Part of an extensive home remodel, this kitchen design was born of one man’s love of all things Harley Davidson. Color inspiration came from the client’s own cherished bike which was a stunning combination of matte black and brushed steel. The client’s wish was to have a large open area in which he could “be one with his guests” when hosting large gatherings. Cabinets, hardware and appliances all in black allow the focus to be on the beauty of the larger architectural elements as a whole. Included along the main storage wall is a hidden 42” refrigerator, dual pull-out pantries, and extra wide drawers below a pair of upper cabinets with matte black glass fold-up doors that open & close automatically via servo-drive technology. The new island - which measures just shy of 16 ½ feet! - is a true central point around which all action revolves. Wide walkways on either side provide ease of flow for multiple sous chefs and guests alike. A textured cypress soffit above the island was designed to house the modern hood and also create a feeling of unity as it is the same size as the island below. Textured cypress wood also wraps matte black cabinetry and lines the main wall, changing grain direction to provide visual interest. The 5’ Galley Workstation is a multi-functional marvel, easily transitioning from prep station to serving surface to clean-up with the addition of its built-in accessories. Placing an undercounter wine refrigerator on the back side of the island makes it easy for guests at the bar to help themselves. Close to the bar seating area, a 42” flat screen tv fits perfectly flush in the wall, practically disappearing when not in use. Unique details include a large display cabinet with a metal framed front & side crafted out of steel by a local artisan. The glass is 2-way mirror so when the interior light is off, the treasure is concealed inside. The interior is painted in the trademark Harley orange. Above a modern dining table, a one-of-a-kind chandelier was created from 3 bike helmets, painted in Harley orange by a local automobile detail shop. The interiors are finished in metallic silver for extra glow. Adjacent to the Kitchen, and initially deceiving in its simplicity, the main tv wall was quite complex and challenging to realize. It has a convex curve from left to right and slopes back from floor to ceiling. The interior hollow space created room for a shallow tv niche on top and partially recessed deep media storage cabinets below. The planning and framing involved to create the proper compound miter connections required extra diligence from the designers and builder, but the finished product was worth the effort! Photo credit: Fred Donham of Photographerlink

This growing family needed more living space in their 1926 St. Paul, MN Bungalow, and had great potential in their unfinished attic for a new master suite. Castle began working with the city to grandfather some existing conditions in, like the steeper stairs and lower ceiling height to comply with building codes. New insulation, interior walls, electrical, heating, and a full interior finish was planned. The finished space incorporates traditional millwork matching the lower level of the home, a custom built-in bookshelf, new white doors, and pre-finished white oak hardwood floors in a rich Licorice stain. The dark floors and oil-bronze accents throughout the space really anchors the room and completes an overall bright color pallet with high contrast. In the new bathroom, a cement tile floor was selected to tie in the homeowner’s classy flair. Switching the finishes to polished brass inside the bathroom really brings a lux and regal feel to the space. Paired with traditional subway tile, white vanity, refurbished vintage medicine cabinet, and neutral walls, the new bathroom is elegant, yet understated. One of our favorite features is the use of the two existing dormers. One dormer was converted into a new walk-in closet with custom glass closet doors, so the light can still shine into the bedroom. The 2nd dormer, we left open for a quaint sitting and reading nook. See full details (including before photos) at http://www.castlebri.com/attics/project-3299-1/ Designed by: Emily Blonigen

Photography by Lucas Henning.
Hallway - small modern porcelain tile and beige floor hallway idea in Seattle with gray walls

Small changes reaped huge benefits for this garden; weathered cedar siding with bright yellow door and stainless steel cable trellis make it a feature of the garden.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER This Cape Cod home located in Great Falls, VA, was in need of a major face lift. The front elevation had no defining character. Because the homeowners have three young active boys, their outdoor living space is important. They wanted to be able to have a porch to relax on while watching over the kids, have them hold a camp fire outdoors, and be able to entertain on the new side patio. Also the home’s entrance needed to be much more appealing. The new design included a new front covered porch made out of solid concrete walls with crawl space underneath for shed storage. Entire walls, floor, steps and walkway were done in flagstone. The half columns and patio with its retaining walls were also done in the same flagstone. The entire front face of old home was demolished. Then a 10’x30’ covered porch was framed-up to match the existing front elevation. Matching siding and roofing tied this look together. The front entrance was widened and includes a new mahogany door with leaded glass. A new bow window was added to bring more daylight into living room. Inside, a new kitchen with blond cabinetry, dark granite counters and rich wood floors has become a central gathering place. New stainless steel appliances, including a range hood, form a highly efficient work triangle. A tile backsplash and recessed lighting complete the redesign. The Arts & Crafts front porch with wide columns and railing, beaded ceiling panel, embedded lighting and ceiling fan made the front appearance a delightful place for the family to hang out. Implementing this front porch into the existing flat front Cape Cod had a major impact on the total appearance of this home. Now it looks like a brand new home has been added to the neighborhood.

