Our client’s charming cottage was no longer meeting the needs of their family. We needed to give them more space but not lose the quaint characteristics that make this little historic home so unique. So we didn’t go up, and we didn’t go wide, instead we took this master suite addition straight out into the backyard and maintained 100% of the original historic façade. Master Suite This master suite is truly a private retreat. We were able to create a variety of zones in this suite to allow room for a good night’s sleep, reading by a roaring fire, or catching up on correspondence. The fireplace became the real focal point in this suite. Wrapped in herringbone whitewashed wood planks and accented with a dark stone hearth and wood mantle, we can’t take our eyes off this beauty. With its own private deck and access to the backyard, there is really no reason to ever leave this little sanctuary. Master Bathroom The master bathroom meets all the homeowner’s modern needs but has plenty of cozy accents that make it feel right at home in the rest of the space. A natural wood vanity with a mixture of brass and bronze metals gives us the right amount of warmth, and contrasts beautifully with the off-white floor tile and its vintage hex shape. Now the shower is where we had a little fun, we introduced the soft matte blue/green tile with satin brass accents, and solid quartz floor (do you see those veins?!). And the commode room is where we had a lot fun, the leopard print wallpaper gives us all lux vibes (rawr!) and pairs just perfectly with the hex floor tile and vintage door hardware. Hall Bathroom We wanted the hall bathroom to drip with vintage charm as well but opted to play with a simpler color palette in this space. We utilized black and white tile with fun patterns (like the little boarder on the floor) and kept this room feeling crisp and bright.

Building a Dream Home For the past 30 years, John Bleeker has been designing notable homes and renowned buildings in the area, which have been published in numerous magazines. Mr. Bleeker, an award winning architect of Bleeker Architectural Group, chose Braen Supply as the provider for the materials for his own home. He felt that Braen Supply was the most trustworthy and reliable source for materials as he designed his dream home. Mr. Bleeker was looking for a particular coloration of materials that Braen Supply would be providing. In order to meet the needs of the customer, a custom blend of granites were created providing him with the exact coloration that he was looking for. The remaining materials were selected to correspond with the custom blend, creating a home that anyone would dream to live in. Bleeker Architectural Group has been designing notable homes and buildings in the area since 1999.

A cramped entrance was elevated by pulling the front wall forward to create a double-height space, highlighting the stairs. Building upon the new expansiveness, the stairs were flared in plan and the custom millwork balustrades designed with corresponding tapers.

Designed by Jen Gallagher of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Fredericksburg VA in collaboration with Turning Point Construction, this small farm house kitchen features Ultracraft Cabinetry kitchen cabinets in the Rockford door style with a Painted Wings finish. The kitchen countertops are Cambria in Swanbridge. The kitchen also includes a custom stained Wood Hood and GE Appliances, provided by others. “The best thing I love about the kitchen is the pantry,” said the client. “Jen at Reico had lots of experience and gave me good recommendations when asked. Thanks for helping make my dream kitchen come true!” “This was a fun kitchen to work with! The clients had a great eye for detail and knew what look they were going for,” said Jen. “The main point of the project was to brighten up the space and make it more functional. Adding a corner pantry for more food storage allowed them to add beautiful detail and a custom stained door that corresponded with the accented wood piece added to the bottom of the Wood Hood. The finished job really made a difference!” Photos courtesy of Tim Snyder Photography.

River Homes Civic, Pedestrian, and Personal Scale Our urban design strategy to create a modern, traditional neighborhood centered around three distinct yet connected levels of scale – civic, pedestrian, and personal. The civic connection with the city, the Milwaukee River and the adjacent Kilbourn Park was addressed via the main thoroughfare, street extensions and the River Walk. The relationship to pedestrian scale was achieved by fronting each building to its corresponding street or river edge. Utilizing elevated entries and main living levels provides a non-intimidating distinction between public and private. The open, loft-like qualities of each individual living unit, coupled with the historical context of the tract supports the personal scale of the design. The Beerline “mini-block” – patterned after a typical city block - is configured to allow for each individual building to address its respective street or river edge while creating an internal alley or “auto court”. The river-facing units, each with four levels of living space, incorporate rooftop garden terraces which serve as natural, sunlit pavilions in an urban setting. In an effort to integrate our typical urban neighborhood with the context of an industrial corridor, we relied upon thoughtful connections to materials such as brick, stucco, and fine woods, thus creating a feeling of refined elegance in balance with the “sculpture” of the historic warehouses across the Milwaukee River. Urban Diversity The Beerline River Homes provide a walkable connection to the city, the beautiful Milwaukee River, and the surrounding environs. The diversity of these custom homes is evident not only in the unique association of the units to the specific “edges” each one addresses, but also in the diverse range of pricing from the accessible to the high-end. This project has elevated a typically developer-driven market into a striking urban design product.

