Family room - mid-sized contemporary enclosed porcelain tile and white floor family room idea in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Meet Meridith: a super-mom who’s as busy as she is badass  — and easily my favorite overachiever. She slays her office job and comes home to an equally high-octane family life. We share a love for city living with farmhouse aspirations. There’s a vegetable garden in the backyard, a black cat, and a floppy eared rabbit named Rocky. There has been a mobile chicken coop and a colony of bees in the backyard. At one point they even had a pregnant hedgehog on their hands! Between gardening, entertaining, and helping with homework, Meridith has zero time for interior design. Spending several days a week in New York for work, she has limited amount of time at home with her family. My goal was to let her make the most of it by taking her design projects off her to do list and let her get back to her family (and rabbit). I wanted her to spend her weekends at her son's baseball games, not shopping for sofas. That’s my cue! Meridith is wonderful. She is one of the kindest people I know. We had so much fun, it doesn’t seem fair to call this “work”. She is loving, and smart, and funny. She’s one of those girlfriends everyone wants to call their own best friend. I wanted her house to reflect that: to feel cozy and inviting, and encourage guests to stay a while. Meridith is not your average beige person, and she has excellent taste. Plus, she was totally hands-on with design choices. It was a true collaboration. We played up her quirky side and built usable, inspiring spaces one lightbulb moment at a time. I took her love for color (sacré blue!) and immediately started creating a plan for her space and thinking about her design wish list. I set out hunting for vibrant hues and intriguing patterns that spoke to her color palette and taste for pattern. I focused on creating the right vibe in each space: a bit of drama in the dining room, a bit more refined and quiet atmosphere for the living room, and a neutral zen tone in their master bedroom. Her stuff. My eye. Meridith’s impeccable taste comes through in her art collection. The perfect placement of her beautiful paintings served as the design model for color and mood. We had a bit of a chair graveyard on our hands, but we worked with some key pieces of her existing furniture and incorporated other traditional pieces, which struck a pleasant balance. French chairs, Asian-influenced footstools, turned legs, gilded finishes, glass hurricanes – a wonderful mash-up of traditional and contemporary. Some special touches were custom-made (the marble backsplash in the powder room, the kitchen banquette) and others were happy accidents (a wallpaper we spotted via Pinterest). They all came together in a design aesthetic that feels warm, inviting, and vibrant — just like Meridith! We built her space based on function. We asked ourselves, “how will her family use each room on any given day?” Meridith throws legendary dinner parties, so we needed curated seating arrangements that could easily switch from family meals to elegant entertaining. We sought a cozy eat-in kitchen and decongested entryways that still made a statement. Above all, we wanted Meredith’s style and panache to shine through every detail. From the pendant in the entryway, to a wild use of pattern in her dining room drapery, Meredith’s space was a total win. See more of our work at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, share what's on your plate with us at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

The LeNoir Kitchen Remodel When our client approached us for the LeNoir remodel, the vision was to transform a standard layout into a serene, organic modern retreat that felt at home in the Texas Hill Country. Since the client values understated elegance over trends, we immediately made the decision to strip back the excess and focus on high-quality, honest materials. Our team anchored the space with custom rift-sawn White Oak cabinetry, applying a natural matte finish to bring warmth and texture to the room without darkening it. We balanced this organic wood base with striking Calacatta stone, running the slab full-height up the backsplash and cascading it down the island’s waterfall edges for a seamless, monolithic look. The kitchen’s crowning touch is the custom plaster range hood. We designed this architectural element to add soft curves and a tactile quality to the cooking wall, distinct from standard cabinetry. This sculptural hood perfectly frames the chef-grade Italian range in white and brass, which is further highlighted by articulating brass sconces. We finished the space with unlacquered brass hardware and wide-plank flooring to maintain a cohesive, timeless palette. Finally, perhaps the most impactful element of this renovation is the atmosphere it creates. By merging natural light with "quiet luxury" finishes, we created a kitchen that is not just a workspace, but a grounded sanctuary for the family to gather and disconnect from the noise of the outside world.

