Nearly two decades ago now, Susan and her husband put a letter in the mailbox of this eastside home: "If you have any interest in selling, please reach out." But really, who would give up a Flansburgh House? Fast forward to 2020, when the house went on the market! By then it was clear that three children and a busy home design studio couldn't be crammed into this efficient footprint. But what's second best to moving into your dream home? Being asked to redesign the functional core for the family that was. In this classic Flansburgh layout, all the rooms align tidily in a square around a central hall and open air atrium. As such, all the spaces are both connected to one another and also private; and all allow for visual access to the outdoors in two directions—toward the atrium and toward the exterior. All except, in this case, the utilitarian galley kitchen. That space, oft-relegated to second class in midcentury architecture, got the shaft, with narrow doorways on two ends and no good visual access to the atrium or the outside. Who spends time in the kitchen anyway? As is often the case with even the very best midcentury architecture, the kitchen at the Flansburgh House needed to be modernized; appliances and cabinetry have come a long way since 1970, but our culture has evolved too, becoming more casual and open in ways we at SYH believe are here to stay. People (gasp!) do spend time—lots of time!—in their kitchens! Nonetheless, our goal was to make this kitchen look as if it had been designed this way by Earl Flansburgh himself. The house came to us full of bold, bright color. We edited out some of it (along with the walls it was on) but kept and built upon the stunning red, orange and yellow closet doors in the family room adjacent to the kitchen. That pop was balanced by a few colorful midcentury pieces that our clients already owned, and the stunning light and verdant green coming in from both the atrium and the perimeter of the house, not to mention the many skylights. Thus, the rest of the space just needed to quiet down and be a beautiful, if neutral, foil. White terrazzo tile grounds custom plywood and black cabinetry, offset by a half wall that offers both camouflage for the cooking mess and also storage below, hidden behind seamless oak tambour. Contractor: Rusty Peterson Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Photographer: Sarah Shields

We love to collaborate, whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. For this mountainside retreat, we entered at a unique point in the process—to collaborate on the interior architecture—lending our expertise in fine finishes and fixtures to complete the spaces, thereby creating the perfect backdrop for the family of furniture makers to fill in each vignette. Catering to a design-industry client meant we sourced with singularity and sophistication in mind, from matchless slabs of marble for the kitchen and master bath to timeless basin sinks that feel right at home on the frontier and custom lighting with both industrial and artistic influences. We let each detail speak for itself in situ.

This classic farmhouse kitchen is a perfect expression of timeless design, blending warm, natural elements with a refined modern farmhouse interior. Custom wood cabinets anchor the space with rich texture and craftsmanship, while exposed wood beams overhead add architectural character and an inviting sense of authenticity. Light countertops brighten the kitchen, creating a soft contrast against the cabinetry and enhancing the open, airy feel. At the center, a green kitchen island serves as both a functional prep space and a striking focal point, bringing depth and personality to the room.

When Cummings Architects first met with the owners of this understated country farmhouse, the building’s layout and design was an incoherent jumble. The original bones of the building were almost unrecognizable. All of the original windows, doors, flooring, and trims – even the country kitchen – had been removed. Mathew and his team began a thorough design discovery process to find the design solution that would enable them to breathe life back into the old farmhouse in a way that acknowledged the building’s venerable history while also providing for a modern living by a growing family. The redesign included the addition of a new eat-in kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, wrap around porch, and stone fireplaces. To begin the transforming restoration, the team designed a generous, twenty-four square foot kitchen addition with custom, farmers-style cabinetry and timber framing. The team walked the homeowners through each detail the cabinetry layout, materials, and finishes. Salvaged materials were used and authentic craftsmanship lent a sense of place and history to the fabric of the space. The new master suite included a cathedral ceiling showcasing beautifully worn salvaged timbers. The team continued with the farm theme, using sliding barn doors to separate the custom-designed master bath and closet. The new second-floor hallway features a bold, red floor while new transoms in each bedroom let in plenty of light. A summer stair, detailed and crafted with authentic details, was added for additional access and charm. Finally, a welcoming farmer’s porch wraps around the side entry, connecting to the rear yard via a gracefully engineered grade. This large outdoor space provides seating for large groups of people to visit and dine next to the beautiful outdoor landscape and the new exterior stone fireplace. Though it had temporarily lost its identity, with the help of the team at Cummings Architects, this lovely farmhouse has regained not only its former charm but also a new life through beautifully integrated modern features designed for today’s family. Photo by Eric Roth

Open concept kitchen - large 1960s l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen idea in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Doorless shower - large transitional master white tile and subway tile mosaic tile floor doorless shower idea in Omaha with open cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and marble countertops

Cabinet design and dealer: Vince Winteregg Construction: Nelson Construction and Renovations Photo Credit: Vince Winteregg
Open concept kitchen - large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen idea in Tampa with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

Transitional Baltic Brown Granite, Blanco Silgranit sink in Cinder with Kohler Stainless Faucet, tile backsplash with accent tile.
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Detroit with a double-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops and ceramic backsplash

Inspiration for a farmhouse concrete floor kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Opus White Honed Quartzite is used on the perimeter, backsplash, and island of this beautiful kitchen remodel in Portland, Oregon.
Example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor, brown floor and exposed beam eat-in kitchen design in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This was a really fun kitchen remodel we did in Fort Collins, CO. We brought in more natural light by exposing the beam and decreasing the divider wall to the living room. All new cabinetry, appliances, and a huge island with seating on two sides. The farmhouse sink was moved to the island, and we tiled the backsplash to the ceiling to make the space feel larger. We framed the counter-depth fridge in pantry storage cabinets and wrapped it in a custom shaker crown. Finally, we finished the flooring with a beautiful Acacia hardwood, and replaced the outdated patio slider with french doors.

Open concept kitchen - large contemporary exposed beam open concept kitchen idea in Santa Barbara with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

William Quarles
Example of a mid-sized classic l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Cottage l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, window backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

We used the timber frame of a century old barn to build this rustic modern house. The barn was dismantled, and reassembled on site. Inside, we designed the home to showcase as much of the original timber frame as possible. The kitchen opens up to a living space with great mountain views. Photography by Todd Crawford

part of design team at Poss Architecture and Planning
Example of a mountain style u-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Denver with an undermount sink, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and white backsplash

Open concept kitchen with a French Bistro feel. Light maple wood shelves on custom made brackets. Photo: Emily Wilson
Example of a small eclectic l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in Las Vegas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The Brizo Odin Pull-Down Faucet in Luxe Gold adds an unexpected touch to the organic kitchen design.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor, brown floor and exposed beam eat-in kitchen remodel in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops