Photo: Margot Hartford © 2014 Houzz Design: Natural Flow Interiors http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/25418674/list/My-Houzz--Casual--Organic-Elegance-in-California

photography by Rob Karosis
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless white two-story wood exterior home remodel in Portland Maine

Adriana Solmson Interiors
Example of a large trendy medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in New York with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, glass sheet backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beige countertops

Photo: Camille Simmons © 2014 Houzz
Example of an eclectic living room design in San Francisco

d randolph foulds photography
This is an example of a rustic tile screened-in porch design in Boston with a roof extension.

Ryann Ford
Inspiration for a cottage home design remodel in Austin

Scott Davis Photography
Example of a classic white tile bathroom design in Salt Lake City with a pedestal sink and medium tone wood cabinets

Ryann Ford
Tuscan dark wood floor family room photo in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a country red two-story exterior home design in Columbus with a gambrel roof

Michele Lee Willson Photography
Alcove bathtub - transitional beige tile and ceramic tile alcove bathtub idea in San Francisco with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets and beige walls

Mountain style wooden curved open staircase photo in Austin

The beautiful, old barn on this Topsfield estate was at risk of being demolished. Before approaching Mathew Cummings, the homeowner had met with several architects about the structure, and they had all told her that it needed to be torn down. Thankfully, for the sake of the barn and the owner, Cummings Architects has a long and distinguished history of preserving some of the oldest timber framed homes and barns in the U.S. Once the homeowner realized that the barn was not only salvageable, but could be transformed into a new living space that was as utilitarian as it was stunning, the design ideas began flowing fast. In the end, the design came together in a way that met all the family’s needs with all the warmth and style you’d expect in such a venerable, old building. On the ground level of this 200-year old structure, a garage offers ample room for three cars, including one loaded up with kids and groceries. Just off the garage is the mudroom – a large but quaint space with an exposed wood ceiling, custom-built seat with period detailing, and a powder room. The vanity in the powder room features a vanity that was built using salvaged wood and reclaimed bluestone sourced right on the property. Original, exposed timbers frame an expansive, two-story family room that leads, through classic French doors, to a new deck adjacent to the large, open backyard. On the second floor, salvaged barn doors lead to the master suite which features a bright bedroom and bath as well as a custom walk-in closet with his and hers areas separated by a black walnut island. In the master bath, hand-beaded boards surround a claw-foot tub, the perfect place to relax after a long day. In addition, the newly restored and renovated barn features a mid-level exercise studio and a children’s playroom that connects to the main house. From a derelict relic that was slated for demolition to a warmly inviting and beautifully utilitarian living space, this barn has undergone an almost magical transformation to become a beautiful addition and asset to this stately home.

This unique city-home is designed with a center entry, flanked by formal living and dining rooms on either side. An expansive gourmet kitchen / great room spans the rear of the main floor, opening onto a terraced outdoor space comprised of more than 700SF. The home also boasts an open, four-story staircase flooded with natural, southern light, as well as a lower level family room, four bedrooms (including two en-suite) on the second floor, and an additional two bedrooms and study on the third floor. A spacious, 500SF roof deck is accessible from the top of the staircase, providing additional outdoor space for play and entertainment. Due to the location and shape of the site, there is a 2-car, heated garage under the house, providing direct entry from the garage into the lower level mudroom. Two additional off-street parking spots are also provided in the covered driveway leading to the garage. Designed with family living in mind, the home has also been designed for entertaining and to embrace life's creature comforts. Pre-wired with HD Video, Audio and comprehensive low-voltage services, the home is able to accommodate and distribute any low voltage services requested by the homeowner. This home was pre-sold during construction. Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing

Farm Kid Studios
Hallway - contemporary medium tone wood floor hallway idea in Minneapolis with white walls

The owners of this home, completed in 2017, wanted a fitted closet with no exposed hanging or shelving but with a lot of drawers in place of a conventional dresser or armoire in the bedroom itself. The glass doors are both functional and beautiful allowing one to view the shoes and accessories easily and also serves as an eye-catching display wall. The center island, with a quartz countertop, provides a place for folding, packing, and organizing with drawers accessed from both sides. Not shown is a similar half of the closet for him and a luggage closet. The designer created splayed shafts for the large skylights to provide natural light without losing any wall space. The master closet also features one of the flush doors that were used throughout the home. These doors, made of European wood grain laminate with simple horizontal grooves cut in to create a paneled appearance, were mounted with hidden hinges, no casing, and European magnetic locks.

