Having an eye for great interior design yet no clue on where to start or how to narrow down their aesthetic vision, a young family turned to Décor Aid to bring their drab pre-war Upper West Side apartment to life. With two young daughters in tow, our clients were looking for high style décor grounded in practicality and function – namely for their foyer, living room, dining room, and den. Armed with a variety of inspiration from traditional to ultra-modern, they knew that they wanted their apartment’s interior design to look put together and thought through, but were short on a concise design direction. In comes Décor Aid interior designer Gabrielle G. to revive their stark home with inspired design. After their initial in-home consultation, Gabrielle honed in on key decorative touchstones the couple had interest in and compiled a list of must-haves as an aesthetic foundation for the home. Starting with fresh coats of pure white paint to liven up and brighten each room, Gabrielle took advantage of the apartments closed floor plan and gave each room it’s own design signature rather than having to ensure that everything flowed together – in turn, giving her more freedom. Save for a china cabinet and formal dining table, Gabrielle was tasked with sourcing furnishings and accessories and went for clean simplicity as the couple also expressed that they’d like to have pieces that can move with them as their family grows while also being conducive for family life. As you can see, the space is grounded with soothing neutrals so Gabrielle brought in pops of color and texture through accessories and abstract art for a sophisticated yet casual vibe. The end result boasts concise design and pulled together everyday glamor for this modern family home that our clients adore, and so do we.

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

A fun project combining a love of color with a love for an eclectic mix of furnishings and accessories. It was a great adventure figuring out how to marry the traditional style and good furniture that her husband grew up with and loved, with the funky vibe and saturated colors my client and her husband both wanted in their home. We started with high quality traditional furnishings and a classic oriental rug to lay the foundation. Then we added in modern elements, such as a gorgeous chunky wooden table for the eating area, paired with sleek warm white leather chairs and bold lighting that is anything but traditional. The top layer of Chihuly inspired glass, bright pottery, colorful fabrics, new dramatic custom curtains, and my client's own collections made everything just come together. Photos by Laura Kicey

This particular client wanted a clean, neutral, sleek, transitional look to fit their professional lifestyles. The strategy was to have a neutral base, but buy several different groupings of decor and pillows to easily change the look of the room with out buying new furnishings. The art over the fireplace was chosen because of the variety of color in the picture. This was a good foundational piece to derive many different color schemes from. Andy McRory Photography

This Caledonia, Ontario bungalow has a pool with walk-out access to an outdoor patio on the foundation level. Above the ceiling, which is I-beam construction, is the living room. The owner wanted to contain moisture and sound within the pool area, while creating aesthetic appeal and remaining within budget. Most residential spaces only require stretch ceiling support around the perimeter of the room, but swimming pool rooms are unusually large, so we opted to install the stretch ceiling in sections, attaching the support profiles directly to the I-Beams. The client chose a golden classical graphic to print on the centre sections. The entire family is happy with the results. The whole project came in at under $10, 000 and a turnaround time of less than 2 weeks.

The Rancho Estate provides a level of luxury that sets it apart from any residence in Los Angeles, breaking the record for the most expensive home ever sold in the Encino area. The Eden Group worked with the client to achieve all their development goals by providing integrated design and engineering services which developed concurrently achieving project milestones while staying within the construction budget. Our residential design team used modern aesthetics which entailed of design elements tailored to provide spacious and unparalleled views of the San Fernando Valley. Attracting a dream buyer is the most important aspect in the eyes of any real estate developer and that is why we chose two words to describe the amenities we incorporated into the design: Vast & Spectacular. The estate allows you to swim with infinite views, get your work out on at the indoor gym, shoot hoops with your friends in the indoor basketball court, go for a round of bowling with your child, chomp on popcorn in your theater, get a massage after the steam room at your private spa, putt a couple hole-in-ones, and if you get bored you can always choose to go for a ride from the collection inside your 16-car garage. Majestic high ceilings mixed wide span openings created a challenge for our engineers given the strict rules in the Baseline Hillside Ordinance and the California Building Code. Our structural engineers prepared innovative design plans which entailed of 150 deep pile foundations mixed with steel and laminated timber framing members. We also used permanent shoring techniques to reduce construction cost by eliminating the need for temporary shoring plans for both the structure foundation and on-site retaining walls. Given that California has some of the strictest stormwater management requirements and the total amount of non-permeable areas on this project, the client was required to construct a 35,000-gallon rain harvesting tank per the Low Impact Development Plan Best Management Practice (BMP’s) standards. Our specialized drainage design team captured all on-site stormwater through trench drains, area drains, and downspouts which routed water to a mechanical sump pump that connected to the storage tank for irrigation use later. Innovative design engineering techniques used on this project allowed for increased safety and sustainability making the Rancho Estate a masterpiece of contemporary construction.

