A big island with seating for four and cooktop on a granite counter provided the centerpiece with plenty of room for helpers to lend a hand. Pull-out storage and drawers for pans, knives, dishes, cooking oils, spices and other elements of a chef’s desire, are all within easy reach to either side of the cooktop or in the wall of cabinets behind. Designer Jennifer Griffin called the island “tricky” as the cooktop has a down vent, “so we had to extend the sides of the cabinets and make the back panel a little extra thick to support the countertop,” she explained. Photographed by Stephanie Rosseel

In the last edition of Elle Decoration in March, they published our Mosaic del Sur cement tiles in an innovative project with the interior architect Marianne Evennou. The challenge was to create a functional and beautiful space with only 11m2. This area was found in an under-roof and transformed with soft and neutral colours. By eliminating the false ceiling the architect gained the 4 meters needed to create a loft where to put the bed. The Mosaic del Sur encaustic cement tiles were used to make the space seem bigger. “ In such a small space, it can be divided as you please and it will just make the room more spacious” explains the architect. In this way, Marianne marked the transition from the entrance to the kitchen by inverting the colours of the tiles. REF. 10703 20X20X1.6CM Interior architect: Marianne Evennou Photographer: Marie-Pierre Morel

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2016 Houzz
Trendy living room photo in Los Angeles

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a mediterranean living room remodel in Los Angeles

Modern luxury meets warm farmhouse in this Southampton home! Scandinavian inspired furnishings and light fixtures create a clean and tailored look, while the natural materials found in accent walls, casegoods, the staircase, and home decor hone in on a homey feel. An open-concept interior that proves less can be more is how we’d explain this interior. By accentuating the “negative space,” we’ve allowed the carefully chosen furnishings and artwork to steal the show, while the crisp whites and abundance of natural light create a rejuvenated and refreshed interior. This sprawling 5,000 square foot home includes a salon, ballet room, two media rooms, a conference room, multifunctional study, and, lastly, a guest house (which is a mini version of the main house).

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2016 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in New York

This Houston outdoor kitchen and entertaining area offers a modern take on Mediterranean style. Designed and built by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston, this fully loaded family and entertaining space echoes the stucco, travertine tile patio and Mediterranean style of the existing home while exuding a more modern, transitional style. “This was a high-profile client – both VPs of different oil and gas companies who entertain affluent guests on a regular basis – so they wanted to make sure they had high-end appliances and all the latest amenities they could order,” says Lisha Maxey, senior designer for Outdoor Homescapes and owner of LGH Design Services in Houston. “They also have two kids, ages 7 and 10, and wanted a family gathering space that better accompanied their new, luxurious pool.” What really sets apart this outside kitchen design idea, however, is the way the elements are used throughout the space. “Usually, outdoor kitchen designs for a backyard are grouped into one island or cabinet,” explains Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. “But here, the patio, roof and fireplace were all in place, separated by stucco columns, and the outdoor kitchen elements had to work around them.” A 14-foot-long cooking island houses a built-in Fire Magic grill with a Magic View Window (allows the chef to check on food without lifting the lid and losing valuable heat). The island, the countertop of which is "Carnaval" granite from Lackstone, also features a Fire Magic power burner, warming drawer and trash drawer. On one side of the fireplace, forming an “L” with the cooking island, sits a built-in Primo ceramic grill. On the other side of the fireplace is a 3-foot-long cabinet housing a bar with a wine cooler, ice maker and upper cabinet. And finally, just outside the patio door is a 7-foot-long cabinet with a modern Kohler sink with a high-arc Moen faucet (sink and faucet from Faucets Direct), a trash drawer and another upper cabinet. Outdoor Homescapes of Houston, by the way, outfitted both cabinets with glass inserts, custom pulls and three-way sensor lighting. “At the beginning, this was basically a blank space with a fireplace in the middle,” says Maxey. So Outdoor Homescapes upgraded the fireplace with Austin Stack Stone in white (No. 401) from Colorstonescreenshot vickers mosaic tile rectangle. "The stone added that pop,” notes Maxey. The fireplace’s espresso-colored, distressed wood mantel (from Mantels.com) and upper wood cabinets were both stained with the Minwax color Jacobean. The ceiling fans were also updated with ones featuring similarly espresso-colored, wooden fan blades, to match. The table in the middle - a cast-iron, Mediterranean style gem with hand-forged scrollwork designs from Patio 1 in Houston – seats 10. “We wanted this kind of Mediterranean feel,” says Maxey. “We wanted rustic, but the appliance package was so new, with all its stainless steel, so we kept a the cabinets and the columns stucco instead of stone for a more clean, modern look and then did the custom tile backsplash and mosaic in more of a rustic, Mediterranean look." The backsplash is a 1-inch travertine tile background with 4-inch square metallic insets, both from Floor & Decor. The tile for the 18-by-24-inch rectangle mosaic came from Great Britain Tile Co. and included a Dianno Reale tumbled border and background. The bronze, diamond-shaped insets are tumbled Dark Emperdor tile and the scrolls are tumbled Noce tile. The client, who admits they have high standards, was more than pleased with the project – especially browsing through Outdoor Homescapes’ vast library of patio kitchen design ideas, the 3D virtual video tour that let them preview the project from every angle before construction. They also liked the personalized design consultation. "OH provides a very neat service where one of their designers will either shop/buy for you or shop with you for the more detailed pieces that will finish your home," reads the client's review on Houzz. "This was a very positive, personalized feature ... Lisha helped narrow down an enormous marketplace of materials and finishes to a few we could choose from."

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2017 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in New York

Photo: Rikki Snyder ©2016 Houzz
Eclectic living room photo in Providence

House in the Waterbridge Community in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Millwork by Woodgrain Millwork www.woodgrainmillwork.com Home built by R.S. Parker Homes www.rsparkerhomes.com Photography by Sterling E. Stevens Design Photo www.sestevens.com

photo by Douglas Gibb
Minimalist home office photo in Edinburgh

This steeply sloped property was converted into a backyard retreat through the use of natural and man-made stone. The natural gunite swimming pool includes a sundeck and waterfall and is surrounded by a generous paver patio, seat walls and a sunken bar. A Koi pond, bocce court and night-lighting provided add to the interest and enjoyment of this landscape. This beautiful redesign was also featured in the Interlock Design Magazine. Explained perfectly in ICPI, “Some spa owners might be jealous of the newly revamped backyard of Wayne, NJ family: 5,000 square feet of outdoor living space, complete with an elevated patio area, pool and hot tub lined with natural rock, a waterfall bubbling gently down from a walkway above, and a cozy fire pit tucked off to the side. The era of kiddie pools, Coleman grills and fold-up lawn chairs may be officially over.”

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2015 Houzz
Eclectic staircase photo in Los Angeles

Modern luxury meets warm farmhouse in this Southampton home! Scandinavian inspired furnishings and light fixtures create a clean and tailored look, while the natural materials found in accent walls, casegoods, the staircase, and home decor hone in on a homey feel. An open-concept interior that proves less can be more is how we’d explain this interior. By accentuating the “negative space,” we’ve allowed the carefully chosen furnishings and artwork to steal the show, while the crisp whites and abundance of natural light create a rejuvenated and refreshed interior. This sprawling 5,000 square foot home includes a salon, ballet room, two media rooms, a conference room, multifunctional study, and, lastly, a guest house (which is a mini version of the main house).

Example of a large classic beige three-story mixed siding gable roof design in Philadelphia with a shingle roof

Photo by: Kenneth M. Winer Photography Inc.
Transitional l-shaped painted wood floor kitchen photo in Baltimore with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Modern luxury meets warm farmhouse in this Southampton home! Scandinavian inspired furnishings and light fixtures create a clean and tailored look, while the natural materials found in accent walls, casegoods, the staircase, and home decor hone in on a homey feel. An open-concept interior that proves less can be more is how we’d explain this interior. By accentuating the “negative space,” we’ve allowed the carefully chosen furnishings and artwork to steal the show, while the crisp whites and abundance of natural light create a rejuvenated and refreshed interior. This sprawling 5,000 square foot home includes a salon, ballet room, two media rooms, a conference room, multifunctional study, and, lastly, a guest house (which is a mini version of the main house).

Exterior Photo of our Master Bedroom deck. Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, Ga. Architecture by bldgs.org Photos by maibri.com
Trendy porch idea in Atlanta

Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in Los Angeles