Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The Klimala’s and their three kids are no strangers to moving, this being their fifth house in the same town over the 20-year period they have lived there. “It must be the 7-year itch, because every seven years, we seem to find ourselves antsy for a new project or a new environment. I think part of it is being a designer, I see my own taste evolve and I want my environment to reflect that. Having easy access to wonderful tradesmen and a knowledge of the process makes it that much easier”. This time, Klimala’s fell in love with a somewhat unlikely candidate. The 1950’s ranch turned cape cod was a bit of a mutt, but it’s location 5 minutes from their design studio and backing up to the high school where their kids can roll out of bed and walk to school, coupled with the charm of its location on a private road and lush landscaping made it an appealing choice for them. “The bones of the house were really charming. It was typical 1,500 square foot ranch that at some point someone added a second floor to. Its sloped roofline and dormered bedrooms gave it some charm.” With the help of architect Maureen McHugh, Klimala’s gutted and reworked the layout to make the house work for them. An open concept kitchen and dining room allows for more frequent casual family dinners and dinner parties that linger. A dingy 3-season room off the back of the original house was insulated, given a vaulted ceiling with skylights and now opens up to the kitchen. This room now houses an 8’ raw edge white oak dining table and functions as an informal dining room. “One of the challenges with these mid-century homes is the 8’ ceilings. I had to have at least one room that had a higher ceiling so that’s how we did it” states Klimala. The kitchen features a 10’ island which houses a 5’0” Galley Sink. The Galley features two faucets, and double tiered rail system to which accessories such as cutting boards and stainless steel bowls can be added for ease of cooking. Across from the large sink is an induction cooktop. “My two teen daughters and I enjoy cooking, and the Galley and induction cooktop make it so easy.” A wall of tall cabinets features a full size refrigerator, freezer, double oven and built in coffeemaker. The area on the opposite end of the kitchen features a pantry with mirrored glass doors and a beverage center below. The rest of the first floor features an entry way, a living room with views to the front yard’s lush landscaping, a family room where the family hangs out to watch TV, a back entry from the garage with a laundry room and mudroom area, one of the home’s four bedrooms and a full bath. There is a double sided fireplace between the family room and living room. The home features pops of color from the living room’s peach grass cloth to purple painted wall in the family room. “I’m definitely a traditionalist at heart but because of the home’s Midcentury roots, I wanted to incorporate some of those elements into the furniture, lighting and accessories which also ended up being really fun. We are not formal people so I wanted a house that my kids would enjoy, have their friends over and feel comfortable.” The second floor houses the master bedroom suite, two of the kids’ bedrooms and a back room nicknamed “the library” because it has turned into a quiet get away area where the girls can study or take a break from the rest of the family. The area was originally unfinished attic, and because the home was short on closet space, this Jack and Jill area off the girls’ bedrooms houses two large walk-in closets and a small sitting area with a makeup vanity. “The girls really wanted to keep the exposed brick of the fireplace that runs up the through the space, so that’s what we did, and I think they feel like they are in their own little loft space in the city when they are up there” says Klimala. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Dedicated Home Theater with a Stewart Motorized Screen that retracts so the homeowners children can hold their own non-electronic performances when inclined! Sony Laser Projector, Audio Control Processing and Amps, Kaliedescape Video Server, Revel sound system with 4 subwoofers, Lutron Lighting Control, Savant Control System.

Designer: Allen Construction General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
1960s one-story glass exterior home idea in Los Angeles

The 33" Atlas Farmhouse Sink provides modern farmhouse appeal to transform the look of your kitchen. Designed for a high traffic area, this basin features a spacious single bowl that easily holds large pots and pans. A stylish, gunmetal black finish is applied through a PVD process that guarantees an even coating and resistance to high temperatures.

Dedicated Home Theater with a Stewart Motorized Screen that retracts so the homeowners children can hold their own non-electronic performances when inclined! Sony Laser Projector, Audio Control Processing and Amps, Kaliedescape Video Server, Revel sound system with 4 subwoofers, Lutron Lighting Control, Savant Control System.

The Savannah Area Rug is meticulously hand spun from sustainable jute fibers. The hand spinning and braiding process increases the fiber’s durability and makes the rug a perfect choice for high traffic areas. The colors dyed into the fibers will hold fast, even after long term use, and provide a beautiful accent in any décor style or color scheme.

Melissa Oivanki for Custom Home Designs, LLC
Example of a mid-sized classic single-wall dedicated laundry room design in New Orleans with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, tile countertops, green walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Sergio – I love my new backsplash and countertops! The process was so much easier than I thought it would be – and I’m amazed at how quickly it came together. Thank you for helping me with my selections, walking me through the process, and keeping me updated each step of the way. Your contractors were all very professional, and it is evident that you hold them to very high standards. Please feel free to use me as a reference, and I look forward to doing more work with you in the future! Shawn

Elegant l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo with glass-front cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash and white countertops

Eric Rorer Photographer
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gray two-story concrete fiberboard house exterior remodel in San Francisco with a shed roof and a shingle roof

Inspiration for a small industrial l-shaped laminate floor and gray floor eat-in kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, red backsplash, brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances, gray countertops and a peninsula

This residential wine cellar combines simplicity with the warm elegance of a Chestnut wood stain. Designed to hold up to 500 bottles, the client is still in the process of filling it with their favorite wines. What was once a small basement room has been transformed into a stunning wine storage space. Ready to reimagine a space in your home?

Inspiration for a large timeless kitchen remodel in Chicago with an island

This residential wine cellar combines simplicity with the warm elegance of a Chestnut wood stain. Designed to hold up to 500 bottles, the client is still in the process of filling it with their favorite wines. What was once a small basement room has been transformed into a stunning wine storage space. Ready to reimagine a space in your home?

This residential wine cellar combines simplicity with the warm elegance of a Chestnut wood stain. Designed to hold up to 500 bottles, the client is still in the process of filling it with their favorite wines. What was once a small basement room has been transformed into a stunning wine storage space. Ready to reimagine a space in your home?

During the build process- highlighting the large custom storage unit to hold children's toys.
Trendy home design photo in New York

During the build process- highlighting the large custom storage unit to hold children's toys
Home design - contemporary home design idea in New York

This residential wine cellar combines simplicity with the warm elegance of a Chestnut wood stain. Designed to hold up to 500 bottles, the client is still in the process of filling it with their favorite wines. What was once a small basement room has been transformed into a stunning wine storage space. Ready to reimagine a space in your home?