The 100-year old home’s kitchen was old and just didn’t function well. A peninsula in the middle of the main part of the kitchen blocked the path from the back door. This forced the homeowners to mostly use an odd, U-shaped corner of the kitchen. Design objectives: -Add an island -Wow-factor design -Incorporate arts and crafts with a touch of Mid-century modern style -Allow for a better work triangle when cooking -Create a seamless path coming into the home from the backdoor -Make all the countertops in the space 36” high (the old kitchen had different base cabinet heights) Design challenges to be solved: -Island design -Where to place the sink and dishwasher -The family’s main entrance into the home is a back door located within the kitchen space. Samantha needed to find a way to make an unobstructed path through the kitchen to the outside -A large eating area connected to the kitchen felt slightly misplaced – Samantha wanted to bring the kitchen and materials more into this area -The client does not like appliance garages/cabinets to the counter. The more countertop space, the better! Design solutions: -Adding the right island made all the difference! Now the family has a couple of seats within the kitchen space. -Multiple walkways facilitate traffic flow. -Multiple pantry cabinets (both shallow and deep) are placed throughout the space. A couple of pantry cabinets were even added to the back door wall and wrap around into the breakfast nook to give the kitchen a feel of extending into the adjoining eating area. -Upper wall cabinets with clear glass offer extra lighting and the opportunity for the client to display her beautiful vases and plates. They add and an airy feel to the space. -The kitchen had two large existing windows that were ideal for a sink placement. The window closest to the back door made the most sense due to the fact that the other window was in the corner. Now that the sink had a place, we needed to worry about the dishwasher. Samantha didn’t want the dishwasher to be in the way of people coming in the back door – it’s now in the island right across from the sink. -The homeowners love Motawi Tile. Some fantastic pieces are placed within the backsplash throughout the kitchen. -Larger tiles with borders make for nice accent pieces over the rangetop and by the bar/beverage area. -The adjacent area for eating is a gorgeous nook with massive windows. We added a built-in furniture-style banquette with additional lower storage cabinets in the same finish. It’s a great way to connect and blend the two areas into what now feels like one big space!

Jesse had inherited his townhome, and had lived there for several years. His career took him to another state, and the home was unoccupied for over a year. He decided that he would not return to Raleigh and that it was time to sell. The 1975 home still had the original kitchen and baths, and was in need of general repair and new flooring. The HVAC system, water heater, and washer and dryer had been replaced as they aged and became non-functional, and the exterior had been maintained by the Home Owner’s Association. Jesse wanted to update the home and have it sell as quickly as possible, so we got to work determining what the best use of the budget would be to accomplish this goal. We focused on updating the major interior design elements that would provide the most enjoyment, durability, and energy efficiency for the new homeowners. We started with completely gutting the Kitchen and reconfiguring it by moving the refrigerator into the laundry area, and stacked the washer and dryer to save space. We replaced all of the old vinyl cabinets with durable natural wood cabinetry, and added granite counter tops and a stainless steel sink. We also removed the ceiling-hung cabinets over the counter peninsula to open up the Kitchen and bring in more light and facilitate better flow and interaction, and added a floor-to-ceiling Pantry Closet to make up for the lost storage space. All of the Kitchen appliances were replaced with new energy efficient models. We next gutted the downstairs Powder Bath and replaced the vinyl vanity with matching cabinetry with the kitchen, and replaced the toilet (as well as all other toilets in the home) with an EPA WaterSense rated low-flow toilets. We removed the wallpaper and finished the walls smooth, replaced the lighting and mirror, and removed the carpet and installed a porcelain tile floor. The second floor 2nd Bedroom had been left open to the Great Room with a balcony and accordion door for privacy, but it left the room open to all of the noise from the Great Room and Kitchen. In order to make the room function as a private bedroom, we removed the balcony and installed a full wall in its place. Replacing all of the flooring was also at the top of the list, as was general repair on the walls and new paint throughout. We installed natural oak flooring in the Great Room and porcelain tile in the entry foyer. The seals on several of the exterior windows and the Master Bedroom sliding door had been compromised and needed to be replaced, as well as several interior doors and repair of all the louvered closet doors. The two upstairs Baths were functionally sound and the tile was in good shape. We replaced the toilets with EPA WaterSense rated low-flow toilets, and painted the vanities with a brighter color palette. The end result was bright, open, and comfortable updated home ready for its new occupants. Design Features Durable and handsome natural wood cabinetry. Granite Kitchen and Powder countertops. Stainless Kitchen appliances and white refrigerator. Stainless Kitchen sink and brushed nickel faucets. Brushed Nickel cabinetry and door hardware. Low-flow EPA WaterSense rated toilets. Light and bright natural hardwood flooring. Porcelain tile and luxury vinyl flooring. New carpet. Private 2nd Bedroom. Light and bright No-VOC paints and finishes. Energy Efficient and Green Features Energy efficient EPA Energy Star appliances. EPA WaterSense rated low-flow toilets. Energy efficient EPA Energy Star windows and door. Durable No-VOC cabinetry. Durable porcelain tile flooring. Low-flow faucets. Energy efficient CFL lighting throughout. No-VOC paints and finishes.

