Hilltop Georgian Perched on a secluded wooded hill, this new house pays homage to 18th century Georgian architecture while clean contemporary lines situate it squarely in the 21st century. A hilly drive leads to a courtyard surrounded by a brick knee wall, lending the 6,000 square-foot house a sense of place. Formal arrival spaces are complemented by informal ones in the rear, ideal for our clients and their young family. Two symmetrical wings on either side of the main entrance provide a beautifully balanced structure. The house is clad in buck joint clapboard, a neoclassical treatment that creates an unbroken, elegant façade as well as a textural contrast to the clapboard-clad wings. Jeff McNamara

Mike Kaskel
Country open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room photo in Houston with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Wing Wong/Memories TTL
Example of a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped light wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, red cabinets, quartz countertops, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

With porches on every side, the “Georgetown” is designed for enjoying the natural surroundings. The main level of the home is characterized by wide open spaces, with connected kitchen, dining, and living areas, all leading onto the various outdoor patios. The main floor master bedroom occupies one entire wing of the home, along with an additional bedroom suite. The upper level features two bedroom suites and a bunk room, with space over the detached garage providing a private guest suite.

The program consists of a detached Guest House with full Kitchen, Living and Dining amenities, Carport and Office Building with attached Main house and Master Bedroom wing. The arrangement of buildings was dictated by the numerous majestic oaks and organized as a procession of spaces leading from the Entry arbor up to the front door. Large covered terraces and arbors were used to extend the interior living spaces out onto the site. All the buildings are clad in Texas limestone with accent bands of Leuders limestone to mimic the local limestone cliffs in the area. Steel was used on the arbors and fences and left to rust. Vertical grain Douglas fir was used on the interior while flagstone and stained concrete floors were used throughout. The flagstone floors extend from the exterior entry arbors into the interior of the Main Living space and out onto the Main house terraces.

Steeply pitched roofs, brick exterior with half-timbering, and steel windows and doors which are all common features to the English Tudor style. While staying true to the character of the property and architectural style, unique detailing like bracketed arbors make it well suited for its garden setting.

Example of a classic formal and enclosed dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Little Rock with yellow walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Creating spaces that make connections between the indoors and out, while making the most of the panoramic lake views and lush landscape that surround were two key goals of this seasonal home’s design. Central entrance into the residence brings you to an open dining and lounge space, with natural light flooding in through rooftop skylights. Soaring ceilings and subdued color palettes give the adjacent kitchen and living room an airy and expansive feeling, while the large, sliding glass doors and picture windows bring the warmth of the outdoors in. The family room, located in one of the two zinc-clad connector spaces, offers a more intimate lounge area and leads into the master suite wing, complete with vaulted ceilings and sleek lines. Three additional guest suites can be found in the opposite wing of the home, providing ideally separate living spaces for a multi-generational family. Photographer: Steve Hall © Hedrich Blessing Architect: Booth Hansen

Falcon House is located on Falcon Ridge Road, which winds along a steeply inclined ridge in a stretch of foothills within Carmel Valley in Monterey County. An old lichen covered barn and split rail, cedar fences characterize this area known as Markham Ranch, and contrast sharply with the preponderance of sprawling, large estate-style homes, many more at-home in the Italian countryside than any landscape of California. Designed for a young family, Falcon House responds to the family’s desire to live a more modest lifestyle, eschewing overt displays of extravagance for an intimate and deferential relation to nature. The 3,200-square-foot residence occupies a difficult portion of the northern slope of a hillside, overlooking a verdant valley and oriented toward Castle Rock in the distance. The steep terrain necessitated a compartmentalized plan capable of negotiating the gentle hillock at the center of the site. A corridor bridge spans two pieces of the house, uniting living and sleeping spaces and allowing an existing watercourse to flow essentially through the house unobstructed. Large panels of glass open the living spaces to the landscape, beneath the deep overhang of a butterfly roof. Operable clerestories placed high on the window-wall allow prevailing breezes to cool the interior spaces. The bedroom wing of the house hugs the hillside as it turns to the west, ensuring privacy from the main living spaces. The sense of seclusion and protection of this wing is reinforced by its lower roofline and its embedment into the hill. Initial resistance by neighboring homeowners has given way to appreciation, having seen the results of careful siting and a material and color palate sympathetic to the surrounding hillsides. The dwelling embodies an attitude of respect for the landscape, and through that perspective Falcon House has become as natural a part of its environment as the hawks flying overhead. 2008 AIA Orange County Chapter Merit Award

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2016 Houzz
Photo of a traditional landscaping in New York.

A new concrete patio was situated between the two wings at the rear of the remodeled house. The room to the right is the sun porch with EZE Breeze windows & doors. The double sliding doors from Jeld-Wen at the end of the patio open into the hearth room.

