New construction black and white farmhouse featuring a Clopay Coachman Collection carriage style garage door with windows. Insulated steel and composite construction. Automatic overhead door. Photo courtesy J. Campeau Developments.

Photo: Tom Crane Photography
Open concept kitchen - transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops and white backsplash

We are a full service, residential design/build company specializing in large remodels and whole house renovations. Our way of doing business is dynamic, interactive and fully transparent. It's your house, and it's your money. Recognition of this fact is seen in every facet of our business because we respect our clients enough to be honest about the numbers. In exchange, they trust us to do the right thing. Pretty simple when you think about it.

This is the story about a kitchen that was showing it’s age with white countertops and dark oak cabinets on a dark oak floor. It all worked once, but now the kitchen felt dark, cramped and dysfunctional. The owners were looking for a total kitchen transformation. After a disastrous beginning with a contractor taking their money and vanishing into thin air, the owners were left with a completely gutted kitchen that consisted of only the walls. They hired Rick Jacobson to rescue them and restart the project. The new kitchen design began with the idea of using Cobalt Blue as a primary color. The blue seen on many glassware pieces is Cobalt Blue, and it was decided to use it in the tile for the kitchen, as well as the pendant lights. Another goal was to make the kitchen brighter with an easier traffic flow, as well as completely updated cabinetry. And there were traffic patterns to improve, a refrigerator to move, and exhaust vents to reroute. Rick Jacobson listened to the owners and worked to create the kitchen that the owners imagined. He began by thinking through the traffic flow patterns. He noted that the doorway from the dining room needed to be widened. He added rounded doorway headers to match the home’s existing décor. He carefully thought through where the kitchen island should be, including how opening the oven doors would be in relation to people sitting at the kitchen island at a family gathering. Kitchen cabinet touches include off edge flat panel doors, soft close wooden drawers, and a spice cabinet with two slide-out racks. The new longer center island features a drawer microwave that opens and closes automatically with the push of a button. The center island also features two recycling bins and seating for four. Rick even thought of adding decorative elements to the existing half wall to make it look in line with the kitchen island. The kitchen’s black granite countertops offer an unusually appealing view: There are lots of interesting reflections throughout the kitchen. Another of Rick’s touches is that all of the lights, including recessed ceiling lights, three cobalt blue pendant lights and below cabinet lights are on dimmers which work to balance daytime and nighttime lighting. The under mounted stainless steel single sink is complemented with a gooseneck faucet. The stainless steel gas range is thin enough to allow for a wide drawer below for utensils, and the stainless steel vent hood is vented through the ceiling to outdoors, allowing additional storage space in the top cabinets. Double ovens with white doors are the perfect match to the cabinets, with a location that makes baking and roasting easier with the two large vertical storage for baking sheets and supplies nearby. The result: A functional, open, bright and Cobalt blue kitchen.

Foyer - mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor foyer idea in Charlotte with a medium wood front door and white walls

Custom cabinets by DRAPER-DBS. Kitchen design by Randy Sisk of Kitchens by Kleweno: kleweno.com
Elegant kitchen photo in Philadelphia with an island, a single-bowl sink, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash and black appliances

This transitional home in Lower Kennydale was designed to take advantage of all the light the area has to offer. Window design and layout is something we take pride in here at Signature Custom Homes. Some areas we love; the wine rack in the dining room, flat panel cabinets, waterfall quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and tiger hardwood flooring. Photography: Layne Freedle

A 42" french door subzero refrigerator was paneled and built in. It shows flush inset installation. The steam oven, wall oven are under stainless steel doors and a stainless steel drawer to break up the stained perimeter. Wood beams on the ceiling feed into support posts. Walnut floors bring together the two stain colors used in the kitchen.

