Lisa Petrole

Ethan Rohloff Photography

Interior painting by Warline Painting Ltd. Photos by Ina Vantonder.

The kitchen is large space with an open setting. While the island is small and only seats two, there is still space in the dining area and the window bar. Tim Murphy/FotoImagery.com

Frank de Biasi Interiors

A family in West University contacted us to design a contemporary Houston landscape for them. They live on a double lot, which is large for that neighborhood. They had built a custom home on the property, and they wanted a unique indoor-outdoor living experience that integrated a modern pool into the aesthetic of their home interior. This was made possible by the design of the home itself. The living room can be fully opened to the yard by sliding glass doors. The pool we built is actually a lap swimming pool that measures a full 65 feet in length. Not only is this pool unique in size and design, but it is also unique in how it ties into the home. The patio literally connects the living room to the edge of the water. There is no coping, so you can literally walk across the patio into the water and start your swim in the heated, lighted interior of the pool. Even for guests who do not swim, the proximity of the water to the living room makes the entire pool-patio layout part of the exterior design. This is a common theme in modern pool design. The patio is also notable because it is constructed from stones that fit so tightly together the joints seem to disappear. Although the linear edges of the stones are faintly visible, the surface is one contiguous whole whose linear seamlessness supports both the linearity of the home and the lengthwise expanse of the pool. While the patio design is strictly linear to tie the form of the home to that of the pool, our modern pool is decorated with a running bond pattern of tile work. Running bond is a design pattern that uses staggered stone, brick, or tile layouts to create something of a linear puzzle board effect that captures the eye. We created this pattern to compliment the brick work of the home exterior wall, thus aesthetically tying fine details of the pool to home architecture. At the opposite end of the pool, we built a fountain into the side of the home's perimeter wall. The fountain head is actually square, mirroring the bricks in the wall. Unlike a typical fountain, the water here pours out in a horizontal plane which even more reinforces the theme of the quadrilateral geometry and linear movement of the modern pool. We decorated the front of the home with a custom garden consisting of small ground cover plant species. We had to be very cautious around the trees due to West U’s strict tree preservation policies. In order to avoid damaging tree roots, we had to avoid digging too deep into the earth. The species used in this garden—Japanese Ardesia, foxtail ferns, and dwarf mondo not only avoid disturbing tree roots, but they are low-growth by nature and highly shade resistant. We also built a gravel driveway that provides natural water drainage and preserves the root zone for trees. Concrete pads cross the driveway to give the homeowners a sure-footing for walking to and from their vehicles.

This game room has it all! ping pong table, chalk board walls, popcorn machine, armless chairs for perching,telescope type floor lamps custom valances.

This rustic modern home was purchased by an art collector that needed plenty of white wall space to hang his collection. The furnishings were kept neutral to allow the art to pop and warm wood tones were selected to keep the house from becoming cold and sterile. Published in Modern In Denver | The Art of Living. Daniel O'Connor Photography

Photo by Susan Teare

Eliot Cohen

The steep site on which this residence is located dictated the use of a retaining wall to create a level grade. This retaining wall, or “the line”, became the driving element behind the parti of the home and serves to organize the program for the clients. The rituals of daily life fall into place along the line which is expressed as sandblasted exposed concrete and modular block. Three aspects of a house were seperated in this project: Thinking, Living, & Doing. ‘Thinking’ is done in the library, the main house is for ‘living’, and ‘doing’ is in the shop. While each space is separated by walls and windows they are nonetheless connected by “the line”. Sustainability is married in equal parts to the concept of The Line House. The residence is located along an east/west axis to maximize the benefits of daylighting and solar heat gain. Operable windows maximize natural cross ventilation and reduce the need for air conditioning. Photo Credit: Michael Robinson

Back When Photography

Modern Cape Cod green home earned LEED Gold certification for green features including solar electric, a green roof, and the use of sustainable materials. Construction by Cape Associates. Photos by Michael J Lee. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design. www.Zeroenergy.com

This interior is one we just can’t get enough of! The combination of timbers, glass, marble and industrial concrete like elements are perfectly balanced against a dark and light colour scheme that packs a punch. We love the bold choices to paint dark skirting and architraves against a light wall, and flipping that to dark walls and white skirting and architraves in other areas of the home. One would think the design might end up cold and dank, but the use of timber and bountiful amounts of natural light create an inviting, homely space. Any home with its own music room, library and wine cellar is super cool regardless! Intrim supplied Intrim SK864 in 185mm for skirting boards and 90mm for architraves. Builder: Manteena Residential | Photographer: Adam McGrath, H Creations | Architect: Architects Ring & Associates | Interior Design: Dept of Design

A CEO wanted a wall to be a white board. After researching various products, we settled on ReMARKable Whiteboard Paint. In this photo, I'm prepping the wall.

4,440 SF two story home in Brentwood, CA. This home features an attached two-car garage, 5 Bedrooms, 5 Baths, Upstairs Laundry Room, Office, Covered Balconies and Deck, Sitting Room, Living Room, Dining Room, Family Room, Kitchen, Study, Downstairs Guest Room, Foyer, Morning Room, Covered Loggia, Mud Room. Features warm copper gutters and downspouts as well as copper standing seam roofs that grace the main entry and side yard lower roofing elements to complement the cranberry red front door. An ample sun deck off the master provides a view of the large grassy back yard. The interior features include an Elan Smart House system integrated with surround sound audio system at the Great Room, and speakers throughout the interior and exterior of the home. The well out-fitted Gym and a dark wood paneled home Office provide private spaces for the adults. A large Playroom with wainscot height chalk-board walls creates a fun place for the kids to play. Photos by: Latham Architectural