Aesthetic Entry : An exceptional Tiffany glass fountain and Beaux Arts architectural details accent this grand foyer.  The white marble floors, ornately carved ceiling and marble stairway are set off by extraordinary artwork and fine antique reproductions from the Ann Getty House Collection.

Conservatory : The landing midway through this gracefully curving marble staircase is a focal point of this San Francisco home.  Latticework over mirrored panels, suggestive of Elsie de Wolfe, is lit from above with a rich, multi-colored Tiffany skylight. Extraordinary furnishings from the Ann Getty House Collection help to create a romantic resting place.

Parlor : When a renovation project melded two duplexes into one, much needed family space was created. The former kitchen became a play and study center, featuring whimsical touches of nostalgia. Here we see a fully-functional soda parlor. Painstakingly produced, nearly every inch of the surface features exquisite handcrafted detail.

Turkish Library : This authentic Turkish library was created through a combination of European and Eastern influences.

Gentlemans Library : This beautiful 64th Street residence was the former home of the New York Observer. Ann Getty was invited as a rare out-of-town designer to create the library. The room was centered on the theme of a curious mind, exploring books, maps, astronomy, botanicals and butterflies surrounded by the distinguished antique reproductions from the Ann Getty House Collection.

Elegant Dining Room : Ann Getty & Associates was pleased to design the beautiful dining room in the former San Francisco home of the British Ambassador to the United States. The room featured a custom-built nine-foot table with faux ivory trim. The window treatments were anchored with antique fabric flanking a custom sofa and club chair vignette. A graceful room, the space is both inviting and comfortable yet traditionally elegant for formal entertaining.

Ladies Bedroom : The surround of this Chinoiserie wallpaper creates a peaceful haven from active family life. The confluence of grandeur and comfort results from the use of French furnishings, rock crystal lamps and Indian fabrics.

Source : Ann Getty Associates, SF Gate

Retired American Professional Cyclist Lance Armstrong opens up his Austin Abode which is featured in  Architectural Digest. And it looks so good. Lance who broke records when he won the Tour de France seven consecutive times lives in a warm and restful Spanish colonial-style house. Lance has a very talented and skillful team behind him to create his welcoming Texas abode, the Interiors of the house was done by Roy W. Materanek of RWM Design, Renovation Architecture by Ryan Street & Associates and Landscape Architecture by LandWest Design Group.

I just adore his contemporary living room that exudes a cheery and comfortable feeling with the use of reds and woods. The artworks and chandeliers are also very eye-catching. The spacious media/game room which displays his Jerseys from his Tour de France days and the pool cabana that looks down a walk framed by cypresses are just some of the many stunning spaces in this marvelously designed home. And I really, really love the kitchen, which displays some family photos which is quite rare in kitchens but adds a very warm touch to this already lovely room.

The master suite “was all Roy,” concedes Armstrong. “The Persian rug and Antonio Más painting from my house in Spain gave us the colors for the chairs and walls. However, when Roy put out the idea of a stainless-steel fireplace, I said, ‘I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but it sounds cool, so let’s go for it.’ ” The result is a stunning fireplace-cum-media center-cum-almost-mirror, “polished to the degree where you actually get a reflection,” explains Materanek. “Because the perimeter is also lit from behind, it completely softens the room.”

“When I walk into that house, I heave a sigh of relief: I am home. I take off my shoes, walk around barefoot, just feeling the rugs, floors. Home is very private; here, nobody’s going to mess with me.”

“When their mom and I split, the kids and I moved around a bunch. But that’s over. This time I said, ‘You will graduate from high school in this house. I promise. Dad’s not moving again.’ ”, Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong’s House Renovation Architecture by Ryan Street & Associates/Interior Design by RWM Design/Landscape Architecture by LandWest Design Group Text by Nancy Collins/Photography by Robert Reck Published July 2008

Source : Architectural Digest

The renovation of this one-bedroom downtown apartment focuses on maximizing storage space for a stylish older couple who had amassed a lifetime of books, vinyl records, designer shoes and suits.

Integrated bamboo cabinetry accommodates these needs while establishing a common design language for the space. Extensive use of the eco-friendly material contributes to a modern and ethically sound aesthetic. Cork tiles in the Kitchen provide a forgiving standing surface for the gourmand couple, while complementing the lightness of the bamboo surfaces. The millwork components embody the efficiency of a ship’s interior, such as in a hide-away office designed to accommodate a task chair behind its closed doors. A built-in kitty litter located in the pantry cabinet but accessed from the Bathroom creatively optimizes all available space.

Source : Front Studio

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences and a committee of Philosophy Professors collaborated in the selection of Steven Holl Architects to design the complete interior renovation of a 1890 corner building at 5 Washington Place for the consolidation of the NYU Department or Philosophy within a concept which organizes the new spaces around light and phenomenal properties of materials. A new stair shaft below a new skylight joins the 6-level building vertically with a shifting porosity of light and shadow that change seasonally. The Ground level, utilized by the entire University, contains a new curvilinear wooden auditorium on a cork floor. The upper level floors contain Faculty Offices and Seminar Rooms which are done in different shades and textures of black & white, according to the texts in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s book “Remarks on Colour”.

Source : dezeen, myninjaplease, Steven Holl Architects

This project encompasses the 7,200 square-foot renovation of a 5-story residence in Brooklyn.

The aim of this renovation was to create a family home that fully integrates the site’s rear garden into the plan of the house, while creating both familial and private spaces. Occupying the existing footprint, the new building employs glass and aluminum to create a more open and continuous feeling in the back of the house.

These materials, in addition to a new staircase connecting the garden and the second floor, firmly establish the garden as an extension of the house and as a communal location.

Using green roof technology, a private garden accessible from the master bedroom creates a small, personal outdoor space. Inside, the house is designed to fit the needs of the family. Home office space, rooms for two children, and a fifth-floor playroom are all elements of this functional, comfortable, and stylish space.

Source : 1100 Architect