Clarified Studios
Example of a mid-sized transitional freestanding desk carpeted study room design in Los Angeles with gray walls

This transitional-meets-glam revival home blends hints of traditional inspiration with chic and glamorous details to create a timeless and class design. The clean, deliberate lines of the architectures meet ornate and organic shapes in the design elements to achieve a pristine yet comfortable environment. Mixing rich and contemporary materials-such as Carrera Marble with Caesarstone-along with glitzy lighting, furnishings and accessories result in a vision of vintage glamour and classic living. Photographer: Clarified Studios

kitchenCRATE Canyon Green Way | San Ramon | Quartz: MSI Arctic White | Backsplash: MSI Arabescato Carrara 3 x 6 Marble Tiles | Cabinets: Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee | Sink: Blanco Precis Cascade in Metallic Gray | Faucet: Pfister Clarify | Soap Dispenser: Kohler Transitional | Cabinet Pulls: Liberty 3” Nautical in Satin Nickel For the full project description visit: http://pleasanton.kbcrate.com/kitchencrate-canyon-green-way-san-ramon-complete/.

The clients were familiar with remodeling, friendly, clear about what they wanted for the home and how much they wanted to spend. We were selected from among three other Contractors who were bidding on the project. Within a few weeks of that decision, the permit was ready and we had clarified all of the clients interior finishes and selections. The home addition design required the removal of a large portion of the roof, concrete porches, a fair amount of siding, some windows, plus demolition of the kitchen and existing bathroom. New foundations and framing were installed to accommodate higher ceilings, the enlarged kitchen, new master bathroom and bedroom, larger front porch, and interior wall changes. The home's exterior was updated with new gable and wall siding, new roof and gutters, new energy efficient windows, and trim. Inside, the electrical system was updated, new plumbing services and furnace were installed along with all new wood flooring. The existing bathroom was completely remodeled, and the new master bathroom was outfitted with new cabinetry, plumbing fixtures and tile surfacing. The new open kitchen was finished with custom hardwood cabinetry, high end appliances, and stone countertops. Throughout the interior, walls were finished with wood paneling and trim to fit the cottage architecture. A full interior and exterior paint job completed the project with charming results. http://santaellamedia.com/

Tom Clary, Clarified Studios
Mid-sized eclectic travertine floor great room photo in Los Angeles with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

Kathy Muir
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless home design remodel in Philadelphia

The family that designs together stays together. This was the approach for IKD customer Alexandra, from Hurley, NY, and her family when they set out to preserve the original galley kitchen footprint for this new IKEA kitchen in their 1950s modern home. “We liked the existing layout, but we needed more storage and wanted to improve the space’s functionality. We cook every day, but the kitchen is also used as a passage to other parts of the house. It took us some time to think about different design solutions to clarify the space, but it was a process that the whole family enjoyed,” she explains. Specifically, their main design wish was to incorporate a counter-depth refrigerator, raise the countertops to a more comfortable working height of 38” and to stack the upper cabinets on the stove side. “We also hoped to find an integrated range hood, which would just blend in with the IKEA cabinetry, so that the horizontal lines in the design could be preserved,” she says. “Early on in the design process we decided on a white kitchen with sleek, black handles that would create horizontal lines, as well as a concrete-color countertop. We also eliminated the backsplash to keep the kitchen visually simple. Our house is full of art and color, so we didn’t feel the need for patterns and color via the backsplash; plus the stove wall is an actual brick wall which we wanted to expose as a design element. So Alexandra’s family chose IKEA SEKTION cabinetry framework with IKEA white RINGHULT fronts, IKEA FORBATRA cover panels and IKEA MAXIMERA drawers – all complemented by cabinet handles from Top Knobs.

Clarified Studios
Inspiration for a mid-sized mediterranean open concept terra-cotta tile and beige floor family room remodel in Los Angeles with a bar, beige walls, a media wall and no fireplace

Clarified Studios
Large transitional u-shaped ceramic tile eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, green backsplash, matchstick tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

kitchenCRATE Canyon Green Way | San Ramon | Quartz: MSI Arctic White | Backsplash: MSI Arabescato Carrara 3 x 6 Marble Tiles | Cabinets: Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee | Sink: Blanco Precis Cascade in Metallic Gray | Faucet: Pfister Clarify | Soap Dispenser: Kohler Transitional | Cabinet Pulls: Liberty 3” Nautical in Satin Nickel For the full project description visit: http://pleasanton.kbcrate.com/kitchencrate-canyon-green-way-san-ramon-complete/.

Built in 1949, this Edina home had a strong horizontal presence on the site, but through subsequent renovations the overall massing was lacking clarity and refinement and the entry was diminutive and uninviting. The roof and siding materials were aging, and important interior spaces were cramped and closed in. The house needed better light, better connection internally and out, and exterior updates to clarify and enhance the strengths of the home. The primary design evolved out of a celebration of the existing horizontality of the home and a recognition that a bigger home was not needed. By layering materiality and color, a new identity was created. A new cedar entry canopy slips out from under the previous roof line, extending further towards the street. This added warmth at the entry is echoed along the facade, creating a graceful rhythm and texture. The previous additions were re-clad with a darker material palette in order to anchor and unify the ends of the home. As the grade slopes down towards the back yard, horizontal bands are exposed, revealing the layering top to bottom. Combined, these few shifts in color and materiality allowed for a complete transformation of the home. The interior is reflective of the material and color palette used outside. The main living spaces are opened up and connected while strengthening the original symmetry of the more formal linear alignment of rooms. A whole new kitchen relocates the center of the home and makes more fluid the daily life of this young family. The house is fully transformed inside and out, all without adding more square feet. Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge Nate Dodge

Cabinets: Executive Cabinetry Sahara, Gloss White Foil Finish Countertops: Silestone Bianco River Modena Alder Floor Tile
Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped porcelain tile enclosed kitchen design in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, subway tile backsplash and an island

Read the full story here: http://www.pamelasandalldesign.com/project/tommy-bahama-cali-style/ Photography by Tom Clary, Clarified studios

kitchenCRATE Canyon Green Way | San Ramon | Quartz: MSI Arctic White | Backsplash: MSI Arabescato Carrara 3 x 6 Marble Tiles | Cabinets: Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee | Sink: Blanco Precis Cascade in Metallic Gray | Faucet: Pfister Clarify | Soap Dispenser: Kohler Transitional | Cabinet Pulls: Liberty 3” Nautical in Satin Nickel For the full project description visit: http://pleasanton.kbcrate.com/kitchencrate-canyon-green-way-san-ramon-complete/.

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset. The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu . Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home. The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south. Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape. The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature. Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design. Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view. Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward. Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan Structural Engineer: ZFA Contractor: Maison D’Artiste Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2023

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

The existing house in on a lovely, sloping site that abuts conservation land. The client wanted to reconfigure and modestly expand the house to take better advantage of the landscape, improve the natural light, flow and finishes in the interior spaces and clarify earlier renovation work that had been left unresolved or unfinished.

The apartment occupies the third floor of a prominent corner property originally constructed in 1860. The building was formerly two neighbouring town houses, reconfigured in 1939 as a residential school for girls. In 1968, the State of Kuwait purchased the property which became their London Embassy until 2000 at which time the two houses were converted into 13 flats. Amos Goldreich Architecture was appointed as lead architects to create a contemporary 3 bedroom home within this Grade II Listed Building. AGA has sought to rationalise the formerly over-complex configuration, clarifying spatial sequences and creating a coherent visual palette. The apartment is finished to a high standard, with bespoke joinery and ingenious storage solutions.