Living room, family room.
Family room - mid-sized eclectic enclosed medium tone wood floor family room idea in Austin with beige walls and a tv stand

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

John Bessler
Enclosed dining room - traditional enclosed dining room idea in Raleigh with gray walls

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

John Bessler
Example of a classic carpeted bedroom design in Raleigh with blue walls

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

Photo by John Bessler
Kids' bedroom - bedroom and mid-sized transitional boy carpeted kids' bedroom idea in Raleigh with blue walls

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

John Bessler
Inspiration for a timeless enclosed dining room remodel in Raleigh with gray walls

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

Young newlyweds were looking to transform their home into a chic, sophisticated space for both relaxation and entertaining friends and family. Our approach was utilizing materials that were both luxe and livable, taking into consideration pets and a baby on the way!

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what’s become known as the “party dock”… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer’s platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall – and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down… smores, anyone? John Bessler

How to help a young couple who loved the location and bones of a traditional home, but wanted a decisive shift in its decor and vibe to modern luxe? Begin by pulling down the 2-story walls of oak paneling, heavy fireplace mantle, and scraping out the dimly lit kitchen. Opening the kitchen into the family room and reworking the architecture of the space was the solution to creating the fresh feeling we were after. Photos by John Bessler