The slightly raised Koi pond directs guests to the front entrance door beneath the overhanging balcony above.
Large elegant courtyard concrete paver patio fountain photo in Miami with no cover

A pair of world travelers with a deep love of Japan asked JMMDS to design a Japanese-inspired landscape that would complement the contemporary renovation of their home in Edinburgh, Scotland. JMMDS created a plan that included a handsome cut-stone patio, meandering stepping stone paths, sweeping bed lines, stony mounds, a grassy pool of space, and swaths of elegant plantings. JMMDS was on site during the installation to craft the mounds and place the plants and stones. Julie Moir Messervy set out the ancient pieces of gneiss from Scotland’s Isle of Lewis. With the planting design, JMMDS sought to evoke the feeling of a traditional Japanese garden using locally suitable plants. The designers and clients visited nurseries in search of distinctive plant specimens, including cloud-pruned hollies, craggy pines, Japanese maples of varied color and habit, and a particularly notable Japanese snowbell tree. Beneath these, they laid drifts of sedges, hellebores, European gingers, ferns, and Solomon’s Seal. Evergreen azaleas, juniper, rhododendrons, and hebe were clustered around the lawn. JMMDS placed bamboos within root-controlled patio beds and planted mondo grass, sedums, and mosses among the stepping stones. Project designers: Julie Moir Messervy, Principal; Erica Bowman, Senior Landscape Architect Collaborators: Helen Lucas Architects, Steven Ogilvie (garden installers) Photography: Angus Bremner

Living room with a velvet sectional sofa, a contemporary fireplace, and beautiful upright piano
Living room - traditional formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room idea in Chicago with a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and beige walls

Arleen Ferrara
Design ideas for a mediterranean backyard concrete paver water fountain landscape in Los Angeles.

Inspiration for a mid-sized backyard wood railing deck skirting remodel in Nashville with no cover

For this project, we transformed the top floor of a Park Slope brownstone into a modern, lightfilled home tailored to the needs of a busy couple. The original space was outdated and lacked cohesion, so our design focused on creating a harmonious and functional layout that reflects the clients’ lifestyle while introducing moments of drama and creativity. At the heart of the penthouse is an open-concept dining room, living room, and kitchen. The living room accommodates multiple areas, including a cozy seating nook illuminated by multicolored glass pendant lights. A dramatic custom-built feature spans the entire length of the living room, integrating storage, display areas, and a unique guardwall that separates the staircase to the couple's rooftop garden from the living space. This built-in showcases a dynamic geometric design, with select sections backed in soft mauve for depth and visual interest. Along the front of the space, a bespoke oak window seat with modern slatted wood fronts conceals the AC and radiators while providing ample storage. The main seating area centers around a creamy marble fireplace surround, a refined focal point in the living area. Wide-plank oak flooring extends throughout the apartment and up the staircase, where a minimal aesthetic enhances the clean, modern feel. The kitchen continues the theme of modern sophistication with a palette of soft white lacquered lower cabinets and oak upper cabinetry. The countertops and backsplash are crafted from a striking quartzite in cream, peach, and mauve tones, adding a subtle vibrancy to the space. A cream-enameled range takes center stage, complemented by a hidden coffee station and a dedicated cabinet for AV supplies, ensuring a clutter-free aesthetic. The hall guest bathroom is a playful yet refined mix of materials and textures. Peach-toned concrete tiles cover the walls, while the floor features cream zellige tiles. Brass fixtures, a brass mirror, and a brass wall sconce lend a touch of warmth and luxury, harmonizing with the custom pecan-veneered vanity and custom concrete sink, The primary bedroom suite is a serene retreat, painted in a rich, deep blue that sets a calming tone. Accessed through a bespoke millwork closet, the ensuite bathroom is a small yet striking space, showcasing impeccable craftsmanship. The rear wall of the shower is clad in floor-toceiling slabs of light blue quartzite, creating a dramatic focal point visible from the bedroom. This quartzite extends seamlessly to form a sculptural bench within the shower, which transitions outward into a custom sink. Beneath the sink, two wood drawers provide discreet storage. The remaining walls are finished in soft beige Moroccan tadelakt plaster, adding a warm contrast to the cool tones of the quartzite. This Park Slope penthouse is a carefully curated blend of modern elegance and thoughtful functionality, with bespoke details and rich materiality that celebrate both the character of the space and the needs of its owners.

