With working and relaxing zones all in the same room, this system allows for productivity and comfort all in one space. Classic White finish paired with the white walls lends an airy feel. White slab drawer fronts contribute to the seamless look. Cassini Beach countertops provide contrast and a natural touch. Adjustable shelving creates flexibility for changing needs. Integrated multiple workstations provide designated project and task areas. Open overhead storage provides easy access to books and supplies.

The kitchen of an exquisitely detailed, Arts and Crafts style home is resurrected from its 1970’s remodel and transformed to better compliment the home and serve its family of four. Carrera marble counters, open butler pantry shelving, steel french doors, and checkerboard stone flooring contribute to the new kitchen’s crisp traditional elegance. General Contractor: Caruso Construction Photographer: Bruce Damonte

A summer house built around salvaged barn beams. Not far from the beach, the secluded site faces south to the ocean and views. The large main barn room embraces the main living spaces, including the kitchen. The barn room is anchored on the north with a stone fireplace and on the south with a large bay window. The wing to the east organizes the entry hall and sleeping rooms.

Time had stood still at this 1970s ranch in Armonk when the owners invited us to collaborate with them to transform it into a modern, light-filled home for their young family. The budget was lean, so economy was a primary consideration for every design decision. The challenge was to identify the modest home’s virtues – vaulted ceilings and a lovely backyard – and accentuate them by strategically optimizing available funds. We were tasked with rectifying a dysfunctional interior stair, connecting to the outdoors with new large windows, and updating the exterior. We focused our attention on a finite set of architectural moves which would have the biggest impact and improve our clients’ daily experience of the home. Detailing was kept simple, using common grade materials and standard components. All exterior walls were revamped with new windows and siding. Although these materials were not particularly costly, thoughtful layout of boards, battens, and openings produced a cohesive, rigorous composition at each facade. Since the budget would not cover the homeowners’ complete wish list, some items were bracketed for subsequent phases. The challenge was to establish a framework that would allow future work – including a new roof and kitchen renovation – to proceed smoothly. The homeowners, both scientists, were enthusiastic collaborators, contributing their outstanding design sensibilities to selection of fixtures and finishes. Construction ended just in time for the arrival of their baby – and with that, the transformation of their family home was complete.

Example of a cottage concrete floor, gray floor, vaulted ceiling, wood ceiling and wood wall great room design in Perth with white walls

The house features the latest in renewable energy. Photovoltaic panels provide back-up energy for the residence and a charging station for an electric car, while solar hot water panels meet demand for domestic hot water. A vertical wind turbine, prominent at the site’s entry, contributes to the production of energy at the residence. Erik Bishoff, Photographer

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Truly a collaboration among the owners of the home, the architect, and the designers, this home reflects the active lifestyle of the busy family with three young boys both inside and out. The home features a mix of modern and traditional elements, plaster veneer walls, reclaimed solid timbers, and natural and organic materials with history and texture. Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects Interior Design: Alecia Stevens Interiors Photography: Spacecrafting

Inspiration for a rustic bathroom remodel in Austin

The overall design was done by Ilene Chase of Ilene Chase Design. My contribution to this was the stone and architectural details.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional women's dark wood floor and black floor walk-in closet remodel in Chicago with open cabinets

