A modern and transitional beach cottage, filled with light and smiles. Perfect for easy family living, California style. Architecture by Anders Lasater Architects. Interior Design by Exotica Design Group. Photos by Jeri Koegel

Our clients wished for a larger main bathroom with more light and storage. We expanded the footprint and used light colored marble tile, countertops and paint colors to give the room a brighter feel and added a cherry wood vanity to warm up the space. The matt black finish of the glass shower panels and the mirrors allows for top billing in this design and gives it a more modern feel.

A Nana door corner, clerestory windows, and Velux skylights provide natural lighting for this modern Bay Area artist studio built by award-winning general contractor, Wm. H. Fry Construction Company.

Packing a lot of function into a small space requires ingenuity and skill, exactly what was needed for this one-bedroom gut in the Meatpacking District. When Axis Mundi was done, all that remained was the expansive arched window. Now one enters onto a pristine white-walled loft warmed by new zebrano plank floors. A new powder room and kitchen are at right. On the left, the lean profile of a folded steel stair cantilevered off the wall allows access to the bedroom above without eating up valuable floor space. Beyond, a living room basks in ample natural light. To allow that light to penetrate to the darkest corners of the bedroom, while also affording the owner privacy, the façade of the master bath, as well as the railing at the edge of the mezzanine space, are sandblasted glass. Finally, colorful furnishings, accessories and photography animate the simply articulated architectural envelope. Project Team: John Beckmann, Nick Messerlian and Richard Rosenbloom Photographer: Mikiko Kikuyama © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Kitchen open to rear garden through sliding glass doors and screens that slide into exterior pockets. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely. Contractor: Young & Burton, Inc.

Denash Photography, Designed by Jenny Rausch C.K.D. A view of a small bar area in a large kitchen. Wood flooring, recessed ceiling cans. Light blue cabinetry color with decorative accents. Tile backsplash, Custom open shelving with mirrored back. X mullion glass door inserts. Stainless steel appliances. Pendant lighting over peninsula.

Semi-custom home built by Cullum Homes in the luxurious guard-gated Paradise Reserve community. The Village at Paradise Reserve offers an unprecedented lifestyle for those who appreciate the beauty of nature blended perfectly with extraordinary luxury and an intimate community. The Village combines a true mountain preserve lifestyle with a rich streetscape, authentic detailing and breathtaking views and walkways. Gated for privacy and security, it is truly a special place to live.

Fully integrated Signature Estate featuring Creston controls and Crestron panelized lighting, and Crestron motorized shades and draperies, whole-house audio and video, HVAC, voice and video communication atboth both the front door and gate. Modern, warm, and clean-line design, with total custom details and finishes. The front includes a serene and impressive atrium foyer with two-story floor to ceiling glass walls and multi-level fire/water fountains on either side of the grand bronze aluminum pivot entry door. Elegant extra-large 47'' imported white porcelain tile runs seamlessly to the rear exterior pool deck, and a dark stained oak wood is found on the stairway treads and second floor. The great room has an incredible Neolith onyx wall and see-through linear gas fireplace and is appointed perfectly for views of the zero edge pool and waterway. The center spine stainless steel staircase has a smoked glass railing and wood handrail.

Renovated Kitchen in a Cape Cod style home. We used a "coffee" palette of colors. Photography by Northlight Photography.

http://www.pickellbuilders.com. Photography by Linda Oyama Bryan. Custom Couture Master Closet with Glass Shoes Display Shelving, tufted leather bench seating and diagonal hardwood flooring.

We began with a structurally sound 1950’s home. The owners sought to capture views of mountains and lake with a new second story, along with a complete rethinking of the plan. Basement walls and three fireplaces were saved, along with the main floor deck. The new second story provides a master suite, and professional home office for him. A small office for her is on the main floor, near three children’s bedrooms. The oldest daughter is in college; her room also functions as a guest bedroom. A second guest room, plus another bath, is in the lower level, along with a media/playroom and an exercise room. The original carport is down there, too, and just inside there is room for the family to remove shoes, hang up coats, and drop their stuff. The focal point of the home is the flowing living/dining/family/kitchen/terrace area. The living room may be separated via a large rolling door. Pocketing, sliding glass doors open the family and dining area to the terrace, with the original outdoor fireplace/barbeque. When slid into adjacent wall pockets, the combined opening is 28 feet wide.

American Style Collection™ fiberglass entry doors were inspired by early 1900s residential architecture. The collection complements many popular home designs, including Arts and Crafts, Bungalow, Cottage and Colonial Revival styles. Made with our patented AccuGrain™ technology, you get the look of high-grade wood with all of the durability of fiberglass. The exterior doors in this collection have the look and feel of a real wood front door — with solid wood square edges, architecturally correct stiles, rails and panels. Unlike genuine wood doors, they resist splitting, cracking and rotting. Door Craftsman Lite 2 Panel Flush-Glazed 3 Lite Style IDs Available Sizes Available Options CCA230 3'0" x 6'8" Flush Glazed (?) Sidelites Left Sidelite Style ID Available Sizes Features CCA3400SL 12" x 6'8" 14" x 6'8" Flush Glazed (?) Right Sidelite Style ID Available Sizes Features CCA3400SL 12" x 6'8" 14" x 6'8" Flush Glazed (?) Transom Transom Style ID Available Sizes 19220T 30D12 - Rectangular 30D14 - Rectangular Finish Option: Stainable Paintable Available Accessories: Dentil Shelves

The design of this remodel of a small two-level residence in Noe Valley reflects the owner’s passion for Japanese architecture. Having decided to completely gut the interior partitions, we devised a better arranged floor plan with traditional Japanese features, including a sunken floor pit for dining and a vocabulary of natural wood trim and casework. Vertical grain Douglas Fir takes the place of Hinoki wood traditionally used in Japan. Natural wood flooring, soft green granite and green glass backsplashes in the kitchen further develop the desired Zen aesthetic. A wall to wall window above the sunken bath/shower creates a connection to the outdoors. Privacy is provided through the use of switchable glass, which goes from opaque to clear with a flick of a switch. We used in-floor heating to eliminate the noise associated with forced-air systems.

Custom steel & glass partitions/ wall/ room divider / home space with tempered and blackened patina finish, photo by Lindsay Feldman

Art Grice