After living in downtown Chicago their whole lives, these clients were ready for a change of pace. So, they retired and purchased a home near the lake, of course! They both love to cook, and were excited to host big family gatherings. In other words, a full kitchen remodel was in order. The full bath on the main level also needed a complete overhaul. Design Objectives: -Open the kitchen to adjacent family room to create a better space for entertaining -Upgrade appliances and ventilation -Plenty of storage for an extensive collection of cookware and small appliances -Create a dedicated space for baking and pizza making Include a large island for gathering -Select finishes that bring the outdoors in -Create a classic beach vibe with NO white cabinetry! Include tile flooring to flow from laundry room to bathroom to kitchen, while complementing existing hardwood floors -Create direct access to bathroom from laundry room (so family coming from the beach don’t track sand throughout the house) Design Challenges: -Omitting wall between kitchen and family room left very little wall space for cabinetry and appliances -Providing plenty of storage and work surfaces for avid cooks/bakers -Replace existing hardwood with stone floor tile that complements existing hardwood floors as well as cabinetry finishes Design Solutions: -Creating two islands was a key design decision. The large island is for cooking and gathering. The smaller island is for baking and pizza making -Placing the range in the island created a very effective layout for this kitchen -Adding a pocket door from the bath to the laundry room created a direct path for sandy kids and adults alike THE RENEWED KITCHEN AND MORE The finished space feels open and welcoming for the homeowners, their friends and family. The kitchen functions as well for two as it does for a crowd.

This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”

Catch the Willows Beach vibe from this beautifully updated Oak Bay character home located 2 blocks from Estevan Village! This fully landscaped corner lot property offers a 5 bed/2 bath home on 2 levels, awesome outdoor living areas & a detached 2 car garage. Main level gourmet kitchen with Wolf gas range, Frigidaire wall fridge, beautiful granite counters & casual dining area. Formal living & dining rooms with character features including oak hardwood floors & coved ceilings. The main level also has a primary bedroom with built-in storage & a 4-piece bathroom beside, and an office/bedroom off the entry foyer. Downstairs has 3 large bedrooms, 5-piece bathroom, separate laundry, and a large media room with direct access to the backyard patio. Outdoor entertaining flows seamlessly onto multi-level decks leading from kitchen to hot tub to beautifully designed concrete patio. Sunny, level, fully fenced backyard offers complete privacy & easy garage access. Need more space - stairs to the attic provides additional storage or potential master suite! Come see this beautiful home in Oak Bay’s best family neighbourhood! | Karen Love (250)-727-5868 | RE/MAX Island Properties & www.KarenLove.com |

• Lake access • Elegant wood finishes • Direct access to the laundry room from the primary suite • Large game room • Free-standing tub in the primary suite

Living the dream on their estate home, this couple wanted to improve their ability to the home they built 12 years ago in the quiet suburb of Nokesville, VA. Their vision for the master bathroom suite and adjacent closet space changed over the years. They wanted direct access from master bathroom into the closet, which was not possible due to the spiral staircase. We removed this spiral staircase and moved bathroom wall by a foot into the closet, then built a wrap-around staircase allowing access to the upper level closet space. We installed wood flooring to continue bedroom and adjacent hallway floor into closet space. The entire bathroom was gutted, redesigned to have a state of new art whirlpool tub which was placed under a new arch picture window facing scenery of the side yard. The tub was decked in solid marble and surrounded with matching wood paneling as used for custom vanities. All plumbing was moved to create L-shape vanity spaces and make up area, with hidden mirrors behind hanging artwork. A large multiple function shower with custom doors and floor to ceiling marble was placed on south side of this bathroom, and a closed water closet area was placed on the left end. Using large scale marble tile floors with decorative accent tiles, crown, chair rail and fancy high-end hardware make this master suite a serene place for retiring in. The cream and gold color combination serves as a classic symbol of luxury.

From neglected hoarder house to showplace! This post-war traditional ranch was remodeled into a sophisticated contemporary home by Tim Braseth of ArtCraft Homes, completed in 2013. Located in the Crenshaw Manor neighborhood of central Los Angeles with direct access to neighboring Culver City and downtown L.A. via the new Expo line. Space reconfiguration resulted in 3 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Features include all-new custom kitchen with stainless steel appliances, glass tile bathrooms, and solid oak floors throughout. The private master retreat features its own glass-tiled en suite bathroom with dual vanities, generously-sized walk-in closet, vaulted ceiling and French doors to the expansive patio with a direct view to the distant Hollywood sign. Remodel by ArtCraft Homes. Staging by Leslie Whitlock. "After" photography by Marc Angeles of Unlimited Style.

Catch the Willows Beach vibe from this beautifully updated Oak Bay character home located 2 blocks from Estevan Village! This fully landscaped corner lot property offers a 5 bed/2 bath home on 2 levels, awesome outdoor living areas & a detached 2 car garage. Main level gourmet kitchen with Wolf gas range, Frigidaire wall fridge, beautiful granite counters & casual dining area. Formal living & dining rooms with character features including oak hardwood floors & coved ceilings. The main level also has a primary bedroom with built-in storage & a 4-piece bathroom beside, and an office/bedroom off the entry foyer. Downstairs has 3 large bedrooms, 5-piece bathroom, separate laundry, and a large media room with direct access to the backyard patio. Outdoor entertaining flows seamlessly onto multi-level decks leading from kitchen to hot tub to beautifully designed concrete patio. Sunny, level, fully fenced backyard offers complete privacy & easy garage access. Need more space - stairs to the attic provides additional storage or potential master suite! Come see this beautiful home in Oak Bay’s best family neighbourhood! | Karen Love (250)-727-5868 | RE/MAX Island Properties & www.KarenLove.com |

This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”

Located on the fourth floor, this expansive entertainment room is designed for both relaxation and hosting, offering direct access to a private rooftop that overlooks the entire community. Natural light fills the space through large windows, while warm hardwood flooring and clean architectural lines create a bright and inviting atmosphere. The open layout allows flexibility for lounging, entertaining, or media use, making this upper level retreat a standout feature that seamlessly blends indoor comfort with outdoor living.

This living room delivers a refined blend of modern design and architectural interest, centered around a sleek ribbon fireplace framed by vertical wood slat detailing that doubles as a custom media wall. Large black-framed sliding doors flood the space with natural light while providing direct access to a private balcony. Wide plank flooring, soft neutral walls, and a sculptural ceiling light complete the space, creating a warm yet contemporary setting ideal for both everyday living and entertaining.

This rustic style home on Hartwell Lake was designed and built for the owners to enjoy with family and friends during their active weekend lifestyle. The home was built on a narrow, deep lot that was semi-level on the roadside and steep on the lakeside. The back half of the lot heavily wooded with mature oak and poplar trees reducing the harsh sun’s heat gain on the home. The exterior utilizes fiber cement cedar shake and lap siding complimented by deep brown colors for the windows, soffit, trim and the large square columns. A nice balance of natural earth toned stacked stone rounds out the exterior materials completing the rustic casual lake living. The home 5400 SF is designed and built on thee levels each having a primary focus. The main level creates primary daily living for the owners. This level features an open plan with an entry, stair, dining, kitchen and living areas leading to a large lakeside screened porch. A master suite is privately tucked off its own hallway and allowing it to enjoy the lakeside as well with its own private deck. On the opposite side are two bedrooms, a study and a shared bathroom for each to utilize. An open carport for two vehicles was created with the motor court and connects to the mudroom/utility room giving the owners direct entry into their home. The upper level is for the grand children with an oversized bedroom, bathroom and loft area for play. The lower level is the considered the party level. Its primary feature is an elevated stage for the owner’s band opened to a large seating area, dining and kitchen for viewing and listening with direct access to another screened porch. Flanking each side is a theater and two additional bedrooms and bathrooms. Energy Efficient features include: • The majority of the lower level sunk into the site below grade • 6” thick walls utilizing advanced framing techniques • Foil covered roof sheathing • Extensive use of blown in cellulous • All windows & doors are double paned low E argon filed glass • Tank-less water heaters • Three separate high efficiency HVAC units with programmable thermostats and a fresh air ERV. Lastly the owner requested we make every effort to sound proof the home. Many materials and techniques gave a duel purpose and added to the energy efficiency. These items include: • 2x6 walls with staggered studs • Extensive use if rock wool acoustic batting • Tempered glass in all exterior doors and windows • ¼ thick Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) was installed on the top and bottom of the floor trusses and on all lower level walls. The combination of the design and detailing utilizing these specific materials enabled us to achieve a 5 Star Plus Energy Star Certification with a HERS Index Score of 50. This home received a the 2015 Pinnacle Award from the SC Home Builders Association for the “Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency” sponsored by the SC Department Commerce.

Full garden level floor of stately stone mansion on the most coveted Hudson St block. This well proportioned 3 bedroom , den , 2 full bath home features great layout, hardwood floors, central heat/AC and private landscaped yard . The recently upgraded kitchen features stone counters, exposed brick and direct access to yard with additional storage area. Located on upper Hudson Street just steps from Elysian Park and easy access to rental parking and NYC transportation.

The upper patio is repeated below, featuring an outdoor kitchen, bar and direct access to the swimming pool. The pool area is made private by naturally-maintained mangroves that skirt it on all sides, yet direct views out to the intercoastal channels are seen on both ends.

Living the dream on their estate home, this couple wanted to improve their ability to the home they built 12 years ago in the quiet suburb of Nokesville, VA. Their vision for the master bathroom suite and adjacent closet space changed over the years. They wanted direct access from master bathroom into the closet, which was not possible due to the spiral staircase. We removed this spiral staircase and moved bathroom wall by a foot into the closet, then built a wrap-around staircase allowing access to the upper level closet space. We installed wood flooring to continue bedroom and adjacent hallway floor into closet space. The entire bathroom was gutted, redesigned to have a state of new art whirlpool tub which was placed under a new arch picture window facing scenery of the side yard. The tub was decked in solid marble and surrounded with matching wood paneling as used for custom vanities. All plumbing was moved to create L-shape vanity spaces and make up area, with hidden mirrors behind hanging artwork. A large multiple function shower with custom doors and floor to ceiling marble was placed on south side of this bathroom, and a closed water closet area was placed on the left end. Using large scale marble tile floors with decorative accent tiles, crown, chair rail and fancy high-end hardware make this master suite a serene place for retiring in. The cream and gold color combination serves as a classic symbol of luxury.

Photo by Mike Casey Cramped, uncomfortable, and out of date: when the owners of this home approached us about renovating their kitchen and adjoining sunroom, these were high on their list of complaints. OPENING UP THE KITCHEN Our plan kept the kitchen in the same location but took down the walls between both the dining room and the sunroom to create an expansive multi-purpose space with spectacular views to conservation land along the back of the property. We removed the powder room and in its place created a window-lined hallway to the living room—opening up direct access between these two previously disconnected spaces. We then built a new half bath between these two rooms, with a door along the back hallway. The result is a more private powder room that is easier to access than before. Significantly improved cabinetry provides ample storage for both human and canine needs. An island countertop is functional and pleasant, enabling the owners to prep for and clean up from dinner all while enjoying the view of the woods behind their house. CREATING COMFORT We also completely rebuilt the sunroom, thickening the framing to allow for extra insulation and raising the roof to accommodate a higher ceiling and tall windows that let in as much natural light as the skylights they replaced, but much less of the solar gain that had made the room so intolerable in the summer. We improved visual connections between spaces and admitted more natural light by converting the framing of the main stairway from full to half walls. We also insulated the attic and replaced an aging, inefficient central air conditioning system with ductless minisplit heat pumps, which can also be used as supplemental heat. All in all, this was our kind of project: we made the home more attractive, more comfortable, and more energy-efficient—all over the course of a single, well-integrated project.

This Prestigious condos project is located in Pierrefonds West adjacent to Cap St-Jacques. Surrounded by nature but still close to the city, Heritage Sur Le Lac is a beautiful new residential community within the city of Pierrefonds. Located between the western end of Pierrefonds Blvd. and Gouin Blvd. This project hosts a lake and a park. Great for cyclist, runners, and nature lovers. Connected to a bicycle path along Gouin Blvd. that turns into the project to cross over the lake and continues to Pierrefonds Blvd. The streets are designed with community safety in mind. Many cul-de-sacs stem from the lake area to form a slower paced environment. For more information or to book a visit, please contact us. INSIDE 1,2 or 3 bedroom units 1 or 2 bathrooms 564-1,791 sq. ft. of living space 4-storey building with elevator Urban design with lots of window exposure Hotel-style lobby Construction of superior quality 2 level Penthouse units with private terrace Indoor parking available Lockers OUTSIDE Units with balcony or private courtyard Walking distance from Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park 10 mn bike ride from the lake Direct access to Gouin Blvd. bicycle path Upscale neighbourhood Close to all amenities Public transport direct to the project (express service #470 and #485)

• Lake access • Elegant wood finishes • Direct access to the laundry room from the primary suite • Large game room • Free-standing tub in the primary suite

Jorge photo. Direct access to your dock from your back yard along the cumaru wood decking. This hardy Mexican wood will endure for a life time. The machine and hand crafted km of canals connect each mansions back yard dock to the Caribbean Ocean. Private security firm ensures your privacy at home is well secured. enjoy the infinity pool dock side with a small portion of grass to soften the transition. Take in a movie on the large screen while relaxing in the pool or step out and enjoy the expansive bar/ entertainment lounging area where a 20 x 4 foot Rain Forest Stone master piece supports a 6 inch thick Balsamo wood bar top. This is a show stopper unlike any you have seen before!

The sleek family entry hall is accessible from both the garage and driveway. This entry provides direct access to the mud room, powder room and kitchen.