Sometimes a mismatched piece of furniture needs to stay in our redesign projects. In this case it was the chaise lounge. That was not a problem. Note how colorful pillows and a couple throws help to conceal the upholstery and allows the chaise to fit well into the space.

Something a little different at a clients request. Feel free to ask any questions !
Inspiration for a mid-sized asian partial sun front yard stone garden path in Other.

This residence was designed to be a rural weekend getaway for a city couple and their children. The idea of ‘The Barn’ was embraced, as the building was intended to be an escape for the family to go and enjoy their horses. The ground floor plan has the ability to completely open up and engage with the sprawling lawn and grounds of the property. This also enables cross ventilation, and the ability of the family’s young children and their friends to run in and out of the building as they please. Cathedral-like ceilings and windows open up to frame views to the paddocks and bushland below. As a weekend getaway and when other families come to stay, the bunkroom upstairs is generous enough for multiple children. The rooms upstairs also have skylights to watch the clouds go past during the day, and the stars by night. Australian hardwood has been used extensively both internally and externally, to reference the rural setting.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER A single family home in Oakton, VA built in late 80’ was occupied by family of four for 10 years. The owner wishes to expand the living space, finish the basement, add a sunroom/breakfast area addition, eliminate the deck and put in a screen porch. Also convert the laundry room to office/mudroom area. It took months of planning to get into the final design. We have implemented a plan that had a two story back addition (both basement level and first level). This required removing the cinder block wall of basement to add the seamless addition, and removing the entire first level back wall of kitchen to open up kitchen into sunroom. The major challenge was to re-route all duct work going to second level, add ducts for basement and first level to existing system. Then add a second HVAC system in attic for entire second level. Then change all load structure for tow story addition to side wall and new walls to have entire width opened up. The basement has gained a new bar area, a total new bathroom with shower and large vanities and all amenities, media area with gas fireplace and mantel surrounded with matching cherry bookcases and granite tops, recess lights, surround sound system, wood floor and steps, new sewer ejection system due to their difficult septic tank. The new French doors lead into back bricked patio The first floor gained this new 16’x20’ cathedral ceiling sunroom/breakfast addition surrounded with large arched windows and French slider leading into new screen porch. The kitchen lay-out gained three more feet in width. Also by removing partition wall between kitchen and existing family room. The first floor now has total open floor plan. The fireplace in existing family room was converted to gas and got marble surround and new mantel. All bulkhead and part of partition walls contained massive plumbing and electrical that needed to be relocated in order to implement the new kitchen layout. This design has much more appliances and a beautiful large furniture style island that is the focal point of this kitchen done in espresso color cherry cabinetry and contrasting light color exotic stove top lighted by two crystal chandeliers. The wrap around of cherry cabinetry in the kitchen with expended cabinetry into butler area and bookcases and bench in sunroom has given this couple lots to fill in. The entire first floor and leading stairs to second floor and part of the second floor was all covered with new 5” wide exotic Santos Mahogany wood floors and new railings. The powder room has been reconfigured to allow larger hallway and with new furniture style vanity this powder room even small than before but has better layout and space. The old Laundry room and has been converted to a 10’x15’ area of multipurpose space. On the left wall there are locker style cabinetry and bench. One the left wall built in and desk area with tones of storage space. The washer and dryer are install into a closet, away from site. A set of French doors were installed into the new back deck and screen porch. The large porcelain floors made the space look even larger and more utilitarian. Use of cherry cabinetry on deck and bookcase with recess lighting scaled up look of the space. The new kitchen, family room and sun room with the rich cherry cabinetry and darker granite top, tumbled marble backsplash and wide board mahogany floors, upper scale stainless steel appliances and furniture style distressed look darker wood Island and light granite have made this project a breathtaking one. The added side screen porch done with Trex decking and cathedral ceiling covered in beaded panel and corner gas fireplace all around covered with Ledgestone has given this family a place to retire in for all those autumn afternoons and much more. The major overhaul of this home from replacement of all existing doors and windows, flooring, crown molding and trim, stairs, entire first floor reface, new siding , new roofing, new electrical, new HVAC, entire new basement, bathroom, mud room, screen porch and lots more makes these owner proud to stay in this home for years to come.

When we started work on this project in inner-city Sydney, the site contained a tiny, 1870s timber cottage that had been given a ‘make over’ in the 1950s. The original front fence had been replaced with a white brick wall, the garden had been largely concreted and a series of additions had been made at the rear. However, the site had one particular advantage – its location at the corner of a street and a pedestrian lane meant that it had aspects to both the North and the West. The clients, a couple moving from Shanghai to Sydney, needed a house with three bedrooms, a substantial kitchen, generous living areas and a place to work from home. Early in the design process, it was decided that on-site car parking wasn’t a priority, as this would have taken up valuable space that could better be used as living area. The design centres on a landscaped courtyard that runs along the Western boundary, directly adjacent to the pedestrian lane. The main entrance to the site was moved from the front of the cottage to the lane and the house is now entered via this new courtyard. The open-plan living spaces and kitchen are arranged around the courtyard and connect directly into it so the courtyard functions as an extension of the living area. A small study is partially screened from the main living area by joinery. On the first floor are two bedrooms and a bathroom that are accessible via a stair running parallel to the eastern boundary, alongside a panel of double-height glazing. Natural light floods into the new part of the house from all sides and aluminium louvres and slatted timber awnings have been located to shade the interior in summer but allow the sun to penetrate in winter. The scheme incorporates the original cottage which now contains a further bedroom and bathroom. With its own street entrance and garden, the cottage works well as a place for guests to stay. A new front fence and the restoration and reconstruction of original external features have recaptured some of this little building’s original character. This decision to relocate the building entrance to the side lane was made initially for the benefit of the new house. However, it has also resulted in the enhancement of the laneway, adding landscaping and activity to a streetscape that generally consists of garage doors and side fences. Photography: Robert Walsh @robertwphoto Builder: Burmah Constructions: www.burmahconstructions.com.au

Elegant home design photo in Melbourne

Prue Ruscoe
Example of an entryway design in Sydney

© 2017 Houzz
Inspiration for a contemporary home bar remodel

The classic modern design of this kitchen was planned for an active young family of four who uses the space as their central hub for gathering, eating and staying connected. Our goals were to create a beautiful and highly functional kitchen with an emphasis on cabinet organization, heated floors and incorporating a live edge slab countertop. We removed an existing bulky island and replaced it with a new island that while only 60 x 26 in size packs a powerful punch housing a baking center, trash/recycle center, microwave oven and cookbook storage. The island seemed the natural place for the gorgeous live edge slab coupled with vintage mercury glass light pendants that make for a truly stunning kitchen island. Polished carrara quartz perimeter counters pair beautifully with the watery blue-green glass backsplash tile. A message center conveniently located on a side panel of the refrigerator cabinet houses built in mailboxes, a family calendar and magnetic surface to display the children’s artwork. We are pleased to have met the family’s goals and that they love their kitchen. Design mission accomplished! Photography by: Marcela Winspear

