Before:  even though many people would love this rustic home, it wasn't to the owners' taste and felt too gloomy and cluttered. 

After:  log walls were furred out and drywalled, and the wood stove was replaced with a sleek fireplace. 

Before:  the kitchen portion of this room was dark, crowded, and awkwardly configured.  The doorway to the left of the refrigerator will be moved a few feet in order to create a more usable work triangle. 

After:  the fridge, sink, and wall ovens are positioned efficiently, closer to each other, and the range has been replaced by a cooktop in the island, next to a trough sink.

The homeowner designed "The Amoeba" herself. 

Before:  another view of the existing wall between this Great Room and the existing foyer hall beyond.  The doorway to the right is staying where it is; the doorway to the left (of the fridge, not visible in this photo) will be moving a few feet to the right. 

After:  the doorways are now centered on the long wall both inside the Great Room and on the Foyer Hall side.  The owner wished to hang a fountain between them. 

To define the separate kitchen and living spaces in this big room, I recommended floor transitions.  A pebble "river" runs from the fountain, around the island, and to the new french doors leading out to the owners' Japanese garden.  Cork is on river left; black bamboo on river right.

Pebble flooring is pricey; luckily this was a small percentage of the floor surface.  

Since these photos were taken, a large pond and landscaping have been installed beyond the doors. 

The opening on the left is in its original position; the one further down, toward the front door, was shifted a few feet toward the other one to make them symmetrical on the wall.

Shoji screened were custom built by one of Steve Harris' subcontractors from mahogany and opaque acrylic panels. 

At the back of the foyer hall is another door leading out to an existing deck. 

It looks like a totally different house now, doesn't it?