Search results for "Typically played" in Home Design Ideas

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

New kitchen. This was a typical small 2 story brick home in Bethesda with a walk out basement. The back faced south but there were very few windows making it dark inside. We added a 3 story addition to the back for a new master suite, new kitchen and dining room and a new play room on the lower level. We also added a large deck off the kitchen and a deck off the master bedroom.
The new south facing windows heat the house in the winter and the balcony and overhang shades the windows in the summer. The most dramatic feature of this addition is the new stainless steel stair and the new structural steel that replaced the original brick wall.
This is a classic example of passive solar design.

When it comes to basement remodels, there is no shortage of modern basement ideas to borrow from. This West Lafayette family was ready to reclaim their empty, unfinished basement and gain valuable living space for their family. Rather than letting this precious square footage go to waste, they opted to transform their basement into a welcoming area for friends and family to enjoy. With plenty of options to choose from, this family can now set up a game room, a play area for their kids, or even a theater room. Regardless of how they end up using this space, they are most certainly going to increase the value of their home.
Balancing aesthetics and functionality, this basement remodel was painted a soft gray with white trim. The floors were laid with neutral Mohawk Key Trend mineral deposit carpet, and the typical “wasted” space under the stairwell was turned into a useful closet for much-needed storage. Riverside Construction also added a full bathroom to this basement, which not only likely increased the home’s value, but also made it a truly livable space.
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Shaker cabinets are timeless in their design, characterized by their simplicity, clean lines, and focus on functionality. They originated in the 18th century with the Shaker religious community, known for their craftsmanship and minimalist aesthetic. Despite their historical roots, Shaker cabinets have remained popular and relevant in modern kitchen design due to their ability to outlast trends.
One of the defining features of Shaker cabinets is their emphasis on natural materials. Typically constructed from hardwood such as maple, cherry, or oak, these cabinets exude warmth and durability.
The beauty of Shaker cabinets lies in their attention to detail. Each cabinet door is constructed with precision, featuring inset panels and simple, elegant hardware. The design is free from ornamentation, relying instead on the beauty of the materials and the craftsmanship of construction.
Symmetry plays a crucial role in Shaker cabinet design. The layout is carefully balanced, with each element contributing to a sense of harmony and order in the kitchen space. This commitment to symmetry not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures that the cabinets are highly functional, providing ample storage and easy access to kitchen essentials.

These clients have a high sense of design and have always built their own homes. They just downsized into a typical town home and needed this new space to stand out but also be accommodating of aging in place. The client, Jim, has a handful of challenges ahead of him with dealing with Parkinson and all of it symptoms. We optimized the shower, enlarging it by eliminating the tub and not using a shower door. We were able to do a curbless shower, reducing the likelihood of falling. We used larger tiles in the bathroom and shower but added the anti slip porcelain. I included a built-in seat in the shower and a stand-alone bench on the other side. We used a separate hand shower and easy to grab handles.
A natural palette peppered with some aqua and green breathes fresh, new life into a re-imagined UTC town home. Choosing materials and finishes that have higher contrast helps make the change from flooring to wall, as well as cabinet to counter, more obvious. Large glass wall tiles make the bathroom seem much larger. A flush installation of drywall to tile is easy on the eye while showing the attention to detail.
A modern custom floating vanity allows for walker wheels if needed. Personal touches like adding a filter faucet at the sink makes his trips to take medicine a bit easier.
One of my favorite things in design for any project is lighting. Not only can lighting add to the look and feel of the space, but it can also create a safer environment. Installing different types of lighting, including scones on either side of the mirror, recessed can lights both inside and outside of the shower, and LED strip lighting under the floating vanity, keep this modern bathroom current and very functional. Because of the skylight and the round window, light is allowed in to play with the different colors in the glass and the shapes around the room, which created a bright and playful bathroom.
It is not often that I get to play with stain-glass, but this existing circular window, that we could NOT change, needed some love. We used a local craftsman that allowed us to design a playful stain-glass piece for the inside of the bathroom window, reminding them of their front door in their custom home years ago.

