Custom Builder Magazine

In Arlington, Va., larger lots are increasingly hard to find, so when a local couple landed one, they saw an opportunity to take advantage of the site with a wide, open floor plan and 12-foot ceilings. The contemporary Arlington home spans 6,500 square feet and was built and designed by architecture, interior design, and build firm ODE Design. Most homes in this neighborhood sit on tight lots and tend to make use of vertical space, says Yuri Sagatov of ODE Design.

Rather than looking like it was simply built on the lot, this 9,800-square-foot custom home in Virginia appears as though it belongs in the natural environment. From the way it emerges from the ground to the materials sourced directly from the site, the project brings the client’s dream of a home inspired by the wooden lot to life.

Ai-Da, the humanoid robot artist who made global headlines as a painter has begun designing architecture, and the creator behind the robot says the pod home now on view is the first of more to come. "This isn't just a concept thing that's going to die away," says Aidan Meller, a longtime art dealer and gallery director in the UK who created the robot. "We're going to do more and more in this area." The concept, called Space Pod, anchors the I'm not a robot exhibition that runs through Oct.

A Washington, D.C. couple knew they needed to make better use of a 1920s garage on their property. Rather than only using it for storage, they reached out to local design-build firm Anthony Wilder Design/Build to transform the space into an accessory dwelling unit. With 450 square feet of space to work with, including a loft, the garage now functions as a home office and guest suite with a full bath and kitchenette.

Builder in 5 is our five-question series with the minds behind standout custom homes. Susan Cohan, founder and creative director of Susan Cohan Gardens in Boonton, N.J., is the first landscape designer we've featured. Her work pairs classic design principles with contemporary planting on projects throughout the northeast, from historic properties to new and renovated homes. 1. Your studio says a landscape should feel rooted in place. What are you looking for that tells you what belongs there?

No matter the size of the home or the lot it's constructed on, clients are increasingly seeking out homes that offer a connection to the outdoors. In some custom builds and renovation projects, this can be a challenge.

The Dogtrot [House] In his book Cotton Kingdom, Frederick Law Olmsted described a dogtrot he visited in Louisiana in 1850: “The house was a double log cabin—two log erections, that is, joined by one long roof, leaving an open space between.

When purchasing their Chevy Chase, Md., home, the homeowners knew the outdoor space had a lot of potential. With ample room to work with, they envisioned an area that could blend the interior and exterior spaces and serve as a setting for entertaining. Integral to the renovation, the garage was moved to improve the yard's circulation.

Builder in 5 is our five-question series with the minds behind standout custom homes. In this edition, we’re speaking to Adam Jarvi, president and CEO of NewStudio Architecture.

In this episode of Women at WIRC, we sit down with Laura Sullivan, founder of Ideology Interiors and Design in Asheville, N.C. Sullivan discusses her career evolution, the significance of biophilic design, challenges in sourcing healthy products, and her dedication to mentoring the next generation of women in the residential construction industry.