Photo: Pete Veilleux, East Bay Wilds
Inspiration for a partial sun landscaping in San Francisco for summer.

The Illuminated Room A new client in Burr Ridge, Illinois, asked me to design his living room and said he wanted a unique design. He further said he wanted me to create “the WOW! factor” with a design that I’ve never done for another client. Exciting challenge for a designer, right? Well, after giving it some thought, I decided to create “sculptural” window treatments for the five windows in the room. The room has a curved wall with a faux finish with honey, gold, gray and a hint of golden green. That was my base for a color scheme. We selected furniture with contemporary styling, in black and gray with a hint of rust/copper. The coffee table was very interesting! It’s oval-shaped and finished in copper, resembling a smooth pebble. Deep thought was given to the design of the five tall, slender all windows. I needed to create a design to enhance the overall look of the room and the play up the height of the windows. I found this amazing fabric that was perfect in terms of colors and texture. The background was in blackened, antiqued silver with woven lines of copper that stretched up and down across the length of the fabric. Perfect choice! I also found an amazing trim with diamond stones woven in rows across the band, which added amazing elegance and style. So, I thought to myself, “Why not create curved cornices to echo the curved wall?” I imagined covering the cornices with that perfect metallic fabric and using the diamond-covered trim as a decorative element to add sparkle and draw the eyes up to enhance the height. Another thought: “Why not install LED lights within the cornices to illuminate the ceiling, and install drapery sheers under the cornices?” Voila! Unique idea, I hadn’t done this before, and I was positive that my client would love it! As expected, the client approved. Construction and installation took 12 weeks, a little longer than average; the delay was because I had to find the perfect electrician to make my design come to life. I found the perfect light fixture for the narrow wall that one sees when entering the room. It looks Like a shield with the light right in the center. Unique choice for a unique room! The room is not quite complete. We need an area rug, side tables, and accessories. I will post photos of the room when we have selected the right elements to complete the look. The following photos show the room as it is now:

Architecture: Noble Johnson Architects Interior Design: Rachel Hughes - Ye Peddler Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com
Large transitional master black and white tile white floor freestanding bathtub photo in Nashville with white walls, a hinged shower door and a niche

Blue Cascade Distylium

The abundance of snow this winter is difficult to navigate but lovely to observe. (Photo by TThornton)
Inspiration for an eclectic home design remodel in Chicago

Transitional master bathroom photo in Los Angeles

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

Example of an eclectic kitchen design in Boston

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

We recently completed a fabulous bathroom renovation, drawing inspiration from our client’s serene beachside vacation. They fell in love with the calming blue hues of the ocean, the sky and even seashells they collected. They found a real version that perfectly encapsulated the dreamy blue in the vacation bathroom and brought it home. The Ballard Blue vanity pairs perfectly with the subtle blue hints in the Cambria Quartz top. You will find accents of the same blue in the penny round tiles in the shower niche. The unique starburst floor tiles perfectly complement the natural blue hues found throughout the space. We replaced the outdated 5’ mirror with two elegant mirrors which create a beautiful symmetry above the double sinks. The previously installed snazzy LED lights didn’t quite capture the calm our clients were seeking, so we added softer downward lights instead. This dream bathroom wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible work of Project Manager, Steve Shanholtz, our talented Sarah design duo (Sarah Domery and Sarah McDonald) and our master craftsman, Dave Buran. Our team made walking into this bathroom feel like vacation every day!

Inspiration for a 1960s front door remodel in Los Angeles with a red front door

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional porcelain tile eat-in kitchen remodel in Austin with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This couple came to us as newly transplanted homeowners in Sterling, MA, uprooted from Rochester, MA so they could be closer to their growing family and granddaughter. The former kitchen was a bit of a “Plain Jane”, but we transformed it into a charming, modern country farmhouse kitchen. The custom paint color on the cabinets came from a Wood-Mode sample called “Agate.” This lovely paint color is a chameleon, ranging from gray/green, to a beautiful blue hue depending on the lighting conditions. The uniqueness of this color is what caught the homeowner’s eye and it has become a customer favorite. This Sterling home is the perfect setting for such a beautiful color! As a trained chef and former restaurant owner, the husband does all the cooking in the house. Ample room was needed for prepping and serving, so he loves the long, wide peninsula. A full-height quartz backsplash behind the range and sink make for easy clean up. Very deep drawers flank both sides of the range, and the top drawer has special storage for spices. The cabinet over the refrigerator has vertical partitions for both cookie sheets, trays and pans. A tall pantry to the right of the refrigerator is equipped with heavy duty wood rollouts perfect for storing dry goods. Conveniently located to the right of the sink is a double trash cabinet. The end of the peninsula also has a 27” wide cabinet with dual rollouts storing small appliances, casserole dishes & Tupperware. The new space has plenty of room for prepping, cooking and entertaining family and guests in the adjacent dining room. Stepping outside the “white & gray” of common paints into this beautiful custom color has delighted these customers and their friends. We find it both inviting and soothing, a cool color that will be stylish for years to come! BRAND: Brighton Cabinetry DOOR STYLE: Thompson FINISH: Custom Paint Match - Wood-Mode “Agate” COUNTERTOP: “Matterhorn” Hanstone Quartz HARDWARE: Top Knobs TK824HB Pulls, TK832HB Knobs DESIGNER: Ruth Bergstrom PHOTOS: Baumgart Creative Media

The acrylic wine racks reflect the gothic arches of the homes windows and use fiber optic lighting to set a variety of moods. The glass ceiling opens the room for display to a sitting room above and motorized black out shades provide protection for the wine collection.