Entering this downtown Denver loft, three layered cowhide rugs create a perfectly organic shape and set the foundation for two cognac leather arm chairs. A 13' panel of Silver Eucalyptus (EKD) supports a commissioned painting ("Smoke") Bottom line, it’s a pretty amazing first impression! Without showing you the before photos of this condo, it’s hard to imagine the transformation that took place in just 6 short months. The client wanted a hip, modern vibe to her new home and reached out to San Diego Interior Designer, Rebecca Robeson. Rebecca had a vision for what could be. Rebecca created a 3D model to convey the possibilities… and they were off to the races. The design races that is. Rebecca’s 3D model captured the heart of her new client and the project took off. With only 6 short months to completely gut and transform the space, it was essential Robeson Design connect with the right people in Denver. Rebecca searched HOUZZ for Denver General Contractors. Ryan Coats of Earthwood Custom Remodeling lead a team of highly qualified sub-contractors throughout the project and over the finish line. The project was completed on time and the homeowner is thrilled... Earthwood Custom Remodeling, Inc. Exquisite Kitchen Design Rugs - Aja Rugs, LaJolla Painting – Liz Jardain Photos by Ryan Garvin Photography

At this Saratoga, Calif., home of an NFL star, there is no such thing as simple. The quarterback had visions of a pool deck connected to an outdoor kitchen that featured a fireplace, barbecue and trash compactor. Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete, in Santa Cruz, Calif., was chosen as the man for the job. "He wanted the pool to have somewhat of an organic feel," Ralston says. "But at the same time, he wanted to have more of a conventional look." The customer's wishes were met by Ralstons team painting the kitchen components white. The pool deck was also tied in to the look. . "The concrete is acid-stained, and what that does is play off his conventional-looking barbecue and pizza oven with organics," Ralston says. "I always view acid stain as an organic because it comes from the iron oxides that are in the Earth. The way the iron oxides play out, they have this variation that is hard to reproduce with any other medium." 25% To create the color on the pool deck, Ralston blended L.M. Scofield Co.'s Padre Brown and Faded Terracotta acid stains. Three Rivers Flagstone was employed to create a band around the pool. Although Ralston and his project foremen did a large amount of work, no one person can take credit for the design. "It's really a result of many minds," he says. Preconstruction meetings were held with Ralston and his crew, an architect, a landscape architect, a pool contractor and the homeowner. Ralston suggested what hardscape mediums to use and provided samples for the group. "It was like a Mr. Potato Head," Ralston says. "We pieced things together and mixed and matched until we came to agreement with all parties." picture In order to keep all of the deck's elements cohesive, the same tile was used in a spa, around the pizza oven and barbecue, and in the pool coping. "It ties itself together that way," Ralston says. "It's really nice to have juxtaposition in our hardscapes." Because there were so many elements to the kitchen, there were a lot of different types of workers in the area. "It was a challenge to keep everything coordinated between the electrician, pool contractor, landscaper, architect, and the homeowner's desire to have t is built in three months," Ralston says. The project ended up taking around five months to complete. Thankfully for Ralston, he had three foremen on the site - a masonry foreman, concrete foreman, and staining and sealing foreman. "All of those guys have years and years of experience with me," he says. "A key to success is to have people in the field who really know at they were doing."

I was lucky enough to snag this midcentury Takeshi Nii Ny Chair on Craigslist for a photo shoot and absolutely had to bring it home. Find of the century! [Fun fact: Inspired by the classic director's chair, Nii’s innovative, foldable creation was designed in 1958 and is now part of the permanent collection at MoMa.] The little bird pillow was another Zinnias at Melrose find. To add a little texture, I rounded out the seating area with the faux fur ottoman. I’m obsessed with round mirrors—you’ll find them in pretty much all my designs. Whenever there is a great view, I like to put a mirror on the opposite wall to repeat it. Notice the royal palm reflected in it—I’m really jazzed that I have been able to keep this plant alive for more than three months. Image: James Stewart

