Paul Dyer Photography
Inspiration for a timeless gray tile and glass tile mosaic tile floor corner shower remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, white cabinets, an undermount tub, gray walls and recessed-panel cabinets

Design ideas for a mid-century modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Photography by Jared Kuzia
Inspiration for a farmhouse mosaic tile floor bathroom remodel in Boston with blue walls and a trough sink

A young couple with three small children purchased this full floor loft in Tribeca in need of a gut renovation. The existing apartment was plagued with awkward spaces, limited natural light and an outdated décor. It was also lacking the required third child’s bedroom desperately needed for their newly expanded family. StudioLAB aimed for a fluid open-plan layout in the larger public spaces while creating smaller, tighter quarters in the rear private spaces to satisfy the family’s programmatic wishes. 3 small children’s bedrooms were carved out of the rear lower level connected by a communal playroom and a shared kid’s bathroom. Upstairs, the master bedroom and master bathroom float above the kid’s rooms on a mezzanine accessed by a newly built staircase. Ample new storage was built underneath the staircase as an extension of the open kitchen and dining areas. A custom pull out drawer containing the food and water bowls was installed for the family’s two dogs to be hidden away out of site when not in use. All wall surfaces, existing and new, were limited to a bright but warm white finish to create a seamless integration in the ceiling and wall structures allowing the spatial progression of the space and sculptural quality of the midcentury modern furniture pieces and colorful original artwork, painted by the wife’s brother, to enhance the space. The existing tin ceiling was left in the living room to maximize ceiling heights and remain a reminder of the historical details of the original construction. A new central AC system was added with an exposed cylindrical duct running along the long living room wall. A small office nook was built next to the elevator tucked away to be out of site.

Inspiration for the kitchen draws from the client’s eclectic, cosmopolitan style and the industrial 1920s. There is a French gas range in Delft Blue by LaCanche and antiques which double as prep spaces and storage. Custom-made, ceiling mounted open shelving with steel frames and reclaimed wood are practical and show off favorite serve-ware. A small bank of lower cabinets house small appliances and large pots between the kitchen and mudroom. Light reflects off the paneled ceiling and Florence Broadhurst wallpaper at the far wall.

Dawn Burkhart
Example of a mid-sized cottage l-shaped brown floor and dark wood floor kitchen design in Boise with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops and white cabinets

Focal wall with open shelving, subway tile, and stainless appliances. Lisa Gabrielson. J. Schoenberger Photo: Lauren Rubinstein
Inspiration for a farmhouse u-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

A choice of red painted cabinets on the island breaks up the expansion of white in this space. Clean lines and a simple shaker door stay in trend with current styles. Cambria quartz on the countertops in Laneshaw, compliment the color palette beautifully. Photo by Brian Walters

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Large cottage detached barn photo in Manchester

Large farmhouse light wood floor dining room photo in Charlotte with white walls and a standard fireplace

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Denver

Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Kate Benjamin Photographer, Lindsey Markel Kitchen & Bath Designer, Shana Smith Interior Designer, Don Henderson Custom Installer

Ross Chandler Photography
Inspiration for a farmhouse galley dedicated laundry room remodel in Other with a drop-in sink, gray cabinets, beige walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and recessed-panel cabinets

Tre Dunham, Fine Focus Photography
Inspiration for a country formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Austin with beige walls, a two-sided fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Master closet, her area. Marble topped island holds jewelry and accessories. Designed by Los Angeles interior designer Alexandra Rae
Example of a mid-sized classic women's carpeted and beige floor dressing room design in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets and green cabinets

This dreamy master bath remodel in East Cobb offers generous space without going overboard in square footage. The homeowner chose to go with a large double vanity with a custom seated space as well as a nice shower with custom features and decided to forgo the typical big soaking tub. The vanity area shown in the photos has plenty of storage within the wall cabinets and the large drawers below. The countertop is Cedar Brown slab marble with undermount sinks. The brushed nickel metal details were done to work with the theme through out the home. The floor is a 12x24 honed Crema Marfil. The stunning crystal chandelier draws the eye up and adds to the simplistic glamour of the bath. The shower was done with an elegant combination of tumbled and polished Crema Marfil, two rows of Emperador Light inlay and Mirage Glass Tiles, Flower Series, Polished.

Example of a classic dining room design in New York