Amy Bartlam
Eat-in kitchen - large contemporary l-shaped ceramic tile and gray floor eat-in kitchen idea in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

THIS WAS ONCE A DINING ROOM TURNED FULL KITCHEN.
Tuscan kitchen photo in Phoenix

Phoenix Photography © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in Louisville

For this project we converted an old ranch house into a truly unique boat house overlooking the Lagoon. Our renovation consisted of adding a second story, complete with a roof deck and converting a three car garage into a game room, pool house and overall entertainment room. The concept was to modernize the existing home into a bright, inviting vacation home that the family would enjoy for generations to come. Both porches on the upper and lower level are spacious and have cable railing to enhance the stunning view of the Lagoon.

The client wanted a better flow throughout their landscape, as well as introduce straight lines to a space to modernize the irregular shaped pool. Their upper deck was where they did a majority of their entertaining so ensuring this space was large enough for both dining and lounge was the starting point of the design. Introducing privacy from the many on looking neighbours, without completely blocking it off from the rest of their own yard was important. Laser cut privacy screens added this filtered privacy. A round hot tub was added to the back corner of the property, which otherwise seemed like wasted space. Highlighted by the privacy panels in the same pattern used on the deck to create some consistency. Trees were both maintained and added where needs along the property to add greenery and privacy. The entire space now feels open within the backyard, but private from neighbours.

Backyard designed by Giuseppe Abbrancati and built by Gappsi in Kings Park, NY. Starting with the installation of a gunite swimming pool, travertine patio, and a pavilion with outdoor kitchen. This backyard received a complete transformation. The old railroad tie retaining wall was removed and re-constructed with a poured reinforced-concrete wall. It was then veneered with tumbled travertine split-face veneers and finished on top with 12 inch wide, 2 inch thick travertine coping. Sheer descent water features were also installed in the wall over the center spilling into the pool. The custom designed swimming pool has a roman end by the diving area, steps and a spa in the shallow area, and a sundeck with an LED water bubbler on the long side of the pool facing across the pool to the water feature. The bluestone coping installed for swimming pool and spa complement the porcelain tiles installed in the swimming pool water line. The tile markers outline the steps, benches, sundeck, and the spa interior. The finish of the pool is Super Blue Diamond Brite, which consists of a white quartz with speckle of blue. An outdoor kitchen was constructed with granite counter top overhanging the stool sitting area. All walls were veneered with split-face tumbled travertine and Twin-Eagle appliances were installed. The appliances include a 24-inch griddle, see-through refrigerator, bar sink, ice maker, a large burner, and many storage cabinets. A 16x16 pavilion was custom-built over the outdoor cooking area, completed with stained wood beams in the ceiling and all synthetic wood trims wrapping the four columns and fascia. The entire backyard floor and pool patio was completed with Moca tumbled french pattern travertine. The outdoor lighting is designed and installed to uniformly light up the backyard and accent each area. And a free-standing gas fire pit is also placed within the couch area facing the pool.

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

NatureAged Barnwood is a great rustic value. NatureAged is new or rescued material that has been naturally weathered to give it an authentic rustic charm. NatureAged Barnwood has advantages over conventional siding options. It has nail holes and is weathered grey or "tobacco brown" like other products on the market, but it provides a much more consistent look from piece to piece and also is available in primarily wide widths and long lengths. Available Configurations: Board-and-Bat, Board-on-Board, Board-to-Board, Shiplap, Wedgelap

We had the pleasure of adding some serious style to this pied-a-terre located in the heart of Austin. With only 750 square feet, we were able to give this Airbnb property a chic combination of both Texan culture and contemporary style via locally sourced artwork and intriguing textiles. We wanted the interior to be attractive to everyone who stepped in the door, so we chose an earth-toned color palette consisting of soft creams, greens, blues, and peach. Contrasting black accents and an eclectic gallery wall fill the space with a welcoming personality that also leaves a “city vibe” feel. Designed by Sara Barney’s BANDD DESIGN, who are based in Austin, Texas and serving throughout Round Rock, Lake Travis, West Lake Hills, and Tarrytown. For more about BANDD DESIGN, click here: https://bandddesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://bandddesign.com/downtown-austin-pied-a-terre/

A Gilmans Kitchens and Baths - Design Build Project The original space consisted of two separate rooms - a dining room and a small galley kitchen. The homeowners desired a space that was open and functional for their growing family. White cabinets were used to lighten up the space and the island was designed so that their dining table could be placed against it or moved, creating a truly versatile kitchen and dining area. Check out more kitchens by Gilmans Kitchens and Baths! http://www.gkandb.com/ DESIGNER: JANIS MANACSA PHOTOGRAPHY: TREVE JOHNSON CABINETRY: DURA SUPREME CABINETRY COUNTERTOP: CAESARSTONE PIATRA GREY

We planned a thoughtful redesign of this beautiful home while retaining many of the existing features. We wanted this house to feel the immediacy of its environment. So we carried the exterior front entry style into the interiors, too, as a way to bring the beautiful outdoors in. In addition, we added patios to all the bedrooms to make them feel much bigger. Luckily for us, our temperate California climate makes it possible for the patios to be used consistently throughout the year. The original kitchen design did not have exposed beams, but we decided to replicate the motif of the 30" living room beams in the kitchen as well, making it one of our favorite details of the house. To make the kitchen more functional, we added a second island allowing us to separate kitchen tasks. The sink island works as a food prep area, and the bar island is for mail, crafts, and quick snacks. We designed the primary bedroom as a relaxation sanctuary – something we highly recommend to all parents. It features some of our favorite things: a cognac leather reading chair next to a fireplace, Scottish plaid fabrics, a vegetable dye rug, art from our favorite cities, and goofy portraits of the kids. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/functional-ranch-house-design/

