Garage - contemporary garage idea in Santa Barbara

Photographer: Eric Roth; Stylist: Tracey Parkinson
Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal screened-in porch remodel in Boston with decking and a roof extension

In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

Photo Credit: Andy Beasley Exposed brick walls, dark joinery and contrasting textures and soft furnishings allows this space to have a lovely homely feel while still being a contemporary family home. A wood burning fire in the sitting area creates a toasty corner, even in an open plan room. A multi use space for entertaining and family life this project is still a hit, and a favourite of ours and the public. The space can be opened up to bring the outside, in. By opening up the huge sliding glazed doors onto the patio you create an even larger space where life can spill out into the garden, and equally lets nature into the home with a breath of fresh air. The pendant lights above the table from John Lewis – William Bottle Glass Pendants from the Croft collection £130 each. These are such simple lights with a hint of detail and a slightly industrial feel ties in beautifully with the metal star table lamp on the bespoke side table.

Converted a tired two-flat into a transitional single family home. The very narrow staircase was converted to an ample, bright u-shape staircase, the first floor and basement were opened for better flow, the existing second floor bedrooms were reconfigured and the existing second floor kitchen was converted to a master bath. A new detached garage was added in the back of the property. Architecture and photography by Omar Gutiérrez, Architect

David Lauer
Cottage formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room photo in Denver with white walls, a two-sided fireplace and no tv

Patio - large traditional backyard stone patio idea in New York with a pergola

Photo © Bruce Damonte
Front door - 1950s front door idea in San Francisco with a yellow front door

Inspiration for a contemporary garage remodel in Santa Barbara

This is a garage into office conversion we did in Los Angeles. Garage remodels are perfect for those who want to add an extra room, extra space, or simply want to beautify their garages.

Emily O'Brien
Living room - large transitional living room idea in Boston with a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Halkin Photography
Example of a mid-sized trendy three-car garage workshop design in Philadelphia

This transitional timber frame home features a wrap-around porch designed to take advantage of its lakeside setting and mountain views. Natural stone, including river rock, granite and Tennessee field stone, is combined with wavy edge siding and a cedar shingle roof to marry the exterior of the home with it surroundings. Casually elegant interiors flow into generous outdoor living spaces that highlight natural materials and create a connection between the indoors and outdoors. Photography Credit: Rebecca Lehde, Inspiro 8 Studios

Richard Cadan
Trendy beige floor living room photo in New York with a ribbon fireplace and a media wall

© Josh Partee 2013
Open concept kitchen - contemporary single-wall open concept kitchen idea in Portland with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, stainless steel countertops, multicolored backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photography: Dustin Halleck, Home Builder: Middlefork Development, LLC, Architect: Burns + Beyerl Architects
Example of a mid-sized classic formal and open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Chicago with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace and no tv

From the doorway of the master bedroom, the entertainment loft appears to hover over the living space below. Franklin took advantage of the existing hay track in the peak of the ceiling, using it to conceal wiring needed to run the fan and lights. In order to preserve the quality of the ceiling, the architect covered the original slats with 6" insulated panels (SIP's). While his children were younger, Franklin recognized the need to child-proof the space. "I installed Plexiglas on all the railings so the kids couldn’t climb over them when they were very small," he explains. While some of the sheeting was removed over time, Franklin laughs, " The Plexiglas on the railings by the pool table will always stay since we are so bad at pool! Too many balls fly off the table and could injure someone in the gathering room below." Adrienne DeRosa Photography

Example of a transitional l-shaped eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash and subway tile backsplash