Chez Ami is a beautiful French Norman style house in Atherton, CA. It was recently an Honorable Mention in the inaugural Julia Morgan Award. We were very proud to be a major contributor to this magnificent renovation. We had our hands in nearly every corner of the renovation from the leaded glass in his dressing room, to the antiqued mirror in the exercise room to the beveled glass in the entry door.

Lighter wood-look vinyl planks have been more popular in the recent years. They're neutral color works well with the farmhouse and rustic interior design trends. LVP is very durable and perfect for high traffic rooms! Pictured: Republic Flooring - Woodland Oak line in the color Southern Oak

This two-story cape cod #houseplan packs a lot of luxury and living spaces in a narrow footprint. From the beautiful front entry featuring Therma-Tru doors and staircase to the gourmet kitchen and massive master suite, this #floorplan is one of DFDhouseplans.com best-selling homes. See how one of our recent clients constructed this home. http://www.dfdhouseplans.com/plan/3219/

This new, ground-up home was recently built atop the Richmond Hills. Despite the beautiful site with its panoramic 270-degree view, the lot had been left undeveloped over the years due to its modest size and challenging approval issues. Saikley Architects handled the negotiations for County approvals, and worked closely with the owner-builder to create a 2,300 sq. ft., three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath family home that maximizes the site’s potential. The first-time owner-builder is a landscape builder by trade, and Saikley Architects coordinated closely with for him on this spec home. Saikley Architects provided building design details which the owner then carried through in many unique interior design and furniture design details throughout the house. Photo by Chi Chin Photography. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/hilltop-contemporary/

We have recently completed La Reve Du Cup project, a luxurious 8-bed villa located in the south of France. The client was provided with a very high standard of home automation, using the Savant control system to integrate Lutron lighting with lighting circuits, keypads and shutters. This also included audio distribution to audio zones, with indoor and outdoor speakers, along with video distribution to zones of 4K video and a 11.2 Dolby Atmos Home Cinema. The Savant system also integrated zones of heating and cooling, automated door entry with doorstations, and touchscreens controlling automated gates with 4K security cameras. Delivering La Reve Du Cap to a very high specification throughout, 8 Bedrooms with ensuites were created along with a kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, lounge, living room, gym, home cinema, play room, roof terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, pool bar and lounge, and a staff apartment. The project was meticulously delivered to a very high standard of home automation, delighting the client.

This is a beautiful custom wood gate with steel structure we recently finished installing in Chesapeake City, MD. We still need to finish up installing the fencing connecting to the gate, but all in all I am very pleased. My brothers and myself really went above and beyond to bring this idea to life.

We’re very excited to show you this beautiful kitchen and great room that we recently did for a new home client. Three cabinet colors with pops of turquoise and copper were combined to create this unique blend influenced by the clients’ love of Southwest design. This is truly a one-of-a-kind kitchen that many happy memories will be shared in for years to come.

In a neighborhood of 3-story Italianate houses called “Mansion Hill” by the locals, the new homeowners of this 2-story brick home called to say that they wanted to have the stand-out house on the block. The house, originally known as the Kirker-Fischer House had history, an elegant interior and a rather plain exterior, compared with many of its neighbors. The homeowners also said that they envisioned an all-black house. Fortunately they are not only bold, but have great taste, demonstrated by immediately approving a new color palette. The palette has lots of deep gray, dark purple tones and five different blacks, highlighted with metallic copper. The house had been poorly maintained and quickly-rehabbed more than once. The carved stone details were filled in with several layers of old paint. The most recent repaint was fairly fresh, but in some places was barely attached to the brick substrate. Lots of old paint was hand-scraped from brick walls and both stone and wood trim. The trim was sanded smooth and some mortar was replaced in the brick. Material-specific primers were used on all bare surfaces. The details in the wood window trim were so badly scarred that it was impossible to bring them back, so we clad them with new poplar molding. Other carpentry projects included some minor repairs to the fascia boards plus a line of trim on the front porch roof to add another copper highlight to a very plain area. After all this preparation and repair, the highly-detailed plan for painting took another two weeks. Meticulous attention was paid to the surfaces to accent each level and maximize the amount of visible detail. The top coats were Sherwin-Williams Emerald along with some Resilience. The project took a 3-person crew three weeks to finish. We knew right away that this was the project we were submitting for American Painting Contractor magazine’s Top Job Award, and we’re very pleased that APC recognized the Kirker-Fischer House as a winner in the category of restoration.

Our clients for this remodel of a 100 year old home in San Francisco’s Liberty Hill neighborhood recently moved to San Francisco. The house they purchased was very stately and had great bones, but lacked a true master suite and had recently been remodeled in a slightly generic modern style. We helped them with projects throughout the house. Our biggest project was creating a true master suite out of two bedrooms and an existing bathroom. We created an open concept bathroom with custom gray lacquer wardrobes and shoe storage units with a dramatic slot skylight overhead. Access to the master bedroom is through this room. The clean lines of the bathroom are complimented by a very long wall hung vanity with a CaesarStone counter which flows into the walk-in shower and becomes the curb. A variety of tiles including locally fabricated tile from Heath Ceramics were carefully selected to create a warm and inviting, yet modern, feeling. Oak floors similar to those in the rest of the house were used throughout the master suite for continuity. By using the same tile on the back wall of the bathroom we were able to create a visual unity from the shower through the vanity and the water closet. Our work also included a new fireplace in the living room. Photography by Christopher Stark.

A very creative shelving project we worked on recently; designed by Studio Monrok. Made from solid White Oak - 153” in length. Each piece’s front edge was hand-carved using a dear knife and spoke shave. The bend was made from 16 layers of solid White Oak, joined to straight panels, then carved. Mounted on Shelfology brackets, our go-to for floating shelves. Finished with Rubio Monocoat Intense Black pre-color and Black oil.

