Wally Sears, Julia Starr Sanford, Mark David Major
Beach style porch photo in Jacksonville with a roof extension

Embracing the organic, wild aesthetic of the Arizona desert, this home offers thoughtful landscape architecture that enhances the native palette without a single irrigation drip line. Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Clint Miller Architect Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Steve Thompson

Trendy bathroom photo in Los Angeles

Elegant white floor bathroom photo in Atlanta with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, blue walls, an undermount sink and white countertops

Photography by Tom Gatlin
This is an example of a transitional stone outdoor kitchen porch design in Nashville with a pergola.

Below Buchanan is a basement renovation that feels as light and welcoming as one of our outdoor living spaces. The project is full of unique details, custom woodworking, built-in storage, and gorgeous fixtures. Custom carpentry is everywhere, from the built-in storage cabinets and molding to the private booth, the bar cabinetry, and the fireplace lounge. Creating this bright, airy atmosphere was no small challenge, considering the lack of natural light and spatial restrictions. A color pallet of white opened up the space with wood, leather, and brass accents bringing warmth and balance. The finished basement features three primary spaces: the bar and lounge, a home gym, and a bathroom, as well as additional storage space. As seen in the before image, a double row of support pillars runs through the center of the space dictating the long, narrow design of the bar and lounge. Building a custom dining area with booth seating was a clever way to save space. The booth is built into the dividing wall, nestled between the support beams. The same is true for the built-in storage cabinet. It utilizes a space between the support pillars that would otherwise have been wasted. The small details are as significant as the larger ones in this design. The built-in storage and bar cabinetry are all finished with brass handle pulls, to match the light fixtures, faucets, and bar shelving. White marble counters for the bar, bathroom, and dining table bring a hint of Hollywood glamour. White brick appears in the fireplace and back bar. To keep the space feeling as lofty as possible, the exposed ceilings are painted black with segments of drop ceilings accented by a wide wood molding, a nod to the appearance of exposed beams. Every detail is thoughtfully chosen right down from the cable railing on the staircase to the wood paneling behind the booth, and wrapping the bar.

Basement - large rustic underground ceramic tile and gray floor basement idea in Detroit with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

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

Great Room in the Residence 3 Model at The Santee Mission Trails Collection
Large transitional open concept medium tone wood floor living room photo in San Diego with beige walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in New York

Master Bedroom at our Mainhouse Community in Encinitas. *Community is Sold Out. Homes are still available at our Insignia Carlsbad location. Starting in the Low $1 Millions. Call: 760.730.9150 Visit: 1651 Oak Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Example of a tuscan white two-story exterior home design in Tampa with a tile roof

Bonus Room Model open everyday from 10am to 5pm Starting in the Low $1 Millions. Call: 760.730.9150 Visit: 1651 Oak Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Inspiration for a large timeless carpeted family room library remodel in San Diego with white walls and a media wall

This Houston kitchen remodel and whole-house redesign was nothing less than a time machine – zooming a 40-year-old living space into 2017! “The kitchen had formica countertops, old wood cabinets, a strange layout and low ceilings,” says Lisha Maxey, lead designer for Outdoor Homescapes of Houston and owner of LGH Design Services. “We basically took it down to the studs to create the new space. It even had original terrazzo tile in the foyer! Almost never see that anymore.” The new look is all 2017, starting with a pure white maple wood for the new kitchen cabinetry and a 13-foot butcher block island. The china hutch, beam and columns are walnut. The small kitchen countertop (on fridge side) is Corian. The flooring is solid hickory with a natural stain. The backsplash is Moroccan blue glass. In the island, Outdoor Homescapes added a small, stainless steel prep sink and a large porcelain sink. All finishes are brushed stainless steel except for the pot filler, which is copper. “The look is very transitional, with a hearty mix of antiques the client wanted incorporated and the contemporary open concept look of today,” says Lisha. “The bar stools are actually reclaimed science class stools that my client picked up at a local fair. It was an awesome find!” In addition to the kitchen, the home’s first-floor half bath, living room and den also got an update. Outdoor Homescapes also built storage into the space under the stairs and warmed up the entry with custom blue and beige wallpaper. “In the half bath, we used the client’s favorite color, orange,” says Lisha. “We added a vessel bowl that was also found at a fair and an antique chandelier to top it off.” The paint in that room was textured by running a dry brush vertically while the paint was still wet. “It appears to be wallpaper, but not!” explains Lisha. Outdoor Homescapes also used black/white custom tiles in the bath and laundry room to tie it all in. Lisha used antique pieces in the laundry room with a custom black/white porcelain floor. To open up the wall between the old kitchen and living room, we had to install a 26’ steel I-beam to support the second floor. It was an engineering feat! Took six men to get it into place! “The client – an empty nester couple – had already done their upstairs remodel and they knew the first floor would be a gut-out,” continues Lisha. “The home was in very poor condition prior to the remodel, and everything needed to go. Basically, wife told husband, we either do this remodel or we sell the house. And Mr. inherited it from his Mom, so it has sentimental value to him.” Lisha loves how original it turned out, noting the refreshing department from the usual all-white kitchen with black/white flooring, Carrera marble or granite countertops and subway tile. “The clients were open to mixing up styles and working with me to make it come together,” she says. “I think there’s a new excitement in mixing the decades and finding a way to allow clients to hold on to treasured antiques or special pieces while incorporating them in a more modern space. Her favorite area is the large island. “I love that they will spend holidays and regular days around that space,” she says. “It’s just so welcoming!”

Example of a trendy exterior home design in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a bedroom remodel in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a contemporary pool remodel in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom remodel in Los Angeles