Transitional home office photo in Houston

Modern family loft renovation. A young couple starting a family in the city purchased this two story loft in Boston's South End. Built in the 1990's, the loft was ready for updates. ZED transformed the space, creating a fresh new look and greatly increasing its functionality to accommodate an expanding family within an urban setting. Improvement were made to the aesthetics, scale, and functionality for the growing family to enjoy. Photos by Eric Roth. Construction by Ralph S. Osmond Company. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design.

Modern glass house set in the landscape evokes a midcentury vibe. A modern gas fireplace divides the living area with a polished concrete floor from the greenhouse with a gravel floor. The frame is painted steel with aluminum sliding glass door. The front features a green roof with native grasses and the rear is covered with a glass roof. Photo by: Peter Vanderwarker Photography

Bates Masi Architects
Trendy gender-neutral medium tone wood floor kids' room photo in New York with white walls

Well-traveled. Relaxed. Timeless. Our well-traveled clients were soon-to-be empty nesters when they approached us for help reimagining their Presidio Heights home. The expansive Spanish-Revival residence originally constructed in 1908 had been substantially renovated 8 year prior, but needed some adaptations to better suit the needs of a family with three college-bound teens. We evolved the space to be a bright, relaxed reflection of the family’s time together, revising the function and layout of the ground-floor rooms and filling them with casual, comfortable furnishings and artifacts collected abroad. One of the key changes we made to the space plan was to eliminate the formal dining room and transform an area off the kitchen into a casual gathering spot for our clients and their children. The expandable table and coffee/wine bar means the room can handle large dinner parties and small study sessions with similar ease. The family room was relocated from a lower level to be more central part of the main floor, encouraging more quality family time, and freeing up space for a spacious home gym. In the living room, lounge-worthy upholstery grounds the space, encouraging a relaxed and effortless West Coast vibe. Exposed wood beams recall the original Spanish-influence, but feel updated and fresh in a light wood stain. Throughout the entry and main floor, found artifacts punctate the softer textures — ceramics from New Mexico, religious sculpture from Asia and a quirky wall-mounted phone that belonged to our client’s grandmother.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Our client, with whom we had worked on a number of projects over the years, enlisted our help in transforming her family’s beloved but deteriorating rustic summer retreat, built by her grandparents in the mid-1920’s, into a house that would be livable year-‘round. It had served the family well but needed to be renewed for the decades to come without losing the flavor and patina they were attached to. The house was designed by Ruth Adams, a rare female architect of the day, who also designed in a similar vein a nearby summer colony of Vassar faculty and alumnae. To make Treetop habitable throughout the year, the whole house had to be gutted and insulated. The raw homosote interior wall finishes were replaced with plaster, but all the wood trim was retained and reused, as were all old doors and hardware. The old single-glazed casement windows were restored, and removable storm panels fitted into the existing in-swinging screen frames. New windows were made to match the old ones where new windows were added. This approach was inherently sustainable, making the house energy-efficient while preserving most of the original fabric. Changes to the original design were as seamless as possible, compatible with and enhancing the old character. Some plan modifications were made, and some windows moved around. The existing cave-like recessed entry porch was enclosed as a new book-lined entry hall and a new entry porch added, using posts made from an oak tree on the site. The kitchen and bathrooms are entirely new but in the spirit of the place. All the bookshelves are new. A thoroughly ramshackle garage couldn’t be saved, and we replaced it with a new one built in a compatible style, with a studio above for our client, who is a writer.

Entryway - transitional medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wallpaper entryway idea in Atlanta with multicolored walls and a glass front door

Side view of a recently styled family room complete with stone fireplace and wood mantel, medium wood custom built-ins, sofa and chairs, black console table with white table lamps, traverse rod window treatments and exposed beams in Charlotte, NC.

