Harbor View is a modern-day interpretation of the shingled vacation houses of its seaside community. The gambrel roof, horizontal, ground-hugging emphasis, and feeling of simplicity, are all part of the character of the place. While fitting in with local traditions, Harbor View is meant for modern living. The kitchen is a central gathering spot, open to the main combined living/dining room and to the waterside porch. One easily moves between indoors and outdoors. The house is designed for an active family, a couple with three grown children and a growing number of grandchildren. It is zoned so that the whole family can be there together but retain privacy. Living, dining, kitchen, library, and porch occupy the center of the main floor. One-story wings on each side house two bedrooms and bathrooms apiece, and two more bedrooms and bathrooms and a study occupy the second floor of the central block. The house is mostly one room deep, allowing cross breezes and light from both sides. The porch, a third of which is screened, is a main dining and living space, with a stone fireplace offering a cozy place to gather on summer evenings. A barn with a loft provides storage for a car or boat off-season and serves as a big space for projects or parties in summer.

Custom floating desks inspired by midcentury classics provide ample workspace for two. Warm colors and terrazzo floors complete this serene basement home office. Photos by Geoffrey Hodgdon

Studio21 Architects designed this 5,000 square foot ranch home in the western suburbs of Chicago. It is the Dream Home for our clients who purchased an expansive lot on which to locate their home. The owners loved the idea of using heavy timber framing to accent the house. The design includes a series of timber framed trusses and columns extend from the front porch through the foyer, great room and rear sitting room. A large two-sided stone fireplace was used to separate the great room from the sitting room. All of the common areas as well as the master suite are oriented around the blue stone patio. Two additional bedroom suites, a formal dining room, and the home office were placed to view the large front yard.

The T-shaped custom built desk provides work surface and storage for two. The dark painted shiplap feature wall with floating shelves, a graphic rug and a statement light add design wow to the space.

I am proud to present New, Stylish, Practical, and just Awesome ) design for your new kid's room. Ta -da... The space in this room is minimal, and it's tough to have two beds there and have a useful and pretty design. This design was built on the idea to have a bed that transforms from king to two tweens and back with ease. I do think most of the time better to keep it as a single bed and, when needed, slide bed over and have two beds. The single bed will give you more space and air in the room. You will have easy access to the closet and a much more comfortable bed to sleep on it. On the left side, we are going to build costume wardrobe style closet On the right side is a column. We install some exposed shelving to bring this architectural element to proportions with the room. Behind the bed, we use accent wallpaper. This particular mural wallpaper looks like fabric has those waves that will softener this room. Also, it brings that three-dimension effect that makes the room look larger without using mirrors. Led lighting over that wall will make shadows look alive. There are some Miami vibes it this picture. Without dominating overall room design, these art graphics are producing luxury filing of living in a tropical paradise. ( Miami Style) On the front is console/table cabinetry. In this combination, it is in line with bed design and the overall geometrical proportions of the room. It is a multi-function. It will be used as a console for a TV/play station and a small table for computer activities. In the end wall in the hallway is a costume made a mirror with Led lights. Girls need mirrors ) Our concept is timeless. We design this room to be the best for any age. We look into the future ) Your girl will grow very fast. And you do not have to change a thing in this room. This room will be comfortable and stylish for the next 20 years. I do guarantee that ) Your daughter will love it!

The open plan office as viewed from the front door entry hall.
Mid-sized trendy built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room photo in Charlotte with gray walls

The kitchen was stuck in the 1980s with builder stock grade cabinets. It did not have enough space for two cooks to work together comfortably, or to entertain large groups of friends and family. The lighting and wall colors were also dated and made the small kitchen feel even smaller. By removing some walls between the kitchen and dining room, relocating a pantry closet,, and extending the kitchen footprint into a tiny home office on one end where the new spacious pantry and a built-in desk now reside, and about 4 feet into the family room to accommodate two beverage refrigerators and glass front cabinetry to be used as a bar serving space, the client now has the kitchen they have been dreaming about for years. Steven Kaye Photography

Natural stone dimensional tile and river rock media transform an uninspiring double-sided gas fireplace. Removing the original French doors on either side of the fireplace allows the new ventless fireplace to command center stage, creating a large fluid space connecting the elegant breakfast room and bonus family room

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Inspiration for a transitional built-in desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor home office remodel in Santa Barbara with gray walls

Feature In: Visit Miami Beach Magazine & Island Living A nice young couple contacted us from Brazil to decorate their newly acquired apartment. We schedule a meeting through Skype and from the very first moment we had a very good feeling this was going to be a nice project and people to work with. We exchanged some ideas, comments, images and we explained to them how we were used to worked with clients overseas and how important was to keep communication opened. They main concerned was to find a solution for a giant structure leaning column in the main room, as well as how to make the kitchen, dining and living room work together in one considerably small space with few dimensions. Whether it was a holiday home or a place to rent occasionally, the requirements were simple, Scandinavian style, accent colors and low investment, and so we did it. Once the proposal was signed, we got down to work and in two months the apartment was ready to welcome them with nice scented candles, flowers and delicious Mojitos from their spectacular view at the 41th floor of one of Miami's most modern and tallest building. Rolando Diaz Photography

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.

