An old home with good bones: we updated this tired facade from drab to an understated beauty with fresh paint and squared off, clad windows. New glass doors welcome visitors and generous porticoes make outdoor living a requirement.

We must admit, we’ve got yet another show-stopping transformation! With keeping the cabinetry boxes (though few had to be replaced), swapping out drawer and drawer fronts with new ones, and updating all the finishes – we managed to give this space a renovation that could be confused for a full remodel! The combination of a vibrant new backsplash, a light painted cabinetry finish, and new fixtures, these cosmetic changes really made the kitchen become “brand new”. Want to learn more about this space and see how we went from “drab” to “fab” then keep reading! Cabinetry The cabinets boxes that needed to be replaced are from WW Woods Shiloh, Homestead door style, in maple wood. These cabinets were unfinished, as we finished the entire kitchen on-site with the rest of the new drawer and drawer fronts for a seamless look. The cabinet fronts that were replaced were from Woodmont cabinetry, in a paint grade maple, and a recessed panel profile door-style. As a result, the perimeter cabinets were painted in Sherwin Williams Tinsmith, the island in Sherwin Williams Sea Serpent, and a few interiors of the cabinets were painted in a Sherwin Williams Tinsmith. Countertop The countertops feature a 3 cm Caesarstone Vivid White quartz Backsplash The backsplash installed from countertops to the bottom of the furrdown are from Glazzio in the Oceania Herringbone Series, in Cobalt Sea, and are a 1×2 size. We love how vibrant it is! Fixtures and Fittings From Blanco, we have a Meridian semi-professional faucet in Satin Nickel, and a granite composite Precis 1-3/4 bowl sink in a finish of Cinder. The floating shelves are from Danver and are a stainless steel finish. Flooring The flooring is a cork material from Harris Cork in the Napa Collection, in a Fawn finish.

These Shakopee homeowners were ready to remodel their kitchen and take it up a notch. They wanted to create a more modern kitchen that fit their personal taste, with a touch of uniqueness. The previous builder-grade oak cabinets and laminate countertop were outdated and boring, as was the look of the kitchen overall. To simplify the remodel process and keep it more affordable, we used the same footprint (layout) of kitchen, but updated it with a contemporary look and high quality cabinetry and countertops. What went into this stunning new kitchen? ◾Cambria countertops in Summerhill, with a waterfall edge that dramatically wraps down the side of the peninsula ◾Showplace Cabinets in the Lancaster style with a full overlay, in Cherry wood with the Peppercorn Stain ◾A sleek Swanstone Granite kitchen sink

Deleting the blind base cabinets and peninsula to make room for a free-standing island gave the client more efficient storage and a better space for entertaining. Light fixtures were updated and LED undercounter lighting provides task lighting for food prep and ambient lighting for after dinner. Builder-grade white backsplash and floor tile were replaced with contemporary tiles. New stainless steel appliances complete this transitional kitchen. Cameo by Louie the Cat. Yorktowne Maple Everet Wheat with Burnt Sienna Highlight. Berenson Deco hardware 9450-1BPN. Cambria Windermere countertops. Danze Melrose stainless steel pull-down faucet. Progress lighting Wisten chandelier, pendant and 3-light track. LED strip undercounter lighting. Insinkerator Badger 900 disposal.

Situated at the top of the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Park in Danville, this mid-century modern hilltop home had great architectural features, but needed a kitchen update that spoke to the design style of the rest of the house. We would have to say this project was one of our most challenging when it came to blending the mid-century style of the house with a more eclectic and modern look that the clients were drawn to. But who doesn't love a good challenge? We removed the builder-grade cabinetry put in by a previous owner and took down a wall to open up the kitchen to the rest of the great room. The kitchen features a custom designed hood as well as custom cabinetry with an intricate beaded details that sets it apart from all of our other cabinetry designs. The pop of blue paired with the dark walnut creates an eye catching contrast. Ridgecrest also designed and fabricated solid steel wall cabinetry to store countertop appliances and display dishes and glasses. The copper accents on the range and faucets bring the design full circle and finish this gorgeous one-of-a-kind-kitchen off nicely.

