Our goal with this project was to combine a cramped kitchen and small dining room into an airy, open kitchen which serves many functions for this busy couple with young children. A central island provides plenty of space for food prep, school projects as well as everyday family dinners. We rearranged the large front room to create both an intimate conversation area and a more formal dining area. As the main floor lacked a powder room and closet for coats and boots, we annexed an unused portion of the house's airshaft to create both. The addition also features a skylight which along with the enlarged rear window, floods the new kitchen with sunshine. The richly cool palette of grays and white offers a soothing backdrop in what has become the hub of this family's colorful life...

Retirement home designed for extended family! I loved this couple! They decided to build their retirement dream home before retirement so that they could enjoy entertaining their grown children and their newly started families. A bar area with 2 beer taps, space for air hockey, a large balcony, a first floor kitchen with a large island opening to a fabulous pool and the ocean are just a few things designed with the kids in mind. The color palette is casual beach with pops of aqua and turquoise that add to the relaxed feel of the home.

This home addition didn't go according to plan... and that's a good thing. Here's why. Family is really important to the Nelson's. But the small kitchen and living room in their 30 plus-year-old house meant crowded holidays for all the children and grandchildren. It was easy to see that a major home remodel was needed. The problem was the Nelson's didn't know anyone who had a great experience with a builder. The Nelson's connected with ALL Renovation & Design at a home show in York, PA, but it wasn't until after sitting down with several builders and going over preliminary designs that it became clear that Amos listened and cared enough to guide them through the project in a way that would achieve their goals perfectly. So work began on a new addition with a “great room” and a master bedroom with a master bathroom. That's how it started. But the project didn't go according to plan. Why? Because Amos was constantly asking, “What would make you 100% satisfied.” And he meant it. For example, when Mrs. Nelson realized how much she liked the character of the existing brick chimney, she didn't want to see it get covered up. So plans changed mid-stride. But we also realized that the brick wouldn't fit with the plan for a stone fireplace in the new family room. So plans changed there as well, and brick was ordered to match the chimney. It was truly a team effort that produced a beautiful addition that is exactly what the Nelson's wanted... or as Mrs. Nelson said, “...even better, more beautiful than we envisioned.” For Christmas, the Nelson's were able to have the entire family over with plenty of room for everyone. Just what they wanted. The outside of the addition features GAF architectural shingles in Pewter, Certainteed Mainstreet D4 Shiplap in light maple, and color-matching bricks. Inside the great room features the Armstrong Prime Harvest Oak engineered hardwood in a natural finish, Masonite 6-panel pocket doors, a custom sliding pine barn door, and Simonton 5500 series windows. The master bathroom cabinetry was made to match the bedroom furniture set, with a cultured marble countertop from Countertec, and tile flooring.

In addition to using natural light to great effect in the kitchen, the family also selected IKEA’s lighting system, using light bars for under the cabinets. “We love them. They provide plenty of light, and installation was quite simple,” he says. Unique pendant lighting hangs over the new extended island as well.According to Nathan, there were two main drivers for the new center island. “We wanted a place our three boys could work while my wife is cooking and we also love to host parties with 25-75 people so we wanted a large island to stage all of the food for serving,” he says. The island provides ample seating plus drawers for storage and outlets to charge phones or computers while the children are studying or for cooking equipment when preparing meals.

Humble and unassuming, this small cottage was built in 1960 for one of the children of the adjacent mansions. This well sited two bedroom cape is nestled into the landscape on a small brook. The owners a young couple with two little girls called us about expanding their screened porch to take advantage of this feature. The clients shifted their priorities when the existing roof began to leak and the area of the screened porch was deemed to require NJDEP review and approval. When asked to help with replacing the roof, we took a chance and sketched out the possibilities for expanding and reshaping the roof of the home while maintaining the existing ridge beam to create a master suite with private bathroom and walk in closet from the one large existing master bedroom and two additional bedrooms and a home office from the other bedroom. The design elements like deeper overhangs, the double brackets and the curving walls from the gable into the center shed roof help create an animated façade with shade and shadow. The house maintains its quiet presence on the block…it has a new sense of pride on the block as the AIA NJ NS Gold Medal Winner for design Excellence!

This gorgeous one story modern farmhouse is one of our consistent BEST SELLERS. The Chelci is a customer-built, modified version of THD-8516 - The Walden. From its split bedrooms providing privacy for rest and all the way to the potential expansion of an additional 471 sq.ft. of bonus space above the garage, this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath 2,188 s.f. design couldn’t be more family friendly. Entering the casual foyer, the space is immediately airy with an almost 19 feet ceiling. The open concept space is full of natural light and the vaulted ceilings with wood beams emphasize the true “greatness” of the room. The gas fireplace provides quick cozyness. The covered porch serves as additional space for dining al fresco or enjoying family for a weekend of bbq and fellowship with its outdoor “kitchen.” The cook of the home will be thrilled with the huge walk-in pantry and the charming window over the kitchen sink will provide many memories of watching the kiddos play in the backyard. The split bedrooms are ideal for a family with children, especially the way this design provides even more buffering with the two hallways off the bedroom spaces. The right side of the home has both secondary bedrooms that share a compartmentalized jack-n-jill bathroom complete with a shower/tub combo. The right side of the home provides entrance from the 2 car garage directly into the “drop zone” of the home with a small built-in locker area, the powder bath, and the laundry room complete with a utility sink and built-ins for organization. The vaulted master retreat has a spa bathroom with a stand alone tub, large shower and dual vanities. The huge walk-in closet has a convenient pocket door as a second entrance to the laundry room.

Once their basement remodel was finished they decided that wasn't stressful enough... they needed to tackle every square inch on the main floor. I joke, but this is not for the faint of heart. Being without a kitchen is a major inconvenience, especially with children. The transformation is a completely different house. The new floors lighten and the kitchen layout is so much more function and spacious. The addition in built-ins with a coffee bar in the kitchen makes the space seem very high end. The removal of the closet in the back entry and conversion into a built-in locker unit is one of our favorite and most widely done spaces, and for good reason. The cute little powder is completely updated and is perfect for guests and the daily use of homeowners. The homeowners did some work themselves, some with their subcontractors, and the rest with our general contractor, Tschida Construction.

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

Example of a mid-sized farmhouse l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen design in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This home in an older area of town, underwent a huge addition, where the kitchen was pushed out to the back of the home, and was placed in the great room with dining and living spaces, to gain an open-concept space – something not common with this age of house. The client wanted something bold, traditional, but with an edgy contemporary flare, so with traditional touches like the large-scale coffered ceiling, cove molding and hood detail, matched with the suggestions of contemporary like the minimalist doors style and gorgeous island design, we managed to create something to fit all molds. The star of this space is the gorgeous Statuario marble found on the 3” mitered counters, on the fireplace wall in a bold modern design, and beautifully translated on the modern waterfall edges of the island. The ovens and pantries are set into a niche, and the butler’s pantry around the corner houses enough glassware for any party. Across the room there are walnut accents on a slab door with horizontal grain to include the connected homework area for their three children. The stacked upper cabinets offer ambient lighting when nighttime entertaining, and the bright colour scheme reflects the natural light from the wall of windows and matching ceiling lights within the space. With classic touches and neutral finishes, this beautiful white kitchen will always be in fashion. Photo Credit: Casey's Creative Kitchens

This was once a damp basement that frequently flooded with each rain storm. Two sump pumps were added, along with some landscaping that helped prevent water getting into the basement. Ceramic tile was added to the floor, drywall was added to the walls and ceiling, recessed lighting, and some doors and trim to finish off the space. There was a modern style powder room added, along with some pantry storage and a refrigerator to make this an additional living space. All of the mechanical units have their own closets, that are perfectly accessible, but are no longer an eyesore in this now beautiful space. There is another room added into this basement, with a TV nook was built in between two storage closets, which is the perfect space for the children.

Spectrum Construction & Development, based out of Roxbury Twp., New Jersey is the recipient of the 2016 Awards of Excellence presented by the Metropolitan Builders & Contractors Association of New Jersey in the Custom Single-Family Home Category ($1,000,000 - $2,000,000) The homeowners moved to Morris County, New Jersey to be closer to their grown children and their families. They found a mid-century style home on a beautiful tree-lined street less than a mile away from their children's homes. Although the location was ideal and the corner lot perfectly situated for the homeowners, it was in disrepair and did not offer them the space, design features and finishes they wanted. Spectrum Construction arranged for the original home to be deconstructed with any salvageable material sold to the public for reuse or re-purposing. The custom 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath home that Spectrum Construction designed and built in its place combines country charm with modern elegance. This new home incorporates many unique features including the “drive through” two-car garage that allows the homeowners access to the converging streets. The massive first-floor master bedroom suite consists of a marble surround fireplace, 2 sizeable walk-in-closets as well as his and her luxurious master bathrooms. Two home offices provide the homeowners with ample room to take care of business. An elevator was installed to enable the homeowners and aging guests to easily and safely access the second floor. Abundant storage areas throughout the home, including the cavernous full basement, offer plenty of space to stow extra belongings. The second story was designed with the homeowners’ grandchildren in mind. The additional bedrooms, playroom and upstairs den make room for both daytime visits and overnight stays. Space for entertaining adult guests was also considered. The first floor includes a spacious great room with floor to ceiling stone fireplace which opens to a covered, screened-in back porch with a second stone fireplace. The stylish kitchen, containing two counter seating areas and an eat-in nook, along with the formal dining room give the homeowners plenty of room to accommodate large gatherings.

