Example of a mountain style formal and enclosed living room design in Seattle with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a concealed tv

Photography By Joe Dodd
Design ideas for a large contemporary backyard gravel raised garden bed in San Francisco.

photo credit GREGORY M. RICHARD COPYRIGHT © 2013

Mid-sized transitional wooden l-shaped mixed material railing staircase photo in Atlanta with painted risers

Large modern white three-story stucco flat roof idea in Los Angeles

Realtywriters
Small beach style 3/4 beige tile alcove shower photo in Melbourne with white walls, a wall-mount sink and a hinged shower door

Photographed by: Bob Narod
Kitchen - transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an island, white countertops, an undermount sink, gray backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Inspiration for a timeless l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Architect: Stephen Verner and Aleck Wilson Architects / Designer: Caitlin Jones Design / Photography: Paul Dyer
Alcove shower - large traditional master blue tile alcove shower idea in San Francisco with an undermount tub and a hinged shower door

Photo: Kristin Laing © 2018 Houzz
Example of a transitional beige floor and light wood floor living room design in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a brick fireplace

With the new LG Twin Wash™, your delicates and regulars can live peacefully separate but washed at the same time. With the ability to do two loads of laundry at the same time, life’s good.

Bernard Andre'
Huge transitional white two-story wood gable roof idea in San Francisco

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Example of a mountain style bathroom design in Sacramento

Based on a popular kids' game, this inspired room boasts a beautiful children's mural, fun window decals, and toys - all appropriate to the game. Photo by Johnny Stevens

Example of a mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in San Francisco with white walls

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Bathroom - traditional black and white tile multicolored floor bathroom idea in Dallas

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

Inspiration for a mediterranean custom-shaped pool remodel in Austin