Praised for its visually appealing, modern yet comfortable design, this Scottsdale residence took home the gold in the 2014 Design Awards from Professional Builder magazine. Built by Calvis Wyant Luxury Homes, the 5,877-square-foot residence features an open floor plan that includes Western Window Systems’ multi-slide pocket doors to allow for optimal inside-to-outside flow. Tropical influences such as covered patios, a pool, and reflecting ponds give the home a lush, resort-style feel.

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

Cesar Rubio

Guest cabin tucked in the woods overlooking Lake Superior. Large sliding glass doors provide visual and direct access to the lake. Cabin is a post and beam structure elevated above the forest floor.

Jeremy Bitterman Photography: Located on Washington’s Key Peninsula, this custom home was designed and built to provide a tranquil retreat from the daily bustle of urban life. The living room is captured on three sides by a Classic Series custom wood window curtain wall spanning over thirty five feet within a single opening and turning two 90 degree butt-glazed corners, all at a height of over eleven feet. Our 2 ¼” common mullion provides clean and narrow frame sightlines to maximize the panoramic view of the Puget Sound. Other Classic Series architectural windows run as clerestory around the perimeter of the structure providing ample amounts of natural light to the interior spaces. The kitchen area features a six-panel XXX-XXO Lift/Slide door system that opens from a post-free corner. Three panels one side of the door provide the option of sliding the panels to either side or even to the center creating an opening that can be fine-tuned as needed for desired ventilation or traffic flow. Other unique features include casement and awning flush sapele wood “vents” that blend into the exterior wood siding, and a large, single-panel teak pocketing door that opens a forty-five square foot clear opening from an interior shower to the exterior.

This compact walk-in pantry is perfect for storing the microwave and bar fridge. We love the use of a blackboard wall for you shopping list and recipe ideas. There's even a spot for the dust buster!

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Jeff Herr

This client's goal for this Michigan cottage living room was to creatively disguise the television when not in use. These custom barn doors slide open over the shelving to reveal the t.v. Pocket doors on left and right of the fireplace house the a/v components and are also hidden when not in use.

Functional & decorative internal glazing, adapted to the individual design. Acting as a divider or space separator available as sliding or hinged doors & screens. An aluminum structure in matt black or natural anode, filled with glass (transparent, frosted or coloured) or laminate panel. Provides additional light and soundproofing. Wow effect guaranteed!

All five bathrooms in this ski home have a refined approach, with Heath Ceramics handmade tile and a unified cabinetry motif throughout. Architecture & interior design by Michael Howells. Photos by David Agnello, copyright 2012.

Alex Hayden

Trendy Blinds Inc.: Our Modern Wave drapery available in any drapery fabric you can choose can be used to cover a sliding glass door and can be centre split or stack one way as shown in this photo.

When you don't have room for a built-in closet, consider creating a free-standing wardrobe with Sliding Door by California Closets. Our designs are customized to your space to ensure a perfect fit.

photo credits: guy wenborne A relatively small site (400 m2) with big trees has been the main source of inspiration of this house. Decisions have been made to improve the relationship between the interior of the house and the garden, both in ground and upper level. Thus, the project conceives the landscape as a part of the house, and this garden is also a sustainable barrier that regulates the temperature inside (mainly deciduous trees). An open plan has allowed large perspectives. Wherever it was possible, sliding doors allow spatial fluidity while still allow some privacy. Natural materials (wood and stone) reinforce the connection with the garden.