Clopay Avante Collection glass garage doors with a white aluminum frame and panels on a modern farmhouse garage.

LAIR Architectural + Interior Photography

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

3Studios

The open wood truss system, tongue in groove ceiling and wood counter top on the island all provide great contrasting interests to the white painted recessed paneled custom-made cabinetry. Two sinks and a trough in the island provide ample utility and enough space for multiple chefs. The wall sconces accent and center the window above the kitchen sink while the fully integrated Sub Zero refrigerator is nicely concealed. Photo Credit: Randle Bye

2013 PROFESSIONAL REMODELER, SILVER AWARD WINNER, RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN Located in the new Trump International Golf Course Community, this contemporary home has a great location overlooking the golf course. The current layout, however, prevented the owners from taking advantage of its breathtaking view. Goals of the remodel were to open up the first floor layout by taking down the partition walls between the kitchen and dining room. The homeowner also wanted to update the home’s galley kitchen, replacing its dark cabinets and counters. Once the walls were removed, major obstacles because they were load bearing, the new design could evolve. The ten foot ceilings provided the opportunity to stack up decorative glass cabinetry and highly crafted crown moldings on top, while maintaining a considerable amount of cabinetry right below it. The custom made brush stroke finished cabinetry with bells and whistles such as corbels and chimney style wood hood surrounded with leaded glass cabinetry. Pillars were all part of detailed craftsmanship of this project. A large 5’ x 14’ island is the focal point of the design. The island consists of main sink with a pedal style control disposal, dishwasher, microwave, second bar sink, beverage center refrigerator and still has room to sit five to six people. Its darker cabinetry provides a beautiful contrast to the opaque white cabinets on the surrounding walls. White marble counters and backsplash brighten up the kitchen and two crystal chandeliers create a timeless yet elegant feel. High-end Thermador appliances covered in custom inset panels are part of this featured project to implement the classic look the homeowner wanted for this kitchen. Finally, a featured cabinet arch with leaded glass separates the kitchen from the dining room and displays the homeowner’s fine china. Finally, large windows and French doors offer beautiful golf course views from multiple vantage points.

Lara Swimmer Photography - Affectionately referred to throughout the Quantum world as “The Massive Lift & Slide Project” this Seattle home allows for its inhabitants to experience the outdoors even while residing within. The 98 ft long custom wood window wall, when fully retracted, allows for a clear opening of up to 60 ft. The entire living space can be opened up to the outside with effortless ease offered by the Lift & Slide doors. Completing the project’s window and door package are the second story windows. Here we can see Quantum Signature Series windows, impressive in Douglas Fir.

This spacious kitchen with beautiful views features a prefinished cherry flooring with a very dark stain. We custom made the white shaker cabinets and paired them with a rich brown quartz composite countertop. A slate blue glass subway tile adorns the backsplash. We fitted the kitchen with a stainless steel apron sink. The same white and brown color palette has been used for the island. We also equipped the island area with modern pendant lighting and bar stools for seating. Project by Portland interior design studio Jenni Leasia Interior Design. Also serving Lake Oswego, West Linn, Vancouver, Sherwood, Camas, Oregon City, Beaverton, and the whole of Greater Portland. For more about Jenni Leasia Interior Design, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/lake-oswego

Santa Monica Beach House, Evens Architects - Kitchen Photo by Manolo Langis

AV Architects + Builders Location: Great Falls, VA, United States Our clients were looking to renovate their existing master bedroom into a more luxurious, modern space with an open floor plan and expansive modern bath design. The existing floor plan felt too cramped and didn’t offer much closet space or spa like features. Without having to make changes to the exterior structure, we designed a space customized around their lifestyle and allowed them to feel more relaxed at home. Our modern design features an open-concept master bedroom suite that connects to the master bath for a total of 600 square feet. We included floating modern style vanity cabinets with white Zen quartz, large black format wall tile, and floating hanging mirrors. Located right next to the vanity area is a large, modern style pull-out linen cabinet that provides ample storage, as well as a wooden floating bench that provides storage below the large window. The centerpiece of our modern design is the combined free-standing tub and walk-in, curb less shower area, surrounded by views of the natural landscape. To highlight the modern design interior, we added light white porcelain large format floor tile to complement the floor-to-ceiling dark grey porcelain wall tile to give off a modern appeal. Last not but not least, a frosted glass partition separates the bath area from the toilet, allowing for a semi-private toilet area. Jim Tetro Architectural Photography

Features: Valance Style # 6; Custom Paint Color: Furniture Toe Kicks Type "C"; Fluted Pilasters; Glass Doors with Wood Mullions Cabinets: Honey Brook Custom in Maple Wood with Custom Paint # CS-2346; Voyager Full Overlay Door Style with C-2 Lip Countertops: Colonial Cream Granite with Ogee Edge

Mid-Century Modernism inspired our design for this new house in Noe Valley. The exterior is distinguished by cubic massing, well proportioned forms and use of contrasting but harmonious natural materials. These include clear cedar, stone, aluminum, colored stucco, glass railings, slate and painted wood. At the rear yard, stepped terraces provide scenic views of downtown and the Bay Bridge. Large sunken courts allow generous natural light to reach the below grade guest bedroom and office behind the first floor garage. The upper floors bedrooms and baths are flooded with natural light from carefully arranged windows that open the house to panoramic views. A mostly open plan with 10 foot ceilings and an open stairwell combine with metal railings, dropped ceilings, fin walls, a stone fireplace, stone counters and teak floors to create a unified interior.

Photographer: Tom Crane

Casey Woods Photography

Pocket doors add to the spacious feel by eliminating door swing that would otherwise take up functional space

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017

This home has so many creative, fun and unexpected pops of incredible in every room! Our home owner is super artistic and creative, She and her husband have been planning this home for 3 years. It was so much fun to work on and to create such a unique home!

Deborah DeGraffenreid

This custom range hood enclosure features pull-out spice racks on each side. The lighted glass-fronted cabinets provide an ideal place to store and display glassware. Drawers under the cooktop keep all the essential items close at hand.