Search results for "Criticisms" in Home Design Ideas

Cool, Contemporary, Curb appeal now feels like home!!! This complete exterior home renovation & curb appeal now makes sense with the interior remodel our client had installed prior to us gettting started!!! The modifications made to this home, along with premium materials makes this home feel cozy, cool & comfortable. Its as though the home has come alive, making this same space more functional & feel so much better, a new found energy. The existing traditional missized semi-circle driveway that took up the entire frontyard was removed. This allowed us to design & install a new more functional driveway as well as create a huge courtyard that not only adds privacy and protection, it looks and feels incredible. Now our client can actually use the front yard for more than just parking cars. The modification addition of 5 stucco columns creates the feeling of a much larger space than what was there prior...who know that these cosmectic columns would actually feel like arms that wrap around the new curb appeal...almost like a vibe of protection. The contrasting paint colors add more movement and depth continuing the feeling of this great space! The new smooth limestone courtyard and custom iron "x" designed fence & gates create a weight type feeling that not only adds privacy, it just feels & looks solid. Its as if its a silent barrier between the homeowners inside and the rest of the world. Our clients now feel comfortable in there new found outdoor living spaces behind the courtyard walls. A place for family, friends and neighbors can easliy conversate & relax. Whether hanging out with the kids or just watching the kids play around in the frontyard, the courtyard was critical to adding a much needed play space. Art is brought into the picture with 2 stone wall monuments...one adding the address numbers with low voltage ligthing to one side of the yard and another that adds balance to the opposite side with custom cut in light fixtures that says... this... is... thee, house! Drystack 8" bed rough chop buff leuders stone planters & short walls outline and accentuate the forever lawn turf as well as the new plant life & lighting. The limestone serves as a grade wall for leveling, as well as the walls are completely permeable for long life and function. Something every parapet home should have, we've added custom down spouts tied to an under ground drainage system. Another way we add longevity to each project. Lastly...lighting is the icing on the cake. Wall lights, path light, down lights, up lights & step lights are all to important along with every light location is considerd as to add a breath taking ambiance of envy. No airplane runway or helicopter landing lights here. We cant wait for summer as the landscape is sure to fill up with color in every corner of this beautiful new outdoor space.

Building materials are one of the primary sources of indoor air contaminants that negatively affect the health of our living spaces The EcoCraft team has meticulously selected building materials that are healthy, recyclable, and free of harmful contaminants thereby improving the health of our homes.
Consider also that consistent temperatures between floors, rooms, and surfaces plays a critical role in how humans experience true comfort. Our advanced airtight continuously insulated building envelopes eliminate drafts and cold surface to ensure consistent air and surface temperatures. Individually zoned floors and spaces provide occupant control for added flexibility and individualized temperature settings.
Our extra thick walls and energy star windows reduce sound transfer between the interior and exterior spaces, while our state of the art mechanical systems run quietly to provide an experience you can feel, but can barely hear.

Objective: With pending retirement of one spouse, an integrated office/study was a critical need for
this couple. Design an office incorporating antique 50’s globe lights, antique library table, an original
chandelier from the home, and a Barcelona chair from the previous home.
Solution: Rift sawn oak cabinets, with “floating” glass shelves to display clients’ love of books, travel, and
family collectibles all come together as a room perfectly fitting their needs. Sharp clean lines, horizontal
wood grain, light gray stain, all combined with deep aubergine created contrast, while also adding
warmth and a spot to read and relax.
Find the right local pro for your project

This is a collection of Elizabeth Taylor art print installations by artist Mark Lewis. Lewis is a living descendant of Denton Cy Young for which the "Cy" Young pitching award in Major League baseball was created. When one views the work of Mark Lewis, it isn’t “viewing art” like every art critic has dryly gone about doing for years. His work is immersive and passionate. It draws you in and his palette’s diversity gives way for a broad demographic reach. Bold strokes and unexpected color choices epitomize his portrait collection of actors, actresses, and pop culture icons from the 1920s through today.

Shiplap was installed in the stair well with a faux columns at the top to add detail and interest. The buffet cabinet replaces an old metal stair rail and occupies what would have been dead space giving the apartment more storage. A closet cubby is built into the wall for coats as one closet was given up for stackable laundry units. The bench top is antique barn wood as are the shelves and door panels in the buffet. The changes to the floor plan make it both beautiful, open and significantly more functional. Registers replace HVAC wall units. Lighting has been critically located in front of the entry door, at the top of the stairs so the light bulb has easy access and in front of the cubby for an easy access pathway. Rippled glass adds interest to the kitchen cupboard.

Retaining walls are critical in most gardens. They maintain the shape of the landscape and provide an opportunity to plan your gardens drainage.
This is an example of a side yard retaining wall landscape in Kansas City.
This is an example of a side yard retaining wall landscape in Kansas City.

As Sheila Gibson Stoodley writes in an article about this project in Robb Report, “Brian Hemingway is sensitive to light in the best way possible.”
“The Vancouver, British Columbia-based architect wanted this 22,000-square-foot home near Boston to glow like a lantern at night, and he attained that goal on behalf of the homeowners.” The wood and stone
that Hemingway favored for the home informed the space’s color palette. So critical were these materials that settling on a shade of stain for the Douglas fir and the finishes to be used on the Virginia Mist granite took
months of consultation.
Walker Zanger, the stone supplier, worked with the owner and with Colin Flavin, a Boston-based architect who partnered with Hemingway, to choose, detail, and fabricate the granite.
The stone is used indoors and out, heightening the boundary-blurring effect that the design team desired. Though the owners are ardent art collectors, they did not build their home to showcase specific works; the
real artists here are the architects, Hemingway and Flavin. So deft were they at inviting nature into their creation that, from certain angles, it can be hard to tell where the outdoors stops and starts.
“There are deliberately no window treatments so that Mother Nature weaves the most beautiful textural backgrounds,” said interior designer Andrew Sheinman, of New York’s Pembrooke & Ives. He oversaw the
interiors, working alongside his colleague Michael Lewis. “The seasons change the look and aspect of the house,” said Sheinman, “and we wanted to play on this.”
Bleu de Savoie marble, from France, is used in the baths, to contrast with the Virginia Mist granite and soften the palette and give the baths a spa-like serenity. Hand-chiseled Oxford Black granite is used on exterior landscape walls, to tie the Virginia Mist seamlessly to the natural stone outcroppings.

Alair Homes is committed to quality throughout every stage of the building process and in every detail of your new custom home or home renovation. We guarantee superior work because we perform quality assurance checks at every stage of the building process. Before anything is covered up – even before city building inspectors come to your home – we critically examine our work to ensure that it lives up to our extraordinarily high standards.
We are proud of our extraordinary high building standards as well as our renowned customer service. Every Alair Homes custom home comes with a two year national home warranty as well as an Alair Homes guarantee and includes complimentary 3, 6 and 12 month inspections after completion.
During our proprietary construction process every detail is accessible to Alair Homes clients online 24 hours a day to view project details, schedules, sub trade quotes, pricing in order to give Alair Homes clients 100% control over every single item regardless how small.

Pre-War in New York City means a home built before WW2. In Old Town Alexandria, Pre-War means before the Civil War, and that's exactly what LINEA Design Build Remodel was called in to address in this circa 1850 property. This guest bathroom may not appear large by modern construction standards, but it's now a critical five inches wider than it was, allowing for a comfortable shower, trimmed in basalt tile, and a good-sized room space adorned with matching volcanic basalt floor tile. LINEA Design Build Remodel completely reconstructed the sagging floor and reconfigured the plumbing to achieve this fine result. The horizontal bas-relief wall treatment (constructed from waterproof PVC panels) hints at the naval history of the home on the banks of the Potomac River.

Soft Modern is perfect for those who appreciate both form and function, this style blends the clean lines of modern design with a warm, welcoming palette for a look that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and luxury.
Even neutrals can make a strong statement. The warm, subtle backdrop of Chai Latte paired with Bella MDF speaks of refined quality. The cool brilliance of Brava Charcoal glass with a matte sheen suggests a calm serenity. Bright white porcelain floor tiles and counters in classic marble tones with subtle grey veins assert a fresh, clean brightness.
When a room's design is minimal, its storage space is critical. With Design-Craft, innovative solutions make any space versatile and fully functional while maintaining the architectural grace of a modern design. Like sleek wall cabinets with motorized, touch-activated bifold doors. Overhead wall storage with lift-and-stay horizontal doors add interest to a room's character. Appliances that are strategically disguised with custom paneling to give the space a cohesive feel. Because gorgeous design paired with ultimate functionality is the most beautiful thing of all.

