These clients came to my office looking for an architect who could design their "empty nest" home that would be the focus of their soon to be extended family. A place where the kids and grand kids would want to hang out: with a pool, open family room/ kitchen, garden; but also one-story so there wouldn't be any unnecessary stairs to climb. They wanted the design to feel like "old Pasadena" with the coziness and attention to detail that the era embraced. My sensibilities led me to recall the wonderful classic mansions of San Marino, so I designed a manor house clad in trim Bluestone with a steep French slate roof and clean white entry, eave and dormer moldings that would blend organically with the future hardscape plan and thoughtfully landscaped grounds. The site was a deep, flat lot that had been half of the old Joan Crawford estate; the part that had an abandoned swimming pool and small cabana. I envisioned a pavilion filled with natural light set in a beautifully planted park with garden views from all sides. Having a one-story house allowed for tall and interesting shaped ceilings that carved into the sheer angles of the roof. The most private area of the house would be the central loggia with skylights ensconced in a deep woodwork lattice grid and would be reminiscent of the outdoor “Salas” found in early Californian homes. The family would soon gather there and enjoy warm afternoons and the wonderfully cool evening hours together. Working with interior designer Jeffrey Hitchcock, we designed an open family room/kitchen with high dark wood beamed ceilings, dormer windows for daylight, custom raised panel cabinetry, granite counters and a textured glass tile splash. Natural light and gentle breezes flow through the many French doors and windows located to accommodate not only the garden views, but the prevailing sun and wind as well. The graceful living room features a dramatic vaulted white painted wood ceiling and grand fireplace flanked by generous double hung French windows and elegant drapery. A deeply cased opening draws one into the wainscot paneled dining room that is highlighted by hand painted scenic wallpaper and a barrel vaulted ceiling. The walnut paneled library opens up to reveal the waterfall feature in the back garden. Equally picturesque and restful is the view from the rotunda in the master bedroom suite. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock Enterprises Contractor: Synergy General Contractors, Inc. Landscape Design: LZ Design Group, Inc. Photography: Laura Hull

Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Homes Location: Boulder, Colorado, USA Interior design, space planning and architectural details converge thoughtfully in this transformative project. A 15-year old, 9,000 sf. home with generic interior finishes and odd layout needed bold, modern, fun and highly functional transformation for a large bustling family. To redefine the soul of this home, texture and light were given primary consideration. Elegant contemporary finishes, a warm color palette and dramatic lighting defined modern style throughout. A cascading chandelier by Stone Lighting in the entry makes a strong entry statement. Walls were removed to allow the kitchen/great/dining room to become a vibrant social center. A minimalist design approach is the perfect backdrop for the diverse art collection. Yet, the home is still highly functional for the entire family. We added windows, fireplaces, water features, and extended the home out to an expansive patio and yard. The cavernous beige basement became an entertaining mecca, with a glowing modern wine-room, full bar, media room, arcade, billiards room and professional gym. Bathrooms were all designed with personality and craftsmanship, featuring unique tiles, floating wood vanities and striking lighting. This project was a 50/50 collaboration between Rodwin Architecture and Kimball Modern

We had a big, bright open space to work with. We went with neutral colors, a statement leather couch and a wool rug from CB2 with colors that tie in the other colors in the room. The fireplace mantel is custom from Sawtooth Ridge on Etsy. More art from Lost Art Salon in San Francisco and accessories from the clients travels on the bookshelf from S=CB2.

This cozy lake cottage skillfully incorporates a number of features that would normally be restricted to a larger home design. A glance of the exterior reveals a simple story and a half gable running the length of the home, enveloping the majority of the interior spaces. To the rear, a pair of gables with copper roofing flanks a covered dining area that connects to a screened porch. Inside, a linear foyer reveals a generous staircase with cascading landing. Further back, a centrally placed kitchen is connected to all of the other main level entertaining spaces through expansive cased openings. A private study serves as the perfect buffer between the homes master suite and living room. Despite its small footprint, the master suite manages to incorporate several closets, built-ins, and adjacent master bath complete with a soaker tub flanked by separate enclosures for shower and water closet. Upstairs, a generous double vanity bathroom is shared by a bunkroom, exercise space, and private bedroom. The bunkroom is configured to provide sleeping accommodations for up to 4 people. The rear facing exercise has great views of the rear yard through a set of windows that overlook the copper roof of the screened porch below. Builder: DeVries & Onderlinde Builders Interior Designer: Vision Interiors by Visbeen Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography

Nathan Schroder Photography
This is an example of a transitional family room in Dallas with white walls, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

Design ideas for an asian living room in San Francisco with white walls and medium hardwood floors.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Toronto with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Relaxed modern home in the SMU area of Dallas. Living room features a conversational layout with art and décor in lieu of television. It displays a beautiful monochromatic style that elegantly flows among white walls and oak wood floors.

This is an example of a country open concept living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Cozy family room with built-in storage cabinets and ocean views.
Large beach style family room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and wood.

©Jeff Herr Photography, Inc.
Design ideas for a transitional formal open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

This is an example of a country open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

A contemporary mountain home: Lounge Area, Photo by Eric Lucero Photography
Photo of a small contemporary living room in Denver with a metal fireplace surround, no tv, white walls, a ribbon fireplace and medium hardwood floors.

Eclectic living room in Paris with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

This is an example of a mid-sized country open concept family room in Denver with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor and a home bar.

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Interior Designer Rebecca Robeson designed this downtown loft to reflect the homeowners LOVE FOR THE LOFT! With an energetic look on life, this homeowner wanted a high-quality home with casual sensibility. Comfort and easy maintenance were high on the list... Rebecca and team went to work transforming this 2,000-sq.ft. condo in a record 6 months. Contractor Ryan Coats (Earthwood Custom Remodeling, Inc.) lead a team of highly qualified sub-contractors throughout the project and over the finish line. 8" wide hardwood planks of white oak replaced low quality wood floors, 6'8" French doors were upgraded to 8' solid wood and frosted glass doors, used brick veneer and barn wood walls were added as well as new lighting throughout. The outdated Kitchen was gutted along with Bathrooms and new 8" baseboards were installed. All new tile walls and backsplashes as well as intricate tile flooring patterns were brought in while every countertop was updated and replaced. All new plumbing and appliances were included as well as hardware and fixtures. Closet systems were designed by Robeson Design and executed to perfection. State of the art sound system, entertainment package and smart home technology was integrated by Ryan Coats and his team. Exquisite Kitchen Design, (Denver Colorado) headed up the custom cabinetry throughout the home including the Kitchen, Lounge feature wall, Bathroom vanities and the Living Room entertainment piece boasting a 9' slab of Fumed White Oak with a live edge. Paul Anderson of EKD worked closely with the team at Robeson Design on Rebecca's vision to insure every detail was built to perfection. The project was completed on time and the homeowners are thrilled... And it didn't hurt that the ball field was the awesome view out the Living Room window. In this home, all of the window treatments, built-in cabinetry and many of the furniture pieces, are custom designs by Interior Designer Rebecca Robeson made specifically for this project. Rocky Mountain Hardware Earthwood Custom Remodeling, Inc. Exquisite Kitchen Design Rugs - Aja Rugs, LaJolla Photos by Ryan Garvin Photography

Small transitional living room in London with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

To obtain sources, copy and paste this link into your browser. http://carlaaston.com/designed/before-after-the-extraordinary-remodel-of-an-ordinary-custom-builder-home / Photographer, Tori Aston