This wonderful client was keeping their New Hampshire home, but was relocating for 2 years to Texas for work. Before the family arrived, I was tasked with furnishing the whole house so the children feel "at home" when they arrived. Using a unified color scheme, I procured and coordinated the essentials for an on time, and on budget, and on trend delivery! Photo Credit: Boldly Beige

The concept of the garden was based on, “Brazilian Hummingbirds II”, a painting the MFAH has in its collection by the artist, Martin Johnson Heade. Heade travelled to the rainforest in Brazil between 1863 and 1864 and painted a series of small paintings depicting hummingbirds in the lush foliage of the Brazilian rainforests. His painting, Brazilian Hummingbirds, II, evokes the sultry atmosphere of the Brazilian rainforest with its misty quality and subtle lighting. His interest in ornithology can be seen in his detailed depictions of the hummingbirds. The garden location is adjacent to one of Buffalo Bayou’s steep, wooded ravines. The ravine, with its native plant communities and topography, is a perfect back- drop for a garden with a rainforest theme. Because the date for the garden opening coincides with the spring migration of hummingbirds into our region, the hummingbird theme seemed appropriate for this garden competition. The garden will include a variety of tropical plants native to the rainforests such as bromeliads, orchids, heliconia, and passion fruit flowers. In addition, native plants to our region such as the Sabal Minor and Southern Wood Fern will be included to integrate plants that are found nearby in the ravine. The Heliconia flowers produce considerable amounts of nectar, a high energy food essential for hummingbirds who are known to consume three times their bodyweight in a single day. In addition to nectar producing plants, there will be hummingbird nest materials dispersed throughout the garden. A misty quality to the garden will be provided by a misting system, and tropical colored lights will be lit at night for special events. Visitors to the garden will have a unique sensory experience reminiscent to that of Heade’s travels to Brazil’s rainforests.

This custom kitchen remodel in Vienna, VA was designed to feel timeless, functional, and welcoming. The homeowners wanted a space that balanced clean lines with natural materials, while improving lighting, workflow, and overall comfort. A key design decision was using Taj Mahal quartzite for both the countertops and the full-height backsplash. Carrying the same stone throughout the kitchen creates a seamless look and allows the soft veining and warm tones of the natural stone to become the focal point of the space. The cabinetry was selected to complement the stone without overpowering it, offering ample storage and a classic profile that will age well over time. Updated lighting, including under-cabinet and recessed ceiling fixtures, enhances both task functionality and ambiance, while behind-the-scenes upgrades to electrical, ventilation, and HVAC ensure the kitchen performs as beautifully as it looks. The result is a refined yet livable kitchen designed for everyday use and long-term enjoyment.

This transitional kitchen remodel features custom shaker cabinetry, a warm wood-stained island, and a highly functional U-shaped layout designed for everyday living. The original kitchen was reimagined to improve flow, storage, and lighting while maintaining a timeless, neutral color palette. Warm wood custom cabinets extend to the ceiling with crown molding for a built-in look, paired with soft-close drawers and doors for lasting durability. Deep drawer storage near the range, expanded island storage, and improved corner cabinetry solutions maximize organization and efficiency. Under-cabinet lighting and recessed ceiling lighting enhance task areas and create a bright, welcoming atmosphere. Ceramic tile flooring in a natural finish adds warmth and complements the neutral cabinetry, while the centered sink under the window brings in natural light and balances the layout. This custom kitchen renovation blends classic design, modern functionality, and thoughtful storage solutions—creating a warm, family-friendly space built to stand the test of time.

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

This Electric Mirror Product Features: Lead-free, copper-free, corrosion-resistant OmegaMirror with Spectrum mirror glass technology Forward-facing task lighting Integrated speakers Suitable for damp bathroom environments Environmentally sustainable Energy efficient Fast lead times Easy installation Covered by one or more patents Technology: 21.5" TV Dimension: 36"W x 42"H x 1.75"D Assembled in the USA Place Integrity over your bathroom vanity and instantly renew your space with brilliance and motion. It Features a smooth polished edge, luminous inner frame of natural-looking LED lighting, and a vibrant LED HDTV.

This wonderful client was keeping their New Hampshire home, but was relocating for 2 years to Texas for work. Before the family arrived, I was tasked with furnishing the whole house so the children feel "at home" when they arrived. Using a unified color scheme, I procured and coordinated the essentials for an on time, and on budget, and on trend delivery! Photo Credit: Boldly Beige

Gut renovation of an existing home in downtown Amherst, MA. Best Remodel of the Year Award: Andrew Webster of Coldham & Hartman Architects Since 2007, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) has hosted the Zero Net Energy Building Award, to find "the best building in the Northeast that captures as much energy as it consumes". This year, for the first time, the Award was given to a Deep Energy Retrofit project, The Ross Residence. Photos by Ethan Drinker.

2013 NARI Capital CotY, Merit Award Winner, Creative Solutions under $15,000 Objective: This couple was tired of the old brick look of their family room and its embedded fireplace. They wanted to uplift the entire room, with better lighting, updated built ins and new gas log fireplace. Challenges: It was not an easy task to get rid of all masonry and brick wall. Gas lines and powder line were quite distance away and the family room floor was a concrete slab. Design solutions: It was important for the couple to create an optional separation between the family room and the kitchen for times that she is having her book club gang over and husband wanted to watch his sporting events. Part of the wall between kitchen and family room was taken by a closet. We have removed that entire wall and implemented a 6” wide Barn door for a partial solution to their problem. New wiring for light and cable wires were running into the old masonry wall. Gas line gave the old wood burning fireplace and new life. Custom built in cabinetry was placed in place old masonry wall. A new stone hearth and surround wrapped around the new fireplace. New hardwood wide plank flooring gave this family room warmth. New recess lighting has offered a much brighter room. Outcome: He gets to enjoy his favorite football team beat up the rebels while she gets to have her tea party around the kitchen table. And in all other occasions they get to cuddle by the flames of a new fireplace.

Stretch Ceilings are ideal for residential solutions for different reasons. Concealing the popcorn or dry wall ceiling behind, High Gloss Stretch Ceiling visually enlarges the space and brings the room modern and stylish look. Without using or adding any additional lightening systems, high-gloss shine and a light color of the ceiling extremely increase the amount of light in the suite. Being available in hundreds of designs and dozens of color combinations, it becomes highly convenient to keep with overall interior décor of the house in the same time to bring graceful and exquisite feature to it. Due to the complexity of the Stretch Ceilings technology, it is very durable, peel and UV resistant, and retains its consumer properties for the whole life.

This kitchen project is in a newer build home (2007). The family liked everything about the space except for the island layout and location. Both ends of it were pinch points which made it cumbersome for multiple people to be in the space at a time. They liked the granite countertops but the one on the island was damaged and needed to be replaced to accommodate the new island configuration. Due to this, it made sense to replace all the countertops with quartz. The perimeter cabinets were in good shape but were a dark color which made the space dark and uninviting. We solved this by painting them a bright green/blue color with a two-part water-based paint. We added a couple of other cabinets in the adjacent spaces to provide them with more needed storage which did not impact the kitchen space. We relocated the existing 3 recessed lights over the island which saved them from the landfill. We replaced the old under cabinet fluorescent light fixtures with new energy efficient LED channel fixtures that provide much better counter task lighting. We painted both the ceiling and walls to freshen up the space. As you can see, we were able to solve this family’s kitchen problems in both an environmentally and budget conscious way with creative solutions.

Designing and fitting a #tinyhouse inside a shipping container, 8ft (2.43m) wide, 8.5ft (2.59m) high, and 20ft (6.06m) length, is one of the most challenging tasks we've undertaken, yet very satisfying when done right. We had a great time designing this #tinyhome for a client who is enjoying the convinience of travelling is style.

Updated Spec Home: Basement Living Area I promised you there would be a Season 2 of our series Updated Spec Home and here it is – Basement Family Room. My mom and sister found themselves spending more and more time in this room because it was a great open space to watch television and hang out with my sister’s two border collies. Color Scheme We pulled our color scheme from a floral fabric that they saw on a chair at my store, and we used it to reupholster their existing wood accent chairs. We used pops of turquoise and green throughout the space including the long back wall which was perfect to make a feature with this vibrant wallpaper in a geometric design. Defining the Space The room was so large that we needed to define different areas. The large rug in the oversized pattern was perfect for the seating area. Lighting Since there is only one small window bringing natural light into the space, we painted the remaining walls a light warm gray (Sherwin Williams’ City Loft SW7631) and added several table lamps and a floor lamp for task lighting. Reusing Existing Furniture Fortunately the space was large enough so my sister could keep her fabulous worn leather chair and ottoman and my mom could have an upholstered chair and ottoman in a subtle blue and green tweed. The large hallway leading to the storage area was the perfect place for these small bookcases which house family photos in various silver frames. The bookcases have a special place in our hearts – they belonged to my grandparents. We accessorized with a long painted box which was the perfect scale for the bookcases and a grouping of vibrant botanical prints. In lieu of a conventional media cabinet, my mom and sister found this one with a built-in fireplace. It brings a lot of warmth into the space – literally! Painted Furniture We had Kelly Sisler of Kelly Faux Creations paint their existing glass front cabinet this awesome apple green. Accessories include turquoise floral vases, a metallic circular vase, and a beautiful floral print. Reading Nook We positioned this original oil painting in the landing so it would be visible from the seating area. The landing was the perfect spot to display my sister’s collection of art glass. I love the small reading nook created with this rattan wooden accent chair and lantern floor lamp. We were able to make good use of the ledge in the stairwell by leaning these vibrant watercolors. The dogs even have their own space. Meet my two “nephews” – Dill and Atticus (the one with his back to us pouting). We used this colorful oversized canvas to define their space and break up the long wall. As you know, one good thing leads to another. Be sure to tune in next week for a surprise addition to this Updated Spec Home. In the meantime, check out this Basement Family Room designed by Robin’s Nest Interiors. Enjoy!

