A full view of this open, transitional Libertyville kitchen showcase. We created a compelling visual contrast by pairing rich Forevermark Woodland Brown Shaker glass-front uppers and tall pantry storage with grounding Blaze Black Shaker lower cabinets. The space is anchored by warm hardwood flooring and framed by a muted sage green accent wall. Bright Da Vinci Gold quartz countertops and a full-height MSI Citadel Gold Trident tile backsplash bring light, texture, and refined elegance into the room, complete with an integrated under-counter beverage fridge and brass hardware accents.

Jessica Koltun Home is a full-service design studio specializing in elevated residential design, new construction, and large-scale renovations. Known for a refined balance of timeless architecture and modern livability, each project is thoughtfully curated to reflect both function and enduring style. From exterior concepts to interior detailing, the studio emphasizes clean lines, intentional materials, and cohesive palettes that enhance the overall experience of the home. With a strong foundation in construction-focused design, Jessica Koltun Home delivers spaces that are not only visually compelling but built to last.

Situated in the hip and upcoming neighborhood of Toluca Lake, overlooking the lakeside golf club, the house sits on a corner lot with extensive two-side private gardens. While the house is mainly influenced by a Mediterranean style, with arched windows and French doors, interior hallway arches and columns, romantic outdoor fireplaces, the interior style, however, leans toward a minimalist yet warm design. Black frame modern pocket doors in the living room creates a blurred interior/exterior transition with the 500 SQFT outdoor patio. The high modern vault ceiling design and its double height areas make the significance of the home’s scale even more compelling. The interior material palette is wholesome with earth and milky tones, in perfect symbiosis with the cyan pool and the deep magenta bougainvillea.

“Compelling.” That’s how one of our judges characterized this stair, which manages to embody both reassuring solidity and airy weightlessness. Architect Mahdad Saniee specified beefy maple treads—each laminated from two boards, to resist twisting and cupping—and supported them at the wall with hidden steel hangers. “We wanted to make them look like they are floating,” he says, “so they sit away from the wall by about half an inch.” The stainless steel rods that seem to pierce the treads’ opposite ends are, in fact, joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood. The result is an assembly whose stiffness underfoot defies expectation, Saniee says. “It feels very solid, much more solid than average stairs.” With the rods working in tension from above and compression below, “it’s very hard for those pieces of wood to move.” The interplay of wood and steel makes abstract reference to a Steinway concert grand, Saniee notes. “It’s taking elements of a piano and playing with them.” A gently curved soffit in the ceiling reinforces the visual rhyme. The jury admired the effect but was equally impressed with the technical acumen required to achieve it. “The rhythm established by the vertical rods sets up a rigorous discipline that works with the intricacies of stair dimensions,” observed one judge. “That’s really hard to do.”

Kevin and Mary enlisted our services with the objective to modernize their antiquated kitchen. Their goals weren't restricted to a purely aesthetic overhaul; they asked us to devise a layout that prioritized better organization and storage options with improved lighting. We took great care to remove all the old components of the kitchen, then we proceeded to install the new Dove White Shaker style cabinets, and a larger contrasting island. In their pursuit of a perfect blend of aesthetics and utility, they selected Victoria White Quartz Countertops for the perimeter cabinets, and balanced that with the compelling elegance of White Ice Granite Countertops for the kitchen island. The selection of Flash Ivory 3x12 ceramic wall tiles were selected for the backsplash. A custom made range hood was installed breaking up the monotony of the wall cabinets and finishing off their gorgeous new kitchen.

This kitchen is characterised by timelessly elegant black and white. To give thespacious, monolithic island a light air, a white ribbon meanders across every side,strikingly showcasing the functions of cooking and water. Another outstandingfeature: fronts made of top-quality matt lacquer with an anti-fingerprint finish.The elegant BONDI makes a spacious overall impression whilst being perfect down to the very last detail. The tall units integrated flush into the wall are compelling as soon as you see the amount of space they offer – with lots of intelligent solutions for stowing things away. In a tidy kitchen, there is plenty of space to showcasepersonal items – that is how they can be shown off to true advantage.

Situated in the hip and upcoming neighborhood of Toluca Lake, overlooking the lakeside golf club, the house sits on a corner lot with extensive two-side private gardens. While the house is mainly influenced by a Mediterranean style, with arched windows and French doors, interior hallway arches and columns, romantic outdoor fireplaces, the interior style, however, leans toward a minimalist yet warm design. Black frame modern pocket doors in the living room creates a blurred interior/exterior transition with the 500 SQFT outdoor patio. The high modern vault ceiling design and its double height areas make the significance of the home’s scale even more compelling. The interior material palette is wholesome with earth and milky tones, in perfect symbiosis with the cyan pool and the deep magenta bougainvillea.

“Compelling.” That’s how one of our judges characterized this stair, which manages to embody both reassuring solidity and airy weightlessness. Architect Mahdad Saniee specified beefy maple treads—each laminated from two boards, to resist twisting and cupping—and supported them at the wall with hidden steel hangers. “We wanted to make them look like they are floating,” he says, “so they sit away from the wall by about half an inch.” The stainless steel rods that seem to pierce the treads’ opposite ends are, in fact, joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood. The result is an assembly whose stiffness underfoot defies expectation, Saniee says. “It feels very solid, much more solid than average stairs.” With the rods working in tension from above and compression below, “it’s very hard for those pieces of wood to move.” The interplay of wood and steel makes abstract reference to a Steinway concert grand, Saniee notes. “It’s taking elements of a piano and playing with them.” A gently curved soffit in the ceiling reinforces the visual rhyme. The jury admired the effect but was equally impressed with the technical acumen required to achieve it. “The rhythm established by the vertical rods sets up a rigorous discipline that works with the intricacies of stair dimensions,” observed one judge. “That’s really hard to do.”

