Cooking for Two Location: Plymouth, MN, United States When this couple’s last child graduated from college they began the process of looking for a new home. After a lengthy search they decided to stay with the neighborhood they loved, saving money by remodeling rather than starting over. The top priorities on their wish list were adding character to their 1990’s era home with a classic white kitchen and a larger island while keeping within the existing footprint. With the intention of honing their cooking skills, they were also considering better appliances and two ovens. Challenges and Solutions Design a larger island with seating for at least two. The existing island was small and the area behind the seating was less than recommended clearances. To solve this challenge, the seating area of the island was extended out into the open area of the kitchen. This created a larger island with seating for three, extra storage and a bookshelf across from the range. The original kitchen had a range with microwave above, so adding another oven was a challenge with limited wall space. Because the adjoining dining room is used infrequently, the homeowner was open to placing the second oven and microwave in the walkway. This made room for the small buffet between the built in refrigerator and ovens, creating one of her favorite areas. The client requested a white painted kitchen but wanted to make sure it had warmth and character. To achieve this the following elements were chosen: 1) Cabinets painted with Benjamin Moore Capitol White, a luminous and warm shade of white. 2) The Range hood was painted with warm metallic shades to reflect the bronze of the Ashley Norton hardware. 3) Black Aqua Grantique granite was chosen for countertops because it looks like soapstone and adds contrast. 4) Walker Zanger Café tile in Latte was chosen for it’s handmade look with uneven edges. 5) The to-the-counter-cabinet with glass door shows off serving dishes and lends sophisticated charm. The result is a welcoming classic kitchen, where this couple enjoys cooking more often and sharpening their skills with gourmet appliances. Liz Schupanitz Designs Photographed by: Andrea Rugg Photography

Custom media room home theater complete with gray sectional couch, gray carpet, black walls, projection tv, stainless steel wall sconces, and orange artwork to finish the look.

Spacious living room with modern fireplace, white sectional sofa, animal hide rug, and large folding glass doors opening to the patio. Bright, warm, and perfect for family living in Carroll Gardens.

Photography by William Psolka, psolka-photo.com
Example of a large transitional enclosed carpeted and multicolored floor home theater design in New York with beige walls and a projector screen

A faux leather ottoman with nailhead trim sits center stage, surrounded by a custom sectional with 3 reclining chairs. The adjacent club chair also reclines, offering plenty of relaxing viewing options. Custom art work adorns the walls and enhances the color scheme. Michael Hunter Photography

Bright and airy living room in the Bowery Downtown apartment featuring a comfortable white sectional, modern lighting, and large windows with city views. The open layout creates a stylish and welcoming space perfect for modern Manhattan living.

Elegant living room in the Bowery Downtown apartment featuring a modern console table, sculptural curved chair, and abundant natural light. The clean, contemporary design maximizes space and comfort in this downtown Manhattan home.

Large danish open concept dark wood floor and brown floor family room library photo in New York with multicolored walls, no fireplace and a tv stand

Media Room with theater seats, custom built platform, pool table, poker table, custom stained glass Tiffany lights, metallic painted ceiling, 4 part TV screen, bar, pinball machine, plaid carpet, soffit indirect lighting, Photo by Johan Roetz

Chris and Sofia of Arlington Heights knew when they purchased their home that they would finish the basement. They needed a space for the kids to hang out, for family and friends to stay, and to have a better space for hosting holidays and parties. The dark unfinished space went mostly unused for three years, but once their kids reached the ideal age for use of a well-built basement, they moved ahead with their plan. “The old basement was dark and cold, and the kids came down and played, but they didn’t like it. The new space is like a whole other house, so we have this space for family game nights and for watching games or Super Bowl parties,” Chris said. The couple found Advance Design Studio through a friend who had their entire home renovated by the remodeling company. After the initial meeting and visiting the showroom, Chris and Sofia were positive that Advance Design was the company that could best turn their unfinished basement into a family friendly space for everyone to enjoy. “We really liked the showroom, we liked being able to choose all of those finishes and meet with them in one place,” Chris said. A Custom Space for a Family with Multiple Needs The project began with a fireplace focal point complete with an amazing entertainment wall, a fantastic full kitchen complete with every amenity, and a brand new full bath. The new basement truly has a space for everyone. If the kids want to watch a movie and hang out on the couch they can, if family wants to play games and have a pizza party on the large island they can, and if guests want to stay over night on the pull-out sofa they can enjoy the entire private “suite” complete with a full bath. It is the true definition of a multifunctional basement. The stunning, full kitchen is the highlight of this now bright and airy basement. You walk down the stairs and are immediately impressed with the detailed metal tile work on the ceiling, bringing to mind the classic feel of a comfortable old pub. Cherry Merlot cabinets provide a rich contrast against the soft neutral walls and the contrasting copper tin ceiling tile and backsplash. Rich Santa Cecelia granite countertops pair nicely with timeless stonework on the outer walls. The island is large enough to provide a more than adequate entertaining space, and provides plenty of both seating and storage. The well-appointed kitchen houses a regular size refrigerator, a full size oven for pizza parties and cookie baking anytime, a microwave oven as well as complete sink and trash set up. One could easily do without a home kitchen forever in this generously designed secondary space! The fireplace and buffet wall seating area is the ideal place to watch movies or sporting events. The coordinating stonework on the fireplace flows throughout the basement, and a burnt orange accent wall brings color and warmth to otherwise ordinary basement space. The Elite Merlot media buffet compliments the kitchen as well as provides storage and a unique functional display option, giving this part of the basement a sophisticated, yet functional feel. The full bath is complete with a unique furniture style cherry DuraSupreme vanity and matching custom designed mirror. The weathered look to the cabinets and mirror give the bathroom some earthy texture as does the stone floor in the walk-in shower. Soft blue makes the space a spa-like mini retreat, and the handsome wall to wall tile and granite speak luxury at every corner. Advance Design added clever custom storage spaces to take advantage of otherwise wasted corners. They built a custom mudroom for the kids to house their sports equipment and a handy built in bench area with basket pull outs for a custom home gym. “They were able to custom fit this second mudroom with the lockers and the bench, they were able to custom build that, so the kids could store all of their equipment down here for the sports that they are in,” Chris said. They Got The Amazing Space They Had Envisioned for Years! The basement Chris and Sofia had envisioned had come to life in a few short months of planning, design and construction, just a perfect fit in the summer months. Advance Design Studio was able to design and build a custom, multifunctional space that the whole family can enjoy. “I would recommend Advance Design because of the showroom, because of the cleanliness on the jobsite and the professionalism, combined with Christine’s design side as well as Todd’s builder’s side - it’s nice to have it all together,” reminisced Chris after the project was complete.

Envision Virtual Tours The town of Blue Ridge offers eclectic shopping and dining in a quaint small town setting. With the historic Blue Ridge Depot at its center, Blue Ridge is a center for arts and galleries, antiques, unique shopping and eateries. Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. It was established as a railroad town, with the depot at its heart. Visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. Today's visitors still ride the train and take leisurely walks along Main Street, enjoying the antique and specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, small town atmosphere and friendly people of Blue Ridge. The town was founded in 1886 as a result of the arrival of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad. In the early years, at different times, there were five hotels and several boarding houses in downtown Blue Ridge.

Example of a trendy home office design in Tampa

Three story foyer
Example of a large trendy ceramic tile and gray floor entryway design in Orange County with gray walls and a glass front door

This elegant Craftsman style house plan features plenty of space for the whole family to do their own thing with no interruptions … but there’s space where everyone can get together for movie night or other family activities. The downstairs features a well-designed open floor plan highlighted by a vaulted gathering room, gourmet kitchen with breakfast area, formal dining space and a home office. The downstairs master suite opens onto a covered loggia, and also features a large dressing room/walk-in closet area. Upstairs you’ll find three suites, each opening onto a bathroom, making any of them a perfect mother-in-law suite. Oh, there’s also one of the largest bonus rooms you’ll find anywhere. The garage with 3-car dimensions is perfect for adding workshop space — or the ultimate man cave. First Floor Heated: 2,976 Master Suite: Down Second Floor Heated: 2,376 Baths: 6.5 Third Floor Heated: Main Floor Ceiling: 10' Total Heated Area: 5,352 Specialty Rooms: Outdoor Living, Office/Media Room, Exercise, Game Room Garages: Three Garage: 1,126 Bedrooms: Five Footprint: 90'-8" x 93'-1" www.edgplancollection.com

Dining room - traditional dark wood floor dining room idea in San Francisco with yellow walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Enhance your home theater with Edge, a custom-built, solid hardwood frame and sophisticated mounting system that elegantly encases any TV and soundbar from Leon Speakers. Designed to conceal all borders of the display and speakers while providing ventilation for the electronics, Edge is available in a variety of finishes to bring a streamlined aesthetic to any home theater. Install by Elite A/V LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless open concept carpeted and beige floor home theater remodel in Dallas with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a mid-sized classic open concept carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Dallas with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

Strafford Estate Plan 6433 First Floor Heated: 4,412 Master Suite: Down Second Floor Heated: 2,021 Baths: 8 Third Floor Heated: Main Floor Ceiling: 10' Total Heated Area: 6,433 Specialty Rooms: Home Theater, Game Room, Nanny's Suite Garages: Four Garage: 1285 Bedrooms: Five Dimensions: 131'-10" x 133'-10" Basement: Footprint: www.edgplancollection.com