Making the most of a wooded lot and interior courtyard, Braxton Werner and Paul Field of Wernerfield Architects transformed this former 1960s ranch house to an inviting yet unapologetically modern home. Outfitted with Western Window Systems products throughout, the home’s beautiful exterior views are framed with large expanses of glass that let in loads of natural light. Multi-slide doors in the bedroom and living areas connect the outdoors with the home’s family-friendly interiors.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners of this mid-century Colonial and family of four were frustrated with the layout of their existing kitchen which was a small, narrow peninsula layout but that was adjoining a large space that they could not figure out how to use. Stealing part of the unused space seemed like an easy solution, except that there was an existing transition in floor height which made that a bit tricky. The solution of bringing the floor height up to meet the height of the existing kitchen allowed us to do just that. This solution also offered some challenges. The exterior door had to be raised which resulted in some exterior rework, and the floor transition had to happen somewhere to get out to the garage, so we ended up “pushing” it towards what is now a new mudroom and powder room area. This solution allows for a small but functional and hidden mudroom area and more private powder room situation. Another challenge of the design was the very narrow space. To minimize issues with this, we moved the location of the refrigerator into the newly found space which gave us an L-shaped layout allowing for an island and even some shallow pantry storage. The windows over the kitchen sink were expanded in size and relocated to allow more light into the room. A breakfast table fits perfectly in the area adjacent to the existing French doors and there was even room for a small bar area that helps transition from inside to outside for entertaining. The confusing unused space now makes sense and provides functionality on a daily basis. To help bring some calm to this busy family, a pallet of soft neutrals was chosen -- gray glass tile with a simple metal accent strip, clear modern pendant lights and a neutral color scheme for cabinetry and countertops. For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Lake Front Country Estate Kitchen, designed by Tom Markalunas, built by Resort Custom Homes. Photography by Rachael Boling
Huge elegant l-shaped kitchen/dining room combo photo with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, gray walls and an island

Well-lit, white kitchen with butlers pantry and spacious island. Photography by SMHerrick Photography.
Example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and shaker cabinets

Custom thermally broken steel windows and doors for every environment. Experience the evolution! #JadaSteelWindows
Huge mountain style dark wood floor bedroom photo in Sacramento with beige walls

Front entry with Calacatta marble and black granite floor. 5'-0" diameter window in stair hall. Photography: Kennon Evett
Staircase - large traditional wooden curved staircase idea in Houston with wooden risers

By removing soffits, changing the layout to utilize more of the open space for the kitchen, and incorporating a built-in dry bar, this kitchen now matches the beauty of the rest of the home; including a previously added great room with vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams. The natural materials that were selected make the kitchen feel warm and inviting, as well as ensuring it will stand the test of time, including time period trends.

Under mounted Agra Granite sink in black with granite window sill to match.
Large elegant u-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, black appliances and beige walls

Cooking for Two Location: Plymouth, MN, United States Liz Schupanitz Designs Photographed by: Andrea Rugg Photography
Mid-sized elegant l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Cabinetry with no backs, in front of a large kitchen window. Placing windows behind the cabinets makes dramatic use of wall space that would otherwise be covered in cabinetry. Sunlight and garden views become a part of the kitchen. Steve Borlik, Architect. Krista Hoffman, Interior Design.

Trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Emily Followill
Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Atlanta with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and an island

Transitional black and white kitchen remodel designed by Gail Bolling Woodbridge, Connecticut To get more detailed information copy and paste this link into your browser. https://thekitchencompany.com/blog/featured-kitchen-everyday-chefs-delight, Photographer, Dennis Carbo

Photo Credit: © John Cole Photography
Inspiration for a timeless u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in DC Metro with an island, an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash and paneled appliances

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Imagine waking up in this bedroom! Stunning Pella Architect Series wood windows frame your home’s view in dramatic fashion.
Trendy bedroom photo in Cedar Rapids

The homeowners wished to create one large open space from their closed off kitchen and dining room. We flipped their kitchen and dining room, eliminating the wall between, gave them a seated island with under counter radiant heating mat, a mudroom area with drop zone by their entry door and a window bench in their new dining area. The addition of windows in their new kitchen makes the space bright and cheery. Back venting the hood allowed for a glass cabinet above to showcase fun collectibles. Cabinets by Executive Cabinetry - Villa Door in Maple with Alabaster paint on the perimeter and Cottage Blue Wash with Pewter glaze on the island. Photos by Michael Patrick Lefebvre

This Lakeville, MA home is now maintenance free and ready for New England weather with vinyl siding & replacement windows! vinyl siding and replacement windows lakeville maOur crew started by stripping off the old siding and replacing all rotted wood. The entire house was then wrapped with Typar and 19 Harvey Classic replacement windows were installed. Mastic Carvedwood 44 vinyl siding in Granite Gray was installed on the whole home along with 17 Harvey Classic replacement windows and 2 picture windows. Aluminum trim was installed on all windows, doors, soffit, and fascia as well as white corner posts, and all new gutters and downspouts. The homeowner eliminated the need to paint every 3-4 years with Mastic’s Carvedwood 44 vinyl siding. Manufactured to look like a natural, painted cedar clapboard, this vinyl siding is both durable, fade-resistant and maintenance free! The windows throughout the home were replaced with Harvey Classic vinyl replacement windows (We’re also a Harvey Elite Series Window Dealer!). The homeowner chose the 8 over 8 grid pattern. Each window is energy star rated and filled with low E argon gas to reduce cooling and heating costs. The Harvey Classic also features easy fingertip operation and tilt-in sashes for easy cleaning.

The black kitchen window in this project complement the modern style of this home. We worked with designer Christine Dovey on this project, and the client opted for metal clad wood double hung windows. The black windows also provide a contrast to the beautiful white subway tiles and matches the black lower cabinets. photo credit: Stephani Buchman