Daybed niche designed by Barbara Purdy Design Photo credit - Davis Powell Media
Inspiration for a mid-sized country enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Albuquerque with white walls and a tv stand

Combining elegance and timelessness, this luxury home captures the essence of fine living. Stone, shakes and massive timbers create a welcoming façade and make a grand statement in this French Country European style home. Luxurious details and abundant conveniences define this beautiful new home for a young family of five. The exterior was finished in natural stone and Hardi-Plank siding. A grand foyer, luxurious library and stunning powder room form a sophisticated entry that flows into the large great room which perfect for family living and entertaining. A gourmet kitchen adjoins to the morning room that features a cherry lined 20” with great views to woods, cabana and pool. The master suite offers a beautiful two huge closets while the spa bath offers separate vanities and spacious shower. Two separate stairways lead to the upstairs. The little girl’s room is fit for a princess while a Jack & Jill bath adjoins the boy’s room. A guest suite was also provided. A fun play area was created in the loft. The spectacular walkout basement feature a walnut bar, billiards room lounge, exercise room as well as a game room. The basement also features an extraordinary state of the art home theater with personalized marquee sign and includes a Hollywood glam bath. Outdoor living takes center stage, with an old world cabana, pool & spa and lavish landscapes on both levels. Additional details include a three-car garage, large laundry room and so much more. Photo Credit - Richard Hall

This 4,000 square-foot private residence is located at one of the city’s most prestigious addresses: the Intercontinental of Boston. Conveniently situated downtown near the waterfront, the home offers incredible city views and easy access to Boston’s most reputable restaurants, shops, and parks. A complete, full gut renovation, this transformation brings in the most contemporary and current design flair and is punctuated with strong millwork detail. Full home automation allows for ease and comfort of day-to-day living. Premium appliance package and textured finishes in all areas of the house provide a plush look and sophisticated feel.

The Garden Tool Stash by Teracottage is a convenient little storage hide away that you place in the garden to house your trowel, twine, pruning shears, etc. www.teracottage.com

At the far end of the deck, a three season room was added off of the living room, providing a shady respite for dining and relaxing. This room features built in cabinetry to store off season screens or glass panels, as well as outdoor dining wear. A Douglas Fir ceiling is finished with a marine varnish for a nautical look. Above the three season room, a roof deck was added off of the master bedroom suite providing private, serene adult space. Eric Roth Photography

Amber works from home and was sacrificing a dining room for her home office. By utilizing the double wide closet space in her guest bedroom, she now walks into her home without the reminder of work, and can have guests over for a meal in her dining room (dining room reveal coming soon). The walls were freshly painted Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams. This gives the room a fresh, clean look and also adds contrast to the beige carpet. Amber had her homework assignments cut out for her as she had to do some major purging in her throw all guest room. Once she started letting go, she was on a roll and continually surprised me as she cleaned out closets throughout the house. One dresser was filled with cds, dvds, books, albums, scrap-booking materials; items taking up precious real estate in her life that she didn't even know were there. There really wasn't a storage problem after-all, she was just holding on to a collection of things that no longer served her. Each time I would visit, and her space would become more open, I could see the weight lifting off her and her self love building. Amber had a recent breakup with her boyfriend and this makeover helped her not only focus on making a home sanctuary for herself, but helped her let go of the pains of the past and focus on the exciting future ahead. At one point when we were moving sofas in the living room (which we will also reveal soon), we found an ex's flip-flop. We were figuratively and literally sweeping away the past. Editing your home and your life makes room for your future; for new people and things. We are so happy to finally reveal the room to you! We can't wait to unveil the rest of Amber's home, once we complete the finishing touches. Challenges: Amber's home was filled with mix-matched furniture from family and college. She had no idea what her decorating style was. After shopping together and exchanging somepinterest boards, I was finally able to get a sense of what she loves. I had to work on a tight budget, which meant really digging out the creativity and utilizing other items in the home. See how I transformed a table from the discard pile into a faux marble bedside table by clicking web link. Amber's dad was able to help with the desk materials and building to cut costs. We wanted to save the closet doors in the event she sold her home or no longer needed an office someday. There wasn't any extra space to store these closet doors, so I used them as a headboard. The only items purchased were: Curtains, Curtain Rod, Bedspread Set, Throw Pillows, 2 Lamps and Paint.