Elizabeth Steiner Photography
Large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER Having a small 10’ x 12’ kitchen tucked in the back corner of their home wasn’t working for this this young and growing family. Its cramped layout didn’t allow for a breakfast area and storage space was non-existent, both major issues for their busy day-to-day lifestyle. After consulting with Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, they decided to build a 300 square foot addition onto the back of this 1960’s vintage split level. The planned addition expanded and updated the home’s kitchen via a contemporary design, added plenty of storage and provided a much needed breakfast seating area. More importantly, it created a great place for the family to gather. The new kitchen contains a 48” professional-grade range and a large built-in refrigerator, as well as lots of cabinetry and counter space to meet client’s storage needs. Use of lighter shaker style custom painted cabinetry with honed black counter tops has lightened the space tremendously. A large island with distress black cherry cabinetry ans a mahogany countertop was installed and has become the focal point of the kitchen. By removing a partition that previously separated the kitchen from the dining room, the new design has created a wide open floor plan. The casual dining room flows right into a casual seating area with a corner fireplace. French doors open onto a large new deck. Best of all, the addition lets the family spend time together before, during and after mean preparation. It’s truly become the hearth of the home.

A modern, sleek update for a small hall bathroom, the floor plan had to remain the same but the fixtures needed to be redone from the builder's grade that was installed with the house originally. Because the room has no windows a streamlined white tub and vanity and bright white walls were chosen. The feature of stunning gray glass tile in the shower adds interest to the otherwise all white palette. Ample storage and a modern look are provided by the ikea vanity and medicine cabinet which saved money to be used for the splurge on the tile in the shower. By Erin Jackson Larkin Interiors.

Time had stood still at this 1970s ranch in Armonk when the owners invited us to collaborate with them to transform it into a modern, light-filled home for their young family. The budget was lean, so economy was a primary consideration for every design decision. The challenge was to identify the modest home’s virtues – vaulted ceilings and a lovely backyard – and accentuate them by strategically optimizing available funds. We were tasked with rectifying a dysfunctional interior stair, connecting to the outdoors with new large windows, and updating the exterior. We focused our attention on a finite set of architectural moves which would have the biggest impact and improve our clients’ daily experience of the home. Detailing was kept simple, using common grade materials and standard components. All exterior walls were revamped with new windows and siding. Although these materials were not particularly costly, thoughtful layout of boards, battens, and openings produced a cohesive, rigorous composition at each facade. Since the budget would not cover the homeowners’ complete wish list, some items were bracketed for subsequent phases. The challenge was to establish a framework that would allow future work – including a new roof and kitchen renovation – to proceed smoothly. The homeowners, both scientists, were enthusiastic collaborators, contributing their outstanding design sensibilities to selection of fixtures and finishes. Construction ended just in time for the arrival of their baby – and with that, the transformation of their family home was complete.

Our clients had outgrown their kitchen/laundry space and had a rough idea of how to expand their kitchen. Our team worked closely with them to design a new layout that would convert a covered carport area into their new kitchen, mudroom and powder room. The addition of these bright open spaces has already changed how this wonderful family functions on a daily basis, especially with the addition of a mudroom and storage cubbies for all the girls. A fantastic transformation!

This beautiful bathroom remodel was an update to the 'builder grade' bathroom. We worked with the existing layout while still increasing the shower size to maximize the usable space. Floor to ceiling Carrara marble tile gives this bathroom a spa-like feel.

Aliza Schlabach Photography
Large modern two-story mixed siding exterior home idea in Philadelphia

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER Having a small 10’ x 12’ kitchen tucked in the back corner of their home wasn’t working for this this young and growing family. Its cramped layout didn’t allow for a breakfast area and storage space was non-existent, both major issues for their busy day-to-day lifestyle. After consulting with Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, they decided to build a 300 square foot addition onto the back of this 1960’s vintage split level. The planned addition expanded and updated the home’s kitchen via a contemporary design, added plenty of storage and provided a much needed breakfast seating area. More importantly, it created a great place for the family to gather. The new kitchen contains a 48” professional-grade range and a large built-in refrigerator, as well as lots of cabinetry and counter space to meet client’s storage needs. Use of lighter shaker style custom painted cabinetry with honed black counter tops has lightened the space tremendously. A large island with distress black cherry cabinetry ans a mahogany countertop was installed and has become the focal point of the kitchen. By removing a partition that previously separated the kitchen from the dining room, the new design has created a wide open floor plan. The casual dining room flows right into a casual seating area with a corner fireplace. French doors open onto a large new deck. Best of all, the addition lets the family spend time together before, during and after mean preparation. It’s truly become the hearth of the home.