Maple Burnham door style by Mid Continent Cabinetry painted White.
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless gender-neutral dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Orange County with white cabinets and raised-panel cabinets

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This client was referred to us from a past client. They are a busy 2-career household with young children and enjoy entertaining friends and family in their home. They have a beautiful open concept home but unfortunately the kitchen was not fitting for the rest of the home. They were not quite sure what to do with the space. We talked about trying to refresh it or do more of a minor remodel, but in the end they decided a full gut would get them to where they wanted to be. One problem was there was no place for guests to hang out other than the large and awkward banquette area. The brick wall and tiled hood area were feeling a bit dated and tired. The space was just not functional for their lifestyle. There was no prep space near the cooktop and no landing area for items coming out of the ovens or refrigerator, plus a big dead zone in the center of the room. Banquettes, like the one they previously had in the space, are great for small spaces, but when they get really large like this one, it makes getting in and out of the seating area awkward and uncomfortable. Plus, there was room for a large table, so we eliminated the awkward built in. We started by removing the faux brick wall between the kitchen and back entry. We relocated the entry to the garage over a couple feet in order to get every last inch out of the new kitchen. We also made the decision to close up the primary window that faced the pretty ho hum brick wall of the neighbor’s house. There was plenty of light coming in from the seating area, so we just didn’t feel the window was adding much to the room. Construction went smoothy. There was a bit of rework with electrical, flooring and HVAC, but in the end, we think it was well worth it. The clients really wanted a sleek contemporary look, and we originally had planned for a full height slab backsplash, but due to it’s size, it was a budget buster. Instead, we got creative and settled on large format porcelain tiles that have a similar feel but were a fraction of the cost. We made sure the wall was plumb and level so that the fit and finish would mimic that of slab material. The final space was quite a change. A large prep sink sits directly across from the new pro-style range with plenty additional prep space on the large island. The refrigerator and ovens now have miles of landing space, and a nice tight work triangle makes cooking a breeze. Since we wanted a more contemporary feel, not many wall cabinets were included. Instead, we outfitted some of the drawers for dish storage with a peg system. Two large pantries flanking the refrigerator hold baking supplies and small appliances. Large drawers by the cooktop hold pots and pans, and an appliance garage tucked away to the left of the range hides away miscellaneous items. The large island also houses a microwave drawer and tons of storage, most of which is drawers offering maximum convenience. The island now seats 5-6 people comfortably along with the new table in the seating area which can seat up to 8. Entertaining will be a breeze in this space. With such a clean backdrop, we knew we would need some drama with the lighting, so we chose two sets of staggered pendants, which we adjusted for the right visual balance above the island. We also included a small coffee station to the right of the main kitchen, which helps keep the coffee clutter out of the kitchen proper. Two tones of complimentary gray are featured in this kitchen. The perimeter is a light gray that reads almost white. The island is a gray stain that adds some depth and interest with the visible wood texture. The countertops are clean white quartz, and the hardware, barstools and light fixtures add warm brass tones. I see lots of cooking and entertaining with family and friends in the near future in this bright and airy new space. 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

This media room is personalized with a wall that features a past Christmas card photo of the homeowners' children, made possible by custom wallpaper. Its sepia tone palette is complemented with suede wallpaper on the adjoining walls. A sectional was chosen to provide ample seating, allowing the entirety of the client’s family to relax and hang out together in one place. A mirror was positioned over the sectional to allow for bay views from any seat. Photo credit: David Duncan Livingston

California Homes
Inspiration for a large mediterranean brick back porch remodel in Los Angeles with a roof extension