A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

10 Ideas for Turning Your Garage into a Modern Industrial Neighborhood Bar By Elizabeth Aldrich Host happy hours and cocktail parties worthy of a full page spread – in your own garage. Leave the brick exposed, the concrete floors as is, and the wood unfinished and it costs more? The sophisticated older brother of the shabby-chic trend, urban industrial style, is taking over. Real estate agents are able to tack on a few extra grand to a flat if they can include “exposed brick” in their advertisements, and designer chefs and master mixologists are moving into warehouses and industrial districts in urban areas across the nation. A friend recently invited me to dinner at Portland, Oregon’s newest, hippest charcuterie spot, and when we pulled up to the building it was in a warehouse where I used to go to underground raves in high school. These industrial style spaces that were once seen as unfinished or lacking in coziness are now seriously coveted. Their rawness is considered authentic, their grit a mark of character. But if you’re a homeowner, there’s a good chance you already have one of them built right into your house: your garage. I like to preach about how much people underutilize their garage spaces, piling them full of storage bins they never touch. Whether you turn it into a workspace or a playroom, there’s a lot of value in a creatively-used garage space. For the overly ambitious, the design lover, or the hostess with the mostess, here’s one idea that blows the rest out of the water. Turn your garage into a multi-purpose, urban industrial wonderland for work and play. Originally outfitted for factories and warehouses, the industrial style facilitates productivity. Now that it’s also being appreciated as a great aesthetic for bars and restaurants, these rooms can serve both form and function, doubling as work and entertaining spaces. This is great for people who have always dreamed of having that extra basement space for hosting friends, complete with a wet bar and a billiards table, but lack the square footage. Just keep in mind that your friends might love it so much, they’ll start ditching their favorite happy hour spot and showing up at your doorstep instead. Here are ten ideas forbuilding the perfect workshop by day and cocktail bar by night in your garage. 1. Clean out the space. Get rid of everything you don’t need. Part of the beauty of industrial style designs is their simplicity and abundance of open space. Excessive clutter can make people feel boxed in, and that’s not conducive to productivity or to social activity. Out of sight, out of mind. Build shelving up high for storing must-keep belongings, much like a warehouse. For bonus points, store your belongings in wooden crates for aesthetic consistency. Or consider stacking them on a pallet, wrapping them in excessive amounts of plastic wrap, and loading them onto the next cross-country freighter. You won’t miss them. 2. Install storage for frequently used objects. The brilliant thing about the urban industrial look is that your tools, tool boxes, and tool storage cabinets already fit right in. Metal storage cabinets and file cabinets are perfect additions to the space. While grey is certainly the color pallet for this style, 50 shades might be a few too many. Mix it up by spray painting one of your cabinetsto add a pop of color. Make a small pegboard to hold up your tools and hang larger items such as bicycles and recreational equipment by pegs. If you have a lot of storage bins that you have to keep, look upward instead of storing them on the floor. Insert a tracking system onto your garage ceiling and slide the bins into place. For extra credit, get an old locker to use as a coat closet when guests come over. 3. Heat the space.Since you’re not turning the garage into a full-time living space, such as a spare bedroom, you really don’t need to go through the work and additional cost of installing full-blown heating and insulation systems. If you don’t need to use the space when the temperature drops, or if you live in a consistently temperate climate, you might not need to do anything. But if you do want to be able to host people through the winter, a simple garage heater will suffice. Here are some good options for installing garage heating. Take it one step further, and get a couple patio heaters to help with the next step. 4. Turn your driveway into a patio space. Even the best restaurants and cocktail bars are nothing in the summertime without a solid patio space. Leave the garage door open on warmer nights and invite your guests to go outdoors. Place some stylish folding chairs and a patio table out for comfort. Place a few potted plants here and there to make the space feel more inviting. For a really lively patio scene, put a portable fire pit out on the driveway or front lawn and surround it with workbenches from your garage. 5. Build your bar. Pick a corner in your garage for the bar, and get started. You can build a bar pretty cheaply and easily with reclaimed pallets, and get some industrial-style barstools. Behind the bar, you’ll have both your tools and your liquor, and there’s no need to build expensive cabinetry. If you’re serving quality, why cover it up? Build shelving or open cubicles to house your liquor. Put out metal buckets filled with ice to chill beers.Be sure to serve up cocktails worthy of the space. The Hemingway Daiquiri served straight up is a unique way to dress down, or industrialize, a traditionally frou-frou cocktail. To go the extra mile, build a bar with laid brick.Install an extra fridge in the garage so you can avoid having to trek into the kitchen to refill chilled drinks, and you can store dips, vegetables, and other hors d'oeuvres right at your fingertips. 6. Bring on the games. To really turn your hosting space into a fun time, be sure to offer ample play options. For the low on space, a dart board will suffice, whereas if you’ve got a five-car garage and can’t manage to fill the space, put in a couple billiard tables. Ping pong tables are ideal for most because they’re great fun and can easily be folded up and stored. If you want to keep your guests playing until the wee hours of the morning, get an old pinball machine, a vintage arcade game, or a small Skee-Ball alley. 7. The heart of your space.Build along worktable that doubles as a table for your guests right in the center of your garage. It should be tall enough to be used while standing, although you can place a few barstools along with it. Having a table space for drinks but limited seating will encourage guests to walk around and mingle. Build it out of wood and make sure to maintain a natural finish. Don’t be afraid to rough up the work table by day. The dings and marks created while you build will only lend authenticity to the piece. 8. Install lighting. Remember, the urban industrial style is all about function and showcasing materials in their raw form. There’s no need to buy expensive floor lamps or install a fancy lighting system. The most popular lighting in these types of spaces is exposed bulb lighting. Just open up the wiring on your current lighting system and drop down some bulbs. For additional lighting, string up exposed bulb patio lights and place some vintage metal desk lamps on the tables and bar area. 9. Brand your space. Use the designs for the stuff you build by day as wall art. Blow up sketches, blueprints, schematics, and architectural drawings to hang up for decoration. Choose one wall that could use a splash of color, perhaps the wall behind your bar, and get a friend to paint a mural, or whip out the spray paint for a real urban feel. Splurge a little and get a custom neon sign made of your last name or the word “bar” to hang behind the bar. 10. The garage door. For the finishing touch, and to really wow your guests, get a brand new modern, industrial style garage door installed. Look for the window-paneled types that restaurants use, like this contemporary aluminum and glass beauty. You can leave it half open when you want to utilize your driveway-patio space. On nights when you have to close it all the way, the glass panels let your guests still look out onto the stars, making it feel like a patio space even when it’s too cold for one. Once your garage bar is up and running, put on your denim suit and get ready to call yourself the Joneses. No one will be able to keep up with you.

