Decorative Iron work, Custom Hand Forged Iron screens were used as window treatment embellishments between the Interior Courtyard and Garage of this luxury Southern California home. Geometric shapes combine to create a subtle yet striking division between the spaces. Installed within the window casings, the screens measure 24" X 48" allowing the viewer a subtly look from room to room while creating a decorative element within the space. When Iron work in a home has traditionally been reserved for Spanish or Tuscan style homes, Interior Designer Rebecca Robeson finds a way to incorporate Iron in a new and fresh way using geometric shapes to transition between rooms. Custom welders followed Rebeccas plans meticulously in order to keep the lines clean and sophisticated for a seamless design element in this home. All staircases and railings in this home share similar linear lines while window embellishments and room divider screens include softer curves to add grace to the geometric shapes. For a closer look at this home, watch our YouTube videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsNt46xGavY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj6lv21a7NQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvr4eWXljqM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JShqHBibRWY

These are projects we have completed into the Chicago Area

Audrey Hall

Photo by Bob Greenspan

Tektoniks Architects: Architects of Record / Kitchen Design Shadley Associates: Prime Consultant and Project Designer Photo Credits: JP Shadley - Shadley Associates

A new Seattle modern house designed by chadbourne + doss architects houses a couple and their 18 bicycles. 3 floors connect indoors and out and provide panoramic views of Lake Washington. photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Designed to make the most of a steep site, this private home in Sydney’s south has created great spaces to enjoy the view of the water. The design features a covered main pavilion with a fully equipped kitchen including a sink, fridge and wood fire pizza oven. Designed for entertainment it also includes a large dining area, sunken spa and wall mounted TV. O the same level of the pavilion is a sunken fire pit area nestled underneath a large existing Frangipani. Travel down a set of steel stairs and you come to an inviting blue pool with wet edge spill over out to the bay. The curves of the pool and lower lawn area designed to add interest when viewing from above. A generous lounge and nearby pool pavilion provides plenty of places to relax by the pool and the cantilevered section of the pavilion, with feature timber panelling, ensures that there is shade poolside and look fantastic next to another mature Frangipani. The overall look and feel of the project is sleek and contemporary, with plants chosen to emphasise the shapes of the design and to add contrasting colours. This project is definitely a great place entertain and relax whilst enjoying the view of the water. Rolling Stone Landscapes

One of the most prestigious projects we have supplied is the Martin House in Buffalo NY. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1904 it was the largest residential complex of his career and one of the most expensive. Although the house had fallen in to disrepair and a number of the buildings demolished, the Darwin Martin House Corporation have over seen its re-birth and return to its former glory. Northern became involved in 1994 and supplied tiles for the main house in 1996 and the Barton house a year later. Once the Pergola and Garage had been re-created we again supplied tiles, finishing out a 14 year involvement with the project. This is a true masterpiece of American design and heritage and you owe yourself a visit.

Arnal Photography

The Peaks View residence is sited near Wilson, Wyoming, in a grassy meadow, adjacent to the Teton mountain range. The design solution for the project had to satisfy two conflicting goals: the finished project must fit seamlessly into a neighborhood with distinctly conservative design guidelines while satisfying the owners desire to create a unique home with roots in the modern idiom.

 Within these constraints, the architect created an assemblage of building volumes to break down the scale of the 6,500 square foot program. A pair of two-story gabled structures present a traditional face to the neighborhood, while the single-story living pavilion, with its expansive shed roof, tilts up to recognize views and capture daylight for the primary living spaces. This trio of buildings wrap around a south-facing courtyard, a warm refuge for outdoor living during the short summer season in Wyoming. Broad overhangs, articulated in wood, taper to thin steel “brim” that protects the buildings from harsh western weather. The roof of the living pavilion extends to create a covered outdoor extension for the main living space. The cast-in-place concrete chimney and site walls anchor the composition of forms to the flat site. The exterior is clad primarily in cedar siding; two types were used to create pattern, texture and depth in the elevations. 
 While the building forms and exterior materials conform to the design guidelines and fit within the context of the neighborhood, the interiors depart to explore a well-lit, refined and warm character. Wood, plaster and a reductive approach to detailing and materials complete the interior expression. Display for a Kimono was deliberately incorporated into the entry sequence. Its influence on the interior can be seen in the delicate stair screen and the language for the millwork which is conceived as simple wood containers within spaces. Ample glazing provides excellent daylight and a connection to the site. Photos: Matthew Millman

Photography by Francis Augustine

Kids Bedrooms can be fun. This preteen bedroom design was create for a young girl in need o her own bedroom. Having shared bedrooms with hr younger sister it was time Abby had her own room! Interior Designer Rebecca Robeson took the box shaped room and added a much needed closet by using Ikea's PAX wardrobe system which flanked either side of the window. This provided the perfect spot to add a simple bench seat below the window creating a delightful window seat for young Abby to curl up and enjoy a great book or text a friend. Robeson's artful use of bright wall colors mixed with PB teen bedding makes for a fun exhilarating first impression when walking into Abby's room! For more details on Abby's bedroom, watch YouTubes most popular Interior Designer, Rebecca Robeson as she walks you through the actual room! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2ZQbjBJsEs Photos by David Hartig

Cantilever automated louvre roof to create a large outdoor living space | Rider Architects | UmbrisbyIQ Enhance your outdoor living space.

Firmness . . . Santa Cruz’s historically eclectic Pleasure Point neighborhood has been evolving in its own quirky way for almost a century, and many of its inhabitants seem to have been around just as long. They cling to the relaxed and funky seaside character of their beach community with an almost indignant provinciality. For both client and architect, neighborhood context became the singular focus of the design; to become the “poster child” for compatibility and sustainability. Dozens of photos were taken of the surrounding area as inspiration, with the goal of honoring the idiosyncratic, fine-grained character and informal scale of a neighborhood built over time. A low, horizontal weathered ipe fence at the street keeps out surfer vans and neighborhood dogs, and a simple gate beckons visitors to stroll down the boardwalk which gently angles toward the front door. A rusted steel fire pit is the focus of this ground level courtyard, which is encircled by a curving cor-ten garden wall graced by a sweep of horse tail reeds and tufts of feather grass. Extensive day-lighting throughout the home is achieved with high windows placed in all directions in all major rooms, resulting in an abundance of natural light throughout. The clients report having only to turning on lights at nightfall. Notable are the numerous passive solar design elements: careful attention to overhangs and shading devices at South- and West-facing glass to control heat gain, and passive ventilation via high windows in the tower elements, all are significant contributors to the structure’s energy efficiency. Commodity . . . Beautiful views of Monterey Bay and the lively local beach scene became the main drivers in plan and section. The upper floor was intentionally set back to preserve ocean views of the neighbor to the north. The surf obsessed clients wished to be able to see the “break” from their upper floor breakfast table perch, able to take a moment’s notice advantage of some killer waves. A tiny 4,500 s.f. lot and a desire to create a ground level courtyard for entertaining dictated the small footprint. A graceful curving cor-ten and stainless steel stair descends from the upper floor living areas, connecting them to a ground level “sanctuary”. A small detached art studio/surfboard storage shack in the back yard fulfills functional requirements, and includes an outdoor shower for the post-surf hose down. Parking access off a back alley helps to preserve ground floor space, and allows in the southern sun on the view/courtyard side. A relaxed “bare foot beach house” feel is underscored by weathered oak floors, painted re-sawn wall finishes, and painted wood ceilings, which recall the cozy cabins that stood here at Breakers Beach for nearly a century. Delight . . . Commemorating the history of the property was a priority for the surfing couple. With that in mind, they created an artistic reproduction of the original sign that decorated the property for many decades as an homage to the “Cozy Cabins at Breakers Beach”, which now graces the foyer. This casual assemblage of local vernacular architecture has been informed by the consistent scale and simple materials of nearby cottages, shacks, and bungalows. These influences were distilled down to a palette of board and batt, clapboard, and cedar shiplap, and synthesized with bolder forms that evoke images of nearby Capitola Wharf, beach lifeguard towers, and the client’s “surf shack” program requirements. The landscape design takes its cues from boardwalks, rusted steel fire rings, and native grasses, all of which firmly tie the building to its local beach community. The locals have embraced it as one of their own. Architect - Noel Cross Architect Landscape Architect - Christopher Yates Interior Designer - Gina Viscusi-Elson Lighting Designer - Vita Pehar Design Contractor - The Conrado Company

Leona Mozes Photography for Interieurs Finnie Ward

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Simon Wood