Kitchen in Trailside View | Refined Transitional Home in Scottsdale, AZ | Room Type: Whole Home Remodel and Furnishings | Project Name: Trailside View Residence | Key Feature: A full home remodel and furnishings project anchored by white oak cabinetry and countertops, where the clients gave Living with Lolo real creative freedom to play with bold fabrics, wallpapers, and drapery that most homeowners would talk themselves out of. Challenge: Transitional design can play it safe by default, neutral palette, inoffensive finishes, nothing that makes you catch your breath. The remodel needed a strong foundation that felt refined and timeless, but the clients wanted more than that. They wanted a home with personality, and the challenge was channeling that creative openness into something cohesive rather than chaotic. Solution: Living with Lolo used white oak cabinetry and countertops to ground the remodel in warmth and quiet sophistication, then let the soft goods carry the personality. Bold fabric choices, expressive wallpapers, and thoughtful drapery gave each room its own moment without losing the thread that connected the whole home. Because the remodel and furnishings were managed together under one roof, the bolder design choices landed the way they were intended to rather than feeling like afterthoughts layered onto a finished renovation. Materials: White oak cabinetry, white oak countertops, curated wallpapers, bold upholstery fabrics, custom drapery, and layered accessories sourced through Living with Lolo's trade relationships. Budget: $250,000 to $550,000 | Timeline: Approximately 5 to 9 months from design through completion.

Sculpture, shapes, and seating took the utmost priority in this dining room. The foundation of this room started with the square wainscoting trimmed out in white, with the black and white art popped at center stage. A strong, durable wood table was key for dinner parties, and space for kids to work on school projects. The fun part of this design was the mix in seating which was personal to our wonderful clients!

This Caledonia, Ontario bungalow has a pool with walk-out access to an outdoor patio on the foundation level. Above the ceiling, which is I-beam construction, is the living room. The owner wanted to contain moisture and sound within the pool area, while creating aesthetic appeal and remaining within budget. Most residential spaces only require stretch ceiling support around the perimeter of the room, but swimming pool rooms are unusually large, so we opted to install the stretch ceiling in sections, attaching the support profiles directly to the I-Beams. The client chose a golden classical graphic to print on the centre sections. The entire family is happy with the results. The whole project came in at under $10, 000 and a turnaround time of less than 2 weeks.

Description: In early 1994, the architects began work on the project and while in construction (demolition, grading and foundations) the owner, due to circumstances beyond his control, halted all construction of the project. Seven years later the owner returned to the architects and asked them to complete the partially constructed house. Due to code changes, city ordinances and a wide variety of obstacles it was determined that the house was unable to be completed as originally designed. After much consideration the client asked the architect if it were possible to alter/remodel the partially constructed house, which was a remodel/addition to a 1970’s ranch style house, into a project that fit into current zoning and structural codes. The owner also requested that the house’s footprint and partially constructed foundations remain to avoid the need for further entitlements and delays on an already long overdue and difficult hillside site. The architects’ main challenge was how to alter the design that reflected an outdated philosophical approach to architecture that was nearly a decade old. How could the house be re-conceived reflecting the architect and client’s maturity on a ten-year-old footprint? The answer was to remove almost all of the previously proposed existing interior walls and transform the existing footprint into a pavilion-like structure that allows the site to in a sense “pass through the house”. This allowed the client to take better advantage of a limited and restricted building area while capturing extraordinary panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood Hills. Large 22-foot high custom sliding glass doors allow the interior and exterior to become one. Even the studio is separated from the house and connected only by an exterior bridge. Private spaces are treated as loft-like spaces capturing volume and views while maintaining privacy. Limestone floors extend from inside to outside and into the lap pool that runs the entire length of the house creating a horizon line at the edge of the view. Other natural materials such as board formed concrete, copper, steel and cherry provides softness to the objects that seem to float within the interior volume. By placing objects and materials "outside the frame," a new frame of reference deepens our sense of perception. Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.

