photography by james ray spahn
Mountain style enclosed carpeted family room photo in Denver with a wall-mounted tv, white walls and no fireplace

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

Greg Martz, Photographer. Tom Minden, Project Mgr. for Finn Builders. Jack Finn, General Contractor. Dorothy Ledden, Interior Designer. Jonathan Perlstein, Architect, Oasis Architecture.

Elliott Johnson Photographer
Inspiration for a cottage living room remodel in San Luis Obispo with white walls

Upstate Door makes hand-crafted custom, semi-custom and standard interior and exterior doors from a full array of wood species and MDF materials. Custom white painted single 20 lite over 12 panel door with 22 lite sidelites

Inspiration for a coastal dark wood floor entryway remodel in Los Angeles with beige walls and a white front door

NSPJ Architects / Cathy Kudelko
French country entryway photo in Kansas City with a brown front door

Example of a transitional l-shaped beige floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Nathan Schroder Photography BK Design Studio Robert Elliott Custom Homes Solara Doors and Lighting
Inspiration for a large mediterranean entryway remodel in Dallas with white walls and a dark wood front door

This traditional Shaker Kitchen has a masculine feel with its chocolate lower cabinets and walls of subway tile. The apron farmhouse sink is the centerpiece of the galley juxtaposed with a contemporary pull-out faucet. By applying a mirror on the door it gives the impression that it leads to a Dining Room. The wide plank flooring in a walnut stain adds texture and richness to this space. Laura Hull Photography

Therma-Tru Classic-Craft American Style Collection fiberglass door with dentil shelf. This door features high-definition vertical Douglas Fir grain and Shaker-style recessed panels. Door, sidelites and transom feature energy-efficient Low-E glass.

Joan Dyer
Inspiration for a contemporary entryway remodel in Austin with a glass front door

This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

In 2014, we were approached by a couple to achieve a dream space within their existing home. They wanted to expand their existing bar, wine, and cigar storage into a new one-of-a-kind room. Proud of their Italian heritage, they also wanted to bring an “old-world” feel into this project to be reminded of the unique character they experienced in Italian cellars. The dramatic tone of the space revolves around the signature piece of the project; a custom milled stone spiral stair that provides access from the first floor to the entry of the room. This stair tower features stone walls, custom iron handrails and spindles, and dry-laid milled stone treads and riser blocks. Once down the staircase, the entry to the cellar is through a French door assembly. The interior of the room is clad with stone veneer on the walls and a brick barrel vault ceiling. The natural stone and brick color bring in the cellar feel the client was looking for, while the rustic alder beams, flooring, and cabinetry help provide warmth. The entry door sequence is repeated along both walls in the room to provide rhythm in each ceiling barrel vault. These French doors also act as wine and cigar storage. To allow for ample cigar storage, a fully custom walk-in humidor was designed opposite the entry doors. The room is controlled by a fully concealed, state-of-the-art HVAC smoke eater system that allows for cigar enjoyment without any odor.

Inspiration for a transitional dutch front door remodel in Orange County with a yellow front door

Photos by Spacecrafting
Inspiration for a transitional ceramic tile and beige floor mudroom remodel in Minneapolis with white walls

From the street, we kept the 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom addition on the top concealed by a simple shed dormer which reduces the impression of bulk and keeps the house looking cozy and comfortable. Wood carriage doors and a recessed front porch given some prominence help create a welcoming street presence. John Wilbanks Photography

Inspiration for a timeless beige two-story wood exterior home remodel in DC Metro

Kelly and Stone Architects photo. 1L3R bifold door with nearly 4' wide door panels. Stepped sill for great weather performance.
Inspiration for a rustic open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Other with beige walls and a standard fireplace