This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

Paint color is Winter Solstice Photography by Robert Granoff

Design inspiration: The kitchen was to be designed as an open plan lifestyle space that also included a full workstation that could be concealed when not in use. What Searle & Taylor created: The kitchen was part of an extension to a detached house that was built during the 1990’s. The extension was designed as an open plan lifestyle space that incorporated a kitchen and separate dining area, a ‘snug’ seating area and importantly, a workstation that could be hidden from view when socialising and entertaining. Floor to ceiling cabinets were designed against the back wall with a large linear island in front. To soften the look of the room, the corner units were curved at equal angles on either side and includes a tall walk-in larder with internal shelving at separate heights. Also integrated is an extra wide 90cm Liebherr fridge freezer with ice maker and a bank of built-in cooking appliances, as specified by the client. The large central island with granite worksurface houses nine drawers with shell handles and is designed with a dual purpose: for food preparation and cooking on one side and for relaxed seating with a cantilevered solid oak breakfast bar on the other. The cooking area houses a centrally positioned full surface induction hob, which is directly beneath a flush mounted ceiling hood. As requested, to the right hand side of the cabinets, a work station was created that could accommodate files, folders and a large screen PC. In order to be as functional as possible, a set of pocket doors were developed on a bi-fold system that return into side pockets to leave the workstation clear and open. Complementing the rest of the cabinetry, the doors feature carved semi-circles within clean lines together with semi-circular handles that reveal a mandala-inspired design when closed.

The full height custom millwork shelving allows the owners to fully utilize the space, creating additional display surface for artwork and books. Artwork is displayed throughout the living space.

Alice Hayes Photography, Seattle

Casey Dunn Photography

Rob Karosis: Photographer

Adding a penthouse perch to this 1899 row house with a harbor view demanded unusual tactics. To circumvent municipal limitations on floor area, a section of floor was removed from one level and “transferred” to the roof as a new studio space. To comply with local height limitations, an innovative structure of solid wood studs was deployed to reduce floor and ceiling thicknesses to the bare minimum. Aside from creating the desired rooftop refuge, these gymnastics also created a dynamic cascade of interior living spaces for an urban designer and his family. Photos by Bruce Buck

Calm of the Soho collection is made up of thin strips, finely cut and placed together for a linear contemporary look.

modern ensuite bath with antique mirror

Tony Soluri

Michael Hunter Photography

The polished Silestone worktop in Merope reflects the view from the window beautifully, mirroring the sky and light that pours into the space. Jonathan Gooch

Klopf Architecture completely remodeled this once dark Eichler house in Palo Alto creating a more open, bright and functional family home. The reconfigured great room with new full height windows and sliding glass doors blends the indoors with the newly landscaped patio and seating areas outside. The former galley kitchen was relocated and was opened up to have clear sight lines through the great room and out to the patios and yard, including a large island and a beautiful walnut bar countertop with seating. An integrated small front addition was added allowing for a more spacious master bath and hall bath layouts. With the removal of the old brick fireplace, larger sliding glass doors and multiple skylights now flood the home with natural light. The goals were to work within the Eichler style while creating a more open, indoor-outdoor flow and functional spaces, as well as a more efficient building envelope including a well insulated roof, providing solutions that many Eichler homeowners appreciate. The original entryway lacked unique details; the clients desired a more gracious front approach. The historic Eichler color palette was used to create a modern updated front facade. Durable grey porcelain floor tiles unify the entire home, creating a continuous flow. They, along with white walls, provide a backdrop for the unique elements and materials to stand on their own, such as the brightly colored mosaic tiles, the walnut bar and furniture, and stained ceiling boards. A secondary living space was extended out to the patio with the addition of a bench and additional seating. This Single family Eichler 4 bedroom 2 bath remodel is located in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, Klara Kevane, and Ethan Taylor Contractor: Coast to Coast Construction Landscape Contractor: Discelli Structural Engineer: Brian Dotson Consulting Engineer Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed Location: Palo Alto, CA Year completed: 2017

The owners of this 520 square foot, three-level studio loft had a few requests for Turett's design tea,: use sustainable materials throughout; incorporate an eclectic mix of bright colors and textures; gut everything..but preserve two decorative tiles from the existing bathroom for nostalgic value. TCA drew on its experience with 'green' materials to integrate FSC-certified wood flooring and kitchen cabinets, recycled mosaic glass tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, no-VOC paint and energy efficient lighting throughout the space. One of the main challenges for TCA was separating the different programmatic areas - ktichen, living room, and sleeping loft -- in an interesting way while maximizing the sense of space in a relatively small volume. The solution was a custom designed double-height screen of movable translucent panels that creates a hybrid room divider, feature wall, shelving system and guard rail. The three levels distinguished by the system are connected by stainless steel open riser stairs with FSC-certified treads to match the flooring. Creating a setting for the preserved ceramic pieces led to the development of this apartment's one-of-a-kind hidden gem: a 5'x7' powder room wall made of 126 six-inch tiles --each one unique--organized by color gradation. This complete renovation - from the plumbing fixtures and appliances to the hardware and finishes -- is a perfect example of TCA's ability to integrate sustainable design principles with a client's individual aims.

Central photography