Embracing an authentic Craftsman-styled kitchen was one of the primary objectives for these New Jersey clients. They envisioned bending traditional hand-craftsmanship and modern amenities into a chef inspired kitchen. The woodwork in adjacent rooms help to facilitate a vision for this space to create a free-flowing open concept for family and friends to enjoy. This kitchen takes inspiration from nature and its color palette is dominated by neutral and earth tones. Traditionally characterized with strong deep colors, the simplistic cherry cabinetry allows for straight, clean lines throughout the space. A green subway tile backsplash and granite countertops help to tie in additional earth tones and allow for the natural wood to be prominently displayed. The rugged character of the perimeter is seamlessly tied into the center island. Featuring chef inspired appliances, the island incorporates a cherry butchers block to provide additional prep space and seating for family and friends. The free-standing stainless-steel hood helps to transform this Craftsman-style kitchen into a 21st century treasure.

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

Paint by Sherwin Williams Body Color - Anonymous - SW 7046 Accent Color - Urban Bronze - SW 7048 Trim Color - Worldly Gray - SW 7043 Front Door Stain - Northwood Cabinets - Custom Truffle Stain Exterior Stone by Eldorado Stone Stone Product Rustic Ledge in Clearwater Outdoor Fireplace by Heat & Glo Doors by Western Pacific Building Materials Windows by Milgard Windows & Doors Window Product Style Line® Series Window Supplier Troyco - Window & Door Lighting by Destination Lighting Garage Doors by NW Door Decorative Timber Accents by Arrow Timber Timber Accent Products Classic Series LAP Siding by James Hardie USA Fiber Cement Shakes by Nichiha USA Construction Supplies via PROBuild Landscaping by GRO Outdoor Living Customized & Built by Cascade West Development Photography by ExposioHDR Portland Original Plans by Alan Mascord Design Associates