In brief Location, location, location When looking for your perfect home where you can put down your grass roots and start a family there are many ‘must haves’ that we all have on our wish lists. The obvious contenders are price and location with many other niceties, like the number of bedrooms, layout and decor taking a back seat. As we all know, location can sell a home to those who strive to be in the right area, for transport links, local amenities and the all-important school catchment areas. Like many other families throughout the UK our clients chose their house for its excellent location. Just ten minutes from the centre of Stafford by car, our client’s house is in a popular and sought-after suburb of the town for couples and families alike. They have always loved the location of their house for its easy access to work, schools, leisure facilities and social connections, but they were becoming increasingly frustrated with the layout of the ground floor of their home. It’s inevitable that families will evolve and our needs from our properties will change too. Since the young family of four moved to their large four-bedroom detached house a few years ago, their property has been unable to meet their lifestyle needs and living patterns. Although their property has adequate bedroom space for them and their two children, the layout of the downstairs living area was not functional and it obstructed their everyday life, making entertaining and family gatherings difficult. Our First Meeting Upon our initial consultation with our clients it was clear from the outset why they sought to make changes to the layout of their house. The property had been extended to create extra space by the previous owners, but unfortunately the design and build hadn’t been executed well at all. The rooms and layout were awkward in size and shape and it didn’t allow the family to come together and enjoy their home. They had the floor space, but it was sectioned off into separate rooms, some without a purpose. The garden surrounds the house on all three sides and is of a good size in its entirety with different areas on each aspect. We could clearly see that the house itself didn’t address any particular aspect of the garden in any way. Moving to a new house wasn’t an option, the family were happy with the location and size of the property. What they wanted was a modern, functional, stylish space for everyday family life, with the flexibility to accommodate their large extended family when needed and to ultimately add value to their property. We were appointed by our clients to create a design solution to redesign the ground floor living area with a modern, light filled, open plan space that connects with the garden. It was clear from outset that our design intention was to break down the room barriers and to respond to the needs of the family, supporting their lifestyle now and for the future, bringing them together and creating a house they could call a home. Delivering a project on time and within our client’s budget are always a top priority for our team. The family decided to stay in their house during construction, therefore it was even more essential to minimise the level of disruption to their daily lifestyle with a young family living on site. The family needed help from our team at Croft Architecture to swiftly and successfully acquire Building Control Approval for their project to progress rapidly, ensuring project completion on time and to their determined budget. Our Approach Surveying the site The client’s home is located on the entrance to a quiet cul-de-sac on a mature, leafy, suburban housing estate. Their home nestles into its well-established site, with ample space between the neighbouring properties and has considerable garden space to the rear and both sides. During our initial visit we spent a long time with the family observing the existing layout, talking about how they currently live in the property, their annoyances with the house in its current form, how they would like to be able to live in their family home and how they aspired it to feel, look and live. We walked through the house and it was clear that the existing layout didn’t work downstairs. The house had been extended onto before they had bought the property and the space hadn’t been well thought through in terms of how it would be used effectively. The rooms directly to the left off the hallway, didn’t really have a proper function. The previously extended space had resulted in the house with too many rooms and subsequently this had led to a series of impractical spaces. The long and narrow extension was home to a small U-shaped kitchen at the front of the house, which led onto the dining area and then onto a small room at the back of the extension. For the size of the house the kitchen and dining room in a much smaller and narrower area, leaving larger living areas to the rear of property with copious amounts of dead space. The small kitchen was tucked away at the front of the property which made life difficult for our clients to observe their children playing safely in the garden whilst preparing food and carrying out work in the kitchen. On the opposite side of the property there was another old extension which had a step down into it. This living area had a tiled floor and large glazed windows on all sides which made it feel almost like a conservatory.This area was rarely used by the family as it had no real function, plus it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It had become an under utilised space. We walked around the property and it was clear that the house itself didn’t address their private garden space to any particular aspect in any way, meaning that the garden space was under used because of the poor connections. The family wanted a combined kitchen, dining, lounge space for daily life and also for entertaining their family. Design Approach The size of the property presented the opportunity to substantially reconfigure the family home to create a series of dynamic living spaces oriented towards the large, south-facing garden. Our team suggested removing the little kitchen from the front of the property and re positioning it within the unused glazed space at the back of the house. The glazed room had internal French doors with a step down into the space separating it from the lounge. We proposed to remove the French doors, level the floor and make it into one room with the existing lounge. To connect the new open plan kitchen and living space to the rear and side garden sliding and folding doors were the solution, extending the family’s usable living space by creating a seamless indoor-outdoor flow. There