Ample storage for fresh items can be found in the Walnut and metal mesh pull out island baskets was chosen for efficiency. Created by Normandy Designer Kathryn O'Donovan, Photo credit: Normandy Remodeling

Photos by Spacecrafting
Drop-in bathtub - transitional master white tile and subway tile mosaic tile floor drop-in bathtub idea in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a two-piece toilet and gray walls

Laundry. Undercoutner laundry. corian. Laundry Room. Bay window. Buil-in bench. Window seat. Jack & Jill Bath. Pass through bath. Bedroom. Green. Pink. Yellow. Wallpaper. Romantic. Vintage. Restoration. Marble. Jakarta Pink Marble. subway Tile. Wainscot. Grab Bar. Framless shower enclosure. Edwardian. Edwardian Faucet. Rohl. Shower basket. Pedestal sink. Shower Pan. Onyx tile. Medicine cabinet. Fireplace. Window treatments. Gas insert fireplace. Plaster. Photography by Scott Hargis

Venice Beach is home to hundreds of runaway teens. The crash pad, right off the boardwalk, aims to provide them with a haven to help them restore their lives. Kitchen and pantry designed by Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Photography by William Quarles Designed by Red Element cabinets built by Robert Paige Cabinetry
Mudroom - mid-sized coastal mudroom idea in Charleston

Bethany Nauert Photography
Example of a classic l-shaped laundry room design in Los Angeles with gray cabinets, recessed-panel cabinets, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white countertops

A Beacon of Light Steve Lazar grew up by the ocean and, as an avid surfer and a craftsman, he has always been inspired by seaside architecture. His latest home, The Lifeguard Tower, features an expansive living area and kitchen, four bedrooms, three full baths and a powder room in Hermosa Beach. The architecture is comprised of three trapezoidal structures, one atop the other. From the base, the residence narrows as it reaches the “look-out” tower room that gives way to a picturesque, 1,600-square-foot grass-covered entertainment and dining deck facing the ocean. At night, the tower glows like a beacon of light, as it is beautifully illuminated through multiple windows that surround the structure. Our Green Approach The Lifeguard Tower is also an experience in green living, as it incorporates the weatherworn reclaimed wood of a 100-year-old barn. Lazar has sheathed the house in such a way that it can breathe and endure the elements. The home also utilizes a sophisticated water filtration system and features on-demand radiant heating and air. Dual-glazed windows, coated with a shaded reflective film, will reflect the heat of the sun, keeping the residence cool year-round. These windows, coupled with the unusual 36-inch-long eaves custom designed by Lazar, create more shade than what is typically found in ordinary construction. Beachside Living at its Best Lazar has creatively and methodically managed to appeal to both traditional and contemporary architecture buffs with the Lifeguard Tower. It is a romantic gesture to the past and a simultaneous whimsical nod to contemporary California beachside living. Thoughtfully designed by Steve Lazar of design + build by South Swell. designbuildbysouthswell.com Photography by Joel Silva.

Example of a mid-sized classic kitchen pantry design in San Diego with open cabinets and white cabinets

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in San Diego

Photographer: John Sutton
Example of a classic bathroom design in San Francisco with marble countertops

Packed with cottage attributes, Sunset View features an open floor plan without sacrificing intimate spaces. Detailed design elements and updated amenities add both warmth and character to this multi-seasonal, multi-level Shingle-style-inspired home. Columns, beams, half-walls and built-ins throughout add a sense of Old World craftsmanship. Opening to the kitchen and a double-sided fireplace, the dining room features a lounge area and a curved booth that seats up to eight at a time. When space is needed for a larger crowd, furniture in the sitting area can be traded for an expanded table and more chairs. On the other side of the fireplace, expansive lake views are the highlight of the hearth room, which features drop down steps for even more beautiful vistas. An unusual stair tower connects the home’s five levels. While spacious, each room was designed for maximum living in minimum space. In the lower level, a guest suite adds additional accommodations for friends or family. On the first level, a home office/study near the main living areas keeps family members close but also allows for privacy. The second floor features a spacious master suite, a children’s suite and a whimsical playroom area. Two bedrooms open to a shared bath. Vanities on either side can be closed off by a pocket door, which allows for privacy as the child grows. A third bedroom includes a built-in bed and walk-in closet. A second-floor den can be used as a master suite retreat or an upstairs family room. The rear entrance features abundant closets, a laundry room, home management area, lockers and a full bath. The easily accessible entrance allows people to come in from the lake without making a mess in the rest of the home. Because this three-garage lakefront home has no basement, a recreation room has been added into the attic level, which could also function as an additional guest room.

