This commission involved the renovation and conversion of two duplex apartments into one single residence/retreat. The two existing external stairs were removed and replaced by a single internal staircase. This intervention made it possible to create one large outdoor area and maximise the existing view. The steel canopies and wooden sun terraces act as visual links between the two original living units. In collaboration with Minimum Arquitectura. Foto's © Verne en Raül Candales Franch

The covered porch outside the study is furnished with comfortable teak lounge chairs and ottomans. Robert Benson Photography
Inspiration for a huge timeless stone back porch remodel in New York with a roof extension

this garage conversion includes custom built in cabinets with barn doors and movie projection area, hardwood flooring and a built in wall folding bed cabinet 4" LED recessed lights throughout the vaulted ceilings with a white wood siding and reclaimed wood beams

Homeowners desire outdoor rooms for a variety of both fun and practical reasons. Outdoor dining is a big motivation in Southern California. San Diego and Orange County homeowners enjoy mild, sunny weather year-round, so with the right outdoor living scenario outdoor dining can be just as, if not more, comfortable as indoor dining! Western Outdoor Design & Build will sit down with you and establish what features your outdoor room needs to suit your lifestyle. Some owners swoon at the idea of an outdoor home theatre, fully equipped with a flat screen television and surround sound speakers. Other homeowners want an outdoor bar setting, a Hawaiian themed cabana that transforms their backyard into an exotic resort. Many homeowners have trouble deciding between a cabana, bungalow, pergola, sunroom or pool house. Our knowledgeable and experienced team of landscape design professionals and outdoor living specialists will sit down with you and explain the features and benefits of each structure. Whatever your dreams may be, Western Outdoor Design & Build can turn them into reality. (800) 789-7510!

JK Lawrence
Claw-foot bathtub - farmhouse mosaic tile floor claw-foot bathtub idea with a drop-in sink

We love this rustic-modern Houston patio addition with an outdoor kitchen and double pergola! It not only made the most of a long, narrow space while satisfying strict homeowners association rules, but did so affordably in a warm, timeless style. “The client really enjoys outdoor living, but had a specific budget they wanted to meet,” explains Outdoor Homescapes owner Wayne Franks. “They also live on a golf course and had to meet particular HOA requirements.” The HOA requirements restricted how far back the new 450-square-foot patio and pergola could extend back into the yard. The HOA also wanted to make sure the patio’s colors and materials matched the existing home and others around it. “We chose colors and materials that offered texture and character, but that would go with just about anything around it,” says Wayne. “We found what we were looking for in the Fantastico travertine and Austin limestone – two materials clients love and just can’t go wrong with.” The Austin limestone facing the 8-foot-square, L-shaped kitchen island is dry-stacked in a castle pattern for a naturalistic, rustic look. Yet its light, neutral color keeps the style fresh and modern. Adding to the modern look are the stainless steel appliances: an RCS 30-inch stainless steel grill, double burner and outdoor fridge. Even though the finishes on the sink and light fixtures (Hunter pendant lamps and Hampton Bay light/fan combos) have a different finish – oil-rubbed-bronze – this actually follows the recent trend of mixing different metals, materials and finishes. “The look’s not so matchy-matchy anymore,” explains Wayne. “Mixing it up makes it look more authentic and personalized.” That’s why backsplashes like the one in this project – done in glass and metal mosaic – are also becoming more popular than traditional ceramic tile. Another recent trend can be seen here, too – an amping up of color variation and texture. “In addition to the split-face texture of the rock, you can definitely see the bold color variation in the travertine,” says Wayne. The flooring is a Fantastico travertine, laid out in a Versailles pattern. “The Fantastico tile is killer,” says Wayne. “The warm reds go great with red brick, which we have a lot of around here.” The countertop with the rounded, raised bar at the end is English walnut travertine. The red bar stools also add a pop of exciting color that contrasts nicely with the greenery around the patio. The double pergola, continues Wayne, is No. 2 pine stained a Minwax honey-gold. One side of the pergola – the side over the seating area – is covered with Lexan, a clear material that keeps out rain, heat and UV rays. The pergola also juts further into the yard on that side. “It’s called a scallop, and it just lends some visual interest,” explains Wayne. “It prevents the pergola from just looking like one big rectangular hunk of wood.” Wayne particularly likes how everything blended so well with the brick – which was a big concern – yet didn’t come off as too neutral or boring. “The Fantastico travertine and red chairs do an excellent job of pulling the red from the brick and working with the warmth of that color to make a super-inviting space,” says Wayne. “We’re really pleased with how it all ties together so well.”

William Wright Photography
Inspiration for a timeless living room library remodel in Seattle with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a concealed tv

The waterfall island counter in Cambria Brittanica is stunning. The island’s second tier in Ellipse Stone brings in an industrial element. We also lightened the cabinets combining Eclipse frameless cabinets in Natural Elm on the lowers with polar white finish upper cabinets. The backsplash on the range oven allowed us to add a bit of color, incorporating a herringbone pattern and using Mews by Mutina in lead color.

This tiny home is located on a treelined street in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver. We helped our client create a living and dining space with a beach vibe in this small front room that comfortably accommodates their growing family of four. The starting point for the decor was the client's treasured antique chaise (positioned under the large window) and the scheme grew from there. We employed a few important space saving techniques in this room... One is building seating into a corner that doubles as storage, the other is tucking a footstool, which can double as an extra seat, under the custom wood coffee table. The TV is carefully concealed in the custom millwork above the fireplace. Finally, we personalized this space by designing a family gallery wall that combines family photos and shadow boxes of treasured keepsakes. Interior Decorating by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography

Almost every room in the house offers stunning views of the outdoor living space and golf course. The dining room is subtly elegant creating an intimate dining space but also a space to enjoy looking outdoors. The custom chairs have a curved back design to contrast with the linear dining table. The host and hostess chairs add texture and Texas chic with their velvet alligator skin fabric. Permanently set, the tableware sparkles under the crystal chandelier revitalized by a talented faux finisher. Erika Barczak, By Design Interiors Inc. Photo Credit: Daniel Angulo www.danielangulo.com Builder: Kichi Creek Builders

Photo: Danielle Sykes © 2016 Houzz
Inspiration for a farmhouse open concept light wood floor living room remodel in Boston

This Boho bedroom lets this teen live her best life with the soft pink and gold accents. She can have her friends over to swing in the hanging chair or sit at her desk and get work done!

The genesis of design for this desert retreat was the informal dining area in which the clients, along with family and friends, would gather. Located in north Scottsdale’s prestigious Silverleaf, this ranch hacienda offers 6,500 square feet of gracious hospitality for family and friends. Focused around the informal dining area, the home’s living spaces, both indoor and outdoor, offer warmth of materials and proximity for expansion of the casual dining space that the owners envisioned for hosting gatherings to include their two grown children, parents, and many friends. The kitchen, adjacent to the informal dining, serves as the functioning heart of the home and is open to the great room, informal dining room, and office, and is mere steps away from the outdoor patio lounge and poolside guest casita. Additionally, the main house master suite enjoys spectacular vistas of the adjacent McDowell mountains and distant Phoenix city lights. The clients, who desired ample guest quarters for their visiting adult children, decided on a detached guest casita featuring two bedroom suites, a living area, and a small kitchen. The guest casita’s spectacular bedroom mountain views are surpassed only by the living area views of distant mountains seen beyond the spectacular pool and outdoor living spaces. Project Details | Desert Retreat, Silverleaf – Scottsdale, AZ Architect: C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB; Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ Builder: Sonora West Development, Scottsdale, AZ Photographer: Dino Tonn Featured in Phoenix Home and Garden, May 2015, “Sporting Style: Golf Enthusiast Christie Austin Earns Top Scores on the Home Front” See more of this project here: http://drewettworks.com/desert-retreat-at-silverleaf/

"Tropical White" Island Stone gives texture and definition to this fireplace wall, while the warm wood flooring provides an intimate feeling in the bedroom.

Outdoor living room, for dining and relaxing...and enjoying a good fire on a cooler evening.
Inspiration for a timeless back porch remodel in Atlanta with a roof extension

Rachel Loewen Photography © 2017 Houzz
Danish living room photo in Chicago

Large transitional formal and open concept concrete floor living room photo in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace and no tv

model unit
Inspiration for a contemporary open concept light wood floor living room remodel in New York with gray walls

Having a small child, loving to entertain and looking to declutter and kid-proof the gathering spaces of their home in the quaint village of Rockville Centre, Long Island, a stone’s throw from Manhattan, our client’s main objective was to have their living room and den transformed with a family friendly home makeover with mid-century modern tones boasting a formal, yet relaxed spirit Stepping into the home we found their living room and den both architecturally well appointed yet in need of modern transitional furniture pieces and the pops of color our clients admired, as there was a substantial amount of cool, cold grays in the rooms. Decor Aid designer Vivian C. approached the design and placement of the pieces sourced to be kid-friendly while remaining sophisticated and practical for entertaining. “We played off of the clients love for blush pinks, mid-century modern and turquoise. We played with the use of gold and silver metals to mix it up.” In the living room, we used the prominent bay window and its illuminating natural light as the main architectural focal point, while the fireplace and mantels soft white tone helped inform the minimalist color palette for which we styled the room around. To add warmth to the living room we played off of the clients love for blush pinks and turquoise while elevating the room with flashes of gold and silver metallic pieces. For a sense of play and to tie the space together we punctuated the kid-friendly living room with an eclectic juxtaposition of colors and materials, from a beautifully patchworked geometric cowhide rug from All Modern, to a whimsical mirror placed over an unexpected, bold geometric credenza, to the blush velvet barrel chair and abstract blue watercolor pillows. “When sourcing furniture and objects, we chose items that had rounded edges and were shatter proof as it was vital to keep each room’s decor childproof.” Vivian ads. Their vision for the den remained chic, with comfort and practical functionality key to create an area for the young family to come together. For the den, our main challenge was working around the pre-existing dark gray sectional sofa. To combat its chunkiness, we played off of the hues in the cubist framed prints placed above and focused on blue and orange accents which complement and play off of each other well. We selected orange storage ottomans in easy to clean, kid-friendly leather to maximize space and functionality. To personalize the appeal of the den we included black and white framed family photos. In the end, the result created a fun, relaxed space where our clients can enjoy family moments or watch a game while taking in the scenic view of their backyard. For harmony between the rooms, the overall tone for each room is mid-century modern meets bold, yet classic contemporary through the use of mixed materials and fabrications including marble, stone, metals and plush velvet, creating a cozy yet sophisticated enough atmosphere for entertaining family and friends and raising a young children. “The result od this family friendly room was really fantastic! Adding some greenery, more pillows and throws really made the space pop.” Vivian C. Decor Aid’s Designer