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

This dual home office has a modern aesthetic with flair. The clean lines of the recessed panel cabinetry contrast with the crown molding and open upper shelving. Simple, nature-inspired décor and accents are offset by brilliant yellow desk chairs and grounded by a contemporary area rug.

Everyone deserves to end the day in a comfortable, tranquil home. And for those with children, it can seem impossible to reconcile the challenges of family life with the need to have a well-designed space. Our client—a financial executive and her family of four—had not considered a design makeover since moving into their apartment, which was more than ten years ago. So when she reached out to Decor Aid, she asked us to modernize and brighten her home, in addition to creating a space for her family to hang out and relax. The apartment originally featured sunflower-yellow walls and a set of brown suede living room furniture, all of which significantly darkened the space. The living room also did not have sufficient seating options, so the client was improvising seating arrangements when guests would come over. With no outward facing windows, the living room received little natural light, and so we began the redesign by painting the walls a classic grey, and adding white crown molding. As a pathway from the front door to the kitchen, the living room functions as a high-traffic area of the home. So we sourced a geometric indoor-outdoor area rug, and established a layout that’s easy to walk through. We also sourced a coffee table from Serena & Lily. Our client has teenage twins, and so we sourced a sturdy sectional couch from Restoration Hardware, and placed it in a corner which was previously being underused. We hired an electrician to hide all of the cables leading to the media console, and added custom window treatments. In the kitchen, we painted the cabinets a semi-gloss white, and added slate flooring, for a clean, crisp, modern look to match the living room. The finishing touches included a set of geometric table objects, comfortable throw rugs, and plush high-shine pillows. The final result is a fully functional living room for this family of four.

The flooring they chose in the main areas is a light toned wood by European Heritage. The study flooring is an unexpected cork by Solida in the color ‘antiquity’, and in the lavish master bathroom they installed a beautiful 1inch mosaic trim and 24x24 Calcatta stone flooring. In the gourmet kitchen, the design team selected quartz countertops and gas cooktops. The main cabinets are painted in ‘designer white’ and the island in a medium grey. Beasley & Henley created a modern atmosphere to reflect the area’s demand for upscale, urban residences. The interiors take advantage of the abundance of natural light with its western exposure and expansive windows. Cool colors of blue and grey make for a gorgeous bedroom.

Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary master light wood floor bedroom idea in Orange County with white walls and a standard fireplace

Photographer: Ashley Avila For building specifications, please see description on main project page. For interior images and specifications, please visit: http://www.houzz.com/projects/332182/lake-house.

When an international client moved from Brazil to Stamford, Connecticut, they reached out to Decor Aid, and asked for our help in modernizing a recently purchased suburban home. The client felt that the house was too “cookie-cutter,” and wanted to transform their space into a highly individualized home for their energetic family of four. In addition to giving the house a more updated and modern feel, the client wanted to use the interior design as an opportunity to segment and demarcate each area of the home. They requested that the downstairs area be transformed into a media room, where the whole family could hang out together. Both of the parents work from home, and so their office spaces had to be sequestered from the rest of the house, but conceived without any disruptive design elements. And as the husband is a photographer, he wanted to put his own artwork on display. So the furniture that we sourced had to balance the more traditional elements of the house, while also feeling cohesive with the husband’s bold, graphic, contemporary style of photography. The first step in transforming this house was repainting the interior and exterior, which were originally done in outdated beige and taupe colors. To set the tone for a classically modern design scheme, we painted the exterior a charcoal grey, with a white trim, and repainted the door a crimson red. The home offices were placed in a quiet corner of the house, and outfitted with a similar color palette: grey walls, a white trim, and red accents, for a seamless transition between work space and home life. The house is situated on the edge of a Connecticut forest, with clusters of maple, birch, and hemlock trees lining the property. So we installed white window treatments, to accentuate the natural surroundings, and to highlight the angular architecture of the home. In the entryway, a bold, graphic print, and a thick-pile sheepskin rug set the tone for this modern, yet comfortable home. While the formal room was conceived with a high-contrast neutral palette and angular, contemporary furniture, the downstairs media area includes a spiral staircase, comfortable furniture, and patterned accent pillows, which creates a more relaxed atmosphere. Equipped with a television, a fully-stocked bar, and a variety of table games, the downstairs media area has something for everyone in this energetic young family.

Inquire About Our Design Services Family basement in Oak Brook, IL, designed by Tiffany Brooks of Tiffany Brooks Interiors/HGTV Photography done by Marcel Page Photography.

Contemporary slate look porcelain tile in large format, up to 24x48
Beach style enclosed porcelain tile family room library photo in Dallas with white walls

The basement bar uses space that would otherwise be empty square footage. A custom bar aligns with the stair treads and is the same wood and finish as the floors upstairs. John Wilbanks Photography

Inspiration for a farmhouse black floor entryway remodel in Minneapolis with gray walls and a glass front door

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design & Photo Styling | Corey Gaffer, Photography | Fred Nordahl Construction Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

This eclectic dining room mixes modern and vintage pieces to create a comfortable yet sophisticated space to entertain friends. The salon style installation feature the client's favorite family photos. Photo Credit - Christopher Stark

Alex Lucaci
Bedroom - large transitional master dark wood floor bedroom idea in New York with gray walls

Note the large scale tile juxtaposed against the quilt style tile on the oven wall. This large and simple toned grey field allows the other area to stand out, yet this window wall detail also serves a purpose of showing how every area can be unique, but not glaring in contrast.

Photo credit: Nolan Painting Interior Design: Raindrum Design
Large trendy eat-in kitchen photo in Philadelphia with white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, glass tile backsplash, an island, an undermount sink, soapstone countertops, black countertops and shaker cabinets

Project Details: We completely updated the look of this home with help from James Hardie siding and Renewal by Andersen windows. Here's a list of the products and colors used. - Iron Gray JH Lap Siding - Boothbay Blue JH Staggered Shake - Light Mist JH Board & Batten - Arctic White JH Trim - Simulated Double-Hung Farmhouse Grilles (RbA) - Double-Hung Farmhouse Grilles (RbA) - Front Door Color: Behr paint in the color, Script Ink

The existing kitchen was separated from the family room by a 17’ long bookcase. It was the first thing you saw upon entering and it hid much of the light and views to the backyard making the space feel claustrophobic. The laundry room was part of the kitchen space without any attempt to conceal the washer and dryer. Removing the long bookcase opened the opportunity to add counter stools in the kitchen and decided to align a target wall opposite the front door to help maintain some division within the main space while creating a space for the refrigerator. This also allowed us to create an open laundry room concept that would be hidden from view from all other areas. We kept the industrial feel of the exposed building materials, which we complimented with textured melamine slab doors for the new kitchen cabinets. We maintained the galley set up but defined the kitchen from the utility area by changing both thickness and color of the countertop materials. Because the back of the house is mainly windows, there was very little wall space for upper cabinets and everyday dish storage. We designed a custom ceiling hung shelf system that floats in front of the windows, and is mostly out of view from the sitting area. Tall cabinets are installed along the only available wall to support both kitchen and laundry room functions. We used cable lighting threaded through the beams which really punctuates the industrial aesthetic.

photo by Chuck Thomas
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless light wood floor great room remodel in DC Metro with gray walls