Design rendering for a rear home addition in Pleasant Hill, California, by Taragano Design & Build. The addition is placed at the corner of the rear elevation rather than centered on it. That position was chosen to protect the existing windows along the back of the house. Extending straight off the middle would have added a room and darkened two others behind it, which is the most common way an addition makes a house worse while making it bigger. Set to the side, the new volume gets glass on two exposures and leaves the original rooms their daylight. It also creates a sheltered corner between old and new, and that corner becomes the patio without any structure built to define it. The roof runs as its own gable rather than tying into the existing pitch. On a house with a busy roof line already, extending the original would have meant a valley condition that collects debris and complicates drainage. A separate gable sheds independently and reads as a deliberate wing. Hardscape was planned to move water as much as to move people. The paver patio drains toward a rock swale rather than back toward the foundation, which matters in Contra Costa where expansive soils make foundation drainage the thing that determines whether the work holds up. Licensed general contractor, CSLB #1143420. Diamond Certified.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

Their South Minneapolis home was built in 1917, and while the home received lots of care and updates over the years, updating the garage had been put on the back burner for way too long. The original 14 X 20-foot garage, of unknown age, was just big enough for a single car. The owners jokingly called it a “Potato House,” as it was built into the ground, similar to a farmer’s out-building to store root vegetables (see before photo). As an Architect, the owner wanted the garage to have a more unusual design than the usual symmetrical gable roof of Minneapolis garages. The simplest way to construct a garage roof is with wood trusses. By simply altering the angles of the wood trusses allowed the structure to have a distinctive, asymmetrical roof design. The new 20 X 20-foot garage easily handles two cars. A single double-wide garage door makes parking cars in the busy alley quick and easy. To meet local construction codes, the South facing wall – five feet from the neighbor’s garage - is constructed with enhanced fire protection. The exterior siding is LP Smart Siding – a pre-finished wood product that is easy to install, durable, and looks great. The rear of the garage (facing the back of the home) uses the original front door of the main home built in 1917, adding character to the project. Three Andersen double pane windows let in ambient light. Although the garage is not heated, a new 120/240 Volt electric service and panel was installed, ready to recharge an electric vehicle. The result: a new, big, easily accessible garage that looks so much better than a “Potato House.” Note: Photos & design by Ken Stone, AIA.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

This contemporary living room has a mixture of textures to add interest to the space while maintaining clean lines. The pop of red adds color without being overbearing. And the use of natural elements in the stone, leather and wood decor items provide a tranquil environment. Hunter Douglas Pirouette provides an elegant look with sophisticated functionality. The Hunter Douglas Pirouette gives the look of a roman shade with the functionality of a silhouette sheer shade. The Pirouette’s fabric vanes open to a sheer fabric to provide a view through area and allowing light into the room. The sheer fabric provides protection from the harsh UV rays. The shade also closes completely for privacy. The Pirouette has the look of roman shades with the functionality of blinds. The Pirouette also comes in specialty shades that can fit many types of windows such as, arches or angles. The structure of the Pirouette is clean and elegant because the lifting system for the vanes have the patented Invisi-Lift system. This system allows the floating vanes to operate without having the unsightly cords or tapes. The vanes of the Hunter Douglas Pirouette can be flattened or contoured for complete privacy or opened for wide view-through. Protect your wood flooring, furniture or artwork from the damaging ultraviolet rays. The Pirouette Roman Shades block up to 81% of the harmful UV rays with vanes open and 99% with the vanes closed. There is a large selection of fabrics to choose from and two vane sizes. The Pirouette can also be operated manually or by remote control. Hunter Douglas has an app that can control the Pirouette on your iPhone or iPad. At Abda, we make the draperies, curtains, valances, cornices, pillow shams, accent throw pillows, duvet covers, comforters, coverlets and bed skirts…even custom fabric headboards in a variety of styles, sizes and shapes. We also make draperies, roman shades, valances or cornices to coordinate. If you have an existing piece of furniture, we also do upholstery. The possibilities are endless when you go custom. If you’re not sure where to start, no worries because we have design specialists that can help you create the home you’ve always dreamed of! We’re known for our attention to detail, great quality and outstanding service. We not only work with Indiana clients but also across the nation. HOW DO WE HAVE QUALITY PRODUCTS WITHOUT BREAKING THE BUDGET? At Abda, we believe in providing quality products, great customer service without breaking the pocket book for our customers! We’ve been in business since 1998 and have learned a few things over the years. Customers want excellent, reliable products without spending more than necessary. We decided to not have a large flashy retail store and focus on referrals rather than traditional advertising. In doing so, we’re able to provide the same great quality products as our competitors at a better price. And the amazing thing is, we do all of this while putting our focus on excellent customer service for our clients. Don’t take our word for it, check out what some of our customers are saying about us. www.abdawindowfashions.com LIVE OUT OF STATE OR TOO BUSY? Talk with our professional design specialists and let them help you transform your home! It’s simple and easy. This is a great solution for persons who live out of state or are too busy for a traditional home consultation. We have a “virtual interior designer” that will work with you each step of the way. With our great reviews, solid company and company values- you know that your home is in great hands! For more information, contact Talitha at 317-273-8343 or email: talitha@abdawindowfashions.com or check out our houzz.com store! LIVE IN CENTRAL INDIANA? For our local customers we offer, FREE In-home consultation or showroom appointment to meet your lifestyle and design needs. At Abda, we have the perfect blend of high-end and affordable solutions for every style and budget. Affordable doesn’t mean cheap! We pride ourselves on quality products with excellent service. We’re so confident of our products that we give our customers more than the manufacturers guarantee! At Abda, you will find knowledgeable staff that will turn your visions into a reality. Stop in our showroom or schedule a Free In-home consultation today! We know you will be happy with the results but don’t take our word for it, check out what some of our customers say about us on Houzz and Angie’s List! http://www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/in/indianapolis/abda-inc-custom-window-fashions-reviews-60394.htm?cid=ssabadge WHY CHOOSE US? We have been in business since November 1998 and started in the window covering business by cleaning & repairing blinds. This gave us a unique perspective from most window covering dealers. We have always considered how well products hold up and which manufacturers stand behind their products the best. We let our clients know the benefits of more expensive products and give honest feedback. We take pride in showing alternative products to fit all budgets. We also give our customers an additional 2 year warranty on top of the manufacturers guarantee! Our great testimonials on Angie’s List, Houzz.com and referrals have helped our company grow without the need for “conventional” advertising. Abda means ‘servant’. At Abda, we approach every customer with a servant’s attitude. This philosophy has helped our customers feel confident in their purchases and well-taken care of. Our number one focus is customer service and we believe in putting the customer’s needs first. We offer our clients an additional 2 year warranty on top of the manufacturer’s warranty and want each and every client to be completely happy with their purchase. We’ve been awarded the prestigious 2014 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews. We’ve grown over the years and have added more team members to our company and we’re very excited at the direction our company is going. Contact us today to get started on your project. Abda, Inc 1159 Country Club Road Indianapolis, In 46234 317-273-8343 (Ext. 103) Other Common Names For Pirouette: Roman Shades Roman Blinds Blinds Pirouette Blinds Vertical Blinds Venetian Blinds Shades Fabric Shades Hunter Douglas Blinds Hunter Douglas Shades Hunter Douglas Pirouette Energy Efficient Blinds Sun Protection Shades Sun Protection Blinds Child Safety Blinds Child Safety Window Treatments Indianapolis Blinds Indianapolis Shades Indianapolis Fabric Roman Shades Custom Blinds www.abdawindowfashions.com

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

Quax loves contemporary design and with the Havana room the sleek line and solid wood get a place in the range, confirming its place on the international design scene. Tested by internationally recognized bodies on EN-716 for the beds and EN-12221 for the changing tables and with long-term use in mind. The metal base is finished with a black powder coating. The upper structures are a mix of lacquered and solid wood panels. The charm of solid wood is reflected in its pristine patina and is the guarantee of a natural product that over time becomes increasingly unique and valuable. A contribution that should not be underestimated to the natural and the cozy interior, a caress for the senses. Depending on the tree’s habitat, color differences are possible and proof of its essence. At Quax we use sustainable materials. All the furniture boards meet the strict E1 standard on formaldehyde emissions. We support durable forestry and ask our suppliers to submit the PEFC and FSC certificates. Special care also goes to the furniture fittings. Only reputable suppliers provide us with, among others, quality sliders for the drawers and reliable connecting techniques. The paint finish is another point of attention, we only work with international quality supplierssuch as Akzo Nobel and no local producers. All producers are responsible for the certificates of their products, for example EN 71-3 with attention for the migration of harmful elements. Design also plays an important role in the business philosophy of Quax. In the Havana room the bars are milled out in the Mdf board, which does not only contribute to the fancy nature of this range but also to the sturdiness of the sideframes, not comparable to traditional bars. The range includes beds 120x60 cm, 140x70 cm with optional bedrail, a chest of four drawers with optional changing extension and a two or three-door wardrobe. Kris Van Damme for Quax

