This casual living room of KIllara House by Nathan Gornall Design offers a more relaxed alternative to the formal areas of the home. This open plan room enjoys painstakingly restored details with a blend of contemporary as well as classical inspired furniture and art pieces. A large custom joinery piece in timber and brass houses all the home owners' tech when not in use.

Custom cabinetry in Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter and Eveneer Planked Oak shelves. Escea gas fireplace with sandstone tile cladding.

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

Custom, floating walnut shelving and lower cabinets/book shelves work for display, hiding video equipment and dog toys, too! Thibaut aqua blue grasscloth sets it all off in a very soothing way. Photo by: Melodie Hayes

Photography by Michael J. Lee Photography

Light and Airy! Fresh and Modern Architecture by Arch Studio, Inc. 2021

Great room with kitchen, family room and outdoor deck overlooking the lake.

Warm family room with Fireplace focal point.

The Living Room in Camlin Custom Homes Courageous Model Home at Redfish Cove is grand. Expansive vaulted ceilings, large windows for lots of natural light. Large gas fireplace with natural stone surround. Beautiful natural wood light colored hardwood floors give this room the coastal feel to match the water views. Extra high windows on both sides of the fireplace allow lots of natural light to flow in to the living room. The entrance brings you through a large wrap around front porch to take advantage of its Riverfont location.

This 80's style Mediterranean Revival house was modernized to fit the needs of a bustling family. The home was updated from a choppy and enclosed layout to an open concept, creating connectivity for the whole family. A combination of modern styles and cozy elements makes the space feel open and inviting. Photos By: Paul Vu

Picture Perfect House

The two-story stacked stone fireplace is the focal point of the great room in this custom home, which was built by K & V Homes. We hung a Samsung Frame television over the linear fireplace to avoid detracting from the beautiful stone. You can see more photos from this project, which won several awards at the Des Moines Home Show Expo 2018, on my website at https://www.jillianlare.com/portfolio/winston-circle/. Jack Coyier

Renovations + Design by Allison Merritt Design, Photography by Ryan Garvin