Originally built in 1889 a short walk from the old East Falls Church rail station, the vaguely reminiscent gothic Victorian was a landmark in a neighborhood of late 19th century wood frame homes. The two story house had been changed many times over its 116 year life with most of the changes diminishing the style and integrity of the original home. Beginning during the mid-twentieth century, few of the changes could be seen as improvements. The wonderfully dominate front tower was obscured by a bathroom shed roof addition. The exterior skin was covered with asbestos siding, requiring the removal of any wood detailing projecting from its surface. Poorly designed diminutive additions were added to the rear creating small, awkward, low ceiling spaces that became irrelevant to the modern user. The house was in serious need of a significant renovation and restoration. A young family purchased the house and immediately realized the inadequacies; sub-par spaces, kitchen, bathrooms and systems. The program for this project was closely linked to aesthetics, function and budget. The program called for significantly enlarging the house with a major new rear addition taking the place of the former small additions. Critically important to the program was to not only protect the integrity of the original house, but to restore and expand the house in such a way that the addition would be seamless. The completed house had to fulfill all of the requirements of a modern house with significant living spaces, including reconfigured foyer, living room and dining room on the first floor and three modified bedrooms on the second floor. On the rear of the house a new addition created a new kitchen, family room, mud room, powder room and back stair hall. This new stair hall connected the new and existing first floor to a new basement recreation room below and a new master bedroom suite with laundry and second bathroom on the second floor. The entire exterior of the house was stripped to the original sheathing. New wood windows, wood lap siding, wall trim including roof eave and rake trim were installed. Each of the details on the exterior of the house matched the original details. This fact was confirmed by researching the house and studying turn-of-the-century photographs. The second floor addition was removed, facilitating the restoration of the four sided mansard roof tower. The final design for the house is strong but not overpowering. As a renovated house, the finished product fits the neighborhood, restoring its standing as a landmark, satisfying the owner’s needs for house and home. Hoachlander Davis Photography

Kitchen strage options in large kitchen island. Built-in cutting board. The engraved cutting board pulls out and locks in place. The baskets break up the large expanse of the island and provide fruit storage and other convenient kitchen storage.

This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

The landscape of this home honors the formality of Spanish Colonial / Santa Barbara Style early homes in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. By re-grading the lot and allowing for terraced opportunities, we featured a variety of hardscape stone, brick, and decorative tiles that reinforce the eclectic Spanish Colonial feel. Cantera and La Negra volcanic stone, brick, natural field stone, and handcrafted Spanish decorative tiles are used to establish interest throughout the property. A front courtyard patio includes a hand painted tile fountain and sitting area near the outdoor fire place. This patio features formal Boxwood hedges, Hibiscus, and a rose garden set in pea gravel. The living room of the home opens to an outdoor living area which is raised three feet above the pool. This allowed for opportunity to feature handcrafted Spanish tiles and raised planters. The side courtyard, with stepping stones and Dichondra grass, surrounds a focal Crape Myrtle tree. One focal point of the back patio is a 24-foot hand-hammered wrought iron trellis, anchored with a stone wall water feature. We added a pizza oven and barbecue, bistro lights, and hanging flower baskets to complete the intimate outdoor dining space. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Scott Sandler

Example of a beach style medium tone wood floor family room design in Los Angeles with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

This dramatic design takes its inspiration from the past but retains the best of the present. Exterior highlights include an unusual third-floor cupola that offers birds-eye views of the surrounding countryside, charming cameo windows near the entry, a curving hipped roof and a roomy three-car garage. Inside, an open-plan kitchen with a cozy window seat features an informal eating area. The nearby formal dining room is oval-shaped and open to the second floor, making it ideal for entertaining. The adjacent living room features a large fireplace, a raised ceiling and French doors that open onto a spacious L-shaped patio, blurring the lines between interior and exterior spaces. Informal, family-friendly spaces abound, including a home management center and a nearby mudroom. Private spaces can also be found, including the large second-floor master bedroom, which includes a tower sitting area and roomy his and her closets. Also located on the second floor is family bedroom, guest suite and loft open to the third floor. The lower level features a family laundry and craft area, a home theater, exercise room and an additional guest bedroom.

Private guest house and swimming pool with observation tower overlooking historic dairy farm. Photos by William Zbaren
Inspiration for a contemporary three-story exterior home remodel in Chicago

The owners of this rural two acre parcel Design Group Three to design and build a new home that is contemporary, but respectful of the site’s agricultural past. Massing of the house gestures toward agricultural buildings in the area. The location of the house on the site, window placement and multiple outdoor living areas take full advantage of views into surrounding countryside.