Our client, with whom we had worked on a number of projects over the years, enlisted our help in transforming her family’s beloved but deteriorating rustic summer retreat, built by her grandparents in the mid-1920’s, into a house that would be livable year-‘round. It had served the family well but needed to be renewed for the decades to come without losing the flavor and patina they were attached to. The house was designed by Ruth Adams, a rare female architect of the day, who also designed in a similar vein a nearby summer colony of Vassar faculty and alumnae. To make Treetop habitable throughout the year, the whole house had to be gutted and insulated. The raw homosote interior wall finishes were replaced with plaster, but all the wood trim was retained and reused, as were all old doors and hardware. The old single-glazed casement windows were restored, and removable storm panels fitted into the existing in-swinging screen frames. New windows were made to match the old ones where new windows were added. This approach was inherently sustainable, making the house energy-efficient while preserving most of the original fabric. Changes to the original design were as seamless as possible, compatible with and enhancing the old character. Some plan modifications were made, and some windows moved around. The existing cave-like recessed entry porch was enclosed as a new book-lined entry hall and a new entry porch added, using posts made from an oak tree on the site. The kitchen and bathrooms are entirely new but in the spirit of the place. All the bookshelves are new. A thoroughly ramshackle garage couldn’t be saved, and we replaced it with a new one built in a compatible style, with a studio above for our client, who is a writer.

A family of four in the Montclair District of Oakland approached 3 Lights Design wanting to convert their 2 bedroom, single story home into a more spacious, inviting, light-filled home with an inlaw unit for their visiting families. The husband valued privacy while the wife valued a more open-door policy. Mixing the two, we created an open, transparent 1st floor and a more private second floor with 3 bedrooms and a home office. The inlaw unit was placed over the existing garage, adding value to the home as well as their ability to invite visitors into their home with ease.

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2016 Houzz Design: Kelly Mack Home
Family room - eclectic family room idea in Los Angeles

The Brooklyn waterfront has a centuries-long history, from a rural village to one of the world’s busiest ports. Pierhouse ushers the area into its next remarkable chapter. Designed with a holistic approach, Pierhouse is intended to blend seamlessly with the world-class park it occupies. Pedini cabinets, in both the kitchen (notty American walnut) as well as the bathrooms.

A new-renovation of a Beacon Hill townhouse gets a new look. It was clear from the beginning we needed to seamlessly meld old and new to bring a fresh approach to the interiors of this new home for a young family. Our client owned beautiful antiques and some well-loved, but worn pieces that had the right lines but needed a style upgrade. With a wonderful, engaged client we artfully edited, re-covered and added many new pieces to create a cohesive style with classic forms. The new home is a perfect mixture of beautiful fabrics, functional custom millwork, unique decorative lighting and elegant wall coverings, carpets, and window treatments. Eric Roth Photography

This smart kitchen renovation in Silver Spring, Maryland, involved removing three walls and a centrally located powder room and a closet. The powder room was relocated into the original closet area, and the patio door moved nearby. The main window was enlarged to create an anchor and focal point for the new kitchen as well as to enhance the view onto the lovely backyard. An angled island keeps the room feeling spacious and open, and a corner pantry was designed so as not to lose precious storage space.

This overhead view shows the home’s broad front elevation and rectangular drive around a central lawn. The garage sits to one side, linked to the main house by a lower roofline.

Upon entering the Coral Gables home, you are welcomed with different shades of earthy tones. Our client requested to remain faithful to the same palette of nature-like colors throughout the home. The flooring is not really wood; it's porcelain tile in a wood grain, which is great and easy to maintain. The walls feature our specialty wood wall paneling to give the room more dimension.

The design intent for this graceful contemporary home was an approach toward minimalism, yet ensuring that the practical needs of day-to-day life could still be satisfied. Situated on a plateau atop a steep hill, the floor plan and glass walls beautifully incorporated the outdoor environment into the primary living spaces. The grounds were carpeted with sage and lavender. Project Architect: Lisa Wang. Wang Architecture Landscape Architect: Paul Leffingwell. Leffingwell and Associates Interior Design: Karen Goldberg. Studio G Design Structural Engineer: John Yadegar. JYASF Builder: Shahram Ghodsian. Trush Construction Company Photography: Jason Wells, Golden Gate Creative

An arched range hood brings an elevated look to this English cottage kitchen.
Example of a large classic eat-in kitchen design in Seattle with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, marble countertops, marble backsplash, an island and white countertops

The design intent for this graceful contemporary home was an approach toward minimalism, yet ensuring that the practical needs of day-to-day life could still be satisfied. Situated on a plateau atop a steep hill, the floor plan and glass walls beautifully incorporated the outdoor environment into the primary living spaces. The grounds were carpeted with sage and lavender. Project Architect: Lisa Wang. Wang Architecture Landscape Architect: Paul Leffingwell. Leffingwell and Associates Interior Design: Karen Goldberg. Studio G Design Structural Engineer: John Yadegar. JYASF Builder: Shahram Ghodsian. Trush Construction Company Photography: Jason Wells, Golden Gate Creative

Approach from street with deep steps, breeze block enclosed patio and entry atrium as well as coordinated drought tolerant landscape and hardscape. Photo by Clark Dugger

Example of a trendy l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Even though the home is traditional i went with a transitional approach in this bathroom. It fits in very well and still flows with the feel of the home. I designed a custom vanity using a gray stain over maple. The sink and toilet also give a more contemporary feel.

View Haus 5 is an innovative approach to infill development on a narrow site. All homes were designed to Passivhaus standards and one of them has been certified. In response to the site's topography the townhouses are terraced in a single structure. A common walkway connects the site from 25th Avenue E to the alley widening at the center of the site to form a common courtyard. The courtyard is terraced to separate home entries in section from the surface of the courtyard. Decks created to be similar to front porches border the courtyard along with thoughtful landscaping. The massing is modulated to create a structure that is well-scaled to its surroundings. Parking is minimized on the site through its location at the rear alley and setting it below the structure. To minimize impact on adjacent sites, a single enclosed stair penthouse is located at the center of the site, integrated with the design's approach to interlocking masses of varying materials. The exterior materials includes reclaimed brick and wood, ebonized wood and painted cement board panels.

The Brooklyn waterfront has a centuries-long history, from a rural village to one of the world’s busiest ports. Pierhouse ushers the area into its next remarkable chapter. Designed with a holistic approach, Pierhouse is intended to blend seamlessly with the world-class park it occupies. Pedini cabinets, in both the kitchen (notty American walnut) as well as the bathrooms.

The clients approached us to design them a more modern and organic refuge for their second home on the Texas Coast. They did not want the traditional coastal look but rather a clean look that would accentuate the amazing outdoor view. They frequently entertain and wanted a gathering space as well as functional comfortable bedrooms for their quests. The main areas were gutted and the transformation was everything they hoped for......

Northern Contours' 3D Laminate Shaker Slim doors in the color Sage create a serene space. It pairs well with the matte black hardware, white counters, and a unique geometric backsplash.

This view of the Sonoma Coast Cabin is approaching the entry. We chose to add a beautiful concrete wall to the entry to not only add style but function as well. While adding support and structure to the deck this concrete wall also allows our clients to simply have a seat on the to remove your shoes at the door. Attached is a deck for our clients to enjoy the view of their beautiful property. Being steps away from the Russian River, this location is packed with beautiful foliage and wildlife.