This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

MV Construction currently owns, rents and manages several properties in the Chicagoland area. With years of experience in real estate and property management, we bring our very best to every property that we rent and own. SEE MORE at http://www.mvconstruction.net LIKE US at http://www.facebook.com/mvconstconsinv FOLLOW US at http://www.twitter.com/mvconstconsinv PIN US at http://www.pinterest.com/mvconstconsinv

MV Construction currently owns, rents and manages several properties in the Chicagoland area. With years of experience in real estate and property management, we bring our very best to every property that we rent and own. SEE MORE at http://www.mvconstruction.net LIKE US at http://www.facebook.com/mvconstconsinv FOLLOW US at http://www.twitter.com/mvconstconsinv PIN US at http://www.pinterest.com/mvconstconsinv

MV Construction currently owns, rents and manages several properties in the Chicagoland area. With years of experience in real estate and property management, we bring our very best to every property that we rent and own. SEE MORE at http://www.mvconstruction.net LIKE US at http://www.facebook.com/mvconstconsinv FOLLOW US at http://www.twitter.com/mvconstconsinv PIN US at http://www.pinterest.com/mvconstconsinv

Our client desired a diversely landscaped environment with natural stone and an expansive deck across the rear of the home. The existing landscape consisted of randomized plantings and the client desired to transplant all of the plant material throughout the rear of the property. The current plant palate reflects the client's love for having a diversity of plants. Extensive landscape lighting was used for accenting both hardscape and soft scape features. We created increased privacy from the adjacent neighbor and fenced the rear of the property. Simplistic water features were also desired by the client. The client drove many of the "wants". The client did not want to use masonry retaining walls, so strictly boulders were used to hold back soil and create different spaces in the rear landscape. The deck steps were a challenge due to the HOA not allowing them to protrude from the side of the home. Part of the property was an RPA (Resource Protected Area). Photography: Morgan Howarth. Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen, Surrounds Inc.

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

A straight-on view of this Notting Hill townhouse during active refurbishment. Scaffolding and protective sheeting secure the façade while structural and roof works continue inside. The property remains under construction, and this image documents the current stage before restoration and final finishes.

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

Our clients for this project are a professional couple with a young family. They approached us to help with extending and improving their home in London SW2 to create an enhanced space both aesthetically and functionally for their growing family. We were appointed to provide a full architectural and interior design service, including the design of some bespoke furniture too. A core element of the brief was to design a kitchen living and dining space that opened into the garden and created clear links from inside to out. This new space would provide a large family area they could enjoy all year around. We were also asked to retain the good bits of the current period living spaces while creating a more modern day area in an extension to the rear. It was also a key requirement to refurbish the upstairs bathrooms while the extension and refurbishment works were underway. The solution was a 21m2 extension to the rear of the property that mirrored the neighbouring property in shape and size. However, we added some additional features, such as the projecting glass box window seat. The new kitchen features a large island unit to create a workspace with storage, but also room for seating that is perfect for entertaining friends, or homework when the family gets to that age. The sliding folding doors, paired with floor tiling that ran from inside to out, created a clear link from the garden to the indoor living space. Exposed brick blended with clean white walls creates a very contemporary finish throughout the extension, while the period features have been retained in the original parts of the house.

This 8200 square foot home is a unique blend of modern, fanciful, and timeless. The original 4200 sqft home on this property, built by the father of the current owners in the 1980s, was demolished to make room for this full basement multi-generational home. To preserve memories of growing up in this home we salvaged many items and incorporated them in fun ways.

Photo: Michaela Dodd © 2015 Houzz
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in DC Metro.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Incorporating sandblast stone, similar to the current construction of the home, there is access around the full property and flawless circulation for entertainment in all spaces.

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York