classic design, coffered ceiling, custom build, new construction,
Example of a mid-sized transitional master carpeted and beige floor bedroom design in San Diego with beige walls

Renovation of abandoned concrete building into Condominiums. Photography by Manolo Langis and developed by 9Mile.
Trendy mosaic tile bathroom photo in Los Angeles

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

Clark Dugger Photography
Example of a small classic kids' mosaic tile floor bathroom design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and multicolored walls

Exterior rear of house.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gray two-story vinyl exterior home remodel in Minneapolis with a shingle roof

Mike Mahon
Mid-sized craftsman yellow one-story wood exterior home idea in Detroit with a shingle roof

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This homeowner’s daughter originally contacted us on behalf of her parents who were reluctant to begin the remodeling process in their home due to the inconvenience and dust. Once we met and they dipped their toes into the process, we were off to the races. The existing bathroom in this beautiful historical 1920’s home, had not been updated since the 70’/80’s as evidenced by the blue carpeting, mirrored walls and dropped ceilings. In addition, there was very little storage, and some health setbacks had made the bathroom difficult to maneuver with its tub shower. Once we demoed, we discovered everything we expected to find in a home that had not been updated for many years. We got to work bringing all the electrical and plumbing up to code, and it was just as dusty and dirty as the homeowner’s anticipated! Once the space was demoed, we got to work building our new plan. We eliminated the existing tub and created a large walk-in curb-less shower. An existing closet was eliminated and in its place, we planned a custom built in with spots for linens, jewelry and general storage. Because of the small space, we had to be very creative with the shower footprint, so we clipped one of the walls for more clearance behind the sink. The bathroom features a beautiful custom mosaic floor tile as well as tiled walls throughout the space. This required lots of coordination between the carpenter and tile setter to make sure that the framing and tile design were all properly aligned. We worked around an existing radiator and a unique original leaded window that was architecturally significant to the façade of the home. We had a lot of extra depth behind the original toilet location, so we built the wall out a bit, moved the toilet forward and then created some extra storage space behind the commode. We settled on mirrored mullioned doors to bounce lots of light around the smaller space. We also went back and forth on deciding between a single and double vanity, and in the end decided the single vanity allowed for more counter space, more storage below and for the design to breath a bit in the smaller space. I’m so happy with this decision! To build on the luxurious feel of the space, we added a heated towel bar and heated flooring. One of the concerns the homeowners had was having a comfortable floor to walk on. They realized that carpet was not a very practical solution but liked the comfort it had provided. Heated floors are the perfect solution. The room is decidedly traditional from its intricate mosaic marble floor to the calacutta marble clad walls. Elegant gold chandelier style fixtures, marble countertops and Morris & Co. beaded wallpaper provide an opulent feel to the space. The gray monochromatic pallet keeps it feeling fresh and up-to-date. The beautiful leaded glass window is an important architectural feature at the front of the house. In the summertime, the homeowners love having the window open for fresh air and ventilation. We love it too! The curb-less shower features a small fold down bench that can be used if needed and folded up when not. The shower also features a custom niche for storing shampoo and other hair products. The linear drain is built into the tilework and is barely visible. A frameless glass door that swings both in and out completes the luxurious feel. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Home Bar Design Pendants by Dounia Home, Mishal Silver Ball PendantBarstools by Canadel, Custom Dining Stools This 15,000 square foot home is a ground up classic Mediterranean Villa in Los Altos Hills, designed with a nod to a more elevated contemporary interior design. Our client is a High Level VC who hoped to limit time away from his young family. The scope of the project was to design a family-friendly home, while including all of the high style and high-tech amenities and conveniences expected in a Silicon Valley estate. Designing with these requirements in mind, our team created functional spaces for family life while maintaining business requirements in one space. This balance between comfort and professionalism was implemented through masterful layout and design including a private gathering room that can host up to 100 guests, which was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel, and allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. Other features include a Screening Room, Bar and Wine Tasting Area, Private Library and Executive office, and Grand Dining Room.

The 10x12 Arlington features 120 square feet of storage space. Featuring 6 ft. tall sidewalls and a 8'9" high peak, there will be plenty of room for long handled tools and equipment. The 12 ft. depth will give you plenty of floor space for riding mowers, lawn equipment and other outdoor items too. Finally, on the special features list is the robust 2 x 4 construction which will stand up to just about anything too! What would you use this shed for?

calacatta marble, classic design, custom build, kitchen island, limestone tile, new construction, polished nickel, sub-zero, white kitchen
Example of a large transitional u-shaped limestone floor and beige floor kitchen design in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, raised-panel cabinets and gray countertops

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This homeowner’s daughter originally contacted us on behalf of her parents who were reluctant to begin the remodeling process in their home due to the inconvenience and dust. Once we met and they dipped their toes into the process, we were off to the races. The existing bathroom in this beautiful historical 1920’s home, had not been updated since the 70’/80’s as evidenced by the blue carpeting, mirrored walls and dropped ceilings. In addition, there was very little storage, and some health setbacks had made the bathroom difficult to maneuver with its tub shower. Once we demoed, we discovered everything we expected to find in a home that had not been updated for many years. We got to work bringing all the electrical and plumbing up to code, and it was just as dusty and dirty as the homeowner’s anticipated! Once the space was demoed, we got to work building our new plan. We eliminated the existing tub and created a large walk-in curb-less shower. An existing closet was eliminated and in its place, we planned a custom built in with spots for linens, jewelry and general storage. Because of the small space, we had to be very creative with the shower footprint, so we clipped one of the walls for more clearance behind the sink. The bathroom features a beautiful custom mosaic floor tile as well as tiled walls throughout the space. This required lots of coordination between the carpenter and tile setter to make sure that the framing and tile design were all properly aligned. We worked around an existing radiator and a unique original leaded window that was architecturally significant to the façade of the home. We had a lot of extra depth behind the original toilet location, so we built the wall out a bit, moved the toilet forward and then created some extra storage space behind the commode. We settled on mirrored mullioned doors to bounce lots of light around the smaller space. We also went back and forth on deciding between a single and double vanity, and in the end decided the single vanity allowed for more counter space, more storage below and for the design to breath a bit in the smaller space. I’m so happy with this decision! To build on the luxurious feel of the space, we added a heated towel bar and heated flooring. One of the concerns the homeowners had was having a comfortable floor to walk on. They realized that carpet was not a very practical solution but liked the comfort it had provided. Heated floors are the perfect solution. The room is decidedly traditional from its intricate mosaic marble floor to the calacutta marble clad walls. Elegant gold chandelier style fixtures, marble countertops and Morris & Co. beaded wallpaper provide an opulent feel to the space. The gray monochromatic pallet keeps it feeling fresh and up-to-date. The beautiful leaded glass window is an important architectural feature at the front of the house. In the summertime, the homeowners love having the window open for fresh air and ventilation. We love it too! The curb-less shower features a small fold down bench that can be used if needed and folded up when not. The shower also features a custom niche for storing shampoo and other hair products. The linear drain is built into the tilework and is barely visible. A frameless glass door that swings both in and out completes the luxurious feel. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Location: Nantucket, MA, USA This classic Nantucket home had not been renovated in several decades and was in serious need of an update. The vision for this summer home was to be a beautiful, light and peaceful family retreat with the ability to entertain guests and extended family. The focal point of the kitchen is the La Canche Chagny Range in Faience with custom hood to match. We love how the tile backsplash on the Prep Sink wall pulls it all together and picks up on the spectacular colors in the White Princess Quartzite countertops. In a nod to traditional Nantucket Craftsmanship, we used Shiplap Panelling on many of the walls including in the Kitchen and Powder Room. We hope you enjoy the quiet and tranquil mood of these images as much as we loved creating this space. Keep your eye out for additional images as we finish up Phase II of this amazing project! Photographed by: Jamie Salomon

Living room - traditional living room idea in Minneapolis

Taking up about 8,000 square feet on one of the top floors of the city’s third-tallest building, the condo’s focal point isn’t the panoramic city views but the clients’ expansive art collection.

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.

This kitchen features a beautiful Lennon granite island countertop that measures 72 1/2" x 114 3/4". The island has a build-up edge treatment for added presence.

Inspiration for a contemporary sunroom remodel

An overall design that feels spacious even with a big group, with a coherent flow between several small areas, from the grilling and food prep center to a dining table to the fire circle, made for hanging out and conversing, and finally to an area just made for serene times soaking up the sun, at the diving rock end of the pool.

The first Net Zero Minto Dream Home: At Minto Communities, we’re always trying to evolve through research and development. We see building the Minto Dream Home as an opportunity to push the boundaries on innovative home building practices, so this year’s Minto Dream Home, the Hampton—for the first time ever—has been built as a Net Zero Energy home. This means the home will produce as much energy as it consumes. Carefully considered East-coast elegance: Returning this year to head up the interior design, we have Tanya Collins. The Hampton is based on our largest Mahogany design—the 3,551 sq. ft. Redwood. It draws inspiration from the sophisticated beach-houses of its namesake. Think relaxed coastal living, a soft neutral colour palette, lots of light, wainscotting, coffered ceilings, shiplap, wall moulding, and grasscloth wallpaper. * 5,641 sq. ft. of living space * 4 bedrooms * 3.5 bathrooms * Finished basement with oversized entertainment room, exercise space, and a juice bar * A great room featuring stunning views of the surrounding nature