was already a patio area there and it made sense for the kitchen to move to the rear of the house to be close to the patio for easy outside dining. It was therefore logical to retain the existing living space in it's current location next to the new kitchen, maintaining the natural flow of the house for the family after eating and entertaining in the kitchen. When making decisions regarding the kitchen design, we worked closely with the family. They thoroughly enjoy spending time cooking and entertaining with their large extended family. To assist with their culinary preparations our clients had aspired to have an induction hob within their new kitchen. As they were working through the design with us, they weren’t sure about an induction hob because of different cooking methods required for certain meals that they like to produce. They particularly like making chapatis which require a round pan and a gas hob. We didn’t see this as a problem and suggested having a single gas burner for purely this purpose whilst still installing an induction hob. They decided to go ahead with our idea, choosing a single gas burner and an induction hob, and it looks great! The existing lounge space had a corner aspect at the rear property that protruded into the garden. Positioned next to the kitchen and dining space it seemed logical to us for the living area to also open out onto the patio, thus connecting the garden to the house on a wider aspect. To enhance the connection between the garden and the living room we thought that a corner door would work extremely well to really open up this space. The clients really liked the design concept to create a feature of the corner with glazed sliding doors that would completely open the house up to the garden. They were excited about the prospect of the allowing huge amounts of natural light into their home and the flexible access it would provide to the garden. Once the new kitchen, dining and living space had been concluded, we then had to consider what the previous kitchen and dining area was going to be used for within the small, long side extension. We talked with our clients about a few possible uses. We noticed that the family have a piano and few other musical instruments. It made sense for this space to become a quiet part of the house for them to escape to, play music, read and generally relax in a snug area. To shorten the length of the new music room and make an additional feature in the newly created open plan kitchen, dining and living area, we reclaimed some of the space from the back of the side extension and opened it up to the main open-plan space, thus creating another new snug. We added an additional design feature within the snug by creating a timber window seat. Not only does it provide extra seating, but it’s also created a snug within a snug, a haven for reading, napping and gazing out into the garden. As part of their brief our clients also wanted a to incorporate a log burner into their newly remodelled home. To connect the new music room and snug to the living space we proposed to position a two-way log burner where the existing gas fire was located. By retaining a fire in the original location it would minimise the disruption and work required to install the wood burner. However, the theory didn’t turn into reality and the new fire resulted in being quite a task to get it to work. When the contractor began to strip back the existing fireplace, they discovered that fitting the pipe within the building was going to be more challenging than they anticipated because of the poorly constructed extension. It was difficult to execute but it was ultimately achieved. What lies beneath? It’s not until you uncover the fabric of the building that you fully understand what’s going on underneath. When the contractor exposed the structure of the house, we found out that the property had been poorly constructed, and they uncovered a lot of poor workmanship from the original builders. As the build progressed the inner skin of the extended structure was exposed, we found that it wasn’t actually strong enough and we needed to make it safe in order to proceed. Going forwards we ensured that the structure was safe, and all issues were identified and immediately rectified. The previous extensions to the house also presented further challenges as the build progressed. We found that the floors between rooms were not level. We wanted to create the appearance of one space rather than lots of chopped up areas. To do so we needed to alter the floor and ceilings to ensure that they were flush right through the new open plan living space. Also, after removing the internal French doors, the down-stand beam where the doors had previously been were subsequently left prominent down from the ceiling. The design required careful planning and attention to detail to achieve the best looking finished results for the client. For us, in principle our clients’ scheme at the outset was quite a simple project but when the strip out commenced there was actually a more going on underneath that needed attention before the project could start to take shape. A lot of things needed to be considered to make it work structurally and properly for the family. When the carpet was initially lifted, we found a parquet floor underneath. The family and our team were extremely excited at the prospect of having a traditional parquet floor that could be sanded down and made good. However, when ‘all’ of the carpet was removed only half of the living room had been covered in parquet flooring and the other half was actually a solid concrete floor. Unfortunately, we couldn’t proceed with the flooring and our clients chose another floor finish. Making connections Our team at Croft Architecture have created a new, sleek, spacious family ‘hub’ that’s light with clean lines. The open plan space unites the family of four whilst providing the ability to gather the wider family and seamlessly connecting their home with the garden through the new full length sliding doors. Although they now have plenty of space to gather with the family, they also have areas of seclusion to spread out and escape to when needed. A strong working relationship between our team, the client and Building Control enabled us to gain the necessary permissions promptly. We enjoyed working with the project team and we’re extremely pleased to successfully deliver the completed project. Although it wasn't in accordance with our client’s timescales with the discovery of hidden structural challenges, we spent the time carefully resolving the issues to unsure that our clients home was not only safe, but also looks great and functions perfectly.

