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Design Ideas
Five Examples of Picture-Perfect Modern Design
The modern aesthetic can take on a lot of forms, but as these innovative, inspiring, and creative projects show, when done right the outcome is a sight to behold.
Maximized glass with the ultra-narrow frames. Minimized visual distractions. Clean, crisp lines. Since the early-to-mid 20th century, architects have been enamored with the idea that form should follow function, and that buildings defined by open floor plans, big windows, and very little ornamentation were the highest expression of design. There are a lot of reasons homeowners and architects gravitate toward modern designs still today, but the benefits, outcomes, and aesthetics are at their core the same as they were almost 100 years ago: a desire for beautiful, understated elegance that draws attention to the outside world, not the other way around.
Let’s take a look at five examples of swoon-worthy modern design and how Marvin Modern windows and doors help them come to life.
Modern, Connected Living
Overlooking the Mississippi river bluff in Minneapolis, this unique, fully custom project is just starting to take shape. But when complete, the home will seamlessly blend modern aesthetics with Marvin Connected Home smart technology to deliver tech-forward convenience and a highly personalized living experience.
The home’s site offers views of the river and nearby parkway, and the desire to maximize these views (as well as ensuring privacy) made the perfect design opportunity to elevate the living space to the second floor. It was this move to the second floor that drove a need for accessibility to upper-level windows that led to the introduction of Marvin Connected Home automated windows to the project. Getting the homeowners even closer to natural surroundings, and the perfect opportunity to showcase this new connected solution?
Andrew Volkenant, from Streeter Custom Builder, explained:
“The choice of Marvin Connected Home automated windows was a strategic one, offering the homeowners large expansive glass with unobstructed views, plus control over hard-to-reach awning windows, all without compromising the original design.”
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Get a Closer Look at This In-Progress Smart Home Today
Green Mountain Retreat
The goals of this remarkable retreat near Vermont’s Stratton Mountain started humbly enough. Initially the idea was just a garage to store mountain bikes and gym equipment, with two doors to drive a snowmobile in one side and out the other without having to back it up. But it became so much more than that.
After consulting with Wadsworth Design Build, the homeowners decided to expand the project into a guest house with sleek living quarters above the multi-use garage space below.
“We call it a modern car barn,” Wadsworth said. “It has a very functional streamlined design that is open and airy. The heated garage has a dual purpose—the doors can be opened during the summer months to create incredible entertaining options with a fire pit and a sheltered area.”
For a project like this, flexibility and a cooperative approach are necessities, and Wadsworth found it in Marvin. “[They provide] us the ability to be creative with what we're bringing to life,” he said. “They allow us to mix different collections together in one home, and we're not limited by certain parameters of size or material. We’re able to think outside the box.” In fact, this project features three Marvin products: windows from Marvin Modern and Marvin Essential and a Marvin Elevate Sliding Patio door.
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See More of This Green Mountain Retreat
Clean Lines, European Charm
Like so many projects, this transitional home that combines traditional style with contemporary elements presented challenges and opportunities from all sides: Finding harmony between a warm atmosphere and a modern aesthetic; maintaining clean, crisp lines; blending into a natural setting nestled between a marsh and lakeside; and balancing functionality with beauty. The result? All these juxtaposed elements came together to create a dynamic space for the homeowners to live, entertain, and enjoy.
Old-growth trees dot the landscape of the area, and a feeling of seclusion is one benefit of the lakefront lot. “This is such a unique property, with water surrounding both sides and views of a historic stone bridge,” architect Jim McNeal said. “We wanted to make sure we created a structure that worked with, not against, the space.”
The sheer number of windows in the home manage to be a highlight as well as an almost transparent element in the completed project. “We love the Marvin Modern line of windows because they can be a statement without overwhelming the overall design,” he said. “They give us the freedom and flexibility to be creative and bring a vision to life.”
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Take a Look at This Modern Charmer
Sag Harbor Hideaway
The goals of this home were certainly multi-faceted, including an emphasis on privacy, a desire for an abundance of light, a strong connection with the outdoors, and access to views of the water. It was an ambitious strategy for The UP Studio to undertake, as the home isn’t on a secluded lake or oceanside parcel: It sits on a corner lot and is not located on the waterfront.
While this particular build site posed some unique challenges, it did give The UP Studio the chance to show off their creativity.
Firm partner John Patrick Winberry explained, “The traditional instinct would be to design the new home to face the street, but since the property is located on a wide street corner, the orientation was flipped to face the rear corner of the yard and the first-floor facade was designed to act as a subtle privacy screen from the street. On the rear of the house, we have floor-to-ceiling glazing featuring Marvin Modern windows and doors.”
When planning a compact home like this one, every square inch counts. One way to get the most out of a more petite footprint is to take advantage of the flat roof design by adding a patio space on the top floor. The relatively low cost for the additional usable space made sense but the real payoff came from the stunning views that the rooftop provided access to.
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“The home is located on a land-locked site in a small harbor town without direct water views from the lower levels," Winberry said. "However, by creating habitable space on the roof, we were able to reclaim the spectacular views of Sag Harbor Cove and Noyack Bay that were hidden by the neighboring homes, views that none of the other nearby houses have taken advantage of.”
The window choice played an outsized role in the success of the project: “We chose the Marvin Modern windows and doors product line on this project specifically because of the clean and narrow sightlines and Modern’s ability to create huge expanses of glass," he said. "We have been using Marvin windows and doors for many years. The huge Modern Casement and Awning windows in this house are noticeably easy to operate. The quality is there. It’s like when you shut the door on a luxury car—it just feels right.”
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Check Out the Windows and Views of This Sag Harbor Home
Glass-Forward Lake Views
There’s blending in with your surroundings, and then there’s this magnificent, glass-forward project on Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka.
Nestled among the trees, water, and greenery, and seamlessly blended inner and outer worlds, the teams of Charlie & Co. Design Ltd. and John Kraemer and Sons Custom Builders achieved in crafting a stunning modern showstopper that’s an open-air mirage in the summer and a picture-perfect snow globe in winter.
The highlights include 60-foot-long sliding doors on both sides—a nearly unprecedented expanse of glass—from the Marvin Modern collection to fully maximize natural light and views of the lake, but with a product that is slim, but strong enough, to withstand harsh Minnesota winters. The roof features an overhead skylight, another connection to the outside world.
“It’s like a living home,” said Charlie Simmons, founding principal and designer of Charlie & Co. Design, Ltd. “Whether it's noon in December or in July, the light here is different.”
Builder John Kraemer offered this apt summation of the house:
“You can see from the front yard all the way through the backyard, it's literally like living in a glass box,” he said. “And when you sit in this space, it just makes you feel good, right? And you feel happy. You feel healthy, taking in the views in the natural light.”
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Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting
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Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting
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Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting
Catch a Few More Glimpses of This Lakeside Mirage
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