Designed for the lifestyle and budget of a young married couple and growing family, this home offers a viable alternative to the generic speculative home. Occupying a small leftover developer site, just under four tenths of an acre at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac, the Lanning Residence site is anchored by a one hundred year old oak tree. The parcel, once undesirable to developers and their speculative plans, became the inspiration for the project form. Acting as both designers and builders, the decision was made early to utilize a strategy typical to most suburban construction; maximizing square footage while minimizing the building perimeter. An analysis of the surrounding suburban fabric revealed that the adjoining property lines were heavily planted. Views and window placement were organized to take advantage of the adjacent landscape while maximizing natural light. The house program is distributed within two main volumes that are connected by a translucent circulation volume. The spacious interior volumes, large windows, plywood shear walls, sheetrock, and simple details allowed for a light construction budget. Spray foam insulation and well designed mechanical systems allowed the family to reduce their monthly utility bills by over half, creating a far more energy efficient lifestyle.

Large tuscan l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

ARTR152M4: adorne® Tamper-Resistant Outlet - 15A - 125V - Magnesium All adorne outlets include a tamper-resistant design featuring a patented shutter system, keeping children safe by preventing them from pushing small objects into the outlet. The shutters are molded a dark color that they fade into the backgorund while keeping users safe. Patented shutter system helps prevent improper insertion of foreign objects. Configuration easily supports two plugs and offers the capacity of a standard outlet. Easy "1-for-1" installation lets you simply replace your existing outlet in just minutes. Fits in your existing electrical box and does not require new wires for typical installation. Innovative assembly and snap-in system make it fast and simple to install.

Klopf Architecture, Arterra Landscape Architects and Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Designed and built a new warm, modern, Eichler-inspired, open, indoor-outdoor home on a deeper-than-usual San Mateo Highlands property where an original Eichler house had burned to the ground. The owners wanted multi-generational living and larger spaces than the original home offered, but all parties agreed that the house should respect the neighborhood and blend in stylistically with the other Eichlers. At first the Klopf team considered re-using what little was left of the original home and expanding on it. But after discussions with the owner and builder, all parties agreed that the last few remaining elements of the house were not practical to re-use, so Klopf Architecture designed a new home that pushes the Eichler approach in new directions. One disadvantage of Eichler production homes is that the house designs were not optimized for each specific lot. A new custom home offered the team a chance to start over. In this case, a longer house that opens up sideways to the south fit the lot better than the original square-ish house that used to open to the rear (west). Accordingly, the Klopf team designed an L-shaped “bar” house with a large glass wall with large sliding glass doors that faces sideways instead of to the rear like a typical Eichler. This glass wall opens to a pool and landscaped yard designed by Arterra Landscape Architects. Driving by the house, one might assume at first glance it is an Eichler because of the horizontality, the overhanging flat roof eaves, the dark gray vertical siding, and orange solid panel front door, but the house is designed for the 21st Century and is not meant to be a “Likeler.” You won't see any posts and beams in this home. Instead, the ceiling decking is a western red cedar that covers over all the beams. Like Eichlers, this cedar runs continuously from inside to out, enhancing the indoor / outdoor feeling of the house, but unlike Eichlers it conceals a cavity for lighting, wiring, and insulation. Ceilings are higher, rooms are larger and more open, the master bathroom is light-filled and more generous, with a separate tub and shower and a separate toilet compartment, and there is plenty of storage. The garage even easily fits two of today's vehicles with room to spare. A massive 49-foot by 12-foot wall of glass and the continuity of materials from inside to outside enhance the inside-outside living concept, so the owners and their guests can flow freely from house to pool deck to BBQ to pool and back. During construction in the rough framing stage, Klopf thought the front of the house appeared too tall even though the house had looked right in the design renderings (probably because the house is uphill from the street). So Klopf Architecture paid the framer to change the roofline from how we had designed it to be lower along the front, allowing the home to blend in better with the neighborhood. One project goal was for people driving up the street to pass the home without immediately noticing there is an "imposter" on this lot, and making that change was essential to achieve that goal. This 2,606 square foot, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom Eichler-inspired new house is located in San Mateo in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Klara Kevane Landscape Architect: Arterra Landscape Architects Contractor: Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Photography ©2016 Mariko Reed Location: San Mateo, CA Year completed: 2016

DAVID CANNON
Country medium tone wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room photo in Atlanta with gray walls

