roOomy Virtual Staging | Bold and playful, this button-tufted, upholstered headboard from West Elm elevates this chic master suite to a level all its own. Love what you see? Download the roOomy app on your iPad! You’ll have the ability to design to your taste by moving, adding and replacing shoppable home furnishings.

Minimalist kitchen photo in San Francisco

Kitchen - farmhouse kitchen idea

Bedroom - modern bedroom idea in San Diego with brown walls and a ribbon fireplace

Inspiration for a small craftsman open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in San Francisco with no fireplace and white walls

This kitchen took a tired, 80’s builder kitchen and revamped it into a personalized gathering space for our wonderful client. The existing space was split up by the dated configuration of eat-in kitchen table area to one side and cramped workspace on the other. It didn’t just under-serve our client’s needs; it flat out discouraged them from using the space. Our client desired an open kitchen with a central gathering space where family and friends could connect. To open things up, we removed the half wall separating the kitchen from the dining room and the wall that blocked sight lines to the family room and created a narrow hallway to the kitchen. The old oak cabinets weren't maximizing storage and were dated and dark. We used Waypoint Living Spaces cabinets in linen white to brighten up the room. On the east wall, we created a hutch-like stack that features an appliance garage that keeps often used countertop appliance on hand but out of sight. The hutch also acts as a transition from the cooking zone to the coffee and wine area. We eliminated the north window that looked onto the entry walkway and activated this wall as storage with refrigerator enclosure and pantry. We opted to leave the east window as-is and incorporated it into the new kitchen layout by creating a window well for growing plants and herbs. The countertops are Pental Quartz in Carrara. The sleek cabinet hardware is from our friends at Amerock in a gorgeous satin champagne bronze. One of the most striking features in the space is the pattern encaustic tile from Tile Shop. The pop of blue in the backsplash adds personality and contrast to the champagne accents. The reclaimed wood cladding surrounding the large east-facing window introduces a quintessential Colorado vibe, and the natural texture balances the crisp white cabinetry and geometric patterned tile. Minimalist modern lighting fixtures from Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting provide task lighting over the sink and at the wine/ coffee station. The visual lightness of the sink pendants maintains the openness and visual connection between the kitchen and dining room. Together the elements make for a sophisticated yet casual vibe-- a comfortable chic kitchen. We love the way this space turned out and are so happy that our clients now have such a bright and welcoming gathering space as the heart of their home!

We stripped, re-stained and sealed the existing maple cabinets a nutmeg color. Slab granite, subway tile backsplash with glass decorative mosaic tiles tie it all together. A stainless hood vent over the island cooktop. We added a multi-piece crown system to cover existing soffits to blend into cabinetry. Photo by Vern Uyetake

Reclaimed wood wainscoting along the living area and stair walls add texture, tying the relatively narrow room together. The cove light and pendant lights can be controlled by the Phillips Hue app, allowing the owners to remotely adjust their coloration and brightness.

Carl Socolow
Eat-in kitchen - small contemporary galley ceramic tile eat-in kitchen idea with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, metallic backsplash, metal backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Jonathan Edwards Media

Vector™ 38 Product Code - LV38 Direct Vent Gas Fireplace Up to 30,000 BTU’s Glass Size: 15 1/4"h x 38 3/4"w Natural Gas or Propane eFIRE controller application available President's Limited Lifetime Warranty FIREPLACE DESIGN STUDIO SUPPORT CENTER FIND A STORE LV38 Main Roomset Image With a sleek linear design and a multitude of designer options, the Napoleon Vector™ 38 gas fireplace provides a complete luxurious experience delivered courtesy of its new Divinity™ flame pattern. The clean face linear design allows the flames radiant glow to be enjoyed through the clear glass bead ember bed with the option of adding Beach Fire, Shore Fire or Mineral Rock media enhancement kits. Fully relax while enjoying your Vector™ 38 and control all aspects at ease with Napoleon’s innovative Bluetooth® enabled eFIRE app that can be accessed from your mobile device.

Example of a transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen design with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

