We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

This is an organic Lime Wash done with a true lime wash product as opposed to a brick mortar or concrete that is often seen on new houses. This product can be applied as a solid coating making the surface completely white, or can be applied and "washed off" in many artistic ways, as seen here. If you hate your brick or just want something unique this is a great option! Photo credit: Jeff Murrey

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

Wanting to add some zing to this traditional powder room we used a color not usually used in the rest of the home. Because people spend a short amount of time in a powder room it enables you to go bolder with your wall treatment choices. The awkward niche space was filled in nicely with an industrial pharmacy cabinet, found at a Round Top antique show. Touches of bronze bring it all together. Kaskel Photo

Wanting to add some zing to this traditional powder room we used a color not usually used in the rest of the home. Because people spend a short amount of time in a powder room it enables you to go bolder with your wall treatment choices. The awkward niche space was filled in nicely with an industrial pharmacy cabinet, found at a Round Top antique show. Touches of bronze bring it all together. Kaskel Photo

Wanting to add some zing to this traditional powder room we used a color not usually used in the rest of the home. Because people spend a short amount of time in a powder room it enables you to go bolder with your wall treatment choices. The awkward niche space was filled in nicely with an industrial pharmacy cabinet, found at a Round Top antique show. Touches of bronze bring it all together. Kaskel Photo

Great room - large contemporary medium tone wood floor great room idea in Christchurch with gray walls

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

Wanting to add some zing to this traditional powder room we used a color not usually used in the rest of the home. Because people spend a short amount of time in a powder room it enables you to go bolder with your wall treatment choices. The awkward niche space was filled in nicely with an industrial pharmacy cabinet, found at a Round Top antique show. Touches of bronze bring it all together. Kaskel Photo

We removed the tub, and relocated the entrance to the walk in closet to the bedroom to enable increasing the size of the shower for 2 people. We added a bench and large wall to wall niche that tied into the accent tiles and quartz slabs on the shower walls. The valves for the shower heads are located on the inside of each ponywall for easy access prior to entering the shower. The door to the water closet was relocated and replaced with a barn door. New cabinets with a storage tower, quartz countertops and new plumbing and light fixtures complete the new design. Added features include radiant heated floors and water purifying system.

Example of a transitional l-shaped brown floor kitchen design with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

When Cummings Architects first met with the owners of this understated country farmhouse, the building’s layout and design was an incoherent jumble. The original bones of the building were almost unrecognizable. All of the original windows, doors, flooring, and trims – even the country kitchen – had been removed. Mathew and his team began a thorough design discovery process to find the design solution that would enable them to breathe life back into the old farmhouse in a way that acknowledged the building’s venerable history while also providing for a modern living by a growing family. The redesign included the addition of a new eat-in kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, wrap around porch, and stone fireplaces. To begin the transforming restoration, the team designed a generous, twenty-four square foot kitchen addition with custom, farmers-style cabinetry and timber framing. The team walked the homeowners through each detail the cabinetry layout, materials, and finishes. Salvaged materials were used and authentic craftsmanship lent a sense of place and history to the fabric of the space. The new master suite included a cathedral ceiling showcasing beautifully worn salvaged timbers. The team continued with the farm theme, using sliding barn doors to separate the custom-designed master bath and closet. The new second-floor hallway features a bold, red floor while new transoms in each bedroom let in plenty of light. A summer stair, detailed and crafted with authentic details, was added for additional access and charm. Finally, a welcoming farmer’s porch wraps around the side entry, connecting to the rear yard via a gracefully engineered grade. This large outdoor space provides seating for large groups of people to visit and dine next to the beautiful outdoor landscape and the new exterior stone fireplace. Though it had temporarily lost its identity, with the help of the team at Cummings Architects, this lovely farmhouse has regained not only its former charm but also a new life through beautifully integrated modern features designed for today’s family. Photo by Eric Roth

The owner requested a total entertainment venue that would enable her to accommodate family gatherings of up to 100 people. The new design included an expansive custom Brazilian Mahogany deck, stamped concrete patio, and covered outdoor kitchen. Stainless steel cabinets by Danver Cabinets of Wallingford, CT became the foundation for a combination grill/smoker and an adjoining eating bar and fireplace.

A modern kitchen custom made by DEANE inc featuring color splashes of lime green to add individual style to its stainless steel appliances, marble countertop, and custom cabinetry. Photography by Jane Beiles

A two-level pergola, circular firepit area and outdoor kitchen with a charcoal-gas combo grill star in this Houston patio addition designed for entertaining large crowds in style. "The client was an attorney with a passion for cooking and entertaining," says the project's principal designer, Lisha Maxey of LGH Designs. "Her main objective with this space was to create a large area for 10 to 20 guests, including seating and the prep and cooking of meals." Located in the backyard of the client's home in Spring, TX, this beautiful outdoor living and entertaining space includes a 28-by-12-foot patio with Fantastico silver travertine tile flooring, arranged in a Versailles pattern. The walkway is Oklahoma wister flagstone. Providing filtered shade for the patio is a two-level pergola of treated pine stained honey gold. The larger, higher tier is about 18 by 10 feet; the smaller, lower tier is about 10 feet square. "We covered the entire pergola with Lexan - a high-quality, clear acrylic sheet that provides protection from the sun, heat and rain," says Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. Beneath the lower tier of the pergola sits an L-shaped, 12-by-9-foot outdoor kitchen island faced with Carmel Country ledgestone. The island houses a Fire Magic® combination charcoal-gas grill and lowered power burner, a Pacific Living countertop pizza oven and a stainless steel RCS trash drawer and sink. The countertops and raised bar are Fantastico silver travertine (18-square-inch tiles) and the backsplash is real quartz. "The most unique design item of this kitchen area is the hexagon/circular table we added to the end of the long bar," says Lisha. This enabled the client to add seating for her dining guests." Under the higher, larger tier of the pergola is a seating area, made up of a coffee table and espresso-colored rattan sofa and club chairs with spring-green-and-white cushions. "Lighting also plays an important role in this space, since the client often entertains in the evening," says Wayne. Enter the chandelier over the patio seating arrangement and - over the outdoor kitchen - pendant lamps and an industrial-modern ceiling fan with a light fixture in the center. "It's important to layer your lighting for ambiance, security and safety - from an all-over ambient light that fills the space to under-the-counter task lighting for food prep and cooking to path and retaining wall lighting." Off the patio is a transition area of crushed granite and floating flagstone pavers, leading to a circular firepit area of stamped concrete. At the center of this circle is the standalone firepit, framed at the back by a curved stone bench. The walls of the bench and column bases for the pergola, by the way, are the same ledgestone as the kitchen island. The top slab on the bench is a hearth piece of manmade stone. "I think the finish materials blend with the home really well," says Wayne. "We met her objectives of being able to entertain with 10 to 12 to 20 people at one time and being able to cook with charcoal and gas separately in one unit. And of course, the project was on time, on budget." "It is truly a paradise," says the client in her Houzz review of the project. "They listened to my vision and incorporated their expertise to create an outdoor living space just perfect for me and my family!"

Details: Dishes, once stored in upper cabinets, are now located in base cabinet drawers — a request by the client for aging in place. Heavy duty drawer hardware makes for easy operation. While it looks a bit tight, the adjacency to the dishwasher functions very well, our client reports. The flooring is sheet Marmoleum, and serves to nicely set apart the kitchen from adjacent spaces.