Interior: @studiogild Photography: @mikeyschwartz
Inspiration for a transitional medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wood ceiling foyer remodel in Austin with white walls and a glass front door

Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped travertine floor and beige floor open concept kitchen remodel in Albuquerque with granite countertops, beige backsplash, an island, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Example of a mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in San Francisco with white walls

Joyce Lee
Enclosed kitchen - small eclectic u-shaped enclosed kitchen idea in Los Angeles with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, white appliances and no island

Highland Custom Homes
Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Salt Lake City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Photo: Michaela Dodd © 2015 Houzz
Dining room - transitional dining room idea in DC Metro

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW For many, extra time at home during COVID left them wanting more from their homes. Whether you realized the shortcomings of your space or simply wanted to combat boredom, a well-designed and functional home was no longer a want, it became a need. Tina found herself wanting more from her Old Irving Park home and reached out to The Kitchen Studio about adding function to her kitchen to make the most of the available real estate. At the end of the day, there is nothing better than returning home to a bright and happy space you love. And this kitchen wasn’t that for Tina. Dark and dated, with a palette from the past and features that didn’t make the most of the available square footage, this remodel required vision and a fresh approach to the space. Lead designer, Stephanie Cole’s main design goal was better flow, while adding greater functionality with organized storage, accessible open shelving, and an overall sense of cohesion with the adjoining family room. The original kitchen featured a large pizza oven, which was rarely used, yet its footprint limited storage space. The nearby pantry had become a catch-all, lacking the organization needed in the home. The initial plan was to keep the pizza oven, but eventually Tina realized she preferred the design possibilities that came from removing this cumbersome feature, with the goal of adding function throughout the upgraded and elevated space. Eliminating the pantry added square footage and length to the kitchen for greater function and more storage. This redesigned space reflects how she lives and uses her home, as well as her love for entertaining. The kitchen features a classic, clean, and timeless palette. White cabinetry, with brass and bronze finishes, contrasts with rich wood flooring, and lets the large, deep blue island in Woodland’s custom color Harbor – a neutral, yet statement color – draw your eye. The kitchen was the main priority. In addition to updating and elevating this space, Tina wanted to maximize what her home had to offer. From moving the location of the patio door and eliminating a window to removing an existing closet in the mudroom and the cluttered pantry, the kitchen footprint grew. Once the floorplan was set, it was time to bring cohesion to her home, creating connection between the kitchen and surrounding spaces. The color palette carries into the mudroom, where we added beautiful new cabinetry, practical bench seating, and accessible hooks, perfect for guests and everyday living. The nearby bar continues the aesthetic, with stunning Carrara marble subway tile, hints of brass and bronze, and a design that further captures the vibe of the kitchen. Every home has its unique design challenges. But with a fresh perspective and a bit of creativity, there is always a way to give the client exactly what they want [and need]. In this particular kitchen, the existing soffits and high slanted ceilings added a layer of complexity to the lighting layout and upper perimeter cabinets. While a space needs to look good, it also needs to function well. This meant making the most of the height of the room and accounting for the varied ceiling features, while also giving Tina everything she wanted and more. Pendants and task lighting paired with an abundance of natural light amplify the bright aesthetic. The cabinetry layout and design compliments the soffits with subtle profile details that bring everything together. The tile selections add visual interest, drawing the eye to the focal area above the range. Glass-doored cabinets further customize the space and give the illusion of even more height within the room. While her family may be grown and out of the house, Tina was focused on adding function without sacrificing a stunning aesthetic and dreamy finishes that make the kitchen the gathering place of any home. It was time to love her kitchen again, and if you’re wondering what she loves most, it’s the niche with glass door cabinetry and open shelving for display paired with the marble mosaic backsplash over the range and complimenting hood. Each of these features is a stunning point of interest within the kitchen – both brag-worthy additions to a perimeter layout that previously felt limited and lacking. Whether your remodel is the result of special needs in your home or simply the excitement of focusing your energy on creating a fun new aesthetic, we are here for it. We love a good challenge because there is always a way to make a space better – adding function and beauty simultaneously.

Gramophone and its Design & Build team worked together to design and create this elegant but casual theater, inspired by and evolved from the aesthetics of the client's yacht. Black mohair and alligator leather textures along with vintage touches set this space apart from others considered off the shelf. To keep the space neat, the projector was hidden away in a projector room behind the theater, while components were nestled away in a rack tower. As well as that the video quality and in-wall Meridian sound system could rival that of any Baltimore home theater. Photography by Maryland Photography, Inc.

Tea Room with illuminated display niches flanking sliding glass doors to home office. Dropped ceiling panel with light cove defines seating area and contributes to a sense of intimacy.

Example of a classic staircase design in Los Angeles

The entry to the home is the chance to create the first impression of your design style and carry that style through the home. For this client, we gathered her Sid Dickens memory blocks over a marble and iron console.

Utilizing the symmetrical perspective of the kitchen, the centerpiece of the room is this breathtaking dining room space. Making used of its abundant spare footage and orientation to the central kitchen, the dining room has two glass display cabinets. Coinciding with the counter tops below, the glass cabinets given design to function. On the left, a coffee station, and right, a wine and beverage station!

This gem of a house was built in the 1950s, when its neighborhood undoubtedly felt remote. The university footprint has expanded in the 70 years since, however, and today this home sits on prime real estate—easy biking and reasonable walking distance to campus. When it went up for sale in 2017, it was largely unaltered. Our clients purchased it to renovate and resell, and while we all knew we'd need to add square footage to make it profitable, we also wanted to respect the neighborhood and the house’s own history. Swedes have a word that means “just the right amount”: lagom. It is a guiding philosophy for us at SYH, and especially applied in this renovation. Part of the soul of this house was about living in just the right amount of space. Super sizing wasn’t a thing in 1950s America. So, the solution emerged: keep the original rectangle, but add an L off the back. With no owner to design with and for, SYH created a layout to appeal to the masses. All public spaces are the back of the home--the new addition that extends into the property’s expansive backyard. A den and four smallish bedrooms are atypically located in the front of the house, in the original 1500 square feet. Lagom is behind that choice: conserve space in the rooms where you spend most of your time with your eyes shut. Put money and square footage toward the spaces in which you mostly have your eyes open. In the studio, we started calling this project the Mullet Ranch—business up front, party in the back. The front has a sleek but quiet effect, mimicking its original low-profile architecture street-side. It’s very Hoosier of us to keep appearances modest, we think. But get around to the back, and surprise! lofted ceilings and walls of windows. Gorgeous.

Upon entering the home from the screened porch, MOSS installed floor to ceiling semi-custom cabinetry to be used as a sort of butler’s pantry to store kitchen items, additional entertainment ware, guests’ coats, cleaning equipment and supplies, and more. The use of the unique green tone was a beautiful touch as the color green is used throughout the home’s updated décor and brings a sense of unity to the overall space. Immediately off the long hallway is the home’s kitchen, which was completely updated. Square footage was not affected but MOSS re-designed the space so that it could be used in a more functional manner. A massive kitchen island with a beautiful soapstone countertop dominates the room. Semi-custom white cabinetry lines the perimeters. New large windows provide an incredible view of the yard. Finally, a seating area with built-ins was added to supply more space for seating and for the dining room table to be moved from the center of the kitchen, previously, to the side. The kitchen also features a beautiful fireplace which had its wooden surround updated. The home’s sunroom, located next to the kitchen, was previously a few feet lower than the rest of the home. To bring a better flow to the space, MOSS raised the entire floor of the room up to meet the rest of the main level. Stunningly, the hardwood floor matches to a “T”. In the home’s living room and office, full wall built-ins were added, allowing the homeowners to display their favorite books on topics ranging from art to history, as well as showcasing statues and art sculptures and other items that are meaningful to their family. The living room fireplace’s stone and wooden surrounds were updated by MOSS as well.

This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

Upon entering the home from the screened porch, MOSS installed floor to ceiling semi-custom cabinetry to be used as a sort of butler’s pantry to store kitchen items, additional entertainment ware, guests’ coats, cleaning equipment and supplies, and more. The use of the unique green tone was a beautiful touch as the color green is used throughout the home’s updated décor and brings a sense of unity to the overall space. Immediately off the long hallway is the home’s kitchen, which was completely updated. Square footage was not affected but MOSS re-designed the space so that it could be used in a more functional manner. A massive kitchen island with a beautiful soapstone countertop dominates the room. Semi-custom white cabinetry lines the perimeters. New large windows provide an incredible view of the yard. Finally, a seating area with built-ins was added to supply more space for seating and for the dining room table to be moved from the center of the kitchen, previously, to the side. The kitchen also features a beautiful fireplace which had its wooden surround updated. The home’s sunroom, located next to the kitchen, was previously a few feet lower than the rest of the home. To bring a better flow to the space, MOSS raised the entire floor of the room up to meet the rest of the main level. Stunningly, the hardwood floor matches to a “T”. In the home’s living room and office, full wall built-ins were added, allowing the homeowners to display their favorite books on topics ranging from art to history, as well as showcasing statues and art sculptures and other items that are meaningful to their family. The living room fireplace’s stone and wooden surrounds were updated by MOSS as well.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary brown floor vestibule remodel in Hyderabad with white walls and a dark wood front door