This client requested that we design her new kitchen space to look and function with her and her family’s usage in mind. She was not happy with her existing kitchen due to builder-grade ceramic flooring, lack of countertop space, poor lighting, inadequate and unorganized storage and the closed off feel of the area. Renovisions resolved all of these issues by designing and building an impressive, transitional styled kitchen; delivering a beautifully well thought-out space that provides a multi-functional approach and meets the needs of this busy and dynamic household.
Typically, we encounter challenges in every project, and this was no different. The upstairs bathroom plumbing ran across the entire length of the kitchen sink wall and it was necessary to work with it by moving the plumbing as far up as possible and then building a soffit to hide it.
Creating a space that has a more open feel was top of mind for our client. Installing a new wood floor that matched the existing dining room floor helped with this and in addition, warmed up the room. By relocating the refrigerator to the opposite wall and adding a bar area at the end toward the family room, the flow of traffic for family members and guests became more managed.
The open floor plan allowed for additional island cabinets to accommodate smart storage and better functionality when prepping meals, sitting to eat or gathering with friends and family. We believe having ample countertop surface space is a critical improvement in any renovation and this particular project now boasts a large countertop area with a stunning wide vein pattern that accentuates the design instead of overpowering it. The soft look of the Blanco Arabescato quartz enhances the space and looks lovely with the white inset styled cabinetry.
Beauty and function go hand-in-hand in this kitchen with several exceptional elements such as under-cabinet lighting with dimmers to control the mood light. Glass doors were added to the wall cabinets which flank the wine rack for displaying their decorative glassware and a beverage cooler below provided added convenience and access to cold beverages. The GE Café line of appliances in ‘Slate’ and ‘Stainless Steel’ finishes are a stunning contrast here.
The sensational looking decorative marble 6”x6” backsplash tile over the gas range and in the bar area creates nice focal points by creating a unique look for her that family and guests love.
Convenient and functional elements were added such as a blind corner pull-out for easier pot/pan storage, a sweep-o-vac under cabinet vacuum system for those constant quick clean-ups, a pull-out caddy under the sink base for storage of cleaning products and a protective mat to collect potential spills.
Our client let us know it was time for a change and we listened. She shared a few pictures she loved from a home magazine, we shared our insight and then designed/built the kitchen of her dreams! … A fabulous and functional space.

Having a restaurant on the shores of the St. Joe River ensures sunny summer days and unforgettable sunsets. Outdoor dining has been critical to a restaurant’s success over the last few years. Having that success depends on the weather in Michigan meant that the Inn at Harbor Shores needed to find a solution that meant continued use of their outdoor space when the weather wasn’t cooperating. Finding an aesthetically pleasing solution didn’t hinder the views and that fit the upscale feel of the Inn became a priority. Stoett’s PanoraKinetic glass wind barrier solved that problem.

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and full sun hillside brick retaining wall landscape in Seattle for spring.

These homeowners wanted to freshen up their master bath and at the same time, improve it's overall function and retain/accentuate it's vintage qualities. There was nothing wrong with the hex tile floor, toilet, or vintage tub. The toilet was repurposed, the floor was cleaned up, and the tub refinished. Cabinetry and vintage trim was added in critical locations along with a new, taller one-sink vanity. Removing an overlay revealed a beautiful vintage door leading to storage space under the East roof. Photos by Greg Schmidt. Cabinets by Housecraft Remodeling.

[?????? ??????????] At the intersection of art and architecture lives our Mobile Greenhouse. This seeming love-child of tom fruin & olson kundig was assembled with salvaged pieces including Sunkist-steel-factory windows, a motorcycle trailer, an old factory hand wheel, a rooftop solar water tank, a kid’s single speed bicycle front/rear sprockets, a chain from a retractable entry gate along with new metal stock from @ims_metals and beautiful art glass from @pacificartglass. p.c. Gary Moss Photography
Function is elevated through beauty and now our herb garden is protected from the adorable bunnies of this Conejo Valley while the structure throws pools of liquid blue and green on the DG. All while re-using leftover parts, some of a bygone era. (Sigh. Oh, single-paned steel windows, we love you - even though you are completely energy inefficient) The parabolic angle-iron arch was critical to the design so we sallied forth through the tantrums it caused. As lovers of #stainedglass in general, we loved seeing this larger scale project come together.

We love when our clients trust us enough to do a second project for them. In the case of this couple looking for a NYC Pied-a-Terre – this was our 4th! After designing their homes in Bernardsville, NJ and San Diego, CA and a home for their daughter in Orange County, CA, we were called up for duty on the search for a NYC apartment which would accommodate this couple with room enough for their four children as well!
What we cherish most about working with clients is the trust that develops over time. In this case, not only were we asked to come on board for design and project coordination, but we also helped with the actual apartment selection decision between locations in TriBeCa, Upper West Side and the West Village. The TriBeCa building didn’t have enough services in the building; the Upper West Side neighborhood was too busy and impersonal; and, the West Village apartment was just right.
Our work on this apartment was to oversee the design and build-out of the combination of a 3,000 square foot 3-bedroom unit with a 1,000 square foot 1-bedroom unit. We reorganized the space to accommodate this family of 6. The living room in the 1 bedroom became the media room; the kitchen became a bar; and the bedroom became a guest suite.
The most amazing feature of this apartment are its views – uptown to the Empire State Building, downtown to the Statue of Liberty and west for the most vibrant sunsets. We opened up the space to create view lines through the apartment all the way back into the home office.
Customizing New York City apartments takes creativity and patience. In order to install recessed lighting, Ray devised a floating ceiling situated below the existing concrete ceiling to accept the wiring and housing.
In the design of the space, we wanted to create a flow and continuity between the public spaces. To do this, we designed walnut panels which run from the center hall through the media room into the office and on to the sitting room. The richness of the wood helps ground the space and draws your eye to the lightness of the gorgeous views. For additional light capture, we designed a 9 foot by 10 foot metal and mirror wall treatment in the living room. The purpose is to catch the light and reflect it back into the living space creating expansiveness and brightness.
Adding unique and meaningful art pieces is the critical final stage of design. For the master bedroom, we commissioned Ira Lohan, a Santa Fe, NM artist we know, to create a totem with glass feathers. This piece was inspired by folklore from his Native American roots which says home is defined by where an eagle’s feathers land. Ira drove this piece across the country and delivered and installed it himself!!