The Millbrook Barn project consisted of the complete renovation of a dilapidated barn and chicken coop, located behind a small farm house in Millbrook, New York. As the smaller main house could not accommodate space for the children to play, the family wanted to update their unused space to create an expansive indoor playroom and gathering space. The strategy for this project was to renovate the barn and pool house using sustainable and reclaimed materials, to produce an intersection of modern and antique design In contrast to the all-white main house, we selected a deep charcoal grey for the new barn’s exterior. A subtle, sophisticated tension between traditional, rustic elements and more contemporary details prevails throughout, from wood-paneled walls and barn doors, to clean-lined square windows inspired by artist Donald Judd’s minimalist compound in Marfa, Texas. In our design, we wanted to create an authentic experience of the space, without having to fake farmhouse details. A number of kitchen and bathroom surfaces are made of prefabricated concrete, including the shower enclosures, fireplace, kitchen cabinets and three-inch-thick countertops. The floors throughout are made from engineered wood, with a driftwood-like finish that matches the weathered look of the salvaged cedar ceiling timbers. The lower, western wing of the L-shaped structure (originally the chicken coop) provides ample room for family feasts in the airy, open kitchen, living and dining area. Rounding out the architectural program is an upstairs bedroom loft which accommodates an overflow of guests, and features an inviting window seat and daybed. The loft overlooks the pool and sits above an attached pool house with boys’ and girls’ changing and shower rooms below. Solar panels, lined discretely along one slope of the standing-seam metal roof, power the pool’s heater. The interior decoration reflects the same chic but humble sensibility that characterizes the overall architectural design. In the playroom, paper globe lanterns hang above slouchy, brightly-hued chairs by Italian designer Paola Lenti; in the living and dining area, they enliven a suite of simple wicker and linen-covered chairs, some from the family’s existing home. Accessories in the space include raw silk rugs, boldly patterned kilims and rugged lighting features, which contribute to an overall rustic, yet elegant feel throughout.

This 2,700 square-foot renovation of an existing brick structure has provided a stunning, year round vacation home in the Lake Sunapee region. Located on the same footprint as the original brick structure, the new, one-story residence is oriented on the site to take advantage of the expansive views of Mts. Sunapee and Kearsarge. By implementing a mix of siding treatments, textures and materials, and unique rooflines the home complements the surrounding site, and caps off the top of the grassy hill. New entertainment rooms and porches are located so that the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains are always prominent. Dressed in bright and airy colors, the spaces welcome conversation and relaxation in spectacular settings. The design of three unique spaces, each of which experience the site differently, contributed to the overall layout of the residence. From the Adirondack chairs on the colonnaded porch to the cushioned sofas of the sunroom, personalized touches of exquisite taste provide an undeniably comforting atmosphere to the site. Photographer: Joseph St. Pierre

For our full gut renovation of this Manhattan loft penthouse, we partnered with architecture firm Todd Zwigard Architects. Many of our clients know us as experts in the full design-build approach, where we handle every aspect of the project. But in this case, architectural plans were already drawn, the full schedule was finished, and our clients needed a partner to execute on the architectural plans – enter Gallery. Construction management is as vital to a project as the design phase, so we’re happy to offer our expertise in this type of scenario. A DIFFERENT APPROACH Construction and design are often the face of most renovations, but the planning and follow-through are naturally just as necessary to make it all come together. The project itself was a fairly straightforward gut renovation of the loft. Everything was included: new floors, a new kitchen, new bathrooms, new lighting. Our task was to manage every aspect of the construction, ensuring that the planning work of Todd Zwigard Architects was executed to the exact vision imagined for this Manhattan loft renovation. CONTEMPORARY GOES ECLECTIC Although we didn’t contribute to the aesthetic of the interior design in this project, we did carry out the plans that brought it life. The tone was very modern, with some eclectic touches. The kitchen, featuring an island with a baby blue lacquered finish, blends contemporary clean lines into an industrial-tinged, almost futuristic aesthetic. Reclaimed wooden doors and art pieces collected throughout the years are an ode to the client's travels, an artistic touch from Todd Zwigard Architects. LET’S TALK Quality of work is of course important, but there are several components of construction management that are equally vital: communication; processes that make sure you're able to adhere to schedules; protocols with both safety and communication. You might say this is the nerding out of the construction process. It’s not often the face of a project, but it’s absolutely massive in terms of carrying out a successful renovation, whether it’s a penthouse loft in Manhattan, a condo in Prospect Heights, or a kitchen in a Brooklyn brownstone. Quality construction management is probably one of the biggest ways to separate professional contractors from those who aren’t. ART FROM CHAOS This was such a large project, so our ability to procure and source all the finishes and fixtures was hugely important to our clients. The sheer number of floors, tiles, and plumbing fixtures alone that need to be ordered, in addition to everything else, plus figuring out lead times, shipments, deliveries, and inspections. It can quickly become chaotic, but there’s an art to the planning and organization, and we’ve mastered it. The larger a project is, the more likely that havoc will rear its head. The antidote is not only really proper planning and construction management, as we achieved in this Manhattan loft penthouse renovation, but also a great working relationship with everyone else involved in the project: contractors, architect, and clients alike. GET IN TOUCH Is a loft renovation in New York in your future? We’re experts in renovating New York homes, from apartment combinations in managed buildings to kitchens and bathrooms in co-ops and condos to gut renovations of historic spaces and landmark renovations. ‍ Contact us to learn more about our approach as a design-and-build firm, where all aspects of your project are handled under the same roof. In addition to construction management, you’ll get our in-house architect in-house and the added renovation benefits of experts in design, material selection, and paperwork.

