Mountain style l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen pantry photo in Raleigh with an undermount sink, open cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and multicolored countertops

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

Daniel Kelly Photography
Example of a transitional backyard custom-shaped natural hot tub design in Houston

This project was an update and addition to a historic firehouse in Pacific Heights. The original layout included the engine room, a bunkroom and a cook’s cottage at the rear. Our work was primarily to work with a collection of odd spaces at the rear and create kids bedrooms, a light court and design a more creative and inviting court yard between the existing buildings. After the renovation the home retains the character of the firehouse with 4 bedrooms to complement the party / play space on the ground floor, and the quintessential great room upstairs. Paul Dryer Photography

Inspiration for a large mediterranean two-story and backyard stone and kidney-shaped beige and natural pool fountain remodel in Tampa

The artisan tradition has never been more alluring. Tracing its visual inspiration to factories of the early 20th century, the Artesso Kitchen Collection by Brizo® is a warmer, more refined take on the industrial aesthetic. Born out of the spirit of the industrial revolution, Artesso combines inspiration from factories and forged metal to farming tools and inventions of the time. These elements give it the unique ability to be rustic and masculine, while still maintaining a sophisticated unexpected allure.

Blue & White Garden with rectangular lily pond; azaleas, tree peonies, assorted Spring bulbs, perennials and flowering shrubs. Display Garden, Seekonk, MA.

Bernard Andre'
Studio / workshop shed - rustic detached studio / workshop shed idea in San Francisco

Pequeño patio privado en este piso en Barcelona.
Patio vegetable garden - small industrial patio vegetable garden idea in Barcelona with no cover

custom potting bench
Photo of a small contemporary partial sun backyard brick landscaping in Orange County.

Family outside living area, an extension of the inside
Inspiration for a large modern backyard tile patio vegetable garden remodel with a roof extension

The owners wanted edibles and the only sunny spot is the front patio which is all stone so I put them in pots, which will do just fine.
Inspiration for a small transitional full sun front yard stone vegetable garden landscape in San Diego.

Photo copyright Ellen Sousa/THB Farm
Inspiration for a rustic landscaping in Boston.

John Wilbanks
Example of a trendy backyard water fountain deck design in Seattle with decking

Patio - small cottage backyard concrete paver patio idea in Seattle with no cover

As innkeepers, Lois and Evan Evans know all about hospitality. So after buying a 1955 Cape Cod cottage whose interiors hadn’t been updated since the 1970s, they set out on a whole-house renovation, a major focus of which was the kitchen. The goal of this renovation was to create a space that would be efficient and inviting for entertaining, as well as compatible with the home’s beach-cottage style. Cape Associates removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to create an open, airy layout. The ceilings were raised and clad in shiplap siding and highlighted with new pine beams, reflective of the cottage style of the home. New windows add a vintage look. The designer used a whitewashed palette and traditional cabinetry to push a casual and beachy vibe, while granite countertops add a touch of elegance. The layout was rearranged to include an island that’s roomy enough for casual meals and for guests to hang around when the owners are prepping party meals. Placing the main sink and dishwasher in the island instead of the usual under-the-window spot was a decision made by Lois early in the planning stages. “If we have guests over, I can face everyone when I’m rinsing vegetables or washing dishes,” she says. “Otherwise, my back would be turned.” The old avocado-hued linoleum flooring had an unexpected bonus: preserving the original oak floors, which were refinished. The new layout includes room for the homeowners’ hutch from their previous residence, as well as an old pot-bellied stove, a family heirloom. A glass-front cabinet allows the homeowners to show off colorful dishes. Bringing the cabinet down to counter level adds more storage. Stacking the microwave, oven and warming drawer adds efficiency.

A luxury home begins to feel cozy with how the exterior entry is staged. To create warmth add color and living vegetation.
This is an example of a huge traditional brick and stone front porch design in Wilmington with a roof extension.

Large open kitchen, access to vegetable garden off side door.
Large farmhouse u-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Luscious Lemons- Eureka in varying stages of ripeness
Design ideas for a large mediterranean full sun backyard vegetable garden landscape in San Diego.