Imagine relaxing on one of two long verandas that define the front and back of this elegant yet easygoing Southern-style home. Ideal for a country getaway or seaside retreat, the exterior features custom columns, easy-care lap siding, an abundance of windows and porches and a metal roof. One step inside, and it’s easy to see that Sunbreaker’s appeal doesn’t stop at the curb. Inside, a central main living space with a raised ceiling is open to the kitchen and upstairs balcony. Three sets of oversized French doors lead out onto a picturesque large porch. The triple French doors give the illusion of a wall of windows and take full advantage of views of the surrounding countryside or watery wonders. A central kitchen and dining area are located in the center of the home flanked by two identical wings. The upscale kitchen has granite countertops, classic dark wood cabinetry a two-tiered island and an overhead lounge/loft. Mirror images of each other, the wings contain two suites with bedroom, bath and private balcony. Upstairs, a common lounge unites two bunkrooms. Symmetry has never been so beautiful. Imagine relaxing on one of two long verandas that define the front and back of this elegant yet easygoing Southern-style home. Ideal for a country getaway or seaside retreat, the exterior features custom columns, easy-care lap siding, an abundance of windows and porches and a metal roof. One step inside, and it’s easy to see that Sunbreaker’s appeal doesn’t stop at the curb. Inside, a central main living space with a raised ceiling is open to the kitchen and upstairs balcony. Three sets of oversized French doors lead out onto a picturesque large porch. The triple French doors give the illusion of a wall of windows and take full advantage of views of the surrounding countryside or watery wonders. A central kitchen and dining area are located in the center of the home flanked by two identical wings. The upscale kitchen has granite countertops, classic dark wood cabinetry a two-tiered island and an overhead lounge/loft. Mirror images of each other, the wings contain two suites with bedroom, bath and private balcony. Upstairs, a common lounge unites two bunkrooms. Symmetry has never been so beautiful.

Inspiration for a timeless living room remodel in Boston

Fu-Tung Cheng, CHENG Design • Exterior Close-Up Side Shot of Tiburon House (Dusk) Tiburon House is Cheng Design's eighth custom home project. The topography of the site for Bluff House was a rift cut into the hillside, which inspired the design concept of an ascent up a narrow canyon path. Two main wings comprise a “T” floor plan; the first includes a two-story family living wing with office, children’s rooms and baths, and Master bedroom suite. The second wing features the living room, media room, kitchen and dining space that open to a rewarding 180-degree panorama of the San Francisco Bay, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and Belvedere Island. Photography: Tim Maloney

Designed and Built by: Cottage Home Company Photographed by: Kyle Caldabaugh of Level Exposure
Bedroom - transitional bedroom idea in Jacksonville

Imagine relaxing on one of two long verandas that define the front and back of this elegant yet easygoing Southern-style home. Ideal for a country getaway or seaside retreat, the exterior features custom columns, easy-care lap siding, an abundance of windows and porches and a metal roof. One step inside, and it’s easy to see that Sunbreaker’s appeal doesn’t stop at the curb. Inside, a central main living space with a raised ceiling is open to the kitchen and upstairs balcony. Three sets of oversized French doors lead out onto a picturesque large porch. The triple French doors give the illusion of a wall of windows and take full advantage of views of the surrounding countryside or watery wonders. A central kitchen and dining area are located in the center of the home flanked by two identical wings. The upscale kitchen has granite countertops, classic dark wood cabinetry a two-tiered island and an overhead lounge/loft. Mirror images of each other, the wings contain two suites with bedroom, bath and private balcony. Upstairs, a common lounge unites two bunkrooms. Symmetry has never been so beautiful. Imagine relaxing on one of two long verandas that define the front and back of this elegant yet easygoing Southern-style home. Ideal for a country getaway or seaside retreat, the exterior features custom columns, easy-care lap siding, an abundance of windows and porches and a metal roof. One step inside, and it’s easy to see that Sunbreaker’s appeal doesn’t stop at the curb. Inside, a central main living space with a raised ceiling is open to the kitchen and upstairs balcony. Three sets of oversized French doors lead out onto a picturesque large porch. The triple French doors give the illusion of a wall of windows and take full advantage of views of the surrounding countryside or watery wonders. A central kitchen and dining area are located in the center of the home flanked by two identical wings. The upscale kitchen has granite countertops, classic dark wood cabinetry a two-tiered island and an overhead lounge/loft. Mirror images of each other, the wings contain two suites with bedroom, bath and private balcony. Upstairs, a common lounge unites two bunkrooms. Symmetry has never been so beautiful.

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

With porches on every side, the “Georgetown” is designed for enjoying the natural surroundings. The main level of the home is characterized by wide open spaces, with connected kitchen, dining, and living areas, all leading onto the various outdoor patios. The main floor master bedroom occupies one entire wing of the home, along with an additional bedroom suite. The upper level features two bedroom suites and a bunk room, with space over the detached garage providing a private guest suite.