This modern farmhouse enjoys the best of both worlds with a classic front porch and stylish curb-appeal. A second sprawling porch to the rear continues outdoor enjoyment. The open floor plan maintains an easy flow for families to relax and enjoy meals together. The master suite is free of distractions and tucked away for privacy while the utility room with laundry sink is nearby for convenience. Two additional rooms are available for children, guests, or a study.

Let's face it, when you have a recessed ceiling like this, the finish you put in it can make or break your Dining Room. Everything was so elegant, soft and rich that the ceiling needed to compliment the interior, not distract from it. The light fixtures were outstanding and cried out for an antique metal leaf ceiling. Too much glitz would overpower the fixtures but just enough of an antique gold finish would spotlight their beauty. Only a metal leaf finish would do the job but not an ordinary metal leaf. But that's our secret... Photo by Steve Chen

This exquisite Wine Cellar is the result of our clients desires to create the finest tasting room for guests to gather and enjoy wine and food. This is the ideal place for entertaining. Lutron Lighting Control System The mood is easily set throughout this elegant space with the Lutron lighting control system installed by our team. The Lutron Lighting Control System is a great way for our clients to have the capability to adjust the lighting and shade levels within a single room or throughout an entire home with the touch of a button. Sonance Speaker System The right sound resonating in the background plays a significant role in setting the atmosphere while entertaining or relaxing. With in-ceiling Sonance Speakers, our client and their guests will be surrounded by audio. Custom Programming Complimentary with the architectural design of curved walls, we installed two curved Samsung TVs. Through custom programming we were able to provide our client the ability to use both TVs simultaneously. With the ingenuity of our team we created an eye captivating custom designed 4K background scenery of wineries that scroll through the TVs providing an additional WOW factor to this already exquisite room. Motorized Shades Motorized shades were installed for the floor to ceiling windows. With easy to use controls, our client can enjoy amazing views or minimize harsh glare on the TVs. The shades are hidden inside custom soffits so they don’t distract from the beautiful view of the landscape or the exquisite design of the room. Savant Control System The Savant Control system was installed to provide our clients the ability and ease of controlling everything in one central location with one touch technology.

Featured in the 2013 AIA San Francisco Home Tour, this Bernal Heights residence was transformed from a drab stucco box to an architectural gem prominently positioned to take in bridge to bridge views. Scope of work consisted of a complete gut of the existing house and adding a third story to capture kitchen, dining and living room functions. An exterior Skatelite rainscreen system provides street side privacy while modest materials and simple glass box bring in the views without distraction.

Aging gracefully...in your home. We asked Senior Designer, and Certified Aging in Place Specialist, Genie Nowicki about key ideas for bathroom design that include Aging/ Living in Place. (Universal Design) Here are just a few of her suggestions! 1. Comfort Height Toilets (perhaps wall-hung). 2. Curb-less/walk-in showers 3. Hand-held shower heads on a bar for use at varying heights 4. Wall-hung sinks to allow seated use 5. Motion activated faucets 6. Grab Bars and Towel Bars at comfortable heights 7. Storage with easy access features, such as roll-outs. 8. Electrical outlets in drawers for convenience 9. Bidet accessories (“washlets”) on toilets for personal hygiene. Or take a peek at our website page dedicated to this important and timely topic! ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ghRtcAr

This one plus one bedroom condo on Lawrence Ave, greatly benefited from being staged. By defining the space and keeping the furnishings light, we gave this cosy condo warmth and appeal. The use of glass and mirrors makes it feel spacious and calm, and does not distract from the stunning views that this condo has to offer. We added the table and bar stools in the kitchen to create an eating area that again is functional, but does not detract from the space. Photos by Frank - My Visual Listing

When purchasing a new home, clients often inherit outdated spaces that are either dysfunctional or simply unappealing. Such was the case for a couple who came to me with a cramped primary bathroom. Defined by an unmistakable 1980s aesthetic and a truly perplexing layout, the space was divided into a maze of enclosed areas, including a walled-in shower and an awkward corner vanity. By fully gutting the room, we were able to reimagine it from the ground up, creating a space that feels open, expansive, and inviting. With the partition walls removed, natural light now flows freely throughout. The design direction, guided by the clients, centers on calm and serenity. A restrained palette of pale marble and sky-blue accent tiles—laid in a herringbone pattern at the vanity and echoed in the generous shower—creates a quiet sense of rhythm and ease. There is nothing to distract, nothing to disrupt—just a soothing space to begin the day or unwind in the evening. Photos: Bernardo Grijalva

Our client came to us with the objective of building an outdoor living space for his family to always come back to instead of going on separate vacations. They needed a space that felt like a retreat from the world. A space for relaxing and spending quality family time together without the day-to-day distractions. Our team provided a rustic, industrial looking outdoor entertaining area with sports watching as the main goal to provide years of family fun through the seasons! Our biggest challenge on this project was to design and build a beautiful, custom triangular floor to ceiling outdoor fireplace that was the centerpiece of this project. The entire project included building a porch roof over a flagstone patio. All surfaces were clad in cedar with built in bluetooth speakers, ceiling fan, recessed lighting, and a gas heater. We also built an outdoor kitchen with bar height table top and gas grill. The floor to ceiling stone fireplace in the corner of the patio included a custom mantle and mounted TV.

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Charlotte

Kitchen Over 150K If you ever found yourself shopping for a new home, finding a model home, falling in love with this model home and immediately signing on the dotted line. Yet after a few months of moving into your new home you realize that the kitchen and the layout of main level will not work out for your lifestyle. The model home you fell in love with was furnished with beautiful furniture distracting you from concentrating on what is really important to you. This is what happened to this couple in Ashburn, VA, after purchasing their dream home. The kitchen lacked natural light, while its location was not ideal and was disrupting their daily routine. After a careful review of the kitchen design, a plan was formed to upgrade the kitchen. Their kitchen was moved to a location between the two-story family room and front dining room. To the left of the family room there was a breakfast eating area that was not serving any purpose. Our design incorporated the breakfast area placed along a couple feet from an adjacent pantry space to create this new dream kitchen. By knocking down a few bearing walls, we have placed the main sink area under large backside windows. Now the kitchen can look into their beautiful backyard. A major load bearing wall between the old breakfast room and adjacent two-story family was taken down and a big steel beam took the place of that, creating a large seamless connection between the new kitchen and the rest of the home. A large island was implemented with a prep sink, microwave, and with lots of seating space around it. Large scale professional appliances along with stunning mosaic backsplash tiles complement this amazing kitchen design. Double barn style door in front of the pantry area sets off this storage space tucked away from rest of the kitchen. All the old tile was removed and a matching wide plank distressed wood floor was installed to create a seamless connection to rest of the home. A matching butler pantry cabinet area just outside of dining room and a wine station/drink serving area between family room and main foyer were added to better utilize the multi-function needs of the family. The custom inset cabinetry with double layers and exotic stone counter top, distressed ceiling beams, and other amenities are just a few standouts of this project.

For this remodeling project, ATMOSPHERE DESIGN focused on the “bones” to keep new construction to the minimum. Starting from the basic footprint of two boxes with gable, the designers shaved away distracting shapes and reworked what had been a constrained layout into an open plan of simple elegance. To create a sense of warmth and calm inside and out, the design introduced Ipe wood floors throughout and added a boardwalk ending at a window framed in mahogany. photo © Lorin Klaris

A custom kitchen in Rustic Hickory with a Distressed Painted Alder Island. Rich wood tones pair nicely with the lovely view of the woods and creek out the kitchen windows. The island draws your attention without distracting from the overall beauty of the home and setting.

This stunning bespoke built-in media unit features shaker style doors and a break fronted design. The cabinetry mixes a stylish green painted finish with a contrasting rustic oak veneer for a unique nature-inspired look. With tailored shelving and clutter free cupboards the floor to ceiling furniture has added character and makes the perfection feature in our clients’ Surrey home. Timeless shaker style design This made to measure cabinetry has been handmade in solid wood in a shaker style. The understated, yet distinctive design is an enduring centuries-old classic; and the traditional construction is exceptionally strong. The breakfront gives variation to the depth of the media unit, adding interesting and drawing attention to the TV screen. With cabling concealed, nothing distracts from the beauty of this fitted wall to wall unit. Nature-inspired green paired with oak wood The unit has been finished in an eco-friendly, designer paint by Lick in a natural earthy tone of olive green, which is very much on trend. The dusky green with golden undertones makes the room feel restorative and uplifting. The cabinet backs and shelves are crafted from real oak veneer, protected with a dark stain in a satin finish to enhance the natural beauty and character of the wood. The oak veneer was chosen to match the room’s wooden floor and other furniture. Shelving to showcase art and books The open shelving has integrated LED lighting which casts a soft glow over the oak backs, adding ambience and dimension to the furniture. The combination of display shelving and closed lower cupboards achieves an attractive sense of order with only the best items on show and gadgets and other items hidden away. A bespoke carpentry and joinery service from start to finish Bespoke by Acorn took care of every stage of this project, from working with our clients on the original concept right through to the installation. This made the whole process an easy, stress-free, and enjoyable experience for them.

For this project the house itself and the garage are the only original features on the property. In the front yard we created massive curb appeal by adding a new brick driveway, framed by lighted brick columns, with an offset parking space. A brick retaining wall and walkway lead visitors to the front door, while a low brick wall and crisp white pergola enhance a previous underutilized patio. Landscaping, sod, and lighting frame the house without distracting from its character. In the back yard the driveway leads to an updated garage which received a new brick floor and air conditioning. The back of the house changed drastically with the seamless addition of a covered patio framed on one side by a trellis with inset stained glass opposite a brick fireplace. The live-edge cypress mantel provides the perfect place for decor. The travertine patio steps down to a rectangular pool, which features a swim jet and linear glass waterline tile. Again, the space includes all new landscaping, sod, and lighting to extend enjoyment of the space after dusk. Photo by Craig O'Neal

For this project we were given the pleasure of working with one of our repeat clients—and quite the project it was. Situated in one of Austin’s most premiere locations, before we got our hands on it the landscape for this house was left in significant disrepair. There were broken water features, limbs damaging the sides of the house, overgrown grass and weeds, and overgrown vines. The homeowners trusted us to come up with new ways to enhance and cleanup the space on this beautiful property, while also keeping it dog friendly and adding some new raised planters for a vegetable garden. Two living walls and a custom water feature made this property unique from others like it, and native plants were chosen to frame the house, rather than distract from it, giving it our Native Edge touch. After several months of install, plus one outdoor shower and kitchen later, the finished product turned out to be well worth the effort.

Kitchen Over 150K If you ever found yourself shopping for a new home, finding a model home, falling in love with this model home and immediately signing on the dotted line. Yet after a few months of moving into your new home you realize that the kitchen and the layout of main level will not work out for your lifestyle. The model home you fell in love with was furnished with beautiful furniture distracting you from concentrating on what is really important to you. This is what happened to this couple in Ashburn, VA, after purchasing their dream home. The kitchen lacked natural light, while its location was not ideal and was disrupting their daily routine. After a careful review of the kitchen design, a plan was formed to upgrade the kitchen. Their kitchen was moved to a location between the two-story family room and front dining room. To the left of the family room there was a breakfast eating area that was not serving any purpose. Our design incorporated the breakfast area placed along a couple feet from an adjacent pantry space to create this new dream kitchen. By knocking down a few bearing walls, we have placed the main sink area under large backside windows. Now the kitchen can look into their beautiful backyard. A major load bearing wall between the old breakfast room and adjacent two-story family was taken down and a big steel beam took the place of that, creating a large seamless connection between the new kitchen and the rest of the home. A large island was implemented with a prep sink, microwave, and with lots of seating space around it. Large scale professional appliances along with stunning mosaic backsplash tiles complement this amazing kitchen design. Double barn style door in front of the pantry area sets off this storage space tucked away from rest of the kitchen. All the old tile was removed and a matching wide plank distressed wood floor was installed to create a seamless connection to rest of the home. A matching butler pantry cabinet area just outside of dining room and a wine station/drink serving area between family room and main foyer were added to better utilize the multi-function needs of the family. The custom inset cabinetry with double layers and exotic stone counter top, distressed ceiling beams, and other amenities are just a few standouts of this project.

