The Fontana Bridge residence is a mountain modern lake home located in the mountains of Swain County. The LEED Gold home is mountain modern house designed to integrate harmoniously with the surrounding Appalachian mountain setting. The understated exterior and the thoughtfully chosen neutral palette blend into the topography of the wooded hillside.

Russell Campaigne, CK Architects

From the moment the Browns first visited the dilapidated Victorian vicarage they fell in love with its potential. Having been unoccupied for over a decade, the five-bedroom detached property in Essex was inhabitable. However, with its original period features all still intact, the scale and proportions of the building provided the perfect opportunity to create a unique family home. The original kitchen was in a part of the Vicarage that was only single skinned (wall thickness), therefore, to comply with modern building standards the room needed to be rebuilt. This provided the couple with the opportunity to increase the space available to accommodate a spacious kitchen-diner. To complement the Victorian heritage of the property the kitchen furniture was designed in Davonport’s classic Tillingham shaker-style cabinetry and hand-painted in Farrow and Ball’s Hague Blue with striking bronze elements. A selection of luxury appliances from Sub-zero Wolf, Miele, and Quooker were chosen by the Browns to suit their lifestyle – they especially missed the ease of a hot water tap whilst living in rented accommodation when they were renovating!

An area rug is a great addition to a living room with hardwood floors.

In this 1905 Tudor home, the intent of this design was to take advantage of the classic architecture of the home and incorporate modern conveniences. Located in the Joseph Berry Subdivision in Detroit, this stellar home presented several design challenges. The most difficult challenge to overcome was the 11” slope from one end of the kitchen to the other, caused by 110 years of settling. All new floor joists were installed and the floor by the side door was then recessed down one step. This created a cozy nook when you first enter the kitchen. A tiered ceiling with strategically planned cabinetry heights and crown molding concealed the slope of the walls at the ceiling level. The second challenge in this historic home was the awkward foot print of the kitchen. It’s likely that this kitchen had a butler’s pantry originally. However it was remodeled sometime in the 70’s and all original character was erased. Clever pantry storage was added to an awkward corner creating a space that mimicked the essence of a butler’s pantry, while providing storage desired in kitchens today. Keeping the large footprint of the kitchen presented obstacles with the working triangle; the distance from the sink to the cooktop is several feet. The solution was installation of a pot filler over the cooktop that added convenience and elegance (not sure about this word). Not everything in this project was a challenge; the discovery of a brick chimney hiding behind plaster was a welcome surprise and brought character back honoring the historic charm of this beautiful home. Kitchen Designer: Rebekah Tull of Whiski Kitchen Design Studio Remodeling Contractor: Renaissance Restorations, Inc. Counter Top Fabricator: Lakeside Solid Surfaces - Cambria Cabinetry: Legacy Crafted Cabinets Photographer: Shermin Photography Lighting: Rejuvenation Tile: TileBar.com

This room is immediately as you walked into the residence with double doors into the 'den'. We wanted to make a 'wow factor' and a showstopper with this room. We thought a room that you could cozy up and read a good novel while sipping on a martini from the bar cart was a fun concept and the desk for light work. The color is what really makes the statement with the loveseat snuggled in between the sconces and the built in. Can't you see yourself in this cozy setting?

Photos by Peter Lyons

This renovation transformed a Venice bungalow that many thought to be a teardown into a bright and open cottage by the beach.

Modern Farmhouse Basement finish with rustic exposed beams, a large TV feature wall, and bench depth hearth for extra seating.

Photo: Angela Flournoy © 2013 Houzz

Photography ©Simon Eldon 2015

Built-in shelving and benches create a simple, yet cozy vignette in the back corner of the room. Not only did the designers strive for a clean design throughout the gallery, but also continued the theme through to the adjoining wine cellar and tasting room, office area and full bath. The home office is enclosed by bright yellow shelving and custom desk space by Neff, as well as a “secret” door that doubles as another surface on which to hang art.