Getting your homeowner's association board to approve your new custom garage doors can seem daunting. Dynamic Garage Door as a custom design and manufacturing firm has come across this situation quite frequently with a phenomenal success approval rate! In order to get approval for your custom garage door approval there are a few basic points you must understand. First off, your HOA is committed to preserving the neighborhood's curb appeal integrity by focusing on the impact your new custom garage doors might have on your house and the houses of your neighbors. It is important to understand that your curb appeal decisions will impact your home and neighborhood alike. Too many companies offer semi-custom wood doors without the true understanding of the client's need and the essence of their home's architectural style. The garage door design you choose needs to comply with neighborhood regulations while complement your home's architecture. At Dynamic Garage Door, our designers are well-rounded in the garage door industry and so we can suggest or develop designs that will reinforce the natural appearance of your home's style. If you can prove to your HOA that you've done your homework and that the garage door design you chose will complement not only your home but the neighborhood you'll be surprised when your proposal is marked with the approval stamp! This garage door is actually a single double-car door not two as it appears. The reason is that this garage used to have two separate doors with a post in the middle. The post in the middle made it difficult to use the garage on a daily basis so the post was removed to facilitate the use of the garage. The HOA wasn't too happy about the removal of the post as it was an essential part of the arches located right above the garage doors. You can clearly see how that would have been disruptive if the homeowner went with a regular wood door and not one custom designed and manufactured by Dynamic Garage Door. This garage door was specifically designed to address the HOA's concern about the center post removal and the effect it would have on the curb appeal of the home with the incomplete double arch look. So we addressed this by crafting the door with a false center post in the middle that was textured and painted the same color of the house to give off that illusion that the post is still there. Overall, it gives the home a complete finished appearance with two independent-looking doors and original post. The homeowner got the entire width of the opening to use at the push of a button so having a larger car won't be a problem anymore. The neighbors are all happy and no one seems to notice the center post is actually fake! Got an interesting garage door project you want our designers to review and price out for you? Give us a call at (855) 343-DOOR

Getting your homeowner's association board to approve your new custom garage doors can seem daunting. Dynamic Garage Door as a custom design and manufacturing firm has come across this situation quite frequently with a phenomenal success approval rate! In order to get approval for your custom garage door approval there are a few basic points you must understand. First off, your HOA is committed to preserving the neighborhood's curb appeal integrity by focusing on the impact your new custom garage doors might have on your house and the houses of your neighbors. It is important to understand that your curb appeal decisions will impact your home and neighborhood alike. Too many companies offer semi-custom wood doors without the true understanding of the client's need and the essence of their home's architectural style. The garage door design you choose needs to comply with neighborhood regulations while complement your home's architecture. At Dynamic Garage Door, our designers are well-rounded in the garage door industry and so we can suggest or develop designs that will reinforce the natural appearance of your home's style. If you can prove to your HOA that you've done your homework and that the garage door design you chose will complement not only your home but the neighborhood you'll be surprised when your proposal is marked with the approval stamp! This garage door is actually a single double-car door not two as it appears. The reason is that this garage used to have two separate doors with a post in the middle. The post in the middle made it difficult to use the garage on a daily basis so the post was removed to facilitate the use of the garage. The HOA wasn't too happy about the removal of the post as it was an essential part of the arches located right above the garage doors. You can clearly see how that would have been disruptive if the homeowner went with a regular wood door and not one custom designed and manufactured by Dynamic Garage Door. This garage door was specifically designed to address the HOA's concern about the center post removal and the effect it would have on the curb appeal of the home with the incomplete double arch look. So we addressed this by crafting the door with a false center post in the middle that was textured and painted the same color of the house to give off that illusion that the post is still there. Overall, it gives the home a complete finished appearance with two independent-looking doors and original post. The homeowner got the entire width of the opening to use at the push of a button so having a larger car won't be a problem anymore. The neighbors are all happy and no one seems to notice the center post is actually fake! Got an interesting garage door project you want our designers to review and price out for you? Give us a call at (855) 343-DOOR

