This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

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Inspiration for a transitional closet remodel in Chicago

The Alder shaker cabinets in the mud room have a ship wall accent behind the matte black coat hooks. The mudroom is off of the garage and connects to the laundry room and primary closet to the right, and then into the pantry and kitchen to the left. This mudroom is the perfect drop zone spot for shoes, coats, and keys. With cubbies above and below, there's a place for everything in this mudroom design.

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

For this San Francisco family of five, RBD was hired to make the space unique and functional for three toddlers under the age of four, but to also maintain a sophisticated look. Wallpaper covers the Dining Room, Powder Room, Master Bathroom, and the inside of the Entry Closet for a fun treat each time it gets opened! With furnishings, lighting, window treatments, plants and accessories RBD transformed the home from mostly grays and whites to a space with personality and warmth. With the partnership of Ted Boerner RBD helped design a custom television cabinet to conceal the TV and AV equipment in the living room. Across the way sits a kid-friendly blueberry leather sofa perfect for movie nights. Finally, a custom piece of art by Donna Walker was commissioned to tie the room together. In the dining room RBD worked around the client's existing teak table and paired it with Viennese Modernist Chairs in the manner of Oswald Haerdtl. Lastly a Jonathan Browning chandelier is paired with a Pinch sideboard and Anewall Wallpaper for casual sophistication. Photography by: Sharon Risedorph

In the hills of San Anselmo in Marin County, this 5,000 square foot existing multi-story home was enlarged to 6,000 square feet with a new dance studio addition with new master bedroom suite and sitting room for evening entertainment and morning coffee. Sited on a steep hillside one acre lot, the back yard was unusable. New concrete retaining walls and planters were designed to create outdoor play and lounging areas with stairs that cascade down the hill forming a wrap-around walkway. The goal was to make the new addition integrate the disparate design elements of the house and calm it down visually. The scope was not to change everything, just the rear façade and some of the side facades. The new addition is a long rectangular space inserted into the rear of the building with new up-swooping roof that ties everything together. Clad in red cedar, the exterior reflects the relaxed nature of the one acre wooded hillside site. Fleetwood windows and wood patterned tile complete the exterior color material palate. The sitting room overlooks a new patio area off of the children’s playroom and features a butt glazed corner window providing views filtered through a grove of bay laurel trees. Inside is a television viewing area with wetbar off to the side that can be closed off with a concealed pocket door to the master bedroom. The bedroom was situated to take advantage of these views of the rear yard and the bed faces a stone tile wall with recessed skylight above. The master bath, a driving force for the project, is large enough to allow both of them to occupy and use at the same time. The new dance studio and gym was inspired for their two daughters and has become a facility for the whole family. All glass, mirrors and space with cushioned wood sports flooring, views to the new level outdoor area and tree covered side yard make for a dramatic turnaround for a home with little play or usable outdoor space previously. Photo Credit: Paul Dyer Photography.

View of the color-matched cassette hardware which conceals the shade fabric: The patio at this private residence in Mahwah NJ faces west, and during the summer months, the heat and glare from the sun is overwhelming; making this beautiful outdoor retreat unbearable. Motorized exterior solar shades were installed on the fascia of the overhang to reduce the harmful effects of the sun. The goals were to create a comfortable living space, reduce the glare, heat and UV, and reduce flying insects and inclement weather when in use. A Charcoal colored fabric was chosen for this roller shade as retaining the view was one of the priorities. The shade cloth selected blocks 95% of glare, but still allows the an unobstructed view of the pool for safety, and keeps the views of the Ramapo River and beautifully landscaped property. The amount of coverage and openness of the fabric drastically reduces insects and inclement weather, and cable guide rails were chosen to keep the shade fabric from billowing in the wind. Due to their small footprint, cable guides are more aesthetically pleasing versus aluminum rails, zip rails or concealed edge options which were available, but not selected for this application. The Somfy motorization allows for push-button operation, and was also tied into an existing smart-home automation system which allows the client to control the product remotely. An added benefit of this automation feature allows the client to save on cooling related air conditioning costs. The combination of 95% UV blockage and dark colored fabric gives these exterior solar shades an 87% Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, meaning that these solar screen shades will dramatically reduce the amount of UV and heat penetrating the windows of the home. Fabric Specifications: Mermet Satine Charcoal/Charcoal, Pattern 30.30 7% Solar Transmittance (Ts) 5% Solar Reflectance (Rs) 88% Solar Absorptance (As) 7% Visible Light Transmission VLT (Tv)

Once a sunken living room closed off from the kitchen, we aimed to change the awkward accessibility of the space into an open and easily functional space that is cohesive. To open up the space even further, we designed a blackened steel structure with mirrorpane glass to reflect light and enlarge the room. Within the structure lives a previously existing lava rock wall. We painted this wall in glitter gold and enhanced the gold luster with built-in backlit LEDs. Centered within the steel framing is a TV, which has the ability to be hidden when the mirrorpane doors are closed. The adjacent staircase wall is cladded with a large format white casework grid and seamlessly houses the wine refrigerator. The clean lines create a simplistic ornate design as a fresh backdrop for the repurposed crystal chandelier. Nothing short of bold sophistication, this kitchen overflows with playful elegance — from the gold accents to the glistening crystal chandelier above the island. We took advantage of the large window above the 7’ galley workstation to bring in a great deal of natural light and a beautiful view of the backyard. In a kitchen full of light and symmetrical elements, on the end of the island we incorporated an asymmetrical focal point finished in a dark slate. This four drawer piece is wrapped in safari brasilica wood that purposefully carries the warmth of the floor up and around the end piece to ground the space further. The wow factor of this kitchen is the geometric glossy gold tiles of the hood creating a glamourous accent against a marble backsplash above the cooktop. This kitchen is not only classically striking but also highly functional. The versatile wall, opposite of the galley sink, includes an integrated refrigerator, freezer, steam oven, convection oven, two appliance garages, and tall cabinetry for pantry items. The kitchen’s layout of appliances creates a fluid circular flow in the kitchen. Across from the kitchen stands a slate gray wine hutch incorporated into the wall. The doors and drawers have a gilded diamond mesh in the center panels. This mesh ties in the golden accents around the kitchens décor and allows you to have a peek inside the hutch when the interior lights are on for a soft glow creating a beautiful transition into the living room. Between the warm tones of light flooring and the light whites and blues of the cabinetry, the kitchen is well-balanced with a bright and airy atmosphere. The powder room for this home is gilded with glamor. The rich tones of the walnut wood vanity come forth midst the cool hues of the marble countertops and backdrops. Keeping the walls light, the ornate framed mirror pops within the space. We brought this mirror into the place from another room within the home to balance the window alongside it. The star of this powder room is the repurposed golden swan faucet extending from the marble countertop. We places a facet patterned glass vessel to create a transparent complement adjacent to the gold swan faucet. In front of the window hangs an asymmetrical pendant light with a sculptural glass form that does not compete with the mirror.

For this San Francisco family of five, RBD was hired to make the space unique and functional for three toddlers under the age of four, but to also maintain a sophisticated look. Wallpaper covers the Dining Room, Powder Room, Master Bathroom, and the inside of the Entry Closet for a fun treat each time it gets opened! With furnishings, lighting, window treatments, plants and accessories RBD transformed the home from mostly grays and whites to a space with personality and warmth. With the partnership of Ted Boerner RBD helped design a custom television cabinet to conceal the TV and AV equipment in the living room. Across the way sits a kid-friendly blueberry leather sofa perfect for movie nights. Finally, a custom piece of art by Donna Walker was commissioned to tie the room together. In the dining room RBD worked around the client's existing teak table and paired it with Viennese Modernist Chairs in the manner of Oswald Haerdtl. Lastly a Jonathan Browning chandelier is paired with a Pinch sideboard and Anewall Wallpaper for casual sophistication. Photography by: Sharon Risedorph

n this stunning, newly built, custom home it was important to be able to design a kitchen that tied in both elegant aesthetics and efficient performance. This kitchen includes gorgeous floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, concealing large appliances such as the freezer and refrigerator with custom appliance panels and giving the kitchen next-level charm and sophistication. The stacked wall cabinets incorporate gorgeous framed glass upper doors which serve as the perfect display case for delicate china and priceless souvenirs. The magnificent premium-alder, raisin-stained wood-hood acts as a focal point with functionality. It contains, on either side of the cooktop, convenient pull out spice racks allowing for optimal organization and accessibility while cooking. The massive, raisin-stained island compliments the hood and features an extra bar sink and luxurious 6mm Cambria quartz countertops. This quartz carries over beneath the hood creating a beautifully unique backsplash. In this custom Crystal Keyline kitchen, every inch of cabinetry appears as a gorgeous furniture piece yet acts as if it owns the performance and harmony of a professional kitchen.

Stephanie Barnes-Castro is a full service architectural firm specializing in sustainable design serving Santa Cruz County. Her goal is to design a home to seamlessly tie into the natural environment and be aesthetically pleasing and energy efficient.

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Now you can conceal and access laundry in one easy motion with the CTOHB Tilt-Out Hamper. Simply door mount the basket rest to a bottom hinged cabinet for easy one step "Slide-In/Slide-Out" basket removal. The series is available in two sizes and three finishes, stylish chrome, satin nickel and oil rubbed bronze. Each is constructed with durable 6.6 mm wire and feature capacities of 1.7 bushels (55 Quarts) for the 16" wide unit, and 2.3 bushels (74 Quarts) for the large 21" unit. Liners and Tilt-out hardware sold separately.

Since the kitchen is so open to the rest of the house we chose to keep it light and bright to tie in with everything else. We went with white inset cabinetry and quartz counters with a 2'' edge profile. There are two sets of drawer dishwashers, 36" DCS range, DCS oven and microwave and Fisher and Paykel fridge. We chose to put cabinet panels on the dishwashers and fridge in order to keep them concealed. The floating shelves are made out of local reclaimed wood.

Ryan Struck Photography
Example of an urban kitchen design in New York

David Bader
Huge transitional open concept family room photo in Milwaukee with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a concealed tv

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

My client requested up-dating for her family room window treatments. This window extends the full length of her room. I recommended a board mounted Kingston Swag with left/right cascades, trimmed in ball fringe and lined with contrast liner to pick up the wall color. We added much needed Dacron filler to the sofa backs to "plump" up their form. Three 20" throw pillows with matching material and ball fringe were added to the sectional. The new accent pillows tied the window treatment and sofa together.