Our design intent for both bathrooms was to create a contemporary, clean look that matched the high-rise unit. In the Master Bathroom, one of the focal points is the floating vanity with a super bright white acrylic finish. Continuing with the contemporary theme, the couple decided to go with a high-tech Moen digital shower control system that can be controlled through a phone app. Bathroom remodeling in Chicago and nearby areas: https://123remodeling.com/bathroom-remodeling-chicago/ 123 Remodeling is a full-service licensed general contractor specializing in kitchen, bathroom, full condo and basement remodel in Chicago and its suburbs. Get a free consultation and estimate at https://123remodeling.com/​

This guest suite in Hayden, Idaho, proves that high-end engineering shouldn't be reserved just for the master wing. We designed this hall bath as an "exotic luxury" destination, utilizing a specialized Kohler DTV electronic control system to manage a precision hydrotherapy array. It’s a sophisticated, compact spa experience that offers guests the same level of technical performance found in the primary suite. Technical & Artisan Highlights: Exotic Glass Tile Artistry: The focal point of the shower is the stunning floor-to-ceiling back wall, featuring an intricate, high-gloss glass mosaic tile in a Moroccan-inspired pattern. This exotic texture is balanced by dark, linear-grain porcelain side walls, creating a bold, high-contrast aesthetic. Streamlined DTV Digital Control: The shower is powered by a computerized DTV interface (visible on the left wall), allowing guests to digitally program their perfect water temperature and flow. This removes the clutter of traditional valves for a sleek, modern look. Integrated Body Massage Array: Despite the streamlined design, this shower packs a punch with three wall-mounted massaging body sprayers. These are strategically aligned to provide a targeted hydrotherapy experience, all controlled via the digital keypad. Versatile Handheld Wand: For added functionality and ease of maintenance, we integrated a professional-grade handheld spray wand on a sliding bar. This provides a flexible secondary water source that complements the fixed massage heads. Custom Glass & Lighting: The shower is enclosed in heavy-duty, frameless glass to keep the focus on the decorative tile work. We also integrated recessed LED lighting to highlight the reflective qualities of the glass mosaic, giving the space a constant "jewel-box" glow.