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Bobcat Lodge- Lake Rabun Be welcomed to this perfect mountain/lake lodge through stone pillars down a driveway of stamped concrete and brick paver patterns to the porte cochere. The design philosophy seen in the home's exterior extends to the interior with 10 fireplaces, the finest materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Great Room Enter the striking foyer with the antique heart pine, walnut and bird's-eye maple inlaid pattern that harmonizes with the natural unity of the spacious great room. The visually anchored stone fireplace accented by hand hewn circa 1800 oak beams silhouettes the soft lake views making a dynamic design statement. The great room was designed with togetherness in mind and features high vaulted ceilings, wormy oak flooring with walnut borders, a spacious dining area, a gourmet kitchen and for softer and more intimate moments a keeping room. Kitchen: Wormy chestnut cabinets, Complimenting South American granite countertops Wolf cooktop, double oven Preparation bar Serving Buffet Separate wet bar Walk-in Pantry Laundry Room: entrance off the foyer, wormy chestnut cabinets and South American granite Keeping Room: Nestled off the kitchen area intimately scaled for quieter moments, wormy chestnut ceilings with hand hewn oak beams from Ohio and Pennsylvania, wormy oak flooring accented with walnut and sycamore, and private fireplace Powder Room off foyer Three Master Bedroom Suites: each with its own unique full bathroom and private alcove with masonry wood burning fireplace Master suite on the main floor with full bath enlivened by a fish theme with earthtones and blue accents, a copper soaking tub, large shower and copper sinks Upstairs master suite with wormy oak flooring sits snug above the lake looking through a tree canopy as from a tree house facilitating a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere- full bath features jetted tub, separate shower, large closet, and friendly lizards sitting on copper sinks Terrace Level Master Suite offers trey ceilings, entrance to stone terrace supported by cyprus tree trunks giving the feel of a rainforest floor: Full bath includes double mosaic-raised copper sinks, antler lighting, jetted tub accented with aquatic life tiles and separate water closet This warm and inviting rustic interior perfectly balances the outdoor lake vistas with the comfort of indoor living.moving directly to the outdoor living spaces. A full length deck supported by cyprus trees offers the opportunity for serious entertaining. The stone terrace off the downstairs family room leads directly to the two stall boathouse for lakeside entertaining with its own private fireplace. Terrace Level: 14 foot ceilings, transom windows A master suite A guest room with trey ceilings, wool carpet, and full bath with copper sinks,double vanity and riverock shower Family room with focal stone fireplace, wet bar with wine cooler, separate kitchen with sink, mini refrigerator and built in microwave Wine closet with hand painted plaster finish A full bath for drippy swimmers with oversized river rock shower accented with crayfish and salamander tiles Extras All windows are Loewen windows A ridge vent system Custom design closets Poured foundation for house and boathouse European spruce framing Exterior siding: 1 x 12 pressure treated pine with 1 x 4 batten strips Siding has three coat process of Sikkens stain finish Ten masonry fireplaces Stacked rock from Rocky Gap Virginia Eight foot custom Honduran Pine True plaster walls with three coat process faux finish Locust hand rails for the deck Support cyprus tree trunks from Charleston Outside light fixtures custom made in NY Five hot water heaters, circulating pump Duel fuel heat pump/propane, 1000 gallon buried propane tank, four zone heating system Two laundry rooms All Fireplaces set up for flat screen TV's Adjacent lot available for purchase

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Getting your homeowner's association board to approve your new custom garage doors can seem daunting. Dynamic Garage Door as a custom design and manufacturing firm has come across this situation quite frequently with a phenomenal success approval rate! In order to get approval for your custom garage door approval there are a few basic points you must understand. First off, your HOA is committed to preserving the neighborhood's curb appeal integrity by focusing on the impact your new custom garage doors might have on your house and the houses of your neighbors. It is important to understand that your curb appeal decisions will impact your home and neighborhood alike. Too many companies offer semi-custom wood doors without the true understanding of the client's need and the essence of their home's architectural style. The garage door design you choose needs to comply with neighborhood regulations while complement your home's architecture. At Dynamic Garage Door, our designers are well-rounded in the garage door industry and so we can suggest or develop designs that will reinforce the natural appearance of your home's style. If you can prove to your HOA that you've done your homework and that the garage door design you chose will complement not only your home but the neighborhood you'll be surprised when your proposal is marked with the approval stamp! This garage door is actually a single double-car door not two as it appears. The reason is that this garage used to have two separate doors with a post in the middle. The post in the middle made it difficult to use the garage on a daily basis so the post was removed to facilitate the use of the garage. The HOA wasn't too happy about the removal of the post as it was an essential part of the arches located right above the garage doors. You can clearly see how that would have been disruptive if the homeowner went with a regular wood door and not one custom designed and manufactured by Dynamic Garage Door. This garage door was specifically designed to address the HOA's concern about the center post removal and the effect it would have on the curb appeal of the home with the incomplete double arch look. So we addressed this by crafting the door with a false center post in the middle that was textured and painted the same color of the house to give off that illusion that the post is still there. Overall, it gives the home a complete finished appearance with two independent-looking doors and original post. The homeowner got the entire width of the opening to use at the push of a button so having a larger car won't be a problem anymore. The neighbors are all happy and no one seems to notice the center post is actually fake! Got an interesting garage door project you want our designers to review and price out for you? Give us a call at (855) 343-DOOR

