Photo by Phillip Mueller
Inspiration for a rustic gable roof remodel in Minneapolis

This 14,000sf estate sits on four acres in Montecito overlooking the green rolling hills and ocean beyond. This architectural style was inspired by the villas around Lake Como in northern Italy. The formal central part of the home contains the formal rooms, while the less formal areas are reflected in simpler detailing, more rustic materials, and more irregular building forms. The property terraces towards the view and includes a koi pond, pool with cabana, greenhouse, bocce court, and a small vineyard.

Example of a mid-sized trendy concrete floor and gray floor great room design in Montreal with white walls, a wood stove and a brick fireplace

Completed in 2011 this 4 BR, 3 1/2 bath custom home is situated on a very tight urban infill lot in Northern, Virginia. Our clients were relocating to the D.C. area from New England and wanted to retain some of the New England vernacular they were familiar with in their new home. Due to heavy zoning restrictions, stylistic CCR's and a large program of almost 7000 sf, our design response is a modern take on a traditional hipped 4-square. We intentionally kept the skin and form of the building simple in order to contain cost and allow for a higher level of interior finish. The main level employs our favorite Great Room scheme that merges cooking, eating and entertaining into one seamless space that flows onto an expansive deck overlooking the rear yard. The entry elevation welcomes guests with a traditional front porch and stone path that passes by a small rain garden. The basement accommodates a guest room, media room, exercise area, and full shop while the upper level orients 2 kid's bedrooms, a Jack-n-Jill bath and the master suite toward a territorial view of the rear yard. All of this program is housed beneath a hipped roof that minimizes the scale of the house while presenting a thoughtful appearance toward the street and neighbors.

Example of a zen medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in New York with beige walls

This 14,000sf estate sits on four acres in Montecito overlooking the green rolling hills and ocean beyond. This architectural style was inspired by the villas around Lake Como in northern Italy. The formal central part of the home contains the formal rooms, while the less formal areas are reflected in simpler detailing, more rustic materials, and more irregular building forms. The property terraces towards the view and includes a koi pond, pool with cabana, greenhouse, bocce court, and a small vineyard.

The red birch cabinets with bump out sink feature, along with varied cabinet heights and lighting keep this kitchen classy and professional, with a bend toward natural materials and colors.

Deck - transitional deck idea in Denver

This 14,000sf estate sits on four acres in Montecito overlooking the green rolling hills and ocean beyond. This architectural style was inspired by the villas around Lake Como in northern Italy. The formal central part of the home contains the formal rooms, while the less formal areas are reflected in simpler detailing, more rustic materials, and more irregular building forms. The property terraces towards the view and includes a koi pond, pool with cabana, greenhouse, bocce court, and a small vineyard.

Despite the trend toward contemporary, Traditional style staircases continue to be very popular in today’s custom designed homes. While the main material in a traditional staircase is often wood, these classic designs can range from very simple to elaborate. This traditional freestanding circular staircase includes a combination of stained and painted wood resulting in an appealing and elegant design. Despite the contrast in tones, the wood still conveys a sense of warmth and an inviting atmosphere. This stair includes paint grade skirts & risers, quarter sawn white oak treads, custom turned newel posts, and a bent white oak handrail.

BC&J Architecture designed a floating home that is now located at its permanent location on the Willamette River in Portland. The home was constructed at a Marina an hour from the final home location. Upon completion, the home was floated up the Willamette River to the current site. The homeowners were looking for a river side, cottage style house well suited to entertaining. At 2,100 square feet, the home has an open floor plan with a large kitchen opening to a dining room and the living room with views onto the river. Upstairs, the master bedroom extends toward the river under a large centered dormer. On the opposite side of the master bedroom is a bonus room under a symmetrical dormer that will serve as guest quarters when adult children and grandchildren visit.

AFTER: A Day at the Beach! Ocean colors & natural materials embrace the beach theme in this new eco-friendly kitchen. Energy efficient LEDs, a glass backsplash & quartz countertops keep it bright & fresh. Frameless cabinets offer unique storage: pull-outs for cooking items, tilt-outs at the sink & roll-out trays inside pantries to optimize space. Open layout with plenty of work surface, double ovens, & open shelving. Deep pots & pans drawers offer easy access without sacrificing style. Creating a peninsula toward the family room & adding a beautiful glass hood vent improves functionality and provides a welcoming & relaxing environment.

This 14,000sf estate sits on four acres in Montecito overlooking the green rolling hills and ocean beyond. This architectural style was inspired by the villas around Lake Como in northern Italy. The formal central part of the home contains the formal rooms, while the less formal areas are reflected in simpler detailing, more rustic materials, and more irregular building forms. The property terraces towards the view and includes a koi pond, pool with cabana, greenhouse, bocce court, and a small vineyard.

Mark Woods
Japanese bathtub - large contemporary master green tile and glass tile porcelain tile and gray floor japanese bathtub idea in San Francisco with green walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, white walls and an island

The kitchen combines elements of modern, farmhouse and coastal elements. The pendants are restoration-vintage and give a nautical nod to the coastal feel. The stained v-groove ceiling and brick lean towards materials found in a farmhouse. A geometric island, luxury stainless steel appliances and linear subway tiles on the backsplash give a modern touch. Image by JH Hunley

Sited on a hill sloping towards eastern views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains beyond, this home for a vibrant family of four carefully weaves together their rituals of daily life with an awareness of the site's existing natural elements. Garden courts washed in natural light and lush with native vegetation are delicately carved out between earthen concrete masses, giving a meditative pause between the active living spaces. These negative spaces create a foreground of intimacy with light, earth, air, and native plantings, in contrast to the expansive framed vistas of water, mountains, and sky that are ever present in the distance beyond. The upper volume nestles the bedroom spaces into tree canopies above, modulating daylight, privacy and views with delicate wooden screens. The home acts as a lens that gives material presence to the ephemeral qualities of life and place.

Design & Supply: Astro Design Centre, Ottawa Canada Photo: JVL Photography We opted for using luxurious materials to add the warmth and glamour synonymous with a more traditional interior. Walnut, marble, brushed nickel and glass were all used to offset simple ivory lacquer cabinetry in the open concept living room. A massive slab of Taj Mahal Quartzite dictated the size of the kitchen island which we kept free of major utilities so that the room would bleed seamlessly into the adjacent living room. The base of the island is natural American walnut. The perimeter of the kitchen houses an industrial range and massive steel hood; which is juxtaposed on a backsplash of mosaic tile. The mosaic is delicate lattice work pattern gently nodding towards the traditional. To add additional depth and dimension to the space we made all the upper cabinetry open glass. The interiors of the glass cabinetry are in the same natural walnut as the island. This unexpected detail is the perfect backdrop to white dishes and crystal stemware. Ultimately the room is elegant and serene.

Like many California ranch homes built in the 1950s, this original master bathroom was not really a "master bath." My clients, who only three years ago purchased the home from the family of the original owner, were saddled with a small, dysfunctional space. Chief among the dysfunctions: a vanity only 30" high, and an inconveniently placed window that forced the too-low vanity mirror to reflect only the waist and partial torso--not the face--of anyone standing in front of it. They wanted not only a more spacious bathroom but a bedroom as well, so we worked in tandem with an architect and contractor to come up with a fantastic new space: a true Master Suite. In order to refine a design concept for the soon-to-be larger space, and thereby narrow down material choices, my clients and I had a brainstorming session: we spoke of an elegant Old World/ European bedroom and bathroom, a luxurious bath that would reference a Roman spa, and finally the idea of a Hammam was brought into the mix. We blended these ideas together in oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and a tiny tile mosaic in beautiful Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece. The new generously sized bathroom boasts a jetted soaking tub, a very large walk-in shower, a double-sided fireplace (facing the tub on the bath side), and a luxurious 8' long vanity with double sinks and a storage tower. The vanity wall is covered with a mosaic vine pattern in a beautiful Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece,. The custom Larson Juhl framed mirrors are flanked by gorgeous hand-wrought scones from Hubbardton Forge which echo the vine and leaf pattern in the mosaic. And the vanity itself features an LED strip in the toe-kick which allows one to see in the middle of the night without having to turn on a shockingly bright overhead fixture. At the other end of the master bath, a luxurious jetted tub nestles by a fireplace in the bay window area. Views of my clients' garden can be seen while soaking in bubbles. The over-sized walk-in shower features a paneled wainscoting effect which I designed in Crema Marfil marble. The vine mosaic continues in the shower, topped by green onyx squares. A rainshower head and a hand-held spray on a bar provides showering options. The shower floor slopes gently in one direction toward a hidden linear drain; this allows the floor to be read as a continuation of the main space, without being interrupted by a center drain. Photo by Bernardo Grijalva