This Piedmont family decided to transform their basement by replacing the existing drop ceiling with a sleek sheetrock ceiling. The project involved installing less utilitarian lighting and HVAC vents as well as revamping the small kitchen area. The black and white hexagon backsplash makes a dramatic statement. The sleek faucet, new hardware and paint complete the look. The end result is a cozy and inviting family room.

This project got its start when a proud homeowner built his residence a number of decades back on a beautiful site in Solana Beach. The new design proposed a complete reconfiguration of the interior layout and a new gallery walkway. These changes would tie together the existing house and detached garage. Simple and well executed framing made this work relatively simple, keeping the existing exterior walls and roof in place. New interior and exterior finishes were applied throughout the house. In addition to reusing most of the existing structure, sustainable features include abundant natural light and ventilation, radiant heating, solar hot water and a PV system.

Game area and billiard room of redesigned home basement. French door leads to exercise room.
Elegant underground carpeted and beige floor basement game room photo in New York with white walls

A view of the living room - Contemporary Twilight Residential Interior Design Project in Aventura, Florida by DKOR Interiors. Photos by Alexia Fodere

Large trendy concrete floor and gray floor living room photo in Chicago with gray walls

Example of a trendy medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo design in New York with white walls

Imprégnez votre intérieur de la signature GONTHIER et découvrez des espaces pour mieux vivre votre quotidien !!!
Open concept kitchen - modern galley gray floor open concept kitchen idea in Montreal with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

This powder room represent elegance through the use of neutral pattern wallpaper, quartz counter, and crystal chandeliers.
Mid-sized elegant ceramic tile and beige floor powder room photo in Toronto with an undermount sink, furniture-like cabinets, white cabinets, beige walls, quartz countertops and multicolored countertops

This new home was designed to nestle quietly into the rich landscape of rolling pastures and striking mountain views. A wrap around front porch forms a facade that welcomes visitors and hearkens to a time when front porch living was all the entertainment a family needed. White lap siding coupled with a galvanized metal roof and contrasting pops of warmth from the stained door and earthen brick, give this home a timeless feel and classic farmhouse style. The story and a half home has 3 bedrooms and two and half baths. The master suite is located on the main level with two bedrooms and a loft office on the upper level. A beautiful open concept with traditional scale and detailing gives the home historic character and charm. Transom lites, perfectly sized windows, a central foyer with open stair and wide plank heart pine flooring all help to add to the nostalgic feel of this young home. White walls, shiplap details, quartz counters, shaker cabinets, simple trim designs, an abundance of natural light and carefully designed artificial lighting make modest spaces feel large and lend to the homeowner's delight in their new custom home. Kimberly Kerl

Inspiration for a small country galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, terra-cotta backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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Example of a mountain style master beige tile and mosaic tile beige floor bathroom design in Salt Lake City with raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, beige walls and a drop-in sink

Built in coffee bar in the dining room. Coffee, wine, pop and water all withins arms reach of the table
Example of a trendy porcelain tile kitchen/dining room combo design in Edmonton with gray walls and no fireplace

Photo: Tyler Van Stright, JLC Architecture Architect: JLC Architecture General Contractor: Naylor Construction Interior Design; KW Designs Floors: IndoTeak

Siggi Ragnar SRagnar Fotografi
Kitchen - contemporary u-shaped black floor kitchen idea in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue backsplash, subway tile backsplash, an island and gray countertops

Transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen photo in Kansas City with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Andrea Pietrangeli http://andrea.media/
Example of a small beach style galley light wood floor and beige floor kitchen pantry design in Providence with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and white countertops

Example of a minimalist u-shaped concrete floor, gray floor and wood ceiling kitchen design in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Living room - contemporary white floor, tray ceiling and wood ceiling living room idea in Los Angeles with white walls