Nantucket style home with gambrel roof, large windows and doors having 260 feet of water frontage. Large screened porch, beautiful pergola above walk out lower level. Natural landscaping with large granite boulders. Tom Grimes Photography

A young family moving from NYC to their first home in Westchester County found this pre-war colonial in Larchmont New York in need of a serious overhaul. After a complete gut job and rework of the entire home, they created a compact, vibrantly colorful kitchen open to the family room. o A nautical indigo color was chosen for the island and tall storage cabinets, with a subtle warm gray on the perimeter o Natural walnut shelving and countertop on the peninsula evoke a mid-century vibe which relates to other vintage furniture pieces in the home o Colorful cement tiles were carried all the way up the counters to inject pattern and whimsy o Brass fixtures and hardware strike a handsome contrast with the deep indigo color scheme. Architect: Greg Lewis, Lewis and Lewis, Larchmont NY

This client sought to update their recently purchased home in Alexandria. A gourmet kitchen that complemented the size of the home and property was a top priority. They wanted more light-filled and connected living spaces for their growing family. Updating the finishes throughout the home was also a necessity. Design challenges included an existing utility space that occupied a large portion of the kitchen footprint, making the kitchen cramped and narrow. In addition, the foyer was dark, confined and uninviting as a result of its organization and enclosed nature of the main stair. To overcome the challenges, we relocated the utilities, creating a more usable footprint for the kitchen. The aging furnace was replaced with a high efficiency furnace located in a newly insulated and conditioned crawl space. A new hot water heater was placed in the finished attic, and the electrical panel was also relocated. Then, we designed a portion of the kitchen to mask the need for dropped structural headers: the refrigerator, freezer and pantry were placed under the area that necessitated a drop bulkhead, creating a sleek built-in area for the appliances. Once the utilities were moved, the kitchen could be opened up to a large family room and designed with a much-improved layout. Two new four-panel exterior doors replaced small doors at the family room to connect the main living space with the beautiful yard. In addition, white bead board was added to the family room ceiling, creating more visual continuity with the adjacent white kitchen. To transform the foyer into a grand and welcoming entry, a small amount of space was taken from a large second floor bedroom, and the entire second floor structure was supported with a series of flush beams to allow the stair to be opened and expose the rail. New glass doors to the den, relocated at an angle from the main stair provide the foyer with more natural light and a wider, more inviting path to the kitchen. In the master suite, the bedroom and bathroom entry doors were relocated to improve the room’s layout and offer more bathroom privacy and space for a walk-in closet. A room forgotten by the previous owner was turned into a family mudroom with built-ins and wainscoting to keep the family organized in style. Photography by Greg Hadley

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER This Cape Cod home located in Great Falls, VA, was in need of a major face lift. The front elevation had no defining character. Because the homeowners have three young active boys, their outdoor living space is important. They wanted to be able to have a porch to relax on while watching over the kids, have them hold a camp fire outdoors, and be able to entertain on the new side patio. Also the home’s entrance needed to be much more appealing. The new design included a new front covered porch made out of solid concrete walls with crawl space underneath for shed storage. Entire walls, floor, steps and walkway were done in flagstone. The half columns and patio with its retaining walls were also done in the same flagstone. The entire front face of old home was demolished. Then a 10’x30’ covered porch was framed-up to match the existing front elevation. Matching siding and roofing tied this look together. The front entrance was widened and includes a new mahogany door with leaded glass. A new bow window was added to bring more daylight into living room. Inside, a new kitchen with blond cabinetry, dark granite counters and rich wood floors has become a central gathering place. New stainless steel appliances, including a range hood, form a highly efficient work triangle. A tile backsplash and recessed lighting complete the redesign. The Arts & Crafts front porch with wide columns and railing, beaded ceiling panel, embedded lighting and ceiling fan made the front appearance a delightful place for the family to hang out. Implementing this front porch into the existing flat front Cape Cod had a major impact on the total appearance of this home. Now it looks like a brand new home has been added to the neighborhood.

