Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Chicago

Inspiration for a large industrial wooden u-shaped metal railing staircase remodel in Chicago with painted risers

Photo: Lisa Petrol
Example of a large trendy 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile bathroom design in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and a one-piece toilet

Photo: Jim Westphalen
Example of a mountain style medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets and white countertops

Mid-sized rustic gray two-story wood exterior home idea in Sacramento

Inspiration for a timeless dark wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue backsplash, stone tile backsplash and an island

Inspiration for a coastal beige floor mudroom remodel in Other with white walls

Architect: Michael Waters, AIA, LDa Architecture & Interiors Photography By: Greg Premru “This project succeeds not only in creating beautiful architecture, but in making us better understand the nature of the site and context. It has a presence that feels completely rooted in its site and raised above any appeal to fashion. It clarifies local traditions while extending them.” This single-family residential estate in Upstate New York includes a farmhouse-inspired residence along with a timber-framed barn and attached greenhouse adjacent to an enclosed garden area and surrounded by an orchard. The ultimate goal was to create a home that would have an authentic presence in the surrounding agricultural landscape and strong visual and physical connections to the site. The design incorporated an existing colonial residence, resituated on the site and preserved along with contemporary additions on three sides. The resulting home strikes a perfect balance between traditional farmhouse architecture and sophisticated contemporary living. Inspiration came from the hilltop site and mountain views, the existing colonial residence, and the traditional forms of New England farm and barn architecture. The house and barn were designed to be a modern interpretation of classic forms. The living room and kitchen are combined in a large two-story space. Large windows on three sides of the room and at both first and second floor levels reveal a panoramic view of the surrounding farmland and flood the space with daylight. Marvin Windows helped create this unique space as well as the airy glass galleries that connect the three main areas of the home. Marvin Windows were also used in the barn. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Marvin Ultimate Casement Window Marvin Ultimate Double Hung Window Marvin Ultimate Venting Picture Window

Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic boy nursery remodel in Los Angeles with blue walls

Transitional light wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo photo in Dallas with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a shiplap fireplace

This vanity is from Wellborn’s Premier cabinetry line (featured in Davenport Square Full Over Lay door style and made in Maple) and finished in Glacier.

Example of a transitional dark wood floor enclosed kitchen design in Salt Lake City with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

The simple use of black and white…classic, timeless, elegant. No better words could describe the renovation of this kitchen, dining room and seating area. First, an amazing wall of custom cabinets was installed. The home’s 10’ ceilings provided a nice opportunity to stack up decorative glass cabinetry and highly crafted crown moldings on top, while maintaining a considerable amount of cabinetry just below it. The custom-made brush stroke finished cabinetry is highlighted by a chimney-style wood hood surround with leaded glass cabinets. Custom display cabinets with leaded glass also separate the kitchen from the dining room. Next, the homeowner installed a 5’ x 14’ island finished in black. It houses the main sink with a pedal style control disposal, dishwasher, microwave, second bar sink, beverage center refrigerator and still has room to sit five to six people. The hardwood floor in the kitchen and family room matches the rest of the house. The homeowner wanted to use a very selective white quartzite stone for counters and backsplash to add to the brightness of their kitchen. Contemporary chandeliers over the island are timeless and elegant. High end appliances covered by custom panels are part of this featured project, both to satisfy the owner’s needs and to implement the classic look desired for this kitchen. Beautiful dining and living areas surround this kitchen. All done in a contemporary style to create a seamless design and feel the owner had in mind.

Example of a farmhouse open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Salt Lake City with white walls and a standard fireplace

Huge transitional formal and open concept vinyl floor, brown floor and coffered ceiling living room photo in Milwaukee with blue walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Lafayette Square is a historic district in the City of Saint Louis. The home was built before the turn of the last century. The kitchen had been remodeled several times since the 1880s. The homeowners wanted to renovate and update the kitchen to reflect current lifestyles while respecting the integrity of the home.Alise O'Brien Photography

Landmark Photography
Beach style single-wall gray floor and concrete floor wet bar photo in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash, wood backsplash and white countertops

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.