Hallmark Floors Monterey Engineered hardwood floors installed in modern Master Bedroom. To see the rest of the colors in the collection visit HallmarkFloors.com or contact us to order your new floors today! Hallmark Floors Monterey Collection MONTEREY COLLECTION URL: http://hallmarkfloors.com/hallmark-hardwoods/monterey-hardwood-collection/ Simply savvy Creating a New demand for random width, by using tomorrows technology, has lead to the development of the Monterey Hardwood Collection. Available in maple and hickory, with a combined width of 4”, 6”, and 8” and random lengths up to 6’. Using proprietary Trueslice® technology, Hallmark is producing a very stable 2mm sliced face on a 1/2” thick (total) engineered plank making it simply savvy. The slice face visuals mimic that of sawn face with a tighter, higher-end grain look than typical rotary cut products currently offered by the competition. Topped off with our incredibly durable Truemark Glaze Tek Poly Finish, Monterey is a definite game changer. Simply Better…Discover Why.

The photography studio is located on the ground floor for easy loading and unloading. The floors are made of rubber which is not only durable but also shock absorbent. Floors: rubberflooringinc.com Photo: Margot Hartford © 2014 Houzz

Photo: Alexandra Crafton © 2017 Houzz
Kitchen - cottage kitchen idea in Boston

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Transitional living room photo in Los Angeles

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

This project hits very close to home for us. Not your typical office space, we re-purposed a 19th century carriage barn into our office and workshop. With no heat, minimum electricity and few windows (most of which were broken), a priority for CEO and Designer Jason Hoffman was to create a space that honors its historic architecture, era and purpose but still offers elements of understated sophistication. The building is nearly 140 years old, built before many of the trees towering around it had begun growing. It was originally built as a simple, Victorian carriage barn, used to store the family’s horse and buggy. Later, it housed 2,000 chickens when the Owners worked the property as their farm. Then, for many years, it was storage space. Today, it couples as a workshop for our carpentry team, building custom projects and storing equipment, as well as an office loft space ready to welcome clients, visitors and trade partners. We added a small addition onto the existing barn to offer a separate entry way for the office. New stairs and an entrance to the workshop provides for a small, yet inviting foyer space. From the beginning, even is it’s dark state, Jason loved the ambiance of the old hay loft with its unfinished, darker toned timbers. He knew he wanted to find a way to refinish the space with a focus on those timbers, evident in the statement they make when walking up the stairs. On the exterior, the building received new siding, a new roof and even a new foundation which is a story for another post. Inside, we added skylights, larger windows and a French door, with a small balcony. Along with heat, electricity, WiFi and office furniture, we’re ready for visitors!

Designed for the lifestyle and budget of a young married couple and growing family, this home offers a viable alternative to the generic speculative home. Occupying a small leftover developer site, just under four tenths of an acre at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac, the Lanning Residence site is anchored by a one hundred year old oak tree. The parcel, once undesirable to developers and their speculative plans, became the inspiration for the project form. Acting as both designers and builders, the decision was made early to utilize a strategy typical to most suburban construction; maximizing square footage while minimizing the building perimeter. An analysis of the surrounding suburban fabric revealed that the adjoining property lines were heavily planted. Views and window placement were organized to take advantage of the adjacent landscape while maximizing natural light. The house program is distributed within two main volumes that are connected by a translucent circulation volume. The spacious interior volumes, large windows, plywood shear walls, sheetrock, and simple details allowed for a light construction budget. Spray foam insulation and well designed mechanical systems allowed the family to reduce their monthly utility bills by over half, creating a far more energy efficient lifestyle.

MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola with mobile blades results from the adjustable and remote-controlled opening. Through their opening action, the portable blades make it easier for air to circulate and heat to escape. As a result, a fresher air flow dynamic is established beneath the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola, providing comfort despite the outdoor heat. This significant benefit of the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola keeps the space from turning into an oven in high summer or mid-season, as is typical of a veranda or conservatory. This means that you can continue to take advantage of your terrace even when it’s extremely hot outside. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola is an extra living space, modular and usable all year long. It provides comfort, a place to entertain, and a boost to the value of your home. The roof of a MERZOUGA BioClimatic, composed of mobile blades, can be closed hermetically to protect it from the rain. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola can be customized with equipment such as infrared heating and practical or ambient lighting modules.As they are realized with recyclable materials at 98%, which offer a natural circulation and avoid the greenhouse effect, the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola aim to limit the impact on the environment the most possible. Aluminum is a sustainable and recyclable component.

MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola with mobile blades results from the adjustable and remote-controlled opening. Through their opening action, the portable blades make it easier for air to circulate and heat to escape. As a result, a fresher air flow dynamic is established beneath the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola, providing comfort despite the outdoor heat. This significant benefit of the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola keeps the space from turning into an oven in high summer or mid-season, as is typical of a veranda or conservatory. This means that you can continue to take advantage of your terrace even when it’s extremely hot outside. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola is an extra living space, modular and usable all year long. It provides comfort, a place to entertain, and a boost to the value of your home. The roof of a MERZOUGA BioClimatic, composed of mobile blades, can be closed hermetically to protect it from the rain. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola can be customized with equipment such as infrared heating and practical or ambient lighting modules.As they are realized with recyclable materials at 98%, which offer a natural circulation and avoid the greenhouse effect, the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola aim to limit the impact on the environment the most possible. Aluminum is a sustainable and recyclable component.

For an 1890s-era property in Northborough, Massachusetts, we completely revitalized the kitchen to be a beautiful gathering spot for a busy family. The homeowners wanted to ensure the space paid homage to the heritage style of the home while maintaining an open and minimalist aesthetic. To that end, we removed all the wall cabinets and incorporated most of the storage in the base cabinets. The simple Shaker-style doors with brass hardware fit perfectly into the design, with the painted green and natural rustic walnut cabinets offering a gorgeous contrast to the white cabinets. To further transform the kitchen, we added more windows to the previously dark, enclosed space. The ceiling beams are reclaimed wood beams from a mill building in the area and complement the custom walnut butcher block and rustic walnut glass wall cabinet. Another unique feature is the weathered, matte soapstone finish of the black granite on the countertops rather than the more typical polished effect.

The farmhouse design is well-suited for multi-family houses plus apartment buildings with sloping sides. Their distinct design helps them create an eye-catching appearance, and the spacious porch welcomes guests and hosts inside. The modern cottage's main-floor layout flaunts a spacious and elegantly designed formal living area connected to a large back porch and an inviting fireplace to keep you warm in the winter. This room features a reading area with an office area with storage and a deck, a well-equipped kitchen with a modern counter, a complimentary breakfast point off the butler's kitchen, and a sun porch with a fireplace. The kitchen is connected to the laundry room, and the mudroom has a garage, which has 3 cars. In addition, the powder room and a mudroom are located on the lower level. This luxurious luxury home's interior includes living rooms with games, a fitness center, a half bath, and storage space. The upstairs level of the home features a master bedroom with a modern master bathroom with typical amenities and an assortment of bedrooms offering a private bathroom with closets and private alcoves. Each bedroom has a gorgeous walk-in closet. The spacious five-bedroom, four-bathroom bungalow-style house is intended for everyone to enjoy time together.

We make backyard dreams a reality. This project features a custom BBQ island/outdoor kitchen with an attached TV media wall. The media wall adds privacy, creates additional shade, and helps make the space more comfortable for outdoor entertaining. We also prefer to install the TV flush into the wall, which gives it a clean built-in look while offering added protection from wind, dust, and the Las Vegas elements. For this outdoor kitchen, we installed a 32" Lion Premium Grill and an outdoor-rated 24" refrigerator. Ultra Patios of Las Vegas helped complete the project with a clean, modern patio cover that ties the entire space together. A project like this, including the patio cover, typically ranges from $20,000 to $25,000, depending on size, layout, finishes, and options selected. This project is approximately 15 feet wide. For the finish, we used Omega AkroFlex stucco, which is a great choice for the Las Vegas climate. It is durable, easy to clean, and gives the outdoor kitchen a modern, high-end look — perfect for a space built around grilling, entertaining, and relaxing. Give us a call today to schedule your free in-home estimate and start designing your own custom outdoor living space.

MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola with mobile blades results from the adjustable and remote-controlled opening. Through their opening action, the portable blades make it easier for air to circulate and heat to escape. As a result, a fresher air flow dynamic is established beneath the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola, providing comfort despite the outdoor heat. This significant benefit of the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola keeps the space from turning into an oven in high summer or mid-season, as is typical of a veranda or conservatory. This means that you can continue to take advantage of your terrace even when it’s extremely hot outside. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola is an extra living space, modular and usable all year long. It provides comfort, a place to entertain, and a boost to the value of your home. The roof of a MERZOUGA BioClimatic, composed of mobile blades, can be closed hermetically to protect it from the rain. MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola can be customized with equipment such as infrared heating and practical or ambient lighting modules.As they are realized with recyclable materials at 98%, which offer a natural circulation and avoid the greenhouse effect, the MERZOUGA BioClimatic pergola aim to limit the impact on the environment the most possible. Aluminum is a sustainable and recyclable component.