Architect Nils Finne has created a new, highly crafted modern kitchen in his own traditional Tudor home located in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. The kitchen design relies on the creation of a very simple continuous space that is occupied by intensely crafted cabinets, counters and fittings. Materials such as steel, walnut, limestone, textured Alaskan yellow cedar, and sea grass are used in juxtaposition, allowing each material to benefit from adjacent contrasts in texture and color. The existing kitchen was enlarged slightly by removing a wall between the kitchen and pantry. A long, continuous east-west space was created, approximately 25-feet long, with glass doors at either end. The east end of the kitchen has two seating areas: an inviting window seat with soft cushions as well as a desk area with seating, a flat-screen computer, and generous shelving for cookbooks. At the west end of the kitchen, an unusual “L”-shaped door opening has been made between the kitchen and the dining room, in order to provide a greater sense of openness between the two spaces. The ensuing challenge was how to invent a sliding pocket door that could be used to close off the two spaces when the occasion required some separation. The solution was a custom door with two panels, and series of large finger joints between the two panels allowing the door to become “L” shaped. The resulting door, called a “zipper door” by the local fabricator (Quantum Windows and Doors), can be pushed completely into a wall pocket, or slid out and then the finger joints allow the second panel to swing into the “L”-shape position. In addition to the “L”-shaped zipper door, the renovation of architect Nils Finne’s own house presented other opportunity for experimentation. Custom CNC-routed cabinet doors in Alaskan Yellow Cedar were built without vertical stiles, in order to create a more continuous texture across the surface of the lower cabinets. LED lighting was installed with special aluminum reflectors behind the upper resin-panel cabinets. Two materials were used for the counters: Belgian Blue limestone and Black walnut. The limestone was used around the sink area and adjacent to the cook-top. Black walnut was used for the remaining counter areas, and an unusual “finger” joint was created between the two materials, allowing a visually intriguing interlocking pattern , emphasizing the hard, fossilized quality of the limestone and the rich, warm grain of the walnut both to emerge side-by-side. Behind the two counter materials, a continuous backsplash of custom glass mosaic provides visual continuity. Laser-cut steel detailing appears in the flower-like steel bracket supporting hanging pendants over the window seat as well as in the delicate steel valence placed in front of shades over the glass doors at either end of the kitchen. At each of the window areas, the cabinet wall becomes open shelving above and around the windows. The shelving becomes part of the window frame, allowing for generously deep window sills of almost 10”. Sustainable design ideas were present from the beginning. The kitchen is heavily insulated and new windows bring copious amounts of natural light. Green materials include resin panels, low VOC paints, sustainably harvested hardwoods, LED lighting, and glass mosaic tiles. But above all, it is the fact of renovation itself that is inherently sustainable and captures all the embodied energy of the original 1920’s house, which has now been given a fresh life. The intense craftsmanship and detailing of the renovation speaks also to a very important sustainable principle: build it well and it will last for many, many years! Overall, the kitchen brings a fresh new spirit to a home built in 1927. In fact, the kitchen initiates a conversation between the older, traditional home and the new modern space. Although there are no moldings or traditional details in the kitchen, the common language between the two time periods is based on richly textured materials and obsessive attention to detail and craft.

The southern volume of the upper level (clad in dark gray Hardipanel cement-board siding) meeting the northern volume (finished in clear-sealed vertical cedar siding.) Throughout the project, the cedar siding boards are aligned and continue seamlessly to the underside of the roof above. Windows are thermally-broken, clear-anodized aluminum frames.

Aluminium panel fence with powder paint and instal to concrete post.

Contemporary kitchen design with white engineered quartz countertops, glossy white flat-panel cabinetry with brass hardware and rift-sawn oak wood cabinets. Fleetwood aluminum windows overlooking garden. Jonathan Mitchell Photography

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Mint Sandstone wall cladding / ledges used in exterior walls. Approx size of each tile is 1 inches.