This lovely room is found on the other side of the two-sided fireplace and is encased in glass on 3 sides. Marvin Integrity windows and Marvin doors are trimmed out in White Dove, which compliments the ceiling's shiplap and the white overgrouted stone fireplace. Its a lovely place to relax at any time of the day!

With an open plan and exposed structure, every interior element had to be beautiful and functional. Here you can see the massive concrete fireplace as it defines four areas. On one side, it is a wood burning fireplace with firewood as it's artwork. On another side it has additional dish storage carved out of the concrete for the kitchen and dining. The last two sides pinch down to create a more intimate library space at the back of the fireplace. Photo by Lincoln Barber

A 1927 colonial home in Shaker Heights, Ohio, received a breathtaking renovation that required extensive work, transforming it from a tucked away, utilitarian space, to an all-purpose gathering room, a role that most kitchens embrace in a home today. The scope of work changed over the course of the project, starting more minimalistically and then quickly becoming the main focus of the house's remodeling, resulting in a staircase being relocated and walls being torn down to create an inviting focal point to the home where family and friends could connect. The focus of the functionality was to allow for multiple prep areas with the inclusion of two islands and sinks, two eating areas (one for impromptu snacking and small meals of younger family members and friends on island no. two and a built-in bench seat for everyday meals in the immediate family). The kitchen was equipped with all Subzero and Wolf appliances, including a 48" range top with a 12" griddle, two double ovens, a 42" built-in side by side refrigerator and freezer, a microwave drawer on island no. one and a beverage center and icemaker in island no. two. The aesthetic feeling embraces the architectural feel of the home while adding a modern sensibility with the revamped layout and graphic elements that tie the color palette of whites, chocolate and charcoal. The cabinets were custom made and outfitted with beaded inset doors with a Shaker panel frame and finished in Benjamin Moore's OC-17 White Dove, a soft white that allowed for the kitchen to feel warm while still maintaining its brightness. Accents of walnut were added to create a sense of warmth, including a custom premium grade walnut countertop on island no. one from Brooks Custom and a TV cabinet with a doggie feeding station beneath. Bringing the cabinet line to the 8'6" ceiling height helps the room feel taller and bold light fixtures at the islands and eating area add detail to an otherwise simpler ceiling detail. The 1 1/4" countertops feature Calacatta Gold Marble with an ogee edge detail. Special touches on the interiors include secret storage panels, an appliance garage, breadbox, pull-out drawers behind the cabinet doors and all soft-close hinges and drawer glides. A kneading area was made as a part of island no. one for the homeowners' love of baking, complete with a stone top allowing for dough to stay cool. Baskets beneath store kitchen essentials that need air circulation. The room adjacent to the kitchen was converted to a hearth room (from a formal dining room) to extend the kitchen's living space and allow for a natural spillover for family and guests to spill into. Jason Miller, Pixelate

Two Birds Photography
Example of a mid-sized transitional boy light wood floor nursery design in Chicago with blue walls

A cozy built-in workstation designed for creativity and imagination. The nook features a navy accent wall, open wood shelving, and white drawer storage on each side. A cheerful yellow chair adds a pop of color, while playful LEGO bins and decor bring personality to this functional and fun children’s workspace.

I am proud to present New, Stylish, Practical, and just Awesome ) design for your new kid's room. Ta -da... The space in this room is minimal, and it's tough to have two beds there and have a useful and pretty design. This design was built on the idea to have a bed that transforms from king to two tweens and back with ease. I do think most of the time better to keep it as a single bed and, when needed, slide bed over and have two beds. The single bed will give you more space and air in the room. You will have easy access to the closet and a much more comfortable bed to sleep on it. On the left side, we are going to build costume wardrobe style closet On the right side is a column. We install some exposed shelving to bring this architectural element to proportions with the room. Behind the bed, we use accent wallpaper. This particular mural wallpaper looks like fabric has those waves that will softener this room. Also, it brings that three-dimension effect that makes the room look larger without using mirrors. Led lighting over that wall will make shadows look alive. There are some Miami vibes it this picture. Without dominating overall room design, these art graphics are producing luxury filing of living in a tropical paradise. ( Miami Style) On the front is console/table cabinetry. In this combination, it is in line with bed design and the overall geometrical proportions of the room. It is a multi-function. It will be used as a console for a TV/play station and a small table for computer activities. In the end wall in the hallway is a costume made a mirror with Led lights. Girls need mirrors ) Our concept is timeless. We design this room to be the best for any age. We look into the future ) Your girl will grow very fast. And you do not have to change a thing in this room. This room will be comfortable and stylish for the next 20 years. I do guarantee that ) Your daughter will love it!

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.