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This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!” View these floors here: https://hallmarkfloors.com/hallmark-hardwoods/alta-vista-hardwood-collection/

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!”

Nautical lanterns were used to highlight the entries..
Example of a mid-sized beach style gray two-story wood exterior home design in New York with a shingle roof

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!”

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!”

This charming seating area is adjacent to the home's temperature-controlled wine room, which is showcased behind a beautiful glass wall, displaying the meticulously organized wine collection. The wet bar, with generous storage, offers a convenient serving space. Lounge chairs invite relaxation, and the bi-folding glass doors can either connect the space to the great room or be closed for a more intimate setting. This view highlights the French doors leading out to the deck, and combined with the floor-to-ceiling windows, provides a view above the treetops to the mountains beyond.

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!”

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!” View these floors here: https://hallmarkfloors.com/hallmark-hardwoods/alta-vista-hardwood-collection/

This modern home with hints of classic design is situated on a hilltop estate in Pacific Palisades, California. Architect and Designer, Michelle Anaya, took on the challenge of renovating the home into the breathtaking residence that it is today. The home features Hallmark Floors: Engineered Hardwood Floors throughout most of the interior. The vision of the interior design was influenced by the outdoors. The home boasts a world-class view highlighted by large windows featuring some of the best sights in the country. Five rigorous years of planning, detailed designing, and extensive renovating resulted in a stunning outcome. “The color of the floor was the perfect selection to compliment the home’s natural landscape with the interior. I needed a floor that would compliment these natural colors… I didn’t want to compete with the sky, the greenery, and the ocean. The floors came out amazing!”

When the developer found this brownstone on the Upper Westside he immediately researched and found its potential for expansion. We were hired to maximize the existing brownstone and turn it from its current existence as 5 individual apartments into a large luxury single family home. The existing building was extended 16 feet into the rear yard and a new sixth story was added along with an occupied roof. The project was not a complete gut renovation, the character of the parlor floor was maintained, along with the original front facade, windows, shutters, and fireplaces throughout. A new solid oak stair was built from the garden floor to the roof in conjunction with a small supplemental passenger elevator directly adjacent to the staircase. The new brick rear facade features oversized windows; one special aspect of which is the folding window wall at the ground level that can be completely opened to the garden. The goal to keep the original character of the brownstone yet to update it with modern touches can be seen throughout the house. The large kitchen has Italian lacquer cabinetry with walnut and glass accents, white quartz counters and backsplash and a Calcutta gold arabesque mosaic accent wall. On the parlor floor a custom wetbar, large closet and powder room are housed in a new floor to ceiling wood paneled core. The master bathroom contains a large freestanding tub, a glass enclosed white marbled steam shower, and grey wood vanities accented by a white marble floral mosaic. The new forth floor front room is highlighted by a unique sloped skylight that offers wide skyline views. The house is topped off with a glass stair enclosure that contains an integrated window seat offering views of the roof and an intimate space to relax in the sun.

Designed to embrace an extensive and unique art collection including sculpture, paintings, tapestry, and cultural antiquities, this modernist home located in north Scottsdale’s Estancia is the quintessential gallery home for the spectacular collection within. The primary roof form, “the wing” as the owner enjoys referring to it, opens the home vertically to a view of adjacent Pinnacle peak and changes the aperture to horizontal for the opposing view to the golf course. Deep overhangs and fenestration recesses give the home protection from the elements and provide supporting shade and shadow for what proves to be a desert sculpture. The restrained palette allows the architecture to express itself while permitting each object in the home to make its own place. The home, while certainly modern, expresses both elegance and warmth in its material selections including canterra stone, chopped sandstone, copper, and stucco. Project Details | Lot 245 Estancia, Scottsdale AZ Architect: C.P. Drewett, Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ Interiors: Luis Ortega, Luis Ortega Interiors, Hollywood, CA Publications: luxe. interiors + design. November 2011. Featured on the world wide web: luxe.daily Photos by Grey Crawford

Remodel by J.S. Brown & Co., Design by Monica Lewis, CMKBD, MCR, UDCP. Photo Credit: Todd Yarrington.
Inspiration for a timeless l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in Columbus with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

The Indio Residence, located on an ocean side bluff in Shell Beach, is a clean, contemporary home. Taking cues from the Florin Residence, an earlier project completed for the same client, the Indio Residence is much larger with additional amenities to meet the client’s needs. At the front door, guests are greeted by floor to ceiling glass with views straight out to the ocean. Tall, grand ceilings throughout the entry and great room are highlighted by skylights, allowing for a naturally lit interior. The open concept floor plan helps highlight the custom details such as the glass encased wine room and floor to ceiling ocean-facing glass. In order to maintain a sense of privacy, the master suite and guests rooms are located on opposite wings of the home. Ideal for entertaining, this layout allows for maximum privacy and shared space alike. Additionally, a privately accessed caretakers apartment is located above the garage, complete with a living room, kitchenette, and ocean facing deck.

This stunning modern farmhouse residence in Columbia, Tennessee, sits atop a transformed hilltop parcel, originally raw land that was expertly excavated to create a level 2-acre plateau. The site development included installing essential infrastructure such as paved roads, water lines, and electrical systems, turning an undeveloped ridge into a private, family-friendly haven with panoramic valley and mountain views. The home features a crisp white board-and-batten and horizontal siding exterior, accented by natural stone foundations and stained timber beams for a perfect blend of rustic charm and contemporary edge. Dramatic black-framed windows flood the interior with natural light, while the dark asphalt shingle roof with gabled peaks adds depth and contrast. An expansive covered front porch, supported by cedar posts and topped with metal roofing, invites relaxation with seating areas overlooking the sunset. Additional highlights include an oversized two-car garage with white doors, a lower-level walkout basement ready for expansion, and smart-home-ready elements like energy-efficient construction. Twilight lighting accentuates the clean lines, making the house glow against the evening sky. The landscaped yard is thoughtfully designed for everyday enjoyment, with manicured green lawns, gravel pathways, and low-maintenance shrubs lining the foundation. A circular asphalt driveway provides easy access and ample parking, curving gracefully around the property. In the backyard, a gravel patio area with a fire pit offers a cozy spot for gatherings, while a covered rear deck extends living space outdoors. The setup includes potential for additions like a pool, outdoor kitchen, or expanded entertaining zones, with features like a satellite dish and HVAC units discreetly placed for functionality without compromising aesthetics. Perched on a scenic hilltop surrounded by wooded forests, the 2-acre lot provides plenty of flat, open space for children and dogs to play safely—ideal for games, picnics, or simply running free amid the fresh air. The elevated position ensures unobstructed, layered views of rolling hills, distant valleys, and seasonal foliage, creating a serene rural retreat feel. In summer, lush green trees frame the property; in fall and winter, bare branches reveal even broader vistas. This custom-developed site balances privacy, accessibility, and natural beauty, making it a true dream property for those seeking a luxurious escape in Tennessee's countryside.

Photo by Hisao Suzuki
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