This 6,500-square-foot one-story vacation home overlooks a golf course with the San Jacinto mountain range beyond. The house has a light-colored material palette—limestone floors, bleached teak ceilings—and ample access to outdoor living areas. Builder: Bradshaw Construction Architect: Marmol Radziner Interior Design: Sophie Harvey Landscape: Madderlake Designs Photography: Roger Davies

Emily Minton Redfield Photography Brad Norris Architecture
Photo of a large country open plan dining in Denver with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and no fireplace.

This is an example of an expansive midcentury open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, with island, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Chuck Williams & John Paul Key
Expansive transitional open concept family room in Houston with grey walls, porcelain floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Inspiration for a large country two-storey beige house exterior in Detroit with wood siding, a shingle roof and a hip roof.

Large country living room in Portland with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Photo of a large contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, black splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and black benchtop.

Nestled in its own private and gated 10 acre hidden canyon this spectacular home offers serenity and tranquility with million dollar views of the valley beyond. Walls of glass bring the beautiful desert surroundings into every room of this 7500 SF luxurious retreat. Thompson photographic

KuDa Photography
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a wood fireplace surround.

The living room, with flexible furniture arrangements and a concertina window wall leading to the outdoor living deck. Photo by Emma Cross
Inspiration for a large modern open concept living room in Melbourne with dark hardwood floors.

Photo of a large contemporary kitchen/dining combo in Orlando with white walls, ceramic floors and grey floor.

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, marble benchtops and ceramic splashback.

Photo By: Jim Bartsch
Mid-sized contemporary u-shaped open plan kitchen in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, mosaic tile splashback and orange floor.

Hide the tv by placing onto the black plaster wall that slips into the interior space dividing the family room from the dining area. Photo by Dan Arnold

This is an example of an expansive modern three-storey stucco white house exterior in Other with a flat roof.

Modern Industrial Kitchen Renovation in Inner City Auckland by Jag Kitchens Ltd.
Photo of a large industrial u-shaped open plan kitchen in Auckland with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel benchtops, white splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and multi-coloured floor.

Lerum Photo
Mid-sized contemporary open plan dining in Orange County with grey walls, porcelain floors, no fireplace and white floor.

Inspiration for a large contemporary study room in Boston with a wood stove, a freestanding desk, beige floor, beige walls and travertine floors.

A new modern farmhouse has been created in Ipswich, Massachusetts, approximately 30 miles north of Boston. The new house overlooks a rolling landscape of wetlands and marshes, close to Crane Beach in Ipswich. The heart of the house is a freestanding living pavilion, with a soaring roof and an elevated stone terrace. The terrace provides views in all directions to the gentle, coastal landscape. A cluster of smaller building pieces form the house, similar to farm compounds. The entry is marked by a 3-story tower, consisting of a pair of study spaces on the first two levels, and then a completely glazed viewing space on the top level. The entry itself is a glass space that separates the living pavilion from the bedroom wing. The living pavilion has a beautifully crafted wood roof structure, with exposed Douglas Fir beams and continuous high clerestory windows, which provide abundant natural light and ventilation. The living pavilion has primarily glass walls., with a continuous, elevated stone terrace outside. The roof forms a broad, 6-ft. overhang to provide outdoor space sheltered from sun and rain. In addition to the viewing tower and the living pavilion, there are two more building pieces. First, the bedroom wing is a simple, 2-story linear volume, with the master bedroom at the view end. Below the master bedroom is a classic New England screened porch, with views in all directions. Second, the existing barn was retained and renovated to become an integral part of the new modern farmhouse compound. Exterior and interior finishes are straightforward and simple. Exterior siding is either white cedar shingles or white cedar tongue-and-groove siding. Other exterior materials include metal roofing and stone terraces. Interior finishes consist of custom cherry cabinets, Vermont slate counters, quartersawn oak floors, and exposed Douglas fir framing in the living pavilion. The main stair has laser-cut steel railings, with a pattern evocative of the surrounding meadow grasses. The house was designed to be highly energy-efficient and sustainable. Upon completion, the house was awarded the highest rating (5-Star +) by the Energy Star program. A combination of “active” and “passive” energy conservation strategies have been employed. On the active side, a series of deep, drilled wells provide a groundsource geothermal heat exchange, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling. Recently, a 13-kW solar power system with 40 photovoltaic panels has been installed. The solar system will meet over 30% of the electrical demand at the house. Since the back-up mechanical system is electric, the house uses no fossil fuels whatsoever. The garage is pre-wired for an electric car charging station. In terms of passive strategies, the extensive amount of windows provides abundant natural light and reduces electric demand. Deep roof overhangs and built-in shades are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the concrete subfloor. Radiant floors provide constant heat with thermal mass in the floors. Exterior walls and roofs are insulated 30-40% greater than code requirements. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years!