This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

Kady Dunlap
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master light wood floor bedroom remodel in Austin with white walls

A simple wooden boardwalk passes through the forest. The stone sculpture is by Aaron G. Edwards
This is an example of an eclectic landscaping in Seattle.

Example of a mid-sized eclectic master carpeted bedroom design in Sacramento with white walls

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

Example of a trendy dining room design in Chicago with gray walls and no fireplace

Another view of the award-winning tailored balloon valance in this recently remodeled kitchen. The Hunter Douglas designer roller shades are hidden beneath, but available if needed. The three balloons were designed to align with the triple window. The soft tails at the sides of this valance are one option in the design of a balloon shade, and help fill the wall space at the sides of the window within this window niche. A leather reading chair sits below, as a relaxing place to enjoy the view. The Jacobean floral print of the valance gives a garden view even at night. Design by Linda H. Bassert, Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC; photography by Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC.

The fabric and backsplash tile selections were inspired by the client's collection of Italian plates, seen here on a the wall in the dining area, and in other photos in the glass front cabinets above the refrigerator. The tassel fringe at the hem, in blue, yellow, and green, adds a lilting rhythm. Design by Linda H. Bassert, Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC; photography by Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC.

A dressing room with custom built-in shelving incorporates innovate storage solutions and provides ample room for clothing, shoes and jewelry, while a new spa-like bath is reconfigured to unify the master retreat and add a touch of glamour. When truly custom cabinetry and tailored designs combine with functionality and space-maximizing solutions, the best of every world emerges. Photo Credit: Ashley Avila

Example of a classic u-shaped eat-in kitchen design in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and white backsplash

Contractor: Joseph McKinstry Construction; Interior Design: Jan Holbrook; Photo: Benjamin Benschneider
Inspiration for a contemporary medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, gray backsplash and glass sheet backsplash

The owners of this property had been away from the Bay Area for many years, and looked forward to returning to an elegant mid-century modern house. The one they bought was anything but that. Faced with a “remuddled” kitchen from one decade, a haphazard bedroom / family room addition from another, and an otherwise disjointed and generally run-down mid-century modern house, the owners asked Klopf Architecture and Envision Landscape Studio to re-imagine this house and property as a unified, flowing, sophisticated, warm, modern indoor / outdoor living space for a family of five. Opening up the spaces internally and from inside to out was the first order of business. The formerly disjointed eat-in kitchen with 7 foot high ceilings were opened up to the living room, re-oriented, and replaced with a spacious cook's kitchen complete with a row of skylights bringing light into the space. Adjacent the living room wall was completely opened up with La Cantina folding door system, connecting the interior living space to a new wood deck that acts as a continuation of the wood floor. People can flow from kitchen to the living / dining room and the deck seamlessly, making the main entertainment space feel at once unified and complete, and at the same time open and limitless. Klopf opened up the bedroom with a large sliding panel, and turned what was once a large walk-in closet into an office area, again with a large sliding panel. The master bathroom has high windows all along one wall to bring in light, and a large wet room area for the shower and tub. The dark, solid roof structure over the patio was replaced with an open trellis that allows plenty of light, brightening the new deck area as well as the interior of the house. All the materials of the house were replaced, apart from the framing and the ceiling boards. This allowed Klopf to unify the materials from space to space, running the same wood flooring throughout, using the same paint colors, and generally creating a consistent look from room to room. Located in Lafayette, CA this remodeled single-family house is 3,363 square foot, 4 bedroom, and 3.5 bathroom. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Jackie Detamore, and Jeffrey Prose Landscape Design: Envision Landscape Studio Structural Engineer: Brian Dotson Consulting Engineers Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed Staging: The Design Shop Location: Lafayette, CA Year completed: 2014

Anna Routh Photography
Living room - traditional dark wood floor living room idea in New York with green walls and a standard fireplace

Country l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, gray backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

ORIJIN STONE exclusive custom-crafted limestone veneer blend. Custom fabricated hearth stone in our Pewter™ limestone. Photography by Canary Grey.
Example of a trendy open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Minneapolis with a stone fireplace, gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Kara Spelman
Alcove shower - mid-sized transitional master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and gray floor alcove shower idea in Boston with a one-piece toilet, gray walls, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Example of a mid-sized mid-century modern brick floor entryway design in Dallas with white walls

This perspective of the living room highlights the seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living. A multi-panel slider door folds effortlessly into itself, opening the space to the exterior for unobstructed flow and fresh air. At the heart of the room, a stunning see-through fireplace serves as a sculptural centerpiece—visible from both sides and offering warmth and ambiance throughout the open layout. This view perfectly captures the balance of modern luxury and thoughtful functionality.