This picture is another example of Xeriscape landscaping and gardening. This photo shows how we used two different types of river rock to add interest and contrast. Curving designs are always a good choice in landscaping. They mimic nature and gently lead the eye along the entire landscape. The brick edging we installed also helps with this visual aspect. The large rocks serve two purposes. Firstly, they create a dramatic impact. Secondly, they give the landscape a three-dimensional quality. This helps to prevent the landscape from appearing ‘flat.’ The plants of varying heights and widths also help to achieve this.

Designer: Mauro Lipparini
Example of a large minimalist enclosed dark wood floor living room library design in Miami with gray walls, no fireplace and a media wall

A primary bathroom tub zone featuring a white rectangular freestanding soaking tub set against a full height white three dimensional textured tile wall a faceted or wavy relief tile that catches light and adds depth without pattern.

In the dining room, we created a dramatic arched entrance with stained walnut raised-paneling. We added a painted beam ceiling with tongue and groove V-notch slats to add interest and texture to the 10 ’ ceiling. To create trim with a flowing, seamless appearance, we integrated drapery cornices into the crown molding. Intense sun penetrates the room and led to the creation of a three-part window treatment. We incorporated stationary drapery panels for acoustics and to soften edges. We added roman shades for solar control and a gothic-inspired arched valance in embossed linen for a formal accent. The valance is a soft echo of the gothic motif on the fireplace surround in the home’s adjacent keeping room. On the walls, we had the installer cut grass cloth into squares and alternate their direction when he was hanging. This creates a subtle visual effect that changes as the sun dances through the room and you walk around the space. Square nail heads punctuate the intersections by being turned and set on their tips, creating a 3-dimensional diamond shape. Chris Little Photography

We added a three-dimensional accent wall to add interest and a dramatic color to the neutral palette throughout the space.
Inspiration for a small transitional guest carpeted and gray floor bedroom remodel in Oklahoma City with green walls

Rick Lee Photography
Rustic exterior home idea in Charleston

By reconfiguring the space we were able to create a powder room which is an asset to any home. Three dimensional chevron mosaic tiles made for a beautiful textured backdrop to the elegant freestanding contemporary vanity.

Robin Stancliff photo credits. This kitchen had a complete transformation, and now it is beautiful, bright, and much more accessible! To accomplish my goals for this kitchen, I had to completely demolish the walls surrounding the kitchen, only keeping the attractive exposed load bearing posts and the HVAC system in place. I also left the existing pony wall, which I turned into a breakfast area, to keep the electric wiring in place. A challenge that I encountered was that my client wanted to keep the original Saltillo tile that gives her home it’s Southwestern flair, while having an updated kitchen with a mid-century modern aesthetic. Ultimately, the vintage Saltillo tile adds a lot of character and interest to the new kitchen design. To keep things clean and minimal, all of the countertops are easy-to-clean white quartz. Since most of the cooking will be done on the new induction stove in the breakfast area, I added a uniquely textured three-dimensional backsplash to give a more decorative feel. Since my client wanted the kitchen to be disability compliant, we put the microwave underneath the counter for easy access and added ample storage space beneath the counters rather than up high. With a full view of the surrounding rooms, this new kitchen layout feels very open and accessible. The crisp white cabinets and wall color is accented by a grey island and updated lighting throughout. Now, my client has a kitchen that feels open and easy to maintain while being safe and useful for people with disabilities.

This contemporary take on the classic beach house combines the traditional cottage look with contemporary elements. Three floors contain 3,452 SF of living space with four bedrooms, three baths, game room and study. A dramatic three-story foyer with floating staircase, a private third floor master suite and ocean views from almost every room make this a one-of-a-kind home. Deremer Studios

"Looking Forward" - Abstract Metal Garden Sculpture by Jon Allen This free-standing and contemporary three-dimensional metal art sculpture reaches upward, but it also looks back at the ground as it rises. The bare metal ribbon rises up off its base, its bottom end hanging down toward the earth, and then it reaches upward with a serpentine undulation. Midway in its ascension, a spiral curls back, suggesting that there's more to this piece's motion than simply striving skyward. Dimensions: - Approximately 62"H x 12"L x 7"D including the 14" artistically textured wooden base. - Ready to secure to a patio, deck or garden stone with the included pre-drilled mounting plate for easy installation.(Screws not included) Color: All Natural Silver Please note: custom pieces are available for your size and color specifications.

By reconfiguring the space we were able to create a powder room which is an asset to any home. Three dimensional chevron mosaic tiles made for a beautiful textured backdrop to the elegant freestanding contemporary vanity.

The adage “good things come in small packages” was never more true than in the remodeling of this home’s small bathrooms. First, a powder room was renovated with a dynamic three dimensional wall decorated with chipped marble. A wall hung pedestal sink and embedded lighting create an ultra-modern appeal. A second floor bathroom was gutted and redesigned to allow for a large walk-in shower. Marble walls, a tile floor, a rain shower head and a glass entry provide a spa-like feel. A marble countertop adorned with a white furniture-quality vanity and improved lighting are additional highlights. While they were at it, the homeowners also redid the mudroom to create additional storage, a bench and locker storage. The added counter and back splash above washer and dryer make doing laundry and folding a lot easier.

Mid-sized mid-century modern master double-sink alcove bathtub photo in Sacramento with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, orange walls, an undermount sink and a floating vanity

This home started out as a remodel of a family’s beloved summer cottage. A fire started on the work site which caused irreparable damage. Needless to say, a remodel turned into a brand-new home. We were brought on board to help our clients re-imagine their summer haven. Windows were important to maximize the gorgeous lake view. Access to the lake was also very important, so an outdoor shower off the mudroom/laundry area with its own side entrance provided a nice beach entry for the kids. A large kitchen island open to dining and living was imperative for the family and the time they like to spend together. The master suite is on the main floor and three bedrooms upstairs, one of which has built-in bunks allows the kids to have their own area. While the original family cottage is no more, we were able to successfully help our clients begin again so they can start new memories. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

ASID Design Excellence First Place Residential – Kitchen and Bathroom: Michael Merrill Design Studio was approached three years ago by the homeowner to redesign her kitchen. Although she was dissatisfied with some aspects of her home, she still loved it dearly. As we discovered her passion for design, we began to rework her entire home--room by room, top to bottom.

The back patio of the home, which the clients call their "Three Seasons" room. The side facing the pool and backyard has sliding screen doors done in a colonial design to integrate with hew architecture of the home. The massive fireplace is designed as traditional cooking fireplace from the colonial era. Infrared heaters in the ceiling allow for the space to be comfortable in cold weather. This room is one of the homeowner's favorite entertaining spaces.

Sharifi-ha House Uncertainty and flexibility lie at the heart of the design concept in Sharifi-ha House. The sensational, spatial qualities of the interiors, as well as the formal configuration of its exterior, directly respond to the displacement of turning boxes that lead the building volume to become open or closed, obtaining introverted or extroverted character. These changes may occur according to changing seasons or functional scenarios of floor plans. Like many other urban plots, the land for this project had a noticeably narrow façade-width compared with its length. Consequently, our expertise in transforming a two-dimensional façade to a three-dimensional one became indispensable. Here, the openness /closure of the building volume is a reference to traditional Iranian houses, which would dynamically serve as seasonal modes of habitation by offering both a Zemestan-Neshin (winter living room) and Taabestan-Neshin (summer living room) to their residents. In summertime, Sharifi-ha House offers an open /transparent /perforated volume with wide, large terraces. In contrast, during Tehran’s cold, snowy winters the volume closes itself, offering minimal openings in total absence of those wide summer terraces. In this project, the challenges to the concepts of open/closed typology (introverted/extroverted character) led to an exciting spatial transformation of an ever-changing residential building. The House is distributed over seven floors: the two basement floors are allocated to family conviviality, fitness facilities, and wellness areas, while the ground floor hosts parking and housekeeping rooms. Public activities all happen on the first and second floors, and the family’s private life takes place on the third and fourth floors. The project consisted of four major parts; the fixed volume of the structure, the void, and the fixed volume and the mobile volume, respectively. When the turning boxes are closed, the building captures sunlight throughout the space of the central void, which also connects the two fixed volumes by suspended bridges. The house adapts to the functional needs of its residents. For instance, depending on whether there is a guest or not, the guest room (located on the second floor) can be reconfigured for different purposes. Similarly, home office and breakfast room (turning rooms on the first and third floors) can change the formality of their appearance according to their residents’ desire. In other words, there is always the possibility of having different seasonal or lighting scenarios, some of which have been already considered in the BMS program of the project. From the initial design steps, we noticed that three pine trees outside could be incorporated into the spaces of the interior. Now, in the open mode of the house, the trees are pleasantly captured by the window frames. Stepping back for about three meters from the permitted construction boundary line allowed us to provide splendid daylight for the basement floors by inserting a glass fountain. The fitness and wellness areas are accommodated between this fountain and the basement pool where reflective installations reverberate the water’s radiance all over the space. The applied manufacturing technique for the turning mechanism was in fact a simple one; the same method which is currently employed in turning theatrical scenes, turning the floor of car exhibitions, steel companies and the shipping industry in Iran. But as our client himself was into importing CNC and other similar industrial German machines, he preferred the structural system to be fabricated in Germany. In doing so, he could engage his employees in the manufacturing process and thus train them for future maintenance purposes. Details of the handrails and air-penetration controlling methods were major issues considered in developing the design of the turning boxes. Designing foldable handrails and refining the edges of the boxes happened to be our feasible solutions. Considering the specialties of this kind of architecture, the structural system was inevitably a customized one. After digitally modeling the structure, a series of SAP2000 analysis were undertaken to examine static/dynamic performance of the proposed system. Being partially moveable is the dominant feature of this structural assembly, which was contemplated throughout the fabrication process by the German manufacturer company. The main loads all rest on the beams of the living rooms. Due to the various configurations the turning boxes may take, the loading calculation has been estimated based on the largest possible loading value applied to the system. Additionally, in order to prevent structural deformation controlling the probable vibrations in the turning boxes was taken into account during the design/calculations of the structure. The house was titled Sharifi-ha House, in honor of traditional Iranian mansions.

