Our clients wanted to make the most of space so we gutted the home and rebuilt the inside to create a functional and kid-friendly home with timeless style. Our clients’ vision was clear: They wanted a warm and timeless design that was easy to clean and maintain with two-active boys. “It’s not unusual for our friends and family to drop past unannounced any day of the week. And we love it!” They told us during our initial Design Therapy Sesh. We knew immediately what she meant - we have an open-door policy with our families, too! Which was why we consciously created living spaces that were open, inviting and welcoming. Now, the only problem our clients would have would be convincing their guests to leave! Our clients also enjoy coffee and tea so we created a separate coffee nook to help them kick start their day. Photography: Helynn Ospina

Walking through the front doors of this monochromatic contemporary home, you’re immediately welcomed with furniture pieces that showcase bold design while also creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Throughout the home, different pops of color compliment the home’s neutral color palette with luxury fabrics carefully curated to elevate the home’s interior. The edgy lighting and tile selections also add to the homes’ modern and urban aesthetic.

Walking through the front doors of this monochromatic contemporary home, you’re immediately welcomed with furniture pieces that showcase bold design while also creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Throughout the home, different pops of color compliment the home’s neutral color palette with luxury fabrics carefully curated to elevate the home’s interior. The edgy lighting and tile selections also add to the homes’ modern and urban aesthetic.

Usage of low maintenance materials, refinishing and reusing cabinets, and reallocating space instead of changing the home’s footprint kept this project green. Clients were also able to live on site during the renovation due to the low-VOC and water-based finishes, and our constant indoor air-quality monitoring. The entry and main floor, kitchen, and both baths now feel fresh, airy, and spacious, allowing for immediate relaxation in taking in natural light, water views and sunsets from this West Seattle split-level home.

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Minneapolis

Photo: Danielle Sykes © 2016 Houzz
Inspiration for a small country light wood floor single front door remodel in Boston with a white front door

Walking through the front doors of this monochromatic contemporary home, you’re immediately welcomed with furniture pieces that showcase bold design while also creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Throughout the home, different pops of color compliment the home’s neutral color palette with luxury fabrics carefully curated to elevate the home’s interior. The edgy lighting and tile selections also add to the homes’ modern and urban aesthetic.

Enclosed kitchen - small 1950s u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen idea in Boston with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, colored appliances, no island and ceramic backsplash

Resolution: 4 Architecture
Inspiration for a bedroom and small scandinavian girl light wood floor kids' bedroom remodel in New York with white walls

THEME Created for a baby girl, this room is magical, feminine and very pink. At its heart is the Carriage Crib, surrounded by a large oak tree with delightful animals, baby blocks, a cozy window seat and an upholstered play area on the floor. FOCUS The eye-catching size and detail of the Carriage Crib, with a dainty canopy held in place by woodland creatures immediately catches a visitor’s attention, and is enhanced by the piece’s fascinating colors and textures. Wall murals, fabrics, accent furniture and lighting accent the beauty of the crib. A handsome Dutch door with a minientrance just for her ensures that this princess feels at home as soon as she steps in the room. STORAGE The room has closet organizers for everyday items, and cubicle storage is beautifully hidden behind the wall letter blocks. GROWTH As the room’s occupant grows from baby to toddler to child and ‘tween, the room is easily transformed with age-appropriate toys, pictures, bedding and fabrics. The crib portion of the carriage can be removed and fitted with a larger mattress, saving both time and money in the future. Letter blocks are easily updated by simply removing the letters and replacing them with mirrors, colors or other images. SAFETY Standard precautions are taken to secure power outlets and keep exposed shelving out of reach. Thickly padded upholstered squares featuring colors and patterns that coordinate with the fabrics on the window seat and valance create a visually inviting, comfortable and safe place to play.

The interior of the home is immediately welcoming with the anterior of the home clad in full-height windows, beckoning you into the home with views and light. The open floor plan leads you into the family room, adjoined by the dining room and in-line kitchen. A balcony is immediately off the dining area, providing a quick escape to the outdoor refuge of Whitefish. Glo’s A5 double pane windows were used to create breathtaking views that are the crown jewels of the home’s design. Furthermore, the full height curtain wall windows and 12’ lift and slide doors provide views as well as thermal performance. The argon-filled glazing, multiple air seals, and larger thermal break make these aluminum windows durable and long-lasting.

Example of a trendy u-shaped white floor eat-in kitchen design in Houston with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, gray backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and multicolored countertops

This full kitchen renovation features Taj Mahal Quartzite throughout the island, perimeter counters, and optional backsplash, creating a cohesive and luxurious design. The stone’s soft, organic veining enhances the overall aesthetic while maintaining a neutral palette that works with any cabinetry style. Every piece was digitally laid out for perfect seam placement and vein flow, ensuring a clean, high-end finish. Taj Mahal is not only beautiful—it’s one of the most durable natural stones available, making it an excellent choice for homeowners seeking both long-term performance and elevated design.

Walking through the front doors of this monochromatic contemporary home, you’re immediately welcomed with furniture pieces that showcase bold design while also creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Throughout the home, different pops of color compliment the home’s neutral color palette with luxury fabrics carefully curated to elevate the home’s interior. The edgy lighting and tile selections also add to the homes’ modern and urban aesthetic.

Walking through the front doors of this monochromatic contemporary home, you’re immediately welcomed with furniture pieces that showcase bold design while also creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Throughout the home, different pops of color compliment the home’s neutral color palette with luxury fabrics carefully curated to elevate the home’s interior. The edgy lighting and tile selections also add to the homes’ modern and urban aesthetic.

The interior of the home is immediately welcoming with the anterior of the home clad in full-height windows, beckoning you into the home with views and light. The open floor plan leads you into the family room, adjoined by the dining room and in-line kitchen. A balcony is immediately off the dining area, providing a quick escape to the outdoor refuge of Whitefish. Glo’s A5 double pane windows were used to create breathtaking views that are the crown jewels of the home’s design. Furthermore, the full height curtain wall windows and 12’ lift and slide doors provide views as well as thermal performance. The argon-filled glazing, multiple air seals, and larger thermal break make these aluminum windows durable and long-lasting.

Redefine luxury with Nourison™s most popular hand-made signature collection featuring Persian and European traditional designs. The dense pile, splendid patterns, deeply compelling textures and intriguing aesthetics are certain to command immediate attention in any setting. Style and sophistication will be projected with this opulent, versatile and appealing collection of fine rugs that are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including ovals, rounds and octagons.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

An edible front yard! This Atwater craftsman style home features raised beds, fruit trees and vines. A beautiful alternative to a lawn, and much more productive. Drip irrigation throughout keeps it low maintenance. Photo by Jacky Surber