Entertaining friends and family doesn't work well when rooms are small and closed off. So when our clients decided to remodel, they knew they wanted to open up the space to accommodate large gatherings. Also important were ample storage and quality appliances that would hold up to the demands of cooking creative meals several nights a week. As is sometimes the case with remodeling, solving one problem can create another. Opening up the space involved removing a wall, which sacrificed critical square footage for cabinetry and appliances. We knew the wall needed to come down so we were challenged with making sure every available cabinet space in the kitchen was being utilized as thoughtfully and creatively as possible. A tall pantry was added next to the refrigerator to allow for storage of pots and pans, as well as food, while another pantry in the adjacent dining room housed all dishes and silverware. A small bar area was created in an unused section in the back of the home to store coffee and tea accessories and drinkware. Finally, a small island in the center of the kitchen offered the ideal location for the microwave and most-used pots and pans. With the expanded space, smart use of storage options and top-notch appliances, our clients are enjoying working in their new kitchen and have already hosted a ravioli-making class! Matt Villano Photography

Contractor: David Clough Photographer: Dan Gair/Blind Dog Photo, Inc. This period home straddles two centuries and dual roles. As the home for the headmaster of an independent high school, it is also considered a school asset as a facility for visitors. Formal details define the public rooms that accommodate school functions. A ground-floor guest suite hosts campus visitors. The catering-quality kitchen, like a hinge, connects the intimate living quarters to formal spaces. The heart of their family sanctuary is the great room just beyond the kitchen. The headmaster holds occasional student classes in his living room, connecting students to this campus legacy. He and his wife can see the front door of the main building from his upstairs window. Boundaries between public and private life are sensitively articulated throughout.

Entertaining friends and family doesn't work well when rooms are small and closed off. So when our clients decided to remodel, they knew they wanted to open up the space to accommodate large gatherings. Also important were ample storage and quality appliances that would hold up to the demands of cooking creative meals several nights a week. As is sometimes the case with remodeling, solving one problem can create another. Opening up the space involved removing a wall, which sacrificed critical square footage for cabinetry and appliances. We knew the wall needed to come down so we were challenged with making sure every available cabinet space in the kitchen was being utilized as thoughtfully and creatively as possible. A tall pantry was added next to the refrigerator to allow for storage of pots and pans, as well as food, while another pantry in the adjacent dining room housed all dishes and silverware. A small bar area was created in an unused section in the back of the home to store coffee and tea accessories and drinkware. Finally, a small island in the center of the kitchen offered the ideal location for the microwave and most-used pots and pans. With the expanded space, smart use of storage options and top-notch appliances, our clients are enjoying working in their new kitchen and have already hosted a ravioli-making class! Matt Villano Photography

These slabs are cut from Big Leaf Maple Trees from the Canada West Coast. Big Leaf Maple is a rare tree that has a ton of character and beauty. (Exact shown piece has been sold!! You will receive a similar product although all pieces from the live edge detail/ movement and grain will vary. CUSTOM SIZES AVAILABLE upon request please contact for pricing) _____________________________________________________________________ PROCESS // Made from the highest quality hardwoods and kiln dried down to single digit moisture content. These are the best floating shelf/ mantels available. I hand pick each piece of wood for your project. The depth of this live edge floating shelf makes it a perfect bookshelf. It's also ideal for a variety of other uses such as to hold kitchenware, bathroom products or next to your bed as a floating nightstand. Each shelf comes fitted with a steel support brace (clear coated to prevent rust) with support anchors made of 1/2" thick steel. Can support up to 50lbs per 24". (If mounted properly) Comes with all mounting screws #12 x 2.5". Drilled to accommodate studs 16"oc or 24"oc. Finished with 3-4 coats of OSMO Polyx Oil Finish to help protect from moisture and other elements. Low VOC. Each live edge shelf is one-of-a-kind.

