Search results for "Difficulty" in Home Design Ideas

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley.
The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic.
We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws.
The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year.
Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.

Modern Italian Sectional Sofa: Lg Contemporary Leather or Fabric Sofa-Easily Configures to Your Space by SleekRoom
CONTEMPORARY STYLE: Sleek, modular style is ultra-chic, with low backrests, flat chrome feet, and neutral color choices. Italian design at its very best!
LUXURIOUS FABRIC: White leather, charcoal or medium gray fabric choices are elegant and neutral to accent most home décor styles!
EASY CONFIGURATION: Designed with universal positioning, so you can arrange each piece independently to fit your room shape and seating arrangement preference!
REMOVABLE COVERS: Cushion inserts are lined, so covers can be removed to be cleaned.
DESIGNED TO LAST: Constructed from high-strength welded steel, so it won’t weaken or wobble, but it will last for a long time!
Are you looking for a sleek and chic modular sectional sofa for your home? Are you having difficulty finding one that will fit correctly for your living space?
One common problem that people find in buying a sectional sofa is that it has to be designed with the right angle to fit in the space. Respace collection has solved that problem for you! Each piece is designed with universal positioning, so you arrange it to suit your room’s shape or your seating area preference for watching TV or for conversation. The Italian-designed Rogers large sectional sofa is made in a sleek contemporary style, with low backrests, flat chrome feet, and modular shape. The fabric choices are elegant, in white leather or charcoal or medium gray fabric, all neutral shades that complement most home décor styles. The sofa is designed to be durable, made from high-strength welded steel, so it won’t wobble or sag. The cushions are Cell Fresh New Generation high density memory foam, with down feathers added to the back cushions for comfort. The interior cushions are lined, so you can even remove the covers for cleaning! You can have comfort, elegant design, and long-lasting durability with Sleekroom’s Respace collection!

The perk of covered outdoor living spaces…A little rain won’t stop us! Featured home: Bayway Isles, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Find the right local pro for your project

Living in Florida was wonderful but our clients missed seeing their daughter and her family. They missed spending time with their adorable grandchildren. With almost four acres of land to work with, they decided to bring the two families together.
We encountered a few difficulties when working on this project. Using a saw-tooth design, we were able to get the space we needed and stay within the building restriction lines. With the tough winter weather, we encountered a few delays but had to meet the target date as our clients were moving up from the south and needed their new home to be move-in ready. Making selections in person can be tough and most of their selections were made from five state's away.
Topped with CertainTeed Shingles, this two-story brick and Hardie Plank addition is trimmed with dental moulding and blends seamlessly with the existing home. BF Rich windows and slider allow ample light. An Azek composite deck with stairs offers easy access to the backyard and the pool area.
The open kitchen and family room are the heart of this home. Armstrong laminate in white wash walnut unifies the rooms.
In the kitchen, gorgeous Norcraft Copenhagen Maple cabinetry, stylish granite countertops, and the Bellavinita Tile backsplash are stunning. In the family room, two 30" wide niches were custom built on either side of the gas fireplace for pictures, knick-knacks, and plants. They add charm and distinction.
The master bath and powder room both have Norcraft vanities topped with granite and under-mount sinks. The master bath is adorned with American Olean tile and a strip of Marazzi Crystal Stone offsets. The niche, grab bar and corner seat all add convenience. Moen and Kohler products were used throughout the remodel.
The suite offers many storage options - from the walk-in bedroom closet, cabinetry, attic and basement.
Everything came together beautifully. The quality of construction is exemplary and the addition is amazing. We stayed within their budget and significantly increased the value of this property.
Our clients are thrilled with their beautiful new in-law suite and very happy to be near their family once again.

Design Statement:
My design challenge was to create and build a new ultra modern kitchen with a futuristic flare. This state of the art kitchen was to be equipped with an ample amount of usable storage and a better view of the outside while balancing design and function.
Some of the project goals were to include the following; a multi-level island with seating for four people, dramatic use of lighting, state of the art appliances, a generous view of the outside and last but not least, to create a kitchen space that looks like no other...”The WOW Factor”.
This challenging project was a completely new design and full renovation. The existing kitchen was outdated and in desperate need help. My new design required me to remove existing walls, cabinetry, flooring, plumbing, electric…a complete demolition. My job functions were to be the interior designer, GC, electrician and a laborer.
Construction and Design
The existing kitchen had one small window in it like many kitchens. The main difficulty was…how to create more windows while gaining more cabinet storage. As a designer, our clients require us to think out of the box and give them something that they may have never dreamed of. I did just that. I created two 8’ glass backsplashes (with no visible supports) on the corner of the house. This was not easy task, engineering of massive blind headers and lam beams were used to support the load of the new floating walls. A generous amount of 48” high wall cabinets flank the new walls and appear floating in air seamlessly above the glass backsplash.
Technology and Design
The dramatic use of the latest in LED lighting was used. From color changing accent lights, high powered multi-directional spot lights, decorative soffit lights, under cabinet and above cabinet LED tape lights…all to be controlled from wall panels or mobile devises. A built-in ipad also controls not only the lighting, but a climate controlled thermostat, house wide music streaming with individually controlled zones, alarm system, video surveillance system and door bell.
Materials and design
Large amounts of glass and gloss; glass backsplash, iridescent glass tiles, raised glass island counter top, Quartz counter top with iridescent glass chips infused in it. 24” x 24” high polished porcelain tile flooring to give the appearance of water or glass. The custom cabinets are high gloss lacquer with a metallic fleck. All doors and drawers are Blum soft-close. The result is an ultra sleek and highly sophisticated design.
Appliances and design
All appliances were chosen for the ultimate in sleekness. These appliances include: a 48” built-in custom paneled subzero refrigerator/freezer, a built-in Miele dishwasher that is so quiet that it shoots a red led light on the floor to let you know that its on., a 36” Miele induction cook top and a built-in 200 bottle wine cooler. Some other cool features are the led kitchen faucet that changes color based on the water temperature. A stainless and glass wall hood with led lights. All duct work was built into the stainless steel toe kicks and grooves were cut into it to release airflow.
Photography by Mark Oser

Living in Florida was wonderful but our clients missed seeing their daughter and her family. They missed spending time with their adorable grandchildren. With almost four acres of land to work with, they decided to bring the two families together.
We encountered a few difficulties when working on this project. Using a saw-tooth design, we were able to get the space we needed and stay within the building restriction lines. With the tough winter weather, we encountered a few delays but had to meet the target date as our clients were moving up from the south and needed their new home to be move-in ready. Making selections in person can be tough and most of their selections were made from five state's away.
Topped with CertainTeed Shingles, this two-story brick and Hardie Plank addition is trimmed with dental moulding and blends seamlessly with the existing home. BF Rich windows and slider allow ample light. An Azek composite deck with stairs offers easy access to the backyard and the pool area.
The open kitchen and family room are the heart of this home. Armstrong laminate in white wash walnut unifies the rooms.
In the kitchen, gorgeous Norcraft Copenhagen Maple cabinetry, stylish granite countertops, and the Bellavinita Tile backsplash are stunning. In the family room, two 30" wide niches were custom built on either side of the gas fireplace for pictures, knick-knacks, and plants. They add charm and distinction.
The master bath and powder room both have Norcraft vanities topped with granite and under-mount sinks. The master bath is adorned with American Olean tile and a strip of Marazzi Crystal Stone offsets. The niche, grab bar and corner seat all add convenience. Moen and Kohler products were used throughout the remodel.
The suite offers many storage options - from the walk-in bedroom closet, cabinetry, attic and basement.
Everything came together beautifully. The quality of construction is exemplary and the addition is amazing. We stayed within their budget and significantly increased the value of this property.
Our clients are thrilled with their beautiful new in-law suite and very happy to be near their family once again.

Photo: Janet Neumann © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic dining room remodel in Vancouver
Inspiration for an eclectic dining room remodel in Vancouver

This customer, who lives in East Byfleet had been experiencing difficulties in keeping her fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen floor in good condition. Over the years it had suffered from a heavy build up of dirt and oily stains, not to mentioned a number of cracks and small holes. Needless to say, the customer was keen to restore the Travertine tiles to their former glory.
To begin the restoration, I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go across the entirety of the large tiled area. This heavy duty remover breaks down any old sealers and other coatings, leaving the area ready to cleaned or, in this case, burnished.
Burnishing is a method for cleaning and polishing certain types of high-end stone, including Travertine, Marble, and Limestone. Our burnishing system involves the application of four diamond encrusted pads of varying grits. Firstly, I applied the Coarse grit pad, which helps to break down any dirt and stains on the surface of the tiles. Then, I worked my way through the Medium, Fine, and Very Fine pads, using a little water as lubricant, to gradually refine the polish on the Travertine. It was then rinsed and left to dry.
To round off the first day of work, I filled any cracks and holes using our two-part resin system which greatly improved the look of the tile.
The following day I returned to the property to seal the tiles checking first that the floor had dried. All was well so I proceeded to seal the floor using our colour intensifying impregnating sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Once that was dry, I added the finishing touches by buffing the floor with a soft white buffing pad. As you can see from the photographs, the combination of a fresh seal and polish worked wonders.
We did such a good job with the floor that the customer asked if we could also improve the appearance of their natural stone fireplace which was suffering from bad rust and oil stains however I do a separate write up on that.
Wayne White
West Surrey Tile Doctor

When I bought my house in May 2014, there was one thing I really didn’t like about it – the 1950s bathroom complete with pink tile and mismatched gaudy fixtures was absolutely hideous. I knew redoing the bathroom would be a big, expensive project, so I vowed to just live with it while I fixed up parts of the house that were easier to update, such as putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls and updating the curtains (which I still haven’t done, by the way). Well my first winter in the new house turned out to be a bad one, and in February 2015, I noticed water stains on the walls and ceiling of the second bedroom that only got worse and worse each day. The water damage quickly spread to other rooms, and when contractors came to the house to access and fix the damage, they discovered moisture behind the pink tiled walls of my bathroom. And so started the bathroom remodel.
Start to finish, this project took close to six months, due to going back and forth with insurance and difficulty finding a contractor I liked. I lived without a shower for at least four of those months, showering at the gym where I worked or in a pop-up tent in my backyard once it was warm enough out. My friend Eric and I demoed the bathroom and for the remodel, I picked out all of the design components and had a local contractor, Fred Haas do the work. I kept the original layout – as my bathroom was small to begin with and it was both impractical and expensive to start moving things around – but just about everything else about the bathroom is new, except for maybe the window and door. New tub, sink, and toilet, new tile floor and shower surround, new walls and ceiling, fresh paint, new fixtures and mirror, updated lighting, and a better ventilation system were all added.
Tub – Sterling Vikrell
Toilet – Kohler Wellworth® two-piece round-front dual-flush toilet
Sink – Kohler Veer™ 21" pedestal bathroom sink
Fixtures – Kohler Alteo® line
Tile floor and shower surround – American Olean Laurel Heights ceramic tile in Summit Gray
Lighting – I don't remember... will have to see if I can find it
Ventilation system – NuTone
Mirror – Ikea
Paint – Behr
Shower Curtain – eBay
Here are photos of my project from start to finish. As you can see, I probably still need a thing or two (a toilet paper holder, mini storage shelf, and some art wouldn’t hurt, nor would replacing the door or painting it white), but overall I’m really happy with how my new bathroom came out. I LOVE it, which is the exact opposite of how I felt about the original bathroom.
Photos © Kari Post

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.

Greg Pinn, Vice President of Pinn Brothers Fine Homes of San Jose, California, brought his dream to fruition with the completion of his own French Country Chateau. The level of quality and the attention to detail found in every aspect of his residence is a tribute to the craftsmanship of the professionals who helped build it as well as the beautiful materials that made it possible. When selecting the stone and brick for the home’s exterior, Pinn and his fellow builders contructed a full-scale wall that had four different mockups of various stone profiles and colors before finalizing their selection. Upon taking all the possibilities into consideration, Eldorado’s Fieldledge and Limestone profiles in addition to the Bracciano RomaBrick proved to be just the product their team was looking for, all of which were installed using an overgrout technique.
Having worked with Eldorado exclusively for close to 10 years on all of his projects, Pinn had Eldorado in mind when the architectural plans were in the beginning stages of development and felt confident from the get-go that Eldorado would be their stone and brick of choice.
By working with Eldorado, Pinn was able to implement the look of natural stone in several places throughout the home. There was extensive use of both stone and brick on the retaining walls of his yard, around the pook, the outdoor living space, and on all the chimney stacks. He also dressed the majority of the home’s exterior in Eldorado’s stone and brick because of its affordability and ease of installation versus natural stone. An added bonus was that Pinn won’t have difficulty finding similar stones if need be like he would using stone from a quarry. He can rely on the consistency and availability of Eldorado, regardless of the amount of time that goes by. According to Pinn, Eldorado Stone made all the difference in the success of creating his very own French Country Chateau.
Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Austin Cream Limestone (20%), Custom Large Fieldledge (20%) and Custom Fieldledge (60%), both in Austin Cream color with an overgrout technique
Eldorado Brick Profile Featured: Bracciano RomaBrick with an overgrout technique
Builder: Pinn Brothers Fine Homes, San Jose, CA
Architect: Knitter & Associates, Newport Beach, CA
Website: www.knitter.com
Landscape Architect: Robert Mowat & Associates, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.rmalandscape.com
Mason: San Marino Masonry, Anaheim, CA
Website: www.vecompanies.com
Design Consultant: Marni Leis, San Francisco, CA

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley.
The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic.
We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws.
The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year.
Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.

Our client recently purchased a newly-constructed home in order to downsize and have a low- maintenance home and yard. The existing side yard/back yard was undeveloped by the builder, leaving the homeowner with the huge challenge of creating a great outdoor entertaining space for family and friends, while creating privacy and overcoming the over 8-foot steep drop from the existing back porch down to the alley.
The grade was the largest challenge because the space was so narrow with such a large fall from existing porch to the property line. The second largest challenge is that this residence is located in a semi-private community where HOA approval of plans and materials is difficult, as all the residences here share a similar look and feel with a very clean and contemporary aesthetic.
We had to precisely shoot grades to know what kinds of retaining walls would need to be constructed along with how much backfill soil and dirt movement would need to be done. After that the design had to carefully consider the space with maximum functionality for outdoor entertainment with newly constructed walls to ensure it would last for many years to come. All of this was done with multiple meetings with the homeowners who are a retired engineer and active architect themselves. Once a design was settled upon, then submission to the HOA board of approval had to be completed and signed off on with all questions and concerns answered for the community by-laws.
The two biggest difficulties within the construction phase were that the neighbor next to the back yard had a large retaining wall not properly backfilled up to the property line. That neighbor wouldn’t allow us proper access and control to help alleviate the issues, so we had to skillfully work around this to ensure what we constructed would last, despite their property not being properly addressed. We also had to go through multiple shipments from the manufacturer due to large variances in the material’s appearance on the steps and another shipment that was broken during shipping. These two things delayed the project we were working to complete before the spring so the homeowner could have the maximum use of the space this year.
Topping off this challenging construction was a beautiful palette of native grasses, rosemary, groundcover, granite walkways, and synthetic grass to ensure year-round, practically effortless beauty.

The phone rings early in the morning, and it’s a long-time client who treats our team of skilled craftsmen like family, continually lauding our work. It’s these types of clients we all have and all love and, of course, will drop anything to help.
As I navigate my usual morning commute, I’m greeted by a forlorn sigh and the description of the freak-fire which destroyed their beloved outdoor living area (along with the home’s family room, kitchen, and master bedroom). Getting past the initial shock, we had to act quickly to ensure their safety. Quite the start to the morning.
Challenges with this project run deeper than just the build: security of the entire affected area, good and sensitive communication, and navigating a pandemic lockdown can cause even the strongest-willed person to throw their hands up and call it quits.
When the fire broke out, it took out the entire backyard and portions of the home, making the structure unlivable. We needed to mitigate the fire damage and make sure the house was secure against break-ins, but also, no damage existed that could cause harm to the neighbors.
It’s these moments where relationships matter. The client needed a trusted and established partner to begin the rebuilding process. Professional knowledge is only one part of the puzzle. It’s here an empathetic ear, and extra solace goes far to remind the client all can be rebuilt.
Lastly, none of us saw the difficulties a pandemic would bring. At a time when a person was about to use every square foot of their home to shelter-in-place, our client would be in the middle of a rebuild with no use of their beautiful outdoor living area to get through the day. Luckily, we were able to work with the city of Clyde Hill and continue through an emergency services waiver.
What was done? The outdoor living area included a complete rebuild of the gazebo, including a large sitting area and fire pit. Stone patios were replaced, and additional stone was chosen to create a secondary, uncovered living area with a fire pit to enjoy during the summer months.
The build is a testament to superb craftsmanship and design. However, we believe excellence also includes the holistic approach to listen deeply, empathize and understand a client’s history, external pressures of the world, and build community and relationship.

