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Home Design Photos and Ideas

Noho Architecture maximized space and natural light to revamp this cramped dwelling on a 14-foot-wide lot in Sydney.
The couple’s contractor, Tim Schmidt, is an artist whose medium often involves steel fabrication. Tim custom-made the steel window frames and came up with the idea for the steel foundation.
Despite its small footprint, the flexible, multi-purpose space includes bike storage and a niche for storing weights.
Stevie works from a built-in L-shaped desk. The marker board is also a much-used feature.
The pot wall lights are dimmable.
The main floor spans 200 square feet, and the loft is 65 square feet.
A built-in banquette with a custom table designed by Engelsman saves space. The bench has a cushion made by Caroline and the chairs are Vintage J.L. Moller Model #75 Dining Chairs. A partial wall now separates the adjacent den and TV room, to balance connection and separation.
Caroline found the backsplash tile at Los Azulejos in Tecate, MX, while she was on a scouting trip for work. She texted Joel a photo: “He was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks a little terrazzo-y,’” says Caroline with a laugh. “But it turned out to be subtle enough.” The team actually had to install the backsplash twice because the first time, the red grout stained the tile surface. Joel and Caroline drove back to Mexico to purchase a second batch, with which they used white grout.
A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.
Engelsman gave the kitchen an L-shaped layout with a large island workspace at the center, and pushed the tall storage into the garage, to create a wide circulation space to access the dining room and backyard.
“Having nice design is great, but how can you support the ways you want to live?” says Adair. She and Kopp did the same discovery process as their clients to help push them into purpose. “It was so helpful in figuring out how to shape the moments we wanted.”
Adair has long wished for Togo chairs, but as much as she loves the design, she tries not to be too precious about it. “We let the kids use them how they want, and they’re perfect fort furniture,” she says. “They’re really durable. It’s a design that makes architect parents happy.”
Getting the hammock installed posed a bit of a challenge. Adair and Kopp found it tough to find a company to help with executing their idea. “It’s interesting to know that if you want to do something with a little bit of risk, it really takes some convincing,” says Adair. With the help of a U.S.-based company that dealt with large-scale net facilities, they got a group together and lashed the whole perimeter to create a safe, sturdy, supportive weaving.
Adair and Kopp commissioned the metal fabricator who did the railings to create the monkey-bar rungs that line the hallway, powder-coated in seafoam green. Rings can attach to the monkey bars to give the boys a different type of challenge.
“My orange cats look really good in the green kitchen now,” says Nicola.
The clients have a large collection of indoor plants, and 4 S Architecture designed a scheme with plenty of spots to display plants, from the deep windowsills to the semi-recessed extractor above the island that features an integrated shelf. “We had originally specified a fully flush extractor system, but they are very expensive,” says architect, Julia Hamson. “We went for one that is semi-recessed, so was cost effective but still has less visual impact than a dropped extractor.”
The kitchen cabinets have also been cleverly designed by 4 S Architecture to combine a luxury appearance with cost-effective construction. The carcasses were sourced from DIY Kitchens and delivered preassembled, which cut down on labor costs. While the white cabinet doors are also from DIY Kitchens, the cherry veneered doors are bespoke. “We worked with as many off-the-shelf products as we could to minimise cost and added a few bespoke items to elevate the scheme,” explains architect Julia Hamson.
The home now features an elegant, brick side extension with a rounded form that elevates the view of the home from the garden. “I really wanted a curved wall,” says client Nicola Kendall. “It all began with an image of a house on a mood board I put together on Pinterest.”
The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”
The kitchen acts as the family hub, its multicolored surfaces anchored by a black tile backsplash, sprinkled with dots of uncolored, earth-toned tile.
Also in the foyer, beside a wall of glass that brings light into the living/dining area, is storagefor coats, bags and shoes.
In Portland, Oregon, a culinary couple called on architect Michael Howells to raise the roof, revamp the floor plan, and spice up the kitchen.
Almo Troup repurposed nearly all of the materials from a tumbledown shack to create a dreamy, minimalist workspace in his backyard.
“I wanted to bring in a little bit of apricot to nod to the name of the studio,” says Troup of the $25 USD orange velvet curtain he hung as a space divider.
The LED lighting is encased in translucent poly-carbonate panels on top and bottom. Daylight streams through from the roof when the lights aren't on.
