The door into the little girl's room with Moroccan market basket hung on the door for laundry.
Example of an eclectic kids' room design in New York

Example of a minimalist bedroom design in New York

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photo: Alexandra Crafton © 2015 Houzz
Home office - eclectic home office idea in Los Angeles

Island in the front of the yard needed de-weeding, mulching and the application of chemical weed control. You may notice the Dandelions in the front yard curling from a chemical application the previous day. The main hedge was shaped to provide a more uniform appearance.

Transitional kitchen photo in San Francisco

Viking 48" 7 Series Gas Rangetop - VGRT748 Available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center. Commercial-Type Surface Power - EXCLUSIVE Viking Elevation Burners™ with brass flame ports boast 23,000 BTUs across the front of all width configurations, with multiple 15,000 BTUs and one 8,000 BTU burner across the rear - Three burner sizes efficiently deliver heat to any size cookware - EXCLUSIVE VariSimmer™ Setting on ALL burners provides gentle, even simmering at precisely low cooking temperatures - EXCLUSIVE SureSpark™ Ignition System, ensures automatic ignition/re-ignition, should the burners extinguish at any time while cooking ViChrome™ Griddle - Thermostatically controlled chrome griddle heats evenly to provide consistent cooking across the entire surface and can be easily removed for cleaning - Inspired by the Viking Commercial plancha, the ViChrome™ Griddle features the PATENT PENDING Grease Management System™ that strategically directs excess grease into a removable capture trough for quick and easy cleanup - PATENT PENDING StayCool™ Trough Handle is designed to resist heat from the griddle so that the trough can be easily removed and hot grease discarded Easy Operation and Cleanup - SoftLit™ LED Lights accent the control panel and illuminate knobs - EXCLUSIVE seamless, heavy gauge porcelain burner pan with elevated flame ports prevent spillovers from baking on, making cleanup easy - Continuous grate design allows easy movement of pots and pans from burner to burner - Grates, burner caps, knobs, griddle and grill accessories can be easily removed and taken to the sink for cleaning Reversible Grill/Griddle – Optional Accessory - Reversible non-stick aluminum grill/griddle accessory if perfect for healthy cooking without oil - Interchanges with ViChrome™ griddle providing versatility for grilling, griddling, and defrosting The Industry’s Best and Most Comprehensive Warranty - 3-year full - complete product - 90-day full – cosmetic parts such as glass, painted items and decorative items - 5-year limited – surface burners Model Numbers VGRT7488B - 48"W. Rangetop with 8 Burners VGRT7486G - 48"W. Rangetop with 6 Burners and Griddle

Closeup of clean edged flowerbeds. Charles Douglas
Inspiration for a small traditional partial sun front yard garden path in Cleveland for summer.

Photo: Heather Banks © 2015 Houzz Design: Brandi Hines
Minimalist entryway photo in Austin

Front yard close up.
This is an example of a small contemporary partial sun front yard landscaping in Cleveland for summer.

The renovated kitchen features Casavitabella Alhambra marengo floor tiles, Caesarstone Empira white countertops, Emser Craft II White subway backsplash and Top Knobs brush satin nickel cabinet pulls - all available at Spazio LA Tile Gallery.

Network rack cleanup
Example of an urban home theater design in Houston

Spring Cleanup after photos.
This is an example of a large craftsman side yard landscaping in Other for spring.

Trimmed hedges and the addition of mulch reinvigorated this drab area. in addition the Rhododendron were suffering from malnutrition so we added fertilizer to the so

Removal of dead organic material from over winter, pruning of trees, shrubs and ornamentals and mulching the property for a fresh look.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional partial sun front yard landscaping in Cleveland for summer.

The aesthetics of the kitchen were critical because it is centrally located in the great room of which it is a part. The challenge was to integrate the kitchen into the larger space while making sure it didn't dominate it. We accomplished this by using a restrained color palette of cream, gold, gray-green and gray-blue with touches of deeper chocolate brown. The same colors repeat in the quartzite counters, arabesque stone mosaic back splash and stacked slate accent wall (also used in the fireplace in the living area). The uppermost cabinets feature glass doors and lighting to showcase a collection of crystal inherited from the client's grandmother. This feature is beautiful but also makes good use of cabinets too tall to reach conveniently. The glass doors add sparkle and the cabinet height enhances vertical lines of the space and draws the eye toward the vaulted ceiling. Photo by Lane Barden

The beds along the side of the house needed de-weeding and mulching. The hedges which serve as a privacy border were shaped to provide a more uniform appearance.

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in DC Metro.