The living room was long and narrow but with an amazing bay window. Instead of a galley style living room used by the previous owner, we decided to change the furniture arrangement by putting one big comfy L-shaped sectional all the way to one side to create a pass-through area enabling a better foot traffic. We then added two side chairs for extra seats. We also mounted our TV on top of the fireplace to gain more space. Although it's not my favorite design choice to have TV on top of the fireplace because I think it takes away from the fireplace but we had to work within the limitation of the space. For the fireplace, we bought wood stove insert and inserted it into the existing masonry fireplace. The look was updated by granite tiles around the insert and custom built wood mantel. Buying wood fireplace insert was the best decision we made. First of all, it created a memorable space in our home. I LOVE the sound of wood cracking and the smell of wood burning. In winter nights we would sit around the fireplace and make s'mores like it's a campfire. Second, it's a clean burning and efficient heater. You don't lose the majority the fire’s heat up the chimney thereby saving money on your heating bill. The coffee table is purchased from Wicker Emporium and it's made from reclaimed pine timbers giving the house a rustic feel. The side chair by the fireplace is the perfect spot for me to relax, put my feet up on the large ball shaped knitted foot rest and enjoy a cup of cappuccino or cozy up with a good book.

This is a Custom Designed and built 3 season room! Our clients wanted something cozy with lots of windows and made out of cedar for the inside. Where their kids could play in the winter and feel like they are outside but not cold and in the summer could take a break and keep cool inside but not all the way. Also a place where mom and dad could sit and relax and watch their children play outside along with a place for guest to enjoy when having them over.

