Situated on the west slope of Mt. Baker Ridge, this remodel takes a contemporary view on traditional elements to maximize space, lightness and spectacular views of downtown Seattle and Puget Sound. We were approached by Vertical Construction Group to help a client bring their 1906 craftsman into the 21st century. The original home had many redeeming qualities that were unfortunately compromised by an early 2000’s renovation. This left the new homeowners with awkward and unusable spaces. After studying numerous space plans and roofline modifications, we were able to create quality interior and exterior spaces that reflected our client’s needs and design sensibilities. The resulting master suite, living space, roof deck(s) and re-invented kitchen are great examples of a successful collaboration between homeowner and design and build teams.

Situated on the west slope of Mt. Baker Ridge, this remodel takes a contemporary view on traditional elements to maximize space, lightness and spectacular views of downtown Seattle and Puget Sound. We were approached by Vertical Construction Group to help a client bring their 1906 craftsman into the 21st century. The original home had many redeeming qualities that were unfortunately compromised by an early 2000’s renovation. This left the new homeowners with awkward and unusable spaces. After studying numerous space plans and roofline modifications, we were able to create quality interior and exterior spaces that reflected our client’s needs and design sensibilities. The resulting master suite, living space, roof deck(s) and re-invented kitchen are great examples of a successful collaboration between homeowner and design and build teams.

Formerly the workshop of mid-century artisans, this manufacturing building in NYC's SoHo neighborhood was transformed into an 11,000 sf townhouse. The home features a full level spa, two-story living room, six bedrooms, eleven bathrooms, and rooftop addition with pool. Neighboring buildings were underpinned to lower the cellar to accommodate the spa which features dry stacked stone walls that blend into the swimming pool and hot tub and are featured throughout the entire level. The architect’s vision was to have visual recognition that the space was below ground. Thinking about the striations of the earth beneath its surface, he was inspired by the Therme Baths and Spa in Zurich where all the walls are clad with narrow strips of Vals quartzite. After seeing a rendering, the stone supplier advised that only certain stones could survive constant submersion in pool water and the stone should not have the cleft face he had originally imagined due to bacteria issues. Honed, Super Grey granite with white veining was used – the slabs cut into long 3” wide strips installed at random lengths to accentuate the concept of layering as found in the Earth. The kitchen was designed to feel more like a furnished room to integrate with the family room. The architect addressed this through materials and the design of the over-sized island. The countertop is the only veined stone in the kitchen – a beautiful single slab of Super White marble. The island is clad in mirror-polished stainless steel, transforming it into a beautiful piece of furniture that blends into the space. A two-story living room with 22' ceilings created a problem of comfortable scale. The key was the fireplace – the strongest vertical element in the room. By using horizontal vein-cut slabs of light-colored Driftwood marble, the scale of the space instantly became more intimate.

With amazing city views, its hard not to want to spend all your time living outside. With this design, you can. In one corner you have planters packed with seasonal vegetables that can be picked, rinsed and served, all within about 10 footsteps. Want some protein with that? No problem. The outdoor kitchen is set to feed a crowd, all while engaging friends over the bar, and into the dining area. Here, with built-in retractable pergola canopies, you can control your environment to whatever shade, sun, or night sky setting you desire. And then, when you can eat no more, kick-back and relax in the comfy, heated lounge seating area.

Treve Johnson
Multiuse home gym - mid-sized contemporary medium tone wood floor multiuse home gym idea in San Francisco with white walls

The roof deck reclaimed the outdoor space needed for the addition and provided new views for a client quickly being surrounded by tall, modern townhouses.

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

This Greek Revival row house in Boerum Hill was previously owned by a local architect who renovated it several times, including the addition of a two-story steel and glass extension at the rear. The new owners came to us seeking to restore the house and its original formality, while adapting it to the modern needs of a family of five. The detailing of the 25 x 36 foot structure had been lost and required some sleuthing into the history of Greek Revival style in historic Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition to completely re-framing the interior, the house also required a new south-facing brick façade due to significant deterioration. The modern extension was replaced with a more traditionally detailed wood and copper- clad bay, still open to natural light and the garden view without sacrificing comfort. The kitchen was relocated from the first floor to the garden level with an adjacent formal dining room. Both rooms were enlarged from their previous iterations to accommodate weekly dinners with extended family. The kitchen includes a home office and breakfast nook that doubles as a homework station. The cellar level was further excavated to accommodate finished storage space and a playroom where activity can be monitored from the kitchen workspaces. The parlor floor is now reserved for entertaining. New pocket doors can be closed to separate the formal front parlor from the more relaxed back portion, where the family plays games or watches TV together. At the end of the hall, a powder room with brass details, and a luxe bar with antique mirrored backsplash and stone tile flooring, leads to the deck and direct garden access. Because of the property width, the house is able to provide ample space for the interior program within a shorter footprint. This allows the garden to remain expansive, with a small lawn for play, an outdoor food preparation area with a cast-in-place concrete bench, and a place for entertaining towards the rear. The newly designed landscaping will continue to develop, further enhancing the yard’s feeling of escape, and filling-in the views from the kitchen and back parlor above. A less visible, but equally as conscious, addition is a rooftop PV solar array that provides nearly 100% of the daily electrical usage, with the exception of the AC system on hot summer days. The well-appointed interiors connect the traditional backdrop of the home to a youthful take on classic design and functionality. The materials are elegant without being precious, accommodating a young, growing family. Unique colors and patterns provide a feeling of luxury while inviting inhabitants and guests to relax and enjoy this classic Brooklyn brownstone. This project won runner-up in the architecture category for the 2017 NYC&G Innovation in Design Awards and was featured in The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. Photography by Francis Dzikowski / OTTO

Example of a minimalist rooftop rooftop outdoor kitchen deck design in DC Metro with no cover

Example of a minimalist rooftop rooftop metal railing deck design in DC Metro with no cover

Bradley Foto, Chris Bradley
Example of a trendy deck design in Chicago

Inspiration for a 1960s open concept gray floor living room remodel in San Francisco with blue walls and a standard fireplace

The addition of the kitchenette on the rooftop transformed the patio into a fully-functioning entertainment space. The retractable awning provides shade on the hottest days, or it can be opened up to party under the stars. Welcoming guests into their home is a way of life for the Novogratzes, and in turn was the primary focus of this renovation. "We like to have a lot people over on the day-to-day as well as holiday family gatherings and parties with our friends", Cortney explains. With both Robert and Cortney hailing from the South; Virginia and Georgia respectively, the couple have it in their blood to open their home those around them. "We always believe that the most important thing in your home is those you share it with", she says, "so we love to keep up our southern hospitality and are constantly welcoming guests into our home." Photo: Adrienne DeRosa Photography © 2014 Houzz Design: Cortney and Robert Novogratz

This modern ADU bedroom balances warmth and simplicity through natural materials and carefully curated details. A tongue-and-groove wood ceiling adds texture overhead, while white walls and light wood flooring create a bright, airy atmosphere. Contemporary artwork, integrated shelving, minimalist lighting, and warm wood furnishings complete the gallery-inspired retreat. by NextGen Home Builders

Outdoor kitchen deck - modern rooftop rooftop outdoor kitchen deck idea in DC Metro with no cover

This unique city-home is designed with a center entry, flanked by formal living and dining rooms on either side. An expansive gourmet kitchen / great room spans the rear of the main floor, opening onto a terraced outdoor space comprised of more than 700SF. The home also boasts an open, four-story staircase flooded with natural, southern light, as well as a lower level family room, four bedrooms (including two en-suite) on the second floor, and an additional two bedrooms and study on the third floor. A spacious, 500SF roof deck is accessible from the top of the staircase, providing additional outdoor space for play and entertainment. Due to the location and shape of the site, there is a 2-car, heated garage under the house, providing direct entry from the garage into the lower level mudroom. Two additional off-street parking spots are also provided in the covered driveway leading to the garage. Designed with family living in mind, the home has also been designed for entertaining and to embrace life's creature comforts. Pre-wired with HD Video, Audio and comprehensive low-voltage services, the home is able to accommodate and distribute any low voltage services requested by the homeowner. This home was pre-sold during construction. Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing

Treve Johnson
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary multiuse home gym remodel in San Francisco with white walls

Entertain your guests on the roof of your garage using this roof-top deck connected to a renovated Maine barn home. Trent Bell Photography
Example of a country rooftop deck design in Portland Maine with no cover

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography