A traditional Moon Gate entrance frames the view to the front door.

Architecture by Beinfield Architecture. Photo by Sequined Asphalt Photography.

This room is a converted attic space. The platform holds two full size mattresses. Behind the bed is a ledge. The fronts of the ledge are hinged to use as storage and also to access the plugs on the wall.

An East London former artist's studio in the heart of Shoreditch was brought to life with a lively mix of classic Scandinavian design layered with punches of colour and pattern. Bespoke joinery sits alongside modern and antique furniture. A deco Venetian mirror adds sparkle in the Asian influenced sitting room which displays pieces sourced from as far afield as Malaysia and Hong Kong. Indian textiles and a handwoven beni ourain carpet from Marrakech give the bedroom a relaxed bohemian feel, with simple bespoke silk blinds commissioned for the large lateral windows that span the room. In the bathroom the simple Fired Earth tiles sing. A couple of carefully chosen accessories found in a Parisian market add a dash of je ne sais quoi.

A book loving family of four, Dan, Julia and their two daughters were looking to add on to and rearrange their three bedroom, one bathroom home to suit their unique needs for places to study, rest, play, and hide and go seek. A generous lot allowed for a addition to the north of the house connecting to the middle bedroom/den, and the design process, while initially motivated by the need for a more spacious and private master bedroom and bathroom, evolved to focus around Dan & Julia distinct desires for home offices. Dan, a Minnesotan Medievalist, craved a cozy, wood paneled room with a nook for his reading chair and ample space for books, and, Julia, an American Studies professor with a focus on history of progressive children's literature, imagined a bright and airy space with plenty of shelf and desk space where she could peacefully focus on her latest project. What resulted was an addition with two offices, one upstairs, one downstairs, that were animated very differently by the presence of the connecting stair--Dan's reading nook nestled under the stair and Julia's office defined by a custom bookshelf stair rail that gave her plenty of storage down low and a sense of spaciousness above. A generous corridor with large windows on both sides serves as the transitional space between the addition and the original house as well as impromptu yoga room. The master suite extends from the end of the corridor towards the street creating a sense of separation from the original house which was remodeled to create a variety of family rooms and utility spaces including a small "office" for the girls, an entry hall with storage for shoes and jackets, a mud room, a new linen closet, an improved great room that reused an original window that had to be removed to connect to the addition. A palette of local and reclaimed wood provide prominent accents throughout the house including pecan flooring in the addition, barn doors faced with reclaimed pine flooring, reused solid wood doors from the original house, and shiplap paneling that was reclaimed during remodel. Photography by: Michael Hsu

www.mpkelley.com / Michael Kelley Photography, 2012. Design by Shannon Ggem, ASID, shannonggem.com

www.sethbennphoto.com ©2013

Stunning blue office with a leather desk and antique chairs.

Joseph Eastburn Photography

Photo Credit: Kim Sargent

Kathy Peden Photography

Photo: Colin Poole www.photoword.co.uk

Allison Cartwright

This dramatic contemporary residence features extraordinary design with magnificent views of Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the ever changing San Francisco Bay. The amazing great room has soaring 36 foot ceilings, a Carnelian granite cascading waterfall flanked by stairways on each side, and an unique patterned sky roof of redwood and cedar. The 57 foyer windows and glass double doors are specifically designed to frame the world class views. Designed by world-renowned architect Angela Danadjieva as her personal residence, this unique architectural masterpiece features intricate woodwork and innovative environmental construction standards offering an ecological sanctuary with the natural granite flooring and planters and a 10 ft. indoor waterfall. The fluctuating light filtering through the sculptured redwood ceilings creates a reflective and varying ambiance. Other features include a reinforced concrete structure, multi-layered slate roof, a natural garden with granite and stone patio leading to a lawn overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Completing the home is a spacious master suite with a granite bath, an office / second bedroom featuring a granite bath, a third guest bedroom suite and a den / 4th bedroom with bath. Other features include an electronic controlled gate with a stone driveway to the two car garage and a dumb waiter from the garage to the granite kitchen.

Jimmy White Photography

Tre Dunham