This single family home sits on a tight, sloped site. Within a modest budget, the goal was to provide direct access to grade at both the front and back of the house. The solution is a multi-split-level home with unconventional relationships between floor levels. Between the entrance level and the lower level of the family room, the kitchen and dining room are located on an interstitial level. Within the stair space “floats” a small bathroom. The generous stair is celebrated with a back-painted red glass wall which treats users to changing refractive ambient light throughout the house. Black brick, grey-tinted glass and mirrors contribute to the reasonably compact massing of the home. A cantilevered upper volume shades south facing windows and the home’s limited material palette meant a more efficient construction process. Cautious landscaping retains water run-off on the sloping site and home offices reduce the client’s use of their vehicle. The house achieves its vision within a modest footprint and with a design restraint that will ensure it becomes a long-lasting asset in the community. Photo by Tom Arban

Light wood cabinetry provides abundant storage throughout the kitchen, contributing to the airy and uncluttered aesthetic. The contrasting white countertops extend along the perimeter, offering generous workspace for cooking and meal prep.

Looking down the new driveway to the house from the street. Sweeping masses of Hakonechloa 'All Gold' visually brighten the shady space while hostas, ferns, ligularia, broadleaf evergreens and Eastern Redbud trees contribute to a woodsy, natural feel. Photo by Susan Sotera

Example of a tuscan bathroom design in Los Angeles

A daring combination of forms and finishes yielded an exciting contemporary/industrial hybrid. In a converted wedge-shaped factory building, this loft’s quirky shape was celebrated, not disguised. Contrasting flooring demarcates what is, in fact, a literal work triangle. The island’s unusual five-sided shape proudly reiterates the room’s footprint; the three waterfall ends accentuate its one-of-a-kind geometry. Four different materials were chosen to establish a playful dialogue between light, dark, and texture: caramel-stained rift cut oak on open cabinets; matte charcoal gray paint on tall and wall cabinets; brushed bronze oil-rubbed wire mesh inserts for bases; and panels in a laminate resembling knotty weathered wood. White quartz countertops provide a unifying feature. Open cabinets are singular for their asymmetrical placement and, in some spots, open-ended configuration within the tall units. The breathtaking dining table was fashioned from two free-form live edge planks, joined by a ribbon of clear epoxy resin, thus creating the illusion of a stream meandering through fallen trees. Black elements contribute an industrial edge: an open-framed metal wall shelf over the sink; iron table legs; a mix of dining chairs in mid-century wire mesh, molded plastic, and retro aluminum; and machinery castors on the low-slung coffee table. This project was designed by Bilotta Designer Daniel Popescu in collaboration with MeldNYC. Photography is by Nico Arellano.

The inviting atmosphere in this house is palpable. Although the finishes chosen are luxe they remain approachable. Bohemian rugs grace the concrete and wood beam floors. A decorative hood reminiscent of rusty corrugated metal sits atop the expansive cooktop. The down-home feel is subtle and never detracts from the sophisticated aura of the space. The functional design and high quality Medallion cabinetry were our contribution to this gorgeous project and we are proud to have been a part of it.