This Magnificent Spanish Colonial Estate Is An Exclusive 6,755 sq.ft. Custom Home in Thousand Oaks, CA. Mountain And Valley Vistas Unfold Along Entry Drive, Which Is Lined With A Charming Vineyard. This Sprawling 7.47 Acre Estate Boasts A Main House, A Guest Casita, Elegant Pool And Large Motor Courtyard With A Four-Bay Garage. This Custom Home's Architecture And Amenities Blend Exquisite Centuries-Old Detail And Craftsmanship With The Best of Today's Easy Living Style. The Spacious Interior Home Has Five Bedrooms With Suite Baths, Library Or Office, Game Room, Garden/Craft Room, Breakfast Room, Spacious Gourmet Kitchen And Large Family Room. The Master Suite With Private Retreat Or Gym Is Conveniently Located On The Entry Level. The Home Is Infused With Authentic Old World Charm Throughout. A Generous Use of Outdoor Covered Areas Create Delightful Living Spaces and Contribute To The Estate's Total 10,839 Square Feet of Covered Living Area.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Jeffrey Totaro. Pinemar, Inc.- Philadelphia General Contractor & Home Builder.
Inspiration for a farmhouse indoor basketball/tennis/multi-game court remodel in Philadelphia

In this project Lazar has created another of his hyper-livable top floors—half indoors, half outdoors—that could arguably be the beating heart of the home. A sunny gathering space and gourmet kitchen are gathered under an elevated ceiling. Lined with windows and stocked with gleaming counters, the big room opens onto an equally spacious ocean-view deck that could morph either way: as everyday living space or party central. Thoughtfully designed by Steve Lazar design+build by South Swell. designbuildbysouthswell.com Photography by Laura Hull

Photos by Kaity
Large trendy attached garage photo in Grand Rapids

This Magnificent Spanish Colonial Estate Is An Exclusive 6,755 sq.ft. Custom Home in Thousand Oaks, CA. Mountain And Valley Vistas Unfold Along Entry Drive, Which Is Lined With A Charming Vineyard. This Sprawling 7.47 Acre Estate Boasts A Main House, A Guest Casita, Elegant Pool And Large Motor Courtyard With A Four-Bay Garage. This Custom Home's Architecture And Amenities Blend Exquisite Centuries-Old Detail And Craftsmanship With The Best of Today's Easy Living Style. The Spacious Interior Home Has Five Bedrooms With Suite Baths, Library Or Office, Game Room, Garden/Craft Room, Breakfast Room, Spacious Gourmet Kitchen And Large Family Room. The Master Suite With Private Retreat Or Gym Is Conveniently Located On The Entry Level. The Home Is Infused With Authentic Old World Charm Throughout. A Generous Use of Outdoor Covered Areas Create Delightful Living Spaces and Contribute To The Estate's Total 10,839 Square Feet of Covered Living Area.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

The 3,400 SF, 3 – bedroom, 3 ½ bath main house feels larger than it is because we pulled the kids’ bedroom wing and master suite wing out from the public spaces and connected all three with a TV Den. Convenient ranch house features include a porte cochere at the side entrance to the mud room, a utility/sewing room near the kitchen, and covered porches that wrap two sides of the pool terrace. We designed a separate icehouse to showcase the owner’s unique collection of Texas memorabilia. The building includes a guest suite and a comfortable porch overlooking the pool. The main house and icehouse utilize reclaimed wood siding, brick, stone, tie, tin, and timbers alongside appropriate new materials to add a feeling of age.

Striking high-tech kitchen features contemporary furnishings and smart home automation from Control4 to enhance the ambiance and add the ultimate in convenience. Broadcast the music of your choice using a whole-home audio solution, powered by Control4. The recessed smart lighting and access lighting is designed to create the perfect personalized ambiance. Other automation options may include smart appliances, programmable thermostat control for comfort and energy management, home security system integration, and full A/V control. And everything can be controlled from virtually anywhere - using your Control4 app with a smart phone or tablet device or a convenient touch screen.

Situated on one of the most prestigious streets in the distinguished neighborhood of Highland Park, 3517 Beverly is a transitional residence built by Robert Elliott Custom Homes. Designed by notable architect David Stocker of Stocker Hoesterey Montenegro, the 3-story, 5-bedroom and 6-bathroom residence is characterized by ample living space and signature high-end finishes. An expansive driveway on the oversized lot leads to an entrance with a courtyard fountain and glass pane front doors. The first floor features two living areas — each with its own fireplace and exposed wood beams — with one adjacent to a bar area. The kitchen is a convenient and elegant entertaining space with large marble countertops, a waterfall island and dual sinks. Beautifully tiled bathrooms are found throughout the home and have soaking tubs and walk-in showers. On the second floor, light filters through oversized windows into the bedrooms and bathrooms, and on the third floor, there is additional space for a sizable game room. There is an extensive outdoor living area, accessed via sliding glass doors from the living room, that opens to a patio with cedar ceilings and a fireplace.

Photos by Liz Daly http://www.lizdaly.com/
Example of a classic dark wood floor entryway design in San Francisco with beige walls