Becky Hulsey, Envision Virtual Tours The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity Awaits…. Have you dreamed of owning your own spectacular waterfall, a serene trout pond, or a one of a kind mountain lodge filled with high end touches, all near Lake Burton? If the answer is yes…..then “The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls” is for you! Located just off HW 76 .3 miles to Anchorage Marina, this unique 2.8 acre property borders the National Forest, boasts a fully remodeled 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2000+ square foot rock lodge that is adjacent to its own private, spectacular 60 foot waterfall all surrounded by native landscape such as rhododendron and mountain laurel. Tumbling under the 40 foot suspension bridge, the pristine, crystal clear water continues to ramble on its way to large pond ready to be stocked with trout. Picture yourself fly fishing for a trout dinner right at your front door, or delight your friends or family while entertaining on your new porch or extensive, multi-level deck that connects your new home to your own waterfall. The kids or grandkids will be entertained for hours wading in the pool at the base of the waterfall, exploring the crooks and crannies among the stream’s boulders while looking for salamanders, or panning for “fool’s gold” in the stream. Just imagine….The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls has all this and more! As you walk up the front steps to The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls, you will notice the craftsmanship of this uniquely one of a kind home made from local stone and granite from a period gone by. If you look closely at some of the stones, you will find raw garnets, some the size of a nail head. Upon opening the front door constructed of solid oak and a tasteful piece of leaded glass, you will be amazed at the spaciousness of the lodge room. Once upon a time, the 20 x 30 foot room with 10 foot ceilings was the entire home. The focal piece of the room is the new floor to ceiling field stone fireplace, hand honed solid maple mantel, rounded hearth, accentuated by a hand-cut keystone, and flanked by raw cedar columns. The new gas logs can be remotely controlled with programmable heat. A built-in floor to ceiling cherry wood wall unit, with granite serving surface, highlights a side wall and is topped off with a large piece of stained glass from an English pub. The mood lighting behind the stained glass and the antique library ladder really highlights this unique bookcase. Distinctive lighting fixtures and fans provide dining area lighting and circulation from the cool breezes off of Lake Burton. On the bottom, the solid oak 1.5 inch flooring is a remnant of the past on the top, the height of the ceilings is enhanced by double crown moldings throughout and a touch of the outdoors is brought indoors by the three new skylights. Surrounded by rustic cedar window boxes, additional ambient light streams through the four windows facing south, and the new French doors. As you open the French doors to the new porch, you are immediately struck by the sights and sound produced by the rushing water as it cascades over the spectacular multilevel waterfall. You will also notice that the mountain has literally been carved away as you view the layers and striations in the granite that surround the back of the porch. The peaked cathedral ceiling sports a glass apex and the bead board on the ceiling accentuated by the raw cedar plank framing and the five cedar trees used as cornerstones all bring the outdoors within your reach. The addition of “E-Z Breeze” vinyl windows along with the cast iron gas stove will allow you and your family to enjoy the beauty and continually changing scenery at The Lodge at Gold Mine Fall during all four seasons. Opening the Adirondack style door on the other side of the lodge room allows you to step into the Lodge’s addition built at a later date. The four foot wide hallway boasts stained glass light fixtures and an architectural feature from the new stairwell that divides the living and the bedroom spaces. Knowing that the east wall in the kitchen and study were once on the home’s exterior allowed us to investigate and reveal the true character of these walls by removing the two layers of drywall and 4 inches of plaster exposing a striking addition to both rooms…… beautiful granite rock walls. The hallway flows into the granite breakfast bar which fully complements the newly exposed granite wall. From the Viking SS refrigerator to gas Jenn Air ceramic cooktop and microwave the appliances are a chef’s delight. Lighting is a critical component in a gourmet kitchen and the light from the double window is enhanced by two spotlights over the cooking area, LED task lighting under the cabinets, mood lighting over the top cabinets, and four “Murano” hand blown glass pendant lights over the sink and bar area. Scoring points in the design category, the full wood “Thomasville” two tone glazed cabinets that are country white and palomino scream style and sophistication, and are accentuated by the cool copper glass backsplash and refined stainless steel hardware. The porcelain, two bowl farmhouse sink is large enough for your biggest pots while the stainless steel sink guards will protect it from scratches. The SS faucet is professional quality and the Insinkerator will help the chef in the house save time with instant 190 degree water. An eight foot long exposed cedar tree trunk hangs over the cooking area allowing the chef to hang his/her favorite utensils and pots or pans in full lodge style. And who wouldn’t crave a large walk in pantry with commercial grade slides that will up to 120 pounds. With all these features, the cook/cooks in the family will love spending time in this room. Across from the kitchen is a study/office area which can be closed off from the hallway by a double barn door. Except for the remarkable exposed granite rock wall mentioned earlier, the entire room has been paneled with raw cedar boards treated with Australian Tree Oil for true lodge feel. The triple crank out window provides a superb view of the pond and blazing Japanese maple trees in the fall. Outside, the hallway leads to the utility room which has been fully upgraded with all the modern amenities. The oak cabinetry with granite tops also has an extra deep sink with commercial kitchen sprayer. The sink area is surrounded by white subway tile while slate and green glass mini tile accents bring the outdoor colors inside. The doggy door, new exterior door and crank out window provide access to the back yard and additional light. From the new “Rinnai” point of use, gas hot water heater to the new “LG” full size, stackable washer and dryer, this utility room delivers. The master bedroom has four windows which provide outstanding light and air circulation. To take the chill off of nippy evenings, this bedroom also has its own romantic fireplace with travertine marble surround, remote controlled gas logs, and a beautiful antique oak and mirror mantle. To top it off, the en-suite bath contains high end fixtures, a spacious vanity, and floor to ceiling rain shower with independent valves allowing you to turn on the shower and not get wet. Multiple safety handrails and a fold down shower seat give bathers assurance and provide an additional measure of safety. The earthy color tiles, glass tile accents and hand blown light fixtures continue the lodge theme in this end of the house. Located across the hall, the guest bedroom is light and airy with its white window boxes and double crown molding, and also has an attached bathroom. This bathroom also has an entrance door leading to the hallway and doubles as the guest bathroom for the house. Its antique oak vanity and mirror, stained glass lights and wrought iron accents remind me of a past era while the vessel sink, modern fixtures, and floor to ceiling travertine and glass tile rain shower all bring the bathroom up to modern standards. Located at the end of the hallway, and next to the guest bathroom, is the handcrafted stairwell leading to the sleeping loft. The distinctive maple stair treads with their grain and raw edge being displayed, were milled locally in Clayton and then installed from underneath so that no screw or nail heads are visible. The staircase was completed with wrought iron spindles, raw cedar handrail and floor to ceiling end post. Upon your entry into the sleeping loft, you will notice the amount of light that enters through the two skylights and large window facing the pond. The sound of water rushing over the pond’s spillway is a delightful addition to this large sleeping loft. Finished with engineered hardwood flooring and two built in double beds with tree trunks for legs, the room can accommodate four additional twin beds. The sleeping loft is also equipped with a kitchenette and a distinctive cedar and rock walled bathroom. The bath features an antique dresser vanity with marble vessel sink, distinctive fixtures and a floor to ceiling polished travertine marble shower with rain head. This bathroom also has an exterior door leading to a secondary upstairs staircase in the back yard. Just envision the great sleepovers the kids or grandkids will have here or how your out of town friends or family will just love this special area designed with their comfort and needs in mind. Originally constructed in 1925 by “off Broadway” star Rose Grant, this property is rich in history. In the early years, this home was one of the first in Rabun County to generate its own electric from the waterfall. Several small cabins were also built on the property and rented out to guests who came for the waterfall, swim in the pond and connect with nature. Other notable residents were Mrs. and Doctor Fowler who was a local pediatrician. According to an aged newspaper article, Mrs. Fowler was very interested in the indigenous flora and fauna and grew a variety of native plants on the property including some that were rare or endangered. Many metal name tags still remain along the various paths on the property thus reminding you of times gone by and the true beauty of property. Lastly, this solidly built home has just been structurally solidified, become more energy efficient, and reconfigured to further usable space all while retaining the Lodge’s original charm. After removing the flooring in the kitchen, hall and both bathrooms, the home’s structure and roof were fortified with numerous concrete footers to support both bathrooms, kitchen, and stairwell walls that extend from floor to roof. To make this home more comfortable, energy efficient, and bring it up to modern standards, the electrical system was upgraded to 220 service with the wiring, outlets, electrical panels and fixtures replaced throughout the entire home. A whole house surge protector was also installed to protect against damage that may occur with lightning strikes. Speaking of electric…..the pond’s newly poured formed concrete wall contains a pipe enabling you to install your own hydro-electric system. And whether you might decide to tie into the grid or store you energy in a battery system, you could generate your own electric 24/7. The homes plumbing was also replaced with new pipes, energy/water efficient fixtures in each bathroom (including three Toto toilets), and a new cistern was installed behind the garage with a laboratory grade water filtration system. The task of water heating was completed by a gas Rinnai point of use hot water heater in the utility room and all windows were replaced with Anderson thermal pane and 6 Velux skylights were mounted to bring the outdoors inside. The home’s HVAC system was top of the line several years ago and both sets of new gas logs are controlled with remotes. Formerly a summer home, all exterior walls were studded out with insulation added, and whole house fans were installed in the attic and upstairs bathroom. Although many of these upgrades may not be visible, they allow the home to be more energy efficient and more comfortable……allowing The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls to become your four season retreat.