Located near Ennis, Montana, this cabin captures the essence of rustic style while maintaining modern comforts. Jack Watkins’ father, the namesake of the creek by which this home is built, was involved in the construction of the Old Faithful Lodge. He originally built the cabin for he and his family in 1917, with small additions and upgrades over the years. The new owners’ desire was to update the home to better facilitate modern living, but without losing the original character. Windows and doors were added, and the kitchen and bathroom were completely remodeled. Well-placed porches were added to further integrate the interior spaces to their adjacent exterior counterparts, as well as a mud room—a practical requirement in rural Montana. Today, details like the unique juniper handrail leading up to the library, will remind visitors and guests of its historical Western roots.

Bedroom - contemporary medium tone wood floor, gray floor and vaulted ceiling bedroom idea in Austin with white walls

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

Patricia Beane
Bathroom - contemporary beige tile and porcelain tile bathroom idea in San Diego with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets and quartz countertops

To facilitate the builder's desire to create a successful model home in this large site development with expansive natural preserves, this design creates a sense of presence far greater than its actual size. This was accomplished by a wide yet shallow layout that allows most rooms to look out to rear of home and preserve views beyond. Designed with a West Indies flavor, this thoroughly modern home's layout flows seamlessly from space to space. Each room is bright with lots of natural light, creating a home that takes fullest potential of this unique site. An ARDA for Model Home Design goes to The Stater Group, Inc. Designer: The Sater Group, Inc. From: Bonita Springs, Florida

A busy family of five decided to turn their neglected living room into a more useful space to accommodate their needs by converting the space into a study, pantry, and breakfast nook. To better facilitate their passion for cooking, the kitchen now features a 72″ wide refrigerator and freezer, bar top seating, and a built-in breakfast nook. Photos by Kimberly Gavin Photography

Commercial office design made to feel like home! Photography by The Wedding Flashers
Home office photo in Other

This beautiful combination of rooms was part of a whole house design that we put together to flow within the owner’s overall vision of modern style and functionality. THE SETUP The house was partially built when the owner purchased it, so we tweaked the layout to fit his needs. Like so many homeowners today, our client is a casual diner and would rather not have space dedicated as a formal dining room. Island seating and a large table off the kitchen make more sense for his lifestyle. Our client wanted a clean, contemporary look with a layout that works for one person preparing meals most of the time, but adaptable for entertaining at different scales at other times. THE RENEWED SPACE The first thing we did was design a bar in the space formerly designated for a formal dining room. It is open to the front entry foyer on one side and flows easily into the butler’s pantry on the other side. A TV for sports viewing is centered between a full-sized wine cooler and a glass cabinet for barware. The u-shaped bar top seats five people comfortably and hides the lower bar prep countertop from view from the entry. The butler’s pantry is situated between the kitchen eating area and the front bar. The walls on the sides of this area were opened to help the areas flow together into one great room. An icemaker and under-counter refrigerator drawers were incorporated into the butler’s pantry to help it function as a place to set up drinks etc. to be used in the kitchen eating area. The floating shelves also helped open the space up. Across from the butler’s area is a clean contemporary powder room with indirect lighting below floating cabinetry to complete the look. The kitchen uses an array of man-made materials for ease of maintenance and durability. The layout includes a perfect work triangle for a one-cook kitchen with all the amenities. A range with double ovens, a built-in microwave and a warming drawer are all conveniently located. The countertop is a man-made quartz that looks like rugged concrete. The refrigerator and freezer are below a decorative niche, which gives them a furniture-type appearance. Across from the kitchen is a family room with a fireplace surrounded by a quartz material and wooden wall panels that match the kitchen’s countertop and refrigerator cabinetry. THE RENEWED SPACE The overall effect is a beautiful area with separate spaces for living life comfortably and artistically. Everything flows together, facilitating life’s daily needs and a wide range of purposeful gatherings with family and friends.