This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.

This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.

This family loved their Fairfax home and location, but needed a little more space to spread out. With no basement and growing teens, they decided an over-the-garage apartment would be perfect. With its own separate entrance, this addition can now be used for out-of-town guests, teens playing Xbox, an in-law suite or even a rental. The icing on the cake is the blue siding. After 20 years, they were tired of their old white siding that they found boring and difficult to keep clean. They went with a bold choice and don’t regret it for a minute. Their favorite thing to hear neighbors say is: “Oh, you’re the blue house? We love that house.”

This family loved their Fairfax home and location, but needed a little more space to spread out. With no basement and growing teens, they decided an over-the-garage apartment would be perfect. With its own separate entrance, this addition can now be used for out-of-town guests, teens playing Xbox, an in-law suite or even a rental. The icing on the cake is the blue siding. After 20 years, they were tired of their old white siding that they found boring and difficult to keep clean. They went with a bold choice and don’t regret it for a minute. Their favorite thing to hear neighbors say is: “Oh, you’re the blue house? We love that house.”

This family loved their Fairfax home and location, but needed a little more space to spread out. With no basement and growing teens, they decided an over-the-garage apartment would be perfect. With its own separate entrance, this addition can now be used for out-of-town guests, teens playing Xbox, an in-law suite or even a rental. The icing on the cake is the blue siding. After 20 years, they were tired of their old white siding that they found boring and difficult to keep clean. They went with a bold choice and don’t regret it for a minute. Their favorite thing to hear neighbors say is: “Oh, you’re the blue house? We love that house.”

This family loved their Fairfax home and location, but needed a little more space to spread out. With no basement and growing teens, they decided an over-the-garage apartment would be perfect. With its own separate entrance, this addition can now be used for out-of-town guests, teens playing Xbox, an in-law suite or even a rental. The icing on the cake is the blue siding. After 20 years, they were tired of their old white siding that they found boring and difficult to keep clean. They went with a bold choice and don’t regret it for a minute. Their favorite thing to hear neighbors say is: “Oh, you’re the blue house? We love that house.”

Jared Medly
Example of a farmhouse detached four-car garage design in Salt Lake City

Pool - small coastal backyard rectangular pool idea in Miami

Photo by: Leonid Furmansky
Kitchen - small transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and orange floor kitchen idea in Austin with an undermount sink, soapstone countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, shaker cabinets and blue cabinets

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.

Inspiration for a coastal bedroom remodel in Houston

This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   We went with a minimalist, clean, industrial look that feels light, bright and airy. The island is a dark charcoal with cool undertones that coordinates with the cabinetry and transom work in both the neighboring mudroom and breakfast area. White subway tile, quartz countertops, white enamel pendants and gold fixtures complete the update. The ends of the island are shiplap material that is also used on the fireplace in the next room. In the new mudroom, we used a fun porcelain tile on the floor to get a pop of pattern, and walnut accents add some warmth. Each child has their own cubby, and there is a spot for shoes below a long bench. Open shelving with spots for baskets provides additional storage for the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photography by Ira Montgomery

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW A tired primary bathroom, with varying ceiling heights and a beige-on-beige color scheme, was screaming for love. Squaring the room and adding natural materials erased the memory of the lack luster space and converted it to a bright and welcoming spa oasis. The home was a new build in 2005 and it looked like all the builder’s material choices remained. The client was clear on their design direction but were challenged by the differing ceiling heights and were looking to hire a design-build firm that could resolve that issue. This local Glen Ellyn couple found us on Instagram (@kitchenstudioge, follow us ?). They loved our designs and felt like we fit their style. They requested a full primary bath renovation to include a large shower, soaking tub, double vanity with storage options, and heated floors. The wife also really wanted a separate make-up vanity. The biggest challenge presented to us was to architecturally marry the various ceiling heights and deliver a streamlined design. The existing layout worked well for the couple, so we kept everything in place, except we enlarged the shower and replaced the built-in tub with a lovely free-standing model. We also added a sitting make-up vanity. We were able to eliminate the awkward ceiling lines by extending all the walls to the highest level. Then, to accommodate the sprinklers and HVAC, lowered the ceiling height over the entrance and shower area which then opens to the 2-story vanity and tub area. Very dramatic! This high-end home deserved high-end fixtures. The homeowners also quickly realized they loved the look of natural marble and wanted to use as much of it as possible in their new bath. They chose a marble slab from the stone yard for the countertops and back splash, and we found complimentary marble tile for the shower. The homeowners also liked the idea of mixing metals in their new posh bathroom and loved the look of black, gold, and chrome. Although our clients were very clear on their style, they were having a difficult time pulling it all together and envisioning the final product. As interior designers it is our job to translate and elevate our clients’ ideas into a deliverable design. We presented the homeowners with mood boards and 3D renderings of our modern, clean, white marble design. Since the color scheme was relatively neutral, at the homeowner’s request, we decided to add of interest with the patterns and shapes in the room. We were first inspired by the shower floor tile with its circular/linear motif. We designed the cabinetry, floor and wall tiles, mirrors, cabinet pulls, and wainscoting to have a square or rectangular shape, and then to create interest we added perfectly placed circles to contrast with the rectangular shapes. The globe shaped chandelier against the square wall trim is a delightful yet subtle juxtaposition. The clients were overjoyed with our interpretation of their vision and impressed with the level of detail we brought to the project. It’s one thing to know how you want a space to look, but it takes a special set of skills to create the design and see it thorough to implementation. Could hiring The Kitchen Studio be the first step to making your home dreams come to life?

Peter Medilek
Alcove bathtub - small transitional white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile alcove bathtub idea in San Francisco with a wall-mount sink, a one-piece toilet and white walls

This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.

This family of four very much wanted to a garage so they could store kids toys and athletic gear, have a workbench and actually have sheltered parking.