IKEA Pax System Combination with doors
Example of a home office design in Toronto

This was a very small kitchen with a raised back countertop bar and a large post-wall that divided it from the rest of the dining-living area. We removed the un-necessary post and raised bar top to completely open up the kitchen giving it a much more open feel and a much larger countertop. We also removed all of the upper cabinets and added these beautiful floating shelves and built in the refrigerator and added a custom vent-hood to give this kitchen the modern farmhouse feel that our client was wanting. We also tucked her microwave into the pantry and added some matching shelves in there to complete the look. We painted all of her existing lower cabinets and gave her a new silgranite sink. Along with the new bar our client now has the perfect place to do the entertaining that she so loves to do. Be sure and check out the before pictures to see the complete transformation.

Dias dos Reis
Eat-in kitchen - small shabby-chic style l-shaped ceramic tile and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Other with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Home bar right off the kitchen, designed and built by Advance Design Studio.
Inspiration for a transitional home bar remodel in Chicago

Example of a minimalist bathroom design in Toronto

From our 3D Design rendering phase and concept to completion. Designing and executing this Teaneck, New Jersey family's wishes for some type of built in bookcase that filled up their empty 12-foot wide dining room wall was a fun project from start to finish. With a budget of around $3,500 Furnish My Space was able to hack some ready-to-assemble cabinets and bookcases and add trim and molding to make this built-on unit. Also included routing the HVAC vent that comes out of the floor so the air would circulate out through the front of the unit's kickplate molding.

See the video for this project here - https://vimeo.com/chibimoku/semihandmade Chibi Moku

Walnut desktop with Ikea base
Inspiration for a 1950s hallway remodel in Seattle

Photo Credits: Tracey Ayton
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern carpeted and white floor nursery remodel in Other with multicolored walls

Example of a trendy home design design in Richmond

After
Example of a french country home design design in Denver

View of the Douro, Porto, Portugal Olá to all my clients in Atlanta. My website was hacked and until I replace it, I will be posting here. I miss you all, designing in Atlanta, and big trees! I am learning the native plant communities of N. Portugal; finding native plants here for my tiny garden (more about this later) is harder than it was in Atlanta 30 years ago.