Main floor, kitchen, and dining remodel plus addition replacement by Minneapolis / St. Paul-based McDonald Remodeling. See more examples of our work and learn more at www.mcdonaldremodeling.com

Our design team wanted to achieve a Pacific Northwest transitional contemporary home with a bit of nautical feel to the exterior. We mixed organic elements throughout the house to tie the look all together, along with white cabinets in the kitchen. We hope you enjoy the interior trim details we added on columns and in our tub surrounds. We took extra care on our stair system with a wrought iron accent along the top. Photography: Layne Freedle

Our clients wanted to increase the size of their kitchen, which was small, in comparison to the overall size of the home. They wanted a more open livable space for the family to be able to hang out downstairs. They wanted to remove the walls downstairs in the front formal living and den making them a new large den/entering room. They also wanted to remove the powder and laundry room from the center of the kitchen, giving them more functional space in the kitchen that was completely opened up to their den. The addition was planned to be one story with a bedroom/game room (flex space), laundry room, bathroom (to serve as the on-suite to the bedroom and pool bath), and storage closet. They also wanted a larger sliding door leading out to the pool. We demoed the entire kitchen, including the laundry room and powder bath that were in the center! The wall between the den and formal living was removed, completely opening up that space to the entry of the house. A small space was separated out from the main den area, creating a flex space for them to become a home office, sitting area, or reading nook. A beautiful fireplace was added, surrounded with slate ledger, flanked with built-in bookcases creating a focal point to the den. Behind this main open living area, is the addition. When the addition is not being utilized as a guest room, it serves as a game room for their two young boys. There is a large closet in there great for toys or additional storage. A full bath was added, which is connected to the bedroom, but also opens to the hallway so that it can be used for the pool bath. The new laundry room is a dream come true! Not only does it have room for cabinets, but it also has space for a much-needed extra refrigerator. There is also a closet inside the laundry room for additional storage. This first-floor addition has greatly enhanced the functionality of this family’s daily lives. Previously, there was essentially only one small space for them to hang out downstairs, making it impossible for more than one conversation to be had. Now, the kids can be playing air hockey, video games, or roughhousing in the game room, while the adults can be enjoying TV in the den or cooking in the kitchen, without interruption! While living through a remodel might not be easy, the outcome definitely outweighs the struggles throughout the process.

Danielle LeFebvre
Home office - home office idea in Providence

Updating a recently built town home in culver city for a wonderful family was a very enjoyable project for us. The townhouse bathroom had a basic look and was lacking in both storage and looks. the main part of this project was the custom design and building of the vanity unit and the extra storage with bi-fold doors so not to take up too much space. the floors were done with porcelain tile that mimics the rich look of Calcutta marble. the large format tile gives a sensation of space and minimalize the amount of grout lines on the floor. The shower unit received a much-needed high end plumbing fixture and the shower head was raised to a normal height. the walls were tiled with the same floor tile in a staggered pattern. the bench wall is the center focal point and is boasting a chiseled texture dark gray tile that is been complimented by the slate shower pan tile work. notice the bench top and the step into the shower, it is done with a single piece of quartz stone for a clean and grout-less look.