It wasn’t necessary to overthink things when Axis Mundi designed interiors for an apartment at Brooklyn’s glass-sheathed 1 Grand Army Plaza, the luxury building by Richard Meier already endowed with all the “starchitect” bells and whistles, as well as drop-dead stunning views of Brooklyn, the harbor and Prospect Park. What did require considerable aptitude was to strike the right balance between respect for these assets, particularly the panoramas, and livability. The all-white scheme doesn’t just complement Meier’s own aesthetic devotion to this purest of pure hues; it serves as a cool backdrop for the views, affording comfortable vantage points from which to enjoy them, yet not drawing attention away from the splendors of one of the world’s most distinctive boroughs. Sleek, low-lying Italian seating avoids distracting interruptions on the horizon line. But minimal color accents and pattern also sidestep what could have been a potentially antiseptic environment, making it tactile, human and luxurious. 2,200 sf Design Team: John Beckmann, Richard Rosenbloom and Nick Messerlian Vintage photography courtesy of the Ubu Gallery, New York Photography: Adriana Buffi and Fran Parente © Axis Mundi Design LLC

This beautiful heritage renovated home hosts 2 spectacular islands. This kitchen hosts a 'center stage' gas range which has a quiet high efficiency range fan to avoid noise-distraction. The islands provide large food preparation areas which easily accommodates day to day family life, multiple cooks, and large groups. These islands have an abundance of storage behind invisible touch-latch doors. One island hosts two dish washers and a clever raised counter to hide any kitchen mess from people walking in the front door. This kitchen also incorporates a double wall oven in white, a bar fridge, and a tucked away pantry.

Our client had a busy life and his Burnaby home was usually his refuge — a place to relax and unwind after a busy day. But, his home was no longer helping him unwind. He called the My House team to do a minimalist home renovation, to transform his home from busy to one free from distraction and clutter. We started by changing the “vibe” in the kitchen, the homeowner’s favourite place in the home. We removed the kitchen walls, and used a maple-clad beam to match the new maple live-edge bar top. Opening up the kitchen instantly improved sight lines and traffic flow between the kitchen and adjacent rooms. This new layout also allowed us to create much needed additional counter top space and storage in the kitchen. The kitchen cabinets were replaced with flat panel, square-edge cabinets and the uppers lift-open. To create an elegant minimalist feel, the full height quartz back splash looks almost like concrete. We also removed the kitchen nook and replaced it with a live-edge counter top, making it a haven to enjoy a morning cup of coffee. Throughout the home, white cabinets help ground and soothe, while the maple accents create warmth without adding unwanted colour or texture. Minimalist Home Renovation: Bathrooms Too We gutted all three bathrooms in this minimalist home renovation and started from scratch. As part of the bathroom renovations, we added new energy-efficient windows. We reconfigured the master bedroom to allow for a full master en suite including a freestanding tub, a usable bench seat for the shower, a wall hung compact toilet, and a minimalist pedestal sink. The new bathtub also has a handheld shower to increase functionality and has a clever built-in ledge to hold a beverage. If your home design and layout are no longer meeting your needs, or you too would like a minimalist home renovation like this home in Burnaby, call the My House Design Build team today and we can help you fall in love with your home again.