This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

Eat-in kitchen - large traditional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Hall bathroom in an add-a-level project
Mid-sized beach style 3/4 brown tile and matchstick tile ceramic tile bathroom photo in New York with white cabinets, blue walls, shaker cabinets, a one-piece toilet, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Tuscan bathroom photo in San Francisco

Child's Bedroom Vaulted girl's bedroom has a custom painted art wall. The ladder leads to an access door to the meeting space/clubhouse (located above their shared bathroom) that she shares with her brother. modified library ladder • oak floors • Brighton Rock Candy paint by Benjamin Moore • Picture Perfect paint by Benjamin Moore at ceiling • Construction by CG&S Design-Build. Photography by Tre Dunham, Fine focus Photography

This house was designed as a second home for a Bay Area couple as a summer retreat to spend the warm summer months away from the fog in San Francisco. Built on a steep slope and a narrow lot, this 4000 square foot home is spread over 3 floors, with the master, guest and kids bedroom on the ground floor, and living spaces on the upper floor to take advantage of the views. The main living level includes a large kitchen, dining, and living space, connected to two home offices by way of a bridge that extends across the double height entry. This bridge area acts as a gallery of light, allowing filtered light through the skylights above and down to the entry on the ground level. All living space takes advantage of grand views of Lake Washington and the city skyline beyond. Two large sliding glass doors open up completely, allowing the living and dining space to extend to the deck outside. On the first floor, in addition to the guest room, a “kids room” welcomes visiting nieces and nephews with bunk beds and their own bathroom. The basement level contains storage, mechanical and a 2 car garage. Photographer: Aaron Leitz

Range wall detail featuring a stainless steel gas range with matching hood, bold patterned cement tile backsplash, gray shaker cabinetry with bar-pull hardware, and white quartz countertops. Under-cabinet lighting highlights the tile pattern while hardwood flooring runs through the open layout. Second level addition in New Milford, NJ by WA Construct.

Example of a small transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in DC Metro with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

With doors shut, laundry appliances are tucked neatly out of view. Beautiful, light-colored wood floors keep the small space feeling open and airy. Products we used: Paint: Sherwin Williams "Lapland Ice" Wood Flooring: Jasper Hardwood's French Oak Collection in "Lighthouse White" Door Hardware: Kwikset "Tustin" series in satin nickel

Flashback Photography
Minimalist kitchen photo in Boise

Mark Pinkerton, VI360
Kitchen - craftsman kitchen idea in San Francisco

Upstairs Bedroom Hall The upstairs hall, once dark and carpeted, is now brightly lit. The glass door at the end is to an anteroom to the Master Suite that leads to the master bedroom and its screened porch. At the other side of the anteroom is a solid door that gives visual privacy to the suite. Storage closets at left have tiny secret doors inside that connect them to each other and to the daughter's closet next door. Construction by CG&S Design-Build. Photography by Tre Dunham, Fine focus Photography

Photography by Daniel O'Connor
Trendy gray mixed siding gable roof photo in Denver with a shingle roof

Master Suite Anteroom This room provides for practical storage for the homeowners(e.g. keys and purse), incidental storage, as well as display for sentimental items. The room also acts as a buffer between the suite and the rest of the upstairs. Wilsonart Crisp Linen plastic laminate counter • Waynesboro Taupe paint by Benjamin Moore • oak floors • Construction by CG&S Design-Build. Photography by Tre Dunham, Fine focus Photography

© Albert Vecerka/Esto
Inspiration for a contemporary rooftop rooftop deck remodel in New York

Justice Construction Ltd.
Mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Ottawa with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances

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.