A pine dresser from IKEA transformed with a little stain and new cup handles. Great storage for towels, suits, sunscreen as you walk out the door to the pool. Sean Alzetta Photography

The jewel box theme continues with the lady’s salon style dressing room. All four walls are covered in tinted mirror enhanced by romantic arched millwork that is consistent with the master bath. Vintage silver lighting used in the bath is repeated here. The elevator which services three floors opens onto the dressing area through a concealed mirrored door. This space has double hanging bars on one side to put together ensembles for travel. There is a mirrored dressing table and jewelry cabinets for convenience. Custom fitted walk in closet is concealed behind the mirrored façade. There is a small safe within the closet.

John Armich Photography / johnarmich.com
Example of a mid-sized transitional formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room design in Philadelphia with green walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a tv stand

This bedroom and full bathroom are part of an adventuresome project my wife and I embarked upon to create a complete apartment in the basement of our townhouse. We designed a floor plan that creatively and efficiently used all of the 385-square-foot-space, without sacrificing beauty, comfort or function – and all without breaking the bank! To maximize our budget, we did the work ourselves and added everything from thrift store finds to DIY wall art to bring it all together. A partial double closet bar adds a little extra space while still leaving room for longer hanging clothes.

The wedge-shaped end of the front walk creates an outdoor foyer-like space. Renn Kuhnen Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized mid-century modern full sun front yard landscaping in Milwaukee.

Wool Patterned Field Carpet with Linen Wide Binding & Chrome Upholstery Nails
Mid-sized transitional carpeted u-shaped staircase photo in Chicago with carpeted risers

A traditional, dark prewar apartment was opened up and reconfigured for better flow and modern amenities. Several maids rooms were reconfigured to yield a new eat-in kitchen and family room. Modern details complement and enliven the grand scale of the space. Before renovation, this apartment was an unattractive warren of small dark rooms. After gutting, an open airy feeling was attained through the use of space defining portals and sandblasted glass "window" rather than convention walls. Light colored floor and wall treatment give the apartment a level of brightness which bless the home's north-facing exposure. As one enters the space, a barrel vaulted corridor to the left leads to the bedrooms. To the right, a rotunda shaped space mediates a graceful shift int he circulations axis and celebrates a sense of arrival. Adjacent to this rotunda is at the Japonnaise black-tiled modern powder room consistent with the apartment's early modern classic design themes. Beyond the rotunda, one passes through an austere palladian portal to enter the living room. At one end, the original marble fireplace is framed by cabinetry and light emanating soffits which give it a lively new context. At the opposite end of the room, a rhythmically organized green wall defines the entry to the dining room. The lighting in these spaces reinforces the overall design concept: modern recessed down lights and indirect lighting are combined with more transitional wall sconces and Viennese chandeliers to create a synthesis of old and new. Like the living room and dining room, the kitchen also consists of two adjacent ante spaces: a general sized work area and a large breakfast / family room. The curved shape of the breakfast counter separating these two room is mirrored in the curved soffit above, adding a sensual note to the crisp black and white color scheme. The spirit of the turn of the center Viennese cafes is evoked by the Josef Hoffmann sofa and checkerboard tile floor. The formal qualities of this space make it appropriate for entertaining as well as for more casual family meals.

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows the remodel of a small 1950's vintage home master bathroom. 8"" x 18" Calcutta gold marble tile was used on the shower walls and floor wall base and ceramic gray penny tile on the floor. Shower includes curbless pan / floor, dual shower boxes, frameless glass slider, trough duel fixture sink and chrome fixtures.

A traditional, dark prewar apartment was opened up and reconfigured for better flow and modern amenities. Several maids rooms were reconfigured to yield a new eat-in kitchen and family rooms. Modern details complement and enliven the grand scale of the space. Before renovation, this apartment was an unattractive warren of small dark rooms. After gutting, an open airy feeling was attained through the use of space defining portals and sandblasted glass "window" rather than convention walls. Light colored floor and wall treatment give the apartment a level of brightness which bless the home's north-facing exposure. As one enters the space, a barrel vaulted corridor to the left leads to the bedrooms. To the right, a rotunda shaped space mediates a graceful shift int he circulations axis and celebrates a sense of arrival. Adjacent to this rotunda is at the Japonnaise black-tiled modern powder room consistent with the apartment's early modern classic design themes. Beyond the rotunda, one passes through an austere palladian portal to enter the living room. At one end, the original marble fireplace is framed by cabinetry and light emanating soffits which give it a lively new context. At the opposite end of the room, a rhythmically organized green wall defines the entry to the dining room. The lighting in these spaces reinforces the overall design concept: modern recessed down lights and indirect lighting are combined with more transitional wall sconces and Viennese chandeliers to create a synthesis of old and new. Like the living room and dining room, the kitchen also consists of two adjacent ante spaces: a general sized work area and a large breakfast / family room. The curved shape of the breakfast counter separating these two room is mirrored in the curved soffit above, adding a sensual note to the crisp black and white color scheme. The spirit of the turn of the center Viennese cafes is evoked by the Josef Hoffmann sofa and checkerboard tile floor. The formal qualities of this space make it appropriate for entertaining as well as for more casual family meals.

Exterior, brick, lime, limewash, painted brick, architectural finish

Patio kitchen - mid-sized backyard brick patio kitchen idea in New York

For the siding scope of work at this project we proposed the following labor and materials: Tyvek House Wrap WRB James Hardie Cement fiber siding and soffit Metal flashing at head of windows/doors Metal Z,H,X trim Flashing tape Caulking/spackle/sealant Galvanized fasteners Primed white wood trim All labor, tools, and equipment to complete this scope of work.

Bette Walker, photographer
Large elegant master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Charleston with no fireplace and white walls

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows new 12 x 24 tile installed vertically with offset layout pattern on wall and floor. Includes shower box with linear glass accent tile back and vertical glass accent band. Tile edges are finished with Schluter Jolly satin aluminum profile edge trim.

The living room features refinished beams and vaulted ceilings matching the new doors' finish; custom aluminum black windows and new hardwood floors (Urban Floor L'Artist Renoir for Spazio LA Tile Gallery). The dated brick fireplace was replaced by a modern one with concrete look tiles (Shine Dark, from Spazio LA Tile Gallery) and reclaimed wood mantel.

As Sheila Gibson Stoodley writes in an article about this project in Robb Report, “Brian Hemingway is sensitive to light in the best way possible.” “The Vancouver, British Columbia-based architect wanted this 22,000-square-foot home near Boston to glow like a lantern at night, and he attained that goal on behalf of the homeowners.” The wood and stone that Hemingway favored for the home informed the space’s color palette. So critical were these materials that settling on a shade of stain for the Douglas fir and the finishes to be used on the Virginia Mist granite took months of consultation. Walker Zanger, the stone supplier, worked with the owner and with Colin Flavin, a Boston-based architect who partnered with Hemingway, to choose, detail, and fabricate the granite. The stone is used indoors and out, heightening the boundary-blurring effect that the design team desired. Though the owners are ardent art collectors, they did not build their home to showcase specific works; the real artists here are the architects, Hemingway and Flavin. So deft were they at inviting nature into their creation that, from certain angles, it can be hard to tell where the outdoors stops and starts. “There are deliberately no window treatments so that Mother Nature weaves the most beautiful textural backgrounds,” said interior designer Andrew Sheinman, of New York’s Pembrooke & Ives. He oversaw the interiors, working alongside his colleague Michael Lewis. “The seasons change the look and aspect of the house,” said Sheinman, “and we wanted to play on this.” Bleu de Savoie marble, from France, is used in the baths, to contrast with the Virginia Mist granite and soften the palette and give the baths a spa-like serenity. Hand-chiseled Oxford Black granite is used on exterior landscape walls, to tie the Virginia Mist seamlessly to the natural stone outcroppings.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.