Designer Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn helped a neighbor and friend to update a “builder grade” kitchen into a personal, family space that feels luxurious and inviting. The homeowner wanted to solve a number of storage and flow problems in the kitchen, including a wasted area dedicated to a desk, too-little pantry storage, and her wish for a kitchen bar. The all white builder kitchen lacked character, and the client wanted to inject color, texture and personality into the kitchen while keeping it classic.

A kitchen within a kitchen: The island is a fully-capable, compact kitchen, all within easy reach of a the wife when her wheelchair is parked at the knee space. This is Command Central while the rest of the family has the surrounding kitchen so that everyone can cook together. Photo: Erick Mikiten, AIA

Basement - farmhouse basement idea in New York

Photography by Morgan Howarth
Elegant enclosed kitchen photo in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

This wall of custom cabinetry serves as a command central for this homeowner. With charging stations, calendars, notebooks, pens, mail, schedules and laptops all smartly organized behind the closed doors. The look is casual with silk stripe fabric behind the chicken wire cabinet doors and an exposed custom bulletin board wrapped in burlap to pin up all the pretty invitations and thank you notes. Photo: Laura Ziffer

This very busy family of five needed a convenient place to drop coats, shoes and bookbags near the active side entrance of their home. Creating a mudroom space was an essential part of a larger renovation project we were hired to design which included a kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, home office, laundry room, and powder room. These additional spaces, including the new mudroom, did not exist previously and were created from the home’s existing square footage. The location of the mudroom provides convenient access from the entry door and creates a roomy hallway that allows an easy transition between the family room and laundry room. This space also is used to access the back staircase leading to the second floor addition which includes a bedroom, full bath, and a second office. The color pallet features peaceful shades of blue-greys and neutrals accented with textural storage baskets. On one side of the hallway floor-to-ceiling cabinetry provides an abundance of vital closed storage, while the other side features a traditional mudroom design with coat hooks, open cubbies, shoe storage and a long bench. The cubbies above and below the bench were specifically designed to accommodate baskets to make storage accessible and tidy. The stained wood bench seat adds warmth and contrast to the blue-grey paint. The desk area at the end closest to the door provides a charging station for mobile devices and serves as a handy landing spot for mail and keys. The open area under the desktop is perfect for the dog bowls. Photo: Peter Krupenye

This is "command central" for this home, integrating the lighting, audio/video, climate, fireplace, motorized shades, door lock, gate entry, and intercom into a simple to use system. The location and design of the AV Rack provides simple access for service and upgrades, while keeping everything at the right operating temperature.

This busy family, with a house full of kids, dogs, and cats, needed a landing place for everyone as they arrived home, and the cramped entry hall was no longer working. A mudroom was designed with custom cabinets, including lockers and an island, to create a storage system for the family, and as importantly a place to hang out, do homework, and art projects. Lockers were built for each member of the family, complete with shoe storage, charging stations for computers, and basket storage above. A central island has 4 stools to sit for homework, art or snacktime, and houses drawers for each of the kids to drop their keys, with a USB charger for phones and iPads.

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons Photography: Landmark Photography Home & Interior Design: Tom Rauscher Cabinetry: North Star Kitchens
Seated home bar - contemporary porcelain tile seated home bar idea in Minneapolis with glass countertops, open cabinets and dark wood cabinets

This is an organic Lime Wash done with a true lime wash product as opposed to a brick mortar or concrete that is often seen on new houses. This product can be applied as a solid coating making the surface completely white, or can be applied and "washed off" in many artistic ways, as seen here. If you hate your brick or just want something unique this is a great option! Photo credit: Jeff Murrey

Home office - contemporary home office idea in Charlotte

Driving the design of this home was the clients' need for a centrally located office to manage a busy life, as well as provide a homework and project station for their kids. The traditional office located off the entry and separated from the kitchen and main living area was not functional for their lifestyle. Instead they wanted a command center located off the kitchen so they could easily cook a meal, consult on homework, search for a recipe, and manage the mail within steps of each other. Once moved in, a secondary table centered under the lights will provide a daily work station.

Command central - the sink. www.VanEarlPhotography.com
Kitchen - mid-sized contemporary u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen idea in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Majestic triplex home in circa 1858 townhouse. This iconic 25’ mansion features a striking limestone façade on Hudson Street, 3,153 sq ft of living space, 2 outdoor spaces including an amazing bi-level roof deck with partial NYC & water views & on-site parking. Made-to-order kitchen showcases antique terracotta tile imported from France, custom cabinetry, granite counters, Viking range, Miele dishwasher, SubZero refrigeration, wine chiller and breakfast nook. Off of the kitchen is one of 2 terraces featuring handcrafted copper planters, ample dining space, access to backyard and parking. Commanding living room with 11’ ceilings showcases original fireplace mantle and intricate dental & crown moldings. A formal dining area with hand blown glass lighting and powder room complete the first level. Up the grand staircase lies the master bedroom retreat featuring walk-in closet/nursery, parquet floors, 10’ ceilings and a soothing master bath; magnificently appointed with onyx tile, custom marble vanity, Swarovski crystal lighting and an oversized walk-in spa shower. The third bedroom doubles as an office with coffered ceiling, abundance of built in storage and access to the top floor. Media room replete with projection screen, wet bar, wiring for full surround sound and access to the 2- tier terrace with low maintenance Trex deck surface, eastern exposure and city views. Two zone central air conditioning, new hot water heater and washer/dryer. Control4 technology for sound system & lighting. Half the yard is deeded to this singular home. Parking from Court St. entrance & additional basement storage.

In this Victorian remodel in Larchmont, we enclosed a second-floor porch at the top of the stairs to make a small but much-used command central office for the mom of the house. We covered the walls in a favorite fabric and highlighted the window shape with custom shades.

Breathtaking views of the incomparable Big Sur Coast, this classic Tuscan design of an Italian farmhouse, combined with a modern approach creates an ambiance of relaxed sophistication for this magnificent 95.73-acre, private coastal estate on California’s Coastal Ridge. Five-bedroom, 5.5-bath, 7,030 sq. ft. main house, and 864 sq. ft. caretaker house over 864 sq. ft. of garage and laundry facility. Commanding a ridge above the Pacific Ocean and Post Ranch Inn, this spectacular property has sweeping views of the California coastline and surrounding hills. “It’s as if a contemporary house were overlaid on a Tuscan farm-house ruin,” says decorator Craig Wright who created the interiors. The main residence was designed by renowned architect Mickey Muenning—the architect of Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, —who artfully combined the contemporary sensibility and the Tuscan vernacular, featuring vaulted ceilings, stained concrete floors, reclaimed Tuscan wood beams, antique Italian roof tiles and a stone tower. Beautifully designed for indoor/outdoor living; the grounds offer a plethora of comfortable and inviting places to lounge and enjoy the stunning views. No expense was spared in the construction of this exquisite estate.

The rear elevation from the pool axis, revealing the full composition of the house at its most commanding. The rear elevation from the pool axis, revealing the full composition of the house at its most commanding. The multi-volume barn cluster massing reads clearly from this vantage — two tall flanking gable volumes in white board and batten with standing seam metal roofs bookend a lower central stone connector with the covered outdoor living porch centered between them, its fieldstone columns and black steel frame doors framing the axis back to the pool. The symmetry is not rigid but is deliberately balanced, with the pool centerline aligning directly with the covered porch entry and the stone chimney rising above the roofline at center.

The new deck adds functional style to this backyard along with ease of transition from one space to the next. At Archadeck of West Central and Southwest Ohio we build decks for the way our clients want to live outdoors. This means that amenities and details often overlooked by other deck builders command our attention when we sit down to plan and design your ideal deck space. This Centerville deck is a testament of how we listen to your needs and design a deck that addresses those needs to a T!