This article is posted here with the consent of the author. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, view, or opinion of Crestron Electronics, Inc., or of any of its employees. Crestron Electronics is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any of the information contained in this article. By Jeff Singer The “smart” revolution began several years ago with smartphones (a.k.a phones) and has extended in recent years to thermostats, doorbells, alarm systems, and kitchen appliances. Smart devices are so ubiquitous that the term “smart” is overused to the point that it is almost meaningless. Companies are eager to jump on the bandwagon and claim their products are “smart,” and consumers proudly claim they have a smart home because they have lighting control. Misconceptions about smart homes are prevalent and create confusion in the marketplace. This can have deleterious effects on businesses and underserve consumers. Here are seven of the most popular misconceptions about smart homes: 1. Apps are smart Apps are convenient and easy to use. Yes, it seems there’s an app for everything. People expect to be able to download an app and do just about anything. App developers and many companies do not disavow consumers of this myth. On the contrary, they promote this idea with carefully worded descriptions. The promise of having the world at your fingertips for $1.99 is very enticing. Although it sounds too good to be true, it is also too good to pass up for many people. This leads to undervaluing home control and disappointment when the apps don’t work, which undermines confidence in our industry. The fact is that apps are not smart. They do not control anything. They must connect to and communicate with a control system or cloud service that processes, prioritizes, and executes commands. That’s the real magic and what most people do not understand. 2. Smart devices work together With so many smart appliances and devices on the market today, it’s understandable that the average consumer might think that they actually communicate and work together. This is simply not the case. Smart devices are not that smart. They are designed and manufactured by different, often competing, companies. There are no national or industry standards governing these products. Even if they all operate using Wi-Fi® communications, that doesn’t mean they work together. Some companies promote a home control platform, which unites different devices from different companies – in theory. The platform is yet another third-party software totally dependent on other companies developing APIs and writing control modules for their hardware to run on that piece of software. The devices are not independently compatible. Also, when updates are made to either the hardware or the software, functionality may be affected for some period. That’s a nice way of saying the device or system won’t work and there’s no way of knowing for how long. 3. It’s a DIY project Which brings us to the next myth, which is that the average person can do it themselves. Unless you are a skilled professional, I would not advise taking on a smart home project. You want to make a light turn on and off with your Alexa® or Google Assistant™ virtual assistant software, go for it. A smart home takes much more planning and expertise. I have no problem changing a light bulb or hanging a light fixture in my dining room; however, I am not going to rewire my house. I may change the flush valve in my toilet, but I’m not going to replace the pipes in my house. You get it. Integrating devices and systems, establishing different zones, creating scenes, designing the UI with a balance between control, feedback, and simplicity – all takes experience and skill. 4. Need a programmer to make changes Early adopters may have experienced the pain of trying to make a simple change or update to their home control system. Years ago, if the cable provider changed the channel line-up, the homeowner would have to call the dealer or programmer to make an appointment for them to come out to the house to reprogram the system. The system wouldn’t work as expected until it was updated, which often took several days and beaucoup bucks. Not anymore. Technology has evolved so now it’s easy for system owners to change favorite channels, create scenes, rename buttons, update images, and more. While a professional is needed for the initial installation and setup, the system is easy to manage once it’s up and running. This makes life so much easier for both dealer and customer. 5. Tech becomes obsolete quickly Similar to updating the UI, updating firmware or hardware used to be a stressful process. A smart home should be intelligent enough to update itself. Apps don’t become obsolete. Updates are constantly pushed out from the cloud, making them better all the time. The same is true for a good smart home system. New features, functions, and device support gets added in the background consistently, so the system you installed (or purchased) yesterday gets better over time. Swapping out decorative elements, such as keypads, dimmers, and touch screens is also seamless. When a new device is added, all the settings are pulled down from the cloud and it just works. No system interruptions. No sunk costs. No imposing house calls. No surprise bills. 6. Lighting control saves energy and money Lighting control is one of the most popular smart systems, but it takes more than just one system to make a home smart. On the surface, it makes sense that if you dim the lights ten percent, then you save ten percent of energy costs. If the shades are raised during the day to take advantage of sunlight so the lights don’t need to be on (or at least not 100%), but that causes the room temperature to rise a few degrees, which triggers the air conditioner to run longer and more often, was energy usage (or cost) reduced? A smart home integrates all the various systems and technology to optimize comfort, convenience, safety, and sometimes energy. 7. Home technology is easy to hack Security is at the forefront of people’s minds these days. Personal identities are stolen; email accounts hacked; private photos publicized; and more. A smart home must outsmart those who don’t respect privacy. Crestron control systems adhere to the strictest security standards. The same Crestron control system that goes into a home is also installed in secure government and military facilities, global banking institutions, hospitals, and other mission critical applications. When installed correctly by a trained professional, a Crestron smart home is the gold standard for security, comfort, and convenience.

Lindsay Newport
Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This project is an Electronic House Magazine Homes of the Year Award Winner: http://electronichouse.com/article/multipurpose_media_room_with_vegas_vibe Shortly after moving into this home, our client wanted to add space and create a custom game room, pool, and courtyard space. They plan to entertain significantly, and wanted a high-performance space that they could be proud of. We integrated quality electronics into a professionally designed space, with culminated in a comfortable environment with plenty of entertainment options. The 9 video screens combine to provide a 138" TV with flawless picture, and incredible surround sound performance. This entertainment can be taken outside with the cleverly hidden rock speakers throughout the property, and outdoor WiFi to allow everything to be controlled with iPads and iPhones from anywhere in or out of the home. Integration of the lighting control, climate control, and audio video into a central app, provides simple control and convenience.

This project is an Electronic House Magazine Homes of the Year Award Winner: http://electronichouse.com/article/multipurpose_media_room_with_vegas_vibe Shortly after moving into this home, our client wanted to add space and create a custom game room, pool, and courtyard space. They plan to entertain significantly, and wanted a high-performance space that they could be proud of. We integrated quality electronics into a professionally designed space, with culminated in a comfortable environment with plenty of entertainment options. The 9 video screens combine to provide a 138" TV with flawless picture, and incredible surround sound performance. This entertainment can be taken outside with the cleverly hidden rock speakers throughout the property, and outdoor WiFi to allow everything to be controlled with iPads and iPhones from anywhere in or out of the home. Integration of the lighting control, climate control, and audio video into a central app, provides simple control and convenience.

A young family turned to Cantoni's Elizabeth Lewis to transform their new home into family-friendly oasis inspired by their favorite resorts. Read the full story here: http://cantoni.com/interior-design-services/projects/a-staycation-paradise/ Photos by David Deleon