Houston Interior Designer Lisha Maxey took this Museum District condo from the dated, mirrored walls of the 1980s to Mid Century Modern with a gallery look featuring the client's art collection. "The place was covered with glued-down, floor-to-ceiling mirrors," says Lisha Maxey, senior designer for Homescapes of Houston and principal at LGH Design Services in Houston. "When we took them off the walls, the walls came apart. We ended up taking them down to the studs." The makeover took six months to complete, primarily because of strict condo association rules that only gave the Houston interior designers very limited access to the elevator - through which all materials and team members had to go. "Monday through Friday, we could only be noisy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and if we had to do something extra loud, like sawing or drilling, we had to schedule it with the management and they had to communicate that to the condo owners. So it was just a lot of coordination. But a lot of Inner City Loopers live in these kinds of buildings, so we're used to handling that kind of thing." The client, a child psychiatrist in her 60s, recently moved to Houston from northeast Texas to be with friends. After being widowed three years ago, she decided it was time to let go of the traditionally styled estate that wasn't really her style anyway. An avid diver who has traveled around the world to pursue her passion, she has amassed a large collection of art from her travels. Downsizing to 1,600 feet and wanting to go more contemporary, she wanted the display - and the look - more streamlined. "She wanted clean lines and muted colors, with the main focus being her artwork," says Maxey. "So we made the space a palette for that." Enter the white, gallery-grade paint she chose for the walls: "It's halfway between satin and flat," explains Maxey. "It's not glossy and it's not chalky - just very smooth and clean." Adding to the gallery theme is the satin nickel track lighting with lamps aimed to highlight pieces of art. "This lighting has no wires," notes Maxey. "It's powered by a positive and negative conduit." The new flooring throughout is a blended-grey porcelain tile that looks like wood planks. "It's gorgeous, natural-looking and combines all the beauty of wood with the durability of tile," says Maxey. "We used it throughout the condo to unify the space." After Maxey started looking at the client's bright, vibrant, colorful artwork, she felt the palette couldn't stay as muted anymore. Hence the Mid Century Modern orange leather sofas from West Elm and bright green chairs from Joybird, plus the throw pillows in different textures, patterns and shades of gold, orange and green. The concave lines of the Danish-inspired chairs, she notes, help them look beautiful from all the way around - a key to designing spaces for loft living. "The table in the living room is very interesting," notes Maxey. "It was handmade for the client in 1974 and has a signature on it from the artist. She was adamant about including the piece, which has all these hand-painted black-and-white art tiles on the top. I took one look at it and said 'It's not really going to go.'" However, after cutting 6 inches off the bottom and making it look a little distressed, the table ended up being the perfect complement to the sofas. The dining room table - from Design Within Reach - is a solid piece of mahogany, the chair upholstery a mix of grey velvet and leather and the legs a shiny brass. "The side chairs are leather and the end ones are velvet," says Maxey. "It's a nice textural mix that lends depth and texture." The galley kitchen, meanwhile, has been lightened and brightened, with white quartz countertops and backsplashes mimicking the look of Carrara marble, stainless steel appliances and a velvet green bench seat for a punch of color. The cabinets are painted a cool grey color called "Silverplate." The two bathrooms have been updated with contemporary white vanities and vessel sinks and the master bath now features a walk-in shower tiled in Dolomite white marble (the floor is Bianco Carrara marble mosaic, done in a herringbone pattern. In the master bedroom, Homescapes of Houston knocked down a wall between two smaller closets with swing doors to make one large walk-in closet with pocket doors. The closet in the guest bedroom also came out 13 more inches. The client's artwork throughout personalizes the space and tells the story of a life. There's a huge bowl of shells from the client's diving adventures, framed art from her child psychiatry patients and a 16th century wood carving from a monastery that's been in her family forever. "Her collection is quite impressive," says Maxey. "There's even a framed piece of autographed songs written by John Lennon." (You can see this black-framed piece of art on the wall in the photo above of two green chairs). "We're extremely happy with how the project turned out, and so is the client," says Maxey. "No expense was spared for her. It was a labor of love and we were excited to do it."