Builder: AVB Inc. Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography The Holloway blends the recent revival of mid-century aesthetics with the timelessness of a country farmhouse. Each façade features playfully arranged windows tucked under steeply pitched gables. Natural wood lapped siding emphasizes this homes more modern elements, while classic white board & batten covers the core of this house. A rustic stone water table wraps around the base and contours down into the rear view-out terrace. Inside, a wide hallway connects the foyer to the den and living spaces through smooth case-less openings. Featuring a grey stone fireplace, tall windows, and vaulted wood ceiling, the living room bridges between the kitchen and den. The kitchen picks up some mid-century through the use of flat-faced upper and lower cabinets with chrome pulls. Richly toned wood chairs and table cap off the dining room, which is surrounded by windows on three sides. The grand staircase, to the left, is viewable from the outside through a set of giant casement windows on the upper landing. A spacious master suite is situated off of this upper landing. Featuring separate closets, a tiled bath with tub and shower, this suite has a perfect view out to the rear yard through the bedrooms rear windows. All the way upstairs, and to the right of the staircase, is four separate bedrooms. Downstairs, under the master suite, is a gymnasium. This gymnasium is connected to the outdoors through an overhead door and is perfect for athletic activities or storing a boat during cold months. The lower level also features a living room with view out windows and a private guest suite.

A client who had seen our stunning installation at Spring Hill Suites in Oceanside, California wanted to surprise his wife for her birthday and give her a 112 square foot living wall at the front entry of their house. He was set on the style of the wall being succulents in a tight pattern. This raised two huge challenges: 1) How to overcome his three week lead time: First, the manufacturer's lead time to get us the wall materials is four weeks. The plants in this type of system usually require three months to get rooted. 2) How to attach a system meant for flat surfaces onto his CURVED front wall. Square peg, meet curved hole. Operations Manager Kerry Bauer made drawings and a mock up for a system created from the green ROOF components GreenScaped Buildings has used on certain projects. She chose parts she knew shipped within one week to eliminate the lead time issue. A landscape edging element, specifically designed to handle curves, could also overcome the challenge of the curved wall. But what about the time needed for growing the plants? By using an advanced soil replacement media block, the wall installation could allow the plants to root while installed vertically. GreenScaped Buildings collaborated with the client and supplier Green Meadow Growers to choose appropriate sedums and succulents for the east-facing coastal climate of Encinitas and lay out a pattern of organic wave shapes. Katelyn Hutchings tackled the procurement aspects of the project while construction foreman John Rodenbo prepared the site and installation logistics. Installation took three days. How do you think it turned out? The final product exceeded the client's expectations, and he has already invited GreenScaped Buildings to collaborate on his upcoming commercial hotel project with the goal of integrating a living wall there to enhance his hotel as much as it has enhanced his home.

This Cobble Hill Brownstone for a family of five is a fun and captivating design, the perfect blend of the wife’s love of English country style and the husband’s preference for modern. The young power couple, her the co-founder of Maisonette and him an investor, have three children and a dog, requiring that all the surfaces, finishes and, materials used throughout the home are both beautiful and durable to make every room a carefree space the whole family can enjoy. The primary design challenge for this project was creating both distinct places for the family to live their day to day lives and also a whole floor dedicated to formal entertainment. The clients entertain large dinners on a monthly basis as part of their profession. We solved this by adding an extension on the Garden and Parlor levels. This allowed the Garden level to function as the daily family operations center and the Parlor level to be party central. The kitchen on the garden level is large enough to dine in and accommodate a large catering crew. On the parlor level, we created a large double parlor in the front of the house; this space is dedicated to cocktail hour and after-dinner drinks. The rear of the parlor is a spacious formal dining room that can seat up to 14 guests. The middle "library" space contains a bar and facilitates access to both the front and rear rooms; in this way, it can double as a staging area for the parties. The remaining three floors are sleeping quarters for the family and frequent out of town guests. Designing a row house for private and public functions programmatically returns the building to a configuration in line with its original design. This project was published in Architectural Digest. Photography by Sam Frost

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

This partially wooded, acre and a half lot in West Dundee presented many challenges. The clients began working with a Landscape Architect in the early spring, but after not getting the innovative ideas they were seeking, the home builder and Architect suggested the client contact our landscape design/build firm. We immediately hit it off with the charismatic clients. They had a tall order for us: complete the design and implement the construction within a three month period. For many projects this would be a reasonable time frame. However construction delays and the coordination of multiple trades left a very short window to complete the work. Beyond the tight time frame the site required specific care in preserving the many mature surrounding trees, as well as addressing a vast grade change. Over fifteen feet of grade change occurs from one end of this woodland property to the other. All of these constraints proved to be an enormous challenge as we worked to include and coordinate the following elements: the drive layout, a dramatic front entry, various gardens, landscape lighting, irrigation, and a plan for a backyard pool and entertainment space that already had been started without a clear plan. Fortunately, the client loved our design ideas and attention to detail and we were able to mobilize and begin construction. With the seamless coordination between our firm and the builder we implemented all the elements of this grand project. In total eight different crews and five separate trades worked together to complete the landscape. The completed project resulted in a rewarding experience for our firm, the builder and architect, as well as the client. Together we were able to create and construct a perfect oasis for the client that suited the beautiful property and the architecture of this dream home.

The FINNE Svendsen Building is a striking and highly energy-efficient loft building in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. The design and building process was unusual, since architect Nils Finne was both designer and builder owner. The client-architect meetings were brief! The building occupies a corner lot, with street facades on the south and west. The two street facades have a nuanced play of light and shadow. The walls of glass and wood are treated as folded planes, with each façade folding back and forth within an overall depth dimension of about 10”. On floors one and three, the large glass panels project forward, while on floor two, the glass is recessed. The pattern on floor two is an inverted version of floors one and three. The wood spandrel panels are custom-milled Western Red Cedar with a blackened stain. The live-work building creates large, open loft spaces on three floors, with high ceilings, huge windows and exposed long-span steel structure. The building can accommodate a range of uses, both present and future. The three floors of the building have 12-ft ceilings and 11-ft high windows with exposed structural steel supports and steel decking ceilings. The floors are clear-span without internal columns interrupting the work space. Mechanical air distribution is limited to the linear core on the northern side of the building, so work areas have clean metal decking ceilings with no ductwork. The building has in-floor radiant heating and cooling, resulting in minimal energy usage. Operating windows are placed strategically throughout the façade, allowing the building to be naturally ventilated in Seattle’s mild climate. The oversized window walls on the south and west also allow natural lighting to penetrate deeply onto the floor plate, keeping lights turned off for much of the daylight hours. A custom sapele wood front door presents a warm contrast to the building’s blackened wood cladding. A delicate screen of wood slats filters light into the main building lobby. The 3-story stair opens directly from the lobby and has been designed to encourage use on a daily basis, keeping elevator usage to a minimum. A three-story glass wall floods the stairwell with natural light, and the all-steel stair floats in the space. Custom-designed perforations in the steel stair railing panels provide unexpected shadow patterns when the late-afternoon sun shines into the stairwell. The building was designed to be a sustainable structure from the start, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, LED lighting, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance Low-E insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. The building roof has been equipped with photovoltaic panels for electrical production, averaging about 850 Kwh per year. The modest initial amount of PV panels will be expanded over time. The radiant hydronic heating and cooling system allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The 6” thick concrete slabs for the radiant tubes conserve both heat in the winter and cooling in the summer and provide great comfort for the feet. During the winter months, the radiant heating system keeps overall energy consumption to a very low level. The 9000 SF building costs about $35/month to heat! During the summer, the passive strategies of natural ventilation combine with the radiant slab cooling to minimize air conditioning load. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are also used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into work spaces and passively warm the concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the building. The high level of craft evident in the building reflects another key principle of sustainable design: eschew “throw-away-ism” and make the building last many years!

