This designer’s ideal is homeowners with a clear vision, set priorities, and values that align seamlessly with ours. These clients, an accomplished artist and the owner of a generational hops growing farm, were collaborative and trusting from the start. They conscientiously selected a team of Architect (Green Hammer), General Contractor (Cellar Ridge) and ATIID for furnishings and finishing touches. Each firm was able to meticulously manage their leg of the project, while collaborating wholistically with each other and the homeowners. The family farmhouse, lovingly named “Westwood,” was showing the wear one expects after serving a growing family for decades. The owner’s dream was to revive, open up, and breathe modern life into each space, while respecting the home’s heritage. One of our first collaborations was the light fixture that would grace the main two-story entry hall. HiiH Lights in Astoria, Oregon, was commissioned to bring “the function of light, the craft of paper, and the art of sculpture” to the home. Visiting the maker’s space – a massive barn on his coastal property – was such an inspiring adventure! Original work by the resident artist sets an ethereal tone in the space, and an antique bench handsomely blends the old with the new. A wall that divided the home’s living room and kitchen was removed, and the breezy and bright gathering room was born. Light walls, warm wood tones, cozy upholstery, clean lines and heritage elements create a welcoming atmosphere and invite lounging and conversation. The sun-drenched nook is the home’s main indoor dining area, with an extension table and sculpted chairs that are just right for family gatherings or morning rituals with the Sunday paper. The kitchen is a chef’s dream with every modern amenity, but its casual attitude is “let’s make a mess and eat!” The owner’s artwork graces the mantel over the new fireplace that was carved from a tree felled on the property, illustrating the thoughtful consideration of each element. The muted wool area rugs in the entryways and great room are hard-wearing for farm life, and the furniture’s classic lines, bold contrasting colors, deep seating and soft textures encourage cozy conversations or large group gatherings. The library is undoubtedly our favorite space in this home. Tucked in “speakeasy style” behind a hidden (wallpapered!) door in the moody wet bar, and drenched in deep green, the room offers a quiet retreat that hugs you in an embrace of books and family photos. The cozy settee nestled between the bookcases sits opposite a custom pair of modern cognac leather wing chairs. The area rug continues the storied look without the antique price tag with a piece from Loloi’s “Heritage Collection.” A little va-va-voom was requested for the powder bath and boy did we deliver! Custom wallpaper plays over original wainscotting and ceilings wrapped in more glorious green. The space evokes joy every time you open the door! A primary suite that would “transport us to another world” and be “classic yet modern, peaceful, collected and uncluttered” was a tall order. Our new furniture layout takes full advantage of the view of wine country hills and the Willamette River, welcomes fireside lounging, and serves as a calm respite for the lovely owners. Westwood Farmhouse truly was inspired by family, genuine love for home and graciousness for all who enter. Finishing the job was emotional for all involved because we were truly made to feel like part of the family. Photography by George Barberis

•Architects: Aires Mateus •Location: Lisbon, Portugal •Architect: Manuel Aires Mateus •Years: 2006-20011 •Photos by: Ricardo Oliveira Alves •Stone floor: Ancient Surface A succession of everyday spaces occupied the lower floor of this restored 18th century castle on the hillside. The existing estate illustrating a period clouded by historic neglect. The restoration plan for this castle house focused on increasing its spatial value, its open space architecture and re-positioning of its windows. The garden made it possible to enhance the depth of the view over the rooftops and the Baixa river. An existing addition was rebuilt to house to conduct more private and entertainment functions. The unexpected discovery of an old and buried wellhead and cistern in the center of the house was a pleasant surprise to the architect and owners.

Inspiration for a rustic family room remodel in Atlanta

Blue and Gold bathroom with white subway tile and mosaic hex flooring. Claw foot tub with freestanding tub filler. Atlanta bathroom.
Inspiration for a large victorian master white tile and subway tile mosaic tile floor claw-foot bathtub remodel in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a two-piece toilet, blue walls, an undermount sink and quartzite countertops

Matthew Millman
Inspiration for a large coastal medium tone wood floor and brown floor great room remodel in San Francisco with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

This illustration shows how all the components to your luxury steam spa are hidden in a nearby closet. Any shower can be transformed into an a steam spa.

Example of a large mountain style master gray tile and metal tile pebble tile floor, single-sink, wood ceiling and wood wall bathroom design in Seattle with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, a drop-in sink, quartz countertops, gray countertops and a floating vanity

A growing family, a rambling Georgian estate. The question: how to imbue tradition with a fresh spirit? The charge was to maintain the idea of old school charm without the interior feeling just… old. An illustration could be found in picture molding (which we added, then painted to disappear into the walls) or a modern plaster sculpture teetering upon an old barrister bookcase. Charm, with a wink. Photography by John Bessler

To obtain sources, copy and paste this link into your browser. https://www.arlingtonhomeinteriors.com/playful-dining-room Photographer: Jenn Verrier

kelli kaufer
Inspiration for a small country medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble countertops, multicolored backsplash and a peninsula

COA's remodel design for this San Francisco house included a brand new powder room on the main floor of the home. Interior Design: Lilia Fulton of Narrative Interiors Helynn Ospina Photography

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

Techo-Bloc’s most versatile wall stone. Mini-Creta boasts an aged finish on both sides of the block, making it perfect for a freestanding wall around your patio, or as a partition between multi-leveled areas of your landscape. It is also a popular choice for freestanding hardscape features such as water and fire features, bars, grill islands, etc. Any way you look at it, Mini-Creta is a beautiful stone. Mini-Creta is also available as a Pillar Kit.

Photo: Le Michelle Nguyen © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic kitchen remodel in San Francisco

A growing family, a rambling Georgian estate. The question: how to imbue tradition with a fresh spirit? The charge was to maintain the idea of old school charm without the interior feeling just… old. An illustration could be found in picture molding (which we added, then painted to disappear into the walls) or a modern plaster sculpture teetering upon an old barrister bookcase. Charm, with a wink. Photography by John Bessler

Inspiration for a cottage kitchen remodel in New York

The warm, light tones of the kitchen are balanced by the blackened steel screen. In the kitchen, both the stove hood and screen are custom fabrications by Hufft Projects.

A growing family, a rambling Georgian estate. The question: how to imbue tradition with a fresh spirit? The charge was to maintain the idea of old school charm without the interior feeling just… old. An illustration could be found in picture molding (which we added, then painted to disappear into the walls) or a modern plaster sculpture teetering upon an old barrister bookcase. Charm, with a wink. Photography by John Bessler

Dan Farmer, Seattle Home Tours
Large elegant galley eat-in kitchen photo in Seattle