Time had stood still at this 1970s ranch in Armonk when the owners invited us to collaborate with them to transform it into a modern, light-filled home for their young family. The budget was lean, so economy was a primary consideration for every design decision. The challenge was to identify the modest home’s virtues – vaulted ceilings and a lovely backyard – and accentuate them by strategically optimizing available funds. We were tasked with rectifying a dysfunctional interior stair, connecting to the outdoors with new large windows, and updating the exterior. We focused our attention on a finite set of architectural moves which would have the biggest impact and improve our clients’ daily experience of the home. Detailing was kept simple, using common grade materials and standard components. All exterior walls were revamped with new windows and siding. Although these materials were not particularly costly, thoughtful layout of boards, battens, and openings produced a cohesive, rigorous composition at each facade. Since the budget would not cover the homeowners’ complete wish list, some items were bracketed for subsequent phases. The challenge was to establish a framework that would allow future work – including a new roof and kitchen renovation – to proceed smoothly. The homeowners, both scientists, were enthusiastic collaborators, contributing their outstanding design sensibilities to selection of fixtures and finishes. Construction ended just in time for the arrival of their baby – and with that, the transformation of their family home was complete.

First home, savvy art owners, decided to hire RBD to design their recently purchased two story, four bedroom, midcentury Diamond Heights home to merge their new parenthood and love for entertaining lifestyles. Hired two months prior to the arrival of their baby boy, RBD was successful in installing the nursery just in time. The home required little architectural spatial reconfiguration given the previous owner was an architect, allowing RBD to focus mainly on furniture, fixtures and accessories while updating only a few finishes. New paint grade paneling added a needed midcentury texture to the entry, while an existing site for sore eyes radiator, received a new walnut cover creating a built-in mid-century custom headboard for the guest room, perfect for large art and plant decoration. RBD successfully paired furniture and art selections to connect the existing material finishes by keeping fabrics neutral and complimentary to the existing finishes. The backyard, an SF rare oasis, showcases a hanging chair and custom outdoor floor cushions for easy lounging, while a stylish midcentury heated bench allows easy outdoor entertaining in the SF climate. Photography Credit: Scott Hargis Photography

With a lengthy list of ideas about how to transform their backyard, the clients were excited to see what we could do. Existing features on site needed to be updated and in-cooperated within the design. The view from each angle of the property was already outstanding and we didn't want the design to feel out of place. We had to make the grade changes work to our advantage, each separate space had to have a purpose. The client wanted to use the property for charity events, so a large flat turf area was constructed at the back of the property, perfect for setting up tables, chairs and a stage if needed. It also created the perfect look out point into the back of the property, dropping off into a ravine. A lot of focus throughout the project was the plant selection. With a large amount of garden beds, we wanted to maintain a clean and formal look, while still offering seasonal interest. We did this by edging the beds with boxwoods, adding white hydrangeas throughout the beds for constant colour, and subtle pops of purple and yellow. This along with the already breathtaking natural backdrop of the space, is more than enough to make this project stand out. Photographer: Jason Hartog Photography

These Shakopee homeowners were ready to remodel their kitchen and take it up a notch. They wanted to create a more modern kitchen that fit their personal taste, with a touch of uniqueness. The previous builder-grade oak cabinets and laminate countertop were outdated and boring, as was the look of the kitchen overall. To simplify the remodel process and keep it more affordable, we used the same footprint (layout) of kitchen, but updated it with a contemporary look and high quality cabinetry and countertops. What went into this stunning new kitchen? ◾Cambria countertops in Summerhill, with a waterfall edge that dramatically wraps down the side of the peninsula ◾Showplace Cabinets in the Lancaster style with a full overlay, in Cherry wood with the Peppercorn Stain ◾A sleek Swanstone Granite kitchen sink

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was. The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior. This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters. A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home. The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout. The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace. The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit. Photographer: Public 311 Design