The breathtaking ocean views influenced the dramatic redesign of this water-front Poipu condo. The outdated condo was completely remodeled to allow full appreciation of the surrounding views, bring in a fresh new color palette, and modernize and update everything from the electrical wiring to the new luxury bath towels. The clients wanted the condo to feel “fun, happy, and cheerful,” and to stand apart from the typical vacation rental on Kauai. They wanted to turn this condo into the ultimate “beach house” that felt just as luxurious as the gorgeous natural surroundings.
Fresh white ship-lap walls set the backdrop for this modern beach style, which is further enhanced with bold stripes, natural textures, and ocean-themed decor. The palette of cobalt, aqua and lichen green is fresh and vibrant against the neutral backdrop. Trina Turk’s “Peacock Print” was the inspiration fabric for the living and dining room. The print is so lively, colorful, and modern, and was the perfect place to start.
Every custom detail was thoughtfully chosen to bring a sense of luxury and originality to the space. While some elements are whimsical, such as the playful octopus art & fish-themed fabric, other elements are sophisticated and classic, to help keep the design grounded.
Special features include a custom-made “Moroccan Fish Scale” tile backsplash in the kitchen, crushed marble counter tops with oyster shells and float glass, and blue glass pendant lights, reminiscent of water bubbles.

Shaker cabinets are timeless in their design, characterized by their simplicity, clean lines, and focus on functionality. They originated in the 18th century with the Shaker religious community, known for their craftsmanship and minimalist aesthetic. Despite their historical roots, Shaker cabinets have remained popular and relevant in modern kitchen design due to their ability to outlast trends.
One of the defining features of Shaker cabinets is their emphasis on natural materials. Typically constructed from hardwood such as maple, cherry, or oak, these cabinets exude warmth and durability.
The beauty of Shaker cabinets lies in their attention to detail. Each cabinet door is constructed with precision, featuring inset panels and simple, elegant hardware. The design is free from ornamentation, relying instead on the beauty of the materials and the craftsmanship of construction.
Symmetry plays a crucial role in Shaker cabinet design. The layout is carefully balanced, with each element contributing to a sense of harmony and order in the kitchen space. This commitment to symmetry not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures that the cabinets are highly functional, providing ample storage and easy access to kitchen essentials.

Shaker cabinets are timeless in their design, characterized by their simplicity, clean lines, and focus on functionality. They originated in the 18th century with the Shaker religious community, known for their craftsmanship and minimalist aesthetic. Despite their historical roots, Shaker cabinets have remained popular and relevant in modern kitchen design due to their ability to outlast trends.
One of the defining features of Shaker cabinets is their emphasis on natural materials. Typically constructed from hardwood such as maple, cherry, or oak, these cabinets exude warmth and durability.
The beauty of Shaker cabinets lies in their attention to detail. Each cabinet door is constructed with precision, featuring inset panels and simple, elegant hardware. The design is free from ornamentation, relying instead on the beauty of the materials and the craftsmanship of construction.
Symmetry plays a crucial role in Shaker cabinet design. The layout is carefully balanced, with each element contributing to a sense of harmony and order in the kitchen space. This commitment to symmetry not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures that the cabinets are highly functional, providing ample storage and easy access to kitchen essentials.

Beautiful retreat for a teen loves having friends over and plenty of places for everyone to gather. Instead of a the typical desk we placed a sturdy marble top pedestal table in front of the arched window seat and custom upholstered the seat cushion and throw pillows to create a study area. By installing the drapery hardware and panels to the ceiling this area can be closed off for privacy and become a small retreat space. A full size sofa with extra ottoman seating allows more friends to gather and hang out. The makeup station has ample lighting with added wall sconces and can take advantage of the natural light from the windows behind. All of this a plenty of subtle patterns play together from the graphic rug to the medallion duvet, trellis drapery and floral pillows.
Photography by Ashley Claes

