Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

With a wry smile and a penchant for artisanal quality, she asked, "Can you mix Egyptian Art Deco, Funky Modern, and Western Lodge styles in my historic 1910 Prairie Style home?" Yes, ma'am. Yes I can. ...I'll freely admit, and so will Nancy, the pair of vintage couches we redressed flanking the fireplace are simply hilarious. I call them "Mae West Had A Twin Sister". ;P photography by Steve Voelker

All furniture and accessories were bought at Serenity Design. If you are interested in purchasing anything you see in our photographs please contact us at the store 609-494-5162. Many of the items can be shipped throughout the country. Photographs by John Martinelli

These clients have a high sense of design and have always built their own homes. They just downsized into a typical town home and needed this new space to stand out but also be accommodating of aging in place. The client, Jim, has a handful of challenges ahead of him with dealing with Parkinson and all of it symptoms. We optimized the shower, enlarging it by eliminating the tub and not using a shower door. We were able to do a curbless shower, reducing the likelihood of falling. We used larger tiles in the bathroom and shower but added the anti slip porcelain. I included a built-in seat in the shower and a stand-alone bench on the other side. We used a separate hand shower and easy to grab handles. A natural palette peppered with some aqua and green breathes fresh, new life into a re-imagined UTC town home. Choosing materials and finishes that have higher contrast helps make the change from flooring to wall, as well as cabinet to counter, more obvious. Large glass wall tiles make the bathroom seem much larger. A flush installation of drywall to tile is easy on the eye while showing the attention to detail. A modern custom floating vanity allows for walker wheels if needed. Personal touches like adding a filter faucet at the sink makes his trips to take medicine a bit easier. One of my favorite things in design for any project is lighting. Not only can lighting add to the look and feel of the space, but it can also create a safer environment. Installing different types of lighting, including scones on either side of the mirror, recessed can lights both inside and outside of the shower, and LED strip lighting under the floating vanity, keep this modern bathroom current and very functional. Because of the skylight and the round window, light is allowed in to play with the different colors in the glass and the shapes around the room, which created a bright and playful bathroom. It is not often that I get to play with stain-glass, but this existing circular window, that we could NOT change, needed some love. We used a local craftsman that allowed us to design a playful stain-glass piece for the inside of the bathroom window, reminding them of their front door in their custom home years ago.

Elegant living room photo in Orange County

Example of a transitional carpeted bedroom design in New York with gray walls

Kimberley Bryan
Photo of an eclectic shade backyard vegetable garden landscape.

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day. Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too. This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system. The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves. A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily. A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet. Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most. Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photography by Ira Montgomery

©Teague Hunziker
Living room - small contemporary enclosed light wood floor living room idea in Other with white walls

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day. Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too. This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system. The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves. A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily. A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet. Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most. Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

A snug fit! We managed to squeeze in two full sized waste cans and an Insinkerator disposal and still had room for some cleaning supplies in the pullout drawers. There's no wasted space here! c 2015 Sarah Robertson

Scott Ehler
Example of a beach style living room design in Melbourne

Cabinet Tronix displays how custom beautiful matching furniture can be placed on each side of the fire place all while secretly hiding the flat screen TV in one of them with a motorized TV lift. This solution is great option versus placing the TV above the fire place which many home owners, interior designers, architects, custom home builders and audio video integrator specialists have struggled with. Placing the TV above the fireplace has been in many cases the only option. Here we show how you can have 2 furniture pieces made to order that match and one has space for storage and the other on the right hides the TV and electronic components. The TV lift system on this piece was controlled by a Universal Remote so the home owner only presses one button and the TV lifts up and all components including the flat screen turn on. Vise versa when pressing the off button. Shabby-Chic in design, this interior is a stunner and one of our favorite projects to be part of. Miami Florida Greenwich, Connecticut New York City Beverly Hills, California Atlanta Georgia Palm Beach Houston Los Angeles Palo Alto San Francisco Chicago Illinios London UK Boston Hartford New Canaan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Washington D.C. Butler Maryland Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Bellevue, Washington Portland, Oregon Honolulu, Hawaii Wilmington, Delaware University City Fort Lauerdale Rancho Santa Fe Lancaster