design: Studio TOOP, 2011 location: Amersfoort, NL status: built in 2011, Tuinvreugd in combination with the client photos: Jolanthe Lalkens, 2014 When our clients bought this property the garden was filled with outbuildings that served as storage and cooling when the house once was a milk shop. Their first step was to tear down several of the buildings. The new deck is situated on the former foundation of one of the larger buildings. This space forms the heart of the garden. The benches that nearly surround it offer lots and lots of places to sit, so you can move as the sun and mood suit you. On the far side of the deck is raised bed that functions as a veggie garden. Situated 10 cm lower than the deck fine gravel (Nobre Cal) is used to make paths and seating areas surrounded by organically formed beds full of bright colored flowers. In the loose corner in the back of the garden there is a fire pit surrounded by low brick walls for seating. photos: Jolanthe Lalkens

Sunday, May 31, 10:00 to 11:30am | Beverly Hills Coldwater Canyon Residence by Mark Tessier of Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture The expansive views from this mountaintop property are a defining feature of this residence. With a passion for modern architecture and art, the clients wanted their garden to reflect their aesthetic and honor the California lifestyle. To meet their needs, the firm crafted a series of family-friendly outdoor rooms for living and entertaining. To highlight the architecture, concrete provides a unifying thread to join spaces together and define structure—sometimes solid, in other places becoming eroded walls and gravel walkways. At the entry to this serene garden, a sculptural concrete bridge arches over a Koi pond and water feature. Quiet, meditative pathways lead to gathering spaces shaded by willow trees and guide guests by the pool to floating wood platforms with lounge seating. On a carpet of Ipe wood, open-air dining and entertaining at a custom designed laser-cut tile table is enjoyed under retractable steel shade structures. In the rear garden, the designer provided a place for the clients to socialize by an outdoor fireplace, swim in the pool, relax on floating platforms, and take in the views. Native plants are interspersed with the client’s favored planting palette, a diverse selection of succulents and exotic species. Photos by David Laurdison

Collected Interiors worked with the clients to bring an ocean-inspired color palette and fun textures to their primary bath. With visits to the plumbing showroom and tile warehouse, we were able to select more modern finishes, while keeping a fun feel in the mosaic backsplash. The family room needed a bright, and clean refresh with more modern looking cabinets, cleaner lines and still plenty of storage. Since our clients are focused on utilizing electric energy, they replaced all of their gas fireplaces and appliances with electric, and this fireplace was included. By choosing a colorful mosaic tile and paint, this room is anything but boring and stuffy. Commissioning a one-of-a-kind piece of art from their trip to Australia, we used it as a foundation to guide the rest of their design. The result was a bright and vibrant space, featuring furniture and accessories that perfectly complemented the artwork. As their children grew up and moved out to apartments of their own, our clients found themselves with two empty bedrooms and no furniture. With our Space Lift service, we were able to pull together two new bedroom looks that’s perfect for guests, but still comfortable when their adult children came to visit. We utilized the help of a color analysis expert to narrow down the wall paint by gathering inspiration from previously owned art. From there, we refined the color palettes and carried them into the furnishings and bedding.