Tile layouts, slab walls, obsidian mosaic floor, teak cabinetry, smoked mirror backsplash, glass tiled backsplash, teak-framed tub deck with towel shelving

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Collaborations are typically so fruitful and this one was no different. The homeowners started by hiring an architect to develop a vision and plan for transforming their very traditional brick home into a contemporary family home full of modern updates. The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn was hired to provide kitchen design expertise and to bring the vision to life. The bamboo cabinetry and white Ceasarstone countertops provide contrast that pops while the white oak floors and limestone tile bring warmth to the space. A large island houses a Galley Sink which provides a multi-functional work surface fantastic for summer entertaining. And speaking of summer entertaining, a new Nana Wall system — a large glass wall system that creates a large exterior opening and can literally be opened and closed with one finger – brings the outdoor in and creates a very unique flavor to the space. Matching bamboo cabinetry and panels were also installed in the adjoining family room, along with aluminum doors with frosted glass and a repeat of the limestone at the newly designed fireplace. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

chadbourne + doss architects has designed a washroom in the historic Alderbrook Station Netshed. The Interior is clad in Aluminum plate and translucent fiberglass. There is a 'riverlight' allowing view of the water below. Interior Bath photo by Tom Barwick

AZEK Island Oak with Trademark Railing and Cable Rail is just one of the many ways to customize a deck and rail design. There are five unique infill options for AZEK Rail: composite balusters, round aluminum balusters, square aluminum balusters, cable railing and glass panels. With the look and feel of real wood, AZEK Trademark Rail requires no painting or staining for protection and will never rot, peel or splinter. All AZEK Deck products carry a limited lifetime warranty and are engineered to last beautifully.

Design: One SEED Architecture + Interiors (www.oneseed.ca) Photography: A. Holden-Pope True sustainability deals with the ‘three pillars of sustainability’, which include the environmental, but also the social and economical. The Narrow Passive House responds to each tenet with an understated elegance. This eco-conscious home is designed to take advantage of the earth’s never-ending capacity to heat, cool, and ventilate, while using materials and building systems which are durable and tread lightly on the environment. It boasts a green roof and three storey thermal mass wall.

LaCantina Doors' 3 Panel All Aluminum Bi-Fold system. Check out the video here: http://www.lacantinadoors.com/gallery/video/videos-tv-shows/house-crashers-indoor-outdoor-lounge

This project is a huge gable style patio cover with covered deck and aluminum railing with glass and cable on the stairs. The Patio cover is equipped with electric heaters, tv, ceiling fan, skylights, fire table, patio furniture, and sound system. The decking is a composite material from Timbertech and had hidden fasteners.

Marvin Bronze Clad, Bare Pine Interior Doors with Door Transoms. The center unit is a three panel Marvin Clad Inswing French Door, with one stationary panel and two operable panels. The doors on the sides are single panels. The entire assembly features matching Marvin door transoms with a mull reinforcement. By Old Town Glass, Inc. a Marvin Authorized Installing Retailer and Marvin Windows and Doors Worldclass Dealer.

A super clean, unadorned look for a balcony balustrade. Half inch thick, clear, tempered glass with polished edges, rising unencumbered from a structural aluminum base rail finished with satin brass cladding. Works well with transitional, contemporary and modern styles. Trimcraft of Fort Myers thoroughly enjoyed working again with this repeat client for their latest home.

Casco's Double Hung Aluminum Clad Wood Windows

A super clean, unadorned look for a balcony balustrade. Half inch thick, clear, tempered glass with polished edges, rising unencumbered from a structural aluminum base rail finished with satin brass cladding. Works well with transitional, contemporary and modern styles. Trimcraft of Fort Myers thoroughly enjoyed working again with this repeat client for their latest home.

A super clean, unadorned look for a balcony balustrade. Half inch thick, clear, tempered glass with polished edges, rising unencumbered from a structural aluminum base rail finished with satin brass cladding. Works well with transitional, contemporary and modern styles. Trimcraft of Fort Myers thoroughly enjoyed working again with this repeat client for their latest home.