Design ideas for a mediterranean full sun garden path in Santa Barbara.

Walking up to the front door you travel through the parking court with landscaping design by Pederson Associates in San Rafael. At the far left is the new game room with Caldera split face stone wall and Fleetwood windows above. Around the other walls is smooth finish stucco and natural stained cedar siding. The paving is Connecticut Blue Stone.

In this home, we took a partially closed, carpeted stairwell with posts and railings from 1981, and opened the space up, adding new railing, posts and balusters on both sides of the stairs. By opening the wall to the living room, the space feels more open, has more light traveling through and the new railing has brought the home up to date.

Natural light streams in everywhere through abundant glass, giving a 270 degree view of the lake. Reflecting straight angles of mahogany wood broken by zinc waves, this home blends efficiency with artistry.

This garden space emphasizes plant textures, colorful foliage and quirky decorative elements. The heart of the garden is the elevated deck that perches over a rain garden, where stormwater from the roof is allowed to collect during the rainy months. Curvilinear paver pathways were installed to gently contrast against the soft plant textures. A sturdy structure was built to protect firewood and showcase quirky travel souvenirs.

Lissa Gotwals
Country hallway photo in Raleigh

An east-facing “Morning Room” energizes with its bracing contrast of blacks and whites. Sleek contemporary furnishings maintain lightness, while a traditional rug foreshadows global elements that lay beyond. A custom cabinet conceals a home office. Invoking the owners’ love for travel and storytelling, an Ingo Maurer fixture features 40 phrases in multiple languages scribbled upon squares of Japanese rice paper. Tony Soluri Photography

Mid-sized ornate enclosed carpeted and gray floor home theater photo in Other with beige walls and a wall-mounted tv

The 7th Avenue project is a contemporary twist on a mid century modern design. The home is designed for a professional couple that are well traveled and love the Taliesen west style of architecture. Design oriented individuals, the clients had always wanted to design their own home and they took full advantage of that opportunity. A jewel box design, the solution is engineered entirely to fit their aesthetic for living. Worked tightly to budget, the client was closely involved in every step of the process ensuring that the value was delivered where they wanted it.

In this home, we took a partially closed, carpeted stairwell with posts and railings from 1981, and opened the space up, adding new railing, posts and balusters on both sides of the stairs. By opening the wall to the living room, the space feels more open, has more light traveling through and the new railing has brought the home up to date.

Colin Price Photography
Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

When it comes to small spaces every inch counts! The key to making them work is to think of traffic flow, and how you’re going to arrange furniture for ease of access and comfort. This gives credence to the form over function motto! For this project we knew we were expanding the indoor outdoor flow by removing a wall of the house, creating a pocket door, so the interior living room was going to merge perfectly with the new exterior living room. The first element of the design we worked out was a built-in Banco seating around a central fire pit, with cushions and exterior fabrics, that even has a one piece cover that can snap in place. This will protect the fabrics in place while the couple travels, without having to drag them through the house to the garage for storage. The second critical factor of the design was implementing an outdoor kitchen just off camera, built-in to a patio Column, so that it becomes a serving bar and the appliances are behind the bar not out in the public space. Across the water, the vanishing edge spa was the visual draw, reflecting a fruitless olive tree, all enjoyed from the fire pit seating area. The back edge of the pool features a knife edge tile to granite interface without a coping, to minimize the line between water and landscape. Last but not least, the sweeping arc curvature of the pools leading edge was done so as to ease traffic flow from the entertaining and fire seating area to the spa, and to soften the otherwise rectangular lines of the yard.

In this home, we took a partially closed, carpeted stairwell with posts and railings from 1981, and opened the space up, adding new railing, posts and balusters on both sides of the stairs. By opening the wall to the living room, the space feels more open, has more light traveling through and the new railing has brought the home up to date.

Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic living room remodel in Boston

Architect: Cathy Schwabe Architecture Photographer: David Wakely Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary wood exterior home remodel in San Francisco

Well-traveled. Relaxed. Timeless. Our well-traveled clients were soon-to-be empty nesters when they approached us for help reimagining their Presidio Heights home. The expansive Spanish-Revival residence originally constructed in 1908 had been substantially renovated 8 year prior, but needed some adaptations to better suit the needs of a family with three college-bound teens. We evolved the space to be a bright, relaxed reflection of the family’s time together, revising the function and layout of the ground-floor rooms and filling them with casual, comfortable furnishings and artifacts collected abroad. One of the key changes we made to the space plan was to eliminate the formal dining room and transform an area off the kitchen into a casual gathering spot for our clients and their children. The expandable table and coffee/wine bar means the room can handle large dinner parties and small study sessions with similar ease. The family room was relocated from a lower level to be more central part of the main floor, encouraging more quality family time, and freeing up space for a spacious home gym. In the living room, lounge-worthy upholstery grounds the space, encouraging a relaxed and effortless West Coast vibe. Exposed wood beams recall the original Spanish-influence, but feel updated and fresh in a light wood stain. Throughout the entry and main floor, found artifacts punctate the softer textures — ceramics from New Mexico, religious sculpture from Asia and a quirky wall-mounted phone that belonged to our client’s grandmother.

Spring break starts in the closet. ?? Custom storage means no more digging through drawers or straining on tiptoes to find swimsuits, sandals, or that one travel bag you swear you saw last month. Everything in its place. ✔️ Suitcase packed in record time. ✔️ Now all that’s left? Hitting the road. ✔️ Talk to us about making vacation less about stress and more about excitement and relaxation!

Originally built in 1938, this bungalow cottage had enduring character, but its traditional closed kitchen layout – typical of the era – didn’t align with the way the homeowners envisioned living in the space. Inspired by their travels through England’s Cotswolds, the French countryside, and Carmel’s whimsical Storybook Cottages by the Sea, the homeowners dreamed of a home that captured the romance of cottages and one that would seamlessly connect with their stunning English-style garden. After years of attempting to reimagine the kitchen in its original location the homeowners realized it would never truly suit the way they lived & wanted to entertain. The original kitchen was historical & was built when the kitchen was the last room you wanted guests to see. It was tucked into the front corner of the home off a hallway leading to the main level bedrooms and bath. To reach the dining room, you passed through a servery swing door, then continued into the living room. While the original door had charm, it disrupted the flow and connection between the kitchen and the main living areas. To bring the homeowners’ vision to life, the design called for a bold move—relocating the kitchen entirely. We designed a 560-square-foot addition off the living room – placing the kitchen at the heart of the home and connecting it to the gardens. The new space includes a sunlit breakfast nook, a charming butler’s pantry, a garden vestibule with its own entry porch, and a wraparound porch that encourages indoor-outdoor living. The main level remodel also redefined existing spaces: the old dining room was transformed into a cozy study library, while a former bedroom became an elegant dining room just off the new kitchen. Every design decision honored the home’s original 1938 architecture and character. Matching the home’s original 1.5-story proportions, the new kitchen wing was designed with intersecting gables that echo the scale and pitch of the existing roofline. A stone-wrapped chimney topped with a handcrafted copper cap is straight from the pages of a storybook. Decorative corbels, intricate window trim, and cedar shake in the gable ends further connect the new architecture to the home’s historic detailing. Finishes and fixtures were thoughtfully chosen to marry the home’s moodier, character-rich original rooms with the brighter, lighter new spaces. The result is a timeless transformation that feels as though it has always been part of the home – an enchanting blend of storybook charm, functional design, and garden-centered living. At the ground level, a Pennsylvania bluestone porch and stone skirting ground the addition in traditional materials. Inside, a tongue-and-groove ceiling with hand-hewn beams gives purpose and intimacy to the heightened kitchen ceiling. The home’s signature arched openings were meticulously replicated in the new kitchen, breakfast nook, and dining room, ensuring a seamless transition between old and new. Every element – inside and out – was chosen to honor the original home while enhancing the charm, character, and connection to the garden. Photos by MK Photography

Colin Price Photography
Example of a mid-sized eclectic formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in San Francisco with blue walls, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv