Additional Consumer - Photos & Ideas

AFTER PHOTO - James Latta Photography - As an interior designer, I liked my home but was not "in love" with it. I didn't feel in sync with the style and architecture despite compliments from friends and family. It was time for a change. I sold my Floating Home (see Sleepless in Portland: Houseboat Diary) and my La Quinta home (see Transitional Living, La Quinta) and downsized to a house that's a better fit. The home was lacking sufficient storage so I added a beverage center with storage cabinets and a butcher block countertop to the dining room. An Ikea table frame was powder coated in dark grey and fitted with a Cambria Quartz dining top. A matching quartz piece was added to create a kitchen bar seating area and includes a beautiful waterfall edge. Reclaimed wood square tiles were added to the kitchen pop up ceiling and the living room fireplace to add warmth and texture. Black and white photography of the local desert landscape frame the fireplace. Although the home is mainly grey, black and white, pops of red are a recurring theme thought the interior and exterior, including a red barn door at the kitchen pantry. I broke design rules and didnt take the "safe" route. Quirky accent items can be found throughout the home. These include a wall-mounted family accordion, framed movie quotes in one of the guest rooms, a custom canvas photo of my miniature schnauzer, and dragon print accent pillows throughout. A Tongue and Groove (T&G) wood ceiling transformed the master bedroom and a beautiful red area rug adds color and warmth. The result is DARING and yet comfortable. The backyard was completely renovated. Tons of white rock were removed and beautiful landscaping and lighting were added as well as an additional 500 square feet of pavers. A sun shade, red umbrellas, and patio misters create inviting seating areas for friends and family. Tongue and Groove wood was also added to the outdoor patio ceilings. A high end surround sound system and built in BBQ with patterned cement tiles complete this outdoor living space. The process was exhausting and time consuming but now that it is over, I am thrilled with the results. I now live in a home that nourishes my soul and better represents my style and tastes.

Skokie Kitchen & Banquette Renovation

Chicago Kitchen Cabinet

Transforming this galley style kitchen into a long, closed in space provided our clients with an ideal layout that meets all their needs. By adding a wall at one end of the kitchen, which we used for additional cabinets and space-consuming appliances, we were then able to build an inviting custom banquet on the other end. The banquet includes useful built-in storage underneath along with large, corner windows that offer the perfect amount of natural light. The white painted flat panel custom cabinets and white quartz countertops have a crisp, clean effect on the design while the blue glass subway tiled backsplash adds color and is highlighted by the under cabinet lighting throughout the space. Home located in Skokie Chicago. Designed by Chi Renovation & Design who also serve the Chicagoland area, and it's surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park, Evanston, Wilmette, and all of the way up to Lake Forest.

Kitchen Inspiration

Levis 4 Floors

Levi’s 4 Floors opened for business in 1986, and ever since we have been creating a pleasant and comfortable shopping environment for each and every customer. We have the top sales consultants and designers in Central Ohio, with an average of 25 years experience in providing our customers with premier service. In addition, Levi’s 4 Floors is the only authorized STAINMASTER FLOORING CENTER in Columbus, and one of the largest independently owned specialty flooring stores in the United States. We only carry the latest fashions; no seconds or discontinued styles. Being a STAINMASTER FLOORING CENTER is more than just a name. It means that our sales staff has extensive product knowledge so that you can focus on choosing the correct style and color for your home, as well as your individual lifestyle. Along with our wide selection of products, we offer exclusive warranties, a customer satisfaction plan, and a low price guarantee. Levi’s 4 Floors will help you find the exact floor for you, whether you are looking for residential, commercial or even custom-builder flooring. Our commitment to your satisfaction doesn’t end with just our flooring choices. We have been given top ratings by the Better Business Bureau and numerous other consumer organizations because our salespeople personally guide you through the purchasing process. Our expert advice and no-pressure sales style guarantees that you will get the best product at the best price. Levi’s 4 Floors continues our service to you by offering the finest installation available, and our installation warranties and cleaning services assure that your floor will continue looking great long after your purchase. Value means getting the products you want at the lowest prices, and at Levi’s we consider it our number one priority to deliver the highest value to every customer. We don’t sell every brand of flooring, only the proven best quality and highest value products. The perfect floor, low prices and easy, professional installation… that’s why we say, “because your home deserves the very best!”

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

Design Builders & Remodeling Inc.

Design Builders & Remodeling is a one stop shop operation. From the start, design solutions are strongly rooted in practical applications and experience. Project planning takes into account the realities of the construction process and mindful of your established budget. All the work is centralized in one firm reducing the chances of costly or time consuming surprises. A solid partnership with solid professionals to help you realize your dreams for a new or improved home. This classic Connecticut home was bought by a growing family. The house was in an ideal location but needed to be expanded. Design Builders & Remodeling almost doubled the square footage of the home. Creating a new sunny and spacious master bedroom, new guestroom, laundry room, garage, kids bathroom, expanded and renovated the kitchen, family room, and playroom. The upgrades and addition is seamlessly and thoughtfully integrated to the original footprint.

Skokie Kitchen & Banquette Renovation

Chicago Kitchen Cabinet

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KURV Architecture DPC (Alex Hughes Architects)

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©