EuroGallery is the exciting new partnership between Gallery and A-Nathstudio, an acclaimed architectural and design studio based in Italy. The EuroGallery partnership serves to strengthen our commitment to delivering high quality kitchens and bathrooms at competitive prices. While A-Nathstudio is essential in providing design and organizational support, they also facilitate our exclusive access to exceptional tailor-made cabinetry within the European Union. It’s here that high quality materials meet truly functional and customizable design for every space. We collaborate with the premier European brands for kitchen and bathroom design: La Cornue, Martini, Pittori, Salvatori, L’Ottocento, Brummel amongst others. Our international Team is able to help with any customization requests, communicate project updates and provide post-sale assistance.

Van Auken Akins Architects LLC designed and facilitated the complete renovation of a home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Areas of work include the living and dining spaces on the first floor, and bedrooms and baths on the second floor with new wall coverings, oriental rug selections, furniture selections and window treatments. The third floor was renovated to create a whimsical guest bedroom, bathroom, and laundry room. The upgrades to the baths included new plumbing fixtures, new cabinetry, countertops, lighting and floor tile. The renovation of the basement created an exercise room, wine cellar, recreation room, powder room, and laundry room in once unusable space. New ceilings, soffits, and lighting were installed throughout along with wallcoverings, wood paneling, carpeting and furniture.

Located on a flat, open, grass-covered site amid wraparound views of the Teton and Gros Ventre ranges, the deliberately unobtrusive Tennican residence facilitates a clear dialogue between enclosed and natural space. Designed by Ward+Blake Architects in Jackson, Wyoming. Photo Credit: Douglas Khan

EuroGallery is the exciting new partnership between Gallery and A-Nathstudio, an acclaimed architectural and design studio based in Italy. The EuroGallery partnership serves to strengthen our commitment to delivering high quality kitchens and bathrooms at competitive prices. While A-Nathstudio is essential in providing design and organizational support, they also facilitate our exclusive access to exceptional tailor-made cabinetry within the European Union. It’s here that high quality materials meet truly functional and customizable design for every space. We collaborate with the premier European brands for kitchen and bathroom design: La Cornue, Martini, Pittori, Salvatori, L’Ottocento, Brummel amongst others. Our international Team is able to help with any customization requests, communicate project updates and provide post-sale assistance.

The residence’s parti is a contemporary adaptation of the ancient Roman courtyard house, allowing it to maximize energy efficiency through passive cooling and solar heating. The first floor terraces gracefully above the exterior grade, and the plan is focused around a central pool and courtyard that opens to an adjacent lake and prevailing breezes. The line between interior and exterior space is blurred by over 50 feet of Nana doors, which facilitate a refreshing flow of natural ventilation that exits the house through operable transom windows and the cupola tower. Exterior colors and materials were selected to maximize heat reflectivity, and generous eave overhangs maximize shading in the summer and heat gain in the winter. Materials, products and equipment were specified based on their exemplary environmental and efficiency attributes, and whenever possible local materials and craftsmen were used. The residence is a Florida Green Building Commission certified Florida Green Home.