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

Their South Minneapolis home was built in 1917, and while the home received lots of care and updates over the years, updating the garage had been put on the back burner for way too long. The original 14 X 20-foot garage, of unknown age, was just big enough for a single car. The owners jokingly called it a “Potato House,” as it was built into the ground, similar to a farmer’s out-building to store root vegetables (see before photo). As an Architect, the owner wanted the garage to have a more unusual design than the usual symmetrical gable roof of Minneapolis garages. The simplest way to construct a garage roof is with wood trusses. By simply altering the angles of the wood trusses allowed the structure to have a distinctive, asymmetrical roof design. The new 20 X 20-foot garage easily handles two cars. A single double-wide garage door makes parking cars in the busy alley quick and easy. To meet local construction codes, the South facing wall – five feet from the neighbor’s garage - is constructed with enhanced fire protection. The exterior siding is LP Smart Siding – a pre-finished wood product that is easy to install, durable, and looks great. The rear of the garage (facing the back of the home) uses the original front door of the main home built in 1917, adding character to the project. Three Andersen double pane windows let in ambient light. Although the garage is not heated, a new 120/240 Volt electric service and panel was installed, ready to recharge an electric vehicle. The result: a new, big, easily accessible garage that looks so much better than a “Potato House.” Note: Photos & design by Ken Stone, AIA.

This residential landscape design transformed a compact property in Grant Ranch, Colorado, into a spacious and private outdoor retreat. Griffith Designs developed a personalized solution for the front and backyard that balances everyday function, curb appeal, and the homeowner’s desire for a peaceful escape from busy city life. Thoughtful space planning helped the smaller yard feel larger while creating distinct areas for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. An expansive stone patio serves as the foundation of the backyard outdoor living space, complemented by custom retaining walls that add structure, dimension, and visual interest. Mature Colorado pine and aspen trees provide privacy, shade, seasonal color, and a natural sense of enclosure—important elements when designing a private landscape in the Grant Ranch community. A custom gas fire pit creates an inviting gathering place for entertaining family and friends. Hidden LED landscape lighting adds warmth and ambiance after sunset while improving visibility throughout the property. Along the side of the home, a secluded sitting and reading area offers a quiet place to relax away from the main entertaining space. Colorful plantings placed throughout the garden beds soften the stonework and bring the front and backyard landscapes to life. The result is a beautiful, low-maintenance Grant Ranch landscape design that maximizes a smaller property and reflects the homeowner’s lifestyle, priorities, and personal vision for Colorado outdoor living.

This little kitchen wasn’t functioning at its best and quickly became the biggest undertaking of this remodel. The original brick wall had not fared well over the years, and was in need of some serious structural help, so rebuilding the back of the house became our first order of business, but this let us increase the size of the windows and flood the kitchen with all that gorgeous northern light. We reimagined the layout of the kitchen to bring in some much-needed functionality, and we were even able to tuck in a beverage center. Aesthetically, we wanted the kitchen to feel bright and open, even as we utilized every square inch of storage we could get, so we selected a crisp light blue for the walls, white cabinets, and white tile for the backsplash. But we were dead set against this kitchen becoming a space that didn’t drip with charm, so we brough it handmade star and cross tiles on the backsplash (with a little pop to the beverage area tile with a hand painted design), a marble look quartz counter top, and touches of black and brass for a little glitz. We also carried the wood flooring from the rest of the home into the kitchen and designed a custom steel and wood island to bring warmth into this space. The laundry room & pantry were also updated to include lovely built-in storage and tie in with the finishes in the kitchen.

This room went through a total transformation. The client asked that we repurpose existing furniture and create a warmer and more polished look in this large guest bedroom. We moved the bed from the original master bedroom to this space after adding rough sawn beams to the ceiling, a coordinated valance, a bench for luggage and seating under the window. We purchased the hides from a local business owned by “Erin Chaskey”. It is called Wheelhouse Market (989) 306-2633. The storefront is at 20361 State Street, Onaway, Michigan. You can see some of her finds at www.wheelhousemarket@hotmail.com. Her company specializes in repurposed and antique one of a kind pieces that she searches for in the most unusual places. Erin frequents demolition sites, garage sales, estate sales and old homes looking for unique and well suited pieces. She has a great eye and I highly recommend contacting her if you are in the market for structural pieces as well as furnishings from the past that emit character and charm. She actually went to the heart of Texas for these hides. The bedding is by Ann Gish. The dust ruffle is from Grandin Road. The log chair is the clients and was repurposed from the previous living room. All of the map art belongs to the client and we clustered it above the bed for uniformity and interest. The painted book shelf is an antique piece that remains in the room. The lamps are all from the client and are conversation pieces. The teepee lamp next to the bed has a flickering bulb inside to emulate a bonfire. It’s very special as this land was once occupied by American Indians as the postcards also reflect. At first glance we thought it might be too juvenile for the space, but as the room came together we felt it had a place. ©2018 All Rights Reserved, Photography by Mike Gullon

Their South Minneapolis home was built in 1917, and while the home received lots of care and updates over the years, updating the garage had been put on the back burner for way too long. The original 14 X 20-foot garage, of unknown age, was just big enough for a single car. The owners jokingly called it a “Potato House,” as it was built into the ground, similar to a farmer’s out-building to store root vegetables (see before photo). As an Architect, the owner wanted the garage to have a more unusual design than the usual symmetrical gable roof of Minneapolis garages. The simplest way to construct a garage roof is with wood trusses. By simply altering the angles of the wood trusses allowed the structure to have a distinctive, asymmetrical roof design. The new 20 X 20-foot garage easily handles two cars. A single double-wide garage door makes parking cars in the busy alley quick and easy. To meet local construction codes, the South facing wall – five feet from the neighbor’s garage - is constructed with enhanced fire protection. The exterior siding is LP Smart Siding – a pre-finished wood product that is easy to install, durable, and looks great. The rear of the garage (facing the back of the home) uses the original front door of the main home built in 1917, adding character to the project. Three Andersen double pane windows let in ambient light. Although the garage is not heated, a new 120/240 Volt electric service and panel was installed, ready to recharge an electric vehicle. The result: a new, big, easily accessible garage that looks so much better than a “Potato House.” Note: Photos & design by Ken Stone, AIA.

Awesome Norristown PA bi-level home remodel. We gutted the whole first level of this home down to the bare bones. We redesigned the space to an open floorplan. New structural framing, insulation, windows and doors, and all mechanicals were relocated and improved. Lighting! Lighting! Lighting! everywhere and it makes all the difference. Led lighting and smart switches were used for up lighting above cabinetry, task lighting under cabinetry, general room lighting, accent lighting under bar top, and all decorative fixtures as well. The kitchen was designed around a central island with elevated seating that is designed around the new structural columns required to open the whole area. Fabuwood cabinetry in Galaxy Horizon finish make up the perimeter cabinets accented by Galaxy Cobblestone finish used for the island cabinetry. Both cabinetry tones coordinate perfect with the new Luxury vinyl plank flooring in Uptown Chic Forever Friends. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, luxury vinyl is Awesome! It looks great its ultra durable and even water proof as well as less expensive than true hardwood. New stair treads, railings, and posts were installed stained to match by us; giving the steps new life. An accent wall of nickel gap boards was installed on the fireplace wall giving it some interest along with being a great clean look. The recessed niche behind the range, the dry stacked stone tile at the islands seating area, the new tile entry in a herringbone pattern just add to all the great details of this project. The New River White granite countertops are a show stopper as well; not only is it a beautiful stone the installation and seaming is excellent considering the pattern of the stone. I could go on forever we did so much. The clients were terrific and a pleasure to work with. I am glad we were able to be involved in making this dream come true.

St. Andrew’s Oak COREtec Plus represents the next revolution in luxury vinyl flooring. COREtec Plus is a great alternative to glue down LVT, solid locking LVT, or laminate flooring. The patent-pending* construction of COREtec Plus features our innovative COREtec core structure, which is an extruded core made from recycled wood and bamboo dust, limestone, and virgin PVC. Since COREtec Plus is 100% waterproof, COREtec Plus floors can be installed in wet areas and will never swell when exposed to water. COREtec Plus is inert and dimensionally stable; it will not expand or contract under normal conditions. Further, COREtec Plus never needs expansion strips in large rooms. Each COREtec Plus plank has an attached cork underlayment for a quieter, warmer vinyl floor that is naturally resistant to odor causing mold and mildew. Plank Dimensions: 7.125″ x 48″ x 8 mm Sq. Ft./Carton: 38.24 Construction: Engineered Vinyl Plank Edge Profile: Micro-Beveled Edges & Ends Core: COREtec extruded core Attached Underlayment: Cork Installation Method: Glueless Installation Installation Level: Below, On, or Above Grade Level Residential Warranty: Limited Lifetime Structure Warranty: Limited Lifetime Waterproof Warranty: Limited Lifetime Petproof Warranty: Limited Lifetime Commercial Warranty: 10 Year Limited Medium Commercial