Search results for "Hosting easy" in Home Design Ideas

This 1933 Wauwatosa basement was dark, dingy and lacked functionality. The basement was unfinished with concrete walls and floors. A small office was enclosed but the rest of the space was open and cluttered.
The homeowners wanted a warm, organized space for their family. A recent job change meant they needed a dedicated home office. They also wanted a place where their kids could hang out with friends.
Their wish list for this basement remodel included: a home office where the couple could both work, a full bathroom, a cozy living room and a dedicated storage room.
This basement renovation resulted in a warm and bright space that is used by the whole family.
Highlights of this basement:
- Home Office: A new office gives the couple a dedicated space for work. There’s plenty of desk space, storage cabinets, under-shelf lighting and storage for their home library.
- Living Room: An old office area was expanded into a cozy living room. It’s the perfect place for their kids to hang out when they host friends and family.
- Laundry Room: The new laundry room is a total upgrade. It now includes fun laminate flooring, storage cabinets and counter space for folding laundry.
- Full Bathroom: A new bathroom gives the family an additional shower in the home. Highlights of the bathroom include a navy vanity, quartz counters, brass finishes, a Dreamline shower door and Kohler Choreograph wall panels.
- Staircase: We spruced up the staircase leading down to the lower level with patterned vinyl flooring and a matching trim color.
- Storage: We gave them a separate storage space, with custom shelving for organizing their camping gear, sports equipment and holiday decorations.
CUSTOMER REVIEW
“We had been talking about remodeling our basement for a long time, but decided to make it happen when my husband was offered a job working remotely. It felt like the right time for us to have a real home office where we could separate our work lives from our home lives.
We wanted the area to feel open, light-filled, and modern – not an easy task for a previously dark and cold basement! One of our favorite parts was when our designer took us on a 3D computer design tour of our basement. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this could be our basement!?!’ It was so fun to see how our designer was able to take our wish list and ideas from my Pinterest board, and turn it into a practical design.
We were sold after seeing the design, and were pleasantly surprised to see that Kowalske was less costly than another estimate.” – Stephanie, homeowner

The side of the staircase was a natural place to create a built-in TV and entertainment center with adjustable shelving and lots of storage. This space is bright and welcoming, and the open floor plan allows for easy entertaining.
Welcome to this sports lover’s paradise in West Chester, PA! We started with the completely blank palette of an unfinished basement and created space for everyone in the family by adding a main television watching space, a play area, a bar area, a full bathroom and an exercise room. The floor is COREtek engineered hardwood, which is waterproof and durable, and great for basements and floors that might take a beating. Combining wood, steel, tin and brick, this modern farmhouse looking basement is chic and ready to host family and friends to watch sporting events!
Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images
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A new construction townhouse on the Eastern Prom in Portland, Maine.
Photos by Justin Levesque
Example of a trendy open concept living room design in Portland Maine with gray walls
Example of a trendy open concept living room design in Portland Maine with gray walls

Inspired by the majesty of the Northern Lights and this family's everlasting love for Disney, this home plays host to enlighteningly open vistas and playful activity. Like its namesake, the beloved Sleeping Beauty, this home embodies family, fantasy and adventure in their truest form. Visions are seldom what they seem, but this home did begin 'Once Upon a Dream'. Welcome, to The Aurora.

Creating a space to entertain was the top priority in this Mukwonago kitchen remodel. The homeowners wanted seating and counter space for hosting parties and watching sports. By opening the dining room wall, we extended the kitchen area. We added an island and custom designed furniture-style bar cabinet with retractable pocket doors. A new awning window overlooks the backyard and brings in natural light. Many in-cabinet storage features keep this kitchen neat and organized.
Bar Cabinet
The furniture-style bar cabinet has retractable pocket doors and a drop-in quartz counter. The homeowners can entertain in style, leaving the doors open during parties. Guests can grab a glass of wine or make a cocktail right in the cabinet.
Outlet Strips
Outlet strips on the island and peninsula keeps the end panels of the island and peninsula clean. The outlet strips also gives them options for plugging in appliances during parties.
Modern Farmhouse Design
The design of this kitchen is modern farmhouse. The materials, patterns, color and texture define this space. We used shades of golds and grays in the cabinetry, backsplash and hardware. The chevron backsplash and shiplap island adds visual interest.
Custom Cabinetry
This kitchen features frameless custom cabinets with light rail molding. It’s designed to hide the under cabinet lighting and angled plug molding. Putting the outlets under the cabinets keeps the backsplash uninterrupted.
Storage Features
Efficient storage and organization was important to these homeowners.
We opted for deep drawers to allow for easy access to stacks of dishes and bowls.
Under the cooktop, we used custom drawer heights to meet the homeowners’ storage needs.
A third drawer was added next to the spice drawer rollout.
Narrow pullout cabinets on either side of the cooktop for spices and oils.
The pantry rollout by the double oven rotates 90 degrees.
Other Updates
Staircase – We updated the staircase with a barn wood newel post and matte black balusters
Fireplace – We whitewashed the fireplace and added a barn wood mantel and pilasters.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Wannemacher Interiors
Customized Award-Winning Interior Design Solutions in Franklin Cnty OH

