This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”

This beautiful lakefront home designed by MossCreek features a wide range of design elements that work together perfectly. From it's Arts and Craft exteriors to it's Cowboy Decor interior, this ultimate lakeside cabin is the perfect summer retreat. Designed as a place for family and friends to enjoy lake living, the home has an open living main level with a kitchen, dining room, and two story great room all sharing lake views. The Master on the Main bedroom layout adds to the livability of this home, and there's even a bunkroom for the kids and their friends. Expansive decks, and even an upstairs "Romeo and Juliet" balcony all provide opportunities for outdoor living, and the two-car garage located in front of the home echoes the styling of the home. Working with a challenging narrow lakefront lot, MossCreek succeeded in creating a family vacation home that guarantees a "perfect summer at the lake!". Photos: Roger Wade

This 400 s.f. studio apartment in NYC’s Greenwich Village serves as a pied-a-terre for clients whose primary residence is on the West Coast. Although the clients do not reside here full-time, this tiny space accommodates all the creature comforts of home. Bleached hardwood floors, crisp white walls, and high ceilings are the backdrop to a custom blackened steel and glass partition, layered with raw silk sheer draperies, to create a private sleeping area, replete with custom built-in closets. Simple headboard and crisp linens are balanced with a lightly-metallic glazed duvet and a vintage textile pillow. The living space boasts a custom Belgian linen sectional sofa that pulls out into a full-size bed for the couple’s young children who sometimes accompany them. Efficient and inexpensive dining furniture sits comfortably in the main living space and lends clean, Scandinavian functionality for sharing meals. The sculptural handrafted metal ceiling mobile offsets the architecture’s clean lines, defining the space while accentuating the tall ceilings. The kitchenette combines custom cool grey lacquered cabinets with brass fittings, white beveled subway tile, and a warm brushed brass backsplash; an antique Boucherouite runner and textural woven stools that pull up to the kitchen’s coffee counter puntuate the clean palette with warmth and the human scale. The under-counter freezer and refrigerator, along with the 18” dishwasher, are all panelled to match the cabinets, and open shelving to the ceiling maximizes the feeling of the space’s volume. The entry closet doubles as home for a combination washer/dryer unit. The custom bathroom vanity, with open brass legs sitting against floor-to-ceiling marble subway tile, boasts a honed gray marble countertop, with an undermount sink offset to maximize precious counter space and highlight a pendant light. A tall narrow cabinet combines closed and open storage, and a recessed mirrored medicine cabinet conceals additional necessaries. The stand-up shower is kept minimal, with simple white beveled subway tile and frameless glass doors, and is large enough to host a teak and stainless bench for comfort; black sink and bath fittings ground the otherwise light palette. What had been a generic studio apartment became a rich landscape for living.

Contemporary custom home in Dallas.
Inspiration for a large contemporary light wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Dallas with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Discover Glenn Layton Homes' coastal style homes in Atlantic Beach Country Club, a beautiful custom home community, located in Atlantic Beach, Florida.

Photography by Erica George Dines

John Kleman - architect Matthew Millman Photography

This contemporary compact laundry room packs a lot of punch and personality. With it's gold fixtures and hardware adding some glitz, the grey cabinetry, industrial floors and patterned backsplash tile brings interest to this small space. Fully loaded with hanging racks, large accommodating sink, vacuum/ironing board storage & laundry shoot, this laundry room is not only stylish but function forward.

This exciting Mountain House Plan offers loads of windows and the views to go with them while enjoying the great outdoors on the accompanying fabulous deck. Multiple access points from the interior onto the deck makes entertaining a delight and is the perfect space for family and friends to gather and enjoy each other’s company, whether hosting an outdoor cookout, a special occasion meal or a spot to peacefully read and relax. The peaked roofline, the board and batten and the gabled front entrance are beautiful design elements and offer a pleasing exterior aesthetic to the plan. The exterior footprint of 40’ x 40’ highlights a great plan made for a narrow lot whether located in an urban area, the mountains or for a lakefront home.

If we had to describe this kitchen in three words it would be: modern, clean and functional. The brittanica quartz kitchen marries beauty and function for a look and feel that is truly the best of both worlds.

Basement Bathroom
Huge beach style 3/4 white tile and marble tile alcove shower photo in Orange County with open cabinets, gray cabinets, concrete countertops, a hinged shower door and gray countertops

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized 1960s u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Photography by Lucas Henning.
Living room - small modern open concept porcelain tile and beige floor living room idea in Seattle with gray walls, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

LakeKover Photography
Inspiration for a small mediterranean brown tile and stone tile travertine floor alcove shower remodel in Dallas with a pedestal sink, a two-piece toilet and beige walls

This tiny kitchen was barely usable by a busy mom with 3 young kids. We were able to remove two walls and open the kitchen into an unused space of the home and make this the focal point of the home the clients had always dreamed of! Hidden on the back side of this peninsula are 3 cubbies, one for each child to store their backpacks and lunch boxes for school. The fourth cubby contains a charging station for the families electronics.

Marisa Vitale Photography
1950s master carpeted and beige floor bedroom photo in Los Angeles with gray walls

Mid-sized cottage white one-story concrete fiberboard house exterior idea in Los Angeles with a shed roof and a metal roof

Divider bin slide out or pull out shelves hold cookie sheets, cutting boards, muffin tins, and whatever other flat kitchen items you may have. Typically we install this type of pull out shelf beside the stove and oven in a narrow cabinet.