For this three-bedroom house in the Southdowns Estate, ARCA Unlimited was appointed to design a home with bedrooms that boast private outdoor spaces and living areas that live out onto the adjacent farm fields. The design incorporates a courtyard concept to maximise privacy and use of available erf capacity. The house is expressed as three linear, north-facing, solid masses linked by a central, transparent passageway, which forms a visual focus point onto the pool and the farm fields beyond. Rooms, with outdoor extensions that facilitate both northern sunlight and natural ventilation, live out onto two secure and private courtyards. Central courtyards are connected to the living and entertainment areas, which spill out onto the farm fields. The free flow of spaces into one another and in and out of nature is a highlight of the house. Photographs by Malan Kotze Photography

The in-laws suite is designed as a well-lit and airy environment, featuring expansive windows that facilitate an abundance of natural light. Envision the experience of waking up refreshed and enjoying restful naps in this inviting setting.

Deep blue Bisazza mosaic lines a lap pool with infinity edge that wraps around the home and terminates into a swimming pool with a tanning ledge. This tanning ledge, sometimes called sun shelf, offers a shallow area great for lounging and tanning in the water. Extensive pool deck, along with covered barbeque and dining area and covered seating space, and large sliding door panels open up the interior and outdoor spaces to one another and facilitate smooth/natural flow of the entertaining guests inside and out. Exterior surfaces combine exotic Brazilian ipe wood and vein-cut limestone creating dramatic contrast on the multi-faceted façade. Ipe is one of the densest hardwoods available, three times harder then cedar and is a great choice for exterior cladding on homes in tropical Florida climate. Photography: Craig Denis

"Thank you so much...My client was thoroughly impressed, and it served to facilitate the authenticity of the room and make it truly feel like a downtown Manhattan loft apartment bedroom! She and I were both amazed at the quality. I will use you again!" - C. York, Designer Medway, Maine totallycustomwallpaper.com

Van Auken Akins Architects LLC designed and facilitated the renovation of the master bedroom and bath of a Moreland Hills home. The master bedroom was outfitted with new wall coverings, carpeting, lighting and window treatments. In the master bath, new cabinetry, countertops, lighting and carpet were installed. A new entertainment cabinet in the living room was designed as well.

When the homeowners purchased this traditional colonial in Vienna, Virginia, they were already planning on making some serious changes. The home’s original floor plan was boxy and closed in, making traffic flow from one room to the next virtually non-existent. Additionally, the existing décor left a lot to be desired. Their vision was to open up the layout and create a more contemporary look using lots of light, soft colors and high end materials. They decided to add a two-story addition to the back of the home’s existing breakfast room and the small upstairs bedroom above it. The old breakfast area was too small for their daily meals and their teenage son needed more space in his bedroom. They also decided to add a sunroom/family room to the left side of their old family room. This new room offers a vaulted ceiling with four skylights and lots of windows with a better view of the side and backyard. To create a more open floor plan, the team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes removed the load bearing wall between the kitchen and family room and installed a large beam to handle the second floor load. Not only did this open up the space, but it allowed for the addition of a breakfast bar. The right side bearing wall of the old family room was also removed and replaced with structural beams. This action created a continuous flow between the new sunroom and old family room. Separated by a double-sided stone fireplace, this new sunroom is connected to a new outside sun deck built using a maintenance-free decking material. The old family room with new lighting now serves as a casual seating area. It also features an eight-foot long built-in desk. The newly updated kitchen features granite countertops with matching tile backsplash, professional-quality appliances, a porcelain tile floor and custom cabinets, including a large pantry. The new breakfast room is more spacious and gets daylight from three different angles. Upstairs, a new 12’ x 20’ bedroom is a great place for this teenage football fan to hang out. It provides significantly more closet space than the old room and lets in more sunlight as well. The old laundry room was converted to a new mudroom with locker style cabinetry and a place for kids to store their bag packs. New plumbing and electrical were implemented in a new closet in an upper hallway to facilitate the new washer and dryer. In this remodel, form and function have come together in an open concept design that meets the needs of the entire family.

This is a custom built sunroom that connected a detached garage to the house. The sunroom was elevated to be one step down from the first floor to facilitate entertaining. We installed two solatubes to let in the natural light.