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Our mission was to completely update and transform their huge house into a cozy, welcoming and warm home of their own.
“When we moved in, it was such a novelty to live in a proper house. But it still felt like the in-law’s home,” our clients told us. “Our dream was to make it feel like our home.”
Our transformation skills were put to the test when we created the host-worthy kitchen space (complete with a barista bar!) that would double as the heart of their home and a place to make memories with their friends and family.
We upgraded and updated their dark and uninviting family room with fresh furnishings, flooring and lighting and turned those beautiful exposed beams into a feature point of the space.
The end result was a flow of modern, welcoming and authentic spaces that finally felt like home. And, yep … the invite was officially sent out!
Our clients had an eclectic style rich in history, culture and a lifetime of adventures. We wanted to highlight these stories in their home and give their memorabilia places to be seen and appreciated.
The at-home office was crafted to blend subtle elegance with a calming, casual atmosphere that would make it easy for our clients to enjoy spending time in the space (without it feeling like they were working!)
We carefully selected a pop of color as the feature wall in the primary suite and installed a gorgeous shiplap ledge wall for our clients to display their meaningful art and memorabilia.
Then, we carried the theme all the way into the ensuite to create a retreat that felt complete.

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Sponsored
Sunbury, OH
J.Holderby - Renovations
Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW
Alice and Dave are on their 2nd home with TKS Design Group, having completed the remodel of a kitchen, primary bath and laundry/mudroom in their previous home. This new home is a bit different in that it is new construction. The house has beautiful space and light but they needed help making it feel like a home.
In the living room, Alice and Dave plan to host family at their home often and wanted a space that had plenty of comfy seating for conversation, but also an area to play games. So, our vision started with a search for luxurious but durable fabric along with multiple types of seating to bring the entire space together. Our light-filled living room is now warm and inviting to accommodate Alice and Dave’s weekend visitors.
The multiple types of seating chosen include a large sofa, two chairs, along with two occasional ottomans in both solids and patterns and all in easy to care for performance fabrics. Underneath, we layered a soft wool rug with cool tones that complimented both the warm tones of the wood floor and the cool tones of the fabric seating. A beautiful occasional table and a large cocktail table round out the space.
We took advantage of this room’s height by placing oversized artwork on the largest wall to create a place for your eyes to rest and to take advantage of the room’s scale. The TV was relocated to its current location over the fireplace, and a new light fixture scaled appropriately to the room’s ceiling height gives the space a more comfortable, approachable feel. Lastly, carefully chosen accessories including books, plants, and bowls complete this family’s new living space.
Photography by @MargaretRajic
Do you have a new home that has great bones but just doesn’t feel comfortable and you can’t quite figure out why? Contact us here to see how we can help!

ntertaining is at the heart of the penthouse, where every detail was designed for effortless hosting. The wine collection stands out, with lighting behind the island showcasing the bottles and a custom ladder for easy access, while hidden appliances maintain a sleek aesthetic. Dark, bold furniture enhances the moody atmosphere, creating the ideal backdrop for both relaxed nights and lively gatherings. The space strikes the perfect balance of laid-back luxury and dramatic flair.

This dramatic dining room is awash in natural light from clerestory windows and a 40-foot-long pocketing glass and teak door—the largest in North America. The fireplace design is composed of columns of book-matched Belvedere granite flanking an oxidized milled brass panel.