Create the Home of Your Dreams in three steps and in just about a week. Just choose a design for every room and we will adjust it to your floorpan, as well as provide you with the shopping list and installation details. Then you can DIY or with our help. Easy, convenient, prompt & amazing! And with financing available, it is as low as $40 per month / per room with zero down! Welcome to your new home! We hope this will begin a great chapter in your life and this place will become a true foundation for it. However, now that you have these empty rooms with white walls, what’s next? Will you rent used furniture or spend weeks in furniture stores buying random pieces? Are you going to paint walls and, if so, in which colors? What about rugs, mirrors, curtains or cushions? How much will it cost? How long will it take? And most importantly, will you be happy at the end? We believe we have a unique design service that is perfect for you – fast, affordable, and beautiful. All you need is to choose a design for every room (over 200 designs are already available and we constantly add more), approve the final concept adjusted for your floorplan (exceptionally realistic images) and we will purchase, paint, assemble, mount and stage everything on a turn-key basis under the paradigm of ‘What I See Is What I Get’ within a week or so. Easy, convenient, prompt and amazing! And with financing available, a wonderful room (a living room / dining room, a bedroom, a kid's bedroom), fully designed and furnished, can cost as low as $40 per month with no down payment! For more details please visit www.beauty-on-a-budget.com

This is a two-story addition: a master suite addition on the second floor, which includes a master bedroom, bath, and new walk-in closet); on the first floor is a new three-season porch. The three-season porch has removable screens that can be replaced with glass in cooler months. It has electricity and a ceiling fan. Our clients very much appreciate Tibma Design/Build's suggestions. http://www.tibmadesignbuild.com/outdoor.htm

Create the Home of Your Dreams in three steps and in just about a week. Just choose a design for every room and we will adjust it to your floorpan, as well as provide you with the shopping list and installation details. Then you can DIY or with our help. Easy, convenient, prompt & amazing! And with financing available, it is as low as $40 per month / per room with zero down! Welcome to your new home! We hope this will begin a great chapter in your life and this place will become a true foundation for it. However, now that you have these empty rooms with white walls, what’s next? Will you rent used furniture or spend weeks in furniture stores buying random pieces? Are you going to paint walls and, if so, in which colors? What about rugs, mirrors, curtains or cushions? How much will it cost? How long will it take? And most importantly, will you be happy at the end? We believe we have a unique design service that is perfect for you – fast, affordable, and beautiful. All you need is to choose a design for every room (over 200 designs are already available and we constantly add more), approve the final concept adjusted for your floorplan (exceptionally realistic images) and we will purchase, paint, assemble, mount and stage everything on a turn-key basis under the paradigm of ‘What I See Is What I Get’ within a week or so. Easy, convenient, prompt and amazing! And with financing available, a wonderful room (a living room / dining room, a bedroom, a kid's bedroom), fully designed and furnished, can cost as low as $40 per month with no down payment! For more details please visit www.beauty-on-a-budget.com

Create the Home of Your Dreams in three steps and in just about a week. Just choose a design for every room and we will adjust it to your floorpan, as well as provide you with the shopping list and installation details. Then you can DIY or with our help. Easy, convenient, prompt & amazing! And with financing available, it is as low as $40 per month / per room with zero down! Welcome to your new home! We hope this will begin a great chapter in your life and this place will become a true foundation for it. However, now that you have these empty rooms with white walls, what’s next? Will you rent used furniture or spend weeks in furniture stores buying random pieces? Are you going to paint walls and, if so, in which colors? What about rugs, mirrors, curtains or cushions? How much will it cost? How long will it take? And most importantly, will you be happy at the end? We believe we have a unique design service that is perfect for you – fast, affordable, and beautiful. All you need is to choose a design for every room (over 200 designs are already available and we constantly add more), approve the final concept adjusted for your floorplan (exceptionally realistic images) and we will purchase, paint, assemble, mount and stage everything on a turn-key basis under the paradigm of ‘What I See Is What I Get’ within a week or so. Easy, convenient, prompt and amazing! And with financing available, a wonderful room (a living room / dining room, a bedroom, a kid's bedroom), fully designed and furnished, can cost as low as $40 per month with no down payment! For more details please visit www.beauty-on-a-budget.com

