• American Olean “Color Appeal” 4” x 12” glass tile in “Fountain Blue” • Interceramic 10” x 24” “Spa” white glazed tile • Daltile “Color Wave” mosaic tile “Ice White Block Random Mosaic” • Stonepeak 12” x 24 “Infinite Brown” ceramic tile, Land series • glass by Anchor Ventana at shower • Slik Mode acrylic freestanding tub • Grohe Concetto tub spout • photography by Paul Finkel

Mid-sized transitional enclosed dark wood floor family room library photo in San Francisco with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

Built by Pearson Landscape | photography by Paul Finkel
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary full sun and drought-tolerant front yard concrete paver landscaping in Austin.

This 3200 square foot home features a maintenance free exterior of LP Smartside, corrugated aluminum roofing, and native prairie landscaping. The design of the structure is intended to mimic the architectural lines of classic farm buildings. The outdoor living areas are as important to this home as the interior spaces; covered and exposed porches, field stone patios and an enclosed screen porch all offer expansive views of the surrounding meadow and tree line. The home’s interior combines rustic timbers and soaring spaces which would have traditionally been reserved for the barn and outbuildings, with classic finishes customarily found in the family homestead. Walls of windows and cathedral ceilings invite the outdoors in. Locally sourced reclaimed posts and beams, wide plank white oak flooring and a Door County fieldstone fireplace juxtapose with classic white cabinetry and millwork, tongue and groove wainscoting and a color palate of softened paint hues, tiles and fabrics to create a completely unique Door County homestead. Mitch Wise Design, Inc. Richard Steinberger Photography

JS Gibson
Powder room - mid-sized farmhouse powder room idea in Charleston with furniture-like cabinets, white walls, wood countertops, dark wood cabinets, a drop-in sink and brown countertops

This home was a sweet 30's bungalow in the West Hollywood area. We flipped the kitchen and the dining room to allow access to the ample backyard. The design of the space was inspired by Manhattan's pre war apartments, refined and elegant.

Warm hardwood floors keep the space grounded. The dark cherry island cabinets compliment the oil-rubbed bronze metal hood and the granite perimeter countertops while simple white subway backsplash tile with a pillowed edge creates a calming backdrop to help complete the look of this well-designed transitional kitchen. The homeowners bright glass accessories add a colorful finishing touch.

Kitchen Island and Window Wall. Photography by Eric Rorer
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley light wood floor kitchen remodel in Seattle with stainless steel countertops, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a single-bowl sink and an island

The outdoor dining, sundeck and living room were added to the home, creating fantastic 3 season indoor-outdoor living spaces. The dining room and living room areas are roofed and screened with the sun deck left open.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Freestanding bathtub - mid-sized transitional master gray tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and double-sink freestanding bathtub idea in Seattle with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

custom master bathroom featuring stone tile walls, custom wooden vanity and shower enclosure
Doorless shower - mid-sized traditional master white tile and stone tile mosaic tile floor, white floor, double-sink and wainscoting doorless shower idea in Other with medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a niche, a built-in vanity and shaker cabinets

Outdoor seating area and retaining wall with prefabricated fire feature and native California plants. This design also includes a custom outdoor kitchen with a freestanding pergola.

Example of a mid-sized cottage freestanding desk dark wood floor, exposed beam and wall paneling study room design in Austin with gray walls

This dark stained kitchen was completely transformed when we painted the upper cabinets in Sherwin Williams' 7008 "Alabaster" and the lower cabinets in Benjamin Moore's 445 "Greenwich Village". It's amazing what paint can do! Check out the "Before" photo to see the whole transformation.

Bathroom - mid-sized cottage kids' white tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile, blue floor and single-sink bathroom idea in Phoenix with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a built-in vanity

Completely remodeled beach house with an open floor plan, beautiful light wood floors and an amazing view of the water. After walking through the entry with the open living room on the right you enter the expanse with the sitting room at the left and the family room to the right. The original double sided fireplace is updated by removing the interior walls and adding a white on white shiplap and brick combination separated by a custom wood mantle the wraps completely around. Continue through the family room to the kitchen with a large island and an amazing dining area. The blue island and the wood ceiling beam add warmth to this white on white coastal design. The shiplap hood with the custom wood band tie the shiplap ceiling and the wood ceiling beam together to complete the design.

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath was hired as the bathroom remodeling contractor for this Delafield master bath and closet. This black and white boho bathrooom has industrial touches and warm wood accents. The original space was like a labyrinth, with a complicated layout of walls and doors. The homeowners wanted to improve the functionality and modernize the space. The main entry of the bathroom/closet was a single door that lead to the vanity. Around the left was the closet and around the right was the rest of the bathroom. The bathroom area consisted of two separate closets, a bathtub/shower combo, a small walk-in shower and a toilet. To fix the choppy layout, we separated the two spaces with separate doors – one to the master closet and one to the bathroom. We installed pocket doors for each doorway to keep a streamlined look and save space. BLACK & WHITE BOHO BATHROOM This master bath is a light, airy space with a boho vibe. The couple opted for a large walk-in shower featuring a Dreamline Shower enclosure. Moving the shower to the corner gave us room for a black vanity, quartz counters, two sinks, and plenty of storage and counter space. The toilet is tucked in the far corner behind a half wall. BOHO DESIGN The design is contemporary and features black and white finishes. We used a white cararra marble hexagon tile for the backsplash and the shower floor. The Hinkley light fixtures are matte black and chrome. The space is warmed up with luxury vinyl plank wood flooring and a teak shelf in the shower. HOMEOWNER REVIEW “Kowalske just finished our master bathroom/closet and left us very satisfied. Within a few weeks of involving Kowalske, they helped us finish our designs and planned out the whole project. Once they started, they finished work before deadlines, were so easy to communicate with, and kept expectations clear. They didn’t leave us wondering when their skilled craftsmen (all of which were professional and great guys) were coming and going or how far away the finish line was, each week was planned. Lastly, the quality of the finished product is second to none and worth every penny. I highly recommend Kowalske.” – Mitch, Facebook Review

Photography by Picture Perfect House
Dedicated laundry room - mid-sized transitional single-wall porcelain tile and gray floor dedicated laundry room idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, multicolored backsplash, cement tile backsplash, gray walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white countertops