Layered in timeless blues, soft greens, and warm creams, this space balances tradition with everyday comfort. Thoughtfully designed with family in mind, the room invites both connection and quiet moments—ample seating encourages gathering, while a dedicated game table sets the stage for friendly competition and shared memories. A traditional secretary desk adds a functional, collected touch, perfect for homework, correspondence, or simply keeping life organized. Comfortable, classic, and meant to be lived in—this is a living room where style and family life coexist beautifully.

For this classic two-story home in Arlington Virginia, the second story level completely redesigned to add extra rooms and storage space. The new second story is remodeled with three new bedrooms, two new bathrooms and closets, and upgraded entrance hall. Existing roof shingles and gutters were modified along entire existing home. New bathrooms are complete with wood vanity cabinets, toilets, glass showers, freestanding tub, and corresponding amenities. New recessed lights are placed throughout second story. Second story comes complete with a new laundry room besides the main hall. Plenty of windows throughout second story provide a feeling of brightness and warmth.

Some people will tell you that you can't have an under-mounted sink with a tile counter-top, as you can see it is not only possible, but looks fabulous! When solid surface counters are just not in the budget these granite tiles with corresponding backsplash options from Benissimo are a great alternative. A subtle flooring tile really sets off the contrast of the white cabinets and dark countertop.

The kitchen finds its greatest expression in the island. Its spaciousness makes it appear majestic, and the overhanging top emphasises its architectural strength. The thick Dekton® top accommodates the integrated sink and Pitt Fire burners, and ends with the breakfast bar. The large tubular hood in painted steel corresponds exactly to the burners and emphasises the vertical lines of the ceiling.

After: This bathroom turned out beautifully! 12x12 porcelain tile graces the shower walls, with a corresponding mosaic border. Brushed nickel accessories accompanied with a clean quartz countertop polish the space. The wood style tile flooring matches well with the wall tile. These are the before and after pictures of a large master bathroom remodel that was done by Steve White (owner of Bathroom Remodeling Teacher and SRW Contracting, Inc.) Steve has been a bathroom remodeling contractor in the Pittsburgh area since 2008. Steve has created easy-to-follow courses that enable YOU to build your own bathroom. He has compiled all of his industry knowledge and tips & tricks into several courses he offers online to pass his knowledge on to you. He makes it possible for you to BUILD a bathroom just like this coastal style master bathroom. Check out his courses by visiting the Bathroom Remodeling Teacher website at: https://www.bathroomremodelingteacher.com/learn.

Duration® Premium Cool Shingles reflect solar energy, helping decrease the amount of heat transferred to a home’s interior – and the amount of air conditioning needed to keep it comfortable. Duration® Premium Cool Shingles are ENERGY STAR® rated and feature unique lighter colors that have corresponding Owens Corning™ Hip & Ridge Shingles. These shingles also offer our patented SureNail® Technology.

Our client’s charming cottage was no longer meeting the needs of their family. We needed to give them more space but not lose the quaint characteristics that make this little historic home so unique. So we didn’t go up, and we didn’t go wide, instead we took this master suite addition straight out into the backyard and maintained 100% of the original historic façade. Master Suite This master suite is truly a private retreat. We were able to create a variety of zones in this suite to allow room for a good night’s sleep, reading by a roaring fire, or catching up on correspondence. The fireplace became the real focal point in this suite. Wrapped in herringbone whitewashed wood planks and accented with a dark stone hearth and wood mantle, we can’t take our eyes off this beauty. With its own private deck and access to the backyard, there is really no reason to ever leave this little sanctuary. Master Bathroom The master bathroom meets all the homeowner’s modern needs but has plenty of cozy accents that make it feel right at home in the rest of the space. A natural wood vanity with a mixture of brass and bronze metals gives us the right amount of warmth, and contrasts beautifully with the off-white floor tile and its vintage hex shape. Now the shower is where we had a little fun, we introduced the soft matte blue/green tile with satin brass accents, and solid quartz floor (do you see those veins?!). And the commode room is where we had a lot fun, the leopard print wallpaper gives us all lux vibes (rawr!) and pairs just perfectly with the hex floor tile and vintage door hardware. Hall Bathroom We wanted the hall bathroom to drip with vintage charm as well but opted to play with a simpler color palette in this space. We utilized black and white tile with fun patterns (like the little boarder on the floor) and kept this room feeling crisp and bright.

This beautiful Vienna, VA needed a two-story addition on the existing home frame. Our expert team designed and built this major project with many new features. This remodel project includes three bedrooms, staircase, two full bathrooms, and closets including two walk-in closets. Plenty of storage space is included in each vanity along with plenty of lighting using sconce lights. Three carpeted bedrooms with corresponding closets. Master bedroom with his and hers walk-in closets, master bathroom with double vanity and standing shower and separate toilet room. Bathrooms includes hardwood flooring. Shared bathroom includes double vanity. New second floor includes carpet throughout second floor and staircase.

When designing this bathroom, we used a 2"x2" hexagon tile on the main wall and floor to create a waterfall effect in the shower. This makes the space feel larger, and the light color helps to reflect light. The penny round backing in the shower niche corresponds to the vanity color. Instead of a shower bench, a separate outdoor stool was added for flexibility and functionality. Body sprays were added to this spa shower as well as a rain shower and handheld shower for the ultimate spa experience.

The kitchen as the centre of the home – that was something the whole family wanted. So there is no living space in the traditional sense in the Madrona house, simply causally positioned seating in a range of niches. The openplan kitchen is at the top of the stairs on the first floor and opens up to the outside with floor-to-ceiling windows. The limitation to the bare essentials in terms of furniture and fixtures is characteristic of the interior – the kitchen area looks correspondingly spacious with units right down to the floor, one streamlined unit run and a dining table. Kitchen By: Leicht USA Builder: YS Built photographer: Lara Swimmer (Seattle)

The built-in desk area in the kitchen's dining area keeps the family's correspondence organized, and offers the kids a convenient space to do homework while dinner is prepared.

Sunday, September 27, 11:00am to 12:30pm | Chicago Historic Wicker Park Mansion by Brian Culliton and Tony Quinn of Culliton Quinn Landscape Architecture Sitting on four city lots in historic Wicker Park, the renovation of this 1879 Victorian home created two front entries with corresponding gardens and a private sitting space, all while integrating traditional Victorian garden elements into the overall design. Salvaged materials gave the new garden an antique character. An aging Joliet stone kneewall surrounded the old property with an original fence by Stewart Iron Works. The fence was meticulously restored and missing components were carefully replicated and replaced. The existing wall could not be reset, therefore, a new kneewall was fabricated to match the original stone profile. Large slabs from the existing wall were reused for the entry steps and kitchen garden copings. Pieces of the kneewall foundation were also recycled as flatwork in the hardscape, mixed with newer Wisconsin flagstone. A traditional boxwood parterre highlights the main entry and two Sargent Crabapples frame the pathway into a large formal lawn. A sunken gravel garden is situated at the far end of the lawn with vegetable beds and ample seating for entertaining. The overhead pergola and upright boxwood hedge help to create a sense of enclosure in this space, great for relaxing with the family. Photo courtesy of Culliton Quinn

Quality hardscaping materials compliment and contrast with the stone and colors of the home. Unilock Estate wall stone and buff colored Ledgestone caps, Lannon stone steps, fire ring and cobbles compliment the stone on the house. Mortared Bluestone corresponds with the shutters and the shingles. The Belden 760 brick contrasts nicely while bringing out colors in the wall and Bluestone. Photo by Ryan Hainey

Building a Dream Home For the past 30 years, John Bleeker has been designing notable homes and renowned buildings in the area, which have been published in numerous magazines. Mr. Bleeker, an award winning architect of Bleeker Architectural Group, chose Braen Supply as the provider for the materials for his own home. He felt that Braen Supply was the most trustworthy and reliable source for materials as he designed his dream home. Mr. Bleeker was looking for a particular coloration of materials that Braen Supply would be providing. In order to meet the needs of the customer, a custom blend of granites were created providing him with the exact coloration that he was looking for. The remaining materials were selected to correspond with the custom blend, creating a home that anyone would dream to live in. Bleeker Architectural Group has been designing notable homes and buildings in the area since 1999.