From KUBE Architecture: "They [owners] wanted a house of openness and light, where their children could be free to explore and play independently, still within view of their parents. The solution was to create a courtyard house, with large sliding glass doors to bring the inside out and outside in." Greg Powers Photography Contractor: Housecraft

NSPJ Architects / Cathy Kudelko
French country front door photo in Kansas City with a brown front door

Troy Gustafson
Mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor powder room photo in Minneapolis with a pedestal sink and a two-piece toilet

Standard IKEA Pax closets with custom Semihandmade Flat-sawn Walnut doors in NYC. Photo by Andrew Giammarco Photography.
Inspiration for a contemporary closet remodel in New York

Fold walls open with AG Millworks Bi-fold Doors and change your view of the world. Narrow site lines are available for maximum light, and if you want to go super-big, we make bi-folds with individual door panels as large as 4 feet wide and 13 feet tall. Made in the USA, our doors are energy-efficient and fully customizable with flat panels, divided lites and lock rails. Exquisite wood surfaces on the interior provide warm, luxurious design details. Thick extruded aluminum exteriors with durable baked-on Kynar paint in any imaginable color completes the picture. Bi-Fold Doors are also available with wood exteriors (limited warranty). Expand your world view with AG Millworks Bi-Fold Doors.

Glass paneled sliding barn doors open into the home office. If the door are closed, you still get a sense of the open floor plan through the 4-pane glass paneled door. For smooth transition from room to room, the beautiful hardwood floors flow seamlessly. Nice retreat.

Gourmet Kitchen features a separate prep kitchen, two islands in main kitchen, wolf appliances, subzero refrigeration, La Cornue rotisserie, and a Miele steam oven. Counter top slabs are fusion quartzite from Aria Stone Gallery. We designed a unique back-splash behind the range to store spices on one side and oils and a pot filler on other side. Flat panel cabinets. Photographer: Charles Lauersdorf, Realty Pro Shots

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This client wanted a complete update of their kitchen and came to us with several objectives. They wanted a larger island and easier access to the dining room. They also wanted to eliminate the existing cooktop location from the island and make the island larger. Because the existing space was not able to accommodate all those requests, we decided to eliminate the breakfast area and incorporate that space into the kitchen. By eliminating an existing bay window and making the kitchen sink window larger, we were able to make the new layout work without sacrificing any natural light. A French door to the newly added and adjoining sunroom and casual outdoor dining spot still allows for multiple dining options. And by enlarging the opening to the dining room, it allows for easier access to this space on a daily basis versus for special occasions only. The client already had a large desk in the kitchen and spends a lot of time at this area. We were able to make the new desk even larger by moving the refrigerator to another area. The refrigerator is covered in decorative panels so that it blends nicely into the furniture look of the room. The larger island can now seat several people comfortably. The room’s traditional feel was achieved by providing different finishes on the perimeter, island and desk cabinetry. Handmade gray backsplash tile, a combination of soapstone and Carrera marble give the space a classic appeal. Details provide interest – custom glass mullions, decorative wood hood and bronze hardware give the space character and charm. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Interior Design by: Rachel Alcorn Architect: Rick Rearick Contractor: KJN Renovations Photography by: Mike Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This was full kitchen remodel in Lake Oswego. We wanted to take full advantage of the lake views by putting the cooktop on the main island facing the lake and the sink at the window which also has a view of the water. The double islands (island and peninsula) make for a huge amount of prep space and the back butler's counter provides additional storage and a place for the toaster oven to live. The bench below the window provides storage for shoes and other items. The glass door cabinets have LED lighting inside to display dishes and decorative items.

KITCHEN: They loved the way the laundry room looked so much they decided to do the same door style and finish in their detached pool house. The kitchenette features a trash-pull out, tray storage and a small serving island for all the entertaining they do. Door Style: Mitered Flat panel with inside and outside beaded rail Finish: Tobacco Charcoal (Perimeter) Warm White w/ Van Dyke glaze (Island)

Merle Prosofsky
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary 3/4 gray tile and glass tile ceramic tile bathroom remodel in Edmonton with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, a one-piece toilet and white walls