David Duncan Livingston
Inspiration for a transitional home office library remodel in San Francisco with multicolored walls

Mike and Michelle of Lake Barrington knew they needed extra space. Their home was becoming too crowded for their family with blossoming teenagers, so a basement renovation offered the perfect solution for more space for the kids and more room to entertain for the adults. “Our project consisted of expanding our laundry room, putting in a first floor wet bar so we had adult space upstairs, while also renovating our basement for a family-friendly and teen-functional area as well,” Michelle says. They found Advance Design Studio through a neighbor who gave a glowing recommendation, giving Michelle and Mike the confidence they needed to move forward with a major home renovation. They felt like they knew Advance Design before they even worked together. When they met with the owner Todd Jurs and designer Nicole Ryan, Mike and Michelle knew they were getting a trustworthy, dependable team that could create the project they had been dreaming about for 7 years. Having virtually no natural light to work with, one of the biggest design challenges was creating a basement that did not feel dark and depressing. The Advance team got to work creating architectural archways and custom detailed dry-stack stone columns artfully designed into the space, adding a dramatic element that made the space feel less like a basement or more like a relaxing family room. Color 3D renderings were created to portray what the space would look like so Mike and Michelle could visualize the space in advance. Detailed trim and crown moldings grace the built in buffet and wet bar making for an amazingly functional space that lacks nothing in style and visual interest. Cherry wood cabinetry by Dura Supreme is featured in the space with a “Cocoa Brown” finish and includes beautiful mirrored glass doors embellished with unique elliptical mullion details. A built-in microwave, dishwasher and mini fridge add practicality to the ample entertainment mecca. An under mounted sink finishes the space joined with a intricate mosaic tile backsplash and “Ventisca Polished” quartz countertops. The basement is absolutely perfect for hosting friends and family with expertly designed key areas such as a game space for the kids, a movie area for the family, an ample workout room with luxurious full bath, and even built in wine storage. The family absolutely loves the new basement living space, and has already enjoyed numerous family movie nights and sleep-overs with friends. While custom cabinets made by Dura Supreme were used to create unique spaces that lived up to Mike and Michelle’s expectations., heated flooring under the 16”x16” “Mongolian Spring” tile was installed giving all tiled areas of the basement a much cozier feel, eliminating that cold hard surface most of us hate in our basements! The new basement must-have requirement list included a new bath space, which was incorporated adjacent to the work out room. The sleek shower door and cabinets in the new bathroom make guests and family feel like they are in an elegant hotel. The new guest bath features 4”x36” “Silver Screen” honed marble tile in a brick pattern on the shower walls and 2”x2” “Chenille” limestone tile in a hexagon mosaic pattern on the shower floor. “I came in with very specific requirements for our three project areas,” Michelle says. “There was not one time that I felt like I was asking for something that was not going to turn out how I anticipated.” Tying in multiple rooms during a renovation if you have can do it makes a lot of sense and saves money in the long run. A fully functional laundry room as well was a must on this family’s wish list. Michelle wanted to add space to the existing cramped and awkward laundry room, and Mike wanted to make sure they could still park a car in the garage. Reconfiguring interior walls required borrowing unused space cleverly from the garage in order to enlarge the laundry room space. Drawers under the stairs added beautiful hidden storage created almost magically out of dead space. White painted Dura Supreme cabinets bring additional light into the small space; while the 16”x16” cleft slate tile flooring provides excellent contrast and the naturally earthy feel Michelle wanted. Quartz countertops with a 3”x12” “Debut Dew” subway tile backsplash add elegance to the now upliftingly bright laundry room. The extra space makes doing laundry much more pleasurable and the added storage is a great for all those little things like winter hats and gloves, umbrellas and the like. “The Advance Design project team was phenomenal to work with,” Michelle says. “They came in, shared the plans with us and walked us through the expectations. We always knew what was coming next.” Converting an existing closet space, the wet bar upstairs was challenging because they wanted a functional area that didn’t look or feel like cabinets just sticking out of a closet. So the Advance team transformed this ordinary closet space into a stunning wet bar that architecturally appears as if it’s always been there. Traditional, elegant hand carved custom molding matching the adjacent fireplace ties the new entertainment bar area in nicely with the existing family room and kitchen area. Featuring a built in wine refrigerator, Dura Supreme cabinetry in deep cherry wood elegantly displays wine bottles and etched glass mullion doors that fill with soft light in the evening hours. Cambria “Windermere” quartz countertops with a sophisticated hammered copper sink and a glimmering backsplash round out the stunning wet bar. Hosting parties and family functions has become much more enjoyable now that they have a dedicated beverage serving area large enough to include hors devours. All three projects were designed and constructed together at the same time, making for a cohesive project that was administered smoothly and easily both for the design team and for the family. Disruption to the home was minimal as each phase was completed in each project conclusively, and design and meeting time for the homeowner was efficient and organized making for an enjoyable process. “Advance Design was great to work with,” Michelle says. “I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a home improvement project. They took the time at the beginning to understand our needs, our budget, and our vision for our home. The field team was great, attentive, on time, cleaned up each day and made the overall experience very positive. We couldn't be happier with the finished product.” With the help of our talented, award winning design team you can create the basement, laundry room, or any other home renovation that you have been dreaming of. With our “Common Sense Remodeling” approach, the process of renovating you home has never been easier. Contact us today at 847-836-2600 or schedule an appointment to talk with us about that kitchen remodeling project. Joe Nowak

