The Setup The homeowners of this Barrington Hills residence approached Drury Design with a clear vision: transform their existing kitchen into a space that would better serve their active family of four. With two young children who are homeschooled and love to bake with their mom, plus two dogs, this kitchen needed to function as the true heart of the home. The existing kitchen was functional but didn’t maximize the potential of the beautiful natural light and scenic views available through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The space was locked between the dining room and family room, which limited structural modifications, but the homeowners wanted to create a more family-friendly environment that would complement the warm walnut built-ins and furnishings in the adjacent dining room while staying true to the home’s overall aesthetic. Design Objectives: Create a highly functional workspace that accommodates multiple family members cooking and gathering simultaneously Maximize the connection to the beautiful outdoor scenery and natural light through thoughtful design choices Establish a cohesive color palette that complements the existing walnut elements in the adjacent dining room without becoming too tone-on-tone (aka “matchy matchy”) Improve the seating arrangement to take advantage of the stunning views (rather than facing away from the windows) Work within the existing architectural constraints, including a curved soffit that could not be removed Increase storage capacity while maintaining clean, uncluttered sightlines throughout the space Design Challenges: The curved soffit presented a design dilemma of whether to echo the curve throughout the kitchen or work with it in a more subtle way The relatively low ceiling height required careful consideration to avoid making the space feel cramped or cave-like The existing hardwood floor could not be refinished, which meant the new kitchen footprint had to match or exceed the original layout exactly Finding the right balance of warm and neutral tones to complement both the existing walnut elements nearby and the natural outdoor views proved challenging The refrigerator placement was constrained by door swing requirements, which affected the entire layout and prevented centering the sink on the back wall Rethinking the original seating, which faced inward toward the kitchen (turning backs to the beautiful windows and outdoor views) Pendant lighting from the previous kitchen obstructed views to the outdoors despite the abundant natural light available The Renewed Space Design Solutions: The curved soffit was embraced subtly through the full slab backsplash, which echoes the curve without requiring curved cabinetry or architectural elements that might feel forced Low ceiling challenges were addressed by using lighter painted cabinets for some tall elements, including the double oven, pantries, and refrigerator area, creating an airy feel while reserving the darker stained walnut for the center section and island The floor constraint was managed by designing the new layout to cover all previously unfinished areas while maintaining the exact footprint, with only minor touch-ups needed in a few areas The color palette balances warm walnut stain (harmonizing with the dining room built-ins) with soft, neutral painted cabinets – avoiding stark white that wouldn’t complement the home’s warm aesthetic Refrigerator placement was optimized with a slim pullout pantry to the left, allowing proper door clearance while maintaining the desired layout flow and enabling the main pantry to be positioned adjacently The seating was completely reimagined with a built-in banquette facing the windows, allowing diners to enjoy the outdoor views while providing flexible seating for two to four people Decorative pendant lighting was eliminated in favor of recessed can lights, preserving the unobstructed views to the beautiful outdoor scenery This kitchen transformation demonstrates how thoughtful design can dramatically improve functionality for a busy family while honoring existing architectural elements. The children immediately began cooking and baking with their mother in the new space, and the window-facing banquette has become a favorite gathering spot where the family can enjoy both meals and the beautiful outdoor views.

There are many lighting rules which apply to the conceptual plan. Smaller parcels diminish light glare and pollution for the neighbors. Overuse of horizontal fixture types creates a landing strip appearance. The lighting design should have no dark holes. There should be lighting connectivity and composition throughout the design. Equal brightness of focal points surrounding architectural elements needs to be considered. Brightness levels need to be illuminated with connecting lower levels of illumination and stay underneath dark sky limits. The points of view need to be identified. These, and other lighting conceptual concerns, are presented and discussed individually in an effort to establish a master lighting plan for the property. This lighting plan can be implemented in phases do to budget, time constraints, and desires of the homeowner. The landscape lighting master plan brings the landscape plan to the fullest 8 seasons, 4 seasons both day and night.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours St Marlo Country Club Envision Virtual Tours provides professional photography and Full Screen Virtual Tours for St. Marlo Custom Homes. Set on over 900 acres and surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful hardwoods, the St. Marlo Country Club offers luxury living and unparalleled panoramic views from every home. St. Marlo Country Club is in high demand due to its ideal location and award-winning golf course. St Marlo is named one of the Top Ten new golf courses by Golf Digest Magazine and designed by Dennis Griffiths the 200-acre golf course promises a great day for players of all levels. St Marlo is located in South Forsyth County and the newly established area of Johns Creek (though not within the Johns Creek City Limits) an area known for its lower taxes, great healthcare and highly acclaimed public and private schools, St. Marlo Country Club offers elegant European and Traditional style homes from the mid $500s to over $3 million. And every St. Marlo home for sale offers all the benefits of a country club setting including 24-hour gated access and security, Junior Olympic-size pool, cabana with grilling area, 9 lighted tennis courts, soccer field, volleyball, basketball court and a enormous Clubhouse with banquet room used for Father/Daughter Dances, Weddings, and other events. Restaurant, Golf Pro shop and more!

The renovation began in the kitchen, where the original layout and ornate cabinetry limited both functionality and flow. To create the large central island our clients desired, we moved the adjoining wall 18 inches into the living room, opening the space and establishing a more generous footprint for cooking and gathering. The reimagined kitchen features white oak cabinetry with hidden storage, dramatic black stone countertops with bold veining, and a sleek, modern aesthetic that feels both inviting and architectural. Appliances: Sub Zero Wolf Lighting: Visual Comfort Countertops: Rocktops Photography: Beverly Funkhouser Photography

There are many lighting rules which apply to the conceptual plan. Smaller parcels diminish light glare and pollution for the neighbors. Overuse of horizontal fixture types creates a landing strip appearance. The lighting design should have no dark holes. There should be lighting connectivity and composition throughout the design. Equal brightness of focal points surrounding architectural elements needs to be considered. Brightness levels need to be illuminated with connecting lower levels of illumination and stay underneath dark sky limits. The points of view need to be identified. These, and other lighting conceptual concerns, are presented and discussed individually in an effort to establish a master lighting plan for the property. This lighting plan can be implemented in phases do to budget, time constraints, and desires of the homeowner. The landscape lighting master plan brings the landscape plan to the fullest 8 seasons, 4 seasons both day and night.

At the center of the home is a newly expanded kitchen—its design is rooted in practicality and visual appeal. Previously enclosed and limited in functionality, the kitchen was opened up with the addition of a peninsula that extends into the living room. This peninsula serves multiple roles: casual dining space, food prep area, storage solution, and visual anchor. Custom cabinetry was designed to fit the galley-style layout efficiently. Pale grey cabinets establish a soft and calming foundation punctuated by sophisticated brass hardware that adds warmth and subtle contrast. A full-height pantry maximizes storage without overwhelming the space. Photography by Francis Augustine

Our client commissioned us to remodel her home. She wanted an open plan concept and for the kitchen to be integrated with the living room and dining room. She also needed a space in which she could work. So we decided to remove the walls that separated the kitchen from the living room and the dining room. We expanded the kitchen space on both sides and made an "L" layout with cabinets on both walls. To complement and establish a virtual limit of space, we placed a large island 10 feet long by 4 feet wide with drawers on the kitchen side and storage cabinets on the sitting side. The cabinets are all prefinished plywood with acrylic doors, white for the cabinets on the walls and gray for the center island. All base cabinets have soft close pullouts. The drawers were complemented with accessories to organize all the kitchen utensils. The corner cabinet was custom made extra long to accommodate a large swing-out and spice rack next to it. At the extreme end of the kitchen cabinets, we placed a "coffee station" with dark gray floating shelves on top, their respective pullouts on the base cabinets. Under the wall and base cabinets we place LED lights that enhance and highlight the kitchen day and night. All ceiling lights were also replaced with recessed LED lights. Over the island and the dining table hanging lights were placed along them. Power strip outlets with USB ports were also placed under the wall cabinets and in the headboards of the island, these are hidden giving a clean aesthetic to the backsplash and very functional on a day-to-day basis. The countertops of the cabinets on the walls were done in gray porcelain as well as the full backsplash that also covers the central area of the hood. The central island countertop was made in Quarzite. The floors were replaced with 48" by 48" rectified porcelain tile. Now this homeowner has the kitchen of their dreams.

A visual artist and his fiancée’s house and studio were designed with various themes in mind, such as the physical context, client needs, security, and a limited budget. Six options were analyzed during the schematic design stage to control the wind from the northeast, sunlight, light quality, cost, energy, and specific operating expenses. By using design performance tools and technologies such as Fluid Dynamics, Energy Consumption Analysis, Material Life Cycle Assessment, and Climate Analysis, sustainable strategies were identified. The building is self-sufficient and will provide the site with an aquifer recharge that does not currently exist. The main masses are distributed around a courtyard, creating a moderately open construction towards the interior and closed to the outside. The courtyard contains a Huizache tree, surrounded by a water mirror that refreshes and forms a central part of the courtyard. The house comprises three main volumes, each oriented at different angles to highlight different views for each area. The patio is the primary circulation stratagem, providing a refuge from the wind, a connection to the sky, and a night sky observatory. We aim to establish a deep relationship with the site by including the open space of the patio.

Photo by Katrina Coombs Contemporary Hawaii-imagined tropical landscape with natural rock cascading water feature. Rock cemented to insure child safety. Tropical look planted with limited water use water wise plantings. Established palms will require less water.

This is a full house remodel in one of the most exciting and established Montecito neighborhoods. I wanted to bring an open feel yet functional and traditional look within a limited area to work with. The before and after pictures are incredible. The house was on the market for less than a week! --- Project designed by Montecito interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Montecito as well as surrounding areas such as Hope Ranch, Summerland, Santa Barbara, Isla Vista, Mission Canyon, Carpinteria, Goleta, Ojai, Los Olivos, and Solvang. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/

Our client commissioned us to remodel her home. She wanted an open plan concept and for the kitchen to be integrated with the living room and dining room. She also needed a space in which she could work. So we decided to remove the walls that separated the kitchen from the living room and the dining room. We expanded the kitchen space on both sides and made an "L" layout with cabinets on both walls. To complement and establish a virtual limit of space, we placed a large island 10 feet long by 4 feet wide with drawers on the kitchen side and storage cabinets on the sitting side. The cabinets are all prefinished plywood with acrylic doors, white for the cabinets on the walls and gray for the center island. All base cabinets have soft close pullouts. The drawers were complemented with accessories to organize all the kitchen utensils. The corner cabinet was custom made extra long to accommodate a large swing-out and spice rack next to it. At the extreme end of the kitchen cabinets, we placed a "coffee station" with dark gray floating shelves on top, their respective pullouts on the base cabinets. Under the wall and base cabinets we place LED lights that enhance and highlight the kitchen day and night. All ceiling lights were also replaced with recessed LED lights. Over the island and the dining table hanging lights were placed along them. Power strip outlets with USB ports were also placed under the wall cabinets and in the headboards of the island, these are hidden giving a clean aesthetic to the backsplash and very functional on a day-to-day basis. The countertops of the cabinets on the walls were done in gray porcelain as well as the full backsplash that also covers the central area of the hood. The central island countertop was made in Quarzite. The floors were replaced with 48" by 48" rectified porcelain tile. Now this homeowner has the kitchen of their dreams.

This is a full house remodel in one of the most exciting and established Montecito neighborhoods. I wanted to bring an open feel yet functional and traditional look within a limited area to work with. The before and after pictures are incredible. The house was on the market for less than a week! --- Project designed by Montecito interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Montecito as well as surrounding areas such as Hope Ranch, Summerland, Santa Barbara, Isla Vista, Mission Canyon, Carpinteria, Goleta, Ojai, Los Olivos, and Solvang. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/

The P+M House is a new infill home for a family of four in Saskatoon’s Varsity View neighborhood. Constructed of daylight, natural wood, and human interaction, it strives to create a rich, family-focused environment that pulls nature and ever-changing sunlight into the heart of the house. Situated at the doorsteps of President Murray Park and the U of S campus, the home opens to the South, affronting an established street while allowing a row of towering American elms to provide natural shading and focus to the interior spaces. The house is divided into four program zones: public, private, parents, and kids. The internal organization is a direct result of a daylight management concept, where dark-craving spaces are condensed and allocated to areas with low-light access, while providing strategic separation between zones. Left behind as a result are airy, light-filled living spaces that offer internal / external views, space for family interaction, while taking maximum advantage of limited South and West light. The architecture begins with a main floor sectional shift that breaks the house into front & back, creating an internal topography that lets South light reach the back of the house. A trio of continuous, interlocking walls then give shape and order to the primary spaces, while openings in or between these walls extend the interior spaces into the yard and let daylight wash the heart of the house. The highly-insulated house is the result of a thoughtful process that sought to leverage the site’s severe environmental constraints (minimal southern exposure in an extreme cold climate, where temps reach 40 below) and turn them into opportunities. The house is composed of a 2800 sf main house, a 650 sf basement suite, and a 600 sf garage. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, 2x staggered stud walls, exposed spruce posts / glulam beams, and open-web engineered wood trusses. It is clad in stucco and western red cedar; with triple-glazed fiberglass windows and natural white oak finishes throughout. Architectural Design: METAAMO studio w/ Oxbow Architecture All Imagery Copyright 2017 Metaamo Studio, All Rights Reserved. No commercial use without prior written approval.

Our client commissioned us to remodel her home. She wanted an open plan concept and for the kitchen to be integrated with the living room and dining room. She also needed a space in which she could work. So we decided to remove the walls that separated the kitchen from the living room and the dining room. We expanded the kitchen space on both sides and made an "L" layout with cabinets on both walls. To complement and establish a virtual limit of space, we placed a large island 10 feet long by 4 feet wide with drawers on the kitchen side and storage cabinets on the sitting side. The cabinets are all prefinished plywood with acrylic doors, white for the cabinets on the walls and gray for the center island. All base cabinets have soft close pullouts. The drawers were complemented with accessories to organize all the kitchen utensils. The corner cabinet was custom made extra long to accommodate a large swing-out and spice rack next to it. At the extreme end of the kitchen cabinets, we placed a "coffee station" with dark gray floating shelves on top, their respective pullouts on the base cabinets. Under the wall and base cabinets we place LED lights that enhance and highlight the kitchen day and night. All ceiling lights were also replaced with recessed LED lights. Over the island and the dining table hanging lights were placed along them. Power strip outlets with USB ports were also placed under the wall cabinets and in the headboards of the island, these are hidden giving a clean aesthetic to the backsplash and very functional on a day-to-day basis. The countertops of the cabinets on the walls were done in gray porcelain as well as the full backsplash that also covers the central area of the hood. The central island countertop was made in Quarzite. The floors were replaced with 48" by 48" rectified porcelain tile. Now this homeowner has the kitchen of their dreams.

This is a full house remodel in one of the most exciting and established Miami neighborhoods. I wanted to bring an open feel yet functional and traditional look within a limited area to work with. The before and after pictures are incredible. The house was on the market for less than a week! --- Project designed by Miami interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Miami as well as surrounding areas such as Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach, North Miami Beach, and Hallandale Beach. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/

THE SETUP Our journey began with a familiar face — Alicia had previously transformed the client’s mother’s home, establishing a trusted relationship that naturally led to this personal project. The client desired a kitchen that truly reflected her own style while facilitating seamless entertaining. Design Vision: The original kitchen, segregated from the dining area by a wall, hindered the flow of interaction and space. Our client envisioned a unified area where she could engage with guests in both the kitchen and dining room simultaneously. Moreover, the space lacked a central island, relying instead on a floorplan anchored by cabinetry in a u-shaped layout. Design Objectives: Open up the space for an airy design conducive to entertaining large gatherings Modernize the kitchen to be both stylish and functional Integrate the design with the home’s new black-framed windows and doors Relocate the cooktop to a central position to enhance usability and interaction Design Challenges: Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room would necessitate the rerouting of existing HVAC ductwork that services the upper floor Limited pantry space in the existing kitchen The existing u-shaped layout of the kitchen restricted functionality and storage options Insufficient space for wine storage The client desired a raised-furniture look for the island, but without showing a new downdraft vent THE RENEWED SPACE Design Solutions: We added a second HVAC unit to the upper floor and rerouted the existing ductwork in that wall Created tall pantry pullouts on either side of the fridge to maximize dry goods storage Designed a long island to facilitate cooking stations and dining moments Created a stylish open display cabinet for wine Engineered a dual-design island with a footed floating aesthetic on one side, and a full floor reach on the other to conceal the new downdraft ventilation. Paired with the newly opened adjacent dining room featuring a wet bar, the kitchen has become a stylish and highly functional space for cooking and entertaining. Following a large baby shower hosted by the client (which seamlessly accommodated an 80-person gathering!), it is clear that the new design not only meets but exceeds the needs for hosting and everyday living. This project was a harmonious blend of the client’s vision and Alicia’s innovative design solutions, resulting in a kitchen that truly embodies personalized elegance and functionality.

This is a full house remodel in one of the most exciting and established Denver neighborhoods. I wanted to bring an open feel yet functional and traditional look within a limited area to work with. The before and after pictures are incredible. The house was on the market for less than a week! Project designed by Denver, Colorado interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Denver as well as surrounding areas such as Cherry Hills Village, Englewood, Greenwood Village, and Bow Mar. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/portfolio/congress-park-renovation/

A visual artist and his fiancée’s house and studio were designed with various themes in mind, such as the physical context, client needs, security, and a limited budget. Six options were analyzed during the schematic design stage to control the wind from the northeast, sunlight, light quality, cost, energy, and specific operating expenses. By using design performance tools and technologies such as Fluid Dynamics, Energy Consumption Analysis, Material Life Cycle Assessment, and Climate Analysis, sustainable strategies were identified. The building is self-sufficient and will provide the site with an aquifer recharge that does not currently exist. The main masses are distributed around a courtyard, creating a moderately open construction towards the interior and closed to the outside. The courtyard contains a Huizache tree, surrounded by a water mirror that refreshes and forms a central part of the courtyard. The house comprises three main volumes, each oriented at different angles to highlight different views for each area. The patio is the primary circulation stratagem, providing a refuge from the wind, a connection to the sky, and a night sky observatory. We aim to establish a deep relationship with the site by including the open space of the patio.

This is a full house remodel in one of the most exciting and established Montecito neighborhoods. I wanted to bring an open feel yet functional and traditional look within a limited area to work with. The before and after pictures are incredible. The house was on the market for less than a week! --- Project designed by Montecito interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Montecito as well as surrounding areas such as Hope Ranch, Summerland, Santa Barbara, Isla Vista, Mission Canyon, Carpinteria, Goleta, Ojai, Los Olivos, and Solvang. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/