This modern organic kitchen blends rift white oak cabinetry with warm white uppers and a spacious island topped in quartz. Woven rattan counter stools introduce natural texture, while black dome pendants add bold contrast. A vertical picket marble backsplash and brass fixtures complete the light-filled, inviting space.

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Surrounded by vineyards, horse ranches, and open land, the home is in a great location that is reasonably close to town while retaining a secluded air. Our homeowners have enjoyed their country retreat for many years. They are blessed with a large extended family and love to host gatherings and entertain weekend guests. The only drawback to their gracious home was the drab and malfunctioning kitchen. First off, the cabinets were an out-dated whitewashed oak. Uggh! High ceilings were a plus feature that was negated by bizarrely stacked wall cabinets – making you think that maybe the original “designer” forgot about the 9 foot ceiling height. More likely, the original cabinets were stock items that didn’t come in the right size for the house. You can also see the lovely fluorescent light box tacked to the middle of the ceiling over the island. Why? Was there no thought to the style shown in the rest of the house? Secondly, the homeowners were fighting with a poor kitchen layout. The large built-in refrigerator and separate freezer were placed right in the main traffic flow from the hall, there was not enough counter space to the right of the sink, the dishwasher was crammed right next to the fridge, and a broom closet took up prime real estate next to the cook-top. Now, remember, guests are frequent in this home and often several people were trying to use the kitchen at one time. Cross traffic and outright pile-ups were inevitable as some folks gathered veggies from the fridge to sauté at the cook-top while others were rinsing used dishes for the dishwasher and still others were taking frozen items to the prep sink and then the microwave. Don’t get me started about the trash and recycling receptacles – complete inconvenience to all! So, our homeowners – the poor, benighted souls – were desperate for a remodel when they found San Luis Kitchen. On their first visit to our showroom, the couple fell in love with our French Country display. The display features soft white cabinets in a distressed cottage finish with a contrasting dark island and armoire; our homeowners were smitten. We knew everyone was up to the challenge and so we got right down to work. We visited their home and measured their kitchen. While we were there, we took stock of the house’s overall style and the homeowner’s décor. We asked what they liked best about their home, what worked well and what didn’t. We found that they loved their arched passageways, the trim details on their mantle and the soft curves of the posts at their stair rail. They also showed us many photos of kitchens that they liked – both from magazines and on-line. Using this information, we went back to the office and pulled together a design. We suggested swinging the refrigerator and freezer 90 degrees and setting them in place of the existing oven and hutch area. This brings them out of the traffic flow and into a comfortable relationship to the island counter. The fridge and freezer the homeowners chose were mismatched in width – we disguised the difference using custom detailing on the decorative panels. Deep storage cabinets above fill out the space. Moving the fridge/freezer gained lots of luxurious counter space to the right of the new farmhouse sink. We placed the broom closet near the hall and tucked the microwave behind closed cabinet doors (which tuck away when open) to the left of it. The beautiful existing wood floor insisted that the island remain in the same location, however we replaced it with luscious cherry cabinets in an antique burnished finish. The island retained its prep sink and gained a wine refrigerator and both a trash compactor and double bin recycling cabinet. A decorative pot rack now hangs in place of the ugly old fluorescent lights. The highlight of the new kitchen is the La Cornue range in a bright and bold blue! The homeowners traveled to a Bay area appliance showroom to see the ranges in person before purchasing to make sure that the ovens were of suitable size and that blue was truly the right color. The range was perfect, so it was purchased. The matching blue hood was created on site using a standard stainless hood as the base and painting a tapered drywall cover. To either side of the range we placed pullout base cabinets for oils and spices and such, each fronted with a turned post chosen to echo their stairway balusters. We also chose cabinet trim (crown, light rail and toe base) to harmonize with the homes existing details. We knew for sure that the completed kitchen was a success when the happy homeowners reported to us that over Thanksgiving they had five cooks working in the space with no conflict whatsoever. That’s a true complement to our design – Thank You!

Trendmark Inc. AFTER - Gold STAR Award Best Whole House. From blah to beautiful, this kitchen’s transformation not only updated the look but rearranged the way the room functioned. After living in the house for almost 15 years the homeowners knew it was time to invest in the most important room in thier house. The large boxed in florescent light, chopped up counter spaces, and white melamine cabinets just had to go! The large pantry closet took up lots of space in the kitchen, but the did not offer organized storage. It was nearly impossible to find what you were looking for as items were buried in the back of the closet. By removing this closet and replacing it with a pantry cabinet with full extension roll outs,not only was the floor space increased but so was the usable storage area. The refrigerator was also relocated to the opposite wall to increase countertop space as well as improve function. Trendmark Inc Contractor Note: The creamy glazed alderwood cabinets have raised panel doors and drawer fronts, and feature extras like an arched raised panel range hood that brings style and elegance to the room. The creams and ivories of the room are complemented by the tan and ivory Juperana Santa Cecilia granite countertops and by the bronze hardware and pendant lighting. The large island provides storage, a prep and clean-up area with an undermounted sink, and an area for family eating or for entertaining service. A focal point in the room is the decorative travertine tile picture frame over the professional grade range. Stainless steel appliances and warm wood flooring complete the look and spread into the eating area and the family room beyond. This room has certainly banished the blahs and become elegant as well as more useful. Homeowner Score - 100 Perfect score from homeowner. “The TrendMark team was outstanding. Their creativity and ability to visualize the project made it turn out better than expected. The team always was very professional, on-time, courteous,easy to work with, and did incredible work! I’d recommend TrendMark to anyone. TrendMark is unique in that the crew are employee of TrendMark and you know who to expect for the duration of the project. I was comfortable having them in our home at anytime. Not having a string of subs come through made it a very positive experience. Their attention to detail was amazing. Before I could point out any issue the team was already working on them. Overall, remodeling a kitchen, down to the sheetrock and more and 3.5 baths could be a very painful experience, but this was not the case. It was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. We love our new home! AWARD: Best Kitchen $25,001 - $40,000 Special Feature Award: Kitchen/Closet Redesign * Nice attention to detail. Reworked interior wall to gain space. Exceptional update good lighting. * Cabinet layout/design – elevations and projections – are small but nice finishing details. Thought/Implementation of kitchen pantry/closet redesign truly changed the kitchen. * Like the kitchen cabinets lines – especially the layout nicely done tile.

Dale Hall Photography Cushman Construction LLC
Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

The primary goal of this basement project was to give these homeowners more space: both for their own everyday use and for guests. By excavating an unusable crawl space, we were able to build out a full basement with 9’ high ceilings, a guest bedroom, a full bathroom, a gym, a large storage room, and a spacious entertainment room that includes a kitchenette. In all, the homeowners gained over 1,100 of finished space.

This "pass though" kitchen needed definition and more storage space. By closing up an unneccessary doorway, the homeowner gained a full wall of cabinetry and a more practical home for their refrigerator. Countertops are Cambria quartz and cabinetry is Aristokraft. Design and photo by Attleboro Kitchen and Bath

Bedroom - large transitional master medium tone wood floor, brown floor, vaulted ceiling and wallpaper bedroom idea with brown walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Everything about this bathroom was small, including the amount of storage. The homeowner’s wanted a new design for their Master Bathroom that would create the illusion of a larger space. With a sloped ceiling and a small footprint that could not be enlarged, Mary Maney had quite a challenge to meet all the storage needs that the homeowner’s requested. A fresh, contemporary color palette and contemporary designs for the plumbing fixtures were a must. To give the illusion of a larger space, a large format porcelain tile that looks like a natural white marble was selected for the floor and runs up one entire wall of the bathroom. A frameless shower door was added to give a clear view of the new tiled shower and shows off the iridescent glass tile on the back wall. The glass tile adds a glitzy shimmer to the room. A soft, blue paint color was selected for the walls and ceiling to coordinate with the tile. To open up the floor space as much as possible, a compact toilet was installed and a contemporary wall mounted vanity in a beautiful blue tone that accents the shower tile nicely. The floating vanity has one large drawer that pulls out and has hidden compartments and an electrical supply for a hair dryer and other hair care tools. Two side by-side recessed medicine cabinets visually open up the room and gain additional storage for make-up and hair care products. This Master Bathroom may be small in square footage, but it is now big on storage. With the soft blue and white color palette, the space is refreshing and the sleek contemporary plumbing fixtures add the element of contemporary design the homeowner’s were looking to achieve.