There are not many things better than a room full of your favourite people. As you gather you smell dinner cooking in the kitchen and music playing in the background, as joyful conversation and laughter fill the room. I feel so grateful that we are inching our way back to these days. How about you? The project I’m sharing with you today has beautiful moments like these at its heart. Spaces that invite people in, foster connection, and make everyday living so simple that it’s impossible not to enjoy... Meet our Delightful Clients: The family behind this 1950s North Vancouver home transformation enjoy entertaining friends just as much as cosying up to watch a movie together. A professional couple (I'll call them Jon and Anna) with two elementary school-aged sons, Anna and Jon approached us with the task of furnishing the main floor living spaces and the basement of their family home. Anna is a busy lawyer who is now working almost full time from home, and Jon works in the film industry. With full careers, two active boys, and a love of gathering, they craved a home that could support their everyday lifestyle. Design and Lifestyle Goals: Our central goal for this project was simple: to uncover the hidden potential in their home and create a family-friendly space that functioned well and flowed seamlessly. On the main floor, our clients tasked us with creating an area for the family to relax and entertain, along with crafting a work and play space for the boys. They also dreamed of a more functional and bright basement, which they envisioned as a dual purpose family room and home office for Anna. Reveal: Comfortable and Welcoming Entryway & Living Room: Imagine you are coming home, and you walk through a bright, sunny front door like this one. You are met by this entryway of calming earth and sea tones, paired with warm, natural wood flooring. You feel instantly welcomed and eager to venture further inside... The same is now true for our clients! The simple details in their entryway are thoughtfully arranged with clean lines and colourful art as the focal point, achieving a timeless and friendly aesthetic. Dried wheat brings movement into the space and plays up the beauty of nature, while the vibrant yet warm colours and textures evoke feelings of comfort and homecoming. The entry flows seamlessly into this connected living area, which is adorned with ample seating strategically arranged to host and accommodate joyful conversations. With the fireplace and wood mantel as the focal point, these natural elements and hues warm up the room to make it feel beautifully lived-in (not like an untouchable museum). Another colourful work of art graces the space above Jon’s and Anna’s sofa, and we used decorative pillows and a throw blanket to tempt those colours into the rest of the room. A simply styled coffee table keeps the space feeling open and engaged. Reading material, anyone? Just beyond this living area, you get a glimpse of the second space our clients requested on their main floor... A Collected Space for Children to Work + Play: When Jon and Anna realised that their formal dining area wasn’t being used to its full potential, they imagined creating a work and play space for their boys instead. We came up with a plan to create a shared desk area with plentiful storage. This timeless natural wood desk was the perfect way to maximise surface area and give the boys plenty of space to do homework during the school year, or spend time crafting or building LEGOs during the summers. The drawers provide storage for all the wonderful items that fuel their productivity or creativity. Or both. I also love how the white floating shelves display a collection of nostalgic toys, providing just the right amount of childhood endearment to this sophisticated and functional space. This workspace now has endless possibilities for the boys, and it helps Jon and Anna keep their minds and spaces clear, too. Which brings us to... Basement Family Room & Home Office: In general, we knew we had to maximise surface area in this ‘50s home, and this was especially true for our clients’ basement. I’m happy to say that we designed an effortlessly comfortable space that focuses on family and makes it simple to settle in and work… or leave the workday behind. Welcome to this dual-function office and family room. Toward the back of the room, we strategically positioned Anna’s wraparound desk facing out into the room and gave her a wallpaper-and-art backdrop for stunning Zoom calls (she has already received glowing compliments). There is plenty of storage for easy organization including a space to store the family’s shared printer near the door… so they don’t have to interrupt “Mom” to get to it. Anna also wanted the freedom to be able to relax in this space with her family and turn her back on the work day — quite literally! The sofa is perfectly positioned backing onto the desk allowing her to do just that. We relocated an existing mustard yellow chair and used pops of the same colour to integrate it into the overall scheme. The wood armrests on this modular sectional provide surfaces for snacks and drinks where there was no room for an end table. The walnut finish carries the theme of natural comfort from the upstairs spaces down into the family room. The view from the sectional is less business and more pleasure, featuring cosy seating and throw pillows in cheerful colours and patterns. The highlight of this space? A wallpapered accent wall where we were able to achieve the high-end feel of custom built-in shelving with a simple IKEA hack. The shelves and cabinetry around the television offer plenty of much needed storage space to house family games and movies at a budget price point. This fun room is the perfect balance of work and play, accommodating and supporting our clients’ daily family adventures. What Our Clients Had to Say... Our clients could not be happier with their warm yet functional new rooms. With thoughtful consideration and a plan of action, we were able to transform two areas of their home into spaces that function well and feel good. In fact, they had this to say: “Lori and her team were everything we were looking for: great listeners, wonderfully creative and highly professional. We couldn't be happier with our interior makeover.” — Clients That is why we do what we do. If you're ready to start your redesign project, we would love to help. Reach out to us here, and let's get to know more about each other.

Arts and crafts porcelain tile and gray floor bathroom photo in Seattle with a two-piece toilet and white walls

Miami fam ?—just got back from South Beach, sand still stuck in my flip-flops? No stress—this 20-minute “fake clean” hack is made for our beachy chaos: 1. Beach Shoe Rescue: Lay a coconut fiber doormat (10 bucks at Publix!) at the entrance—half the sand drops before you step inside. Wipe soles with a damp towel (faster than a brush!).

Minimalist master light wood floor and orange floor bedroom photo in Toronto with black walls

Basement - craftsman walk-out beige floor basement idea in Seattle with green walls

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Santa Barbara Coastal in Circleville, Ohio, effortlessly balances classic architectural details with modern elements. It is no wonder the Santa Barbara floor plan is a homeowner favorite, engineered with an open-concept layout that naturally brings the family together. The main living zone features a dramatic flat-peak cathedral ceiling stretching across both the great room and kitchen, adding an incredibly spacious, light-filled, and airy volume to the home's core. Designed for culinary efficiency, the kitchen boasts a massive walk-in pantry with a window, flooding the storage space with natural light so checking inventory before making a grocery list is completely effortless. Just off the main living area, an adaptive flex room is open to your interpretation—easily functioning as a sophisticated formal dining room, private flexible home office, music room, or children's playroom depending on your lifestyle needs. The thoughtful architecture acts as a private sanctuary when it is time to unwind, showcasing a secluded owner's retreat that shines with premium interior lighting and its own elegant cathedral ceilings. Prioritizing ultimate convenience and daily flow, the suite features a highly innovative layout hack: a direct laundry room pass-through door connecting the main laundry room straight into the owner's expansive walk-in closet. Completing this primary oasis, the deluxe owner's bath is beautifully appointed with a custom tile shower and dual vanities, creating a spa-like, get-away-from-it-all retreat right at home.

Dino Turchi & Ken
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s bathroom remodel in Los Angeles