Sharifi-ha House Uncertainty and flexibility lie at the heart of the design concept in Sharifi-ha House. The sensational, spatial qualities of the interiors, as well as the formal configuration of its exterior, directly respond to the displacement of turning boxes that lead the building volume to become open or closed, obtaining introverted or extroverted character. These changes may occur according to changing seasons or functional scenarios of floor plans. Like many other urban plots, the land for this project had a noticeably narrow façade-width compared with its length. Consequently, our expertise in transforming a two-dimensional façade to a three-dimensional one became indispensable. Here, the openness /closure of the building volume is a reference to traditional Iranian houses, which would dynamically serve as seasonal modes of habitation by offering both a Zemestan-Neshin (winter living room) and Taabestan-Neshin (summer living room) to their residents. In summertime, Sharifi-ha House offers an open /transparent /perforated volume with wide, large terraces. In contrast, during Tehran’s cold, snowy winters the volume closes itself, offering minimal openings in total absence of those wide summer terraces. In this project, the challenges to the concepts of open/closed typology (introverted/extroverted character) led to an exciting spatial transformation of an ever-changing residential building. The House is distributed over seven floors: the two basement floors are allocated to family conviviality, fitness facilities, and wellness areas, while the ground floor hosts parking and housekeeping rooms. Public activities all happen on the first and second floors, and the family’s private life takes place on the third and fourth floors. The project consisted of four major parts; the fixed volume of the structure, the void, and the fixed volume and the mobile volume, respectively. When the turning boxes are closed, the building captures sunlight throughout the space of the central void, which also connects the two fixed volumes by suspended bridges. The house adapts to the functional needs of its residents. For instance, depending on whether there is a guest or not, the guest room (located on the second floor) can be reconfigured for different purposes. Similarly, home office and breakfast room (turning rooms on the first and third floors) can change the formality of their appearance according to their residents’ desire. In other words, there is always the possibility of having different seasonal or lighting scenarios, some of which have been already considered in the BMS program of the project. From the initial design steps, we noticed that three pine trees outside could be incorporated into the spaces of the interior. Now, in the open mode of the house, the trees are pleasantly captured by the window frames. Stepping back for about three meters from the permitted construction boundary line allowed us to provide splendid daylight for the basement floors by inserting a glass fountain. The fitness and wellness areas are accommodated between this fountain and the basement pool where reflective installations reverberate the water’s radiance all over the space. The applied manufacturing technique for the turning mechanism was in fact a simple one; the same method which is currently employed in turning theatrical scenes, turning the floor of car exhibitions, steel companies and the shipping industry in Iran. But as our client himself was into importing CNC and other similar industrial German machines, he preferred the structural system to be fabricated in Germany. In doing so, he could engage his employees in the manufacturing process and thus train them for future maintenance purposes. Details of the handrails and air-penetration controlling methods were major issues considered in developing the design of the turning boxes. Designing foldable handrails and refining the edges of the boxes happened to be our feasible solutions. Considering the specialties of this kind of architecture, the structural system was inevitably a customized one. After digitally modeling the structure, a series of SAP2000 analysis were undertaken to examine static/dynamic performance of the proposed system. Being partially moveable is the dominant feature of this structural assembly, which was contemplated throughout the fabrication process by the German manufacturer company. The main loads all rest on the beams of the living rooms. Due to the various configurations the turning boxes may take, the loading calculation has been estimated based on the largest possible loading value applied to the system. Additionally, in order to prevent structural deformation controlling the probable vibrations in the turning boxes was taken into account during the design/calculations of the structure. The house was titled Sharifi-ha House, in honor of traditional Iranian mansions.

Black bathroom with high end finishes, custom vanity with double sinks and makeup application area. This bathroom is small but packs a punch with each and every last detail. Infinity mirror, back lit, atop three dimensional cream color tile. The vessel sinks sit atop gorgeous black and white granite that flows on the horizontal and is mitered at the corners. Hanging pendants flanking the makeup area have a bubble effect and create the perfect light for applying makeup. The fittings are Graff.