We planned a thoughtful redesign of this beautiful home while retaining many of the existing features. We wanted this house to feel the immediacy of its environment. So we carried the exterior front entry style into the interiors, too, as a way to bring the beautiful outdoors in. In addition, we added patios to all the bedrooms to make them feel much bigger. Luckily for us, our temperate California climate makes it possible for the patios to be used consistently throughout the year. The original kitchen design did not have exposed beams, but we decided to replicate the motif of the 30" living room beams in the kitchen as well, making it one of our favorite details of the house. To make the kitchen more functional, we added a second island allowing us to separate kitchen tasks. The sink island works as a food prep area, and the bar island is for mail, crafts, and quick snacks. We designed the primary bedroom as a relaxation sanctuary – something we highly recommend to all parents. It features some of our favorite things: a cognac leather reading chair next to a fireplace, Scottish plaid fabrics, a vegetable dye rug, art from our favorite cities, and goofy portraits of the kids. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/functional-ranch-house-design/

The featured Westwood home is a Classic Traditional style custom home. The home, architecturally designed by Karen Putman of p2 Design, consists of 6,158 square feet of livable area plus an outdoor covered living room and a two-car garage. The floor plan includes formal and informal living areas as well as 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths plus a teen room lofted above the second floor. Photo by: Latham Architectural

We planned a thoughtful redesign of this beautiful home while retaining many of the existing features. We wanted this house to feel the immediacy of its environment. So we carried the exterior front entry style into the interiors, too, as a way to bring the beautiful outdoors in. In addition, we added patios to all the bedrooms to make them feel much bigger. Luckily for us, our temperate California climate makes it possible for the patios to be used consistently throughout the year. The original kitchen design did not have exposed beams, but we decided to replicate the motif of the 30" living room beams in the kitchen as well, making it one of our favorite details of the house. To make the kitchen more functional, we added a second island allowing us to separate kitchen tasks. The sink island works as a food prep area, and the bar island is for mail, crafts, and quick snacks. We designed the primary bedroom as a relaxation sanctuary – something we highly recommend to all parents. It features some of our favorite things: a cognac leather reading chair next to a fireplace, Scottish plaid fabrics, a vegetable dye rug, art from our favorite cities, and goofy portraits of the kids. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/functional-ranch-house-design/

Photo by Barbara Wilson Landscape Architect, LLC A small residential, seaside property located on Fairfield Beach, Fairfield was renovated by the new owners and adapted for their active family. Barbara was the landscape architect in charge of all of the landscape elements upgrades. She designed new bluestone curving paths to access the front and side doors and designed new landscape lighting to enhance the walks. The existing trees were saved and she designed new shade and salt-tolerant plantings which were added to provide seasonal color and interest while respecting the existing plantings. Along the beach front additional native beach grasses were added to stabilize the dunes while removing some invasive plantings. This work will be phased over the next few years in an effort to keep the sand stable. Beach roses were incorporated into a hollow in the dunes. A small lawn area was renovated and the surrounding Black Pines pruned to provide a small play area and respite from the sun. Beautiful reblooming hydrangeas line the edge of the gravel driveway. Rounded beach stones were used instead of mulch in the island planting along the edge of the adjacent road planted with Miscanthus, Mugo pine and yucca. Barbara designed a custom kayak rack, custom garbage enclosure, a new layout of the existing wooden deck to facilitate access to the side doors, and detailed how to renovate the front door into only an emergency access with new railings and steps. She coordinating obtaining bids and then supervised the installation of all elements for the new landscape the project. The interiors were designed by Jack Montgomery Design of Greenwich, CT and NYC . Tree work was completed by Bartlett Tree Experts. Freddy’s Landscape Company of Fairfield, CT installed the new plantings, installed all the new masonry work and provides landscape maintenance services. JT Low Voltage and Electric installed the landscape lighting.

Photo: Kayla Stark © 2015 Houzz
Example of a 1960s living room design in New Orleans

MKB Photography
Example of a classic dining room design in Chicago

It’s always a blessing when your clients become friends - and that’s exactly what blossomed out of this two-phase remodel (along with three transformed spaces!). These clients were such a joy to work with and made what, at times, was a challenging job feel seamless. This project consisted of two phases, the first being a reconfiguration and update of their master bathroom, guest bathroom, and hallway closets, and the second a kitchen remodel. In keeping with the style of the home, we decided to run with what we called “traditional with farmhouse charm” – warm wood tones, cement tile, traditional patterns, and you can’t forget the pops of color! The master bathroom airs on the masculine side with a mostly black, white, and wood color palette, while the powder room is very feminine with pastel colors. When the bathroom projects were wrapped, it didn’t take long before we moved on to the kitchen. The kitchen already had a nice flow, so we didn’t need to move any plumbing or appliances. Instead, we just gave it the facelift it deserved! We wanted to continue the farmhouse charm and landed on a gorgeous terracotta and ceramic hand-painted tile for the backsplash, concrete look-alike quartz countertops, and two-toned cabinets while keeping the existing hardwood floors. We also removed some upper cabinets that blocked the view from the kitchen into the dining and living room area, resulting in a coveted open concept floor plan. Our clients have always loved to entertain, but now with the remodel complete, they are hosting more than ever, enjoying every second they have in their home.

The windows and doors are set deeply in the wall pocket with flared interior jambs to allow more light into the rooms. The structure consists of a timber frame which is infilled with straw bales with lime plaster on the exterior and a breathable earthen plaster on the interior with integral dyes for a fresco-like finish. Photo by Celia Pearson.