Avid bike touring taught this young couple that they did not need an awful lot of stuff to be happy. Staying intentionally small was a driving factor in the design of this kitchen and back porch remodel. Crafted with the same sensibility seen in beautifully designed bikes this kitchen relies on efficient space planning, LED lighting and simple lines. The back porch functions as a summer dining room and secure bike storage. Farmkid Studio

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER A single family home in Oakton, VA built in late 80’ was occupied by family of four for 10 years. The owner wishes to expand the living space, finish the basement, add a sunroom/breakfast area addition, eliminate the deck and put in a screen porch. Also convert the laundry room to office/mudroom area. It took months of planning to get into the final design. We have implemented a plan that had a two story back addition (both basement level and first level). This required removing the cinder block wall of basement to add the seamless addition, and removing the entire first level back wall of kitchen to open up kitchen into sunroom. The major challenge was to re-route all duct work going to second level, add ducts for basement and first level to existing system. Then add a second HVAC system in attic for entire second level. Then change all load structure for tow story addition to side wall and new walls to have entire width opened up. The basement has gained a new bar area, a total new bathroom with shower and large vanities and all amenities, media area with gas fireplace and mantel surrounded with matching cherry bookcases and granite tops, recess lights, surround sound system, wood floor and steps, new sewer ejection system due to their difficult septic tank. The new French doors lead into back bricked patio The first floor gained this new 16’x20’ cathedral ceiling sunroom/breakfast addition surrounded with large arched windows and French slider leading into new screen porch. The kitchen lay-out gained three more feet in width. Also by removing partition wall between kitchen and existing family room. The first floor now has total open floor plan. The fireplace in existing family room was converted to gas and got marble surround and new mantel. All bulkhead and part of partition walls contained massive plumbing and electrical that needed to be relocated in order to implement the new kitchen layout. This design has much more appliances and a beautiful large furniture style island that is the focal point of this kitchen done in espresso color cherry cabinetry and contrasting light color exotic stove top lighted by two crystal chandeliers. The wrap around of cherry cabinetry in the kitchen with expended cabinetry into butler area and bookcases and bench in sunroom has given this couple lots to fill in. The entire first floor and leading stairs to second floor and part of the second floor was all covered with new 5” wide exotic Santos Mahogany wood floors and new railings. The powder room has been reconfigured to allow larger hallway and with new furniture style vanity this powder room even small than before but has better layout and space. The old Laundry room and has been converted to a 10’x15’ area of multipurpose space. On the left wall there are locker style cabinetry and bench. One the left wall built in and desk area with tones of storage space. The washer and dryer are install into a closet, away from site. A set of French doors were installed into the new back deck and screen porch. The large porcelain floors made the space look even larger and more utilitarian. Use of cherry cabinetry on deck and bookcase with recess lighting scaled up look of the space. The new kitchen, family room and sun room with the rich cherry cabinetry and darker granite top, tumbled marble backsplash and wide board mahogany floors, upper scale stainless steel appliances and furniture style distressed look darker wood Island and light granite have made this project a breathtaking one. The added side screen porch done with Trex decking and cathedral ceiling covered in beaded panel and corner gas fireplace all around covered with Ledgestone has given this family a place to retire in for all those autumn afternoons and much more. The major overhaul of this home from replacement of all existing doors and windows, flooring, crown molding and trim, stairs, entire first floor reface, new siding , new roofing, new electrical, new HVAC, entire new basement, bathroom, mud room, screen porch and lots more makes these owner proud to stay in this home for years to come.

This couple was ready for some major changes in their home on north Euclid in Upland, CA. After completing their nursery last year, they asked for help designing their family room. Everything had to go! The brick fireplace, the TV niche next to the fireplace, the wet bar…none of it portrayed my client’s taste or style in any way. They requested a space that was modern, not fussy, clean and contemporary. I achieved this look by transforming the fireplace wall with limestone and paneled walls with hidden storage behind where the TV niche used to be. Other features that helped in this transformation are updated recessed and accent lighting, fixtures, window coverings, sleek, contemporary furnishings, art and accessories. The existing carpet was replaced with dark wood flooring that seamlessly meets the new limestone fireplace hearth that runs the distance of the entire focal wall.

