Inspiration for a craftsman living room remodel in Other

The strong formal axis set up by this portal demands an appropriately dramatic termination of the visit it created. This is accomplished by a clever alteration of the window end of the dining room. A new space with a strong focal point is now created for balance. An irregular space with two asymmetrical windows and one splayed wall is transforming by adding another splayed wall to match the exiting one. A new door to the powder room in this wall mirrors an existing recess in the existing spayed wall to create a symmetrical effect. This simple action makes the minuscule powder room much larger, creating a sense of false perspective to increase the apparent size of the dining room and places a single window on axis with the foyer. This window is given an appropriately grand window treatments with traditional swags framing a diaphanous sheer. This shear conveys the same softness as the sandblasted glass panels at the opposite end of the room, yet provided a transitional counterpoint to their modernity.

This kitchen designed for the Junior League of Buffalo 2017 Decorator Showhouse was a full gut of the space. There were plumbing and HVAC pipes in the space that required custom modifications to cabinetry. Part of the hearth has a false back on the cabinet to accommodate some of the pipes. Additionally, the 10’ ceilings required a custom combination of cabinets and crown molding to reach the ceiling. The space contained 4 doorways so the use of angled cabinetry allowed for easier access in and out of the space. The room includes special design features such as the wood hearth to house the ventilation for over the range, custom under cabinet lighting and a wet bar housing a beverage center and an appliance for growing microgreens.

This kitchen designed for the Junior League of Buffalo 2017 Decorator Showhouse was a full gut of the space. There were plumbing and HVAC pipes in the space that required custom modifications to cabinetry. Part of the hearth has a false back on the cabinet to accommodate some of the pipes. Additionally, the 10’ ceilings required a custom combination of cabinets and crown molding to reach the ceiling. The space contained 4 doorways so the use of angled cabinetry allowed for easier access in and out of the space. The room includes special design features such as the wood hearth to house the ventilation for over the range, custom under cabinet lighting and a wet bar housing a beverage center and an appliance for growing microgreens.

This kitchen designed for the Junior League of Buffalo 2017 Decorator Showhouse was a full gut of the space. There were plumbing and HVAC pipes in the space that required custom modifications to cabinetry. Part of the hearth has a false back on the cabinet to accommodate some of the pipes. Additionally, the 10’ ceilings required a custom combination of cabinets and crown molding to reach the ceiling. The space contained 4 doorways so the use of angled cabinetry allowed for easier access in and out of the space. The room includes special design features such as the wood hearth to house the ventilation for over the range, custom under cabinet lighting and a wet bar housing a beverage center and an appliance for growing microgreens.

This 2022 project was a fully custom mix and writing suite designed for multi-Grammy and Dove Award–winning producer and songwriter Kyle Lee. The goal was to create an environment that mirrors his creative workflow—quiet, natural, highly accurate, and intentionally crafted for long sessions of collaboration and focused work. The layout is compact but feels open thanks to high ceilings, soft daylight from the surrounding windows, and a palette of warm textures and natural materials. The room maintains a clean, grounded aesthetic without sacrificing technical performance, balancing style and acoustical precision in a way that supports both creativity and accuracy. Acoustic isolation was a core priority. The suite is fully separated from the rest of the home using sound-reducing wall assemblies, custom bass management including a full soft-ceiling trap and a false rear wall trap, and full-lite doors designed for controlled leakage. The result is a private, self-contained environment that integrates seamlessly with the home’s flow yet transforms into a focused creative space the moment the doors close. Monitoring was built around Kyle’s preferred ATC SCM45A loudspeakers, paired with Dynaudio subwoofers and calibrated specifically to the room’s frequency response. Every treatment, material, and speaker position was selected to ensure what Kyle hears while mixing precisely translates to the final master. The finished suite delivers an effortless feel with professional-grade performance—an inspiring, accurate, and dependable space built to support Kyle’s work at the highest level.