This elegant wine cellar can be seen through the double glass doors from the entertainment room in the basement. The sitting bar along the wall provides plenty of space to enjoy a bottle of wine and appetizers while sitting in the cellar. The combination of cellar features such as individual bottle bins, solid diamond bin, picture opening and display cases accommodates many different bottle sizes while featuring the special wines. The deep/rich color racking holds roughly 775 bottles and is build out of stained Walnut.

This kitchen holds a secret: it’s actually two kitchens. The main kitchen was designed for entertaining, while behind, a hidden kitchen or scullery, becomes the workspace for day-to-day living. The kitchen’s neutral color scheme is comprised of custom-matched Benjamin Moore Chantily Lace on Maple, Matte Porcelain Gray on Rift Cut White Oak and the Weathered Taupe on Rough Sawn Euro Oak on Vanguard Plus door. The oversized island can accommodate several guests, or weeknight family dinners. Designer Steve Abruzzo brought in contemporary details such as the high gloss subway tile on the stove back, and with lighting and seating choices, while keeping it relaxed with the addition of a seating area with pull out drawers for additional storage space. The cooking area features in-wall ovens flanking a Contemporary Armoire with floor to ceiling doors showcasing dishware through metal mesh inserts. Custom matching floating shelves above an oversized stainless steel farmers sink provides additional, out-of-the-way but on display storage.

Wall of heavy duty cabinets to hold all your tools and toys! Cabinets come in various depths and heights to accommodate all your storage needs. Call Tailored Living of Kelowna today for your free in-home consultation. 250-452-9575

These slabs are cut from Big Leaf Maple Trees from the Canada West Coast. Big Leaf Maple is a rare tree that has a ton of character and beauty. (Exact shown piece has been sold!! You will receive a similar product although all pieces from the live edge detail/ movement and grain will vary. CUSTOM SIZES AVAILABLE upon request please contact for pricing) _____________________________________________________________________ PROCESS // Made from the highest quality hardwoods and kiln dried down to single digit moisture content. These are the best floating shelf/ mantels available. I hand pick each piece of wood for your project. The depth of this live edge floating shelf makes it a perfect bookshelf. It's also ideal for a variety of other uses such as to hold kitchenware, bathroom products or next to your bed as a floating nightstand. Each shelf comes fitted with a steel support brace (clear coated to prevent rust) with support anchors made of 1/2" thick steel. Can support up to 50lbs per 24". (If mounted properly) Comes with all mounting screws #12 x 2.5". Drilled to accommodate studs 16"oc or 24"oc. Finished with 3-4 coats of OSMO Polyx Oil Finish to help protect from moisture and other elements. Low VOC. Each live edge shelf is one-of-a-kind.

Laundry rooms and mudrooms can be a headache for many homeowners. They are usually cramped with poor functionality and little storage space. Joe and Kristin suffered all those aches and more, as their laundry room lacked clothing storage. Shoes were crammed in every corner. There was nowhere to fold clothes without taking them to the kitchen. They were ready for a complete laundry room remodel project. Joe and Kristin interviewed several local remodeling companies but didn’t connect with anyone who could understand their vision. During the summer, when they were attending their son’s race venue, they noticed fellow kart racers Todd and Christine Jurs’ sponsor banner for their remodeling company, Advance Design Studio. Immediately they were thrilled that they knew someone they trusted who could handle the renovation. “We wanted someone that we actually knew, who has a little bit more invested than an outside person that we don’t have any ties to,” Kristin said. Project Designer Nicole Ryan came to their home in Warrenville for the initial consultation. Kristin, an avid HGTV viewer, brought her ideas to Nicole. Throughout the design process, they worked together designing the space, selecting materials, and choosing colors. Nicole made sure to incorporate Kristin’s must-haves into the finished laundry room remodel. “It was really easy. Nicole made the transition very easy,” Kristin said of Nicole’s work in the design phase of the project. With the materials selected and the drawings finalized, it was time to begin construction. Kristin and Joe were impressed with how quickly and cleanly this phase went. “Everyone that came in was very respectful, very neat, and that was a big part for me because I didn’t want dust going through the rest of my house,” Kristin said. The new combination mudroom/laundry room is everything Kristin and Joe hoped. There is plenty of storage, three pull-out laundry hampers for presorting laundry, a large central island for folding clothes, a designated bar to hang dry, and even a unique rotating shoe rack to keep shoes from cluttering the space. “My rotating shoe rack,” Kristin said when asked what her favorite part of her new laundry room was. “We have four kids. We have a lot of shoes and sporting events. So it makes sense to have all that space for shoes.” The center island has an exceptional feature as well. It has wheels. Kristin wanted to be able to move the island out of the way for different functions in the room. An island with wheels can be placed wherever needed in the space. The two existing closets were reconfigured with built-in closet storage systems to make them more functional than before with shelves for baskets holding gloves and hats, umbrellas, and coats. “They love it,” Project Designer Nicole Ryan said. “They had a vision of how they wanted the space to function but didn’t know exactly how to get it there. My design took all their needs and used the most efficient products to get them the desired outcome. Tons of function, while still looking beautiful!” The “White” Hudson Panel Dura Supreme cabinetry on the perimeter brightens the space and contrasts the popular blue “Gale Force” Dura Supreme cabinetry of the rolling island. The black and white encaustic design porcelain tile backsplash adds visual interest to the room above the white quartz countertops. Additionally, an oil-rubbed bronze bar for hanging clothes is conveniently located above the washer/dryer, and a stainless-steel under-mount sink with a matching Kohler faucet offers perfect functionality. “I would definitely recommend Advance Design; they’ve been wonderful. They were so helpful. Any little changes we had, they were able to accommodate,” Kristin said.

This retaining wall is a fun and simple design consisting of two tiers to accommodate the height required to hold back the embankment, with the tier in the middle including a simple but elegant planting and lighting design. The stone in this picture is wet and dry at parts which shows the variation in color.

THEME There are two priorities in this room: Hockey (in this case, Washington Capitals hockey) and FUN. FOCUS The room is broken into two main sections (one for kids and one for adults); and divided by authentic hockey boards, complete with yellow kickplates and half-inch plexiglass. Like a true hockey arena, the room pays homage to star players with two fully autographed team jerseys preserved in cases, as well as team logos positioned throughout the room on custom-made pillows, accessories and the floor. The back half of the room is made just for kids. Swings, a dart board, a ball pit, a stage and a hidden playhouse under the stairs ensure fun for all. STORAGE A large storage unit at the rear of the room makes use of an odd-shaped nook, adds support and accommodates large shelves, toys and boxes. Storage space is cleverly placed near the ballpit, and will eventually transition into a full storage area once the pit is no longer needed. The back side of the hockey boards hold two small refrigerators (one for adults and one for kids), as well as the base for the audio system. GROWTH The front half of the room lasts as long as the family’s love for the team. The back half of the room grows with the children, and eventually will provide a useable, wide open space as well as storage. SAFETY A plexiglass wall separates the two main areas of the room, minimizing the noise created by kids playing and hockey fans cheering. It also protects the big screen TV from balls, pucks and other play objects that occasionally fly by. The ballpit door has a double safety lock to ensure supervised use.

THEME The sheer delight of the merrygo- round — an enduring symbol of childhood — is captured in this beautiful room dedicated to the carousel. The ageless joy and beauty of a classic carousel creates a magical space where anything seems possible. FOCUS Designed for two special twins, the actual carousel in the room stands almost 14-feet tall and eight-and-a-half feet wide to hold two baby cribs. Two hand-painted carousel horses (that are also reproduced in framed photos above the changing tables) complete the authentic look. Window treatments start at the center of the carousel with fabric that arches out to each window to pull together the entire room. Custom fabrics are used throughout the space, and the entrance to the attic within the room is disguised with an oversized, vintage amusement park ticket. A television is framed on the wall with a monkey on top to ensure that even modern items have a vintage feel. STORAGE An 18-foot by 12-foot wall of letter blocks creates an abstract armoire that provides storage for clothes, toys, books and other items. The center blocks create a bench seat along the wall, while freestanding blocks within the room help add to the illusion that all of the blocks in the room are actually stacked. GROWTH The wall armoire can be easily updated to accommodate growing children by removing the letters and repainting the blocks in another style. SAFETY Everything in the room is secure, but if accidental falls or slips do occur, the floor has been custom made to be soft and safe. Twofoot square floor pads created with Medium Density Fiber board and two layers of carpet padding with fabric over top, cover the floor to create the feel of walking on pillows.