Create the Home of Your Dreams in three steps and in just about a week. Just choose a design for every room and we will adjust it to your floorpan, as well as provide you with the shopping list and installation details. Then you can DIY or with our help. Easy, convenient, prompt & amazing! And with financing available, it is as low as $40 per month / per room with zero down! Welcome to your new home! We hope this will begin a great chapter in your life and this place will become a true foundation for it. However, now that you have these empty rooms with white walls, what’s next? Will you rent used furniture or spend weeks in furniture stores buying random pieces? Are you going to paint walls and, if so, in which colors? What about rugs, mirrors, curtains or cushions? How much will it cost? How long will it take? And most importantly, will you be happy at the end? We believe we have a unique design service that is perfect for you – fast, affordable, and beautiful. All you need is to choose a design for every room (over 200 designs are already available and we constantly add more), approve the final concept adjusted for your floorplan (exceptionally realistic images) and we will purchase, paint, assemble, mount and stage everything on a turn-key basis under the paradigm of ‘What I See Is What I Get’ within a week or so. Easy, convenient, prompt and amazing! And with financing available, a wonderful room (a living room / dining room, a bedroom, a kid's bedroom), fully designed and furnished, can cost as low as $40 per month with no down payment! For more details please visit www.beauty-on-a-budget.com

This beautiful living room needed furnishings to add color and style. The home had been on the market for 9 months before staging. Once it was staged, the sellers received three offers in 30 days.

This is a two-story addition: a master suite addition on the second floor, which includes a master bedroom, bath, and new walk-in closet); on the first floor is a new three-season porch. The three-season porch has removable screens that can be replaced with glass in cooler months. It has electricity and a ceiling fan. Our clients very much appreciate Tibma Design/Build's suggestions. http://www.tibmadesignbuild.com/outdoor.htm

Create the Home of Your Dreams in three steps and in just about a week. Just choose a design for every room and we will adjust it to your floorpan, as well as provide you with the shopping list and installation details. Then you can DIY or with our help. Easy, convenient, prompt & amazing! And with financing available, it is as low as $40 per month / per room with zero down! Welcome to your new home! We hope this will begin a great chapter in your life and this place will become a true foundation for it. However, now that you have these empty rooms with white walls, what’s next? Will you rent used furniture or spend weeks in furniture stores buying random pieces? Are you going to paint walls and, if so, in which colors? What about rugs, mirrors, curtains or cushions? How much will it cost? How long will it take? And most importantly, will you be happy at the end? We believe we have a unique design service that is perfect for you – fast, affordable, and beautiful. All you need is to choose a design for every room (over 200 designs are already available and we constantly add more), approve the final concept adjusted for your floorplan (exceptionally realistic images) and we will purchase, paint, assemble, mount and stage everything on a turn-key basis under the paradigm of ‘What I See Is What I Get’ within a week or so. Easy, convenient, prompt and amazing! And with financing available, a wonderful room (a living room / dining room, a bedroom, a kid's bedroom), fully designed and furnished, can cost as low as $40 per month with no down payment! For more details please visit www.beauty-on-a-budget.com

To give the homeowners the backyard access they were missing, we raised and reframed the family room floor—creating space for multiple rear exits that now lead directly onto a spacious new deck. Most of the deck was then covered and screened in, transforming it into a three-season sunroom that functions as an extension of both the kitchen and the main living area. This new space now serves as a generous family gathering room, complete with a fireplace that provides warmth and comfort well into the winter months. The deck itself was built with durable Trex® decking, ensuring long-lasting beauty and minimal maintenance.

Builder: Homes by True North Interior Designer: L. Rose Interiors Photographer: M-Buck Studio This charming house wraps all of the conveniences of a modern, open concept floor plan inside of a wonderfully detailed modern farmhouse exterior. The front elevation sets the tone with its distinctive twin gable roofline and hipped main level roofline. Large forward facing windows are sheltered by a deep and inviting front porch, which is further detailed by its use of square columns, rafter tails, and old world copper lighting. Inside the foyer, all of the public spaces for entertaining guests are within eyesight. At the heart of this home is a living room bursting with traditional moldings, columns, and tiled fireplace surround. Opposite and on axis with the custom fireplace, is an expansive open concept kitchen with an island that comfortably seats four. During the spring and summer months, the entertainment capacity of the living room can be expanded out onto the rear patio featuring stone pavers, stone fireplace, and retractable screens for added convenience. When the day is done, and it’s time to rest, this home provides four separate sleeping quarters. Three of them can be found upstairs, including an office that can easily be converted into an extra bedroom. The master suite is tucked away in its own private wing off the main level stair hall. Lastly, more entertainment space is provided in the form of a lower level complete with a theatre room and exercise space.