Stairs in honed Pietra d'Avola and wall in Raw texture from Salvatori Pepe Fotografia
Staircase - contemporary staircase idea in Turin

View from the pool toward the shades: The patio at this private residence in Mahwah NJ faces west, and during the summer months, the heat and glare from the sun is overwhelming; making this beautiful outdoor retreat unbearable. Motorized exterior solar shades were installed on the fascia of the overhang to reduce the harmful effects of the sun. The goals were to create a comfortable living space, reduce the glare, heat and UV, and reduce flying insects and inclement weather when in use. A Charcoal colored fabric was chosen for this roller shade as retaining the view was one of the priorities. The shade cloth selected blocks 95% of glare, but still allows the an unobstructed view of the pool for safety, and keeps the views of the Ramapo River and beautifully landscaped property. The amount of coverage and openness of the fabric drastically reduces insects and inclement weather, and cable guide rails were chosen to keep the shade fabric from billowing in the wind. Due to their small footprint, cable guides are more aesthetically pleasing versus aluminum rails, zip rails or concealed edge options which were available, but not selected for this application. The Somfy motorization allows for push-button operation, and was also tied into an existing smart-home automation system which allows the client to control the product remotely. An added benefit of this automation feature allows the client to save on cooling related air conditioning costs. The combination of 95% UV blockage and dark colored fabric gives these exterior solar shades an 87% Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, meaning that these solar screen shades will dramatically reduce the amount of UV and heat penetrating the windows of the home. Fabric Specifications: Mermet Satine Charcoal/Charcoal, Pattern 30.30 7% Solar Transmittance (Ts) 5% Solar Reflectance (Rs) 88% Solar Absorptance (As) 7% Visible Light Transmission VLT (Tv)

Wallingford, Ct. Living beyond the walls of your home outdoors seamlessly to capture the serenity of the morning sun and after evening dinner gatherings were on the menu for this great family. The idea at hand brought forth by outdoor living fabulously designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES were graciously accepted and the work began to not only enlarge the deck space but to capture value centers for Outdoor culinary, evening bar and Alfresco and the convenience of a nearby splash in the hot tub surrounded by granite and even a remote Fire feature above the hot tub. All these features part of the recipe for Living Outdoors fabulously. If you look close enough you can see the masonry details in which Preferred Properties is known for. The elegance of Stone surrounding Brown Jordan's cabinetry in Java color shows the insightfulness of masterful outdoor Kitchen builder Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. The sprawling outdoor grill island has plenty of work or play space for that matter highlighting DCS grill, plenty of storage, two drawer refrigerator and a trash pull all capped off with large swirling granite counters. A nice touch here is the top shelf designed for sight lines from entering the back yard, wind blockage for grilling, receptacles, and even night lighting underneath to illuminate at night. The second area is the sprawling bar and beverage Alfresco up against the house. Even the top shelf mimics the octagon bow window shape. The stone and granite details surround a nice layout of outdoor cabinetry for user convenience. The third area more of a splash to the outdoor living fabulously label is a Sundance spa enabled by a step down into from the deck. The new Deck and multi level stone surround with Remote firewalls keeps the fire visible from the house and poses as a privacy screen and back drop for the hot tub. These subtle features and design ideas by our team make the homeowners feel absolutely fabulous about the newly unfound space. For more great outdoor kitchens go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com or call right away at 1-855-GET OUTDOORS

Wallingford, Ct. OUTDOORS fabulously designer MICHAEL GOTOWALA FOUNDER OF THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE succeeds in designing for Living beyond the walls of your home outdoors seamlessly to capture the serenity of the morning sun and after evening dinner gatherings were on the menu for this great family. The idea at hand brought forth by outdoor living fabulously designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES were graciously accepted and the work began to not only enlarge the deck space but to capture value centers for Outdoor culinary, evening bar and Alfresco and the convenience of a nearby splash in the hot tub surrounded by granite and even a remote Fire feature above the hot tub. All these features part of the recipe for Living Outdoors fabulously. If you look close enough you can see the masonry details in which Preferred Properties is known for. The elegance of Stone surrounding Brown Jordan's cabinetry in Java color shows the insightfulness of masterful outdoor Kitchen builder Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. The sprawling outdoor grill island has plenty of work or play space for that matter highlighting DCS grill, plenty of storage, two drawer refrigerator and a trash pull all capped off with large swirling granite counters. A nice touch here is the top shelf designed for sight lines from entering the back yard, wind blockage for grilling, receptacles, and even night lighting underneath to illuminate at night. The second area is the sprawling bar and beverage Alfresco up against the house. Even the top shelf mimics the octagon bow window shape. The stone and granite details surround a nice layout of outdoor cabinetry for user convenience. The third area more of a splash to the outdoor living fabulously label is a Sundance spa enabled by a step down into from the deck. The new Deck and multi level stone surround with Remote firewalls keeps the fire visible from the house and poses as a privacy screen and back drop for the hot tub. These subtle features and design ideas by our team make the homeowners feel absolutely fabulous about the newly unfound space. For more great outdoor kitchen PRODUCTS go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com or call right away at 1-855-GET OUTDOORS

