Tria Giovan
Bedroom - coastal bedroom idea in New York with white walls

For their third Urbanology collaboration, longtime clients and close friends, the Songs, both physicians, envisioned a beautifully designed home in Dallas that exuded calm functionality and understated beauty. Rooted in their Asian heritage and Kim’s love for wabi-sabi simplicity, the design embraced clean lines, warm neutrals, and tactile materials that feel approachable yet elevated. The entry and living spaces were reimagined with textural millwork and a sculptural fireplace, creating cohesion and a serene rhythm between daily life and family gatherings. In the office, a once-awkward layout was transformed through custom millwork that turned the piano into a purposeful centerpiece, joined by a reading nook and seamless storage. The expansive primary bedroom gained intimacy and balance through built-in plaster planters, library-style cabinetry, and a curved sofa perfect for evening wine and conversation. Peter’s guest-turned-primary bath became a master class in function, featuring seamless, antimicrobial surfaces and smart hidden storage for his daily rituals. Through every detail, this third phase of the Midway Hollow residence reflects “the art of ease”: spaces that are clean but lived-in, practical but poetic. What began as functional refinements evolved into a warm, layered home—one that honors the couple’s rhythm, heritage, and pursuit of a life beautifully designed, but never overdone.

Rich, warm yet strikingly beautiful! This kitchen got a major overhaul with its oversized island housing a pre-sing, wine fridge, and tons of storage. Relocation of the refractor to make way for the gourmet range alongside the existing window framed sink. This kitchen is "L" shaped and has a hidden pantry built-in behind the fridge.

Photography by Caryn B. Davis Located in the Cornfield Point area of Old Saybrook along Long Island Sound, this project brought a classic, yet forgotten beach house back to life. Through a little detective work and some creative ingenuity, we restored and enhanced the exterior to it’s former glory and transformed the interior to a highly efficient and functional home all the while uplifting its quaint cottage charm. On the exterior, we recreated a wonderful, airy front porch with cozy bench seats that look out to the water. The white cedar shingle siding is pre-bleached with a subtle flair at the bottom and a delicate break at mid-elevation. The asphalt shingles are not only beautifully matched with the siding, but offer superior reflective qualities to dissipate the heat of the summer sun. On the interior, we joined the front seasonal porch with the family room to form a larger, open living and dining space with paneled walls and ceilings anchored by the original round stone fireplace. In the rear, we carefully crafted a galley kitchen and laundry space with an adjacent first floor master suite. The diminutive house and property posed multiple practical and regulatory challenges which were overcome by a strong team effort, due diligence, and a commitment to the process. John R. Schroeder, AIA is a professional design firm specializing in architecture, interiors, and planning. We have over 30 years experience with projects of all types, sizes, and levels of complexity. Because we love what we do, we approach our work with enthusiasm and dedication. We are committed to the highest level of design and service on each and every project. We engage our clients in positive and rewarding collaborations. We strive to exceed expectations through our attention to detail, our understanding of the “big picture”, and our ability to effectively manage a team of design professionals, industry representatives, and building contractors. We carefully analyze budgets and project objectives to assist clients with wise fund allocation. We continually monitor and research advances in technology, materials, and construction methods, both sustainable and otherwise, to provide a responsible, well-suited, and cost effective product. Our design solutions are highly functional using both innovative and traditional approaches. Our aesthetic style is flexible and open, blending cues from client desires, building function, site context, and material properties, making each project unique, personalized, and enduring.

Martin Mann
Trendy patio photo in San Diego with a fire pit and a pergola

The focal point of the kitchen is the blue subway tiles on the range wall. Having only one wall of backsplash allowed for a bit more fun with tile without any worry of getting too much color or becoming too busy. Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen Builder: Joel Peterson Homes

Trendy home office photo in New York

Lots of functional counter space! It's easy to make a kitchen pretty. It's a lot harder to design a kitchen that actually makes cooking easier. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful kitchen—but more importantly, it is a functional kitchen. The appliance choices and the space-planning were carefully considered to maximize the ease of preparing a meal—whether it's tuna sandwiches for three or tapas for eighteen. Every detail—from sink location to cabinet inserts was analyzed from an ergonomic and cooking-oriented point of view. Photo by Lane Barden

Open concept kitchen - large cottage light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, red backsplash, brick backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, green cabinets and white countertops

Nestled in Pasadena's Old Mill neighborhood, this 1977 two-story home underwent a dramatic transformation. The once cramped, dark kitchen was reimagined into a light-filled, wellness-centric space. With custom-stained white oak cabinets, a ten-foot island, and high-quality kitchen appliances, this kitchen is perfect for health-conscious empty nesters.

Shingle Style Overlooking the Beach The site is a prominent one, on a corner lot overlooking the popular Pear Tree Point beach, so privacy was key to designing a comfortable residence for this young family: a home that provided private yard-spaces while retaining lovely water views. A Shingle-Style house with front, side and upper porches and interior spaces that invite leisure was a natural choice for this beachside site. By designing a series of outbuildings – a pool house with guest quarters, a garage and shed – that parallel the road, the pool and backyard entertaining spaces are nicely secluded. Separating the spaces transforms this 5,900 square-foot residence into an intimate and informal home. The buildings are of varying visual textures; the main house is clad in cedar shingle while the vertical board-and-batten of the 900 square-foot garage evokes a barn. The 730 square-foot pool/guest house, constructed of thin ashlar stone layup, matches the stone used throughout the project. ChiChi Ubina Photo

Description of Waterfront Home Design Challenge: The task was to fill a vast space with 14-foot walls soaring to a peak of 30 feet, using cabinetry that would not appear undervalued or insubstantial. The main question was determining the appropriate height for the cabinetry, considering the scale and proportion of the space, the walk-through to adjoining rooms, window heights, and the height of the refrigerator. Solution: By carefully analyzing these factors, we were able to create cabinetry that perfectly scaled to the grand dimensions of the room. The floor plan featured two islands that effectively filled the space. Key elements included #TheGalley workstations, drop-down televisions, #MouserCabinetry, and secret doors leading to a hidden scullery, all contributing to an extraordinary project.

Photo by Jody Dole This charming farmhouse sits atop a grassy hill overlooking a serene Connecticut River Estuary. The new design reformulated the first floor plan making it much more functional and visually exciting. It encompassed the reorganization of multiple spaces including the Mudroom, Kitchen, Dining Room, Family Room, Sun Room, Laundry, Bathroom, and Master Closet. The design also added, deleted, and relocated windows and French doors to greatly enhance exterior views, draw in more natural light, and seamlessly upgrade the articulation of exterior elevations. Improvements to the plumbing and mechanical systems were also made. The overall feeling is both sophisticated and yet very much down to earth. John R. Schroeder, AIA is a professional design firm specializing in architecture, interiors, and planning. We have over 30 years experience with projects of all types, sizes, and levels of complexity. Because we love what we do, we approach our work with enthusiasm and dedication. We are committed to the highest level of design and service on each and every project. We engage our clients in positive and rewarding collaborations. We strive to exceed expectations through our attention to detail, our understanding of the “big picture”, and our ability to effectively manage a team of design professionals, industry representatives, and building contractors. We carefully analyze budgets and project objectives to assist clients with wise fund allocation. We continually monitor and research advances in technology, materials, and construction methods, both sustainable and otherwise, to provide a responsible, well-suited, and cost effective product. Our design solutions are highly functional using both innovative and traditional approaches. Our aesthetic style is flexible and open, blending cues from client desires, building function, site context, and material properties, making each project unique, personalized, and enduring.

Garage
Garage - rustic garage idea in Burlington

Modern kitchen with rift-cut white oak cabinetry and a natural stone island.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary light wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beige countertops

The proposal analyzes the site as a series of existing flows or “routes” across the landscape. The negotiation of both constructed and natural systems establishes the logic of the site plan and the orientation and organization of the new home. Conceptually, the project becomes a highly choreographed knot at the center of these routes, drawing strands in, engaging them with others, and propelling them back out again. The project’s intent is to capture and harness the physical and ephemeral sense of these latent natural movements as a way to promote in the architecture the wanderlust the surrounding landscape inspires. At heart, the client’s initial family agenda--a home as antidote to the city and basecamp for exploration--establishes the ethos and design objectives of the work. Photography - Bruce Damonte

Photo credit: www.parkscreative.com
Inspiration for a large timeless backyard stone patio remodel in Seattle with a fire pit

This white bathroom has a white and grey tile floor and a white freestanding bathtub. A mini chandelier hangs on the ceiling, and silver and gold metal accents run throughout.

Maxine Schnitzer Photography
Example of a classic medium tone wood floor kitchen design in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets and an island