Unique, custom freeform pool in Kennesaw, GA with oversized perimeter overflow spa, flagstone beach entry, in-water barstools and "floating" granite table top. Large swimming are and deep diving well. Spectacular hidden entry beneath boulder and carved-stone waterfall into a cave/grotto filled with custom carved stone and benches for relaxing. Back entry into the caves leads to a path, back over the waterfall and to a jumping terrace with boulder wall. King and Queen boulder seats are worked into the wall. Another terrace adds more area for table and chairs and a custom rubble fire pit.

Trendy bathroom photo in Raleigh

The Jack + Mare designed and built this custom kitchen and dining remodel for a family in Portland's Sellwood Westmoreland Neighborhood. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed to create an inviting and flowing space with custom details in all directions. The custom maple dining table was locally milled and crafted from a tree that had previously fallen in Portland's Laurelhurst neighborhood; and the built-in L-shaped maple banquette provides unique comfortable seating with drawer storage beneath. The integrated kitchen and dining room has become the social hub of the house – the table can comfortably sit up to 10 people! Being that the kitchen is visible from the dining room, the refrigerator and dishwasher are hidden behind cabinet door fronts that seamlessly tie-in with the surrounding cabinetry creating a warm and inviting space. The end result is a highly functional kitchen for the chef and a comfortable and practical space for family and friends. Details: custom cabinets (designed by The J+M) with shaker door fronts, a baker's pantry, built-in banquette with integrated storage, custom local silver maple table, solid oak flooring to match original 1925 flooring, white ceramic tile backsplash, new lighting plan featuring a Cedar + Moss pendant, all L.E.D. can lights, Carrara marble countertops, new larger windows to bring in more natural light and new trim. The combined kitchen and dining room is 281 Square feet.

Elegant dark wood floor living room photo in New York with blue walls, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround

Soft roman shades and a cement pendant complete the bright and cozy breakfast nook. The built-in bench seat is a family favorite and the extra storage below is perfect for games and books. photo by Convey Studios

Amy Smucker Photography - This kitchen was designed for entertaining friends and family with plenty of room around the island and breakfast nook. A dimpled quartz counter has the same effect on all who touch it; a need to keep touching it. The cabinets have a pewter glaze which matches well with the colors in the counter, wall and floor. The Thermador stove is professional grade with 6 burners, griddle and steam oven. Over the stove is a pot filler and a powerful exhaust fan. There is an apron sink beneath the window and a prep sink in the island. All recessed lights in the house are CREE dimmable LEDs.

NARI CAPITAL COTY, HONORABLE MENTION AWARD WINNER, RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN $50,000 TO $100,000 The owners of this Mount Vernon home purchased it with plans to remodel the kitchen. The original space was tired, dark and disorganized. A peninsula separated the kitchen from the breakfast area and the adjacent sunroom was only accessed via a single door. The back pantry was poorly designed and there was no logic to the kitchen’s work space. The first step in this stunning transformation involved replacing the original peninsula with a large central island. Built using espresso stained furniture-quality cabinets with icon legs, open bottoms and exotic dark granite countertops, all kitchen traffic now flows around the island. The outside wall of the kitchen, featuring a 48” Thermador range, stainless steel range hood and glass tile backsplash, is the focal point of the new space. A stainless steel farm-style sink sits beneath one of two large windows that provide lots of natural light into the room. To the right, sits a 48” Sub Zero refrigerator/freezer. The wall adjacent to the family room was never used properly. Now it is home to two tall pantries, double ovens and a microwave. Creative pass through arches let the homeowner attend to guests while preparing food in the kitchen. The butler area adjacent to the dining room is filled with glass front cabinetry and additional cabinetry for extra storage. The kitchen is now part of an open concept design flowing from kitchen to dining room to sun room. By replacing a bearing wall with a structural header, traffic can flow from one room to the next making it brighter and more conducive to entertaining. More spacious than ever, this new kitchen is the hub of the home for this couple who love to cook and entertain.

Matt Hegemier
Small elegant galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Houston with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash and an island

Our La Cañada studio designed this lovely home, keeping with the fun, cheerful personalities of the homeowner. The entry runner from Annie Selke is the perfect introduction to the house and its playful palette, adding a welcoming appeal. In the dining room, a beautiful, iconic Schumacher wallpaper was one of our happy finishes whose vines and garden colors begged for more vibrant colors to complement it. So we added bold green color to the trims, doors, and windows, enhancing the playful appeal. In the family room, we used a soft palette with pale blue, soft grays, and warm corals, reminiscent of pastel house palettes and crisp white trim that reflects the turquoise waters and white sandy beaches of Bermuda! The formal living room looks elegant and sophisticated, with beautiful furniture in soft blue and pastel green. The curtains nicely complement the space, and the gorgeous wooden center table anchors the space beautifully. In the kitchen, we added a custom-built, happy blue island that sits beneath the house’s namesake fabric, Hydrangea Heaven. ---Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/elegant-family-home-la-canada/

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in San Francisco

How do you create a larger space? Or at least the illusion of a larger space...Adding mirrors behind the bed make this master room feel spacious and inviting. The custom hand painted mural brings life to this small space. Surprisingly filled with storage, the queen size, extra long, custom bed, houses tons of storage beneath the mattress while drawers line the face of the bed for easy access to personal items. In addition, the wall adjescent the bed has an 18' long bench seat that runs the full length of the Bedroom with easy lift lids for... more storage of-course. Even the striped carpet tiles camoflage built-in floor storage which gives the owners all the room they might need.

Example of a large mountain style l-shaped brown floor seated home bar design in Denver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood countertops and wood backsplash

Since moving into her Dublin home two and a half years ago, Nancy Sanford has been peeling off the decades—quite literally. Built in the 1980s, the home was “very well-maintained, but very little had been done to it” in terms of updating the finishes or style, Sanford says. Plush white carpet ran from wall-to-wall-to-wall, almond-colored laminate coated the kitchen cabinets and wallpaper ran rampant—even covering some ceilings. Despite her efforts, Sanford knew it was going to take more than cosmetic editing to shake the ‘80s and make the home her own. Although she lives in the traditional-leaning Muirfield community, Sanford adores a minimalist, contemporary style—and admits to devouring design magazines “ad nauseam.” To implement her thoroughly modern vision, Sanford turned to Brigid Norton, an interior designer and family friend, and Kristi Youles, a kitchen designer with The JAE Company. Working together, the trio created a carefully considered contemporary design that’s easy on the eyes, and the body. In addition to improving the flow of the kitchen—by removing a V-shaped peninsula that angled out into the room—and adding appliances like a stainless steel refrigerator, Sanford’s short list of must-haves included clean, uncluttered lines and no wall cabinets over the countertops. “I’ve found as I’ve aged, I’ve gotten shorter and just don’t use the upper cabinets,” Sanford explains. Easy-access, smooth-slide drawers with clean slab fronts were the answer—resulting in strong visual lines, an open, airy feel and enhanced ergonomics. Starting with a “needs assessment,” Youles and Norton designed the space quite literally around Nancy. By looking at factors such as her height and which items she uses most frequently, they were able to determine the optimum placement for everything from canned goods in the pantry to cutlery, pans and plates in the customized drawers, all of which helped to achieve the ultimate kitchen organization. But there’s more to the kitchen cabinets smooth façade than clean-lined storage. Walnut drawer fronts—found on the oven and the base of the island—are book-matched, allowing the grain to continue from drawer to drawer. And even in spaces where drawers weren’t feasible, beneath the sink and in a desk area, the designers continued the look with cabinet doors crafted to resemble drawers. The visual continuity of these lines might not be as impactful if it weren’t for the careful selection of contrasting finishes. The designers filled the space with pure, glossy white—using a specific type of quartz, White Cliff by Cambria, to accent the bold rectangular design of the island. Then, to break up the expanse of accompanying white painted drawers, walnut was selected to bring the contrasting warmth and grain of wood without red undertones. It is commonly found in modern furniture design, as well as current productions of mid-century designs like the iconic Eames Lounge Chair from Herman Miller, Youles says.