The under-mounted tub with a tiled skirt and quartz top separated by clear glass creates a spacious walk in curbless shower complimented by body sprays and shower wand for functionality. Recessed niches add to the storage as well as provide a decorative element. A custom sandstone tile layout brings the finishes together and provides a dramatic accent wall upon entry. © Jeffrey Totaro, photographer

THE SETUP Once these empty nest homeowners decided to stay put, they knew a new kitchen was in order. Passionate about cooking, entertaining, and hosting holiday gatherings, they found their existing kitchen inadequate. The space, with its traditional style and outdated layout, was far from ideal. They longed for an elegant, timeless kitchen that was not only show-stopping but also functional, seamlessly catering to both their daily routines and special occasions with friends and family. Another key factor was its future appeal to potential buyers, as they’re ready to enjoy their new kitchen while also considering downsizing in the future. Design Objectives: Create a more streamlined, open space Eliminate traditional elements Improve flow for entertaining and everyday use Omit dated posts and soffits Include storage for small appliances to keep counters clutter-free Address mail organization and phone charging concerns THE REMODEL Design Challenges: Compensate for lost storage from omitted wall cabinets Revise floorplan to feature a single, spacious island Enhance island seating proximity for a more engaging atmosphere Address awkward space above existing built-ins Improve natural light blocked by wall cabinet near the window Create a highly functional space tailored for entertaining Design Solutions: Tall cabinetry and pull-outs maximize storage efficiency A generous single island promotes seamless flow and ample prep space Strategic island seating arrangement fosters easy conversation New built-ins fill arched openings, ensuring a custom, clutter-free look Replace wall cabinet with lighted open shelves for an airy feel Galley Dresser and Workstation offer impeccable organization and versatility, creating the perfect setup for entertaining with everything easily accessible. THE RENEWED SPACE The new kitchen exceeded every expectation, thrilling the clients with its revitalized, expansive design and thoughtful functionality. The transformation brought to life an open space adorned with marble accents, a state-of-the-art steam oven, and the seamless integration of the Galley Dresser, crafting a kitchen not just to be used, but to be cherished. This is more than a culinary space; it’s a new heart of their home, ready to host countless memories and culinary adventures. The Galley Sink dresser features many options neatly tucked away into a custom arrangement for ease of access while entertaining.

Michael's Photography
Enclosed kitchen - craftsman l-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Essential kitchen products are more easily accessible with transFORM’s custom designed pantries. Your favorite foods are neatly stored in this pantry that features pull-out cabinets, pull-out chrome racks and solid woven wicker baskets. Items like fruits and bagged goods are stored in pull-out chrome racks to help make items more visible. In addition, making inventory of items like hand towel and cleaning products are easier when replacement is needed. Wicker baskets provide a great storage place for small items like coffee, dog treats and cutting boards. transFORM designed a variety of shelf depths for this pantry to accommodate an assortment of items and create an engaging appearance. Shallow and tapered shelves allow boxed goods and sparkling wines to be neatly placed and visible on the top shelves. The staging and display area creates a convenient place to serve small food items, stage snacks and flip through recipe books. Tins and jars are easier to locate and arrange with this pantry’s seamless sliding pull-out organizers. The deep vertical storage trays organize canned goods and provide simple reach-in access to a large collection of spices. Ideally designed to increase storage, this pantry makes planning and preparing meals quick and easy to accommodate your busy lifestyle. This deluxe pantry from transFORM is just an example of the custom designs we produce at transFORM everyday. If you have a smaller or larger space, transFORM will create a unique design customized to your home and your lifestyle.

