Transform smaller spaces into the perfect media room. In-ceiling speakers and discreet wall-mounts create the perfect 5.1 sound system, complimenting the LED flat screen Michael Maynard, GM Developments, MILC Property Stylists

Photo by Lincoln Barbour

Photographer: Anice Hoachlander from Hoachlander Davis Photography, LLC Interior Designer: Miriam Dillon, Associate AIA, ASID

URRUTIA DESIGN Photography by Matt Sartain

Robert Canfield Photography

Kati Curtis Design transformed this space into a colorful and eclectic living room to reflect the lifestyle of a client who entertains often. Kati Curtis Design had worked with this client over the years, collecting vintage pieces, re-purposing old, and adding new to create this curated look. Boston Virtual Imaging

An industrial modern design + build project placed among the trees at the top of a hill. More projects at www.IversonSignatureHomes.com 2012 KaDa Photography

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.

Living Room area of Malibu home - warm colors, comfortable furnishings, reclaimed wood shelving, stone fireplace. Gray cotton velvet sofa from Room & Board, custom made driftwood coffee table, pair of vintage aluminum frame Russell Woodard swivel chairs that were reupholstered in cream leather. Vintage drip glaze ceramic lamps on console table. 1930's antique Ringling Bros.& Barnum and Bailey Circus poster framed on wall. Photo credit: Tyler Peterson

Photography by VHT

Karyn Millet Photography

Architect: Richard Warner General Contractor: Allen Construction Photo Credit: Jim Bartsch Award Winner: Master Design Awards, Best of Show

Conceived as a remodel and addition, the final design iteration for this home is uniquely multifaceted. Structural considerations required a more extensive tear down, however the clients wanted the entire remodel design kept intact, essentially recreating much of the existing home. The overall floor plan design centers on maximizing the views, while extensive glazing is carefully placed to frame and enhance them. The residence opens up to the outdoor living and views from multiple spaces and visually connects interior spaces in the inner court. The client, who also specializes in residential interiors, had a vision of ‘transitional’ style for the home, marrying clean and contemporary elements with touches of antique charm. Energy efficient materials along with reclaimed architectural wood details were seamlessly integrated, adding sustainable design elements to this transitional design. The architect and client collaboration strived to achieve modern, clean spaces playfully interjecting rustic elements throughout the home. Greenbelt Homes Glynis Wood Interiors Photography by Bryant Hill

See more at http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-home-office-finally-finished.html

The winning entry of the Dwell Home Design Invitational is situated on a hilly site in North Carolina among seven wooded acres. The home takes full advantage of it’s natural surroundings: bringing in the woodland views and natural light through plentiful windows, generously sized decks off the front and rear facades, and a roof deck with an outdoor fireplace. With 2,400 sf divided among five prefabricated modules, the home offers compact and efficient quarters made up of large open living spaces and cozy private enclaves. To meet the necessity of creating a livable floor plan and a well-orchestrated flow of space, the ground floor is an open plan module containing a living room, dining area, and a kitchen that can be entirely open to the outside or enclosed by a curtain. Sensitive to the clients’ desire for more defined communal/private spaces, the private spaces are more compartmentalized making up the second floor of the home. The master bedroom at one end of the volume looks out onto a grove of trees, and two bathrooms and a guest/office run along the same axis. The design of the home responds specifically to the location and immediate surroundings in terms of solar orientation and footprint, therefore maximizing the microclimate. The construction process also leveraged the efficiency of wood-frame modulars, where approximately 80% of the house was built in a factory. By utilizing the opportunities available for off-site construction, the time required of crews on-site was significantly diminished, minimizing the environmental impact on the local ecosystem, the waste that is typically deposited on or near the site, and the transport of crews and materials. The Dwell Home has become a precedent in demonstrating the superiority of prefabricated building technology over site-built homes in terms of environmental factors, quality and efficiency of building, and the cost and speed of construction and design. Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz Project Architect: Michael MacDonald Project Team: Shawn Brown, Craig Kim, Jeff Straesser, Jerome Engelking, Catarina Ferreira Manufacturer: Carolina Building Solutions Contractor: Mount Vernon Homes Photographer: © Jerry Markatos, © Roger Davies, © Wes Milholen

Red walls, red light fixtures, dramatic but fun, doubles as a living room and music room, traditional house with eclectic furnishings, black and white photography of family over guitars, hanging guitars on walls to keep open space on floor, grand piano, custom #317 cocktail ottoman from the Christy Dillard Collection by Lorts, antique persian rug. Chris Little Photography

Durston Saylor