Before it was purchased by my clients, this farmhouse was not living up to its full potential. We took a "builder basic" kitchen and turned it into the heart of the home. Gorgeous cherry and cream cabinets are tied together by a beautiful slab of granite. Storage features fit for a professional chef make working in this kitchen a breeze! But the attention to detail and craftsmanship by the cabinetmaker and contractor are what really set this home apart. CDH Designs 15 East 4th St Emporium, PA 15834

Example of a mid-sized classic guest porcelain tile bedroom design in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace and a plaster fireplace

Elegant entryway photo in New York

Blue Urban Abstract Wall Art has an undeniably modern hip flow. A futuristic digital painting, created with the technique of long exposure photography captures the motion of light as brushstrokes. A blend of blue green colors provides a soothing and calm expression. The lines are curvy and rhythmic adding to the smooth style. The overall style is reminiscent of graffiti, pushing the boundaries of new media art to the future. The work is mounted under a stunning plexiglass which provides a sleek finish and ultra modern feel.

Huge elegant wooden u-shaped wood railing staircase photo in New York with painted risers

Staircase - mid-sized transitional wooden spiral staircase idea in Seattle with wooden risers

Houston Interior Designer Lisha Maxey took this Museum District condo from the dated, mirrored walls of the 1980s to Mid Century Modern with a gallery look featuring the client's art collection. "The place was covered with glued-down, floor-to-ceiling mirrors," says Lisha Maxey, senior designer for Homescapes of Houston and principal at LGH Design Services in Houston. "When we took them off the walls, the walls came apart. We ended up taking them down to the studs." The makeover took six months to complete, primarily because of strict condo association rules that only gave the Houston interior designers very limited access to the elevator - through which all materials and team members had to go. "Monday through Friday, we could only be noisy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and if we had to do something extra loud, like sawing or drilling, we had to schedule it with the management and they had to communicate that to the condo owners. So it was just a lot of coordination. But a lot of Inner City Loopers live in these kinds of buildings, so we're used to handling that kind of thing." The client, a child psychiatrist in her 60s, recently moved to Houston from northeast Texas to be with friends. After being widowed three years ago, she decided it was time to let go of the traditionally styled estate that wasn't really her style anyway. An avid diver who has traveled around the world to pursue her passion, she has amassed a large collection of art from her travels. Downsizing to 1,600 feet and wanting to go more contemporary, she wanted the display - and the look - more streamlined. "She wanted clean lines and muted colors, with the main focus being her artwork," says Maxey. "So we made the space a palette for that." Enter the white, gallery-grade paint she chose for the walls: "It's halfway between satin and flat," explains Maxey. "It's not glossy and it's not chalky - just very smooth and clean." Adding to the gallery theme is the satin nickel track lighting with lamps aimed to highlight pieces of art. "This lighting has no wires," notes Maxey. "It's powered by a positive and negative conduit." The new flooring throughout is a blended-grey porcelain tile that looks like wood planks. "It's gorgeous, natural-looking and combines all the beauty of wood with the durability of tile," says Maxey. "We used it throughout the condo to unify the space." After Maxey started looking at the client's bright, vibrant, colorful artwork, she felt the palette couldn't stay as muted anymore. Hence the Mid Century Modern orange leather sofas from West Elm and bright green chairs from Joybird, plus the throw pillows in different textures, patterns and shades of gold, orange and green. The concave lines of the Danish-inspired chairs, she notes, help them look beautiful from all the way around - a key to designing spaces for loft living. "The table in the living room is very interesting," notes Maxey. "It was handmade for the client in 1974 and has a signature on it from the artist. She was adamant about including the piece, which has all these hand-painted black-and-white art tiles on the top. I took one look at it and said 'It's not really going to go.'" However, after cutting 6 inches off the bottom and making it look a little distressed, the table ended up being the perfect complement to the sofas. The dining room table - from Design Within Reach - is a solid piece of mahogany, the chair upholstery a mix of grey velvet and leather and the legs a shiny brass. "The side chairs are leather and the end ones are velvet," says Maxey. "It's a nice textural mix that lends depth and texture." The galley kitchen, meanwhile, has been lightened and brightened, with white quartz countertops and backsplashes mimicking the look of Carrara marble, stainless steel appliances and a velvet green bench seat for a punch of color. The cabinets are painted a cool grey color called "Silverplate." The two bathrooms have been updated with contemporary white vanities and vessel sinks and the master bath now features a walk-in shower tiled in Dolomite white marble (the floor is Bianco Carrara marble mosaic, done in a herringbone pattern. In the master bedroom, Homescapes of Houston knocked down a wall between two smaller closets with swing doors to make one large walk-in closet with pocket doors. The closet in the guest bedroom also came out 13 more inches. The client's artwork throughout personalizes the space and tells the story of a life. There's a huge bowl of shells from the client's diving adventures, framed art from her child psychiatry patients and a 16th century wood carving from a monastery that's been in her family forever. "Her collection is quite impressive," says Maxey. "There's even a framed piece of autographed songs written by John Lennon." (You can see this black-framed piece of art on the wall in the photo above of two green chairs). "We're extremely happy with how the project turned out, and so is the client," says Maxey. "No expense was spared for her. It was a labor of love and we were excited to do it."

Example of a small classic carpeted curved staircase design in San Francisco with carpeted risers

Ivy Croake
Bathroom - small zen brown tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile bathroom idea in New York with open cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a pedestal sink and glass countertops

Example of a large trendy ceramic tile mudroom design with white walls

Installed by HomeStory Doors of Marin, these new doors add new style and completely transforms this hallway.
Inspiration for a craftsman hallway remodel in Orange County

Living room library - small tropical enclosed light wood floor and beige floor living room library idea in Milwaukee with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional gender-neutral light wood floor and white floor built-in closet remodel in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Craftsman Corners fit well with Pac Trim's Pioneer Series PIO190
Entryway - entryway idea in Sacramento

After picture. Removed dated balusters re-stained railing and newels, then added new square balusters with new railing brackets. Owner painted trim. Portland Stair Co. & Boss

Here we used a product by Mantelmount. The Mantelmount allows the tv to lower from the mantel, improving the visual experience. And in case you forget, the built in handle is heat sensitive and turns orange to alert you that the tv is too close to the fireplace. Photo by Eric Fries

Remodel basement stairs with treads and handrail stained to match basement floors and risers to match trim paint.
Inspiration for a timeless staircase remodel in Atlanta

Nestled under 150 year old pecan and oak trees, we carefully and thoughtfully preserved and restored this rare 1928 Federal Style Craftsman near downtown Atlanta, while adding a new 2 story, 1,000 sf addition in the back. The addition, like the house boasts, 10 foot ceilings, yet is sited in a way to seamlessly blend with the original house, without dominating the unique original structure.

Zen-like Master suite mixes modern minimalist furnishings with Eastern-influenced accessories in an expansive, loft-like space. Staged for long term rental.