This bath remodel started with the desire for a mini-spa in a small footprint. With concise planning a precious 10 SF was added, ending up with 51 SF. Everything that came into the new space was new, fresh and bold. A soaker tub (22” deep) was a must. A rain shower and a hand shower gave versatile water sprays. Unique accents shine like the embossed paisley low vessel sink. The tile on the floor was bold and accented with penny-rounds in tones of grey for the niche and splash. Other extras; a storage nook was made by cutting into the hall stair cavity, a great place for linens and necessities. General lighting was increased with a larger window, and a great lighted mirror. This small spa is now bold, functional and enjoyed by these busy professionals.

A simple low deck off the back of this mid century split level means the home owners can walk out to enjoy the view. An extra wide slider replaces the old leaky wood door and low windows. Where before the den just inside was dark and dreary is is now filled with light. The deck is Ipe' with cedar side boards. The awning is cedar with polycarbonate sheeting. The lamps are bronze. photo credit: Damon Landry

The living room was long and narrow but with an amazing bay window. Instead of a galley style living room used by the previous owner, we decided to change the furniture arrangement by putting one big comfy L-shaped sectional all the way to one side to create a pass-through area enabling a better foot traffic. We then added two side chairs for extra seats. We also mounted our TV on top of the fireplace to gain more space. Although it's not my favorite design choice to have TV on top of the fireplace because I think it takes away from the fireplace but we had to work within the limitation of the space. For the fireplace, we bought wood stove insert and inserted it into the existing masonry fireplace. The look was updated by granite tiles around the insert and custom built wood mantel. Buying wood fireplace insert was the best decision we made. First of all, it created a memorable space in our home. I LOVE the sound of wood cracking and the smell of wood burning. In winter nights we would sit around the fireplace and make s'mores like it's a campfire. Second, it's a clean burning and efficient heater. You don't lose the majority the fire’s heat up the chimney thereby saving money on your heating bill. The coffee table is purchased from Wicker Emporium and it's made from reclaimed pine timbers giving the house a rustic feel. The side chair by the fireplace is the perfect spot for me to relax, put my feet up on the large ball shaped knitted foot rest and enjoy a cup of cappuccino or cozy up with a good book.

This client initially retained us to design & build an addition but after an in-depth review of the house and the family's need we were able to create the ideal space by simply re-configuring the existing square footage. The dining room was over-sized and underused, which allowed us to relocate a primary wall in the kitchen to create a much larger foot print. Additionally we added an extra window to allow more natural light in. Once that was complete, the client felt the elegance we had in mind and enjoyed what felt like a completely new home

Large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Detroit with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a beach style kitchen design in Jacksonville

Our design team wanted to achieve a Pacific Northwest transitional contemporary home with a bit of nautical feel to the exterior. We mixed organic elements throughout the house to tie the look all together, along with white cabinets in the kitchen. We hope you enjoy the interior trim details we added on columns and in our tub surrounds. We took extra care on our stair system with a wrought iron accent along the top. Photography: Layne Freedle

EXTRA cozy screen porch. We have a wood burning fireplace, heated tile floors and infrared ceiling mounted heaters to enjoy this space year round...even in winter!

We were hired to create a Lake Charlevoix retreat for our client’s to be used by their whole family throughout the year. We were tasked with creating an inviting cottage that would also have plenty of space for the family and their guests. The main level features open concept living and dining, gourmet kitchen, walk-in pantry, office/library, laundry, powder room and master suite. The walk-out lower level houses a recreation room, wet bar/kitchenette, guest suite, two guest bedrooms, large bathroom, beach entry area and large walk in closet for all their outdoor gear. Balconies and a beautiful stone patio allow the family to live and entertain seamlessly from inside to outside. Coffered ceilings, built in shelving and beautiful white moldings create a stunning interior. Our clients truly love their Northern Michigan home and enjoy every opportunity to come and relax or entertain in their striking space. - Jacqueline Southby Photography

Our clients were relocating from the upper peninsula to the lower peninsula and wanted to design a retirement home on their Lake Michigan property. The topography of their lot allowed for a walk out basement which is practically unheard of with how close they are to the water. Their view is fantastic, and the goal was of course to take advantage of the view from all three levels. The positioning of the windows on the main and upper levels is such that you feel as if you are on a boat, water as far as the eye can see. They were striving for a Hamptons / Coastal, casual, architectural style. The finished product is just over 6,200 square feet and includes 2 master suites, 2 guest bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, sunroom, home bar, home gym, dedicated seasonal gear / equipment storage, table tennis game room, sauna, and bonus room above the attached garage. All the exterior finishes are low maintenance, vinyl, and composite materials to withstand the blowing sands from the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Inspiration for a transitional sunroom remodel in Other