We transformed an old dingy basement into a kids playroom. The design concealed the plumbing lines and mechanicals to create clean formal architectural elements to store lots and lots of toys, and define specific play areas.

Small eclectic open concept light wood floor and white floor living room photo in New York with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

Concept and Backstory for this Trilogy Partners and bhh Partners Design: This home, though built recently, has a long history. It’s an old story about a family with a hardworking father and a loving mother and three kids who lived in Denver, but loved the mountains more than anything. About 1908 they decided to buy an old sheep station outside of Breckenridge. At first they lived in the simple shepherd’s cabin they referred to as the “Station House.” As the children grew, so did the family’s passion for horses, ranching, hunting, and fishing and the great outdoors, and it wasn’t long before everyone in the family began to refer to the Station House as home. Denver just became Denver, and it was certainly not where their hearts longed to be. A heavy bell large enough to be heard for several miles, which became known as the “Dinner Bell,” was installed by the front door to call the kids home for supper. After a few years, the family built a pole barn for the horses and a carriage, and then it became the place where they parked theModel T. About 1923 the eldest son returned from college. His first duty was to supervise the construction of “The Manor House.” Now that mother and father had the time to spend not just summer, but most of the year in the valley, it made sense that they build a real house. The Station House could be used by guests. The son had a lot to do and not much time because the house had to be finished in time for a very important event. A wedding, his wedding, was to happen in the spring, barely a year away.So the Manor House, built with local timbers and many local hands, rose up between the old Station House and the Pole Barn. And there was a first marriage at the house. As the family continued to grow,it seemed the Manor House had to grow with them and over the years, it reached out to either side until finally, it was connected by a long front porch to the Station House, just to the south, and the Pole Barn just to the north. The dinner Bell was installed beneath the gable in the front porch because children still needed to be called home from the hills. Fifty years passed and the fact that dozens of mothers, fathers, children, and grand children and even great grandchildren spread all over the country still called it Home didn’t seem strange to any of them. For this was where they came to share the most important things with the rest of their family. They came in the summers and winters, stayed sometimes a week, often longer, but at least once a year, if not a couple times more. They came for the most memorable days of their lives, anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, and sometimes for no reason other than they needed to be with their kin. On those saddest days, when one had passed away, they gathered to remember at the Manor House. They would bury their own in the family plot where the sheep once graced in a meadow that the elk favored in winter. There would be hugs, and tears. But for all, it was far better being sad ere than anywhere else. And now, a hundred years have passed since a family of five first set for in the valley. And the Manor House, the Station House, and Pole Barn all deserve a little sprucing up in time for another important event. For in the spring comes wedding number 32. Photo Credit: Michael Yearout

In keeping with Japanese tradition every small space is utilized, even the tiniest space beneath the Miele range provides storage.
Eat-in kitchen photo in Portland

Chris Frick
Kitchen - kitchen idea in Other

Sheer Belgian Linen is making headlines these days. This beach dweller wanted the see-through look of lightweight linen but also privacy, but without the use of privacy shades beneath the treatments! The solution was lining the linen with 100% polyester voile. Even though I paired two different fibers - synthetic and natural, the poly voile provided just the right amount of stability that the linen needed. And the lining also helped to create a privacy layer - just enough to make my client happy and out of view from the neighbors! Notice how the relaxed romans can be raised and lowered.

Maximizing space, modifications to windows and moving a doorway gave our client a baker’s dream kitchen without adding an addition to the home. The underutilized sunroom became the designated expansive space with its own pantry for baking. The second island in this space was designed with a 30” tall baking island rather than a standard height counter allowing for perfect leverage and pressure on dough while kneading. Our client wanted the induction cooktop, with a retractable hood, on the island so she could look out to the family room while she cooks. This expansive and beautiful kitchen, newly vaulted ceilings with hemlock beams, and a seating area with a built-in desk created a warm and wonderful space for the family to enjoy.

Rolling drawers beneath the bed supply more than ample storage for visitors' belongings, as well as extra bedding and supplies while a bedside table and open shelves provides even further storage. Photo Credit: Stephen Cardinale www.stephencardinale.com

This custom floating cabinet with modern, vertical grain white oak flat panel drawers adds a functional element to the otherwise traditional Japanese "tokonoma" niche concept intended to display art and other personal items. In the evening LED lights glow from beneath the cabinet to light the hall. Design/Build: Rocky DiGiacomo, DiGiacomo Homes Interior Design: Gigi DiGiacomo, DiGiacomo Homes Photo: Susan Gilmore

“When you work with great design/build teams, you can create amazing portable hot tub installations,” says Bill Renter. “These clients wanted a spillover spa that they could use all year through. Working with The Deck and Patio Company, we set a portable Bullfrog Spa halfway into the ground. A moss rock waterfall coming out from the pool’s edge just beneath it spills into the pool but appears to be coming from the hot tub.” Note: Even though it’s partially in-ground, the team left sufficient access for ease in getting to the spa plumbing. www.besthottubs.com

Jay Groccia © 2014 Granite Communications, inc.
Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Boston

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

PROJECT AIRSTREAM Challenge: Tiny 8' round Kitchen Curved walls, floor and ceiling Limited storage space available No Windows No Way out! ENTER... Robeson Design :-) Family of 4 contacted us after following us on YouTube. Their inquiry... Have you ever designed a home 20' underground? WHAT??? Did you say "Underground" ? Heres how we did it... (Tiny 8' round Kitchen) Used a reflective mirror tile to cover the wall above the sink and prep area providing light, reflection and an illusion of space. Light grey paint with dark walnut stained woodwork provided a visually appealing contrast. Minimalist low profile chrome and stainless appliances and plumbing fixtures. Ran the flooring: striped carpet and vinyl flooring, horizontally to emphasize the width. (Curved walls, floor and ceiling) Design custom furniture and built-in pieces with rounded sides to fit the tube perfectly. Furniture pieces convert for multiple uses... we call it our "Transformer Furniture" (Limited storage space available) Hidden storage in, below, beneath, above and atop without you even knowing it :-) Its functional AND fashionable all at the same time. (No Windows) Commissioned a hand painted mural in selected areas adding color, texture, visual interest and most important an illusion of perspective that takes your eye beyond the 8' steel walls. (No Way out!) Heck, Project Airstream turned out so Amazing... why would you ever want to leave :-)

This light and airy kitchen combines traditional accents with transitional ones. Black honed granite counter tops are balanced by dark accents through out the space like the slat-back island stools, lantern pendant fixtures above, and bronze hardware on doors. The light stone on the kitchen island work beautifully with white cabinets, Nickel pulls, and Nickel plumbing fixtures. Carrara marble is used on the kitchen island and both island and counter tops have an eased edge profile. White marble island top and white porcelain farmhouse sink work beautifully within the space The combinations of all these finishes bring personalty and warmth to the home. Photos by Alicia's Art, LLC RUDLOFF Custom Builders, is a residential construction company that connects with clients early in the design phase to ensure every detail of your project is captured just as you imagined. RUDLOFF Custom Builders will create the project of your dreams that is executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsman, while creating lifetime client relationships that are build on trust and integrity. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area including West Chester, Gladwynne, Malvern, Wayne, Haverford and more. As a 6 time Best of Houzz winner, we look forward to working with you on your next project.

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!"

The peninsula was removed and a central island installed in the new space. Moving the doorway left room for the fridge at the other end of the kitchen. The resulting space feels much more spacious, even though the square footage remains the same. Creamy new cabinets, quartzite countertops, a paneled refrigerator and glass globe pendants imbue the kitchen with modern-day style.

Bathroom - mediterranean bathroom idea in Los Angeles

3D Rendering 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!"

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake. Stone walls terrace the land and create space for a parking court of macadam.