Photo : © Julien Fernandez / Amandine et Jules – Hotel particulier a Angers par l’architecte Laurent Dray.

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

French Doors

IllumiNation Window & Door Co.

Venice Beach House

Court Designs

The Oaks Condo

Metamorphosis Studios, LLc

This is the back entry, but with space at a premium, we put a hidden laundry setup in these cabinets to left of back entry.

South Bay Condo - Sophisticated Boho

The Bam House

The Bam House freshened up an otherwise generic and boring condo. We gave the living room and dining room unique looks, different from any of the other units.

Amiens : chez Cécile & Antoine

l’ArT des lieuX

Création d'un meuble sur mesure (dressing et chaussures) et un petit banc dans un couloir d'entrée. Mise en valeur des carreaux ciment d'époque de la maison.

Our Work

Closets By Design of Central Alabama

Rock's House Remodel

Meet West Studio

Eclectic remodeled entry and sunroom with custom built in

Pelham Arts + Crafts

Innate Studio - Architecture & Design

Aspinwall, PA Home Staging

Crescent Hill Home Staging & Design LLC

Appartement Batignolles

Primrose Finet Architecture

Fenêtre sur cour. Un ancien cabinet d’avocat entièrement repensé et rénové en appartement. Un air de maison de campagne s’invite dans ce petit repaire parisien, s’ouvrant sur une cour bucolique.

Bluff Overlook

AOME Architects

The entry tucks between the four-car garage and the bedroom wing, offering a glimpse of the spectacular views and spaces that await inside. // Image : Benjamin Benschneider Photography

Mission Hills

Nest Interiors

Eloise & Matt's Colonial with Transitional Elements

Arciform

This new light-filled space is a respite from the elements and a perfect transition to the interior. There’s a tile “carpet” in Tabarka’s Izmir handpainted terracotta tile from Tempest Tileroom. Given its long lead time, our sample tile was traced onto paper and photocopied repeatedly, each paper tile cut and set in place as a template so the Oak border could be installed first. Near the basement door, there’s a custom bench with shoe cubbies below and hooks for coats above. A built-in bench with plush cushions rests at the end of the way, a comfy spot to relax as you shake off the weather or worries of the day. Both were designed by Arciform and crafted by Versatile Wood Products.

Maison à Latresne

BV Photo/Graphic

Réalisation d'un reportage photo complet suite à la finalisation du chantier de décoration de la maison.

Princeton

Carly Blalock Interiors

Entry

Gayle Forster Interior Planning and Design

Transitional Entryway Design Ideas with Terra-cotta Floors

Make coming home a pleasure by making sure your entryway – also known as a foyer or vestibule – is the perfect transition from the public world to the private world. Your choice of front door, the organisation and general flow of the entryway should be practical and reflect the style of your home. Your entryway, foyer or vestibule is the first impression guests will have of your transitional home. Does it reflect you and your household? Here are a few ways to make your entryway better - and if all else fails, there's always hiring an interior designer to help.

How can you make your front door stand out?

Front doors can make or break a home’s appeal. An outdated or ill-fitting front door will imply what lies beyond is just as overdue for a makeover. No one wants a front door that stands out for all the wrong reasons, so choose one that suits the style of your home. Aluminium doors, for example, are more suited to contemporary-style homes, whereas ornate timber doors suit period homes. That doesn’t mean you can’t inject some of your own personality, though. While the architectural style should remain the same, you can shake things up with paint colours and quirky door handles. If you’re planning a new home, play around with the size and shape of your entrance door, too, and if you want to include a screen door, look for one that architecturally complements the existing front door.

How can you create an organised entryway or foyer?

An organised transitional foyer requires smart storage solutions – otherwise it’s at risk of becoming a dumping zone. Think about what you do when you first walk into your home. Most people will put their keys down, store a bag or coat, then take their shoes off. If this sounds like you, and your entryway is relatively sizeable, consider including some built-in joinery or a slimline console or hall table. Otherwise, hooks for keys, a coat stand and shoe rack will suffice. If you have a large family, allocate one drawer or shelf to each member of the clan. And finally, don’t overcrowd this area with belongings that can’t be stored in a bedroom. When guests arrive, you want to be able to offer them somewhere to put down their belongings.

Could a dirt room save your floors and entry?

Having a mudroom isn’t commonplace in Australia and New Zealand, but it is becoming increasingly popular as a means to keep mess at bay. In coastal areas, it is sometimes referred to as a sand room, while in rural areas, it can be known as a dirt room. A mudroom is usually a secondary entrance or located at the back entrance, and is ideal for storing shoes, school backpacks, sports equipment and pet essentials. You don’t have to dedicate an entire room to a mudroom. A narrow hall or partial wall will do the trick just fine – just add built-ins, some cubbies for individual family members and a bench. If you have a laundry that has direct access to the outdoors, it’s an ideal opportunity to convert it into a multi-purpose space. Combining a laundry and mudroom is a logical and effective use of space. If there’s no room inside, take a look outside. If you have a verandah, cordon off an area for the likes of dirty soccer boots and surfboards.