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

The family room (before photo) is open to the other public spaces so all the rooms needed to work together. The media cabinet had towers on either side. We moved all three sections to the office for additional storage and display space. The challenge was how to enjoy the three "focal points". A plan was developed and will be completed over time. The first task was to address the TV wall, then the fireplace will be redone next year.

Don't forget a desk lamp on top of your desk. Most of us usually rely on our computer screens for light but the minute you pull your notes away from your screen your in the dark. Not only does a beautiful lamp add light but also think of it as an accessory. A table lamp can add the warm glow onto your desk that adds all the dramatic lighting in a room. It focuses the attention to the desk and the desk top. If your desk is small consider a stream lined contemporary lamp on a traditional desk. This is an eclectic approach that works every time.

An example of vital and immersive living space for plants, wildlife and people. Design-built in summer 2022, our team (including talented local stonemason Matt Nichols) worked hard to reimagine an outdoor living space that integrates a dining area, hot tub, gathering space and raised beds. We were also tasked with successfully mitigating stormwater runoff that now channels from the rear to a rain garden in the front. A relaxed delineation of space allows for an easy ebb and flow for this young family and its pets. Cohesive materials were used throughout (such as the gorgeous irregular chunk stone steppers and retaining wall encompassing the cedar hot tub) to elevate this redesign. Over time, these designed living ‘rooms’ for people will recede into the planted habitat to feel ever more intimate and natural.

When planning this custom residence, the owners had a clear vision – to create an inviting home for their family, with plenty of opportunities to entertain, play, and relax and unwind. They asked for an interior that was approachable and rugged, with an aesthetic that would stand the test of time. Amy Carman Design was tasked with designing all of the millwork, custom cabinetry and interior architecture throughout, including a private theater, lower level bar, game room and a sport court. A materials palette of reclaimed barn wood, gray-washed oak, natural stone, black windows, handmade and vintage-inspired tile, and a mix of white and stained woodwork help set the stage for the furnishings. This down-to-earth vibe carries through to every piece of furniture, artwork, light fixture and textile in the home, creating an overall sense of warmth and authenticity.

So often our task as residential architects is not to create something out of nothing. Instead, it is to help evolve, or bring forward something that is already there; to see with new eyes the best of what exists and to clarify and expand it, so that the house supports and celebrates how the client lives, and hopes to live, in the home. So was the case with our House of Blues. The house was already wonderful. There was plenty of space, good views, a functioning floor plan, and the home was in overall good condition. The best features however, were embedded in the time it was built – mid 1960’s. The views were good, but too small. The kitchen location worked well, but is was closed off, cramped, and lacking counter space. The dining room was elegant, but too large and isolated. The graceful central hallway remained the homes most unique feature, but it was dark and the entry to the rooms on either side were accessed via small doorways. The bathrooms were large enough, and in the right locations, but they were tired and dated, and there was no mudroom. We created something out of something. Beautiful shades of blue permeated the owner’s things and became a central theme in new elements. Daylight was expanded and brought deeper into the space. Doorways were widened and walls removed. The central hallway was fully opened at the end with two-story glass to improve on an already good idea. The kitchen was wholly new and expanded by borrowing space from the dining room. A mudroom was carved out of the garage. All the bathrooms were remodeled with fresh materials and new features. The gracious concrete stoop was reclad in stone and the front door was changed out for a splash of color. Light now permeates all the rooms and spaces flow together without losing their identity or function. The owners no longer feel blue in their House of Blues! Location: St Paul, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal- in -Charge Nate Dodge