The Bloomfield Hills Residence is a 10,400sf single-family home in Bloomfield Hills, MI, designed for a young family looking for unique architecture and meticulous interior design in their new home. MPdL Studio served as both design architect and architect of record for this home in which every detail was customized for the family's lifestyle, with high-end design and healthy living at its core. Our design paid particular attention to detailed brick work, glass walls, millwork, and cabinetry. The exterior is Endicott dark ironspot brick, stucco, cypress windows and trim, and slate roof. The interior materials include bluestone and walnut floors, knotty oak, and milk painted maple cabinetry. In addition to selecting all furnishings, light fixtures, table settings, and the curation of art work, MPdL Studio custom-designed key furniture. For example, the dining room contains a walnut wood hand-carved table that seats up to sixteen, while the bar area features a walnut butcher block counter and frosted bronze glass shelves. The wooden staircase in the entry features details that are all customized with unique alignment elements from the vertical seams to the treads on the ground, and the wood and metal handrails. Airy curtains line the walls and turn around corners, complementing the architecture of the space. The kitchen and family room were designed as an open space for an active family with ample storage, comfortable furniture, and views to the back yard which include an outdoor pool, cabana, and custom play structures for the children.

This project features a six-foot addition on the back of the home, allowing us to open up the kitchen and family room for this young and active family. These spaces were redesigned to accommodate a large open kitchen, featuring cabinets in a beautiful sage color, that opens onto the dining area and family room. Natural stone countertops add texture to the space without dominating the room. The powder room footprint stayed the same, but new cabinetry, mirrors, and fixtures compliment the bold wallpaper, making this space surprising and fun, like a piece of statement jewelry in the middle of the home. The kid's bathroom is youthful while still being able to age with the children. An ombre pink and white floor tile is complimented by a greenish/blue vanity and a coordinating shower niche accent tile. White walls and gold fixtures complete the space. The primary bathroom is more sophisticated but still colorful and full of life. The wood-style chevron floor tiles anchor the room while more light and airy tones of white, blue, and cream finish the rest of the space. The freestanding tub and large shower make this the perfect retreat after a long day.

This gorgeous one story modern farmhouse is one of our consistent BEST SELLERS. The Chelci is a customer-built, modified version of THD-8516 - The Walden. From its split bedrooms providing privacy for rest and all the way to the potential expansion of an additional 471 sq.ft. of bonus space above the garage, this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath 2,188 s.f. design couldn’t be more family friendly. Entering the casual foyer, the space is immediately airy with an almost 19 feet ceiling. The open concept space is full of natural light and the vaulted ceilings with wood beams emphasize the true “greatness” of the room. The gas fireplace provides quick cozyness. The covered porch serves as additional space for dining al fresco or enjoying family for a weekend of bbq and fellowship with its outdoor “kitchen.” The cook of the home will be thrilled with the huge walk-in pantry and the charming window over the kitchen sink will provide many memories of watching the kiddos play in the backyard. The split bedrooms are ideal for a family with children, especially the way this design provides even more buffering with the two hallways off the bedroom spaces. The right side of the home has both secondary bedrooms that share a compartmentalized jack-n-jill bathroom complete with a shower/tub combo. The right side of the home provides entrance from the 2 car garage directly into the “drop zone” of the home with a small built-in locker area, the powder bath, and the laundry room complete with a utility sink and built-ins for organization. The vaulted master retreat has a spa bathroom with a stand alone tub, large shower and dual vanities. The huge walk-in closet has a convenient pocket door as a second entrance to the laundry room.

