John Evans
Inspiration for a timeless white tile and marble tile bathroom remodel in Columbus with gray walls

Transitional foyer expresses hints of traditional design mixed with the look of contemporary design.
Foyer - contemporary marble floor foyer idea in Chicago with white walls

Convert a small space to a polished eye-catching and functional home office. We used white painted maple wood veneers and solid wood painted doors, moldings and trims to give the space a formal style. This home office boasts under cabinet LED lighting, doors with glass inserts, upper cabinets surrounded by wrap around shelving for books and accent pieces and sturdy maple wood drawers for storing office supplies or filing important documents.

Sherri Johnson
Example of a cottage white tile and mosaic tile mosaic tile floor and white floor alcove shower design in Los Angeles with a trough sink and a hinged shower door

EARTH AND SKY. In many whole-house remodels, homeowners must choose between keeping what they love and getting what they need. We look for ways you won't have to make that choice--as in this home, which kept its abundant garden and manageable footprint and gained major space and naturally beautiful materials in the master bedroom and bath, kitchen, sunroom, and more. Photography by Maxwell MacKenzie.

Laurey W. Glenn (courtesy Southern Living)
Cottage white two-story wood exterior home photo in Atlanta

Benjamin Benschneider A Seattle family was expecting their third child and hoping to find space for an additional bedroom within their existing one-story home. A small second floor addition was considered but the cost and disruption to the family living space presented serious drawbacks. A new detached garage and DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit), to be located in the backyard, was proposed to free up the existing basement garage for the new bedroom. The new building is modest and simple, designed with a scale and character to complement the existing house and neighborhood.

Residential Design by Heydt Designs, Interior Design by Benjamin Dhong Interiors, Construction by Kearney & O'Banion, Photography by David Duncan Livingston

david gilbert
Transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen photo in New York with a farmhouse sink, marble countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, beige cabinets, subway tile backsplash and raised-panel cabinets

Designer: Jean Alan Design Assistant: Jody Trombley
Elegant built-in desk home office photo in Chicago

Professionally Staged by Ambience at Home http://ambiance-athome.com/ Professionally Photographed by SpaceCrafting http://spacecrafting.com

The former chicken coop is now a guest cottage - still in progress. Photo by Brea McDonald http://www.breamcdonald.com/

Example of a classic kitchen design in Minneapolis with paneled appliances, recessed-panel cabinets and white cabinets

photos: Kate McElwee http://www.katemcelweephotography.com

Inspiration for a modern one-story flat roof remodel in New York

The fireplace, the space's focal point, is a carved face of Prometheus, Greek god of fire. It features votive candles inset in his hair and beard to create an external glow. The space also features a custom entertainment area, wood coffered ceilings, poured concrete floors to resemble tiles, secret storage, and more. Photo Credit: Erol Reyal