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective. This was the case for FGA’s Atherton clients, empty-nesters, who were eager to reimagine their home of many years as they embarked on their next chapter: hosting grandchildren. To start, FGA kept a few outer walls to preserve the home's more expansive footprint, while opening up and reimagining the layout. The new home with a grand entry hall is oriented to highlight the long garden view. Stylistically, the goal was to lend the new home an older aesthetic that suited the surrounding neighborhood - a home that “felt like the oldest house on the block,” in the words of the client. The structure also recalls the iconic style of Bernard Maybeck who designed the husband’s childhood home. FGA studied Maybeck’s methods for intricately layering rafters, outriggers, and brackets to create a sense of familiarity and ruggedness, but modified elements to feel modern and refined. The heavy timber was specially sourced, carefully measured, cut and numbered offsite, and then meticulously reassembled on the premises. The earthy exteriors with bright cedar shingles, deep dark green trim, and textured red brick are balanced with a crisp interior palette.
White cerused oak, mustard yellow library-dining millwork, a black marble bar, and copper hardware details are playfully contemporary. Recalling the exterior masonry, a handsome brick fireplace anchors the generous living room and neighboring office. From the living, dining, and kitchen, tall steel and glass French doors open onto a deep porch for easy entertaining and breezy backyard views.

Sponsored
Sunbury, OH
J.Holderby - Renovations
Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

This 1933 Wauwatosa basement was dark, dingy and lacked functionality. The basement was unfinished with concrete walls and floors. A small office was enclosed but the rest of the space was open and cluttered.
The homeowners wanted a warm, organized space for their family. A recent job change meant they needed a dedicated home office. They also wanted a place where their kids could hang out with friends.
Their wish list for this basement remodel included: a home office where the couple could both work, a full bathroom, a cozy living room and a dedicated storage room.
This basement renovation resulted in a warm and bright space that is used by the whole family.
Highlights of this basement:
- Home Office: A new office gives the couple a dedicated space for work. There’s plenty of desk space, storage cabinets, under-shelf lighting and storage for their home library.
- Living Room: An old office area was expanded into a cozy living room. It’s the perfect place for their kids to hang out when they host friends and family.
- Laundry Room: The new laundry room is a total upgrade. It now includes fun laminate flooring, storage cabinets and counter space for folding laundry.
- Full Bathroom: A new bathroom gives the family an additional shower in the home. Highlights of the bathroom include a navy vanity, quartz counters, brass finishes, a Dreamline shower door and Kohler Choreograph wall panels.
- Staircase: We spruced up the staircase leading down to the lower level with patterned vinyl flooring and a matching trim color.
- Storage: We gave them a separate storage space, with custom shelving for organizing their camping gear, sports equipment and holiday decorations.
CUSTOMER REVIEW
“We had been talking about remodeling our basement for a long time, but decided to make it happen when my husband was offered a job working remotely. It felt like the right time for us to have a real home office where we could separate our work lives from our home lives.
We wanted the area to feel open, light-filled, and modern – not an easy task for a previously dark and cold basement! One of our favorite parts was when our designer took us on a 3D computer design tour of our basement. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this could be our basement!?!’ It was so fun to see how our designer was able to take our wish list and ideas from my Pinterest board, and turn it into a practical design.
We were sold after seeing the design, and were pleasantly surprised to see that Kowalske was less costly than another estimate.” – Stephanie, homeowner

Wanting to bring California cool to warm Texas, Designer Elizabeth Tranberg brought to life the kitchen these homeowners could only dream of. Designed with mostly base cabinetry to prevent obstructed views, an oversized arching window provides clear eyesight from every corner of the kitchen, whether you’re sitting at one of the oversized parallel islands or cooking at the stove.
The cabinetry is Wood-Mode’s Cologne Inset door style with Hidden Dust Rail, and custom color matched for a Walnut finish. Hidden within the cabinets, pull-out bases and other organizational features along with integrated cabinet lighting make it easy to find cooking supplies, and below, toekick lighting provides ambient and functional lighting after the sun goes down. On top, white marbled countertops complement the Walnut Wood-Mode cabinetry beneath, and across the room, a marble accent wall hosts a wet bar and floating shelving that showcases glassware.

Our goal on this project was to make the main floor of this lovely early 20th century home in a popular Vancouver neighborhood work for a growing family of four. We opened up the space, both literally and aesthetically, with windows and skylights, an efficient layout, some carefully selected furniture pieces and a soft colour palette that lends a light and playful feel to the space. Our clients can hardly believe that their once small, dark, uncomfortable main floor has become a bright, functional and beautiful space where they can now comfortably host friends and hang out as a family. Interior Design by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating Inc. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography.
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