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Charleston Modern Farmhouse model home in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina region, effortlessly balances classic rustic architecture with contemporary modern design elements. As one of our most popular customizable floor plans, the Charleston open-concept layout maximizes both smart storage and everyday livability. The heart of the home features a gourmet chef’s kitchen equipped with expansive counter space, a large central island to gather around, and a massive walk-in pantry that ensures a highly organized, clutter-free workspace. To maximize functionality for the modern family, a versatile flex room is outfitted with custom floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinets and open shelving, creating the ultimate organized home office, library, or hobby space. Tucked away off the main living zone, a quiet pocket office offers additional organization space just before leading into the private owner's retreat. This luxury primary suite serves as the ultimate sanctuary, accented by an elegant tray ceiling that adds sophisticated architectural height and unique detail to the private space. The master bedroom oasis boasts two large walk-in closets and a deluxe owner's bath designed with a custom tile walk-in shower—offering a spa-like escape right at home. Designed with a split-bedroom layout to maximize privacy, the additional spacious bedrooms sit on the opposite side of the home, ensuring children or guests enjoy their own dedicated space. Blending highly sought-after modern farmhouse curb appeal with premium interior craftsmanship, this home provides endless inspiration for families looking to build their dream home.

Situated within a one-acre lot in Austin’s Tarry Trail neighborhood, the backyard of this existing 1933- vintage historical house was underutilized. The owners felt that the main drawbacks of the existing backyard were a general disconnection between each outdoor area and a general lack of relationship to the house proper. Therefore, the primary goal of the redesign was a scheme that would promote the use of the outdoor zones, with the pool as a centerpiece. The first major design move was to frame the pool with a new structure as a backdrop. This cabana is perpendicular to the main house and creates a clear “bookend” to the upper level deck while housing indoor and outdoor activities. Under the cabana’s overhang, an integrated seating space offers a balance of sunlight and shade while an outdoor grill and bar area facilitate the family’s outdoor lifestyle. The only enclosed program exists as a naturally lit perch within the canopy of the trees, providing a serene environment to exercise within the comfort of a climate-controlled space. A corollary focus was to create sectional variation within the volume of the pool to encourage dynamic use at both ends while relating to the interior program of the home. A shallow beach zone for children to play is located near the family room and the access to the play space in the yard below. At the opposite end of the pool, outside the formal living room, another shallow space is made to be a splash-free sunbathing area perfect for enjoying an adult beverage. The functional separation set up by the pool creates a subtle and natural division between the energetic family spaces for playing, lounging, and grilling, and the composed, entertaining and dining spaces. The pool also enhances the formal program of the house by acting as a reflecting pool within a composed view from the front entry that draws visitors to an outdoor dining area under a majestic oak tree. By acting as a connector between the house and the yard, the elongated pool bridges the day-to-day activities within the house and the lush, sprawling backyard. Planter beds and low walls provide loose constraints to organize the overall outdoor living area, while allowing the space to spill out into the yard. Terraces navigate the sectional change in the landscape, offering a passage to the lower yard where children can play on the grass as the parents lounge by the outdoor fireplace.

This project features a six-foot addition on the back of the home, allowing us to open up the kitchen and family room for this young and active family. These spaces were redesigned to accommodate a large open kitchen, featuring cabinets in a beautiful sage color, that opens onto the dining area and family room. Natural stone countertops add texture to the space without dominating the room. The powder room footprint stayed the same, but new cabinetry, mirrors, and fixtures compliment the bold wallpaper, making this space surprising and fun, like a piece of statement jewelry in the middle of the home. The kid's bathroom is youthful while still being able to age with the children. An ombre pink and white floor tile is complimented by a greenish/blue vanity and a coordinating shower niche accent tile. White walls and gold fixtures complete the space. The primary bathroom is more sophisticated but still colorful and full of life. The wood-style chevron floor tiles anchor the room while more light and airy tones of white, blue, and cream finish the rest of the space. The freestanding tub and large shower make this the perfect retreat after a long day.

This home in an older area of town, underwent a huge addition, where the kitchen was pushed out to the back of the home, and was placed in the great room with dining and living spaces, to gain an open-concept space – something not common with this age of house. The client wanted something bold, traditional, but with an edgy contemporary flare, so with traditional touches like the large-scale coffered ceiling, cove molding and hood detail, matched with the suggestions of contemporary like the minimalist doors style and gorgeous island design, we managed to create something to fit all molds. The star of this space is the gorgeous Statuario marble found on the 3” mitered counters, on the fireplace wall in a bold modern design, and beautifully translated on the modern waterfall edges of the island. The ovens and pantries are set into a niche, and the butler’s pantry around the corner houses enough glassware for any party. Across the room there are walnut accents on a slab door with horizontal grain to include the connected homework area for their three children. The stacked upper cabinets offer ambient lighting when nighttime entertaining, and the bright colour scheme reflects the natural light from the wall of windows and matching ceiling lights within the space. With classic touches and neutral finishes, this beautiful white kitchen will always be in fashion. Photo Credit: Casey's Creative Kitchens