Time Honored Modern
Inspiration for a timeless gray floor mudroom remodel in Minneapolis

Mark Hoyle Originally, this 3700 SF two level eclectic farmhouse from the mid 1980’s underwent design changes to reflect a more colonial style. Now, after being completely renovated with additional 2800 SF living space, it’s combined total of 6500 SF boasts an Energy Star certification of 5 stars. Approaching this completed home, you will meander along a new driveway through the dense buffer of trees until you reach the clearing, and then circle a tiered fountain on axis with the front entry accentuating the symmetrical main structure. Many of the exterior changes included enclosing the front porch and rear screened porch, replacing windows, replacing all the vinyl siding with and fiber cement siding, creating a new front stoop with winding brick stairs and wrought iron railings as will as other additions to the left and rear of the home. The existing interior was completely fro the studs and included modifying uses of many of the existing rooms such as converting the original dining room into an oval shaped theater with reclining theater seats, fiber-optic starlight ceiling and an 80” television with built-in surround sound. The laundry room increased in size by taking in the porch and received all new cabinets and finishes. The screened porch across the back of the house was enclosed to create a new dining room, enlarged the kitchen, all of which allows for a commanding view of the beautifully landscaped pool. The upper master suite begins by entering a private office then leads to a newly vaulted bedroom, a new master bathroom with natural light and an enlarged closet. The major portion of the addition space was added to the left side as a part time home for the owner’s brother. This new addition boasts an open plan living, dining and kitchen, a master suite with a luxurious bathroom and walk–in closet, a guest suite, a garage and its own private gated brick courtyard entry and direct access to the well appointed pool patio. And finally the last part of the project is the sunroom and new lagoon style pool. Tucked tightly against the rear of the home. This room was created to feel like a gazebo including a metal roof and stained wood ceiling, the foundation of this room was constructed with the pool to insure the look as if it is floating on the water. The pool’s negative edge opposite side allows open views of the trees beyond. There is a natural stone waterfall on one side of the pool and a shallow area on the opposite side for lounge chairs to be placed in it along with a hot tub that spills into the pool. The coping completes the pool’s natural shape and continues to the patio utilizing the same stone but separated by Zoysia grass keeping the natural theme. The finishing touches to this backyard oasis is completed utilizing large boulders, Tempest Torches, architectural lighting and abundant variety of landscaping complete the oasis for all to enjoy.

Inspiration for a transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor dining room remodel in London with white walls

Sitting Room built-in desk area with warm walnut top and taupe painted inset cabinets. View of mudroom beyond.
Home office - mid-sized traditional built-in desk medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wood wall home office idea in Other with white walls

Family room - mid-sized contemporary open concept light wood floor family room idea in New York with gray walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Photo: Jane Vorbrodt © 2015 Houzz
Elegant home design photo in Vancouver

Empire Contracting Inc 707.884.9789 Photos By: Sea Ranch Images www.searanchimages.com 707.653.6866
Example of a 1950s bedroom design in San Francisco with white walls

Spectrum Studio
Alcove shower - transitional white tile black floor alcove shower idea in Chicago with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet and gray walls