Our Scottsdale interior design studio created this luxurious Santa Fe new build for a retired couple with sophisticated tastes. We centered the furnishings and fabrics around their contemporary Southwestern art collection, choosing complementary colors. The house includes a large patio with a fireplace, a beautiful great room with a home bar, a lively family room, and a bright home office with plenty of cabinets. All of the spaces reflect elegance, comfort, and thoughtful planning. --- Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/

Family room - eclectic family room idea in Orange County

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Basement - basement idea in DC Metro

Shaw Tuftex Carpet: Marrakech in Cosmo Taupe Patterned Loop Carpet Fiber: STAINMASTER® Luxerell™ nylon part of the STAINMASTER Active Family collection

The 7,600 square-foot residence was designed for large, memorable gatherings of family and friends at the lake, as well as creating private spaces for smaller family gatherings. Keeping in dialogue with the surrounding site, a palette of natural materials and finishes was selected to provide a classic backdrop for all activities, bringing importance to the adjoining environment. In optimizing the views of the lake and developing a strategy to maximize natural ventilation, an ideal, open-concept living scheme was implemented. The kitchen, dining room, living room and screened porch are connected, allowing for the large family gatherings to take place inside, should the weather not cooperate. Two main level master suites remain private from the rest of the program; yet provide a complete sense of incorporation. Bringing the natural finishes to the interior of the residence, provided the opportunity for unique focal points that complement the stunning stone fireplace and timber trusses. Photographer: John Hession

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day. Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too. This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system. The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves. A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily. A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet. Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most. Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day. Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too. This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system. The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves. A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily. A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet. Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most. Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

photography by Rob Karosis
Example of a small classic built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room design in Portland Maine with white walls and no fireplace

Kitchen - traditional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Houston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Stacey Zarin Goldberg
Large eclectic open concept light wood floor living room library photo in DC Metro with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and no tv

Garage converted to a game room
Example of a mid-sized beach style two-car garage design in New York

Elegant yet informal, this collection is ideal for the active family that enjoys spending time together. Solid and durable enough to stand up to everyday use, but with just enough subtle curves and accenting to make it stand out.

Our Scottsdale interior design studio created this luxurious Santa Fe new build for a retired couple with sophisticated tastes. We centered the furnishings and fabrics around their contemporary Southwestern art collection, choosing complementary colors. The house includes a large patio with a fireplace, a beautiful great room with a home bar, a lively family room, and a bright home office with plenty of cabinets. All of the spaces reflect elegance, comfort, and thoughtful planning. --- Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open concept ceramic tile living room remodel in DC Metro with gray walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Scott & Catherine Buley, High Tech Turf & Trees/Rain Garden Nursery

White Walls and Marble detailed master bathroom with Rue Pierre Blanc floor tile with offset Negro Marquina black detailing. Carrara slabs were used for the shower walls and behind the bathtub. The freestanding bathtub is from Sunrise. Plumbing fixtures are from California Faucets Margaux collection.

Alcove bathtub - country master white tile and subway tile vinyl floor alcove bathtub idea in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and solid surface countertops

Dark floors ground the space while soaring curved ceilings bounce light throughout. The low cost,. high impact kitchen was designed to recede, creating a wide open home available for entertaining. Steel shelves anchored to the header above provide ample storage for fine glassware. The rolling island can be positioned as required. photography by Tyler Mallory www.tylermallory.com