The owners of this project wanted additional living + play space for their two children. The solution was to add a second story and make the transition between the spaces a key design feature. Inside the tower is a light-filled lounge + library for the children and their friends. The stair becomes a sculptural piece able to be viewed from all areas of the home. From the exterior, the wood-clad tower creates a pleasing composition that brings together the existing house and addition seamlessly. The kitchen was fully renovated to integrate this theme of an open, bright, family-friendly space. Throughout the existing house and addition, the clean, light-filled space allows the beautiful material palette + finishes to come to the forefront. Chris Nyce, Nyceone Photography

Eric Rorer Photographer
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gray two-story concrete fiberboard house exterior remodel in San Francisco with a shed roof and a shingle roof

This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”

The owners of this project wanted additional living + play space for their two children. The solution was to add a second story and make the transition between the spaces a key design feature. Inside the tower is a light-filled lounge + library for the children and their friends. The stair becomes a sculptural piece able to be viewed from all areas of the home. From the exterior, the wood-clad tower creates a pleasing composition that brings together the existing house and addition seamlessly. The kitchen was fully renovated to integrate this theme of an open, bright, family-friendly space. Throughout the existing house and addition, the clean, light-filled space allows the beautiful material palette + finishes to come to the forefront. Chris Nyce, Nyceone Photography

Our clients wanted a space to gather with friends and family for the children to play. There were 13 support posts that we had to work around. The awkward placement of the posts made the design a challenge. We created a floor plan to incorporate the 13 posts into special features including a built in wine fridge, custom shelving, and a playhouse. Now, some of the most challenging issues add character and a custom feel to the space. In addition to the large gathering areas, we finished out a charming powder room with a blue vanity, round mirror and brass fixtures.

These homeowner’s busy lives required them to rethink their ten year home to fit their growing children’s new requirements for organization. This bright and beautiful Mudroom Addition was just the ticket.

A newly created bunk room not only features bunk beds for this family's young children, but additional beds for sleepovers for years to come!
Example of a bedroom and mid-sized country gender-neutral light wood floor and beige floor kids' bedroom design in New York with white walls

Childs bed and built in storage for play space in dormer area.
Example of a small classic girl dark wood floor playroom design in Dallas with beige walls

Working with the homeowners has been great fun. Research went into all aspects of the home, especially with attention to historic masonry techniques, and no detail was left to chance. Breaking from traditional colonial home plans, the open design of the first floor addresses the client’s goal of having many gathering spaces for their children and grandchildren when they vacation and visit. Architectural design by Bonin Architects & Associates. Photography by John W. Hession

This New England home has the essence of a traditional home, yet offers a modern appeal. The home renovation and addition involved moving the kitchen to the addition, leaving the resulting space to become a formal dining and living area. The extension over the garage created an expansive open space on the first floor. The large, cleverly designed space seamlessly integrates the kitchen, a family room, and an eating area. A substantial center island made of soapstone slabs has ample space to accommodate prepping for dinner on one side, and the kids doing their homework on the other. The pull-out drawers at the end contain extra refrigerator and freezer space. Additionally, the glass backsplash tile offers a refreshing luminescence to the area. A custom designed informal dining table fills the space adjacent to the center island. Paint colors in keeping with the overall color scheme were given to the children. Their resulting artwork sits above the family computers. Chalkboard paint covers the wall opposite the kitchen area creating a drawing wall for the kids. Around the corner from this, a reclaimed door from the grandmother's home hangs in the opening to the pantry. Details such as these provide a sense of family and history to the central hub of the home. Builder: Anderson Contracting Service Interior Designer: Kristina Crestin Photographer: Jamie Salomon

