Family Style
Linen cafe curtains hung from an iron rod bring privacy to the family room, and a wooden bench serves as a coffee table. Because this room has windows on three sides and opens to the dining room, furniture arrangement was a special consideration; most pieces are placed about 1 foot away from the windows.

To avoid having the entertainment/bookshelf unit take up floorspace, it was fitted into a box bay constructed on the exterior wall. A pair of doors mounted on tracks slide away from the center of the unit, over the bookshelves at each side, and then back across to cover the flat-screen TV.

Add Sliding Doors to Built-ins

Sink Solution
Looking for a compact bathroom sink to fit into a tight space? Try this idea on for size: In the powder room, a metal milk bucket resting on a wooden, three-legged stool was plumbed for use as a sink.

Office Hours
Adjoining the dining room is a home office measuring only 7'11" x 5'2", yet there's room for a laptop, fax machine, and files.

"Adding space where you can work will theoretically buy you a longer weekend at RiverCamps," says architect Jonathan Card. "Say you have three hours of work that has to be done on Monday morning. Just get up early, knock out those three hours, and you'll be enjoying yourself out on the water by noon."

The office feels like a spacious tree house perched high in the woods. Its glass walls also bring light to the windowless dining room.

Office Design a Small But Well-Equipped Office

Dreamy Bedrooms
In a house where areas are primarily neutral, the children's room offers a bright departure. "The more color we added, the better it got," says designer Patricia Kramer. Surfaces here and in the adjoining bath are painted lime green and orange sherbet; fabrics in a mixture of colors and patterns reflect youthful enthusiasm. "Children use every hue in the crayon box, and that's the approach we took in this bedroom," Patricia explains. Windows are located on three walls, and each sports a different fabric treatment. With a full-size bed and a twin-size one with a trundle, the room easily sleeps four.

The guestroom bed is dressed in cool aqua linen and soft ivory damask. The ivory curtains on the windows behind the bed can be pushed together to give the illusion of a headboard. Built-in seating fits between the closet and a drawer unit that also holds a TV.

Downstairs, the master bedroom boasts a comfortable, casual bed with head- and footboards that resemble charming old metal gates. It's piled high with colorful, coordinating pillows in various sizes. Rattan chairs fitted with plush cushions stand at the end of the bed.

Children's Room Have Fun With Color

Award-Winning Architects
The architects of West Bay Landing are Ted Flato, Craig McMahon, and Jonathan Card of Lake/Flato in San Antonio. They received the American Institute of Architects National Firm Award 2004 in recognition of their diverse design projects such as family retreats, museums, arboretums, and corporate headquarters.