This 10,000 sf townhouse sits on one of Manhattan’s most beautiful Upper East Side streets and so the goal of the project was to return the house to its original grandeur. Previously a Kips Bay designer showcase house, the rooms were each designed in a differing style and therefore the lack of cohesion and flow made the house seem choppy. In addition, much of the interior was superficial in the sense that plumbing fixtures were not all connected, walls were “false walls” built in front of existing and much of the construction had to be rebuilt. The scope included creating a large gourmet kitchen in the rear of the ground floor by closing off the winding corridor and creating a new door opening centered on the main entry hall with a paneled arched pocket door mimicking the original detailing of the parlor floor. The kitchen has a Calacatta Gold stone center island and dinning area flanked by counters that run the length of the east and west walls with glass front upper cabinets. A built-in buffet on the south wall anchors the space. A mud room, with access to the delivery entrance and additional storage space was added off the kitchen. A new slim profile steel and glass French door provides access to a new steel rear deck and stairs to the rear yard. On the second floor, a new tile floor was added throughout and RRA designed new stone mantle pieces fabricated from England in the living and dining rooms. On the 3rd floor, a new wall was constructed in the 11’ wide central hallway to allow a new 135 sf master closet with custom designed built-in storage units and accessories. This concept was carried through to the 4th floor on a smaller scale and 4 new storage closets were added in the hallway. The existing bathroom on the 4th Floor was gutted and redesigned including a new 5’x5’ extra deep soaking tub and new fixtures. Silver travertine tiles were used throughout to give the room a durable, waterproof finish while also providing a warm, luxurious feel. The 5th floor was converted into a playroom and TV room for the family’s two young children and was outfitted with chalkboard paint along the entire east wall in the play area and a bold color block wall treatment in the TV room. A new cork floor was installed for durability and resilience to lots of activity yet providing a soft and sustainable floor treatment for its intended user. A full laundry room was also created floor with new cabinetry, plumbing, and floor and wall tile. Additionally, 3 full baths and a powder room were refitted with tumbled travertine tiles on the top two floors. The exterior of the building was refurbished and new lighting and painted doors and frames were installed in accordance with Landmark designation. An additional challenge on the project was that a previously built extension on the PH level was illegally overbuilt and the property had received a violation. A 9 month process of filing drawings, completing zoning analyses and meetings with the DOB Commissioners ensued to get the extension approved allowing us to obtain a permit for the remainder of the work and complete the Certificate of Occupancy. In spite of the complex process and scattered program, the completed townhouse has a cohesive aesthetic throughout, with upgraded amenities befitting this grand representation of elite New York living.

Kitchen remodel with painted white Maple cabinets and a large dark stained island by Becker Cabinetry. There's a hidden pantry between the microwave and ovens. Here we have a tip out tray under the sink making good use out of a false drawer front.

This kitchen designed for the Junior League of Buffalo 2017 Decorator Showhouse was a full gut of the space. There were plumbing and HVAC pipes in the space that required custom modifications to cabinetry. Part of the hearth has a false back on the cabinet to accommodate some of the pipes. Additionally, the 10’ ceilings required a custom combination of cabinets and crown molding to reach the ceiling. The space contained 4 doorways so the use of angled cabinetry allowed for easier access in and out of the space. The room includes special design features such as the wood hearth to house the ventilation for over the range, custom under cabinet lighting and a wet bar housing a beverage center and an appliance for growing microgreens.

This 2022 project was a fully custom mix and writing suite designed for multi-Grammy and Dove Award–winning producer and songwriter Kyle Lee. The goal was to create an environment that mirrors his creative workflow—quiet, natural, highly accurate, and intentionally crafted for long sessions of collaboration and focused work. The layout is compact but feels open thanks to high ceilings, soft daylight from the surrounding windows, and a palette of warm textures and natural materials. The room maintains a clean, grounded aesthetic without sacrificing technical performance, balancing style and acoustical precision in a way that supports both creativity and accuracy. Acoustic isolation was a core priority. The suite is fully separated from the rest of the home using sound-reducing wall assemblies, custom bass management including a full soft-ceiling trap and a false rear wall trap, and full-lite doors designed for controlled leakage. The result is a private, self-contained environment that integrates seamlessly with the home’s flow yet transforms into a focused creative space the moment the doors close. Monitoring was built around Kyle’s preferred ATC SCM45A loudspeakers, paired with Dynaudio subwoofers and calibrated specifically to the room’s frequency response. Every treatment, material, and speaker position was selected to ensure what Kyle hears while mixing precisely translates to the final master. The finished suite delivers an effortless feel with professional-grade performance—an inspiring, accurate, and dependable space built to support Kyle’s work at the highest level.

Bright and sunny contemporary kitchen - medium stained shaker cabinets, uba tuba granite countertops, hand-painted ceramic backsplash tile and brushed satin nickel hardware. Detail of the back of the island: decorative door panels and false leg posts.

This 2022 project was a fully custom mix and writing suite designed for multi-Grammy and Dove Award–winning producer and songwriter Kyle Lee. The goal was to create an environment that mirrors his creative workflow—quiet, natural, highly accurate, and intentionally crafted for long sessions of collaboration and focused work. The layout is compact but feels open thanks to high ceilings, soft daylight from the surrounding windows, and a palette of warm textures and natural materials. The room maintains a clean, grounded aesthetic without sacrificing technical performance, balancing style and acoustical precision in a way that supports both creativity and accuracy. Acoustic isolation was a core priority. The suite is fully separated from the rest of the home using sound-reducing wall assemblies, custom bass management including a full soft-ceiling trap and a false rear wall trap, and full-lite doors designed for controlled leakage. The result is a private, self-contained environment that integrates seamlessly with the home’s flow yet transforms into a focused creative space the moment the doors close. Monitoring was built around Kyle’s preferred ATC SCM45A loudspeakers, paired with Dynaudio subwoofers and calibrated specifically to the room’s frequency response. Every treatment, material, and speaker position was selected to ensure what Kyle hears while mixing precisely translates to the final master. The finished suite delivers an effortless feel with professional-grade performance—an inspiring, accurate, and dependable space built to support Kyle’s work at the highest level.

This 2022 project was a fully custom mix and writing suite designed for multi-Grammy and Dove Award–winning producer and songwriter Kyle Lee. The goal was to create an environment that mirrors his creative workflow—quiet, natural, highly accurate, and intentionally crafted for long sessions of collaboration and focused work. The layout is compact but feels open thanks to high ceilings, soft daylight from the surrounding windows, and a palette of warm textures and natural materials. The room maintains a clean, grounded aesthetic without sacrificing technical performance, balancing style and acoustical precision in a way that supports both creativity and accuracy. Acoustic isolation was a core priority. The suite is fully separated from the rest of the home using sound-reducing wall assemblies, custom bass management including a full soft-ceiling trap and a false rear wall trap, and full-lite doors designed for controlled leakage. The result is a private, self-contained environment that integrates seamlessly with the home’s flow yet transforms into a focused creative space the moment the doors close. Monitoring was built around Kyle’s preferred ATC SCM45A loudspeakers, paired with Dynaudio subwoofers and calibrated specifically to the room’s frequency response. Every treatment, material, and speaker position was selected to ensure what Kyle hears while mixing precisely translates to the final master. The finished suite delivers an effortless feel with professional-grade performance—an inspiring, accurate, and dependable space built to support Kyle’s work at the highest level.

This 2022 project was a fully custom mix and writing suite designed for multi-Grammy and Dove Award–winning producer and songwriter Kyle Lee. The goal was to create an environment that mirrors his creative workflow—quiet, natural, highly accurate, and intentionally crafted for long sessions of collaboration and focused work. The layout is compact but feels open thanks to high ceilings, soft daylight from the surrounding windows, and a palette of warm textures and natural materials. The room maintains a clean, grounded aesthetic without sacrificing technical performance, balancing style and acoustical precision in a way that supports both creativity and accuracy. Acoustic isolation was a core priority. The suite is fully separated from the rest of the home using sound-reducing wall assemblies, custom bass management including a full soft-ceiling trap and a false rear wall trap, and full-lite doors designed for controlled leakage. The result is a private, self-contained environment that integrates seamlessly with the home’s flow yet transforms into a focused creative space the moment the doors close. Monitoring was built around Kyle’s preferred ATC SCM45A loudspeakers, paired with Dynaudio subwoofers and calibrated specifically to the room’s frequency response. Every treatment, material, and speaker position was selected to ensure what Kyle hears while mixing precisely translates to the final master. The finished suite delivers an effortless feel with professional-grade performance—an inspiring, accurate, and dependable space built to support Kyle’s work at the highest level.

Example of an arts and crafts family room design in Richmond

This kitchen designed for the Junior League of Buffalo 2017 Decorator Showhouse was a full gut of the space. There were plumbing and HVAC pipes in the space that required custom modifications to cabinetry. Part of the hearth has a false back on the cabinet to accommodate some of the pipes. Additionally, the 10’ ceilings required a custom combination of cabinets and crown molding to reach the ceiling. The space contained 4 doorways so the use of angled cabinetry allowed for easier access in and out of the space. The room includes special design features such as the wood hearth to house the ventilation for over the range, custom under cabinet lighting and a wet bar housing a beverage center and an appliance for growing microgreens.

Pine floor.
Example of an arts and crafts family room design in Richmond

Fox Point- Large twenty-square foot walk-in shower with full bench extending across the back wall. Shower uses 12" x 24" stone tile running vertically with a running bond pattern. The customer gave me free reign for the design, so I decided to keep things simple and clean, adding the mosaic accents sparingly. To complete the grandiose feel of the shower, the outer portion of the half-wall was tiled running up to the ceiling. Large pencils were used to finish all edges, including the pitched ceiling which followed the roof. The niche was customized to fit the natural pattern of the layout, using the same stone for the side walls, and a mosaic glass/stone for the back. I also used the same mosaic in the pan, adding them randomly to the 2" x 2" stone. To create more space for shampoos, a natural stone corner shelf was made using the wall tile. Due to the sunshine coming into the bathroom, the glass on the half wall created a reflection that gives the false impression that the shower has a window. More custom installations by Tiling By Santana can be found at: www.facebook.com/tilingbysantana

James Latta Photography - Not only has this master bathroom been completely renovated and updated, the design gives the impression that the bathroom is actually larger than the original. This, despite the fact that a luxurious tub was added and the footprint of the shower was extended. The ceiling soffits and a false angled wall were removed to give the illusion of more space and to bring in additional natural light from the existing skylights. The high gloss, wood-looking porcelain tile makes a bold statement. These tiles were installed wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling to create the biggest impact. Exquisite lighting, frameless glass shower enclosure, quartz countertops, painted cabinetry, and brilliant brushed bronze fixtures complete this timeless design.