Inspiration for a contemporary powder room remodel in Chicago

Large trendy open concept light wood floor and beige floor family room photo in Denver with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a plaster fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Set upon an oversized and highly sought-after creekside lot in Brentwood, this ​two story home and full guest home exude a casual, contemporary farmhouse style and vibe. The main residence boasts 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, each ensuite with thoughtful touches that accentuate the home’s overall classic finishes. The master retreat opens to a large balcony overlooking the yard accented by mature bamboo and palms. Other features of the main house include European white oak floors, recessed lighting, built in speaker system, attached 2-car garage and a laundry room with 2 sets of state-of-the-art Samsung washers and dryers. The bedroom suite on the first floor enjoys its own entrance, making it ideal for guests. The open concept kitchen features Calacatta marble countertops, Wolf appliances, wine storage, dual sinks and dishwashers and a walk-in butler’s pantry. The loggia is accessed via La Cantina bi-fold doors that fully open for year-round alfresco dining on the terrace, complete with an outdoor fireplace. The wonderfully imagined yard contains a sparkling pool and spa and a crisp green lawn and lovely deck and patio areas. Step down further to find the detached guest home, which was recognized with a Decade Honor Award by the Los Angeles Chapter of the AIA in 2006, and, in fact, was a frequent haunt of Frank Gehry who inspired its cubist design. The guest house has a bedroom and bathroom, living area, a newly updated kitchen and is surrounded by lush landscaping that maximizes its creekside setting, creating a truly serene oasis.

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Designed by Malia Schultheis and built by Tru Form Tiny. This Tiny Home features Blue stained pine for the ceiling, pine wall boards in white, custom barn door, custom steel work throughout, and modern minimalist window trim. The Cabinetry is Maple with stainless steel countertop and hardware. The backsplash is a glass and stone mix. It only has a 2 burner cook top and no oven. The washer/ drier combo is in the kitchen area. Open shelving was installed to maintain an open feel.

Mid-sized arts and crafts master light wood floor bedroom photo in Nashville with white walls

Example of a trendy bathroom design in Other

Custom Wood bench under beautiful windows. Area serves as a dining room and a breakfast nook
Mid-sized transitional dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo photo in Detroit with gray walls and no fireplace

Bathroom - mid-sized farmhouse master ceramic tile, white floor, double-sink and wood wall bathroom idea in Charleston with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and a built-in vanity

Inspiration for a scandinavian beige floor living room remodel in Orlando with beige walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

Pool landscaping - large contemporary backyard lap pool landscaping idea in Los Angeles

Photo Credit: Pawel Dmytrow
Inspiration for a small contemporary single-wall light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Enclosed kitchen - large modern galley porcelain tile and beige floor enclosed kitchen idea in DC Metro with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood countertops, gray backsplash, black appliances, an island, glass sheet backsplash and brown countertops

secret reading nook
Family room library - transitional light wood floor and beige floor family room library idea in DC Metro with beige walls

This contemporary bath utilizes the galley way construction of this master bath through the use of light, and finishes. A large glass shower equipped with rain shower head and storage niches, reflects light impeccably making the space feel expansive. Counter to ceiling height mirror atop a floating vanity, utilize the lateral height of the space. A seated vanity with topped with a mirror at the end of the galley creates drama and focal point upon entry.

A beautifully organized entryway space makes every day better. Our custom solutions make it so no one loses anything, leaving home is a breeze, and getting home fills you with more joy than ever before!

Powder room - transitional beige floor powder room idea in Salt Lake City with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, multicolored walls, a vessel sink and beige countertops

Photo by Pete Cadieux
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional shade side yard stone landscaping in Boston.