The genesis of design for this desert retreat was the informal dining area in which the clients, along with family and friends, would gather. Located in north Scottsdale’s prestigious Silverleaf, this ranch hacienda offers 6,500 square feet of gracious hospitality for family and friends. Focused around the informal dining area, the home’s living spaces, both indoor and outdoor, offer warmth of materials and proximity for expansion of the casual dining space that the owners envisioned for hosting gatherings to include their two grown children, parents, and many friends. The kitchen, adjacent to the informal dining, serves as the functioning heart of the home and is open to the great room, informal dining room, and office, and is mere steps away from the outdoor patio lounge and poolside guest casita. Additionally, the main house master suite enjoys spectacular vistas of the adjacent McDowell mountains and distant Phoenix city lights. The clients, who desired ample guest quarters for their visiting adult children, decided on a detached guest casita featuring two bedroom suites, a living area, and a small kitchen. The guest casita’s spectacular bedroom mountain views are surpassed only by the living area views of distant mountains seen beyond the spectacular pool and outdoor living spaces. Project Details | Desert Retreat, Silverleaf – Scottsdale, AZ Architect: C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB; Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ Builder: Sonora West Development, Scottsdale, AZ Photographer: Dino Tonn Featured in Phoenix Home and Garden, May 2015, “Sporting Style: Golf Enthusiast Christie Austin Earns Top Scores on the Home Front” See more of this project here: http://drewettworks.com/desert-retreat-at-silverleaf/

Middlefork was retained to update and revitalize this North Shore home to a family of six. The primary goal of this project was to update and expand the home's small, eat-in kitchen. The existing space was gutted and a 1,500-square-foot addition was built to house a gourmet kitchen, connected breakfast room, fireside seating, butler's pantry, and a small office. The family desired nice, timeless spaces that were also durable and family-friendly. As such, great consideration was given to the interior finishes. The 10' kitchen island, for instance, is a solid slab of white velvet quartzite, selected for its ability to withstand mustard, ketchup and finger-paint. There are shorter, walnut extensions off either end of the island that support the children's involvement in meal preparation and crafts. Low-maintenance Atlantic Blue Stone was selected for the perimeter counters. The scope of this phase grew to include re-trimming the front façade and entry to emphasize the Georgian detailing of the home. In addition, the balance of the first floor was gutted; existing plumbing and electrical systems were updated; all windows were replaced; two powder rooms were updated; a low-voltage distribution system for HDTV and audio was added; and, the interior of the home was re-trimmed. Two new patios were also added, providing outdoor areas for entertaining, dining and cooking. Tom Harris, Hedrich Blessing

This kids desk and bed combo features custom built cabinets with flip up doors to store books, toys, or additional bed accessories such as pillows.
Kids' bedroom - bedroom and small contemporary boy carpeted kids' bedroom idea in Philadelphia with white walls

This was initially a car garage which we then converted into a stimulation room for children. We used child friendly warm colours that accommodates both genders. We used warm but colourful floor padding and accented it with playful carpets. Then came the addition of safe but functional furniture for their toys. the oversize pouch chairs are for the minders of the children - those had to be fun too! Last but not least came the creative wall mural - hand painted!

A newly created bunk room not only features bunk beds for this family's young children, but additional beds for sleepovers for years to come!
Kids' bedroom - bedroom and mid-sized farmhouse gender-neutral light wood floor and beige floor kids' bedroom idea in New York with white walls

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath. Joe Nowak

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2016 Houzz
This is an example of a large farmhouse white and partial sun two-story and backyard wood and gravel landscaping in Seattle.

Placed within an idyllic beach community, this modern family home is filled with both playful and functional spaces. Natural light reflects throughout and oversized openings allow for movement to the outdoor spaces. Custom millwork completes the kitchen with concealed appliances, and creates a space well suited for entertaining. Accents of concrete add strength and architectural context to the spaces. Livable finishes of white oak and quartz are simple and hardworking. High ceilings in the bedroom level allowed for creativity in children’s spaces, and the addition of colour brings in that sense of playfulness. Art pieces reflect the owner’s time spent abroad, and exude their love of life – which is fitting in a place where the only boundaries to roam are the ocean and railways. KBC Developments Photography by Ema Peter www.emapeter.com

The interior features an exposed tong and grove ceiling. The roof is insulated for thermal efficiency. Florida room, family room, Childrens play room, home office, living space, indoor storage, bedroom addition