Shaker cabinets are timeless in their design, characterized by their simplicity, clean lines, and focus on functionality. They originated in the 18th century with the Shaker religious community, known for their craftsmanship and minimalist aesthetic. Despite their historical roots, Shaker cabinets have remained popular and relevant in modern kitchen design due to their ability to outlast trends.
One of the defining features of Shaker cabinets is their emphasis on natural materials. Typically constructed from hardwood such as maple, cherry, or oak, these cabinets exude warmth and durability.
The beauty of Shaker cabinets lies in their attention to detail. Each cabinet door is constructed with precision, featuring inset panels and simple, elegant hardware. The design is free from ornamentation, relying instead on the beauty of the materials and the craftsmanship of construction.
Symmetry plays a crucial role in Shaker cabinet design. The layout is carefully balanced, with each element contributing to a sense of harmony and order in the kitchen space. This commitment to symmetry not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures that the cabinets are highly functional, providing ample storage and easy access to kitchen essentials.

Powder bathrooms are typically the place to play with design and finishes, and this bathroom is no exception. Metallic, textured wallpaper brings life to the walls while the artful vanity, mirror, and plumbing fixtures enhance the contemporary feel.
Designer: Debra Owens
Photographer: Michael Hunter

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows.
This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces.
The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall.
In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas.
archphoto.com

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows.
This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces.
The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall.
In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas.
archphoto.com

Photo by Eric Rorer
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in San Francisco
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in San Francisco

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

The owners of this 1956 ranch home in Atlanta partnered with Copper Sky Design + Remodel to modernize the space while enhancing its mid-century character. The standout feature of the project is the kitchen, where a custom curved wood tambour island adds a striking retro element. This open-concept space is warmed by wood ceiling beams and tongue-and-groove planks, creating a blend of mid-century charm and modern functionality. The adjacent breakfast nook offers a cozy spot for morning coffee, while geometric tile patterns and asymmetrical designs throughout the kitchen honor the home's original era.
The remodel included reconfiguring the floor plan to add practical spaces like a laundry room, jack-and-jill bathroom, and pantry. The primary bathroom was updated with retro-inspired hexagon tiles, tying the room's design into the home's mid-century aesthetic. In the entryway, a vibrant front door and modern tile work, paired with clerestory windows, create a bright and welcoming atmosphere.
On the exterior, new wood-look garage doors and vintage breeze blocks enhance the home's curb appeal, while a fresh coat of paint ties everything together. These thoughtful updates to both the interior and exterior reflect a harmonious balance between mid-century nostalgia and modern living.

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows.
This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces.
The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall.
In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas.
archphoto.com

If you've ever taken a road trip that meandered through the countryside you've probably noticed that simple house sitting at the end of a dirt road. It looks cozy and has a rustic charm that reminds us of a more straightforward way of living. A warm, cozy fire on a chilly fall evening, or sitting on the farmers' porch enjoying a cold iced tea at the end of a long summer day.
Today, as more of us are beginning to appreciate the warmth of that rustic setting, one design style is rapidly growing in popularity. Known as “Modern Rustic” it provides homeowners with the warm, natural, and inviting style of that rural farmhouse, along with the clean, simple lines of modern design.
One of the characteristics of the Modern Rustic design aesthetic is that is evidenced by both the physical rooms, as well as in individual pieces of furniture within the space. The primary design components of this style are the warmth of natural materials and the texture those material provide.
Exposed wood and stone or brick are often used to add character and the appearance of warmth to the aesthetic. These are textures typically found in old hand-built country homes, as these were the building materials available at the time. Woolen objects like rugs and blankets are used as décor to add warm textures to the space. Modern Rustic also uses smooth textures, for example, counter and chairs surfaces and cabinetry. These are the textures that provide the clean and modern feel.
Shape and architecture play a significant role in the overall design environment. Natural elements like stones and wood are typically rough and asymmetrical in their natural state. A Modern Rustic design combines these natural shapes like tree branches, antlers and river stones with rectangles, spheres, and sharp angles. Think Cathedral ceilings, large prominent stairs, huge natural beams, and beautiful stone fireplaces.
I am extremely proud of this project and we finish right on time before the couple get married. Contact @jojowongdesign for next gigs. @ Houston, Texas

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows.
This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces.
The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall.
In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas.
archphoto.com
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