Contractor: David Clough Photographer: Dan Gair/Blind Dog Photo, Inc. This period home straddles two centuries and dual roles. As the home for the headmaster of an independent high school, it is also considered a school asset as a facility for visitors. Formal details define the public rooms that accommodate school functions. A ground-floor guest suite hosts campus visitors. The catering-quality kitchen, like a hinge, connects the intimate living quarters to formal spaces. The heart of their family sanctuary is the great room just beyond the kitchen. The headmaster holds occasional student classes in his living room, connecting students to this campus legacy. He and his wife can see the front door of the main building from his upstairs window. Boundaries between public and private life are sensitively articulated throughout.

The primary bedroom and bathroom are the showstoppers of this phase! Unused and awkwardly located closets in both the bedroom and bathroom were removed to make way for additional square-footage in the bath and replaced with a sizable and functional reach-in closet in the bedroom. A dated and cramped shower stall was removed in favor for an expansive step in shower spanning the width of the bathroom and a new transom window washes the room in natural light. While the previous bathroom was only able to accommodate a single vanity, the new layout allowed us to create double matching vanities mirrored across from each other - a much appreciated addition for a primary bath. Floating walnut vanities boast impressive storage and are capped with tower cabinets with hidden outlets for charging and storing electronic bathroom tools. While the color palette is restrained - black, white, gray, and brown - the result is a timelessly modern and masculine space that is at once striking and warm. Modern geometric patterns play with each other throughout the material selections.

The glass double doors look into the handsome custom wine cellar adjacent to the "Man Cave". The recessed ceiling provides an added dimension to the otherwise square room. A clear coated Mahogany wood was used to build the custom wine cellar. Due to the owners needs to store various wine bottle sizes, many different elements were included in the racking to hold 1100 bottles. A wood louver was built to hide the climate control air handler split system above the door. A high reveal display angle surrounds the room and is lit with rope lighting. The arch in the back of the room includes a front load stemware holder on either side with a stone countertop just above the drawer for decanting. Wood case pullouts allow for easy access to special case wines. Both corners of the room include void bottle bins from floor to ceiling as well as diamond bins to accommodate all bottle sizes. Photo taken by Inviniti Cellar Design

Floors are custom herringbone porcelain tiles made to look like wood to accommodate the client's beloved foster pets. Custom cubbys for the kids coats, shoes and backpacks add organization to home. Room also includes dog area housing large drawers that hold the dog food and treats as well as a built-in bed for the smaller dogs. A desk and family organizational area includes a file cabinet, a built-in cork board, and Lucite chair. Photos: Peggy Garbus of Peggy Garbus Photography

Archer & Buchanan designed a standalone garage in Gladwyne to hold a client’s vintage car collection. The new structure is set into the hillside running adjacent to the driveway of the residence. It acts conceptually as a “gate house” of sorts, enhancing the arrival experience and creating a courtyard feel through its relationship to the existing home. The ground floor of the garage features telescoping glass doors that provide easy entry and exit for the classic roadsters while also allowing them to be showcased and visible from the house. A contemporary loft suite, accessible by a custom-designed contemporary wooden stair, accommodates guests as needed. Overlooking the 2-story car space, the suite includes a sitting area with balcony, kitchenette, and full bath. The exterior design of the garage incorporates a stone base, vertical siding and a zinc standing seam roof to visually connect the structure to the aesthetic of the existing 1950s era home.

