Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor and brown floor great room remodel in Chicago with white walls and no fireplace

Jesse Snyder Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless enclosed and formal dark wood floor living room remodel in DC Metro with yellow walls, no fireplace and no tv

Dining room - contemporary dining room idea in San Francisco with gray walls

Water feature in glazed pot with LED lighting.
Example of a large arts and crafts backyard stone patio design in Atlanta with a fire pit and no cover

Photography: Werner Straube
Example of a large transitional open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor family room design in Chicago with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

Photography by John Reed Forsman
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional back porch design in Minneapolis with a fire pit, decking and a roof extension.

With just a few thoughtful essentials, an empty area of the kitchen can become the most sought-after spot in the house. Tucked into a charming nook, the plank-topped Arlo round table cozies up to café-style seating – which include the solid oak Bayfield side chairs. Bright, comfy pillows and a calming piece of art help create an irresistible dining space, where early mornings are spent curled up with croissants and coffee, and late evenings linger over dessert and wine.

Ryann Ford
Example of a small trendy backyard concrete patio design in Austin with a roof extension

Photo: Lucy Call © 2013 Houzz
This is an example of a contemporary porch design in Salt Lake City.

Already partially enclosed by an ipe fence and concrete wall, our client had a vision of an outdoor courtyard for entertaining on warm summer evenings since the space would be shaded by the house in the afternoon. He imagined the space with a water feature, lighting and paving surrounded by plants. With our marching orders in place, we drew up a schematic plan quickly and met to review two options for the space. These options quickly coalesced and combined into a single vision for the space. A thick, 60” tall concrete wall would enclose the opening to the street – creating privacy and security, and making a bold statement. We knew the gate had to be interesting enough to stand up to the large concrete walls on either side, so we designed and had custom fabricated by Dennis Schleder (www.dennisschleder.com) a beautiful, visually dynamic metal gate. The gate has become the icing on the cake, all 300 pounds of it! Other touches include drought tolerant planting, bluestone paving with pebble accents, crushed granite paving, LED accent lighting, and outdoor furniture. Both existing trees were retained and are thriving with their new soil. The garden was installed in December and our client is extremely happy with the results – so are we! Photo credits, Coreen Schmidt

Leslie Goodwin Photography
Family room - transitional look-out family room idea in Toronto with white walls

Example of a transitional formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Detroit with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Large urban open concept dark wood floor living room photo in New York with white walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Eric Rorer
Living room - contemporary living room idea in San Francisco with gray walls

This Del Mar outdoor oasis was designed by SJS Studios Inc. and built by Cross Construction. It showcases a custom built-in teak bench that surrounds a custom concrete / teak table that can transform into a firepit at night. The built-in grill integrates teak with terrazzo countertops that have a waterfall edge and beautiful custom tiles that give the space a unique and coastal vibe. The Annsacks tile is installed in the custom bench pulling the whole space seamlessly together. The trash enclosure features custom teak work with a copper lid and hardware that will patina over time. This amazing outdoor space, features quality craftsmanship and maximizes every corner to provide the homeowners with not only an outdoor coastal oasis but a functioning outdoor area to lounge and host gatherings both throughout the day and night.

Architect: Mercedes de la Garza; Photographer: Peter Lyons
Living room - contemporary formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in San Francisco with white walls

For more information on elements of this design please contact Lilia Fulton of Narrative Interiors: lilia.fulton@gmail.com Robert J. Schroeder Photography©2012