Eat-in kitchen - small craftsman l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and soapstone countertops

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017

The major kitchen renovation of this old country farmhouse was a task of love, one that had been planned for many years by these Barrington seasoned homeowners. After interviewing no less than five companies, the homeowners chose the design team at Advance Design Studio to make the transformation they had long planned for. “They had an understanding of the right design for the space almost from the instant they walked in the room”, says Sharon Scott of the design team of Nicole Ryan at Todd Jurs at Advance Design Studio. “They were the only designers who laid out ideas in the first meeting at the house that we really loved”, she says. “It was obvious that they understood the house, and understood us - and from then on the decision to hire them literally made itself”. The original kitchen had a dividing “wall” of cabinetry…that made the rather large space seem very small, and cut off the kitchen from the eating area that has a beautiful garden view completely hidden from the main kitchen. Circulation was poor, leaving family members on top of one another when entertaining family and friends. The new kitchen design nearly doubles the kitchen size within the original space; opening it up completely and enjoying an expansive island containing a new Kohler Whitehaven Smart Divide farm sink, a dishwasher, and pull out double trash receptacle. The great new gathering space accommodates four pull out stools beckoning grandchildren and friends alike. Removing the range from the island and relocating it to create a dramatic “feature” wall, completely out of the way of guests; it is now crowned with a beautiful completely customized wood hood designed to ventilate much more efficiently than the original island range containing a limited downdraft system. The much more efficient use of the space after removing a pantry closet made way for a fully functional “tall wall” housing a double oven and refrigerator, out of the way of guests. Removing the restrictive cabinetry wall now allowed for an expansive floor to ceiling pantry cabinet with full extension pull out shelving, and an elegant display area complete with a beautiful furniture detailed buffet. Fitting perfectly into the farmhouse charm of the old estate, Medallion Silver Lancaster cabinetry was chosen in a soft white Maple Divinity paint finish lining the perimeter. The stunning island hints to this old home’s past with Medallion Gold’s Maple Devonshire style graced with a Carriage Black Heirloom painted finish. The rubbed off black paint finish reveals the soft wood tones beneath, mimicking furniture you’d see in your grandmother’s home that has lovingly been polished for years to reveal a soft, subtly rubbed-off sheen. Counter tops reverse contrast with perimeter tops of black “Raven” granite possessing a subtle honed finish, and a shift to Quartz Difinity Viareggio - resembling white Carrera marble on the island. A simple herringbone detail completes the decorative range wall, and subtle porcelain subway tiles grace the backsplash throughout. The design is finished off with crisp Thermador and Bosch stainless steel appliances, and bright brushed cup pull and handle combination hardware. A pull down Kohler Bellaria faucet makes cleanup a breeze, and soft under-cabinet LED lighting throughout makes every work surface shine softly, and highlights the cabinetry display area with grace. One special detail was created to make the dramatic ceiling transition to a vaulted area above the breakfast nook extra special. A tongue and groove solid wood ceiling was hung above, and a subtle greenish-grey distressed paint finish was hand developed on site by the talented crew, complementing the new kitchen with a completely unique surface that appears as if it’s been there for many, many years. It’s just one standout feature in the amazing new space that is sure to be in every conversation as newcomers enjoy the newest best hangout in this old home renewed! After 30 years of renovating homes, this now content homeowner sips a cup of tea enjoying her new garden view, and reminisces projects of past – and lastly reports their experience with Advance Design Studio culminating with their amazing new kitchen to be the most enjoyable and satisfying home experience yet. Designer: Nicole Ryan Photographer: Joe Nowak

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Greenport Passive House Exterior. Photos by Liz Glasgow.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern gray two-story wood house exterior remodel in New York with a metal roof

Open concept kitchen - modern l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Denver with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Kozy Heat's Chaska 34 Rock version lets you get rid of that existing wood burn fireplace, with a realistic, contemporary gas fireplace with a rock set.

Regan Wood Photography
Trendy living room photo in New York

The project was divided into three phases over the course of seven years. We were originally hired to re-design the master bath. Phase two was more significant; the garden and parlor levels of the house would be reconfigured to work more efficiently with their lifestyle. The kitchen would double in size and would include a back staircase leading to a cozy den/office and back garden for dining al fresco. The last, most recent phase would include an update to the guest room and a larger, more functional teenage suite. When you work with great clients, it is a pleasure to keep coming back! It speaks to the relationship part of our job, which is one of my favorites. Photo by Christian Harder

Every detail of this cool gray transitional kitchen design in Yardley, PA combines to create a stunning space, packed with stylish and practical features. The Dura Supreme stacked Avery style kitchen cabinets are painted zinc with a shadow glaze to add depth to the finish. The upper cabinets have a mullion style door, and the island is in a contrasting dark finish with glass front cabinets on one side. This is beautifully accented by Top Knobs bar pulls and a Dekton by Cosentino Entzo countertop with 2" mitered edge and a double waterfall countertop on the island. The cabinetry includes ample storage accessories, such as a tray divider, spice drawer, roll outs, and pull out base cabinet. The backsplash is random size mosaic Alabastro tile with Schluter strips to cap the edges. A Blanco Precis Siligranit sink combines with a Brizo Smart Touch on the perimeter of the kitchen. The appliances include Wolf ovens and a Sub Zero refrigerator, as well as a Wolf range in the island, perfect for cooking while talking to guests or keeping an eye on the kids. Power outlets in the island and angled power strips under the wall cabinets are ideal for plugging in small appliances or charging electronics. This open plan kitchen design is a functional, efficient space, as well as a style icon in the center of this home.

Patricia Lee, Tailorly Home LLC Fireplace Removal by https://www.theoneoffshop.net

Don't forget your study when you're designing your home entertainment system; studies show that listening to music while working can increase efficiency and accuracy. Seen in Braemore, a Raleigh community.

Ronnie Bruce Photography Bellweather Construction, LLC is a trained and certified remodeling and home improvement general contractor that specializes in period-appropriate renovations and energy efficiency improvements. Bellweather's managing partner, William Giesey, has over 20 years of experience providing construction management and design services for high-quality home renovations in Philadelphia and its Main Line suburbs. Will is a BPI-certified building analyst, NARI-certified kitchen and bath remodeler, and active member of his local NARI chapter. He is the acting chairman of a local historical commission and has participated in award-winning restoration and historic preservation projects. His work has been showcased on home tours and featured in magazines.

Originally built to house a garage, workshop and wood storage, this simple structure has been gently re-imagined into a unique guesthouse with a rustic accents and modern comforts. The exterior retains the classic barn appearance, with the addition of carefully placed windows and industrial-looking Corten steel siding. The introduction of a large dormer to the center of the structure was a simple move, but provided multiple functions: • breaks up the 8’-0” ceiling on the main floor, letting in additional daylight and providing visual relief to the otherwise low ceiling • creates circulation space with the rustic steel stair and bridge • utilizes reclaimed wood siding on the ceiling and walls, contrasting with white drywall and clean bright finishes • visually connects the two upstairs bedrooms with the main floor The focus of the interior was to preserve and accentuate the barn features as much as possible, and have a warm and cozy, energy efficient guest house. Programming included two bedrooms, two bathrooms, dining area, farmhouse kitchen and pantry, living room and laundry room. Materials and furnishes were selected to create a clean, comfortable and inviting interior with a rustic edge. The exposed steel beam was left unfinished showing its existing wear and tear, and the new steel stair was left raw to eventually age and match the beam. Durable and economical oak floors were used throughout. Traditional subway tile and penny rounds contrast with the modern, clean lines of the kitchen and bathrooms. A custom sliding barn door adds texture to the kitchen and closes off the pantry and laundry room from the space. Furniture was a mix of new and existing, which makes the spaces both familiar and comfortable. All in all, there is a timeless look to the end product; a traditional farmstead structure has definitely been giving a great new lease on life. Andrew Pogue

Trex Elevations is manufactured of dual-coated, galvanized steel, which offers superior aesthetics, durability, longevity and stability when compared to traditional wood substructures. In addition, the product does not warp, twist, split or decay, allowing contractors to benefit from reduced callbacks and increased homeowner satisfaction. As the material is easy to cut and easy to build, it’s also more efficient and cost-effective for professionals to specify than pressure-treated lumber.