Read all about this family-friendly remodel on our blog: http://jeffkingandco.com/from-the-contractors-bay-area-remodel/. Architect: Steve Swearengen, AIA | the Architects Office / Photography: Paul Dyer

The idea for Scandinavian Hardwoods came after years of countless conversations with homeowners, designers, architects, and builders. The consistent theme: they wanted more than just a beautiful floor. They wanted insight into manufacturing locations (not just the seller or importer) and what materials are used and why. They wanted to understand the product’s environmental impact and it’s effect on indoor air quality and human health. They wanted a compelling story to tell guests about the beautiful floor they’ve chosen. At Scandinavian Hardwoods, we bring all of these elements together while making luxury more accessible. Kahrs Oak Siena, by Scandinavian Hardwoods

Photo credit to David West of Born Imagery.
Example of a large eclectic master white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and gray floor freestanding bathtub design in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Example of a 1950s living room design in Vancouver

Situated in the hip and upcoming neighborhood of Toluca Lake, overlooking the lakeside golf club, the house sits on a corner lot with extensive two-side private gardens. While the house is mainly influenced by a Mediterranean style, with arched windows and French doors, interior hallway arches and columns, romantic outdoor fireplaces, the interior style, however, leans toward a minimalist yet warm design. Black frame modern pocket doors in the living room creates a blurred interior/exterior transition with the 500 SQFT outdoor patio. The high modern vault ceiling design and its double height areas make the significance of the home’s scale even more compelling. The interior material palette is wholesome with earth and milky tones, in perfect symbiosis with the cyan pool and the deep magenta bougainvillea.

The idea for Scandinavian Hardwoods came after years of countless conversations with homeowners, designers, architects, and builders. The consistent theme: they wanted more than just a beautiful floor. They wanted insight into manufacturing locations (not just the seller or importer) and what materials are used and why. They wanted to understand the product’s environmental impact and it’s effect on indoor air quality and human health. They wanted a compelling story to tell guests about the beautiful floor they’ve chosen. At Scandinavian Hardwoods, we bring all of these elements together while making luxury more accessible. Kahrs Oak Jersey, by Scandinavian Hardwoods

Extravagant design, touchable features and creative use of space intrigues from across the room, compelling one to draw nearer. Refrigerators anchor each end and integrate seamlessly with adjacent cabinetry housing other appliances, which merge to become one with the cabinets. Sleek designs in ovens and cooktops blend with the neighboring pro style range, hood and contrasting cabinetry, showcasing the indulgent details of a wide array of different appliances. An aquarium built into the base of the island creates that splash of unique character. Polished ‘Crystal Lagoon’ subway tile resembling underwater onyx, and ‘Wave’ pendants enhance the indulgent but tranquil ocean vibe.

This complete structural makeover of a two-story 1978 penthouse sought to integrate the kitchen and social area, creating an open layout allowing houseguests to interact more fluidly, while taking advantage of the natural light afforded by a reconfigured, double-height view of Miami’s Biscayne Bay. Materials were chosen to lend richness and texture to the space, defining proportions and ratios, with an emphasis on clean, compelling lines to complement the clients’ entertaining objectives while embodying a warmer, “Modern Eclectic Contemporary” feel. Custom furniture including a sleek, youthful bar and seating as well as oversized artwork emphasize proportion in the two-story space while maximizing the space’s relationship to the double-height view. The design aimed to toy with depth and drama, employing a custom geometric chandelier, streamlined furniture, and glimpses of color to create a welcoming, interesting, and eye-catching space. - Sandra Diaz-Velasco

This complete structural makeover of a two-story 1978 penthouse sought to integrate the kitchen and social area, creating an open layout allowing houseguests to interact more fluidly, while taking advantage of the natural light afforded by a reconfigured, double-height view of Miami’s Biscayne Bay. Materials were chosen to lend richness and texture to the space, defining proportions and ratios, with an emphasis on clean, compelling lines to complement the clients’ entertaining objectives while embodying a warmer, “Modern Eclectic Contemporary” feel. Custom furniture including a sleek, youthful bar and seating as well as oversized artwork emphasize proportion in the two-story space while maximizing the space’s relationship to the double-height view. The design aimed to toy with depth and drama, employing a custom geometric chandelier, streamlined furniture, and glimpses of color to create a welcoming, interesting, and eye-catching space. - Sandra Diaz-Velasco

The Garage project is a transformative Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) conversion built within the footprint of an existing detached garage. During the initial phases, a unique hidden roof structure was discovered—constructed from the original concrete board forms used to pour the main house's foundation—which presented a compelling opportunity for historical integration. To enhance the environmental performance of the compact space, new rammed earth block walls were strategically introduced as thermal mass, facilitating highly efficient passive heating and cooling. A secondary rammed earth wall anchors the living space behind a wood-burning stove, acting both as a spatial separator and a functional thermal battery that absorbs and radiates heat. This commitment to material conservation also extended to the exterior envelope. Rather than condemning the structure's original old-growth redwood siding to a landfill, the material was carefully salvaged, stripped of its existing paint, and adaptively reused to construct custom cabinet faces—celebrating the inherent history and preciousness of the timber.