Go bold with color when designing small spaces. Every item and every square inch has a purpose, form and function are on in the same. Open shelving holds everyday dishes and trailing plants to create a unique and liveable look.

Trendy bar cart photo in London

Small kitchen......big idea. These two upper cabinets either side of the hood ducting hold more cooking items and a few cookbooks. In a small space especially, you really want to make every inch of space work well.

Everything has its place in this kitchen. The microwave has its own niche under a cabinet that can hold mixers, waffle irons, and other small appliances. The built-in china cabinet holds everyday dishes on the bottom shelves and more special items on the top shelves. Architectural design by Dan Malone of Soundesign Group. Photo by John G. Wilbanks.

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

Pocket doors open to reveal “her” closet, a study in symmetry. The large center island holds drawers for items like jewelry and clothing accessories. Photographed by Arnal Photography.

Primitive towel bar. Photo by Hsu McCullough
Bathroom - small rustic master brown tile bathroom idea in Los Angeles

We like the look of this rustic Jenn-Air kitchen, especially the large island with the glass cabinet and the carved leg. Note the wine coolers in the next room, by the coffee machine. A great entertaining space.

Elegant home design photo in Atlanta

Vivian Johnson Photography

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

Inspiration for a small transitional laundry room remodel in DC Metro

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.

A slim pullout for cutting boards can just as easily handle tall bottles. Interior drawers hold small items just where you might need them, but tucked behind a sleek single panel.

This condo bathroom renovation involved removing the bathtub and making the whole space a shower. The half wall comes in handy to hold bottles and decor items.