Alcove shower - mid-sized modern master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, white floor and double-sink alcove shower idea in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a drop-in sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a floating vanity

Michael Gotowala fOUNDER OF the OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE OFFERING THE Wallingford, Ct. Living beyond the walls of your home outdoors seamlessly to capture the serenity of the morning sun and after evening dinner gatherings were on the menu for this great family. The idea at hand brought forth by outdoor living fabulously designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES were graciously accepted and the work began to not only enlarge the deck space but to capture value centers for Outdoor culinary, evening bar and Alfresco and the convenience of a nearby splash in the hot tub surrounded by granite and even a remote Fire feature above the hot tub. All these features part of the recipe for Living Outdoors fabulously. If you look close enough you can see the masonry details in which Preferred Properties is known for. The elegance of Stone surrounding Brown Jordan's cabinetry in Java color shows the insightfulness of masterful outdoor Kitchen builder Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. The sprawling outdoor grill island has plenty of work or play space for that matter highlighting DCS grill, plenty of storage, two drawer refrigerator and a trash pull all capped off with large swirling granite counters. A nice touch here is the top shelf designed for sight lines from entering the back yard, wind blockage for grilling, receptacles, and even night lighting underneath to illuminate at night. The second area is the sprawling bar and beverage Alfresco up against the house. Even the top shelf mimics the octagon bow window shape. The stone and granite details surround a nice layout of outdoor cabinetry for user convenience. The third area more of a splash to the outdoor living fabulously label is a Sundance spa enabled by a step down into from the deck. The new Deck and multi level stone surround with Remote firewalls keeps the fire visible from the house and poses as a privacy screen and back drop for the hot tub. These subtle features and design ideas by our team make the homeowners feel absolutely fabulous about the newly unfound space. For more great outdoor kitchens go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com or call right away at 1-855-GET OUTDOORS IN OUTDOOR CABINETRY,OUTDOOR APPLIANCES, GRILLS, OUTDOOR FIRE FEATURES, OUTDOOR PATIO FURNITURE- CALL 1-855 GET OUTDOORS.

History: Client was given a property, that was extremely difficult to build on, with a very steep, 25-30' drop. They tried to sell the property for many years, with no luck. They finally decided that they should build something on it, for themselves, to prove it could be done. No access was allowed at the top of the steep incline. Client assumed it would be an expensive foundation built parallel to the hillside, somehow. Program: The program involved a level for one floor living, (LR/DR/KIT/MBR/UTILITY) as an age-in-place for this recently retired couple. Any other levels should have additional bedrooms that could also feel like a separate AirBnB space, or allow for a future caretaker. There was also a desire for a garage with a recreational vehicle and regular car. The main floor should take advantage of the primary views to the southwest, even though the lot faces due west. Also a desire for easy access to an upper level trail and low maintenance materials with easy maintenance access to roof. The preferred style was a fresher, contemporary feel. Solution: A concept design was presented, initially desired by the client, parallel to the hillside, as they had originally envisioned. An alternate idea was also presented, that was perpendicular to the steep hillside. This avoided having difficult foundations on the steep hillside, by spanning... over it. It also allowed the top, main floor to be farther out on the west end of the site to avoid neighboring view blockage & to better see the primary southwest view. Savings in foundation costs allowed the installation of a residential elevator to get from the garage to the top, main living level. Stairs were also available for regular exercise. An exterior deck was angled towards the primary SW view to the San Juan Islands. The roof was originally desired to be a hip style on all sides, but a better solution allowed for a simple slope back to the 10' high east side for easier maintenance & access, since the west side was almost 50' high! The clients undertook this home as a speculative, temporary project, intending for it to add value, to sell. However, the unexpected solution, and experience in living here, has them wanting to stay forever.

Inspiration for a cottage staircase remodel in Calgary

View of the color-matched cassette hardware which conceals the shade fabric: The patio at this private residence in Mahwah NJ faces west, and during the summer months, the heat and glare from the sun is overwhelming; making this beautiful outdoor retreat unbearable. Motorized exterior solar shades were installed on the fascia of the overhang to reduce the harmful effects of the sun. The goals were to create a comfortable living space, reduce the glare, heat and UV, and reduce flying insects and inclement weather when in use. A Charcoal colored fabric was chosen for this roller shade as retaining the view was one of the priorities. The shade cloth selected blocks 95% of glare, but still allows the an unobstructed view of the pool for safety, and keeps the views of the Ramapo River and beautifully landscaped property. The amount of coverage and openness of the fabric drastically reduces insects and inclement weather, and cable guide rails were chosen to keep the shade fabric from billowing in the wind. Due to their small footprint, cable guides are more aesthetically pleasing versus aluminum rails, zip rails or concealed edge options which were available, but not selected for this application. The Somfy motorization allows for push-button operation, and was also tied into an existing smart-home automation system which allows the client to control the product remotely. An added benefit of this automation feature allows the client to save on cooling related air conditioning costs. The combination of 95% UV blockage and dark colored fabric gives these exterior solar shades an 87% Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, meaning that these solar screen shades will dramatically reduce the amount of UV and heat penetrating the windows of the home. Fabric Specifications: Mermet Satine Charcoal/Charcoal, Pattern 30.30 7% Solar Transmittance (Ts) 5% Solar Reflectance (Rs) 88% Solar Absorptance (As) 7% Visible Light Transmission VLT (Tv)

Patio kitchen - large traditional backyard patio kitchen idea with decking and a pergola

Example of a classic bathroom design in Toronto

Inspiration for a large rustic master brown tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile freestanding bathtub remodel in Seattle with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Wallingford, Ct. OUTDOORS fabulously designer MICHAEL GOTOWALA FOUNDER OF THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE succeeds in designing for Living beyond the walls of your home outdoors seamlessly to capture the serenity of the morning sun and after evening dinner gatherings were on the menu for this great family. The idea at hand brought forth by outdoor living fabulously designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES were graciously accepted and the work began to not only enlarge the deck space but to capture value centers for Outdoor culinary, evening bar and Alfresco and the convenience of a nearby splash in the hot tub surrounded by granite and even a remote Fire feature above the hot tub. All these features part of the recipe for Living Outdoors fabulously. If you look close enough you can see the masonry details in which Preferred Properties is known for. The elegance of Stone surrounding Brown Jordan's cabinetry in Java color shows the insightfulness of masterful outdoor Kitchen builder Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. The sprawling outdoor grill island has plenty of work or play space for that matter highlighting DCS grill, plenty of storage, two drawer refrigerator and a trash pull all capped off with large swirling granite counters. A nice touch here is the top shelf designed for sight lines from entering the back yard, wind blockage for grilling, receptacles, and even night lighting underneath to illuminate at night. The second area is the sprawling bar and beverage Alfresco up against the house. Even the top shelf mimics the octagon bow window shape. The stone and granite details surround a nice layout of outdoor cabinetry for user convenience. The third area more of a splash to the outdoor living fabulously label is a Sundance spa enabled by a step down into from the deck. The new Deck and multi level stone surround with Remote firewalls keeps the fire visible from the house and poses as a privacy screen and back drop for the hot tub. These subtle features and design ideas by our team make the homeowners feel absolutely fabulous about the newly unfound space. For more great outdoor kitchen PRODUCTS go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com or call right away at 1-855-GET OUTDOORS

History: Client was given a property, that was extremely difficult to build on, with a very steep, 25-30' drop. They tried to sell the property for many years, with no luck. They finally decided that they should build something on it, for themselves, to prove it could be done. No access was allowed at the top of the steep incline. Client assumed it would be an expensive foundation built parallel to the hillside, somehow. Program: The program involved a level for one floor living, (LR/DR/KIT/MBR/UTILITY) as an age-in-place for this recently retired couple. Any other levels should have additional bedrooms that could also feel like a separate AirBnB space, or allow for a future caretaker. There was also a desire for a garage with a recreational vehicle and regular car. The main floor should take advantage of the primary views to the southwest, even though the lot faces due west. Also a desire for easy access to an upper level trail and low maintenance materials with easy maintenance access to roof. The preferred style was a fresher, contemporary feel. Solution: A concept design was presented, initially desired by the client, parallel to the hillside, as they had originally envisioned. An alternate idea was also presented, that was perpendicular to the steep hillside. This avoided having difficult foundations on the steep hillside, by spanning... over it. It also allowed the top, main floor to be farther out on the west end of the site to avoid neighboring view blockage & to better see the primary southwest view. Savings in foundation costs allowed the installation of a residential elevator to get from the garage to the top, main living level. Stairs were also available for regular exercise. An exterior deck was angled towards the primary SW view to the San Juan Islands. The roof was originally desired to be a hip style on all sides, but a better solution allowed for a simple slope back to the 10' high east side for easier maintenance & access, since the west side was almost 50' high! The clients undertook this home as a speculative, temporary project, intending for it to add value, to sell. However, the unexpected solution, and experience in living here, has them wanting to stay forever.

Stephen Govel Photography
Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in Philadelphia

Photo of a transitional landscaping in Phoenix.