"We contrasted the linearity of the etched granite by curving the island edges and introducing fridge panels with hand-carved pulls,
The original brise-soleil on the front facade was kept but repaired.
Concrete and travertine slabs were installed on the exterior, alongside an ipe deck with mahogany railings.
Walls are covered in Fireclay tile in Navy Blue. The vanity has a custom concrete basin by Newbold Stone Architectural Concrete and steel base from Metal Works Austin. The custom steel shelf and steel-edged mirror are paired with a perforated pendant by Allied Maker.
The custom banquette has a slatted back so as to allow the window behind it to open and let in light. The table is a vintage piece from John and Kelly, made with reclaimed wood from a bowling alley. The overhead pendant is by Brendan Ravenhill.
Previously, a screened porch at the front left had been enclosed for additional living space, but wasn’t very usable, so Jobe and Corral converted it back to its original purpose. Now, it serves as a mudroom and a transition space before entering the living room. The preserved board and batten siding is painted Benjamin Moore ‘Kendall Charcoal’ and the ceiling fans are from Schoolhouse. Board-formed concrete replaced the brick, and new steps are formed by limestone slabs taken from the tops of quarries so that the top surface is natural.
“We wanted something cozy with nooks, where you can be aware of what’s going on elsewhere,” says Isabel of the floor-to-ceiling shelving units. “They separate the environment, and cut the light a bit, but you can still see what’s happening in other spaces,” adds Matías.
“The arrow opens up to the north so it can receive all the natural light from the sun’s path,” explains Noguera.
“Our objective was always to have a luminous house,” explains homeowner Isabel Pinto of the choice to have a window cover the entire north-facing wall.
The founders of the design studio Rima set down roots in an arrow-shaped Patagonian dwelling where they harvest their own food and electricity.
<span style="font-family: Theinhardt, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">In order to maximize light, even the upper section of the bathroom walls are transparent, meaning anyone taking a shower can be seen from the living room, but only from the neck up.</span>
"When not being used as my studio, the living room is transformed into a meeting space with modular furniture designed to adapt to any occasion. The sofas can face each other or form an L-shape, depending on the vibe you want to create,
A family of architects teamed up to bring sunshine to every corner of their 650-square-foot flat in Madrid.
In the new living room, wall sconces are from Kalco Lighting, the ceiling light is from Pottery Barn, the sofa is from Interior Define, and the ottoman is from Home Goods.
The home’s new half-bath is tiled in Lili Tile, with a vanity sink from Wayfair, a countertop and backsplash of Silestone Quartz, a faucet from Kingston Brass and wall sconces over sink and toilet by Hinkley.
For the primary ensuite bedroom, Hylton-Daniel designed and added a small deck that connects the space to the outdoors.
Where the screened porch once stood, the sunroom’s windows face the back yard on three sides. The sofa is from The Sofa Company, and the floor lamp is from CB2.
Mikei, his partner, and their dog Shabu Shabu in their living space. The table was made for the outdoors, but repurposed for the dining area from Urban Outfitters. It's surrounded by '80s-era vintage chairs sourced from Betsu.
Mikei's office space is a smorgasbord of stripes and colors, featuring splashy accessories from brands like Dusen Dusen, Areaware, and HK Living.
Mikei calls this space the "reading nook," which is complete with six stainless steel shelves from Kiosk48th filled with colorful accessories from Bi-Rite, HAY, MoMA, and DWR. The vintage chairs sit over a rug from Mush Studios.
In the bathroom closest to their daughter's bedroom, the owners made the shower accessible to a wheelchair.
The renovation reconfigured the kitchen to include a peninsula, which has a secondary level for the owners' wheelchair-using daughter.
A new carport was constructed to accommodate a ramp on the interior.
The exterior was kept mostly the same, with wood siding throughout.
Whether it’s cross-country skiing in the winter or trail running in the summer, the 330-foot home’s minimalist design encourages Catherine to be outside in the surrounding landscape throughout the year.
The interior features concealed storage for convenient access to daily essentials and outdoor gear.
Floor-to-ceiling glazing and a linear skylight help welcome the landscape within the cabin’s small footprint.
The exterior’s concrete walls pick up on the tones of the rocks that emerge from the surrounding hillside.
Escape made a splash by launching a property in Tampa Bay filled with its trailers. But you don’t have to live there to own one.
Unique among tiny homes, ESCAPE's Classic wraps the entryway in a screened-in and roof porch. It could also be fully enclosed to add an extra room to the home.
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