Brittany Hakimfar and Philadelphia-based interior design firm, FarStudio, is far from a “one and done” firm. In fact, many clients reach out again when they move or when they’re ready to expand their current home. That was the case here—Brittany had designed and decorated one family’s main residence, and when it was time to build a pool and pool house, she was just the one for the job. Though it’s in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the inspiration is decidedly California casual. The combination of stone, blackened wood siding, and earthy-with-an-edge interiors result in a breathtaking addition to the ..read more

Austin’s Rosedale neighborhood is a coveted place to live, thanks to its central location and mix of timeless designs both old and new. It was the perfect place for Lauren and Holt Williamson—the husband-and-wife build/design team behind Cedar & Oak—to create their next masterpiece. “Our goal was to create a home that looked like it had been on the street for years and would age well with the neighborhood,” Lauren told us of the Modern English Tudor. The house is a new construction, so every inch was strategically and intricately designed to fit their family’s needs. “With each of our new ..read more

Napa Valley’s Silverado Resort has been a coveted place to live for decades. The neighborhood includes homes from the late ‘60s and ‘70s, with many properties starting to be replaced or renovated for today’s families. Though the lot sizes lean towards the smaller size with limited square footage to build, most homes are oriented towards the golf course and boast expansive views. On this particular property, updated for empty nesters, a second story was not allowed—so the renovation goal was to maximize the potential in one level. Enter designer Sarahliz Lawson of Sarahliz Lawson Design [SLD ..read more

When this Portola Valley, CA home had a basement flood, the homeowners decided to turn lemons into lemonade. “A family of four live in this home with their two young daughters,” designer Erica Johnston tells us. “They are busy executives looking to unwind at home and entertain friends and family. They often have their parents stay for an extended period of time. And prior to the gut remodel, this basement was hardly used.” The area features a lot of contemporary Ranch-style homes built in the 1980s, and the basement looked the part. “It lacked any interesting architectural designs,” Erica reca ..read more

During one family’s search for a new home, they fell in love with the suburban nature of the Upper East Side—a proximity to cultural institutions, parks, great restaurants, top-tier schools, and local community centers proving hard to resist. They landed on this four-story, 6,400-square-foot townhouse on the Upper East Side, originally built in 1910. It required a few substantial updates, so they called on ODA, a local New York design firm specializing in both architecture and interiors. Both the client and the design team were inspired by the neighborhood’s rowhouse style—as well as the innov ..read more

Brimming with historic aesthetic, this Minneapolis home is an architectural gem. In its original condition, it featured original oak millwork throughout, such as ceiling beams, arched doorways, and captivating window bench bays with stunning leaded glass windows. “My clients fell in love with the home’s charm and wanted to breathe new life into its interior while preserving its architectural roots,” says interior designer Victoria Holly. “We worked to highlight certain details of the stunning stained woodwork while introducing refreshed elements that align with our clients’ personal style.” Th ..read more

Though this Seattle home is very close to Lake Washington, it’s in a wooded area that feels like a world away from the city. “It almost feels like a treehouse,” says interior designer Lisa Staton. The neighborhood boasts a combination of architecture, from heritage pre-World War II homes to post-war mid-century modern abodes, like this one. The homeowners both work in tech, but Lisa says they are design fans through and through. “They wanted to return the house to its original mid-century bones, but make it a little more open and airy,” she says. Most importantly, they needed a large kitchen f ..read more

This Tiburon, CA home had great sentimental value for its owners. “Our client is a family of four, comprising two young children,” interior designer Stephanie Thill of The Workroom Interiors tells us. “It the same house where our client grew up, offering her the opportunity to re-envision it and create a unique space to raise her own family. The goal was to create a home that felt modern and clean but with lots of added texture and natural materials.”  They embarked on a complete interior remodel. “As the interior designers, we collaborated with architect Stephen Willrich and his team on ..read more

Alissa Johnson designed her studio to feel more like a home than an office—no easy feat considering the fact that the building was a stark new build. “Initially, our office was a vast, open box,” the interior designer recalls. “It sits in the heart of Lakeview, Chicago, strategically positioned to serve both our downtown and Northshore clientele with ease. What drew us to this location was not just its central accessibility, but also the bustling energy of the surrounding area, attracting tons of foot traffic. The opportunity to design our space from scratch allowed us to create an environment ..read more

This 5,200-square-foot home was originally designed in 1994 by Stephen Muse Architects, a highly regarded firm in the Washington D.C. area. “It is in a beautiful enclave of Northwest Washington D.C. called Forest Hills,” says designer Laura Hur of Lorla Studio. “Even though you are in downtown D.C., this neighborhood and home feel far removed thanks to their proximity to Rock Creek Park. The location and the large windows and doors throughout the home set the tone for us to take cues from the natural environment as we came up with the design.”  Laura’s client is first-generation American ..read more