Jason Schulte John Arnold Garcia Interior Designer

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Design Projects

Anderson Carpet & Home Limited

7th Street Residence

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Fold down dining table - fold up chess table. Concrete floor with radiant heating. Vertical garden. Motorized projection screen. Photo: Elizabeth Felicella

Old Stone Highway

BERG DESIGN ARCHITECTURE

Everett Street Residence

Dawson & Clinton

The design for this home in Palo Alto looked to create a union between the interior and exterior, blending the spaces in such a way as to allow residents to move seamlessly between the two environments. Expansive glazing was used throughout the home to complement this union, looking out onto a swimming pool centrally located within the courtyard. Within the living room, a large operable skylight brings in plentiful sunlight, while utilizing self tinting glass that adjusts to various lighting conditions throughout the day to ensure optimal comfort. For the exterior, a living wall was added to the garage that continues into the backyard. Extensive landscaping and a gabion wall was also created to provide privacy and contribute to the sense of the home as a tranquil oasis.

Northwest Retreat

Scott Allen Architecture

Main living, dining and kitchen space. Entry is through opening on right. Rumford fireplace, steel beam ceiling with wood, concrete floor.

Shannon McGrath

Adam and Kelly Jones Suite Remodel and Renovation

Kennedy Construction

Airlane

Mãkena Interiors

original Palm Springs Mid-century Home furnished by Neil Curry from House & Homes Palm Springs

Santa Barbara Foothills, Mondern, New Construction, Las Canoas Residence

Dennis Thompson Architect

Saskia Korner - Photographer Allen Construction - Contractor

Mountain Modern Digs

Ward-Young Architecture & Planning - Truckee, CA

photo by Mariko Reed

Bowen Island

Burgers Architecture Inc.

Architecture www.baiarchitects.com interiors www.mbiinteriors.com Photos Michael Boland

Riverhouse

BWArchitects

Ethridge Residence

Cornerstone Architects

Located on a small infill lot in central Austin, this residence was designed to meet the needs of a growing family and an ambitious program. The program had to address challenging city and neighborhood restrictions while maintaining an open floor plan. The exterior materials are employed to define volumes and translate between the defined forms. This vocabulary continues visually inside the home. On this tight lot, it was important to openly connect the main living areas with the exterior, integrating the rear screened-in terrace with the backyard and pool. The Owner's Suite maintains privacy on the quieter corner of the lot. Natural light was an important factor in design. Glazing works in tandem with the deep overhangs to provide ambient lighting and allows for the most pleasing views. Natural materials and light, which were critical to the clients, help define the house to achieve a simplistic, clean demeanor in this historic neighborhood. Photography by Adam Steiner

Shuswap

splyce design

Pacifica Sofa & Beam Coffee Table

Environment Furniture

Pacifica Sofa & Beam Coffee Table Pacifica Sofa made from reclaimed Shelter Half Army Tent & Beam Coffee Table made from reclaimed Brazilian Peroba Rosa wood

Living Room, Patio Beyond

ODS Architecture

The Golden Gate Bridge is directly ahead through the tall glass window wall, and to the right is the open living room, to the left the dining room, all sitting on polished custom colored radiant heated concrete floors. Photo Credit: John Sutton Photography

Van Drimmelen/Gore

Archaeo Architects

This home, which earned three awards in the Santa Fe 2011 Parade of Homes, including best kitchen, best overall design and the Grand Hacienda Award, provides a serene, secluded retreat in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The architecture recedes back to frame panoramic views, and light is used as a form-defining element. Paying close attention to the topography of the steep lot allowed for minimal intervention onto the site. While the home feels strongly anchored, this sense of connection with the earth is wonderfully contrasted with open, elevated views of the Jemez Mountains. As a result, the home appears to emerge and ascend from the landscape, rather than being imposed on it.

Living Room Design Photos with Limestone Floors and Concrete Floors

A living room, often referred to as a lounge room in Australia and New Zealand, is the hub of the home. If you only have one living room in the house, it’s likely to serve multiple purposes: be it a place to watch TV, play games, spend quality time with family or hang out with friends. If you have the luxury of two living areas, one is usually a formal living room or lounge room, reserved for reading, relaxing and entertaining. A successful living room design is inviting, has enough seating for the whole clan – a comfortable couch is a must – and encourages conversation. Browse photos on Houzz for living room layouts, furniture and decor, and strike up a conversation with the interior designers or architects of your favourite picks. For even more living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which living room layouts will work best for you?

Every living area will have design challenges. A long, narrow lounge room, for example, risks looking like a hallway if furniture is lined up against the walls. Instead, opt for small furniture items, like a cosy two-seater couch, and create various focal points throughout the space. In square living rooms, a symmetrical layout encourages a formal setting. Place seating on either side of the room, with a focal point in the middle to pull the room together. For a truly intimate vibe, replace your couch with some occasional chairs positioned around a coffee table or ottoman. This will make the main focus conversation. An open-plan home – one where the lines are blurred between kitchen, dining and living – may require a layout that focuses on definition. You’ll want to make sure furniture doesn’t block the flow between spaces, and instead use something like an area rug to create zones.

How can you decorate your living room?

The living room can be a place in which to show off your personality, but if you want a timeless living room scheme, stick to neutral walls, couches and ottomans. Colour can be added through accessories, and is a lot more interchangeable! Rugs, cushions and throws are great for adding colour, while mirrors, lamps and ceiling lights will set the mood. Make your living room unique by including family heirlooms and photos. For a polished look, try creating a coffee table vignette – you could use books as pedestals or group items together on a tray. Try adding a vase, a mixture of round and rectangular objects and some books.

What are some small living room ideas?

Small living room designs can be tricky to work with, but aren’t doomed to fail. Often, you just have to get creative with furniture. An open-back chaise can create a sense of spaciousness, while small side tables paired together can substitute a coffee table. Even better, an ottoman can be used as a footrest, coffee table or extra seating. Big furniture items like the couch are best kept in light colours, and if there’s room for a coffee table, a glass-top one is best. If you have two spaces in one – perhaps your living room sits in front of a single-wall kitchen – make sure they are connected by decor, colour and style. For definition, just add area rugs, or use your couch as a dividing wall. It’s worth having a few furniture pieces, whether a bookshelf, couch or entertainment unit, in the same colour as the walls, too, so they blend into the room and visually expand the space.

Is open-plan living for you?

Today’s homes often embrace open-plan living, whereby the living room runs off the kitchen and/or dining areas. Open-plan living allows greater functionality, but can risk creating a vast, soulless space if not done right. To avoid a cavernous feel in an open-plan design, define areas with furniture, rugs and lighting, or consider using a wall divider. Also be sure to keep flooring, lighting and materials consistent throughout, for cohesiveness. Noise may be an issue – someone banging pots and pans while you’re watching TV, for example – so include lots of soft furnishings, such as rugs, curtains and couches to help absorb the noise. You will also need to factor in plenty of storage, so mess is kept at bay.