When you first walk into this dressing room, it’s the lighting that jumps out at you first. Each shelf is illuminated to show the brilliant colors and texture of the clothing. Light even pours through the big windows and draws your eye across the rooftops of Brooklyn to see the NYC skyline. It creates a feeling of brightness and positivity that energizes and enlivens. It’s a dressing room where you can look and feel your best as you begin your day. Featured in a modern Italian Melamine and tastefully accented with complementing Matte Nickel hardware and Clear Acrylic handle pulls, this Chic Brooklyn Dressing Room proves to be not only stylish, but functional too. This custom closet combines both high and low hanging sections, which afford you enough room to organize items based on size. This type of mechanism offers more depth than a standard hanging system. The open shelving offers a substantial amount of depth, so you have plenty of space to personalize your room with mementos, collectibles and home decor. Adjustable shelves also give you the freedom to store items of all sizes from large shoe and boot boxes to smaller collectibles and scarves. A functional key to closet design is being able to visualize and conveniently access items. There’s also something very appealing about having your items neatly displayed - especially when it comes to shoes. Our wide shoe shelves were purposely installed on a slant for easy access, allowing you to identify and grab your favorite footwear quickly and easily. A spacious center island provides a place to relax while spreading out accessories and visualizing more possibilities. This center island was designed with extra drawer storage that includes a velvet lined jewelry drawer. Double jewelry drawers can add a sleek and useful dimension to any dressing room. An organized system will prevent tarnishing and with a designated spot for every piece, your jewelry stays organized and in perfect condition. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Belt Rack and hook as well as Elite Valet Rods and a pull-out mirror. The unit also includes a Deluxe Pant Rack in a Matte Nickel finish. Thanks to the full-extension ball-bearing slides, everything is in complete view. This means you no longer have to waste time desperately hunting for something you know is hiding somewhere in your closet. Lighting played a huge role in the design of this dressing room. In order to make the contents of the closet fully visible, we integrated a combination of energy efficient lighting options, including LED strip lights and touch dimmers as well as under-mounted shelf lights and sensor activated drawer lights. Efficient lighting options will put your wardrobe in full view early in the mornings and in the evenings when dressing rooms are used most. Dressing rooms act as a personal sanctuary for mixing and matching the perfect ensemble. Your closet should cater to your personal needs, whether it’s top shelving or extra boot and hat storage. A well designed space can make dressing much easier - even on rushed mornings.

Barry Grossman Photography
Trendy foyer photo in Miami with white walls

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

This kitchen is a prime example of beautifully designed functionality. From the spacious maple butcher block island & eating bar to the roll-up pass through window for outdoor entertaining, the space can handle whatever situation the owners throw at it. The Espresso stain on these Medallion cabinets of Cherry wood really anchors the whimsy of the yellow bar stools and the ginger-tone checkerboard Marmoleum floor. Cabinets designed and installed by Allen's Fine Woodworking Cabinetry and Design, Hood River, OR. Photos by Zach Luellen Photography LLC

Sutter Photographers The Hardware Studio - hardware Martinwood Cabinetry - millwork Studio GlassWorks - glass countertop Window Design Center - awning window Nonn's Showplace - quartz, granite countertops • The kitchen was designed so everything has a home: spices, oils, knives, cookie sheets, awkward utensils, silverware, tupperware, trash receptacles, and a “stash spot” for when guests come over. Large pull-out drawers are great for pans and lids particularly on the back side (bottom of picture) of the island. • A thick, pull-out butcher block cutting board was included, which can extend over the pullout garbage receptacles. It can also be removed for cleaning. • The original casement window was replaced with a new Marvin awning window. The length was extended, and we included a contained window blind. The countertop now extends into the window.