Photo shoot of beautifully renovation historic home in the Sandhills of NC. A lovely home, I could not get enough of. Without a doubt, professional photos are the most critical component of an online marketing campaign for Builders, Designers, Real Estate Agents and Sellers. This stunning home is an example of superior renovation and design. Renovation by Copper and Walnut Interior Designers and construction by Latitude Builders.

Demo and ground-up construction of a single-family NetZero infill home. 2,385 sf of precisely aligned, horizontally and vertically harmonious, intentionally designed living space. Every room faces the enveloping garden, with natural light filling the entire home through European steel-framed windows. Constant-run cedar planks designed to mature and metamorphose. Handmade soaking tub. Four unique stone elements featuring fossilized details. Color palette designed to celebrate the carefully curated art collection. Front public space is separated from the rear private area by a large pocketed door, effectively dividing the home in half. Three strategically planted trees, craned-in critically to create intentional shading, one planted in the middle of the deck. Solar panels servicing all the electric appliances. Handmade and finished oak floor with three different board sizes creating a dynamic pattern. Leather and fabric panels in the rooms.

This client requested that we design her new kitchen space to look and function with her and her family’s usage in mind. She was not happy with her existing kitchen due to builder-grade ceramic flooring, lack of countertop space, poor lighting, inadequate and unorganized storage and the closed off feel of the area. Renovisions resolved all of these issues by designing and building an impressive, transitional styled kitchen; delivering a beautifully well thought-out space that provides a multi-functional approach and meets the needs of this busy and dynamic household.
Typically, we encounter challenges in every project, and this was no different. The upstairs bathroom plumbing ran across the entire length of the kitchen sink wall and it was necessary to work with it by moving the plumbing as far up as possible and then building a soffit to hide it.
Creating a space that has a more open feel was top of mind for our client. Installing a new wood floor that matched the existing dining room floor helped with this and in addition, warmed up the room. By relocating the refrigerator to the opposite wall and adding a bar area at the end toward the family room, the flow of traffic for family members and guests became more managed.
The open floor plan allowed for additional island cabinets to accommodate smart storage and better functionality when prepping meals, sitting to eat or gathering with friends and family. We believe having ample countertop surface space is a critical improvement in any renovation and this particular project now boasts a large countertop area with a stunning wide vein pattern that accentuates the design instead of overpowering it. The soft look of the Blanco Arabescato quartz enhances the space and looks lovely with the white inset styled cabinetry.
Beauty and function go hand-in-hand in this kitchen with several exceptional elements such as under-cabinet lighting with dimmers to control the mood light. Glass doors were added to the wall cabinets which flank the wine rack for displaying their decorative glassware and a beverage cooler below provided added convenience and access to cold beverages. The GE Café line of appliances in ‘Slate’ and ‘Stainless Steel’ finishes are a stunning contrast here.
The sensational looking decorative marble 6”x6” backsplash tile over the gas range and in the bar area creates nice focal points by creating a unique look for her that family and guests love.
Convenient and functional elements were added such as a blind corner pull-out for easier pot/pan storage, a sweep-o-vac under cabinet vacuum system for those constant quick clean-ups, a pull-out caddy under the sink base for storage of cleaning products and a protective mat to collect potential spills.
Our client let us know it was time for a change and we listened. She shared a few pictures she loved from a home magazine, we shared our insight and then designed/built the kitchen of her dreams! … A fabulous and functional space.

This is the space we carved out of the basement bathroom, which was also extraordinarily large. When we moved to the house full time, I knew, with so much work ahead of us, that we would need a place to store and organize our vast collection of tools, hardware, and various other bits and pieces. I designed the new bathroom so there would be a closet that was about 5' x 10', with enough pegboards and shelving to hold all the stuff. With few exceptions, the junk that previously was scattered around a very disorganized 20'x20' garage was condensed and sorted into this space. I've had to learn to be more organized and put my toys away at the end of play time, but so far this very mission critical space is working like a charm. I can always find a drill bit or a saw blade when I need one.
44