The recent redesign of the kitchen and dining nook skillfully fuses timeless French country aesthetics with modern design principles, tailored for a young couple who cherish both art and architecture. This transformation emphasizes an inviting, comfortable atmosphere without compromising on sophistication. The space uses a palette of muted colors and aged materials to achieve a subtle elegance that integrates seamlessly with the home’s intrinsic architectural charm. Central to the kitchen are two islands, designed to facilitate both everyday living and grand entertaining. These islands not only offer extensive preparation surfaces but also serve as social hubs, making the kitchen the heart of the home. Adjacent to this area, a well-equipped scullery and a butler’s pantry enhance functionality, providing ample space for storage and meal prep without cluttering the main kitchen area. The dining area is designed to host intimate dinners or family gatherings, while views of the stunning chandelier, sculpted ceilings and detailed millwork float above, echoing the home’s French influences. Similarly, the sitting area adjacent to the kitchen features comfortable seating and abundant natural light, creating a perfect spot for relaxation or casual conversation. Attention to detail is evident in the decorative grates on the pantry doors, and the arched glass elements in cabinetry, all nodding to classic French design. This project masterfully balances historical reverence with modern functionality, making it an ideal setting for both lively social gatherings and serene everyday living.

Both the design and construction teams put their heart into making sure we worked with the client to achieve this gorgeous vision. The client was sensitive to both aesthetic and functionality goals, so we set out to improve their old, dated cramped kitchen, with an open concept that facilitates cooking workflow, and dazzles the eye with its mid century modern design. One of their biggest items was their need for increased storage space. We certainly achieved that with ample cabinet space and doubling their pantry space. The 13 foot waterfall island is the centerpiece, which is heavily utilized for cooking, eating, playing board games and hanging out. The pantry behind the walnut doors used to be the fridge space, and there's an extra pantry now to the left of the current fridge. We moved the sink from the counter to the island, which really helped workflow (we created triangle between cooktop, sink and fridge/pantry 2). To make the cabinets flow linearly at the top we moved and replaced the window. The beige paint is called alpaca from Sherwin Williams and the blue is charcoal blue from sw. Everything was carefully selected, from the horizontal grain on the walnut cabinets, to the subtly veined white quartz from Arizona tile, to the black glass paneled luxury hood from Futuro Futuro. The pendants and chandelier are from West Elm. The flooring is from karastan; a gorgeous engineered, white oak in herringbone pattern. The recessed lights are decorative from Lumens. The pulls are antique brass from plank hardware (in London). We sourced the door handles and cooktop (Empava) from Houzz. The faucet is Rohl and the sink is Bianco.

A new wall to the left of the landing facilitated the addition of a closet and office off the primary suite.
Example of an ornate bedroom design in Minneapolis

A blank slate and open minds are a perfect recipe for creative design ideas. The homeowner's brother is a custom cabinet maker who brought our ideas to life and then Landmark Remodeling installed them and facilitated the rest of our vision. We had a lot of wants and wishes, and were to successfully do them all, including a gym, fireplace, hidden kid's room, hobby closet, and designer touches.

Our design for the expansion and gut renovation of a small 1200 square foot house in a residential neighborhood triples is size, and reworks the living arrangement. The rear addition takes advantage of southern exposure with a "greenhouse" room that provides solar heat gain in winter, shading in summer, and a vast connection to the rear yard. Architecturally, we used an approach we call "willful practicality." The new soaring ceiling ties together first and second floors in a dramatic volumetric expansion of space, while providing increased ventilation and daylighting from greenhouse to operable windows and skylights at the peak. Exterior pockets of space are created from curved forces pushing in from outside to form cedar clad porch and stoop. Sustainable design is employed throughout all materials, energy systems and insulation. Masonry exterior walls and concrete floors provide thermal mass for the interior by insulating the exterior. An ERV system facilitates increased air changes and minimizes changes to the interior air temperature. Energy and water saving features and renewable, non-toxic materal selections are important aspects of the house design. Environmental community issues are addressed with a drywell in the side yard to mitigate rain runoff into the town sewer system. The long sloping south facing roof is in anticipation of future solar panels, with the standing seam metal roof providing anchoring opportunities for the panels. The exterior walls are clad in stucco, cedar, and cement-fiber panels defining different areas of the house. Closed cell spray insulation is applied to exterior walls and roof, giving the house an "air-tight" seal against air infiltration and a high R-value. The ERV system provides the ventilation needed with this tight envelope. The interior comfort level and economizing are the beneficial results of the building methods and systems employed in the house. Photographer: Peter Kubilus