Chez Ami is a beautiful French Norman style house in Atherton, CA. It was recently an Honorable Mention in the inaugural Julia Morgan Award. We were very proud to be a major contributor to this magnificent renovation. We had our hands in nearly every corner of the renovation from the leaded glass in his dressing room, to the antiqued mirror in the exercise room to the beveled glass in the entry door.

Nautical-themed hybrid swimming pool with raised spa, sunshelf, slide, grotto, and pizza oven (September 2013) – Ask the Pool Guy and his team at Legendary Escapes recently unveiled the newest Legendary Escape, a stunning nautical-themed hybrid swimming pool. The hand-carved concrete waterfall, rock slide, and grotto are the focal point of this incredible project, and designer and builder Al Curtis has truly outdone himself this time. Behind the waterfall sits a grotto that seats 8-10 people comfortably. The waterfall, slide, and grotto area come complete with intricate details and additions that perfectly play into the project’s theme. An immense amount of creativity, talent, and skill is required to take ordinary materials like vinyl and concrete and turn them into the outstanding backyards that Curtis creates, but these details allow his creativity to shine in a different light. Curtis immerses himself completely in just one or two projects at a time, which allows him the opportunity to add those intricate details that take his extraordinary projects to the next level. Some of the details in the grotto area of this hybrid project include real ship portholes that open and close, as well as carvings and lanterns to add visual interest inside of the grotto. The project also includes a raised spillover spa and a sunshelf with a bubbling water feature. The sunshelf has steps leading into the main body of the pool, giving swimmers an easy entry point if they don’t feel the urge to jump off the top of the waterfall or take a ride down the hand-carved, hand-tiled slide. The shelf has just enough water to allow shallow wading or lounging, and the pebbled finish provides a perfect place to set a lounge chair without worrying about damaging the vinyl liner. With the spa nearby, this whole end of the pool is perfect for relaxing, talking, or watching the kids while they swim. This incredible hybrid swimming pool also includes a poolside pizza oven, so fresh, stone-fired pizza is never far away. The brick oven can cook a pizza in about 90 seconds, and produces authentic, outstanding pizzas. The homeowners have spent years perfecting their pizza crust and sauce recipes, as well as growing their own tomatoes and basil. The pizza oven adds another element of their own personality, and makes this project even more perfect for them. With a built-in countertop, it’s easy to get a couple of pies going at one time, or to prep ingredients for personal pizzas. The homeowners are very family-oriented and love to have friends and family over to their home. During the construction process, the Legendary Escapes crew met several friends and family members who stopped in for some quality time and to check out the progress of the pool. The finished product is a perfect place for entertaining, and it feels very comfortable and welcoming. With the sunshelf, spa, grotto, poolside seating, and the pool itself, there are plenty of different places to sit or soak and have conversations or splash around. Curtis is incredibly proud of this project, and he has high hopes for it. He was recently named a Master of Design by Pool & Spa News for a hybrid swimming pool he built in Brighton, MI. This new, nautical hybrid pool fits in beautifully with his portfolio, but also stands out as extraordinary. The team at Legendary Escapes anticipates positive feedback and recognition for this project, and looks forward to building more swimming pools that push the envelope and wow clients and fans.

Since 1998, Sunset magazine has built Idea Houses throughout the West that showcase the latest innovations in architecture, construction, design, and sustainable building. Photos here are from "The Ultimate Sierra Retreat" Idea House recently completed in Truckee. Spirit Tahoe worked with the General Contractor on this project providing the Interior Design.

A recent bathroom installation, all covered in Silver Clouds Harmony Polished Collection. A very unique stone, colored yet neutral, sophisticated yet versatile. It is a medium that provides a combination of refined marble and design elements, ranging from traditional to contemporary designs. http://www.countryfloors.com/categories/collection/silver-clouds-harmony-polished/

Our clients had recently bought this home but it lacked room for entertaining and dining with their guests. We utilized the existing concrete foundation which saved them a lot of money. Scissor truss are an effective way of vaulting the ceilings which give a very pleasing feel to the room. We also converted a portion of their large garage into and upstairs laundry which ended those up and down trips to the basement washer. Project Designer: Dale Kramer Photo: Bonnie Kramer Photography

Here is a beautiful Plain & Fancy Kitchen that was recently designed by Majestic Kitchens & Baths very own Designer Jodi Duerr. This two-toned kitchen was created using Plain & Fancy Cabinetry. Both Cascade and Vista Gray enamel finishes where used on a Classic Shaker Style Door. This kitchen also features a Blanco Orion Silestone Quartz Countertop, AKDO White Stagger Glass Backsplash tile, Top Knobs Chrome Hardware, and a Franke Orca Sink.

Our clients for this remodel of a 100 year old home in San Francisco’s Liberty Hill neighborhood recently moved to San Francisco. The house they purchased was very stately and had great bones, but lacked a true master suite and had recently been remodeled in a slightly generic modern style. We helped them with projects throughout the house. Our biggest project was creating a true master suite out of two bedrooms and an existing bathroom. We created an open concept bathroom with custom gray lacquer wardrobes and shoe storage units with a dramatic slot skylight overhead. Access to the master bedroom is through this room. The clean lines of the bathroom are complimented by a very long wall hung vanity with a CaesarStone counter which flows into the walk-in shower and becomes the curb. A variety of tiles including locally fabricated tile from Heath Ceramics were carefully selected to create a warm and inviting, yet modern, feeling. Oak floors similar to those in the rest of the house were used throughout the master suite for continuity. By using the same tile on the back wall of the bathroom we were able to create a visual unity from the shower through the vanity and the water closet. Our work also included a new fireplace in the living room. Photography by Christopher Stark.

Kitchen - large contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops