It is always good to buy the best furniture that you can afford. This client was starting out in a brand new home and we began the project by staying in the neutral tones and selecting some key pieces to create good bones for the room. Slipcovers were in the plan for the anticipated addition of adding children! Gina Fitzsimmons Photography

Once home to antiquarian Horace Walpole, ‘Heckfield Place’ has been judiciously re-crafted into an ‘effortlessly stylish' countryside hotel with beautiful bedrooms, as well as two restaurants, a private cinema, Little Bothy spa, wine cellar, gardens and Home Farm, centred on sustainability and biodynamic farming principles. Spratley & Partners completed the dramatic transformation of the 430-acre site in Hampshire into the UK’s most eagerly anticipated, luxury hotel in 2018, after a significant programme of restoration works which began in 2009 for private investment company, Morningside Group. Later, modern additions to the site, which was being used as a conference centre and wedding venue, were largely unsympathetic and not in-keeping with the original form and layout; the house was extended in the 1980s with a block of bedrooms and conference facilities which were small, basic and required substantial upgrading. The rooms in the listed building had also been subdivided, creating cramped spaces and disrupting the historical plan of the house. After years of careful restoration and collaboration, this elegant, Grade II listed Georgian house and estate has been brought back to life and sensitively woven into its secluded landscape surroundings.

This gorgeous Chicago backyard was designed and developed in several stages. First Rooftopia removed a damaged concrete slab, installed a new porcelain paver patio and rebuilt a fresh and modern stairway to the backdoor. The next phase of the project involved building a large custom pergola to keep the space open while providing shade and allow for more accent lighting over the dining and lounge. The outdoor kitchen incorporates a grill with a smoker and a double tap kegerator to pour refreshing hoppy beverages for those much anticipated post Covid summer gatherings! The garden bed has a mix of perennial grasses and flowers that accentuate the lemon yellow dining chairs with pops of orange for an overall joyful summer vibe.

Herringbone Pattern Shiplap - Turned Out SO Much Better than Anticipated. Custom Stained Mantle Sets off the Whole Look and New Gas Fireplace.
Family room - transitional dark wood floor family room idea in Orange County with gray walls, a shiplap fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

To celebrate the ascent of its highly anticipated condominium tower, Bleu Ciel, Harwood International teamed up with Cantoni design consultants Elizabeth Lewis and Josh Delafuente to energize the development’s model home with a fresh new design. Read the full story here: http://cantoni.com/interior-design-services/projects/a-new-residential-landmark/ Photos by Michael Hunter

The homeowners also wanted to ensure the new sun shade pergola would feel like an extension of the home’s colonial style, while allowing then to move from the indoor space to the patio without getting wet. With no externally visible hardware, the clean exterior lines of the Azenco R-Blade blended perfectly with the home’s traditional colonial stylings. To ensure complete all-weather rain protection, the design team overlapped the pergola roof with the home’s roofline to provide the same seamless feel as a pergola attached to the house. Covering this massive patio also meant the captured rain waters needed to be dispersed to keep the patio below dry. To accommodate the heavy anticipated flow, the hidden internal gutter system split runoff from the six pergola zones and deposited it in numerous surrounding planter beds.

Cozy and Colorful Beach House Remodel! When you think funky little house by the beach – images like what you are about to see may not be what you would have anticipated. This furnishings project aimed to capture a colorful, fun, active space for a family who wanted to feel at home .Thus, creating casual and comfortable but not boring in the least. A little traveled, a lot of texture, and not much clutter! From the start, the space was not much to write home about! The common living areas were boxy with lower ceilings. Quirky ins and outs needed to be optimized. Overall, this project was a prime opportunity for us to really dig in. From treating each room top to bottom and finding the client’s mojo when it came to wallcoverings. Selecting funky lighting and the right mix and match of bold colors and more natural, organic textures. We came in too late to get involved with the kitchen but helped the client with a few little accents and color choices. Thus, acting as a jumping off point for the large dining space featuring a beautiful (and resilient!) wooden trestle table. We created a mix of seating that offers a little funk, and the fun additional cabinet storage to each end which offered a hideaway. We loved that this vista had such opportunity for great lighting and art, also! A Colorful, Cozy Living Room We knew we needed a cozy, lower profile seating area but also some sort of great reading nook by the fireplace. With the large windows and the main entry just off this space, a traffic pattern was delianted that helped guide decisions with the furniture. A funky, nubbier woven fabric on the sectional that hinted towards mid-century modern. The irregular shaped, petrified wood coffee table. The bold statement and colors carried through in the wallcovering and area rug. Jumping to the fireplace area where you can lounge or read with those gorgeous cognac leather recliners. This space needed to feel separate and the same all at once. The balance of scale and colors really helped achieve this! Can’t forget the bedrooms! Of course we can’t get by without mentioning a little bedroom love, either. In the master the overall designs dictated by a bold, saturated woven wood cloth on the headboard wall. We love the mix of color and pattern in here. The bold, sexier mood is 100% a byproduct of the level of rich colors and unusual combinations. Those bold hand-glazed ceramic lamps against those strict geo-pattern bed pillows – so good! Our sweet tween bedroom that should grow with her for a good, long time. All in all, filled with original art and layered in a softer palette. There was a lot of matching in here at first, but once we convinced her to trust us she started to understand why adding in the unexpected hit of bright coral and spring green made everything sing!

Eblindstore Project Story: Custom Window Treatments for Shan Linn's Home At Eblindstore, we recently completed an exciting project for our client, Shan Linn, whose beautiful home featured high ceilings and a variety of rooms, including a grand living room, a welcoming entryway, a child’s room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a secondary dining area. This project allowed us to showcase our expertise in creating tailored window treatment solutions that balanced functionality and elegance. Living Room Elegance The centerpiece of the home was the high-ceilinged living room. To enhance its grandeur, we installed three motorized roller shades, perfect for controlling light and privacy with ease. Above these, we added tall, flowing drapery panels for a sophisticated touch that complemented the space’s architecture. Functional Design for the Kitchen and Dining Areas In the kitchen, practicality met style with chain-operated roller shades, providing an efficient and easy-to-maintain solution. For the larger dining room, we combined roller shades with light-blocking drapery panels, strategically designed to minimize sunlight exposure in high-glare areas. Future-Ready Features Understanding our client’s preferences and anticipating future needs, we ensured that all chain-operated roller shades were equipped with mechanisms that could easily be upgraded to motorized systems if desired. This forward-thinking approach added flexibility to the project. Economical Solutions for the Basement To keep the project budget-conscious without compromising quality, we opted for chain-operated roller shades for the basement windows. These provided a clean, modern look while maintaining cost efficiency. Attention to Detail Shan Linn’s father, a mechanical engineer, took a keen interest in the technical details of our work. We addressed all his questions with precision, demonstrating our thorough understanding of the project. This attention to detail, paired with our transparent pricing and efficient timelines, left a strong impression on our client and her family. Expanding the Vision Shan Linn was so pleased with the results that she is already considering partnering with us again to outfit the upper floors of her home. This project was completed well within the timeline, offering her a seamless and stress-free experience. At Eblindstore, we pride ourselves on turning custom window treatment ideas into reality, delivering exceptional quality, and exceeding expectations.

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

These clients wanted to renovate their basement but knew they wanted to manage the project themselves and were in it for the long haul. While it took longer than anticipated they were super happy with the warm and inviting design with added guest room, bar, and large entertainment space to host family game nights.

After years of dedication and anticipation, our clients embarked on their dream renovation project as they approached retirement. Their vision? A cozy yet elegant space nestled in the picturesque coastal town of Ipswich, MA. With the help of Betsy at Hutton Home Design, our skilled team, and many trade partners, our client’s vision became a reality. We built them a custom, one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit (ADU) over the garage of their daughter and son-in-law's home. The heating and cooling system consisted of mini split units. We cantilevered the second floor to add space to the kitchen, making the room seem larger. We created a functional and beautiful space within the zoning constraints of 900 square feet. All the while, careful consideration was given to scale and ensuring the addition looked like an extension of the existing home. The completed renovation exceeded all expectations, providing the couple with a perfect haven when they embark on their retirement journey.  The newly renovated space boasts: Shared foyer with white oak stairs and floors throughout Custom kitchen with hickory island, vaulted ceilings with white oak beam and access to their shared deck Living room with gas fireplace Convenient laundry space Spacious bathroom with curbless shower and custom vanity Bright bedroom with his and her closets Plenty of storage via a pantry, laundry closet, coat closet and cleaning supply closet

The 9.5 KW Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panel array is up. These panels convert sunlight into electricity for household use. The owners anticipate this will meet their electric needs.

These homeowners opted for the increased organization, more convenient storage, and enhanced visual flow a full remodel would bring. Of course, they assumed the new cabinets, tile, and hardware would look nice. What they hadn’t anticipated was how stunningly beautiful the completed kitchen was going to be. Photos by Terry Poe Photography

Nautical-themed hybrid swimming pool with raised spa, sunshelf, slide, grotto, and pizza oven (September 2013) – Ask the Pool Guy and his team at Legendary Escapes recently unveiled the newest Legendary Escape, a stunning nautical-themed hybrid swimming pool. The hand-carved concrete waterfall, rock slide, and grotto are the focal point of this incredible project, and designer and builder Al Curtis has truly outdone himself this time. Behind the waterfall sits a grotto that seats 8-10 people comfortably. The waterfall, slide, and grotto area come complete with intricate details and additions that perfectly play into the project’s theme. An immense amount of creativity, talent, and skill is required to take ordinary materials like vinyl and concrete and turn them into the outstanding backyards that Curtis creates, but these details allow his creativity to shine in a different light. Curtis immerses himself completely in just one or two projects at a time, which allows him the opportunity to add those intricate details that take his extraordinary projects to the next level. Some of the details in the grotto area of this hybrid project include real ship portholes that open and close, as well as carvings and lanterns to add visual interest inside of the grotto. The project also includes a raised spillover spa and a sunshelf with a bubbling water feature. The sunshelf has steps leading into the main body of the pool, giving swimmers an easy entry point if they don’t feel the urge to jump off the top of the waterfall or take a ride down the hand-carved, hand-tiled slide. The shelf has just enough water to allow shallow wading or lounging, and the pebbled finish provides a perfect place to set a lounge chair without worrying about damaging the vinyl liner. With the spa nearby, this whole end of the pool is perfect for relaxing, talking, or watching the kids while they swim. This incredible hybrid swimming pool also includes a poolside pizza oven, so fresh, stone-fired pizza is never far away. The brick oven can cook a pizza in about 90 seconds, and produces authentic, outstanding pizzas. The homeowners have spent years perfecting their pizza crust and sauce recipes, as well as growing their own tomatoes and basil. The pizza oven adds another element of their own personality, and makes this project even more perfect for them. With a built-in countertop, it’s easy to get a couple of pies going at one time, or to prep ingredients for personal pizzas. The homeowners are very family-oriented and love to have friends and family over to their home. During the construction process, the Legendary Escapes crew met several friends and family members who stopped in for some quality time and to check out the progress of the pool. The finished product is a perfect place for entertaining, and it feels very comfortable and welcoming. With the sunshelf, spa, grotto, poolside seating, and the pool itself, there are plenty of different places to sit or soak and have conversations or splash around. Curtis is incredibly proud of this project, and he has high hopes for it. He was recently named a Master of Design by Pool & Spa News for a hybrid swimming pool he built in Brighton, MI. This new, nautical hybrid pool fits in beautifully with his portfolio, but also stands out as extraordinary. The team at Legendary Escapes anticipates positive feedback and recognition for this project, and looks forward to building more swimming pools that push the envelope and wow clients and fans.

We're thrilled to unveil our latest project—a space where classic design seamlessly intertwines with modern elements to create a bathroom that stands the test of time. In this charming oasis, a nod to tradition is evident in every detail, from the elegant wood floating vanity to the timeless appeal of classic design elements. ? But what sets this renovation apart is its updated twist—contemporary black fixtures that infuse the space with a touch of sophistication and style. The pièce de résistance? A striking black wall tile that not only adds depth and drama but also serves a practical purpose—hiding those inevitable little handprints and messes with ease. ?✨ With this renovation, we've crafted a space that not only delights the senses but also anticipates the needs of a growing family. It's a sanctuary where memories will be made, laughter will echo, and timeless design will reign supreme for years to come. ??? Join us in celebrating the marriage of tradition and modernity in this unforgettable kid's bathroom renovation!

A post-war, Glen Park house was dark and tiny but had good bones and imaginable city views. It was one of those “little boxes on the hillside”. Our design transformed and expanded it into a bright, open, and comfortable four bedroom townhouse with panoramic city views. A huge new sliding skylight/roof hatch above an open staircase illuminates and seamlessly connects the central living and circulation spaces. All bedrooms plus a family room/guest suite are oriented towards the rear and front of house, ensuring direct connection to the out of doors, and privacy from family gathering spaces. The home is modern but has touches of warm traditional styling, anticipating a family with kids, a couple who enjoy entertaining, and or folks who like hunkering down with a good book and a morning cup of coffee. Structural Engineer: Gregory Paul Wallace SE Photographer: Open Homes Photography

We're thrilled to unveil our latest project—a space where classic design seamlessly intertwines with modern elements to create a bathroom that stands the test of time. In this charming oasis, a nod to tradition is evident in every detail, from the elegant wood floating vanity to the timeless appeal of classic design elements. ? But what sets this renovation apart is its updated twist—contemporary black fixtures that infuse the space with a touch of sophistication and style. The pièce de résistance? A striking black wall tile that not only adds depth and drama but also serves a practical purpose—hiding those inevitable little handprints and messes with ease. ?✨ With this renovation, we've crafted a space that not only delights the senses but also anticipates the needs of a growing family. It's a sanctuary where memories will be made, laughter will echo, and timeless design will reign supreme for years to come. ??? Join us in celebrating the marriage of tradition and modernity in this unforgettable kid's bathroom renovation!

Photo by Jim Raycroft When these homeowners first came to us in 2011, they had a list of major projects to adapt their Victorian home to the needs of their growing family. The first phase of work was a basement renovation to provide informal hang out space. The second was a garage. Finally they turned their attention to the master bedroom and bathroom. FROM BALCONY TO BATHROOM At one end of the suite was a cramped and outdated bathroom. At the other end was an underutilized, high-maintenance, exterior balcony. A leaky door to the balcony, as well as inadequate insulation and air-sealing and a poorly designed heating system, made the bedroom difficult to keep comfortable in the winter. We chose to capture the old balcony as indoor space and relocate the bathroom to that end of the master suite. This strategy not only gave us the opportunity to install much better insulation and good, tight windows, it created enough new floor area that we were able to include a large walk-in shower, separate vanities, a toilet room, and a make-up counter in the new master bathroom. ADAPTING AND UPDATING The project allowed us to find a prominent place for an old leaded glass window sash that the homeowners had been hanging onto for several years in anticipation of this project. The flow and layout of the master suite are now much better suited to a 21st century lifestyle. But best of all (to us, anyway), the homeowners report that the bathroom—where the old balcony had been—is now the most comfortable room in the house.

I've been on dedicated plant watch the past couple of weeks. With the temperatures rising here in the Hudson River Valley, my garden has just started to emerge from its winter rest. This past winter may not have had the arctic blasts and epic snow storms of the previous years, but it was still long and dark like any typical northeast winter. So it's always with giddy anticipation that I obsessively check in on the garden in the early spring for the first signs of green! The Woodland Peony has been one of the first plants to push through the garden with its rosy, brownish-green leaves. I mistakenly planted it last year near the hose bib, watched it bud up and then quickly get trampled by my children who have a frenetic passion for all things water. After I got over my sudden loss, I relocated the bare roots last fall under our old Crabapple tree at the front of the house. Unlike the more common peonies that thrive in full sun, the Woodland Peony is a nice, compact selection for the woodland shade garden. These peonies naturalize in deciduous woodlands where they can enjoy early spring sun and summer shade. I'm hoping that our Crabapple's canopy will provide just the right amount of filtered sunlight. The Woodland Peony, as with all peonies, is also deer resistant, which always makes for an attractive plant in my eyes. We live on a little under two-and-a-half acres of land surrounded by properties that find themselves somewhere between farmland, meadow, woodland and marsh. Needless to say, the deer are king here and our gardens suffer. My peonies were a gift, but came from Peony's Envy, a nursery located in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Their website is a great resource for all things peony. I'm hoping one day to make it out to their nursery to take walk among their acres of tree, herbaceous and intersectional peonies. PAEONIA JAPONICA Type - Herbaceous Perennial Hardiness Zone - 3-8 Height - 1.0 - 1.5' Spread - 1.0 - 1.5' Exposure - Part shade Bloom Color - White single flower with yellow stamens Bloom Time - Mid-Late April Flower - Fragrant Features - Scarlet and indigo seed pods, Deer resistance For more information on Paeonia japonica see the Missouri Botanical Garden's Plant Finder.