Inspiration for a rustic kitchen remodel in Omaha

Originally, the front of the house was on the left (eave) side, facing the primary street. Since the Garage was on the narrower, quieter side street, we decided that when we would renovate, we would reorient the front to the quieter side street, and enter through the front Porch. So initially we built the fencing and Pergola entering from the side street into the existing Front Porch. Then in 2003, we pulled off the roof, which enclosed just one large room and a bathroom, and added a full second story. Then we added the gable overhangs to create the effect of a cottage with dormers, so as not to overwhelm the scale of the site. The shingles are stained Cabots Semi-Solid Deck and Siding Oil Stain, 7406, color: Burnt Hickory, and the trim is painted with Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior Low Luster Narraganset Green HC-157, (which is actually a dark blue). Photo by Glen Grayson, AIA

Inspiration for a rustic brown one-story wood gable roof remodel in Seattle

Interior photo of our living room. We love the openness of this space and how it interconnects with the other levels. Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, Ga. Architecture by bldgs.org Photos by maibri.com

Inspiration for a large coastal formal and enclosed dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and no tv

Nantucket Architectural Photography
Example of a mid-sized beach style detached shed design in Boston

Dan Levin - Photo Credit Coty Sidnam - SPG Architects
Example of a trendy walk-in closet design in New York

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Haris Kenjar
Example of a classic u-shaped brick floor and red floor kitchen design in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash, colored appliances, an island and brown countertops

Situated on the west slope of Mt. Baker Ridge, this remodel takes a contemporary view on traditional elements to maximize space, lightness and spectacular views of downtown Seattle and Puget Sound. We were approached by Vertical Construction Group to help a client bring their 1906 craftsman into the 21st century. The original home had many redeeming qualities that were unfortunately compromised by an early 2000’s renovation. This left the new homeowners with awkward and unusable spaces. After studying numerous space plans and roofline modifications, we were able to create quality interior and exterior spaces that reflected our client’s needs and design sensibilities. The resulting master suite, living space, roof deck(s) and re-invented kitchen are great examples of a successful collaboration between homeowner and design and build teams.

Marlon Crutchfield
Mid-sized elegant guest dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in DC Metro with yellow walls and no fireplace

Sea-Dar Construction dpf Design, Inc. Rob Karosis
Staircase - traditional wooden curved staircase idea in Boston with painted risers

This is an example of a small eclectic shade front yard stone garden path in Seattle for spring.

New home build - Inverness, CA Architect: Rob Kelly, Kelly + Abramsom Architecture; Photo: Trevor Henley
Inspiration for an eclectic kitchen remodel in San Francisco

Trish Hamilton
Inspiration for a contemporary gray tile and porcelain tile alcove shower remodel in DC Metro with a two-piece toilet, an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Inspiration for a large cottage u-shaped brown floor and light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Denver with an island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, marble backsplash, paneled appliances and white countertops

Kitchen/Family Room; Photo Credit: Home Visit Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in DC Metro with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, white appliances and an island

Emily Followill
Bedroom beach style gender-neutral light wood floor kids' bedroom photo in Atlanta with white walls

Holger Obenaus
Example of a bedroom transitional guest and gender-neutral light wood floor kids' bedroom design in Charleston with white walls