4 Steps to Achieving a Rewarding Cost Effective Home Renovation 1 Home Renovation an Introduction A home renovation due to changes in family needs and space requirements can be a challenging, but also a rewarding experience. As a homeowner, gathering and coordinating resources and possibly help from professional consultants are required. Once the construction phase has started, patience, endurance and commitment to follow through are necessary. Despite the challenges, the rewards of a well-planned and successfully completed project are meaningful, adding aesthetic and economic value, also providing the opportunity to personalize a home, encompassing the function, comfort and aesthetics to accommodate individual taste and lifestyle. A renovation of an existing home is a viable alternative to moving or building a new home, assuming that a home is structurally sound, the expenditure to enlarge or improve can be a cost effective alternative. A home possessing charm, style, historical significance, established landscaping or an exceptional location could be a significant motivation to consider purchasing another home with the intent to renovate. The complexity of a project could be relatively simple, changing the use of a room, consolidating two rooms into one, or opening up a room to the outdoors. It could also be a more involved task requiring planning, design and construction documents to build a second floor addition, the addition of a new wing or completely gutting the interior. Some projects could be completed in a weekend’s work or more complex projects, using a “Master Plan”, a plan which provides overall guidance; a renovation can be accomplished all at once or divided into manageable projects over a period of time. With the home evolving gradually allowing the renovation to be planned, timed and tailored to meet individual needs and circumstances. The due diligence phase should precede the decision to renovate whether it’s an existing home or a home that is purchased with the intent to renovate. The due diligence phase will reveal the factors affecting the nature and scope of the project or if a renovation makes sense. Every renovation project is unique relative to personal requirements, architectural style & construction type. This guide will be helpful in developing an understanding of the preliminary groundwork required to realize a successful project. If properly planned, a home renovation project can be a positive and rewarding experience resulting in a comfortable, practical and an attractive living environment. The first step of the planning process is documenting the goals and long-range plans referred to as the “Project Program”. This will dictate the nature, scope and feasibility of the project. Providing a guide to achieving defined goals, the timing or phasing of the project and budget required to achieve the desired end result. 2 Documenting Existing Conditions Once the “Project Program”, has been established, the next step is to determine what there is to work with. This requires documenting the home’s floor plan and site elements which includes drawing an “as built” floor & site plan consisting of the existing exterior walls, interior rooms, doors, windows, etc. and surrounding site elements, landscape and other significant exterior features. Additionally understanding and noting on the “as built” plan, the structural, mechanical and electrical systems as necessary. Gathering the “existing condition” information defines what there is to work with, creating the framework from which to facilitate and organize the decision making process and develop effective “project program” solutions. 3 Evaluating Existing Conditions The goals and long-range plans have been established, and the existing floor plan and site elements have been documented. Before developing design solutions, the next step is to evaluate existing conditions. The evaluation includes: a detailed analysis of the structural, mechanical and electrical systems, determining the condition of the house, noting functional and aesthetic deficiencies. At the same time recognizing the home’s strengths, assets and evaluating its relationship to its site. The remaining parameters will be defined by the local jurisdiction’s zoning regulations, these regulations will define the “envelope”, within which the proposed project will be required to fit: •required front, side & rear yard setbacks •maximum allowable lot coverage & height The previous three steps have provided the necessary foundation to start the design phase. The goals and long range plans have been established, existing conditions have been documented and the evaluation of what there is to work with are now in place. This will provide the framework from which to facilitate and organize design solutions. The consolidation of this information is manifested in the development of the “Master Plan” which will become the road map by which sound decision-making can be made as a home renovation evolves. Keeping the project, on a linear path, avoiding redundancies and back tracking, on time, within budget, concluding with a well crafted finished product. After all the “up front” research and documentation has been completed, the design phase of the project can now precede, with the creation of diagrammatic design drawings. Organizing interior spaces, taking into account the external elements, prevailing breezes, solar orientation, view, existing outdoor features, etc. Through the development of schematic sketches themes will emerge followed by design development drawings. Wise planning and renovation decisions can save money and time at the same time provide a well crafted finished project. The “Master Plan” provides a strategic path in the planning and decision making process leading to a successful and rewarding home renovation, which will add value and considerable enjoyment, for many years, living in a newly renovated home. By virtue of having gone through these steps, frustrations sometimes encountered during a home renovation will be minimized, allowing the renovation to be a gratifying and rewarding experience. Being aware of the process allows one to become an “Educated Client,” which is worth quite a bit more than one might realize. The uneducated client may not realize the benefit of going through the planning, evaluation and documentation groundwork. He will only realize its benefits after having completed a prior renovation project. This rational approach keeps the design process on a direct path to achieving prescribed goals. 4 Exploring Design Solutions & Developing a Master Plan The previous three steps have provided the necessary foundation to start the design phase. The goals and long range plans have been established, existing conditions have been documented and the evaluation of what there is to work with are now in place. This will provide the framework from which to facilitate and organize design solutions. The consolidation of this information is manifested in the development of the “Master Plan” which will become the road map by which sound decision-making can be made as a home renovation evolves. Keeping the project, on a linear path, avoiding redundancies and back tracking, on time, within budget, concluding with a well crafted finished product. By virtue of having gone through these steps, frustrations sometimes encountered during a home renovation will be minimized, allowing the renovation to be a gratifying and rewarding experience. Being aware of the process allows one to become an “Educated Client,” which is worth quite a bit more than one might realize. The uneducated client may not realize the benefit of going through the planning, evaluation and documentation groundwork. He will only realize its benefits after having completed a prior renovation project. This rational approach keeps the design process on a direct path to achieving prescribed goals. After all the “up front” research and documentation has been completed, the design phase of the project can now precede, with the creation of diagrammatic design drawings. Organizing interior spaces, taking into account the external elements, prevailing breezes, solar orientation, view, existing outdoor features, etc. Through the development of schematic sketches themes will emerge followed by design development drawings. Wise planning and renovation decisions can save money and time at the same time provide a well crafted finished project. The “Master Plan” provides a strategic path in the planning and decision making process leading to a successful and rewarding home renovation, which will add value and considerable enjoyment, for many years, living in a newly renovated home.

Photography by Peter Bennetts Studio
Inspiration for a contemporary gable roof remodel in Melbourne

One of the keys to this IKEA kitchen was for it to match the overall style of the home. “We wanted to match the character of our 100-year-old house at least in spirit — which meant we wanted no super modern stuff. We wanted a color scheme we loved versus something neutral for resale value, and also wanted warm, bright lighting. Overall, we wanted a space that felt great to work in and that meant laying things out so when we cook it feels easy.” Making this happen meant incorporating an externally venting hood into this IKEA kitchen. “This way our house wouldn’t smell like whatever we cooked over the past three days,” he says. In addition, the couple’s budget included materials and labor for the cabinets, countertops, refinished floor, tiling, lighting, the nice range and hood and Bosch dishwasher. This also includes the custom cabinet fronts and panels from Semihandmade, which are seen on the white upper cabinetry and dark base cabinetry. (By the way, the New York Times recommends us as a design resource for customers considering custom doors for their cabinets.) The base cabinetry flows from the refrigerator along past the dishwasher and onto the other side of the oven. This provides ample storage options for dishtowels and other cooking supplies. The upper cabinetry provides storage for dishes and runs from either side of the external venting hood into the corner by the window. Open shelving is above the sink area, providing additional storage for pots and pans as well. Capping off the look is gold knobs and pulls from Rejuvenation, adding to the warm, classic feel.