require that buildings defer to the landscape around them rather than compete with it. Because this house sits on the bluff and is visible from the public trail, the additions faced a close review. Existing materials were matched. Geometries were resolved. The additions had to become indistinguishable from the original building. From the trail, the house reads exactly as it always has — low, cedar-clad, secondary to the meadow and the water. The setting holds priority. Inside, the house has been remade. Klopf Architecture Project Team: Geoff Campen and Trenton Jewett
Contractor: Shawn Bettega Construction
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023
Location: The Sea Ranch, CA

This is a small bathroom but keeping it light in color and adding a glass shower panel really helps to open up the space. The IKEA vanity and medicine cabinet provide enough storage space for this family of four. The fixtures were purchased at Vague & Vogue. The floor, wall and accent tiles were all purchased at Bois Franc Lavallee Inc. The room is painted in Benjamin Moore Cloud White with an accent in Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray. Photo Credit: Lucy Malagisi

This gem of a home was designed by homeowner/architect Eric Vollmer. It is nestled in a traditional neighborhood with a deep yard and views to the east and west. Strategic window placement captures light and frames views while providing privacy from the next door neighbors. The second floor maximizes the volumes created by the roofline in vaulted spaces and loft areas. Four skylights illuminate the ‘Nordic Modern’ finishes and bring daylight deep into the house and the stairwell with interior openings that frame connections between the spaces. The skylights are also operable with remote controls and blinds to control heat, light and air supply. Unique details abound! Metal details in the railings and door jambs, a paneled door flush in a paneled wall, flared openings. Floating shelves and flush transitions. The main bathroom has a ‘wet room’ with the tub tucked under a skylight enclosed with the shower. This is a Structural Insulated Panel home with closed cell foam insulation in the roof cavity. The on-demand water heater does double duty providing hot water as well as heat to the home via a high velocity duct and HRV system.

Transitional master white tile and subway tile concrete floor, gray floor and single-sink bathroom photo in Jacksonville with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

The design challenge was to enhance the square footage, flow and livability in this 1,442 sf 1930’s Tudor style brick house for a growing family of four. A two story 1,000 sf addition was the solution proposed by the design team at Advance Design Studio, Ltd. The new addition provided enough space to add a new kitchen and eating area with a butler pantry, a food pantry, a powder room and a mud room on the lower level, and a new master suite on the upper level. The family envisioned a bright and airy white classically styled kitchen accented with espresso in keeping with the 1930’s style architecture of the home. Subway tile and timely glass accents add to the classic charm of the crisp white craftsman style cabinetry and sparkling chrome accents. Clean lines in the white farmhouse sink and the handsome bridge faucet in polished nickel make a vintage statement. River white granite on the generous new island makes for a fantastic gathering place for family and friends and gives ample casual seating. Dark stained oak floors extend to the new butler’s pantry and powder room, and throughout the first floor making a cohesive statement throughout. Classic arched doorways were added to showcase the home’s period details. On the upper level, the newly expanded garage space nestles below an expansive new master suite complete with a spectacular bath retreat and closet space and an impressively vaulted ceiling. The soothing master getaway is bathed in soft gray tones with painted cabinets and amazing “fantasy” granite that reminds one of beach vacations. The floor mimics a wood feel underfoot with a gray textured porcelain tile and the spacious glass shower boasts delicate glass accents and a basket weave tile floor. Sparkling fixtures rest like fine jewelry completing the space. The vaulted ceiling throughout the master suite lends to the spacious feel as does the archway leading to the expansive master closet. An elegant bank of 6 windows floats above the bed, bathing the space in light. Photo Credits- Joe Nowak

This transitional style bathroom, proves that you don't need to have a huge space to create one of luxury. The original home only had a two piece powder room, and a large outdated main bathroom. With some really clever space planning, two full size bathroom rooms were created. This one is a well appointed four piece bathroom with heated marble mosaic floors, custom floating Wenge cabinets topped with a slab of Carrara marble. Laser cut wall sconces add a touch of bling to the space.

This is a small bathroom but keeping it light in color and adding a glass shower panel really helps to open up the space. The IKEA vanity and medicine cabinet provide enough storage space for this family of four. The fixtures were purchased at Vague & Vogue. The floor, wall and accent tiles were all purchased at Bois Franc Lavallee Inc. The room is painted in Benjamin Moore Cloud White with an accent in Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray. Photo Credit: Lucy Malagisi

Vienna Addition Skill Construction & Design, LLC, Design/Build a two-story addition to include remodeling the kitchen and connecting to the adjoining rooms, creating a great room for this family of four. After removing the side office and back patio, it was replaced with a great room connected to the newly renovated kitchen with an eating area that doubles as a homework area for the children. There was plenty of space left over for a walk-in pantry, powder room, and office/craft room. The second story design was for an Adult’s Only oasis; this was designed for the parents to have a permitted Staycation. This space includes a Grand Master bedroom with three walk-in closets, and a sitting area, with plenty of room for a king size bed. This room was not been completed until we brought the outdoors in; this was created with the three big picture windows allowing the parents to look out at their Zen Patio. The Master Bathroom includes a double size jet tub, his & her walk-in shower, and his & her double vanity with plenty of storage and two hideaway hampers. The exterior was created to bring a modern craftsman style feel, these rich architectural details are displayed around the windows with simple geometric lines and symmetry throughout. Craftsman style is an extension of its natural surroundings. This addition is a reflection of indigenous wood and stone sturdy, defined structure with clean yet prominent lines and exterior details, while utilizing low-maintenance, high-performance materials. We love the artisan style of intricate details and the use of natural materials of this Vienna, VA addition. We especially loved working with the family to Design & Build a space that meets their family’s needs as they grow.

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Large mid-century modern gray split-level mixed siding gable roof idea in DC Metro

Richmond Hill Design + Build brings you this gorgeous American four-square home, crowned with a charming, black metal roof in Richmond’s historic Ginter Park neighborhood! Situated on a .46 acre lot, this craftsman-style home greets you with double, 8-lite front doors and a grand, wrap-around front porch. Upon entering the foyer, you’ll see the lovely dining room on the left, with crisp, white wainscoting and spacious sitting room/study with French doors to the right. Straight ahead is the large family room with a gas fireplace and flanking 48” tall built-in shelving. A panel of expansive 12’ sliding glass doors leads out to the 20’ x 14’ covered porch, creating an indoor/outdoor living and entertaining space. An amazing kitchen is to the left, featuring a 7’ island with farmhouse sink, stylish gold-toned, articulating faucet, two-toned cabinetry, soft close doors/drawers, quart countertops and premium Electrolux appliances. Incredibly useful butler’s pantry, between the kitchen and dining room, sports glass-front, upper cabinetry and a 46-bottle wine cooler. With 4 bedrooms, 3-1/2 baths and 5 walk-in closets, space will not be an issue. The owner’s suite has a freestanding, soaking tub, large frameless shower, water closet and 2 walk-in closets, as well a nice view of the backyard. Laundry room, with cabinetry and counter space, is conveniently located off of the classic central hall upstairs. Three additional bedrooms, all with walk-in closets, round out the second floor, with one bedroom having attached full bath and the other two bedrooms sharing a Jack and Jill bath. Lovely hickory wood floors, upgraded Craftsman trim package and custom details throughout!