Bathroom - mid-sized modern master white tile and porcelain tile bathroom idea in Ottawa with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, an integrated sink and white countertops

Designer Cyndie McManus redesigned a retired couple’s Isle of Palms condo to create a calm beachside retreat. Inspired by nature – the beach, sand and water – Cyndie created a design palette with coastal colors and patterns. The condo is full of seaside hues like soft greens and blues mixed with white and wooden textures. Cyndie even refinished some of the couple’s furniture herself by distressing some of the wood and adding a fresh coat of paint to other pieces. She continued her seaside theme into the guest bedroom, where she added a pop of coral to their nightstand, which she painted herself. The neutral starfish patterned custom draperies added to the decor and coastal flair. A second bedroom continued the inviting palette with blues and greens. We love the fabric she chose for the bedspread.

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, the Craftsman/Prairie style is one of the few truly American architectural styles. It was developed around the turn of the century by a group of Midwestern architects and continues to be among the most comfortable of all American-designed architecture more than a century later, one of the main reasons it continues to attract architects and homeowners today. Oxbridge builds on that solid reputation, drawing from Craftsman/Prairie and classic Farmhouse styles. Its handsome Shingle-clad exterior includes interesting pitched rooflines, alternating rows of cedar shake siding, stone accents in the foundation and chimney and distinctive decorative brackets. Repeating triple windows add interest to the exterior while keeping interior spaces open and bright. Inside, the floor plan is equally impressive. Columns on the porch and a custom entry door with sidelights and decorative glass leads into a spacious 2,900-square-foot main floor, including a 19 by 24-foot living room with a period-inspired built-ins and a natural fireplace. While inspired by the past, the home lives for the present, with open rooms and plenty of storage throughout. Also included is a 27-foot-wide family-style kitchen with a large island and eat-in dining and a nearby dining room with a beadboard ceiling that leads out onto a relaxing 240-square-foot screen porch that takes full advantage of the nearby outdoors and a private 16 by 20-foot master suite with a sloped ceiling and relaxing personal sitting area. The first floor also includes a large walk-in closet, a home management area and pantry to help you stay organized and a first-floor laundry area. Upstairs, another 1,500 square feet awaits, with a built-ins and a window seat at the top of the stairs that nod to the home’s historic inspiration. Opt for three family bedrooms or use one of the three as a yoga room; the upper level also includes attic access, which offers another 500 square feet, perfect for crafts or a playroom. More space awaits in the lower level, where another 1,500 square feet (and an additional 1,000) include a recreation/family room with nine-foot ceilings, a wine cellar and home office. Photographer: Jeff Garland

Since moving into her Dublin home two and a half years ago, Nancy Sanford has been peeling off the decades—quite literally. Built in the 1980s, the home was “very well-maintained, but very little had been done to it” in terms of updating the finishes or style, Sanford says. Plush white carpet ran from wall-to-wall-to-wall, almond-colored laminate coated the kitchen cabinets and wallpaper ran rampant—even covering some ceilings. Despite her efforts, Sanford knew it was going to take more than cosmetic editing to shake the ‘80s and make the home her own. Although she lives in the traditional-leaning Muirfield community, Sanford adores a minimalist, contemporary style—and admits to devouring design magazines “ad nauseam.” To implement her thoroughly modern vision, Sanford turned to Brigid Norton, an interior designer and family friend, and Kristi Youles, a kitchen designer with The JAE Company. Working together, the trio created a carefully considered contemporary design that’s easy on the eyes, and the body. In addition to improving the flow of the kitchen—by removing a V-shaped peninsula that angled out into the room—and adding appliances like a stainless steel refrigerator, Sanford’s short list of must-haves included clean, uncluttered lines and no wall cabinets over the countertops. “I’ve found as I’ve aged, I’ve gotten shorter and just don’t use the upper cabinets,” Sanford explains. Easy-access, smooth-slide drawers with clean slab fronts were the answer—resulting in strong visual lines, an open, airy feel and enhanced ergonomics. Starting with a “needs assessment,” Youles and Norton designed the space quite literally around Nancy. By looking at factors such as her height and which items she uses most frequently, they were able to determine the optimum placement for everything from canned goods in the pantry to cutlery, pans and plates in the customized drawers, all of which helped to achieve the ultimate kitchen organization. But there’s more to the kitchen cabinets smooth façade than clean-lined storage. Walnut drawer fronts—found on the oven and the base of the island—are book-matched, allowing the grain to continue from drawer to drawer. And even in spaces where drawers weren’t feasible, beneath the sink and in a desk area, the designers continued the look with cabinet doors crafted to resemble drawers. The visual continuity of these lines might not be as impactful if it weren’t for the careful selection of contrasting finishes. The designers filled the space with pure, glossy white—using a specific type of quartz, White Cliff by Cambria, to accent the bold rectangular design of the island. Then, to break up the expanse of accompanying white painted drawers, walnut was selected to bring the contrasting warmth and grain of wood without red undertones. It is commonly found in modern furniture design, as well as current productions of mid-century designs like the iconic Eames Lounge Chair from Herman Miller, Youles says.

Our homeowners wanted a master bathroom remodel that would allow them to continue to age in place. They had no intention of leaving their Hermosa Beach bungalow. Aging in place was a central focus of the design. Starting with the wall mounted toilet which was selected for ease of cleaning. The double walk in shower features grab bars and glass hinged doors. Unique to this double shower is that each homeowner selected their preferred shower head and valve to be used; They are not even the same brands! This was one of the ways that the remodel was personalized to the homeowners to meet each of their needs. Since there was no room for a swinging door a barn door ended up to be a stylish resolution. Frosted glass gives the homeowners some privacy but still allows for light. They wanted cabinetry with a rustic feel. The finished project offers the homeowners a shaker style door which slides open. We also included a stacked linen closet for additional storage. The bathroom features marble wainscoting which continues into the shower. The border tile, in a simple stacked stone, continues onto the backsplash to tie the whole room together.

