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.

Located within a gated golf course community on the shoreline of Buzzards Bay this residence is a graceful and refined Gambrel style home. The traditional lines blend quietly into the surroundings. Photo Credit: Eric Roth

The homeowners desired an outdoor space that felt more rustic than their refined interior spaces, but still related architecturally to their house. Cement plaster support arbor columns provide enough of visual tie to the existing house exterior. Oversized wood beams and rafter members provide a unique outdoor atmosphere. Structural bolts and hardware were minimized for a cleaner appearance. Structural connections and supports were engineered to meet California's stringent earthquake standards. Ali Atri Photography

This house, in eastern Washington’s Kittitas County, is sited on the shallow incline of a slight elevation, in the midst of fifty acres of pasture and prairie grassland, a place of vast expanses, where only distant hills and the occasional isolated tree interrupt the view toward the horizon. Where another design might seem to be an alien import, this house feels entirely native, powerfully attached to the land. Set back from and protected under the tent-like protection of the roof, the front of the house is entirely transparent, glowing like a lantern in the evening. Along the windowed wall that looks out over the porch, a full-length enfilade reaches out to the far window at each end. Steep ship’s ladders on either side of the great room lead to loft spaces, lighted by a single window placed high on the gable ends. On either side of the massive stone fireplace, angled window seats offer views of the grasslands and of the watch tower. Eight-foot-high accordion doors at the porch end of the great room fold away, extending the room out to a screened space for summer, a glass-enclosed solarium in winter. In addition to serving as an observation look-out and beacon, the tower serves the practical function of housing a below-grade wine cellar and sleeping benches. Tower and house align from entrance to entrance, literally linked by a pathway, set off axis and leading to steps that descend into the courtyard.

LG House (Edmonton Design :: thirdstone inc. [^] Photography :: Merle Prosofsky
Modern exterior in Edmonton with wood siding.

Project :: SD House Design by :: www.thirdstone.ca Photography: merle prosofsky
This is an example of a modern exterior in Edmonton with wood siding.

Originally, the front of the house was on the left (eave) side, facing the primary street. Since the Garage was on the narrower, quieter side street, we decided that when we would renovate, we would reorient the front to the quieter side street, and enter through the front Porch. So initially we built the fencing and Pergola entering from the side street into the existing Front Porch. Then in 2003, we pulled off the roof, which enclosed just one large room and a bathroom, and added a full second story. Then we added the gable overhangs to create the effect of a cottage with dormers, so as not to overwhelm the scale of the site. The shingles are stained Cabots Semi-Solid Deck and Siding Oil Stain, 7406, color: Burnt Hickory, and the trim is painted with Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior Low Luster Narraganset Green HC-157, (which is actually a dark blue). Photo by Glen Grayson, AIA

LG House (Edmonton Design :: thirdstone inc. [^] Photography :: Merle Prosofsky
This is an example of a contemporary galley eat-in kitchen in Edmonton with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, glass sheet splashback, panelled appliances and white benchtop.

Dennis Mayer Photographer
Large two-storey stucco beige house exterior in San Francisco with a hip roof and a shingle roof.

Laura Moss
Inspiration for a traditional pool in New York with brick pavers and a pool house.

The carved cedar pergola provides a shady spot for outdoor dining. Robert Benson Photography
Expansive traditional backyard patio in New York with natural stone pavers and a gazebo/cabana.

This pergola draped in Wisteria over a Blue Stone patio is located at the home of Interior Designer Kim Hunkeler, located in central Massachusetts.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun garden for spring in Boston with natural stone pavers.

Careful attention to lighting design gives the client the opportunity to enjoy their property into the evening.

Photo by Peter Vanderwarker Photographer http://www.vanderwarker.com/

Project :: SD House Design by :: www.thirdstone.ca Photography: merle prosofsky
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern two-storey grey exterior in Edmonton.

This is an example of a traditional patio in Los Angeles with a pergola.

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a large country two-storey white house exterior in Chicago with wood siding and a shingle roof.

Pool & Pool House Stowe, Vermont This mountain top residential site offers spectacular 180 degree views towards adjacent hillsides. The client desired to replace an existing pond with a pool and pool house to be used for both entertaining and family use. The open site is adjacent to the driveway to the north but offered spectacular mountain views to the south. The challenge was to provide privacy at the pool without obstructing the beautiful vista from the entry drive. Working closely with the architect we designed the pool and pool house as one modern element closely linked by proximity, detailing & geometry. In so doing, we used precise placement, careful choice of building & site materials, and minimalist planting. Existing trees were edited to open up selected views to the south. Rows of ornamental grasses provide architectural delineation of outdoor space. Understated stone steps in the lawn loosely connect the pool to the main house. Architect: Michael Minadeo + Partners Image Credit: Westphalen Photography

Trellis over porch @ Guest House. Cathy Schwabe, AIA. Designed while at EHDD. Photograph by David Wakely
Inspiration for a traditional patio in San Francisco with brick pavers and a pergola.

The Mazama Cabin is located at the end of a beautiful meadow in the Methow Valley, on the east slope of the North Cascades Mountains in Washington state. The 1500 SF cabin is a superb place for a weekend get-a-way, with a garage below and compact living space above. The roof is “lifted” by a continuous band of clerestory windows, and the upstairs living space has a large glass wall facing a beautiful view of the mountain face known locally as Goat Wall. The project is characterized by sustainable cedar siding and recycled metal roofing; the walls and roof have 40% higher insulation values than typical construction. The cabin will become a guest house when the main house is completed in late 2012.