Casey Dunn Photography
Example of a large farmhouse open concept brick floor living room design in Houston with white walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a concrete fireplace

Inspiration for a timeless family room remodel in San Francisco with beige walls and no tv

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor family room remodel in New York with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and gray walls

Blackstone Edge
Living room - contemporary formal and open concept light wood floor living room idea in Portland with a ribbon fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Schuh Box Photos
Living room - transitional medium tone wood floor living room idea in Denver with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Philadelphia with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances and two islands

Michael Lee
Example of a trendy kitchen/dining room combo design in Boston with white walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped kitchen remodel in Richmond with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

This home, in a beautiful wooded setting, was purchased by a family who wanted a large gathering space for their family to relax and watch the occasional Cubs game. To warm up the tall-ceilinged space we used an abundance of rich woods and cozy upholstered pieces. Photo Michael Alan Kaskel.

David Rabon
Mid-sized transitional home bar photo in St Louis

Mid-sized trendy freestanding desk carpeted and brown floor study room photo in DC Metro with beige walls

Diamond Custom Homes Capistrano in Quail West, Naples, FL Wet bar featuring granite countertops, dark wood cabinetry with glass doors, a wine refrigerator and under-counter icemaker.

Example of a transitional dining room design in New York with beige walls

The Tomahawk bedroom set is a contemporary bedroom set that will modernize any bedroom. The top quality set is constructed using all wood and features an espresso finish. The storage bed features two small shelves in the headboard, as well as two panels that open up to reveal reading lights. Two drawers at the footboard provide extra storage. The dresser contains 6 full-extension drawers, providing plenty of storage space. The upper right drawer contains a divider as well as a felt lined tray for jewelry storage. Secret comparments on the side of the dresser open up to reveal hidden shelves. The rectangular mirror contains beveled edges, adding depth to its design. The nightstand contains two full-extension drawers, providing ample storage within arms reach. It features a panel on the top that opens up to reveal electrical outlets to keep your electronics nearby. The five drawer chest is available for purchase separately.

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets and black cabinets

Gorgeous Chinese Antique Box ( Middle Qing Dynasty ), shown as set on the entry table at the 5,300 sq.ft. Mountain Forest 136 home in Shanghai China, designed and developed by the Green Antiques Design Team. GREEN ANTIQUES holds one of the largest collections of Chinese antique boxes & baskets in the world, including literally thousands of sets of antique Chinese hand-made boxes, gift boxes, food boxes, fruit trays, sleeping pillows, chests, buckets, jewelry boxes, suitcases and all kinds of beautiful carved and painted of boxes & baskets imaginable. GREEN ANTIQUES is one of China's largest antiques shop, with a 100,000 sq.ft. showroom containing thousands of Chinese antique cabinets; interior and exterior courtyard doors; windows; carvings; tables; chairs; beds; wood and stone Buddhist, Taoist, Animist, and other statues; corbels, ceilings, beams and other architectural elements; horse carts; stone hitching posts; ancestor portraits and Buddhist / Taoist paintings; ancient shrines, thrones and wedding palanquins; antique embroidery, purses and hats from many of the 56 minority tribes of China; and a large collection of boxes, baskets, chests, pots, vases and other items. The GREEN ANTIQUES design and development team have designed, built and remodeled dozens of high end homes in China and the United States, each and every one loaded with antique Chinese architectural elements, statues and furniture. They would be happy to help you to achieve your design goals.