The Buchheit’s highly custom home has a rustic-modern design, and the couple relied on materials in their raw state to achieve their desired look.
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic wooden straight staircase remodel in St Louis with metal risers

This La Jolla condo, located steps away from Wind n Sea beach was our client's third home we completed for them in San Diego. As vacation rental property owners, this Texas couple plans on making this their retirement escape in the years to come. In the meantime, the design had to be suitable for short time renters. Keeping our clients' needs in mind, the interior design was geared to appeal to the out of towners. With a focus on durability, clean, simple and modern coastal design, we're all pretty certain this little gem is going to stand out amongst its competition. The formula is pretty simple, but our job is to make it happen! :) Most of the furnishings were custom-made to fit the space perfectly, taking advantage of every inch and maximizing the space. Doubling up 2 full size beds in each of the guest rooms made this vacation rental property perfect for families and large groups. One of our biggest challenges? Finding pieces we loved that had no metal accents! ((The salt air takes its toll on those pieces faster than you'd ever guess when you're this close to the ocean!) We take no credit for the incredible sunsets you're guaranteed to get almost every night of your stay here, just one of the many perks of vacationing at Neptune Place. :) Photo Credits: Anthony Ghiglia

Photo: Caela J. McKeever © 2015 Houzz
Bedroom - eclectic bedroom idea in Seattle

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours For professional photography of your Condo or vacation rental home in the Panama City, Florida area, Envision Virtual Tours is the preferred choice of particular owners and managers. Our work speaks for itself. Call 800.514.1755 to reserve a time to showcase your property. This is a BRAND NEW, complete remodel of this condo. Be one of the lucky ones to be the first to stay in this gorgeous beach condo! If you want light, bright & a beach cottage look, then this is the condo for you! Beautiful travertine floors throughout condo & in the private bathrooms! Bedrooms have Lexington furniture, new linens and pillow-top mattresses. Flat screen TVs in all bedrooms. All bedrooms have their own large private bathrooms! All bedrooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with breath-taking views! This is an all-new kitchen with huge granite & travertine counter-height island. Beautiful granite counter-tops, white-washed glazed cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, free-standing ice-maker to fill your cooler, and large walk-in pantry. Spacious 1,800 square foot condo with open floor plan. This condo is perfect for 3 couples OR 2 families vacationing together. Perfect for the guests who want private bedrooms & bathrooms with plenty of room to relax! This is the only condo at LBR with a mudroom for your beach stuff and a hidden laundry room!! FREE WI-FI and wonderful media/stereo equipment! Bose stereo & surround system & 55 inch flat screen TV in family room! The balconies of this condo put you right on the beach over-looking the beautiful emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the white sands of Panama City Beach! You also have great views of the huge lagoon pool!

The 400 square foot boathouse and the 800 square foot carriage house are buildings which are intended to frame the main house to be constructed in the future. The project was developed for a couple from out of state that visits Bainbridge Island during the warmer times of the year. The boathouse is used for daytime beach activities and the carriage house accommodates the owner’s short-stay housing needs. The views of Madison Bay and Indianola beyond are developed through proper plan arrangement and ample use of glass. Designed by BC&J Architecture. photos: Pete Saloutos

Homes that are big and luxurious are now emerging in the fields of the Hamptons, and this young couple decided to invest in one! They were drawn to the strong construction and the generous space the home offered, as well as the large exterior they found perfect for their young child. These clients wanted to offer an outdoor environment which they don't have during the week while staying in their Soho loft. We went with a warm modern design, combining clean lines with earth tones and organic elements. The wooden accents anchor down the feeling of coziness as well as matches the beautiful exterior of the home. Project completed by New York interior design firm Betty Wasserman Art & Interiors, which serves New York City, as well as across the tri-state area and in The Hamptons. For more about Betty Wasserman, click here: https://www.bettywasserman.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.bettywasserman.com/spaces/watermill-classic/