One feature palm was salvaged when this seven year old Mediterranean style residence on the Caloosahatchee River underwent a complete landscape and hardscape remodel in the beginning of 2015. The landscape had not been properly maintained for a few years prior to when the new owners purchased in 2014, was overgrown and unhealthy and therefore was in need of a complete evaluation and landscape overhall. The original red brick concrete pavers were removed and replaced with a gold travertine blend with ivory travertine border for accent. The front entry stair was expanded and redesigned for a more significant and welcoming front door. The side yard had a significant slope from the foundation of the house to the seawall and had significant erosion damage. This space was re-graded, grading and drainage was repaired and re-routed and a 70 foot long retaining wall was installed. The retaining wall not only solved the stormwater washout problem, but also provided a level space for a private side yard tropical palm garden and pathway to access both the pool deck and the walk along the seawall. The stairs to the pool deck, dock and landing were all completely modified for ease of use. Aside from the tropical and beautiful landscape that was installed, the most significant visual and aesthetic improvement to this property was the addition of three 9 foot tall by 5 foot wide natural stone water walls with stone basins that were designed to fit within the archways at the driveway entry and designed to complement the architecture of the residence. These water walls offer ambient noise, visual interest and have completely improved the use and entry experience for the homeowner and visitors. Tropical shade bromeliads, alocasias, cordylines and ferns dress up the new landscape beds at the entry and along the front foundation where previously red brick intersected the foundation walls for a mundane solution. Other elements of interest include the cable wire espalier that was installed in front of the archway on both sides of the entry way for colorful bougainvillea trellis vine to climb and soften the tall walls and eventually connect over the arch. Confederate jasmine vine will soften the garage corner on the cable wire trellis installed and there is also a 4 foot wide by 18 foot tall cable wire espalier on a tall, once stark, wall on the pool deck. Three pool planters were reconfigured and planted with large triple princess palms and bold blue-tone pottery was selected to add interest and color to the pool deck. Micro-drip irrigation was connected to the pool planters and pottery for a low maintenance solution. This project was a collaborative effort with an ideal client who was open to all design ideas, who worked closely with the design team, and was a great success for both the client and R.S. Walsh Landscaping.

The client asked us to reconsider the front entry and associated landscape to give the house not only more curb appeal but to create a safer approach. The previous walkway was sloped and meandered for no apparent reason while the landscape plantings were overgrown and lacked the design aesthetic the client desired. We graded the area to eliminate the slope and straightened the walkway to compliment the homes contemporary architecture. We used custom cut bluestone in a modified running bond pattern for a unique look. Additionally, we widened the front stoop and added what we like to call a Hello / Goodbye terrace directly off the entrance landing. As guests arrive or depart, there’s a comfortable transition area that allows for quick conversation and an easy pedestrian flow. We simplified the plantings by using only 3 species, lavender, boxwood, and hydrangea, along the foundation while adding ornamental grasses for additional colors and textures in other areas. The back yard features a small deck overlooking a conservation area that we enlarged to create a dining area & a lounge with a sectional sofa. We choose a stainless steel railing system to open up the view and replaced the old wooden deck with a sustainable wood similar to mahogany called Ipe. We carried the Ipe over the side to create a horizontal lattice that encloses the underside of the deck for storage and adds to the contemporary feel of the home.

A fun project combining a love of color with a love for an eclectic mix of furnishings and accessories. It was a great adventure figuring out how to marry the traditional style and good furniture that her husband grew up with and loved, with the funky vibe and saturated colors my client and her husband both wanted in their home. We started with high quality traditional furnishings and a classic oriental rug to lay the foundation. Then we added in modern elements, such as a gorgeous chunky wooden table for the eating area, paired with sleek warm white leather chairs and bold lighting that is anything but traditional. The top layer of Chihuly inspired glass, bright pottery, colorful fabrics, new dramatic custom curtains, and my client's own collections made everything just come together. Photos by Laura Kicey

Photo: Ten Ten Creative
Wet bar - transitional single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar idea in Dallas with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, black backsplash, subway tile backsplash and gray countertops

This closed off and dark green kitchen was taken down to the studs and the foundation so we could open it up, lay all new flooring, reconfigure the layout, and modernize it. By adding a kitchen island, our client can now entertain while cooing and also be a part of the living room action.

This Caledonia, Ontario bungalow has a pool with walk-out access to an outdoor patio on the foundation level. Above the ceiling, which is I-beam construction, is the living room. The owner wanted to contain moisture and sound within the pool area, while creating aesthetic appeal and remaining within budget. Most residential spaces only require stretch ceiling support around the perimeter of the room, but swimming pool rooms are unusually large, so we opted to install the stretch ceiling in sections, attaching the support profiles directly to the I-Beams. The client chose a golden classical graphic to print on the centre sections. The entire family is happy with the results. The whole project came in at under $10, 000 and a turnaround time of less than 2 weeks.