Sam Geier
Inspiration for a 1950s home design remodel in Kansas City

The large window loft bedroom in this model home really turned out well. The exposed ductwork fits right in.
Inspiration for a large contemporary master dark wood floor and black floor bedroom remodel in Baltimore with white walls and no fireplace

Minimalist kitchen photo in Seattle

This beautiful modern farmhouse kitchen includes custom shaker style cabinets complete with an accent kitchen island in the middle. The countertops are marble and quartz. The quartz countertop is made to look like concrete, but is much more durable and easy to clean. The sink is a granite undermount with a large faucet and water dispenser. Above is recessed lighting inset into tongue and groove ceiling painted in a white to simulate a farmhouse feel. The flooring is wood plank ceramic tile. This interesting lake house is finished off with exposed ducting at the highest point of the ceiling, which saves money by not having to run ducting throughout the home.

This project was a special one for us. We had the pleasure of working with a lovely retired couple in their early 70s who were returning clients! It's always a testament to our work when clients come back for more. This time, they were ready to tackle a full bathroom and basement renovation to truly make their Mississauga home a haven for their golden years. Before: Outdated and Cramped Both bathrooms were stuck in a time warp, sporting outdated fixtures and cramped layouts. Limited storage and bulky linen towers that blocked natural light added to the feeling of confinement. Downstairs, the basement was a sea of belongings with only one closet for storage. Peeling linoleum tiles and remnants of an acoustic ceiling definitely didn't create an inviting atmosphere. The Vision: Functionality, Light, and Style Our clients desired bathrooms that were both functional and stylish, with ample storage and a spa-like ambiance. In the basement, their dream was to create a space where they could relax, pursue hobbies, and entertain, all while keeping their belongings organized. The Transformation: Custom Solutions for a Perfect Fit ●Bathrooms: We banished the bulky linen towers and designed custom vanities withdrawers and shallow countertop towers to maximize storage without sacrificing light.Frameless glass shower enclosures added a modern touch and further enhanced thefeeling of spaciousness. Each bathroom, though similar in shape, boasts a distinctpersonality. The lower level bathroom has a contemporary spa-like feel with off-whitetextured tiles and a sleek white oak vanity, while the upper bathroom exudes elegancewith polished marble-look tiles, a richly stained oak vanity, and a luxurious showerbench. ●Basement: Forget basic drywall closets! We maximized the basement's potential withtwo large closets for storage, a custom media unit, and a clever cabinet designed tohouse the clients' roll-in sewing machine table and piano. Challenges and Triumphs During the renovation, we encountered some unexpected ductwork that threatened to interfere with a planned shower niche. Our team quickly adapted, shifting the niche and maximizing its width to maintain both functionality and design. Life After Renovation: A New Chapter The transformation is remarkable. The bathrooms are now bright, spacious, and functional oases. The basement has been reborn as a haven for relaxation and hobbies, with ample storage to keep everything organized. Our clients can now enjoy movie nights, play the piano, and indulge in their crafting passions in a space that truly reflects their lifestyle. Memorable Moments Working with these clients was an absolute joy. Their trust in our expertise, especially when it came to maximizing their basement's potential, was incredibly rewarding. Seeing their faces light up as they experienced their newly renovated spaces made all the effort worthwhile. This project was a reminder that renovations are about more than just aesthetics. They're about creating spaces that enhance our clients' lives and allow them to embrace new possibilities. We're honored to have played a part in this couple's journey to a more comfortable, functional, and beautiful home.

