Alyssa Kirsten
Open concept kitchen - small contemporary u-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen idea in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

This entryway features a custom designed front door,hand applied silver glitter ceiling, natural stone tile walls, and wallpapered niches. Interior Design by Carlene Zeches, Z Interior Decorations. Photography by Randall Perry Photography

Mike Rixon
Bedroom - mid-sized traditional guest carpeted and beige floor bedroom idea in Richmond with beige walls and no fireplace

Coming from Minnesota this couple already had an appreciation for a woodland retreat. Wanting to lay some roots in Sun Valley, Idaho, guided the incorporation of historic hewn, stone and stucco into this cozy home among a stand of aspens with its eye on the skiing and hiking of the surrounding mountains. Miller Architects, PC

Irvin Serrano
Beach style white two-story wood exterior home photo in Portland Maine with a gambrel roof

Basement - mid-sized traditional carpeted basement idea in Denver with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Nothing evokes the spirit of the ocean more than unobstructed cliff side views of the Pacific and nautical décor. This custom home was built to entertain guests who can’t help but enjoy the pleasures of sunny days and the warmth and light of the unique fire wall into the night.

Farmhouse kitchen photo in Seattle

Mid-sized cottage master carpeted and beige floor bedroom photo in Boston with white walls

The layout of this bathroom was reconfigured by locating the new tub on the rear wall, and putting the toilet on the left of the vanity. The wall on the left of the existing vanity was taken out.

Double shower in bay window. The bench is cantilevered out over the exterior wall below. Design, color scheme, lighting, and installation by Addhouse. Photo by Monkeyboy Productions

The artfully designed Boise Passive House is tucked in a mature neighborhood, surrounded by 1930’s bungalows. The architect made sure to insert the modern 2,000 sqft. home with intention and a nod to the charm of the adjacent homes. Its classic profile gleams from days of old while bringing simplicity and design clarity to the façade. The 3 bed/2.5 bath home is situated on 3 levels, taking full advantage of the otherwise limited lot. Guests are welcomed into the home through a full-lite entry door, providing natural daylighting to the entry and front of the home. The modest living space persists in expanding its borders through large windows and sliding doors throughout the family home. Intelligent planning, thermally-broken aluminum windows, well-sized overhangs, and Selt external window shades work in tandem to keep the home’s interior temps and systems manageable and within the scope of the stringent PHIUS standards.

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.

Kitchen - transitional dark wood floor kitchen idea in Nashville with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, an island and white countertops

Architect: Portuondo Perotti Architects Photography: Carlos Domenech “This is well detailed and consistent inside and out. It is a classic Mediterranean Revival in the Floridian tradition of Mizner.” This single-family residential home in Gables Estates, Coral Gables, Florida, successfully pays respect to the architecture of the Mediterranean and Renaissance Italian styles. From the use of courtyards to the high level of detailing, this project emphasizes the most picturesque and expressive qualities of these styles. The residence reflects the visions of two of Coral Gables’ first architects, who designed beautiful and timeless architecture in this garden city to become a lasting piece in the landscape. This project not only captures the breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay, but with timeless style and lush landscaping, it creates a centerpiece for the view from the bay to Coral Gables. The home is designed as a long gallery, with spaces connected by courtyards and public realms. Another large inspiration for this project was the idea of the garden and landscape. With Coral Gables as a garden city, landscape became an integral part of the conception and design. The durability of Marvin products, their ability to stand up to the South Florida climate, as well as the Marvin attention to detail and proportion, made them the perfect choice to employ in a project of such high standards. The range of products allowed the freedom of design to explore all possibilities and turn visions into reality. The result was a lasting piece of architecture that would reflect a level of detail in every part of its structure. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Marvin Round Top Window Marvin Ultimate Arch Top French Door Marvin Ultimate Swinging French Door Marvin Ultimate Venting Picture Window Marvin Casemaster

Photography by Richard Mandelkorn
Kitchen/dining room combo - traditional medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in Boston with white walls

Professionally Staged by Ambience at Home http://ambiance-athome.com/ Professionally Photographed by SpaceCrafting http://spacecrafting.com

James Kruger, LandMark Photography Interior Design: Martha O'Hara Interiors Architect: Sharratt Design & Company
Inspiration for a large french country open concept and formal dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Minneapolis with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider