Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

We designed this 3,162 square foot home for empty-nesters who love lake life. Functionally, the home accommodates multiple generations. Elderly in-laws stay for prolonged periods, and the homeowners are thinking ahead to their own aging in place. This required two master suites on the first floor. Accommodations were made for visiting children upstairs. Aside from the functional needs of the occupants, our clients desired a home which maximizes indoor connection to the lake, provides covered outdoor living, and is conducive to entertaining. Our concept celebrates the natural surroundings through materials, views, daylighting, and building massing. We placed all main public living areas along the rear of the house to capitalize on the lake views while efficiently stacking the bedrooms and bathrooms in a two-story side wing. Secondary support spaces are integrated across the front of the house with the dramatic foyer. The front elevation, with painted green and natural wood siding and soffits, blends harmoniously with wooded surroundings. The lines and contrasting colors of the light granite wall and silver roofline draws attention toward the entry and through the house to the real focus: the water. The one-story roof over the garage and support spaces takes flight at the entry, wraps the two-story wing, turns, and soars again toward the lake as it approaches the rear patio. The granite wall extending from the entry through the interior living space is mirrored along the opposite end of the rear covered patio. These granite bookends direct focus to the lake.

This 5687 sf home was a major renovation including significant modifications to exterior and interior structural components, walls and foundations. Included were the addition of several multi slide exterior doors, windows, new patio cover structure with master deck, climate controlled wine room, master bath steam shower, 4 new gas fireplace appliances and the center piece- a cantilever structural steel staircase with custom wood handrail and treads. A complete demo down to drywall of all areas was performed excluding only the secondary baths, game room and laundry room where only the existing cabinets were kept and refinished. Some of the interior structural and partition walls were removed. All flooring, counter tops, shower walls, shower pans and tubs were removed and replaced. New cabinets in kitchen and main bar by Mid Continent. All other cabinetry was custom fabricated and some existing cabinets refinished. Counter tops consist of Quartz, granite and marble. Flooring is porcelain tile and marble throughout. Wall surfaces are porcelain tile, natural stacked stone and custom wood throughout. All drywall surfaces are floated to smooth wall finish. Many electrical upgrades including LED recessed can lighting, LED strip lighting under cabinets and ceiling tray lighting throughout. The front and rear yard was completely re landscaped including 2 gas fire features in the rear and a built in BBQ. The pool tile and plaster was refinished including all new concrete decking.

Photography-Hedrich Blessing Fairbanks Residence: The combination of three apartments was done to create one free flowing living space with over 4,800 SF connecting the 39th and 40th floors, with amazing views of Chicago. A new glass stair replaces an existing wood stair in the penthouse residence, and allows light to pour deep into the home and creates a calming void in the space. The glass is used as the primary structural material and only stainless steel is used for connection clips. The glass assembly of both tread and wall includes 3 layers of ½” lo-iron tempered glass with an AVB interlayer and hinge-like connector under tread and at connection to concrete to allow for rotation or vertical movement of up to one inch. The fireplace module incorporates the minimal gas and stone fireplace with hidden cabinet doors, an HVAC fan coil, and the LCD TV. The full height absolute-white kitchen wall also has a large working island in white oak that ends in an eat-in table. Solid wide plank hickory is used on the floor to compliment the rift-cut white oak cabinetry in the fireplace and kitchen, the tower’s concrete structure, and the plaster walls throughout painted in 4 different whites.

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless formal and enclosed brown floor and medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Kent with gray walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

Example of a mid-century modern patio design in Denver

Next Stage Design + Build with Project Designer, Shelly Yoder, UDCP
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in San Francisco

The classic modern design of this kitchen was planned for an active young family of four who uses the space as their central hub for gathering, eating and staying connected. Our goals were to create a beautiful and highly functional kitchen with an emphasis on cabinet organization, heated floors and incorporating a live edge slab countertop. We removed an existing bulky island and replaced it with a new island that while only 60 x 26 in size packs a powerful punch housing a baking center, trash/recycle center, microwave oven and cookbook storage. The island seemed the natural place for the gorgeous live edge slab coupled with vintage mercury glass light pendants that make for a truly stunning kitchen island. Polished carrara quartz perimeter counters pair beautifully with the watery blue-green glass backsplash tile. A message center conveniently located on a side panel of the refrigerator cabinet houses built in mailboxes, a family calendar and magnetic surface to display the children’s artwork. We are pleased to have met the family’s goals and that they love their kitchen. Design mission accomplished! Photography by: Marcela Winspear

Example of a beach style formal and open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room design in New York with white walls and a hanging fireplace

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in DC Metro

Aaron Leitz
Trendy u-shaped bamboo floor eat-in kitchen photo in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, green backsplash, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

When envisioning their kitchen remodel, it was important to these homeowners that their existing cherry kitchen would be given a facelift in transitional style. Cathy and Ed of Renovisions achieved the owners’ wishes while making sure the kitchen still looked like a natural extension to the rest of their traditional styled home. The update made room for added storage and appliance space. We installed 48” wide cabinetry in a natural cherry finish with roll-out shelves and space to accommodate a microwave and pull-out double trash receptacle. These custom built cherry cabinets and crown molding matched existing cabinets and were within easy reach of the newly installed stainless steel Viking gas range, Zephyr hood and GE hybrid dishwasher. A large rectangular stainless steel sink was under-mounted on a beautiful new gold granite countertop. An absolute black granite countertop was installed on the new wine/beverage center featuring a U-Line dual-zone wine refrigerator, deep drawers for linens and stem ware holder in natural cherry finish. A standout feature is the beautifully tiled backsplash cut in with absolute black granite tile and an artful mix of granite/porcelain tile design over the new gas range. This draws attention to the newly remodeled space and brings together all the elements. The homeowners were tired of the original builders brick surrounding their fireplace hearth and wanted to update to a more formal, elegant look. They chose a solid polished granite material in absolute black. Outdated no longer, the design details in the kitchen and adjacent family room come together to create a formal yet warm and inviting ambiance with their wish fulfilled. The owners love their newly remodeled spaces.

This 5687 sf home was a major renovation including significant modifications to exterior and interior structural components, walls and foundations. Included were the addition of several multi slide exterior doors, windows, new patio cover structure with master deck, climate controlled wine room, master bath steam shower, 4 new gas fireplace appliances and the center piece- a cantilever structural steel staircase with custom wood handrail and treads. A complete demo down to drywall of all areas was performed excluding only the secondary baths, game room and laundry room where only the existing cabinets were kept and refinished. Some of the interior structural and partition walls were removed. All flooring, counter tops, shower walls, shower pans and tubs were removed and replaced. New cabinets in kitchen and main bar by Mid Continent. All other cabinetry was custom fabricated and some existing cabinets refinished. Counter tops consist of Quartz, granite and marble. Flooring is porcelain tile and marble throughout. Wall surfaces are porcelain tile, natural stacked stone and custom wood throughout. All drywall surfaces are floated to smooth wall finish. Many electrical upgrades including LED recessed can lighting, LED strip lighting under cabinets and ceiling tray lighting throughout. The front and rear yard was completely re landscaped including 2 gas fire features in the rear and a built in BBQ. The pool tile and plaster was refinished including all new concrete decking.

With an existing pool and retaining walls, we took this space and made it more modern offering many various spaces for lounging, enjoying the fire, listening to the water feature and an upper synthetic turf area for playing games. It is complete with bluestone pavers, a modern water feature and reflecting pool, a raised ipe deck, synthetic turf, glass railings, a modern, gas fire bowl and a stunning cedar privacy wall!

The expanded portion of this home includes the kitchen, family room and master bedroom with raised ceiling. all the existing doorways and openings were also raised and enlarged. The kitchen countertops are SeaPearl Quartzite with an Interceramic brand Interglass backsplash. Faucet by Grohe. Hardware by Haefele, Refrigerator by Subzero, Range by Wolf, Dishwasher by Bosch. Cabinet paint color Sherwin Williams

Mary Costa
Example of a kitchen design in Los Angeles

View from desk area looking at cooking area. This was a major remodel to an existing 1970 building. It was approximately 2300 sq. ft. but it was dated in style and function. The access was by a wood stair up to the street, with no garage and tight small rooms. The remodel and addition created a two car garage with storage and a dramatic entry with grand stair descending down to the existing living room area. Spaces where moved and changed to create a open plan living environment with a new kitchen, master suite, guest suite, and remodeling and adding to the lower level bedrooms with new baths on suite. The mechanical system was replaced and air conditioning was added as well as air treatment.

This home is in Noe Valley, a highly desirable and growing neighborhood of San Francisco. As young highly-educated families move into the area, we are remodeling and adding on to the aging homes found there. This project remodeled the entire existing two story house and added a third level, capturing the incredible views toward downtown. The design features integral color stucco, zinc roofing, an International Orange staircase, eco-teak cabinets and concrete counters. A flowing sequence of spaces were choreographed from the entry through to the family room.