Now that we've covered foundational pieces, let's explore style-related elements to balance style, functionality, and comfort. Color Palette: Choose furniture with a color palette that complements your existing decor. Neutral tones are versatile, while colorful furnishings create a vibrant atmosphere. Accent Pieces: Add sofa tables, end tables, and decorative accents to showcase personal taste and provide surface area. Ensure each seat has access to a nearby horizontal surface. Textiles & Rugs: Incorporate throw pillows, blankets, and area rugs for comfort, texture, and personality. Mix and match textures and patterns to add visual interest. Use rugs to anchor zones and complement the color scheme. Art & Decor: Enhance the aesthetic with hanging artwork, mirrors, or wall decor. Consider scale, placement, and arrangement for a balanced display. Lamps: Strategically place floor and table lamps for ambient and task lighting. Ensure adequate illumination by considering height and placement compared to surrounding furnishings

We were engaged to give this small lounge a bit of TLC; our clients wanted to make the room feel inviting to sit in. A bit lost, it was acting more like a corridor than a room, as it connects the front door and hallway, to the inner hall and the kitchen. One of a number of reception rooms, this room in the stunning Georgian property was more of a relaxing space for TV watching and reading for her. It was important that this space had a feminine and homely feel, one that would invite you to sit and relax, whilst being in keeping with the age and location of this country home. To do this we added warm tones such as muted pinks and warm neutrals with delicate patterns, such as florals and damasks. Keen not to close the room down but have adequate seating, we made the footstool/ottoman the same height as the sofa, so it could be used either as a coffee table, chaise end to the sofa, or as additional seating. We are reliably informed that this is now the go to room in the house for relaxing, which is fantastic.

We were engaged to give this small lounge a bit of TLC; our clients wanted to make the room feel inviting to sit in. A bit lost, it was acting more like a corridor than a room, as it connects the front door and hallway, to the inner hall and the kitchen. One of a number of reception rooms, this room in the stunning Georgian property was more of a relaxing space for TV watching and reading for her. It was important that this space had a feminine and homely feel, one that would invite you to sit and relax, whilst being in keeping with the age and location of this country home. To do this we added warm tones such as muted pinks and warm neutrals with delicate patterns, such as florals and damasks. Keen not to close the room down but have adequate seating, we made the footstool/ottoman the same height as the sofa, so it could be used either as a coffee table, chaise end to the sofa, or as additional seating. We are reliably informed that this is now the go to room in the house for relaxing, which is fantastic.

With real estate values reaching premium levels in San Francisco, the client’s desire to expand his top floor apartment with a private outdoor space became feasible. The apartment, situated in a two unit Edwardian building, offered adequate indoor space, but like many city dwelling units, lacked space for outdoor living. To remedy this, a scheme was developed to remove the front half of the existing attic and replace it with a private garden deck. To access the deck from the flat below, a new stairwell was extended from the existing foyer. The north wall of the stairwell is almost entirely glass, which introduces a great deal of welcome daylight into the previously dark foyer and hallway below. At the street façade a low planter/parapet was added to the top of the existing wall to screen the deck from wind, and serve as a guardrail. Since the stairwell is set back from the front, it is not visible from the street below. The deck is outfitted with discreet accent lighting, wet-bar and barbeque. Overhead canopies and wood planting boxes on wheels allow for the atmosphere of the garden to be accentuated and easily changeable depending on the homeowner's desired use of the space. photo by: Kathe Hashimoto

Clients were looking for an open space that had the feel of a relaxed weekend retreat in the kitchen. Counter seating includes interaction with the cook, and there is ample storage space without feeling closed in. The appliances are of adequate size for family and entertaining guests, and there is great traffic flow. Some special features included are: Stone facade focal point and flanking stone end walls; Dual counter heights on island provide height for laptop usage plus creates a visual transition from the working space of the island; faux beam between kitchen and family room adding to the open feel; new hardwood floor; stainless steel farm sink and service sink; LED lighting fixtures. Photo cred: Carbajal

This dining room turned playroom was designed for an energetic 2 year old. Our top priorities were maximizing a small space, providing adequate storage for toys and books and developing a design aesthetic that would be both inviting to a two year old and also flow beautifully from the adjacent living room and kitchen. We chose a warm, neutral wall color and accented it with pops of orangey red and vivid blues. Textures and patterns were incorporated to create playful visual interest. A sensory wall was added to offer stimulating play and beloved artwork was installed to add a touch of grown up sophisticated. An IKEA cabinet was painted a bold red and offers plenty of organized hidden storage. New knobs by Anthropologie were added to give the cabinet a custom feel. Large pillows in John Robshaw fabric offer a soft place to rest and the modern eiffel table and clear panton chairs become the epicenter for art, puzzles and snacks. This room is bursting with bright, bold color and a center for fun childhood experience. It was a joy to design for a very special Seattle family!

The perfect chicken coop with deep litter system. This coop you only clean out once a year. 4'x6' hen house with 6'x18' run.
Inspiration for a craftsman gable roof remodel in New York

Closet design by Tim Higbee of Closet Works: A small closet island occupies the center of the walk-in, effectively dividing the space into "his" and "hers" sides. Drawers in the island include dividers for organizing lingerie and small personal items. photo - Cathy Rabeler

John & Kim contacted LU Design Build to help them design, create and build a custom workshop. They enjoy building, crafting and designing ornaments and furniture of all sorts. They wanted a nice customized workshop to expand their tools and their abilities to build different and larger type projects. They also wanted to enhance the area around their in-ground pool because this is a favorite part of their home. For this project, we met with John & Kim and went over their desires for their space and functionality for their workshop and pool area. LU Design Build pulled in a partner architect to help draft the workshop concept. In the custom workshop area, we added metal roofing, custom gutters, and custom awning brackets that John actually built. It had custom dormers to let in lots of natural light. The workshop was also designed with vaulted ceilings to allow adequate air space and circulation. We chose a white washed shiplap to keep the space bright and open. In the pool area, we relocated the stairs coming off the deck and a landing area to create a better flow. LU Design Build also partnered with Frisella Outdoor Lighting. Frisella helped source and install the pool deck hardscape, retaining walls & soft landscaping. Since these two spaces were a long time dream of John and Kim, LU Design Build wanted to fit their design style and functionality so that they can stay for a long time and truly love their backyard and workshop.

The brief was to create a Classic Contemporary Ensuite and Principle bedroom which would be home to a number of Antique furniture items, a traditional fireplace and Classical artwork. We created key zones within the bathroom to make sufficient use of the large space; providing a large walk-in wet-floor shower, a concealed WC area, a free-standing bath as the central focus in symmetry with his and hers free-standing basins. We ensured a more than adequate level of storage through the vanity unit, 2 bespoke cabinets next to the window and above the toilet cistern as well as plenty of ledge spaces to rest decorative objects and bottles. We provided a number of task, accent and ambient lighting solutions whilst also ensuring the natural lighting reaches as much of the room as possible through our design. Our installation detailing was delivered to a very high level to compliment the level of product and design requirements.

Blossom End Rot (BER) is not a disease, it's a physiological condition of tomatoes. It usually occurs after a heat wave early in the summer, and arises when the plant's growth outstrips its ability to deliver water all the way to the tip of the fruit. It usually only affects the tomato trusses that are growing rapidly at the time. Irregular or inadequate water is the most common cause, and over-fertilization can contribute. Inadequate calcium was once thought to be the culprit, but only in rare cases is calcium deficiency the cause. BER is common in container-grown tomatoes. Affected tomatoes are still edible, just cut off the bad part of the fruit. With adequate water, the problem usually self-corrects, but if you want to avoid it entirely, grow cherry tomatoes. Photo by Steve Masley

Homeowner had been considering construction of a pergola for quite some time, but was reluctant to do so due to lack of rain protection. Although there are several pergola kit retrofit products that meet most of their goals, none of them were a good fit by matching all. The desire was for a retractable patio awning that aesthetically matched a pergola, but was retractable, and provided protection from both UV and inclement weather on their south facing patio. Part of the goal was to provide a flexible outdoor entertaining area, but also to integrate a front drop shade to help reduce the summer's afternoon sun from entering the space; as well as the bay window and sliding doors. The "Gennius", a waterproof retractable awning by Durasol Awnings was selected by the homeowner for aesthetics and function, with a solar screen drop shade integrated between the upright support posts. As young parents, it was of utmost importance to find a durable fabric for the drop shade that not only blocked an adequate amount of sun, but retained as much view of the pool for safety when deployed. Mermet brand Natte was chosen for the drop shade. Both the retracting fabric roof and the integrated drop shade are operated by radio controlled motors and hand-held remote control. The homeowner now has complete control of the area, with on-demand protection to suit their tastes.

Corner shower - mid-sized contemporary master gray tile, white tile and porcelain tile ceramic tile and gray floor corner shower idea in San Francisco with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, quartz countertops and a hinged shower door

This dining room turned playroom was designed for an energetic 2 year old. Our top priorities were maximizing a small space, providing adequate storage for toys and books and developing a design aesthetic that would be both inviting to a two year old and also flow beautifully from the adjacent living room and kitchen. We chose a warm, neutral wall color and accented it with pops of orangey red and vivid blues. Textures and patterns were incorporated to create playful visual interest. A sensory wall was added to offer stimulating play and beloved artwork was installed to add a touch of grown up sophisticated. An IKEA cabinet was painted a bold red and offers plenty of organized hidden storage. New knobs by Anthropologie were added to give the cabinet a custom feel. Large pillows in John Robshaw fabric offer a soft place to rest and the modern eiffel table and clear panton chairs become the epicenter for art, puzzles and snacks. This room is bursting with bright, bold color and a center for fun childhood experience. It was a joy to design for a very special Seattle family!

Set in the charming neighborhood of Wedgwood, this Cape Cod-style home needed a major update to satisfy our client's lifestyle needs. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all separated, making it hard for our clients to carry out day-to-day life with small kids or adequately entertain. Our client also loved to cook for her family, so having a large open concept kitchen where she could cook, keep tabs on the kids, and entertain simultaneously was very important. To accommodate those needs, we bumped out the back and side of the house and eliminated all the walls in the home's communal areas. Adding on to the back of the house also created space in the basement where they could add a separate entrance and mudroom. We wanted to make sure to blend the character of this home with the client's love for color, modern flare, and updated finishes. So we decided to keep the original fireplace and give it a fresh look with tile, add new hardwood in a lighter stain to match the existing and bring in pops of color through the kitchen cabinets and furnishings. New windows, siding, and a fresh coat of paint were added to give this home the curbside appeal it deserved. In the second phase of this remodel, we transformed the basement bathroom and storage room into a primary suite. With the addition of baby number three, our clients wanted to create a retreat they could call their own. Bringing in soft, muted tones made their bedroom feel calm and collected, a relaxing place to land after a busy day. With our client’s love of patterned tile, we decided to go a little bolder in the bathroom with the flooring and vanity wall. Adding the marble in the shower and on the countertop helped balance the bold tile choices and keep both spaces feeling cohesive.

Located in, Summit Park, Park City UT lies one of the most efficient houses in the country. The Summit Haus – designed and built by Chris Price of PCD+B, is an exploration in design and construction of advanced high performance housing. Seeing a rising demand for sustainable housing along with rising Carbon emissions leading to global warming, this house strives to show that sensible, good design can create spaces adequate for today’s housing demands while adhering to strict standards. The house was designed to meet the very rigid Passiv House rating system – 90% more efficient than a typical home in the area. The house itself was intended to nestle neatly into the 45 degree sloped site and to take full advantage of the limited solar access and views. The views range from short, highly wooded views to a long corridor out towards the Uinta Mountain range towards the east. The house was designed and built based off Passiv Haus standards, and the framing and ventilation became critical elements to maintain such minimal energy requirements. Zola triple-pane, tilt-and-turn Thermo uPVC windows contribute substantially to the home’s energy efficiency, and takes advantage of the beautiful surrounding of the location, including forrest views from the deck off of the kitchen. Photographer: City Home Collective

Homeowner had been considering construction of a pergola for quite some time, but was reluctant to do so due to lack of rain protection. Although there are several pergola kit retrofit products that meet most of their goals, none of them were a good fit by matching all. The desire was for a retractable patio awning that aesthetically matched a pergola, but was retractable, and provided protection from both UV and inclement weather on their south facing patio. Part of the goal was to provide a flexible outdoor entertaining area, but also to integrate a front drop shade to help reduce the summer's afternoon sun from entering the space; as well as the bay window and sliding doors. The "Gennius", a waterproof retractable awning by Durasol Awnings was selected by the homeowner for aesthetics and function, with a solar screen drop shade integrated between the upright support posts. As young parents, it was of utmost importance to find a durable fabric for the drop shade that not only blocked an adequate amount of sun, but retained as much view of the pool for safety when deployed. Mermet brand Natte was chosen for the drop shade. Both the retracting fabric roof and the integrated drop shade are operated by radio controlled motors and hand-held remote control. The homeowner now has complete control of the area, with on-demand protection to suit their tastes.

Eat-in kitchen - small 1950s single-wall brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Nashville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Large modern brown one-story wood house exterior idea in San Francisco with a shed roof and a metal roof