"Since my husband works in the residential home building industry, our standards were very high on the contractor we chose to engage. Through referrals and Angie's List, my husband and I got a total of 6 bids from 6 different reputable San Diego contractors. We ultimately selected Kerry at TaylorPro Services for the following reasons: 1. His responsiveness. He was quick to respond on email and text, which is the format of communication that works best for me given that I'm a busy mom of two little kids and talking on the phone is challenging. 2. His detailed bid. A bunch of the contractors that gave us bids didn't include line item details but Kerry did. I knew exactly what to expect and what I was paying for. Before we engaged him, we sent him follow up questions to his bid and he answered them quickly. Kerry was also flexible in removing certain items that we wanted to do ourselves. 3. Price. While all the contractors came in around $15K of each other, Kerry was the lowest of them all. Kerry appreciated that we were priced in a $850K home and not a $3M Rancho Santa Fe home. I felt that he took our budget into consideration. Kerry's crew came on time daily to our house. Since we were living in the house during construction, I felt that they were very considerate to cleaning up and being there on time. Additionally, since I personally didn't have experience with remodels, Kerry and his crew were courteous and polite to me and answered all of my questions no matter how mundane or redundant they were. Going into the project, everyone (and their mother) kept telling me how (a) messy it was going to be and (b) how I would wind up hating my contractor in the end and feeling like I got screwed out of money. I can say that yes, it was messy because we pulled up 1200 sq feet of tile! and no, I did not hate Kerry at the end. In fact, I would highly recommend Kerry. His personality is suited well for this kind of stressful project and his honesty and attention to detail was extraordinary." ~ Carrie H, Client Photos by: Kerry W. Taylor

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

This couple have been living in their single-family Ashburn home for a wile and getting ready to update their home one step at the time. Their kitchen was very small & dated. They would like to add sunroom. After talking to our designer, they come to conclusion to add sunroom/ Breakfast area to extend the kitchen & kill two birds with one stone. Also, they decide to renovate two bathrooms upstairs. (Master bathroom & Hall bathroom) Master bathroom was too small & after meeting with designer they agreed to take couple feet from bedroom & enlarge master bathroom. She felt cramped and out dated in her old kitchen. A big pantry closet was taking way too much real estate out of her kitchen space. We have taken down bearing wall to adjacent family room to expand kitchen and implement 10’ feet long Island with sink, dishwasher and microwave into it. The gas line and new 48” professional stove was relocated to west wall and now home for a long run of floor to ceiling cabinetry. Display glass front lit cabinetry is place for her color full china’s The north wall where closet used to be now is place for large scale refrigerator and freezer towers and pantry space. A tall unit of secondary oven and steam one is now placed in this wall Installing matching wide plank espresso hardwood flooring has expanded this kitchen into all adjacent rooms. New lighting plans, gorgeous pendent lighting make this center island to stand tall. The traffic flow has been improved a lot allowing large gathering and entertainment much more than ever before. She has carefully selected a soft tone backsplash to compliment the soapstone counter tops. On the end they decided to have a stone patio right next to sunroom & enjoy their outdoor gathering as well.

"Since my husband works in the residential home building industry, our standards were very high on the contractor we chose to engage. Through referrals and Angie's List, my husband and I got a total of 6 bids from 6 different reputable San Diego contractors. We ultimately selected Kerry at TaylorPro Services for the following reasons: 1. His responsiveness. He was quick to respond on email and text, which is the format of communication that works best for me given that I'm a busy mom of two little kids and talking on the phone is challenging. 2. His detailed bid. A bunch of the contractors that gave us bids didn't include line item details but Kerry did. I knew exactly what to expect and what I was paying for. Before we engaged him, we sent him follow up questions to his bid and he answered them quickly. Kerry was also flexible in removing certain items that we wanted to do ourselves. 3. Price. While all the contractors came in around $15K of each other, Kerry was the lowest of them all. Kerry appreciated that we were priced in a $850K home and not a $3M Rancho Santa Fe home. I felt that he took our budget into consideration. Kerry's crew came on time daily to our house. Since we were living in the house during construction, I felt that they were very considerate to cleaning up and being there on time. Additionally, since I personally didn't have experience with remodels, Kerry and his crew were courteous and polite to me and answered all of my questions no matter how mundane or redundant they were. Going into the project, everyone (and their mother) kept telling me how (a) messy it was going to be and (b) how I would wind up hating my contractor in the end and feeling like I got screwed out of money. I can say that yes, it was messy because we pulled up 1200 sq feet of tile! and no, I did not hate Kerry at the end. In fact, I would highly recommend Kerry. His personality is suited well for this kind of stressful project and his honesty and attention to detail was extraordinary." ~ Carrie H, Client Photos by: Kerry W. Taylor

This couple have been living in their single-family Ashburn home for a wile and getting ready to update their home one step at the time. Their kitchen was very small & dated. They would like to add sunroom. After talking to our designer, they come to conclusion to add sunroom/ Breakfast area to extend the kitchen & kill two birds with one stone. Also, they decide to renovate two bathrooms upstairs. (Master bathroom & Hall bathroom) Master bathroom was too small & after meeting with designer they agreed to take couple feet from bedroom & enlarge master bathroom. She felt cramped and out dated in her old kitchen. A big pantry closet was taking way too much real estate out of her kitchen space. We have taken down bearing wall to adjacent family room to expand kitchen and implement 10’ feet long Island with sink, dishwasher and microwave into it. The gas line and new 48” professional stove was relocated to west wall and now home for a long run of floor to ceiling cabinetry. Display glass front lit cabinetry is place for her color full china’s The north wall where closet used to be now is place for large scale refrigerator and freezer towers and pantry space. A tall unit of secondary oven and steam one is now placed in this wall Installing matching wide plank espresso hardwood flooring has expanded this kitchen into all adjacent rooms. New lighting plans, gorgeous pendent lighting make this center island to stand tall. The traffic flow has been improved a lot allowing large gathering and entertainment much more than ever before. She has carefully selected a soft tone backsplash to compliment the soapstone counter tops. On the end they decided to have a stone patio right next to sunroom & enjoy their outdoor gathering as well.

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

This couple have been living in their single-family Ashburn home for a wile and getting ready to update their home one step at the time. Their kitchen was very small & dated. They would like to add sunroom. After talking to our designer, they come to conclusion to add sunroom/ Breakfast area to extend the kitchen & kill two birds with one stone. Also, they decide to renovate two bathrooms upstairs. (Master bathroom & Hall bathroom) Master bathroom was too small & after meeting with designer they agreed to take couple feet from bedroom & enlarge master bathroom. She felt cramped and out dated in her old kitchen. A big pantry closet was taking way too much real estate out of her kitchen space. We have taken down bearing wall to adjacent family room to expand kitchen and implement 10’ feet long Island with sink, dishwasher and microwave into it. The gas line and new 48” professional stove was relocated to west wall and now home for a long run of floor to ceiling cabinetry. Display glass front lit cabinetry is place for her color full china’s The north wall where closet used to be now is place for large scale refrigerator and freezer towers and pantry space. A tall unit of secondary oven and steam one is now placed in this wall Installing matching wide plank espresso hardwood flooring has expanded this kitchen into all adjacent rooms. New lighting plans, gorgeous pendent lighting make this center island to stand tall. The traffic flow has been improved a lot allowing large gathering and entertainment much more than ever before. She has carefully selected a soft tone backsplash to compliment the soapstone counter tops. On the end they decided to have a stone patio right next to sunroom & enjoy their outdoor gathering as well.

KA1820 SALAZAR REC DESCRIPTION: These works play with the reflective and malleable qualities of glass. This line consists of thick walled pieces, which are hand manipulated to create a creased and singularly individual form for each piece. A luxurious chandelier that provides a soft and warm light through its layers, giving a romantic ambiance to any setting. Custom-made versions can be done upon request. Having created custom chandeliers for over three decades, we specialize in bringing lighting concepts into reality, whether your inspiration comes from a rough sketch, an existing chandelier, our original concepts, or even your own creative imagination. Large or small, our team can meet the challenge. This piece would truly be treasured in any place it is installed and put to use. Let this fixture be the chandelier they can't stop talking about. SPECIFICATIONS: Collection: Contemporary Size: 33” Length x 11” Width x 40” Height (Custom sizes also available) Extension: Adjustable cables customizable length up to 12 ft Shape: Rectangular Pendant Chandelier Frame Finish: Stainless Steel (Different finish options available at no additional cost) Materials: Steel, Sculpted Glass Weight: 45 lbs Bulbs: 75w max LED alternative available Assembly: Each piece comes with easy to understand assembly instructions for your convenience. Dimmer Switch Compatible: optional Shipping: LTL Rush Order: 4-6 Weeks; 15% added to the total Regular Lead Time: 6-10 Weeks Warranty: 5 Years Full Coverage (includes replacement parts) SIZE OPTIONS: Size: Price: 20” Length x 7” Width x 30” Height $3,906.00 26” Length x 9” Width x 35” Height $4,770.00 33” Length x 11” Width x 40” Height (as shown) $5,880.00 39” Length x 13” Width x 45” Height $7,226.00 45” Length x 15” Width x 50” Height $8,910.00 Custom Sizes, Finishes, Colors, Available Upon Request

Her contemporary Seattle features a limitless sky and water view. The view inside Leslie’s kitchen was a little different. “Our kitchen was very dated and in need of renovation,” she says. Her 1974 contemporary home is perched on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, but her dark, cramped kitchen didn’t take advantage of the stellar views. For Leslie and her husband, Peter, the kitchen only allowed one person at a time to cook. This was not like Leslie’s charming cottage. She longed for the welcoming, light filled, open space of her cottage kitchen. But how to bring that feel to a mid-70’s contemporary, especially one that allowed no room for expansion? For Seattle Neil Kelly Design Consultant, Diane Forman, the goal was simple. “How do I translate the crisp, clean, cheering feeling of a Victorian cottage kitchen to a contemporary space?” Diane needed some extra space, and what she found wasn’t much. She found 12 inches of space that was available without infringing on the dining room window nearest the existing kitchen. “The impact of that additional 12 inches was immense in that it opened up storage solutions not previously conceivable,” Diane says. “It made it possible for two people to comfortably occupy and move within that space. Just one foot, that’s all it took,” she says. As their current locations and sizes took full advantage of the view, it made no sense to move the windows, but she still needed to “lighten up” the dark kitchen. “I needed to create a joyously simple, very traditional color palette for a sophisticated contemporary setting,” Diane says. “And I replaced the ubiquitous 1970’s fluorescent light boxes with recessed can lighting, under cabinet task lighting, and some beautiful hand-blown pendant lights placed above the peninsula.” But there was one more hurdle to overcome: Storage. Diane needed to create storage for dishes, pans, spices, wine, trays, cookbooks, small appliances and recycling. And she also had to make space for her client’s crystal collection. “Relocated the display cabinet and adding a new gently curved eating bar accommodates seating for four without intruding on the existing window nearest the kitchen”, Diane says. There are multiple details that add up to a distinctly modern feeling and optimism to the space. And in the long run Leslie and Peter have a kitchen that matches their view. “Diane and I were trying to find a transitional style that would be cottage-like, and also urban modern,” says Leslie. “I think she did a very good job.”

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

This couple have been living in their single-family Ashburn home for a wile and getting ready to update their home one step at the time. Their kitchen was very small & dated. They would like to add sunroom. After talking to our designer, they come to conclusion to add sunroom/ Breakfast area to extend the kitchen & kill two birds with one stone. Also, they decide to renovate two bathrooms upstairs. (Master bathroom & Hall bathroom) Master bathroom was too small & after meeting with designer they agreed to take couple feet from bedroom & enlarge master bathroom. She felt cramped and out dated in her old kitchen. A big pantry closet was taking way too much real estate out of her kitchen space. We have taken down bearing wall to adjacent family room to expand kitchen and implement 10’ feet long Island with sink, dishwasher and microwave into it. The gas line and new 48” professional stove was relocated to west wall and now home for a long run of floor to ceiling cabinetry. Display glass front lit cabinetry is place for her color full china’s The north wall where closet used to be now is place for large scale refrigerator and freezer towers and pantry space. A tall unit of secondary oven and steam one is now placed in this wall Installing matching wide plank espresso hardwood flooring has expanded this kitchen into all adjacent rooms. New lighting plans, gorgeous pendent lighting make this center island to stand tall. The traffic flow has been improved a lot allowing large gathering and entertainment much more than ever before. She has carefully selected a soft tone backsplash to compliment the soapstone counter tops. On the end they decided to have a stone patio right next to sunroom & enjoy their outdoor gathering as well.

We used: Custom cherry cabinetry in Arts & Crafts Shaker style by Kabinart in Boulder and Espresso stains. Liberty Hardware Venetian bronze 1-1/2" cabinet knobs. KitchenAid Architect II Series 22 CF counter-depth French door refrigerator. KitchenAid Architect Series II 27" convection single wall oven. KitchenAid 36" 6-burner dual fuel freestanding commercial-style range. KitchenAid Architect II Series 24" dishwasher. Sharp Insight Pro Series 24" built-in microwave drawer (Model #KB6524PS). Crystorama Solaris 12" wide pendant lights in English bronze. Granite countertops in Brown Fantasy. 3"x6" polished marble backsplash. Paint colors: Walls: Glidden Silver Cloud 30YY 63/024 Ceilings/Trims/Doors: Glidden Swan White GLC23 Robert B. Narod Photography

  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

If walls could talk, the stories harbored in this Wrightsville Beach historic house on Henderson Street would go on for days. The history that pours from the front doors as guests are welcomed in was important for her new owner's to preserve while remodeling. And so, here, the cedar-shaked beach cottage stands on stilts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway telling stories of her birth in 1941, survival of hurricanes like Hazel, hot summer nights, well over 70 Thanksgiving dinners when fresh catch from her dock was more important than the turkey baking in her kitchen, children counting shooting stars from her front porch and, now, her new life after quite a bit of reconstruction. While maintaining every bit of history possible, each room was reevaluated closely by the owners and Schmidt Custom Builders in a collaboration to bring new life to the bones of this three-story beach beauty. New hardwoods went in to replace what was no longer able to be resurfaced to match the original flooring. New fixtures adorn every wall and ceiling to add classic modernity as well as a coat of fresh paint. Floor to ceiling windows were added to the living room to bring scenes of the water world in. And above the living room, an en suite was added as a getaway retreat for the parents of four. This master bathroom includes a wall-to-wall countertop with his and hers vanities, an enormous rainfall shower and a free-standing tub that stares off into the sound. The kitchen took on a complete new look with all new appliances, fresh white cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and countertops as it was opened up into the living room to create more space. On the outside, Schmidt Custom Builders added a custom outdoor shower to the sound side of the home and a full bar with a tap that serves as the perfect welcome to the L-shaped porch.

"Since my husband works in the residential home building industry, our standards were very high on the contractor we chose to engage. Through referrals and Angie's List, my husband and I got a total of 6 bids from 6 different reputable San Diego contractors. We ultimately selected Kerry at TaylorPro Services for the following reasons: 1. His responsiveness. He was quick to respond on email and text, which is the format of communication that works best for me given that I'm a busy mom of two little kids and talking on the phone is challenging. 2. His detailed bid. A bunch of the contractors that gave us bids didn't include line item details but Kerry did. I knew exactly what to expect and what I was paying for. Before we engaged him, we sent him follow up questions to his bid and he answered them quickly. Kerry was also flexible in removing certain items that we wanted to do ourselves. 3. Price. While all the contractors came in around $15K of each other, Kerry was the lowest of them all. Kerry appreciated that we were priced in a $850K home and not a $3M Rancho Santa Fe home. I felt that he took our budget into consideration. Kerry's crew came on time daily to our house. Since we were living in the house during construction, I felt that they were very considerate to cleaning up and being there on time. Additionally, since I personally didn't have experience with remodels, Kerry and his crew were courteous and polite to me and answered all of my questions no matter how mundane or redundant they were. Going into the project, everyone (and their mother) kept telling me how (a) messy it was going to be and (b) how I would wind up hating my contractor in the end and feeling like I got screwed out of money. I can say that yes, it was messy because we pulled up 1200 sq feet of tile! and no, I did not hate Kerry at the end. In fact, I would highly recommend Kerry. His personality is suited well for this kind of stressful project and his honesty and attention to detail was extraordinary." ~ Carrie H, Client Photos by: Kerry W. Taylor