New Yorkers are always on the prowl for innovative ways to make the most of the space they have. An upper east side couple, challenged with a slightly narrow L shaped apartment sought out Decor Aid’s help to make the most of their Manhattan condo. Paired with one of our senior designer, Kimberly P., we learned that the clients wanted a space that looked beautiful, comfortable and also packed with functionality for everyday living. “Immediately upon seeing the space, I knew that we needed to create a narrative that allowed the design to control how you moved through the space,” reports Kimberly, senior interior designer. After surveying each room and learning a bit more about their personal style, we started with the living room remodel. It was clear that the couple wanted to infuse mid-century modern into the design plan. Sourcing the Room & Board Jasper Sofa with its narrow arms and tapered legs, it offered the mid-century look, with the modern comfort the clients are used to. Velvet accent pillows from West Elm and Crate & Barrel add pops of colors but also a subtle touch of luxury, while framed pictures from the couple’s honeymoon personalize the space. Moving to the dining room next, Kimberly decided to add a blue accent wall to emphasize the Horchow two piece Percussion framed art that was to be the focal point of the dining area. The Seno sideboard from Article perfectly accentuated the mid-century style the clients loved while providing much-needed storage space. The palette used throughout both rooms were very New York style, grays, blues, beiges, and whites, to add depth, Kimberly sourced decorative pieces in a mixture of different metals. “The artwork above their bureau in the bedroom is photographs that her father took,” Moving into the bedroom renovation, our designer made sure to continue to stick to the client’s style preference while once again creating a personalized, warm and comforting space by including the photographs taken by the client’s father. The Avery bed added texture and complimented the other colors in the room, while a hidden drawer at the foot pulls out for attached storage, which thrilled the clients. A deco-inspired Faceted mirror from West Elm was a perfect addition to the bedroom due to the illusion of space it provides. The result was a bedroom that was full of mid-century design, personality, and area so they can freely move around. The project resulted in the form of a layered mid-century modern design with touches of luxury but a space that can not only be lived in but serves as an extension of the people who live there. Our designer was able to take a very narrowly shaped Manhattan apartment and revamp it into a spacious home that is great for sophisticated entertaining or comfortably lazy nights in.

Miami Interior Designers - Residential Interior Design Project in Fort Lauderdale, FL. A classic Mediterranean home turns Contemporary by DKOR Interiors. Photo: Alexia Fodere Interior Design by Miami and Ft. Lauderdale Interior Designers, DKOR Interiors. www.dkorinteriors.com

Easton, Maryland Traditional Kitchen Design by #JenniferGilmer with a lake view http://gilmerkitchens.com/ Photography by Bob Narod

Inspiration for a transitional concrete patio remodel in San Francisco with a fire pit and a pergola

Inspiration for a cottage freestanding desk light wood floor, beige floor and wood wall home office remodel in Other with brown walls

Cati Teague Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic built-in desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor study room remodel in Atlanta with blue walls

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This new waterfront home is upgraded with architectural character. Custom furnishings and curated finds create a classically stylish backdrop to breezy barefoot living and frequent entertaining. Ocean views inspire the tranquil palette.

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Haris Kenjar
Powder room - coastal powder room idea in Seattle with multicolored walls and a pedestal sink

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | L. Cramer Builders + Remodelers, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

This master bathroom has everything you need to get you ready for the day. The beautiful backsplash has a mixture of brown tones that add dimension and texture to the focal wall. The lighting blends well with the other bathroom fixtures and the cabinets provide plenty of storage while demonstrating a simply beautiful style. Brad Knipstein was the photographer.

Governor's House Breakfast Nook by Lisa Tharp. 2019 Bulfinch Award - Interior Design. Photo by Michael J. Lee
Dining room - coastal light wood floor dining room idea with white walls

Transitional u-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen photo in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

A great way to brighten up a bedroom is with painted nightstands. In this case, we wanted to maintain a calming environment with neutral wall colors and bedding. To add a bit of cheer to the space, we upholstered two lounge chairs and painted both nightstands similar shaded of aqua. Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | L. Cramer Builders + Remodelers, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

Small space living solutions are used throughout this contemporary 596 square foot tiny house. Adjustable height table in the entry area serves as both a coffee table for socializing and as a dining table for eating. Curved banquette is upholstered in outdoor fabric for durability and maximizes space with hidden storage underneath the seat. Kitchen island has a retractable countertop for additional seating while the living area conceals a work desk and media center behind sliding shoji screens. Calming tones of sand and deep ocean blue fill the tiny bedroom downstairs. Glowing bedside sconces utilize wall-mounting and swing arms to conserve bedside space and maximize flexibility.

Modular Sectional Sleeper Sofa Alpine by Nordholtz. The Alpine sectional sofa delivers the luxurious seating experience for the whole family. Rich in durable fabric/microfiber or genuine leather, this artistic sectional features adjustable pillow arms and plump cushions to offer rejuvenating comfort as the top stitching and tufting deliver a well tailored appeal. Enjoy the comfortable and relaxing experience of the Alpine sectional sofa with your friends and family. Provide the ideal comfort for your guests with the feeling of sleeping in their own bed. Alpine sofa bed is comfortable, firmly built and easy to transform. Apart from the iconic design and unprecedented comfort, Alpine comes with additional comfort features such as headrest that is adjustable, large storage space integrated inside the chaise, comfortable sofa bed, armrest pillows that are adjustable as well as adjustable depth of the seat. Please contact our office to get necessary help with customization of this sectional sofa. Features: Wooden frame with Sinuous Spring (Wave Spring) System. Heavy-duty, S-shaped wires stretched across the frame from front to back provide the entire seating area with uniform comfort and support and prevent sagging Cushions in feathers Can be ordered with or without Bed and Storage Can be ordered in Fabric or thick genuine Leather Adjustable headrests and armrest Choose from standard or deep seating Modular sofa that allows to build a Sectional Sofa (L or U shape), regular Sofa, and Loveseat The starting price is for the Alpine U-Shape Sectional Sofa with Bed and Storage, Upholstered in Fabric+Leatherette (in configuration and color shown in the main picture). Dimensions: Sectional Sofa (as shown): W(74" x 153" x 102") x D47" x H31"/38"

Inspiration for a rustic master carpeted bedroom remodel in Orange County with white walls

Everyone deserves to end the day in a comfortable, tranquil home. And for those with children, it can seem impossible to reconcile the challenges of family life with the need to have a well-designed space. Our client—a financial executive and her family of four—had not considered a design makeover since moving into their apartment, which was more than ten years ago. So when she reached out to Decor Aid, she asked us to modernize and brighten her home, in addition to creating a space for her family to hang out and relax. The apartment originally featured sunflower-yellow walls and a set of brown suede living room furniture, all of which significantly darkened the space. The living room also did not have sufficient seating options, so the client was improvising seating arrangements when guests would come over. With no outward facing windows, the living room received little natural light, and so we began the redesign by painting the walls a classic grey, and adding white crown molding. As a pathway from the front door to the kitchen, the living room functions as a high-traffic area of the home. So we sourced a geometric indoor-outdoor area rug, and established a layout that’s easy to walk through. We also sourced a coffee table from Serena & Lily. Our client has teenage twins, and so we sourced a sturdy sectional couch from Restoration Hardware, and placed it in a corner which was previously being underused. We hired an electrician to hide all of the cables leading to the media console, and added custom window treatments. In the kitchen, we painted the cabinets a semi-gloss white, and added slate flooring, for a clean, crisp, modern look to match the living room. The finishing touches included a set of geometric table objects, comfortable throw rugs, and plush high-shine pillows. The final result is a fully functional living room for this family of four.