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

Project Developer Mary Englert Designer Kate Adams
Large trendy l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in DC Metro with green backsplash, an island and beige countertops

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

Elegant bathroom photo in Detroit

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

This Fort Collins homeowner wanted to update an outdated shower with a modern solution that was both durable and low-maintenance. The old tile-and-glass enclosure showed wear and was difficult to keep clean, so we replaced it with a sleek KOHLER LuxStone walk-in shower system. The new shower features clean white walls with an integrated storage niche, easy-to-slide glass doors, and polished chrome fixtures for a timeless, bright look. LuxStone’s engineered stone material not only delivers a high-end finish but also resists mold, mildew, and cracking — giving the homeowner peace of mind that their shower will look beautiful for years to come. By choosing LuxStone, this homeowner gained a shower space that’s easier to clean, safer to use, and built to last — transforming a dated bathroom into a refreshing, modern retreat.

With the pending arrival of a beautiful baby girl, the homeowners of this 1928 Minneapolis Tudor wanted a basement that was conducive to a young child, but would still allow a place for family to gather and the occasional house guest. The original basement was typical; cold, lacking natural light with tiny, uncomfortably confined rooms and that “unique” basement smell. The goal was to reverse all of the ill effects of a rarely unappreciated space while increasing the performance of the older home. The frigid temperatures and wet, mildew odor was remedied by demolishing the entire slab floor and excavating to gain an extra six inches in ceiling height. It also allowed us to insulate to R-15, moisture proof under the new slab, install a drain tile and sump pump. Within the concrete slab is a hydronic, in-floor radiant heating system which further helps to add comfort to the space. Lastly, we also sprayed a closed-cell, expanding urethane foam on the inside of the foundation walls all the way to the first floor. To help bring more light down to the basement, we started by opening up the staircase on both sides. A curved wall bends light into the lower level while a countertop and cubbies below provide storage space for odds and ends. On the opposite wall, creatively placed cubbies provide places for paintings, ceramics and plants. We also removed the tiny 18” x 34” window on the south wall and installed a full-sized, high-efficiency, triple pane Pella egress window. To let lots of natural light into the window, we expanded the size of the cedar-lined egress well and included a built-in planter at the base to help bring life into an otherwise empty cavity. Small, unspecified spaces that became storage areas now have purpose. The areas are defined, yet open. Upon descending down the stairs, one is greeted by a large living room with curved walls, custom design media center, built-in daybed and bookshelves. Use of paint was important in the design. Naturally in older homes basements are going to have exposed beams, soffits and a whole gambit of nooks and crannies. Instead of disguising them, we played them up, which created a layer effect with the color. The color also adds a touch of playfulness which anyone, regardless of age, can enjoy. We scavenged the client’s garage and discovered that the previous homeowner kept the old, full-view glass front entry door in the garage. We re-installed the original glass knob and attached the door to sliding barn door hardware which was attached to the main structural beam of the lower level. On the other side of the door was the homeowners’ combined office and small fitness area. The office floor is a blend of thin strips of different colored cork. A built-in storage cabinet sits across from a site-built desk which forms to the curve of the dividing wall. A small, square hole in the curved wall provides a view to see who is coming down the stairs. Opposite of the office area and directly at the base of the stairs is a place for the homeowner’s treadmill. Hidden is the mechanical room, which is home to many green and energy efficient products. The washing machine is a low-water consumption unit while the dryer requires less energy to operate than most standard units. Both sit atop a checkerboard pattern of different colored VCT tiles. We also replaced the aging boiler, which only heated the first and second level, with a 95% efficient heat source for the entire house—including the basement. Behind the curved wall, the bathroom is conveniently located. A large, custom built no-formaldehyde added vanity supports the slab of remnant granite countertop. A piece of eco-resin wall panel, embedded with organic material, contains water in the shower and blends beautifully with the updated colors. Tucked under the stairs, we installed a dual-flush, low-water consumption toilet. Through creative space planning, we packed a lot of into a rather small space. As a result, we have three very happy homeowners who are enjoying their light, clean and safe lower level of their home—however, they’ve been hard pressed to think of it as a “basement”. highlights Moisture management system Insulated slab Hydronic in-floor heat Formaldehyde free cabinetry MN-made custom cabinets Ultra-low VOC paints Wool carpet Dual-flush toilet Cork floor No recessed lights Cedar egress window well with planter Re-used door Eco-resin