Photography by Giovanni Photograhpy

Krista Sobkowiak

Peter Aaron

LED step lights add to the safety and presentation of the front porch steps. They are low voltage and long lasting exterior landscape lights. The porch is made of ceramic tile. TRU Landscape Services

Front doors opening up to entry with view to Skagit Bay. Camano Island Washington.

The grilling station, situated beside a cozy sitting area, all centers around the outdoor fireplace.

Donald Chapman, AIA,CMB This unique project, located in Donalds, South Carolina began with the owners requesting three primary uses. First, it was have separate guest accommodations for family and friends when visiting their rural area. The desire to house and display collectible cars was the second goal. The owner’s passion of wine became the final feature incorporated into this multi use structure. This Guest House – Collector Garage – Wine Cellar was designed and constructed to settle into the picturesque farm setting and be reminiscent of an old house that once stood in the pasture. The front porch invites you to sit in a rocker or swing while enjoying the surrounding views. As you step inside the red oak door, the stair to the right leads guests up to a 1150 SF of living space that utilizes varied widths of red oak flooring that was harvested from the property and installed by the owner. Guest accommodations feature two bedroom suites joined by a nicely appointed living and dining area as well as fully stocked kitchen to provide a self-sufficient stay. Disguised behind two tone stained cement siding, cedar shutters and dark earth tones, the main level of the house features enough space for storing and displaying six of the owner’s automobiles. The collection is accented by natural light from the windows, painted wainscoting and trim while positioned on three toned speckled epoxy coated floors. The third and final use is located underground behind a custom built 3” thick arched door. This climatically controlled 2500 bottle wine cellar is highlighted with custom designed and owner built white oak racking system that was again constructed utilizing trees that were harvested from the property in earlier years. Other features are stained concrete floors, tongue and grooved pine ceiling and parch coated red walls. All are accented by low voltage track lighting along with a hand forged wrought iron & glass chandelier that is positioned above a wormy chestnut tasting table. Three wooden generator wheels salvaged from a local building were installed and act as additional storage and display for wine as well as give a historical tie to the community, always prompting interesting conversations among the owner’s and their guests. This all-electric Energy Star Certified project allowed the owner to capture all three desires into one environment… Three birds… one stone.

Photo by: Randy Ashley

Photography by Rob Karosis

Large porches run the length of the front and rear of the home. Comfortable outdoor seating provides a great spot for arriving guests or children returning from school.

Landscape design and photography by Melanie Rekola

This transformation of an old garage-top patio into a luxurious covered outdoor haven was a fabulous use of space. The original rubber tile flooring of the outdoor patio had weathered badly, rendering the area unusable. We envisioned a timeless, weather-resistant space. Our clients desired a sleek, modern aesthetic with clean lines, warmth, and brightness. To complement the home's gray theme, we introduced natural textures like pine tongue-and-groove ceilings, Trex composite flooring, and a solid wood fireplace mantel.

3 Season Room with fireplace and great views

An open porch can be transformed into a space for year-round enjoyment with the addition of ActivWall Horizontal Folding Doors. This custom porch required 47 glass panels and multiple different configurations. Now the porch is completely lit up with natural light, while still being completely sealed in to keep out the heat out in the summer and cold out in the winter. Another unique point of this custom design are the fixed panels that enclose the existing columns and create the openings for the horizontal folding units.

Photography: Werner Straube

Place architecture:design enlarged the existing home with an inviting over-sized screened-in porch, an adjacent outdoor terrace, and a small covered porch over the door to the mudroom. These three additions accommodated the needs of the clients’ large family and their friends, and allowed for maximum usage three-quarters of the year. A design aesthetic with traditional trim was incorporated, while keeping the sight lines minimal to achieve maximum views of the outdoors. ©Tom Holdsworth