Royal's Factory and its review: The business that Royal now runs in Shanghai was originally established by his father in Hong Kong. The legacy of this workmanship lies with Royal's father. At age 20, he was apprenticed to a traditional Chinese carpenter in Shanghai and learnt the long-established customs of furniture manufacture and furniture upholstery. After moving to Hong Kong, he was fortunate to study and work with a master craftsman from France, who specialized in furnitures. This experience allowed him to integrate his knowledge of both Eastern and Western practices, catering to both local and international clients. When Royal and his family moved to Shanghai seven years ago, the family business came full circle, opening Little Dragon in the city where Royal's father had first learnt the craft of furniture making. Royal has a special affinity for furniture making, having studied classic and modern techniques under father's direction from the age of 16 years. He is genuinely passionate about furniture making (especially furnitures). Over the last 8 years, our business has grown significantly, due mainly to the glowing referrals we receive from our loyal customers, who enjoy our personalized service and attention to detail. "You can't get a better marketing strategy than word-of-mouth," says owner Royal Wong, who believes the success of our family business is based on the quality of the craftsmanship and service our staff provide. We also believe that detailed hand-finished work provides its own quality assurance and our confidence in this craftsmanship is reflected in our lifetime service guarantee. All tastes and styles are catered to, as the store offers more than 5,000 quality samples and fabric swatches. An enormous array of options await - smooth leather, luxurious velvet, magnificent satin tapestry designs and comfortable modern fabrics such as cotton-linen blends and ultra-suede. As upholstery support and padding is dictated by individual taste, customers can choose from a diverse range of filling materials, which are assembled by hand. Specialized workshop processes ensure the quality and quantity of these materials, as they are individually weighed then encased in a special lining fabric. Customers that choose a made-to-order furniture know just what they want, and that's usually a furniture that will retain its original size, shape and support over the years. Changes in style and taste are easily accommodated with interchangeable and replaceable furniture covers. Our custom-made furnitures and chairs, of unique design and style, are vivid reflections of the personality and taste of their owners. Like tailor-made clothing, the quality of the design and materials are specifically suited to the end user. Over the last seven years, we've collected an interesting range of anecdotes from our customers, some of whom will go to great lengths to get a Little Dragon furniture into their home. One client, whose custom-made furniture was too large to fit through his front door, hoisted it through a third floor window via a pulley. Another, having relocated his Little Dragon furniture from Shanghai, to the United States, to Singapore, visited China especially to pick up some soft furnishings from our store. Amongst our high profile customers over the years are some of Hong Kong's premier five-star hotel presidents, business titans, film stars and Shanghai's consul-generals. Perhaps one of our most faithful customers is the legendary Hong Kong actor, Andy Lau, who asked his interior decorator to work directly with us to complete the design of his entire mansion in Hong Kong. The repair and restoration of antique furniture is a unique skill that we offer our customers. Our European clients, in particular, have strong recollections of furniture handed down through the ages and appreciate the opportunity to put some life back into family heirlooms which hold such fond memories of those now departed. One French customer, referred by a friend, entrusted us with a armoire that had been in the family for three generations. Our company's objective is the same as its clients - to retain the integrity of the original craftsmanship and refresh the unique traits of an individual furniture piece. For this reason, Royal's customers can be considered a rather special community as they are willing to come from far and wide to benefit from his unique skill set. The company's integrity and heritage are much like that of the pieces they work on – handed down from father to son and continued throughout the generations. It is no wonder that the business has an international reputation which draws clients from all corners of the globe to Shanghai.

Archer & Buchanan designed a standalone garage in Gladwyne to hold a client’s vintage car collection. The new structure is set into the hillside running adjacent to the driveway of the residence. It acts conceptually as a “gate house” of sorts, enhancing the arrival experience and creating a courtyard feel through its relationship to the existing home. The ground floor of the garage features telescoping glass doors that provide easy entry and exit for the classic roadsters while also allowing them to be showcased and visible from the house. A contemporary loft suite, accessible by a custom-designed contemporary wooden stair, accommodates guests as needed. Overlooking the 2-story car space, the suite includes a sitting area with balcony, kitchenette, and full bath. The exterior design of the garage incorporates a stone base, vertical siding and a zinc standing seam roof to visually connect the structure to the aesthetic of the existing 1950s era home.