Basement - transitional basement idea in Atlanta

LG Squared, Inc.
Home design - small craftsman home design idea in Atlanta

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath was hired as the remodeling contractor for this first floor remodel in the countryside of Oconomowoc, WI. By opening the kitchen up to the living room, the layout is better for hosting family gatherings. The entire family can be together in the kitchen and living room – cooking or spending time together. Highlights of this country kitchen include a window seat, walk-in pantry and space for their treasured piano. Project Goals + Restore the beauty of their family home, that was built by the homeowner’s grandfather + Cooking functionality for their family farm + Add a workstation sink for easy food prep + Pantry storage space for canned items & wine collection + Design that honors the mid-century ranch bones of the house her grandfather built and their own traditional style Challenges & Issues + Needed space to highlight their piano, since the homeowner is an avid pianist + Old layout didn’t have good views of their outdoor space – the lake, gardens and chicken coop + Kitchen was too small and cut off from the rest of the home + The heat and air conditioning did not function well due to several past additions Country Kitchen Features: Cooking Kitchen – We created a larger kitchen by expanding into the old dining room. The homeowners needed more space for canning vegetables, cooking and entertaining. Mid-Century Country Design – The ranch home was built in the 1950s so we kept the mid-century and country kitchen design aesthetic by using hickory wood, tall verticals and long horizontals. Kitchen Window Seat – A custom window seat with a curved backrest creates a gathering spot in the kitchen. This connects the home to the outdoor view of the lake where the family fishes and ice skates in winter. The bench is large enough to be used as a guest bed when they have visitors. The cozy nook has shelving, art lights, and a hidden radiator underneath to keep it warm and toasty. Window Backsplash – Along the range wall, a new window backsplash features the beautiful view of the farm driveway, trees and gardens. Minimalistic Hood – The hood with the wood shelf mimics the new fireplace mantel and ties the country kitchen and living room together. New Pantry – The old kitchen area was converted into the new pantry and a laundry room. The pantry is their working kitchen where they can store food, their wine collection, and have countertop space for small appliances. Butcher block countertops, colorful wallpaper and a new window make the pantry inviting. Adjustable shelves allow for flexible storage options. The pocket door can be closed when they have guests. Recycled Ash Flooring in Kitchen – The homeowners chose an eco-friendly flooring for their country kitchen. The beautiful varied width wood planks are from recycled ash trees from Milwaukee parks. Workstation Sink – This sink has sliding platforms that hold bowls, colanders and cutting boards to multiply the countertop by going deep instead of wide. The sink can be used to chop, rinse, prep, dry dishes, hold hot dishes and clean up after a meal more efficiently. Country House Living Room: New Tile Floor – To better conduct the heat, we replaced the old wood floors with porcelain tile. New radiators, insulation, ductwork, and enclosing the basement staircase improved the function of their HVAC. Fireplace Makeover – To create a new focal point for the living room, we installed a new fire box, new mantle, and floor to ceiling stone. The goal was to draw the eye up to the vaulted beamed ceiling. Open Concept Layout – The wall between the kitchen and living room was removed to connect the two spaces. We added new cabinetry along the wall with a tall bookcase. Since they didn’t use their formal dining room, a small dining table was added to the living room. New Railing & Stairs – The staircase to the kitchen area was tricky because we needed to find a style that would make it feel airy. We did a glass enclosure with a simple metal railing and moved the staircase to the center of the room to allow room for the piano.

Restorative work was completed on every level of this 4-floor home to make it better suited for modern-day living while retaining the rich character of this historic building. To expand the kitchen and make a designated mudroom/entry area, the back of the house was squared up and fully enclosed. French doors were installed to provide comfortable access into the new space from the existing deck, infusing the remodeled kitchen with much needed natural light. A 2nd floor spare bedroom was transformed into a spacious on-suite master bathroom with walk-in closet and laundry facilities. The master bathroom features polished white Carrara marble tile, elegant pedestal sinks and an over-sized shower. On the 3rd floor, two existing dormers were connected to form a larger single dormer and adjacent closet areas were re-designed to create a new hall bathroom. A basement level addition was dug out with new foundation to create a small storage and work area off the existing finished space. In order to add air conditioning to the house, avoiding significant disturbance to the existing structure, a high velocity system was installed which uses narrow tubing rather than the traditional large ductwork. In addition, the entire interior of the home was painted a soft neutral gray, making the home bright and inviting while the original wood floors were refinished in a dark warm contrasting color.

Home design - industrial home design idea in New York

It might be the ceiling treatment that sets this room apart from typical basement projects. With ductwork and pipes and wires often running through the joists the basement ceilings, most contractors just choose to just enclose it all. This kitchen uses a 3-D ceiling – with opened soffits and unique lighting - adds dimension to a room with lower ceilings. It reinforces the red accents, but also creates interesting lighting/shadow effects with recessed can lighting.

Wonderful opportunity to own an incredible home with Ocean Views from almost every room. The original owner completely renovated the house in 2001 to include cement plank exterior, roof, kitchen, and more. Follow the tabby walkway to the front entrance and when you step inside you will love the Brazilian Cherry floors and great views. The sunken formal living room is huge with vaulted ceiling, bookcases, ceiling fans, recessed lights, gas fireplace with granite surround, and French doors to the deck. The formal dining room is detailed with a double tray ceiling, recessed lights, plantation shutters, glass display shelves and across the hall is a large Butler's Pantry with cherry cabinets with glass display and French pocket doors. The gourmet kitchen is very spacious with skylights, a large island, bar sink, granite counters, tile backsplash, birch cabinets with molding and rope detail, double embedded sink, stainless appliances, ceiling fan, and is open to a breakfast area with ocean views. The family room features wood floors, bookcases, and ocean views. The downstairs master features a wood floors, ceiling fan, tile floors in the large bath, walk in shower, walk in closet, and oversize vanity. There is also a second master downstairs with deck access, wood floors, huge bathroom with dual vanity, walk in shower, and dual walk in closet. There is a third bedroom downstairs with carpet and a walk in closet. Upstairs is divided into wings. One wing offers two bedrooms with a hall bath. The other wing could easily be a mother in law suite as it is quite spacious with easy access to a bathroom and an artist studio with a small kitchenette. This home has amazing storage, an elevator, china closet, auto closet lights, 2x6 construction, new ductwork, and more.

The XXTwo Plan merges ultimate functionality with a clean Scandinavian-inspired modern farmhouse minimalism. From the curb, the design presents with an impressive stature marked by a tall 2-story gable massing, flanked by a flat-roofed wing and entryway sheltered by a quaint second-story deck above. This rendition is skinned with a dark concrete brick, accented by a richly-stained tongue and groove cedar wood facade. Designed specifically for NE16, my OKC Urban Renewal-awarded redevelopment project in inner Oklahoma City, this plan is compatible with narrow lots while still packing in nearly 1900 square feet of pure, functional living space. It includes a standard 1-car garage with modern, satin-glass window garage door, but when building from scratch, can also be re-configured as a pull-through breezeway into a backyard parking scenario, where a detached garage is also possible. Guests are greeted with an impressive two-story vaulted, naturally-lit staircase immediately adjacent to the front door. The great room, complete with a touch of industrial-modern with its exposed HVAC ductwork, is vast with a roomy kitchen on one end and living room at the other. Just beyond the living room is a 3-panel door system to the back patio and yard. Kitchen-wise, modern enthusiasts who love to cook will enjoy the large kitchen wall that includes an impressive range and vent hood with a horizontal slider window built right into the backsplash over the cooktop. The island also includes one of my signature built-in tables that comfortably seats six, and is one less piece of furniture to buy. A powder bathroom also resides downstairs, saving you that quick climb up the stairs just for a quick bathroom stop. When it's time to retire for the evening, the upstairs offers several living options. Just atop the staircase is a double-door system that provides not only natural light, but access to the quaint rooftop deck overlooking the front yard. The hall leads to a full bathroom, linen closet, and spacious back bedroom with walk-in closet. Down the other end of the hall leads to the master suite, utility room, and 3rd bedroom, also with its own master closet. The master suite, the largest of the three bedrooms, has its own full bathroom with dual sinks, shower, toilet room, and large walk-in closet with that direct, secondary connectivity to the utility room that many of my designs are known for. If a truly-modern curb appeal that doesn't skimp on functional space is what you're after, give the XXTwo a good look. | jC

Enrique Colls Photography
Example of a large classic formal and open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Miami with white walls and a concealed tv

Located in Church Hill, Richmond’s oldest neighborhood, this very early 1900s Victorian had tons of historical details, but the house itself had been neglected (badly!). The home had two major renovation periods – one in 1950’s, and then again in the 1980s’s, which covered over or disrupted the original aesthetics of the house (think open ductwork, framing and drywall obscuring the beautiful mantels and moldings, and the hot water heater taking up valuable kitchen space). Our Piperbear team had to “undo” much before we could tackle the restoration of the historical features, while at the same time modernizing the layout.

A top to bottom renovation of a 1939 bungalow in Bethesda, MD totally transformed a dark and dated house into an open, bright and welcoming home. The old basement was a warren of oddly placed and shaped rooms with low bulkheads throughout that resulted in awkward, claustrophobic spaces. We completely gutted and reimagined the layout, relocating the laundry room (formerly just a closet off the family room), expanding the bathroom, removing a stair wall, replacing windows and resizing/raising the ductwork to make the space feel open and inviting. Removing the old laundry closet created the perfect spot for an art nook, a great place for budding artists to create and display their art projects. The custom under-stair storage cubbies can be used to stow away kids’ toys, extra linens, and other odds and ends. Replacing the solid stair wall with an open wood slat wall provides sightlines while the natural wood gives a nod to the light oak floors above.

Example of a transitional family room design in Other

Inspiration for a home office remodel in Baltimore