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Like many families with older children, this local Glen Ellyn couple wanted to expand the size of their kitchen while also creating a more open, airy feel for their main level. The home had plenty of space that included a formal living room, formal dining room, family room with eat-in area and kitchen with butler’s pantry. What it didn’t have, was an effortless flow between the areas used daily for cooking, eating and gathering.
Additionally, the kitchen had become outdated, feeling dark and dismal, despite the abundance of natural light. Our clients wanted a bright, cheerful interior that would inspire the family to congregate in this part of the house. No easy feat with teenagers.
An open floor plan design solved the issues with functionality and circulation, removing the walls that restricted flow and opening up the entry to the dining room. We also eliminated the rarely used butler’s pantry allowing us to expand the kitchen and add a large island for food prep and gathering. To create a sense of symmetry and consistency in the space, a clerestory window was added below the header and framed to match the existing adjacent entry from the living room.
Inspired by the owner’s Scottish ancestry, the island cabinetry boasts a beautiful blue hue, paired with stools upholstered in a sprightly plaid. The built-in buffet area provides additional storage, topped with a beautiful wooden top stained to coordinate with the stunning tones of the flooring.
The owner’s opted for stainless steel appliances, inspiring the selection of brushed silver light fixtures and polished chrome hardware. Marble-look quartz offered a durable, lightly colored surface to reflect sunlight and enhance the cheer factor. According to this happy family, this uplifting space is now everyone’s favorite place to gather.
Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKBD
Photography by: Michael Kaskel
For more design inspiration go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

New windows, floors, powder room and basement:
We gave the home new windows, new hardwood floors, and paint throughout. We created a new main floor powder room and a new finished basement containing a living area, three-piece bathroom and new bedroom with egress (tilt and turn) windows.
Flipped around and redesigned kitchen:
We created a new kitchen. The footprint of the kitchen stayed the same, but we flipped it around and redesigned it. Now it has a walk-in pantry area and more floorspace going in and out, which optimized the flow of traffic. We replaced the old non-functioning mudroom with a new one.
Disappearing balcony and drafty door:
To create a new space using a balcony in a bedroom, we extended the second storey out to line up with the first floor, and this increased the square footage. In that room we turned a drafty door into a window.
We reinstated the rear deck, using as many of the original pieces as we could:
There was a leaking roof problem because the original roof pitches were causing ice damming. We designed a new roof to prevent that in the future.
New windows, stucco, and the challenge of asbestos:
Another challenge was installing new windows in the original stucco finish, which contained asbestos. We waterproofed those properly, future proofing them from leaks.
We solved the situation by installing a 5-inch trim around the perimeter of the window. Specialists cut the asbestos back (we had to set up a containment perimeter around each window), and then we placed windows that are five inches wider than the window frames. We used special flashing tapes and sealed them all up behind the stucco.

Basement Bath Bryn Mawr PA. Want a basement bath from scratch? Sure, no problem its nothing a little jackhammering concrete and digging trenches for plumbing can’t solve. We changed a doorway to an unfinished storage area to a spacious full bath and hall with access to the remaining storage area. Now family and guests have a more convenient bath when hanging out in the finished basement. The clients also wanted a full shower for the kids after sports, guests staying over, or after a workout in the adjoining fitness room. Some interesting ceiling work was needed to go around the homes existing mechanicals while still maintaining a comfortable ceiling height. Durable and stylish vinyl floating floors are a great choice for the flooring. The Dreamline shower system looks clean and bright. The new bath and hall blend seamlessly with the already finished basement and seem original to the space.
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The first view from the front door of this home on the lake really needed to be more powerful, and our clients’ love of sculptural furniture inspired our solution. The dramatic console and carefully selected accessories made it interesting and personal to our homeowners, and heavily textured wallpaper visually raised the height of the wall. Great interior design can solve a multitude of shortcomings and problems, and we specialize in that!

Hard-to-access bathroom window above a soaking tub fitted with motorized plantation shutters, allowing convenient control of light and privacy in a wet-area environment.
This custom home in The Peninsula community of Cornelius, NC features a full-home installation of motorized plantation shutters designed for both style and function.
Many of the windows in the home were oversized, located at significant heights, and difficult or impossible to reach manually. Motorization was the ideal solution, allowing the homeowner to control light and privacy throughout the home with ease while maintaining a clean, cohesive design aesthetic.
The shutters were custom-fitted to each opening, enhancing the architectural lines of the home while providing durability, energy efficiency, and precise light control in every room. This project highlights how motorized window treatments can solve accessibility challenges in high-end custom homes without compromising design.

Wild View Farm includes a new “Forever home” (we deconstructed an existing house with a 90% landfill diversion rate), and enhancements to several working barns. The 80 acre site was an original homestead farm from the 1890’s. Both its buildings and soil had become severely degraded. The owners are working to holistically restore this property and make it a model of modern regenerative farming. They are planting hundreds of trees, re-introducing livestock and working with Dryland Agroecology Research and High Plains Permaculture to restore the soil.
The -51 HERS rated home is not just energy-efficient - it’s a model of “Regenerative design”. The deep green house design included multiple challenges – foremost was how to create a Passive Solar design that also took full advantage of the massive views to the West. We solved it with an L shaped building that optimized passive and active solar strategies on the south face, then actively protected the western facade with a giant covered porch and tuned glazing. The home’s leading-edge energy package includes a Ground source heat pump, a large roof-mounted solar PV array, battery back-up, EV chargers, and Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), Energy Star Appliances and windows, a robust foam insulation shell and LED lighting.
We also endeavored to craft a modern day interpretation of the farmhouse typology, with a low-slung simple gable-roofed form that would feel like it’s always been there. The exterior material palette of limestone, cementitious stucco and heavy timber gives it a rich Colorado Modern Farmhouse feel. The home is full of custom details like walls of vaulted glass to capture the sweeping mountain views, an AI Smart Home control system, a sleeping loft for kids and guests, a hard-working Butler’s Pantry, a gourmet outdoor kitchen, a pool & spa, a cozy office nook for reading, and a lovely built-in bench for morning coffee. Phase 2 of this project will include a Farmworker ADU and a full renovation of the existing historic barn.
Built by Skycastle Construction. Interior Design by Kimball Modern and Rodwin Architecture. Landscaping by EDI. Photography by Dane Cronin Photo

As code begins to require tighter and tighter houses we are locked in with chemicals that are used to build, decorate, furnish and clean our homes. This project was a stab at solving this significant health problem. Here are some key features that helped us create this self-purifying master bathroom:
- Air Purifying Paint
- Air Filtering Plants as per NASA research (pots cut into stone countertops)
- Low Energy indirect LED light strips
- Low VOC materials used throughout including underlayment, glues & grout
- Water-blown spray foam insulation
Photography: Gil Jacobs

Wild View Farm includes a new “Forever home” (we deconstructed an existing house with a 90% landfill diversion rate), and enhancements to several working barns. The 80 acre site was an original homestead farm from the 1890’s. Both its buildings and soil had become severely degraded. The owners are working to holistically restore this property and make it a model of modern regenerative farming. They are planting hundreds of trees, re-introducing livestock and working with Dryland Agroecology Research and High Plains Permaculture to restore the soil.
The -51 HERS rated home is not just energy-efficient - it’s a model of “Regenerative design”. The deep green house design included multiple challenges – foremost was how to create a Passive Solar design that also took full advantage of the massive views to the West. We solved it with an L shaped building that optimized passive and active solar strategies on the south face, then actively protected the western facade with a giant covered porch and tuned glazing. The home’s leading-edge energy package includes a Ground source heat pump, a large roof-mounted solar PV array, battery back-up, EV chargers, and Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), Energy Star Appliances and windows, a robust foam insulation shell and LED lighting.
We also endeavored to craft a modern day interpretation of the farmhouse typology, with a low-slung simple gable-roofed form that would feel like it’s always been there. The exterior material palette of limestone, cementitious stucco and heavy timber gives it a rich Colorado Modern Farmhouse feel. The home is full of custom details like walls of vaulted glass to capture the sweeping mountain views, an AI Smart Home control system, a sleeping loft for kids and guests, a hard-working Butler’s Pantry, a gourmet outdoor kitchen, a pool & spa, a cozy office nook for reading, and a lovely built-in bench for morning coffee. Phase 2 of this project will include a Farmworker ADU and a full renovation of the existing historic barn.
Built by Skycastle Construction. Interior Design by Kimball Modern and Rodwin Architecture. Landscaping by EDI. Photography by Dane Cronin Photo

2011 NATIONAL NARI COTY SOUTHEAST REGIONAL AWARD
After purchasing their home, the homeowners wanted to have the master bathroom remodeled prior to moving in. Problems with the existing space included a 5’ x 10’ deck tub taking up most of the space, vanities with little storage, a “phone booth” sized shower, builder-grade materials and outdated colors.
They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes to completely redesign the room. The first step was to take down a wall between the existing bathroom and the attic, making room for a luxurious shower with a frameless glass enclosure. His and her burgundy cherry wood vanities were provided for ample storage and the toilet was relocated into a dormer space for privacy.
Richly colored porcelain tiles in different sizes enhance the space. New recessed lighting, vanity lighting and a leaded glass French door provide additional light to the space, making it appear even larger than it is.
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This is a simple addition to the back deck to create an outdoor kitchen and outdoor dining area. A fire pit by the water creates another seating area out in the lawn and gives a perfect place to watch the sun set. The steps and walls improve the access to the boat dock and solve an erosion problem.
Photographed by: Emerald Coast Real Estate Photography

This urban infill project is a make-over of a decrepit structure that had been used as a student rental for close to 50 years. Situated on an elevated, 3300 sf lot, nothing in the original house was salvageable and the entire house was stripped down to the studs. Our challenge with this project was to then open up the original interiors, flood them with natural light while creating a design that appealed to the broadest buyer pool possible.
We solved this problem by organizing a compact floor plan that resulted in a 4 bedroom, 4 bath residence organized around a great room on the main level, a family room on the basement level and an additional 2 bedrooms with city views on the upper. By minimizing circulation space, we were able to re-purpose every square foot of floor area while creating a dramatic, light-filled staircase that tied all 3 levels of the house together into a unified living scheme. Clean lines and clean details, this is another of our attempts at a 'Not So Big House.'
Marketing of the final product lasted less than 10 days and resulted in 3 full priced offers that netted the developer a tidy profit.

PBA was brought in to solve many issues throughout the first floor of this home, the most pressing of which was to create a larger and more functional kitchen. After examining several options, the decision was made to create a narrow addition to the side of the house which allowed the design to meet all of the clients objectives. The floor plan was also opened up to allow for entertaining, and a long corridor was enhanced with trim-work to visually break up the length of the corridor, including the creation of a focal point wall at the end of the corridor. Other renovations included a new mud room, and a guest bathroom and awkwardly proportioned music room were completely reconfigured to create a formal powder room, a significantly improved guest bathroom, and a more intimate music room / sitting room.
Photographer: Anne Gummerson

The transitional modern home was designed with large amount of glass opening into the courtyard, creating an indoor-outdoor feel, and a visual connection among the spaces that could not be ignored. The neighboring wall, however, was not only rather imposing, but also of a style completely disconnected from our clients home. Our goal was to create a layering effect, with features of varying heights, both to add depth and dimension to the space, and to take the focus of the viewer off of the neighbors wall. Many designers would have squared off the pool, with the thought of maximizing the size of the pool in this small space. Our designer felt it more important to incorporate a graceful curve on the back of the pool. The small amount of square footage lost in the water area was more than regained in the visual interest added to the space. By creating a raised stucco wall on this curve, anchored by a simple sheer descent waterfall, the eye is drawn down the length of this petite pool. Separated by a simple bed of Horsetail Reed, the main feature wall, clad in deep plum stucco, includes three vertical windows, with LED up-lighting. Leaving these windows open on the top, increases the feel of height in the space. The final step in the layering effect is the planting space behind the plum wall. Banana trees were selected here, for their deep green color, and for the large, simple texture of their leaves. The main outdoor seating area is situated just outside the master suite, and is separated from the pool by a Leuder limestone fire pit. The floating stepper pads adjacent the fire pit serve the multiple functions of a walkway, a poolside table for beverages, and as seating near the fire. The tempered glass fire surround was added after the fact, when the client discovered the courtyard was a bit of a wind tunnel, and found the fire a bit uncontrollable. This simple addition, solved the problem, and pleased the client visually, as well.

MELA is available in the WHITE, LIGHT OAK, LIGHT WALNUT, BROWN, EGGPLANT, GREY OAK, RED, LARIX, BUTTER, COFFEE and CREAM versions. A young kitchen in performing, suitable even for the most demanding clientele for it was created to solve any problems in use and composition. There are various functional wall hung Accessories and internal equipment. A wide range of tables and chairs is also available to personalised your own kitchen.

2011 NATIONAL NARI COTY SOUTHEAST REGIONAL AWARD
After purchasing their home, the homeowners wanted to have the master bathroom remodeled prior to moving in. Problems with the existing space included a 5’ x 10’ deck tub taking up most of the space, vanities with little storage, a “phone booth” sized shower, builder-grade materials and outdated colors.
They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes to completely redesign the room. The first step was to take down a wall between the existing bathroom and the attic, making room for a luxurious shower with a frameless glass enclosure. His and her burgundy cherry wood vanities were provided for ample storage and the toilet was relocated into a dormer space for privacy.
Richly colored porcelain tiles in different sizes enhance the space. New recessed lighting, vanity lighting and a leaded glass French door provide additional light to the space, making it appear even larger than it is.
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PBA was brought in to solve many issues throughout the first floor of this home, the most pressing of which was to create a larger and more functional kitchen. After examining several options, the decision was made to create a narrow addition to the side of the house which allowed the design to meet all of the clients objectives. The floor plan was also opened up to allow for entertaining, and a long corridor was enhanced with trim-work to visually break up the length of the corridor, including the creation of a focal point wall at the end of the corridor. Other renovations included a new mud room, and a guest bathroom and awkwardly proportioned music room were completely reconfigured to create a formal powder room, a significantly improved guest bathroom, and a more intimate music room / sitting room.
Photographer: Anne Gummerson

The TV room/Den in this multi-level townhouse suffered from an identity crisis. It opened onto a covered patio but the carpeted floor made it seem more like a bedroom than a room with outdoor access. It sometimes served as an extra bedroom for guests, but was primarily a TV room. An adjacent laundry room was oddly configured and opened into a busy hallway/landing area. The fix included closing off the existing door to the laundry room and opening it up to the den. This made both rooms more user-friendly. The carpet was replaced with luxury vinyl plank flooring in both rooms, making a much more practical surface for a room with an exterior door. A pocket door was not feasible in the location so barn-door hardware solved the problem of a door opening onto the sofa.

The curves of the original garden have been emphasized by the creekbed and flower beds. The drainage problem has been solved with not just ingenuity but additional beauty. The statue of a faun--a minor woodland deity--caps off our project.

This 1970s ranch style home was in need of a whole revival in the kitchen including a complete new orientation in the space. In order to solve the problem of inadequate passage at the garage door, laundry machines were relocated to another area of the home, and a new "drop zone" for mail and phones was created. A dated soffit was removed and the cooking area was relocated to a longer - focal point wall that allows the cook to be more included while entertaining. An updated rustic and simplified craftsman style was chosen to compliment the other elements of stone and beams in the rest of the home. Of specific note is the installation of both induction and gas cooktops under the same real copper venthood for optional cooking methods. Another great kitchen for a wonderful family. Photos by David Cobb Photography.

A sunroom enhanced with beautiful cordless woven woods. Corners? No problem we custom miter the corners for a perfect fit.
Living room - mid-sized contemporary open concept carpeted and gray floor living room idea in Chicago with gray walls, no fireplace and no tv
Living room - mid-sized contemporary open concept carpeted and gray floor living room idea in Chicago with gray walls, no fireplace and no tv
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