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.

Greg Pinn, Vice President of Pinn Brothers Fine Homes of San Jose, California, brought his dream to fruition with the completion of his own French Country Chateau. The level of quality and the attention to detail found in every aspect of his residence is a tribute to the craftsmanship of the professionals who helped build it as well as the beautiful materials that made it possible. When selecting the stone and brick for the home’s exterior, Pinn and his fellow builders contructed a full-scale wall that had four different mockups of various stone profiles and colors before finalizing their selection. Upon taking all the possibilities into consideration, Eldorado’s Fieldledge and Limestone profiles in addition to the Bracciano RomaBrick proved to be just the product their team was looking for, all of which were installed using an overgrout technique.
Having worked with Eldorado exclusively for close to 10 years on all of his projects, Pinn had Eldorado in mind when the architectural plans were in the beginning stages of development and felt confident from the get-go that Eldorado would be their stone and brick of choice.
By working with Eldorado, Pinn was able to implement the look of natural stone in several places throughout the home. There was extensive use of both stone and brick on the retaining walls of his yard, around the pook, the outdoor living space, and on all the chimney stacks. He also dressed the majority of the home’s exterior in Eldorado’s stone and brick because of its affordability and ease of installation versus natural stone. An added bonus was that Pinn won’t have difficulty finding similar stones if need be like he would using stone from a quarry. He can rely on the consistency and availability of Eldorado, regardless of the amount of time that goes by. According to Pinn, Eldorado Stone made all the difference in the success of creating his very own French Country Chateau.
Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Austin Cream Limestone (20%), Custom Large Fieldledge (20%) and Custom Fieldledge (60%), both in Austin Cream color with an overgrout technique
Eldorado Brick Profile Featured: Bracciano RomaBrick with an overgrout technique
Builder: Pinn Brothers Fine Homes, San Jose, CA
Architect: Knitter & Associates, Newport Beach, CA
Website: www.knitter.com
Landscape Architect: Robert Mowat & Associates, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.rmalandscape.com
Mason: San Marino Masonry, Anaheim, CA
Website: www.vecompanies.com
Design Consultant: Marni Leis, San Francisco, CA

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.

This townhome located on Lake Anna of Reston, VA own into a confined gall kitchen with a very limited cabinet space, short wall cabinets, big closet taking over big portion of kitchen, duct chase creating a big barrier, plumbing chases causing bulkhead and a bearing wall header to name a few of obstacles
Their dream was to walk in from front door and have a clear view of wall to wall scenic view of the lake.
Modernize the kitchen, eliminate bearing walls, lots of storage, upgraded appliances and so much more.
They have been chasing this dream for years and have been turned down by multiple firms due to level of difficulty of the project, budget constraint and as she put it “cleeking with a design firm that can feel her needs”
Our staff spent countless number of hours to hear her and bring her dream to reality.
The main constraint was the bearing wall on corner of foyer and living room, which was a closet, main duct chase and return ducts, obscene amount of plumbing and not to mention structural load.
By the way of re-routing mechanical chases, and reformulating all second-floor plumbing stack to back walls, and then inserting few structural beams that transfer the second-floor joists to front and back wall, we have accomplished the biggest goals of all and created the view open floor plan
Now home to a big island with cooktop and beverage center. The home has front to back clear view of the scenic lake.
¬¬¬With expanding the kitchen into front breakfast area, we have doubled up on storage and cabinet space.
Long line of gorgeous counter top and full backsplash under new Led lighting has glorified this kitchen project.
The linear porcelain floor tile has complimented the counter top and her trophy accessories.
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