Example of a small classic backyard stone patio design in New York with no cover

Ginny Stibolt

Interior Designer: Simons Design Studio Builder: Magleby Construction Photography: Alan Blakely Photography
Example of a small beach style guest marble floor and white floor bedroom design in Salt Lake City with white walls

The Sater Design Collection's luxury, Contemporary, Mediterranean home plan "Molina" (Plan #6931). http://saterdesign.com/product/molina/

"MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS, SING YOUR CAMEL TO BED." That's what I always thought she said in this song. Just NOW when I looked up the lyrics, I see that I had it wrong ALL of these years!! HAHAH! Just like that song "Just Call Me Angel In the Morning, Just Brushed My Teeth Before You Leave Me, Baby!" HAHAHAH!!!,....it is "just brushed my CHEEK!" TURNING A MUNDANE BATHROOM INTO A TENTED OASIS FANTASY! This client was an extremely FUN client! She wanted her bathroom to be a fantasy of tented fun. My suggestion was to have a palm tree as the "center weight bearing column", holding up the tent where the split in the ceiling was. Then I painted the "tasselled cornice" of the tent going around all of the walls. There are other walls that are not seen here, but they have the same palm trunk with ropes like a circus tent attached to the "stakes in the ground". I enjoyed this mural project immensely! This client gave me artistic license to just RUN WITH IT! " But you won't need no harem, honey When I'm by your side And you won't need no camel, no no When I take you for a ride Come on, Cactus is our friend He'll point out the way Come on, till the evening ends Till the evening ends Midnight at the oasis Send your camel to bed Got shadows painting our faces And traces of romance in our heads" What kind of lyrical fantasy could I create for your own OASIS? call me to brainstorm: 561-573-0123 talin@talinsstudio.com AS A FINISHING TOUCH, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A FLORIDIAN GECKO CRAWLING OVER THE DOORWAY, CHASING A FLY. JUST PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES...LADDER STILL IN THE PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE SPLIT IN THE CEILING WHICH I HAD TO WORK WITH TO STILL SHOW A "TENTED" CEILING.

"MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS, SING YOUR CAMEL TO BED." That's what I always thought she said in this song. Just NOW when I looked up the lyrics, I see that I had it wrong ALL of these years!! HAHAH! Just like that song "Just Call Me Angel In the Morning, Just Brushed My Teeth Before You Leave Me, Baby!" HAHAHAH!!!,....it is "just brushed my CHEEK!" TURNING A MUNDANE BATHROOM INTO A TENTED OASIS FANTASY! This client was an extremely FUN client! She wanted her bathroom to be a fantasy of tented fun. My suggestion was to have a palm tree as the "center weight bearing column", holding up the tent where the split in the ceiling was. Then I painted the "tasselled cornice" of the tent going around all of the walls. There are other walls that are not seen here, but they have the same palm trunk with ropes like a circus tent attached to the "stakes in the ground". I enjoyed this mural project immensely! This client gave me artistic license to just RUN WITH IT! " But you won't need no harem, honey When I'm by your side And you won't need no camel, no no When I take you for a ride Come on, Cactus is our friend He'll point out the way Come on, till the evening ends Till the evening ends Midnight at the oasis Send your camel to bed Got shadows painting our faces And traces of romance in our heads" What kind of lyrical fantasy could I create for your own OASIS? call me to brainstorm: 561-573-0123 talin@talinsstudio.com AS A FINISHING TOUCH, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A FLORIDIAN GECKO CRAWLING OVER THE DOORWAY, CHASING A FLY. JUST PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES...LADDER STILL IN THE PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE SPLIT IN THE CEILING WHICH I HAD TO WORK WITH TO STILL SHOW A "TENTED" CEILING.

"MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS, SING YOUR CAMEL TO BED." That's what I always thought she said in this song. Just NOW when I looked up the lyrics, I see that I had it wrong ALL of these years!! HAHAH! Just like that song "Just Call Me Angel In the Morning, Just Brushed My Teeth Before You Leave Me, Baby!" HAHAHAH!!!,....it is "just brushed my CHEEK!" TURNING A MUNDANE BATHROOM INTO A TENTED OASIS FANTASY! This client was an extremely FUN client! She wanted her bathroom to be a fantasy of tented fun. My suggestion was to have a palm tree as the "center weight bearing column", holding up the tent where the split in the ceiling was. Then I painted the "tasselled cornice" of the tent going around all of the walls. There are other walls that are not seen here, but they have the same palm trunk with ropes like a circus tent attached to the "stakes in the ground". I enjoyed this mural project immensely! This client gave me artistic license to just RUN WITH IT! " But you won't need no harem, honey When I'm by your side And you won't need no camel, no no When I take you for a ride Come on, Cactus is our friend He'll point out the way Come on, till the evening ends Till the evening ends Midnight at the oasis Send your camel to bed Got shadows painting our faces And traces of romance in our heads" What kind of lyrical fantasy could I create for your own OASIS? call me to brainstorm: 561-573-0123 talin@talinsstudio.com AS A FINISHING TOUCH, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A FLORIDIAN GECKO CRAWLING OVER THE DOORWAY, CHASING A FLY. JUST PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES...LADDER STILL IN THE PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE SPLIT IN THE CEILING WHICH I HAD TO WORK WITH TO STILL SHOW A "TENTED" CEILING.

"MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS, SING YOUR CAMEL TO BED." That's what I always thought she said in this song. Just NOW when I looked up the lyrics, I see that I had it wrong ALL of these years!! HAHAH! Just like that song "Just Call Me Angel In the Morning, Just Brushed My Teeth Before You Leave Me, Baby!" HAHAHAH!!!,....it is "just brushed my CHEEK!" TURNING A MUNDANE BATHROOM INTO A TENTED OASIS FANTASY! This client was an extremely FUN client! She wanted her bathroom to be a fantasy of tented fun. My suggestion was to have a palm tree as the "center weight bearing column", holding up the tent where the split in the ceiling was. Then I painted the "tasselled cornice" of the tent going around all of the walls. There are other walls that are not seen here, but they have the same palm trunk with ropes like a circus tent attached to the "stakes in the ground". I enjoyed this mural project immensely! This client gave me artistic license to just RUN WITH IT! " But you won't need no harem, honey When I'm by your side And you won't need no camel, no no When I take you for a ride Come on, Cactus is our friend He'll point out the way Come on, till the evening ends Till the evening ends Midnight at the oasis Send your camel to bed Got shadows painting our faces And traces of romance in our heads" What kind of lyrical fantasy could I create for your own OASIS? call me to brainstorm: 561-573-0123 talin@talinsstudio.com AS A FINISHING TOUCH, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A FLORIDIAN GECKO CRAWLING OVER THE DOORWAY, CHASING A FLY. JUST PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES...LADDER STILL IN THE PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE SPLIT IN THE CEILING WHICH I HAD TO WORK WITH TO STILL SHOW A "TENTED" CEILING.

Enjoy the peace and tranquility of acreage life while still being just a couple minutes from Bragg Creek. This beautiful custom home sits on over four acres of treed property 20 minutes from Calgary and is within walking distance from school and an indoor horse riding/boarding facility. The home and yard has been completely upgraded featuring new kitchens and bathrooms, hardwood flooring, all new appliances, new plumbing, all new faucets and hardware and bathrooms with in-floor heated tile and jetted spa bath retreat. The newly-renovated kitchen has all new stainless steel appliances with a gas range, new flooring and paint; and a gas fireplace. The great room is warmed by a prestigious 'airtight' wood stove. A bright, large, walk in pantry and laundry area is easily accessed off the kitchen. A three-season atrium can be used as a playroom, a craft-hobby room, workshop, fitness room, a greenhouse or simply as a peaceful sitting room. This wonderful home also features: an outdoor Gazebo with fireplace sitting area; back deck park-like BBQ area, enclosed 'campable' treehouse, zipline, covered front porch sitting area, storage shed and wood/storage lean-to, mudroom/bootroom entrance from the oversize 2 unit-garage; and 1,000 square foot room temperature storage area/crawl space accessible from inside the house. The entire front yard has been professionally landscaped with low maintenance perennial beds, fruit trees, and new fencing throughout the property. Private firepit area in the back. Fenced dog run. Minutes from West Bragg Creek Trails, McLean Creek OHV trails, and access to Kananaskis and Bragg Creek Provincial Park. A premium home and property in a private oasis setting. This property is professionally landscaped with a low-maintenance yard with mulched perennial beds and raised garden plots. This fully fenced property is set up for horses and had maintained walking/skiing/riding/quading trails.

"MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS, SING YOUR CAMEL TO BED." That's what I always thought she said in this song. Just NOW when I looked up the lyrics, I see that I had it wrong ALL of these years!! HAHAH! Just like that song "Just Call Me Angel In the Morning, Just Brushed My Teeth Before You Leave Me, Baby!" HAHAHAH!!!,....it is "just brushed my CHEEK!" TURNING A MUNDANE BATHROOM INTO A TENTED OASIS FANTASY! This client was an extremely FUN client! She wanted her bathroom to be a fantasy of tented fun. My suggestion was to have a palm tree as the "center weight bearing column", holding up the tent where the split in the ceiling was. Then I painted the "tasselled cornice" of the tent going around all of the walls. There are other walls that are not seen here, but they have the same palm trunk with ropes like a circus tent attached to the "stakes in the ground". I enjoyed this mural project immensely! This client gave me artistic license to just RUN WITH IT! " But you won't need no harem, honey When I'm by your side And you won't need no camel, no no When I take you for a ride Come on, Cactus is our friend He'll point out the way Come on, till the evening ends Till the evening ends Midnight at the oasis Send your camel to bed Got shadows painting our faces And traces of romance in our heads" What kind of lyrical fantasy could I create for your own OASIS? call me to brainstorm: 561-573-0123 talin@talinsstudio.com AS A FINISHING TOUCH, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A FLORIDIAN GECKO CRAWLING OVER THE DOORWAY, CHASING A FLY. JUST PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES...LADDER STILL IN THE PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE SPLIT IN THE CEILING WHICH I HAD TO WORK WITH TO STILL SHOW A "TENTED" CEILING.