Josh Thornton
Large elegant master carpeted and white floor bedroom photo in Chicago with white walls and no fireplace

Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in San Francisco

This house got a complete facelift! All trim and doors were painted white, floors refinished in a new color, opening to the kitchen became larger to create a more cohesive floor plan. The dining room became a "dreamy" Butlers Pantry and the kitchen was completely re-configured to include a 48" range and paneled appliances. Notice that there are no switches or outlets in the backsplashes. Mud room, laundry room re-imagined and the basement ballroom completely redone. Make sure to look at the before pictures!

Minimalist master multicolored tile and mosaic tile porcelain tile and white floor freestanding bathtub photo in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and white countertops

Architect: Abby Schwartz Associates Photo Credit: Stephen Govel Photography
Inspiration for a timeless pool remodel in Philadelphia

The main floor powder room is as restful as the rest of the space. Designer: Nicole Muzechka (Calgary Photos)
Bathroom - mid-sized transitional 3/4 white tile and glass tile dark wood floor bathroom idea in Calgary with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black walls, a vessel sink and quartzite countertops

Staircase - transitional wooden u-shaped wood railing staircase idea in DC Metro with painted risers

This bath remodel eliminates the old fashioned glass block shower in exchange for a contemporary free standing tub and curbless shower design. The shower walls boast a stunning book matched slab that continues into wainscot and tub surround. The floor also has a continuous design where the sea inspired wood plank tile continues all the way into the kite set shower pan.

Example of an arts and crafts staircase design in New York

Set on a narrow hillside lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay in Point Richmond, California, Bay Heirloom is a Mid-Century Modern family home restored, modernized and adapted for contemporary living. Oriented south-southwest toward the Marin Headlands, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the residence captures shifting Bay light throughout the day, from fog-muted mornings to vivid, glowing sunsets. The home was built by Karlyn Neel’s grandfather, the owner of the construction company Flo-Crete, one of the Bay Area’s early concrete pumping firms. Flo-Crete completed the foundation and structural concrete work, with family photographs documenting the original cinderblock walls and pours. The firm also contributed to major regional infrastructure projects, including the Transbay BART tube and Candlestick Park, situating the house within a broader legacy of Bay Area construction. Growing up, Neel spent considerable time in the home, developing an early appreciation for mid-century modern principles. Instead of parting with this family heirloom, she purchased the home from her grandfather’s estate. While her grandfather continued to live in the Point Richmond house, Neel purchased a Mid-Century Modern residence in Palm Desert. In contrast to the Bay Area’s cool temperatures, salt air, and persistent winds, the desert home is shaped by heat and sun and requires a different material response. A substantial renovation she led there emphasized thermal performance, filtered light, and restrained detailing. The experience later informed the restoration of her Bay Area family home. What began as a modest Mid-Century Modern update expanded when decades of exposure to marine conditions revealed leaks and significant structural and seismic deficiencies. Neel was determined to honor her grandfather’s perseverance and without hesitation pivoted to a much more intensive project. Addressing these challenges required close coordination between Neel, Klopf Architecture and Kasten Builders, with architectural restraint and construction precision guiding each intervention. Rather than alter the home’s defining features, the project focused on reinforcing the structure from within. Discreet beams were embedded along the rear facade and in an upstairs wall, strengthening the building while maximizing the wall of glass facing the Bay and opening the wall between the kitchen and the living space. These structural interventions allowed the space to open fully to the Bay without visual interruption, with the kitchen repositioned as the social and functional core of an open, continuous living space. The building envelope was updated using weather- and corrosion-resistant materials appropriate to the marine environment. The house unfolds vertically from the street, beginning with a modest garage level and workshop, with the main living spaces located below. Original slate flooring at the entry was preserved, along with select furnishings and artwork collected by Neel’s grandfather, anchoring the restored interior in its past. A restrained palette of black accents and pale, natural finishes replaces darker wood tones, reinforcing openness and calm. A naturally illuminated stair connects to the lowest level, where a former basement was transformed into a guest suite and family room opening onto a deck. From there, steps lead directly to a small concrete boat ramp at the water’s edge. Throughout the project, decisions were guided by continuity rather than transformation for its own sake. Lessons drawn from both desert and coastal climates informed a material strategy rooted in performance and restraint. Bay Heirloom stands as a measured evolution of a family house, structurally renewed and carefully modernized, grounded in the discipline and care that first shaped it. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova and Fernanda Bernardes Landscape Architect: Huettl Landscape Architecture General Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022 Location: Point Richmond, CA

Dining room - 1950s dining room idea in San Francisco

This sleek contemporary staircase features robust natural wood newels supporting jet-black horizontal metal rods that create clean, unobstructed sightlines. A continuous modern handrail flows seamlessly across multiple levels, while stained treads are custom-matched to the home's hardwood flooring for visual continuity throughout the space. The dark treads complement the metal rods, while the white risers create defining contrast. The combination of railing and steps creates an appealing balance between strength and openness, transforming the staircase into a focal point that anchors the entry without overwhelming it. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

This is an example of a large transitional partial sun backyard brick landscaping in San Francisco with a fire pit.

Shanghai Green Antiques
Inspiration for a living room remodel in Other