What a privilege to work in this beautiful old Watermill! This was a really special project to be involved in and a challenge we loved embarking on. A painted in-frame shaker kitchen complete with solid oak drawer boxes was the ideal style to work with here. We used a pale ‘winter blue’ tone to lift the overall colour scheme, whilst keeping it classic. In order to reflect more light around the space, we used glass splashbacks behind the Aga and sink. Colour matching the glass panels to the walls means they really blend into the design as well as helping to reflect light. The worktops are a multi-tone granite worktop called ‘Aosta’. This particular granite features almost turquoise and plummy colours that work with both the blue furniture, and the flooring. The island is a real multi-purpose space. It provides a food prep area, integrated hob & oven, plus seating area. Designed in this way, it is the real hub of the kitchen. Previously, the kitchen had felt like two separate areas, but the run of storage units incorporating the old fridge-freezer really ties the spaces together seamlessly. Ample storage and elegant storage solutions were key to this design. Several units were tailor made on site. We designed a run of units to conceal the alarm system, consumer unit and even a hostess trolley neatly out of sight. One of our absolutely favourite areas in this kitchen is our bespoke window seat for the bay window. This little perch looks out over the water and doubles up as extra storage. A great little nook to relax into. The final touch in this kitchen is the lighting under the cabinets and bespoke mantle. At night, this creates a particularly lovely ambience against the backdrop of the running water outside.

Featuring an impressive red sandstone façade accented with durable exterior wood and powder coated brushed gold aluminum trims. This graceful home has an elegantly expressed massive main entry foyer to greet the guests. This home has been designed with Vastu Shastra in mind and has many dedicated areas to meet all the owners specific needs. Lots of entertainment zones for formal/informal gatherings, easy indoor/outdoor access. There is a delightful three story central atrium topped with a 5-sided glass-bottomed roof terrace water feature. This prismatic gem allows a soft filtered light refracting through the water to stream down through the core of the home. Augmenting the philosophy of Brahmasthan, a powerful zone of energy radiating through the open spaces of the home. The Roof Terrace has an exercise gym, spa and yoga rooms and an outdoor shady roof garden with lovely views of the Dubai Marina towers and Emirates Hills Golf Course, especially at night. There is a sizable service kitchen, an elevator and dumb waiter as well as basement staff accommodation for 6. The fully furnished basement has a 20 person theater, a games room, ample storage and also boasts an outdoor atrium open to sky above and connected by stairs to the patio party zones just off the main living room above. There is a side yard negative-edge swimming pool with waterfall and BBQ areas.

This property has a beautiful street presence, though coniferous screen plantings offer a large degree of privacy to the homeowner. The highlights of this landscape are found in the rear yard where we took a terraced approach to solve some grading challenges. A long fieldstone retaining wall is anchored on one end by a large built in spa. A centrally located water feature accented with ornamental plantings is a strong point of interest during entertainment and offers tranquil sounds of cascading water. Bluestone terraces along the length of the house, some covered and others open air, give ample room for guests and variety of options from which to enjoy the rear yard.

In this Modern Rustic Farmhouse kitchen remodel, discover a perfect blend of modern convenience and timeless charm. The kitchen showcases a captivating combination of a white gloss ceramic tile backsplash with rustic brick accents, creating an inviting atmosphere. Enjoy the convenience of a 45" stainless steel workstation sink equipped with a Pre-Rinse Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet and Instant Hot Water Dispenser, perfect for culinary tasks. Custom cabinets offer ample storage while enhancing the rustic aesthetic. Adjacent to the kitchen, the pantry/laundry/mudroom provides practical amenities including coat hooks, lockers, and cozy bench seating, ensuring organization and comfort. Meanwhile, the bathroom exudes tranquility with serene white gloss ceramic tile shower walls and durable Calabasas Porcelain floor tile, completing the cohesive and welcoming ambiance of this thoughtfully designed space.

AN INVITING BASEMENT REMODEL THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN ENJOY Are you tired of your basement being a dreary space used solely for storage? Well, it's time to transform it into a cozy and inviting area that the whole family can enjoy! A basement remodel is the perfect opportunity to create a comfortable and functional space that will add value to your home. And what better way to elevate your basement's entertainment potential than with a built-in wet bar? Get ready to raise a glass and say cheers to comfort as we dive into the details of designing a cozy basement remodel. A basement remodel can add significant value to your home and give you more space to relax. On weekends, a basement bar will surely make your home the go-to spot for get togethers with friends. Before diving into your basement remodel, it's important to assess your space and determine its potential. Take a good look at the layout, lighting, and any existing features that could enhance your design. By assessing your basement space thoroughly, you'll be one step closer to creating a cozy and inviting oasis for your family. Perhaps you can incorporate a built-in bar with a green tile backsplash or add a touch of natural beauty with a live edge wood top. The bar features warm colors, rich textures in the hand made tile and plenty of seating space for family and friends to gather around. The bar live edge countertop with Hunter green epoxy center stage in our clients basement makeover and really brings the drama. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR A FAMILY-FRIENDLY BASEMENT When designing a family-friendly basement, it's important to consider essential elements that will make the space comfortable and enjoyable for everyone. Incorporating a green epoxy flooring can add a vibrant and durable touch to your basement, making it easy to clean and perfect for kids' playtime. Additionally, consider adding ample storage solutions, cozy seating areas, and versatile lighting options to create a space that is functional, inviting, and perfect for family gatherings and entertainment.

The expansive, light-toned paved decking surrounds the pool, providing ample space for sun loungers and comfortable Adirondack chairs, ideal for soaking up the sun or enjoying intimate conversations. The design ensures clear sight-lines to the surrounding landscaped lawn, enhancing the open and inviting atmosphere. This project masterfully combines modern design elements with family-friendly features, creating a truly versatile and luxurious outdoor living space.

Backing onto a private golf course north of Toronto, this classic pool has all the essential amenities. Accessible from the basement or main floor walkout, a bi-level cedar deck leads to the patio of architectural stamped concrete. There's ample room for lounging or entertaining. The pool's blue granite liner is framed by Wiarton flagstone coping, while three sheer descent waterfalls on a raised feature wall and an elevated spill over spa add sound and drama. The pool equipment is discreetly out of view behind the feature wall and berms and trees lend privacy. (20 x 40, rectangular)

Built from the ground up on 80 acres outside Dallas, Oregon, this new modern ranch house is a balanced blend of natural and industrial elements. The custom home beautifully combines various materials, unique lines and angles, and attractive finishes throughout. The property owners wanted to create a living space with a strong indoor-outdoor connection. We integrated built-in sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings to attract ample, natural lighting. The master bathroom is spacious and features an open shower room with soaking tub and natural pebble tiling. There is custom-built cabinetry throughout the home, including extensive closet space, library shelving, and floating side tables in the master bedroom. The home flows easily from one room to the next and features a covered walkway between the garage and house. One of our favorite features in the home is the two-sided fireplace – one side facing the living room and the other facing the outdoor space. In addition to the fireplace, the homeowners can enjoy an outdoor living space including a seating area, in-ground fire pit and soaking tub.

This beautiful, three-story, updated shingle-style cottage is perched atop a bluff on the shores of Lake Michigan, and was designed to make the most of its towering vistas. The proportions of the home are made even more pleasing by the combination of stone, shingles and metal roofing. Deep balconies and wrap-around porches emphasize outdoor living, white tapered columns, an arched dormer, and stone porticos give the cottage nautical quaintness, tastefully balancing the grandeur of the design. The interior space is dominated by vast panoramas of the water below. High ceilings are found throughout, giving the home an airy ambiance, while enabling large windows to display the natural beauty of the lakeshore. The open floor plan allows living areas to act as one sizeable space, convenient for entertaining. The diagonally situated kitchen is adjacent to a sunroom, dining area and sitting room. Dining and lounging areas can be found on the spacious deck, along with an outdoor fireplace. The main floor master suite includes a sitting area, vaulted ceiling, a private bath, balcony access, and a walk-through closet with a back entrance to the home’s laundry. A private study area at the front of the house is lined with built-in bookshelves and entertainment cabinets, creating a small haven for homeowners. The upper level boasts four guest or children’s bedrooms, two with their own private bathrooms. Also upstairs is a built-in office space, loft sitting area, ample storage space, and access to a third floor deck. The walkout lower level was designed for entertainment. Billiards, a bar, sitting areas, screened-in and covered porches make large groups easy to handle. Also downstairs is an exercise room, a large full bath, and access to an outdoor shower for beach-goers. Photographer: Bill Hebert Builder: David C. Bos Homes

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This project started out as a kitchen remodel but ended up as so much more. As the original plan started to take shape, some water damage provided the impetus to remodel a small upstairs hall bath. Once this bath was complete, the homeowners enjoyed the result so much that they decided to set aside the kitchen and complete a large master bath remodel. Once that was completed, we started planning for the kitchen! The original kitchen was just large enough to accommodate an island and a separate pantry but felt a little cramped, especially during the weekends when the couple likes to entertain. The primary goal was to maintain the functionality of the current space, but to add some breathing room as well as to provide a view to the homeowner’s side yard and substantial Hosta garden. The solution was to bump out the space about 10 feet which provided ample room for large pro appliances, a large island for gathering and an upgraded pantry space. It was important to the homeowners to create a space that felt like it belonged in their historic 1866 home. Details such as matching new trim to the existing large custom profiles in the original home and re-purposing an existing door to be used for the new pantry, provided these touches. A large window at the main sink provides that view into the yard and a beautiful focal point for the room. A mix of painted wood and stained cabinetry gives the new kitchen a sense of belonging in the older home, as do the Super White quartzite that has the look of marble, subway tile backsplash, polished nickel lanterns and glass and mirrored doors. The large pantry, filled with custom shelving built to the homeowner’s specifications, stainless steel appliances and the two Galley Workstations – sinks that do double duty as prep space – ensure that not only does the kitchen look great, but also functions in a personalized manner that works perfectly for the occupants. Doing the bump out also allowed the opportunity for a small mudroom and powder room right off the kitchen as well as re-arranging some openings to allow for better traffic flow throughout the entire first floor. The result is a comfortable up-to-date home that feels both steeped in history yet allows for today’s style of living. 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

A young couple with three small children purchased this full floor loft in Tribeca in need of a gut renovation. The existing apartment was plagued with awkward spaces, limited natural light and an outdated décor. It was also lacking the required third child’s bedroom desperately needed for their newly expanded family. StudioLAB aimed for a fluid open-plan layout in the larger public spaces while creating smaller, tighter quarters in the rear private spaces to satisfy the family’s programmatic wishes. 3 small children’s bedrooms were carved out of the rear lower level connected by a communal playroom and a shared kid’s bathroom. Upstairs, the master bedroom and master bathroom float above the kid’s rooms on a mezzanine accessed by a newly built staircase. Ample new storage was built underneath the staircase as an extension of the open kitchen and dining areas. A custom pull out drawer containing the food and water bowls was installed for the family’s two dogs to be hidden away out of site when not in use. All wall surfaces, existing and new, were limited to a bright but warm white finish to create a seamless integration in the ceiling and wall structures allowing the spatial progression of the space and sculptural quality of the midcentury modern furniture pieces and colorful original artwork, painted by the wife’s brother, to enhance the space. The existing tin ceiling was left in the living room to maximize ceiling heights and remain a reminder of the historical details of the original construction. A new central AC system was added with an exposed cylindrical duct running along the long living room wall. A small office nook was built next to the elevator tucked away to be out of site.

Built from the ground up on 80 acres outside Dallas, Oregon, this new modern ranch house is a balanced blend of natural and industrial elements. The custom home beautifully combines various materials, unique lines and angles, and attractive finishes throughout. The property owners wanted to create a living space with a strong indoor-outdoor connection. We integrated built-in sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings to attract ample, natural lighting. The master bathroom is spacious and features an open shower room with soaking tub and natural pebble tiling. There is custom-built cabinetry throughout the home, including extensive closet space, library shelving, and floating side tables in the master bedroom. The home flows easily from one room to the next and features a covered walkway between the garage and house. One of our favorite features in the home is the two-sided fireplace – one side facing the living room and the other facing the outdoor space. In addition to the fireplace, the homeowners can enjoy an outdoor living space including a seating area, in-ground fire pit and soaking tub.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This project started out as a kitchen remodel but ended up as so much more. As the original plan started to take shape, some water damage provided the impetus to remodel a small upstairs hall bath. Once this bath was complete, the homeowners enjoyed the result so much that they decided to set aside the kitchen and complete a large master bath remodel. Once that was completed, we started planning for the kitchen! The original kitchen was just large enough to accommodate an island and a separate pantry but felt a little cramped, especially during the weekends when the couple likes to entertain. The primary goal was to maintain the functionality of the current space, but to add some breathing room as well as to provide a view to the homeowner’s side yard and substantial Hosta garden. The solution was to bump out the space about 10 feet which provided ample room for large pro appliances, a large island for gathering and an upgraded pantry space. It was important to the homeowners to create a space that felt like it belonged in their historic 1866 home. Details such as matching new trim to the existing large custom profiles in the original home and re-purposing an existing door to be used for the new pantry, provided these touches. A large window at the main sink provides that view into the yard and a beautiful focal point for the room. A mix of painted wood and stained cabinetry gives the new kitchen a sense of belonging in the older home, as do the Super White quartzite that has the look of marble, subway tile backsplash, polished nickel lanterns and glass and mirrored doors. The large pantry, filled with custom shelving built to the homeowner’s specifications, stainless steel appliances and the two Galley Workstations – sinks that do double duty as prep space – ensure that not only does the kitchen look great, but also functions in a personalized manner that works perfectly for the occupants. Doing the bump out also allowed the opportunity for a small mudroom and powder room right off the kitchen as well as re-arranging some openings to allow for better traffic flow throughout the entire first floor. The result is a comfortable up-to-date home that feels both steeped in history yet allows for today’s style of living. 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

We started by levelling the top area into two terraced lawns of low water Kurapia and nearly doubling the space on the lower level with retaining walls. We built a striking new pergola with a graphic steel-patterned roof to make a covered seating area. Along with creating shade, the roof casts a movie reel of shade patterns throughout the day. Now there is ample space to kick back and relax, watching the sun spread its glow on the surrounding hillside as it makes its slow journey down the horizon towards sunset. An aerodynamic fan keeps the air pleasantly cool and refreshing. At night the backyard comes alive with an ethereal lighting scheme illuminating the space and making it a place you can enjoy well into the night. It’s the perfect place to end the day.

This 1910 West Highlands home was so compartmentalized that you couldn't help to notice you were constantly entering a new room every 8-10 feet. There was also a 500 SF addition put on the back of the home to accommodate a living room, 3/4 bath, laundry room and back foyer - 350 SF of that was for the living room. Needless to say, the house needed to be gutted and replanned. Kitchen+Dining+Laundry-Like most of these early 1900's homes, the kitchen was not the heartbeat of the home like they are today. This kitchen was tucked away in the back and smaller than any other social rooms in the house. We knocked out the walls of the dining room to expand and created an open floor plan suitable for any type of gathering. As a nod to the history of the home, we used butcherblock for all the countertops and shelving which was accented by tones of brass, dusty blues and light-warm greys. This room had no storage before so creating ample storage and a variety of storage types was a critical ask for the client. One of my favorite details is the blue crown that draws from one end of the space to the other, accenting a ceiling that was otherwise forgotten. Primary Bath-This did not exist prior to the remodel and the client wanted a more neutral space with strong visual details. We split the walls in half with a datum line that transitions from penny gap molding to the tile in the shower. To provide some more visual drama, we did a chevron tile arrangement on the floor, gridded the shower enclosure for some deep contrast an array of brass and quartz to elevate the finishes. Powder Bath-This is always a fun place to let your vision get out of the box a bit. All the elements were familiar to the space but modernized and more playful. The floor has a wood look tile in a herringbone arrangement, a navy vanity, gold fixtures that are all servants to the star of the room - the blue and white deco wall tile behind the vanity. Full Bath-This was a quirky little bathroom that you'd always keep the door closed when guests are over. Now we have brought the blue tones into the space and accented it with bronze fixtures and a playful southwestern floor tile. Living Room & Office-This room was too big for its own good and now serves multiple purposes. We condensed the space to provide a living area for the whole family plus other guests and left enough room to explain the space with floor cushions. The office was a bonus to the project as it provided privacy to a room that otherwise had none before.

The boat house doubles as a large deck with ample living and entertaining space on the water.
Boathouse photo in Boston

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

A new porch highlights the front door, once difficult to find, on this variation of a traditional Cape Cod home. Ample windows on axis with the living room entry focus a visitor’s attention on a sun filled garden terrace and water feature. From above, light streams through a ridge clerestory, inspired by the client’s love of the Stanford University Barn’s similar roof detail. The newly raised ceiling creates a lofty, inviting space. Below the living room, a new basement home theater is finished with fine wood paneling and accented with art from their collection.

A young couple with three small children purchased this full floor loft in Tribeca in need of a gut renovation. The existing apartment was plagued with awkward spaces, limited natural light and an outdated décor. It was also lacking the required third child’s bedroom desperately needed for their newly expanded family. StudioLAB aimed for a fluid open-plan layout in the larger public spaces while creating smaller, tighter quarters in the rear private spaces to satisfy the family’s programmatic wishes. 3 small children’s bedrooms were carved out of the rear lower level connected by a communal playroom and a shared kid’s bathroom. Upstairs, the master bedroom and master bathroom float above the kid’s rooms on a mezzanine accessed by a newly built staircase. Ample new storage was built underneath the staircase as an extension of the open kitchen and dining areas. A custom pull out drawer containing the food and water bowls was installed for the family’s two dogs to be hidden away out of site when not in use. All wall surfaces, existing and new, were limited to a bright but warm white finish to create a seamless integration in the ceiling and wall structures allowing the spatial progression of the space and sculptural quality of the midcentury modern furniture pieces and colorful original artwork, painted by the wife’s brother, to enhance the space. The existing tin ceiling was left in the living room to maximize ceiling heights and remain a reminder of the historical details of the original construction. A new central AC system was added with an exposed cylindrical duct running along the long living room wall. A small office nook was built next to the elevator tucked away to be out of site.