Ryan Struck Photography
Urban kitchen photo in New York

Jennifer and Dan have lived in their Deer Park Illinois home for 15 years, slowly making minor fixes like painting and decorating; but they had a new plan for their kitchen the entire time. An awkwardly placed garage door, and an island cooktop with a terrible downdraft made a full-scale kitchen remodel an absolute must. Jennifer had many ideas in mind and wanted to work with a company that could provide high-end work, while partnering with a designer that would tailor the kitchen to her ideas. She was intrigued by the phrase “Common Sense Remodeling” in Advance Design’s feature she discovered while perusing an issue of the community’s Quintessential Barrington Magazine. Doing further research on the company’s website, as she looked through project profiles and read about Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy, she promptly scheduled an appointment to see if the people and ideas she read about were truly who they said they were. The more she read, the more she knew that the “Common Sense” approach to remodeling they described was exactly the type of company she was looking for. The partnership was sealed after an initial consultation with Owner Todd Jurs and Project Designer Michelle Lecinski. They displayed a combination of friendliness, professionalism and respect that was unmatched by any of the other companies Jennifer talked to. She knew that with Advance Design, she would be able to retain the vision that she had in mind with high-quality craftsmanship. “I reached out to Advance Design because of the ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ tagline,” Jennifer said. “That’s what lingered for me”. “Advance Design was the most respectful- of the house and of my design ideas, and the most professional of the handful of companies that looked at my project”. Soon after the meeting Jennifer began working with Michelle on the project design. They quickly developed chemistry. Jennifer loved how Michelle researched and located every detail that Jennifer wanted for the kitchen. Between the two of them, every concept and idea was worked through and perfected. “Jennifer had definite ideas about what she wanted the new kitchen to look like, she just didn’t know how to bring it all together. We worked together really well to make her ideas into the practical reality necessary for a well-functioning kitchen, with the look and feel that she had envisioned”, says Michelle. “Michelle was wonderful in using the CAD system she would show me new drawings every time we changed the layout while working through the design,” Jennifer said. “She was a really wonderful partner in execution, she made sure everything happened quickly and easily.” The finished design drew out elements of Jennifer’s style and personality. The pair call the look “sophisticated farmhouse” to describe the kitchen renovation to family and friends. The result was a beautifully crafted, authentic-feeling space that satisfied Jennifer’s dreams 15 years in the making. The whole project consisted of a kitchen remodel, mudroom upgrade with powder room, and garage entry relocation. “The projects I personally like the best, are the ones that put the client’s dreams on display,” Project Designer Michelle said. “And this is one of those projects.” The main focal point of the kitchen is custom zinc and brass ventilation hood with a vintage sheen, which was hand made to order by a small company in Indiana named Vogler Metalworking. “It’s like sculpture, a true work of art”, says Jennifer. Your eye is immediately drawn towards this elegant yet practical hood that eliminated the home’s downdraft problem and added a striking conversation piece at the same time. The carpenters had to use special gloves when transporting and installing it, so they didn’t smudge it with fingerprints. The beautiful hood centers proudly over the stunning black enamel and brass LaCornue Range. “I had a friend who had a LaCornue range and after learning how easy it was to cook perfect meals, I was convinced I wanted to have one”, says Jennifer. This unique, breathtaking combination anchors the entire kitchen and is apparent immediately as you walk into the great room the surrounds the space. DuraSupreme Crestwood cabinets with a Kendall Panel add function and sophistication. A custom gray paint color paired with a storm blue was developed so that the new kitchen looked like it belonged to the existing space. Unlacquered brass faucets and hardware were important to Jennifer because she wanted the living finishes to age over time. Remarkable brass diamond mesh cabinet door inserts imported from the UK continue to add this one-of-a-kind kitchen renovation; giving it a “you won’t see this everywhere” quality. The use of old railcar flooring for the coffee bar countertop and reclaimed oak for the open shelving gives an authenticity to the space uncommon in kitchens today. Jennifer and Michelle fell in love with the Limestone Grey Stone while they were investigating unique island countertop ideas. They liked the fact that the limestone as a living finish will age and change over time. Calcutta Miel Quartz countertops made for an excellent pairing around the perimeter, as it’s durable and perfect for cooking preparations. A textured white subway tile backsplash that runs to the ceiling keeps your eye moving towards the open shelving, and to the main focal point of the stunning range hood combination. “The kitchen functions beautifully, and it’s gorgeous,” beams Jennifer as she gestures with both hands while smiling ear to ear. “The most important thing was I wanted a kitchen that had a wonderful flow, cooked beautiful meals and was a great gathering place for family and friends, and this space does that perfectly! Beauty wise, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned. I felt the function part was the hardest part, and that was nailed”! Relocating the garage entry to the new mudroom was a huge priority and has finally separated the family’s arriving home functions from their kitchen. Now coats and shoes and bags have their own area for dropping once members arrive home. Matching gray DuraSupreme cabinetry helped create gorgeous, purposeful lockers for the family. A reclaimed vintage sink and custom wall paper were added to the tiny powder room to beautify the once previously only functional space. Advance Design was even able to create a custom space for their dog to sleep while the family is away. “It was unbelievable that a project of this size was completed in such a short time, and I think that’s because of the large amount of planning and preparation that went into it,” Jennifer marveled, “When we started, we were ready, and everything was prepared”. When it came to execution, Project Manager Justin Davis and his crew were quick, accessible, and organized. Projects like this kitchen are typically completed in as little as 8-10 weeks. Jennifer’s kitchen however despite the relocation of some challenging HVAC in a soffit and moving of an exterior door was completed remarkably fast in part because the team was working with an existing tile floor that ran throughout the first floor that the client really loved. “You get to know these people really well because they’re living in your house while you’re living in your house. They were so fast and really good, it didn’t take as long as even planned” reported Jennifer. “I would text Justin and he always responded almost immediately. I got to know all the guys who were working in our house and they were all wonderful people”. Details in a customized kitchen like this one require skill and care from the people who install it. “All the guys on the job were skilled at what the did. I wanted small details like little feet to look like furniture, that is where their carpentry skill came in to make these all perfect”, said Jennifer. “The tile guys were wonderful. They even let me determine how I wanted the texture with the grout to appear for a salt and pepper look; now that is a very skilled trade person making it custom”. In Jennifer’s interview, she continued to reference Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling”, so I took a minute to ask her exactly what that phrase meant to her and how it played out in her experience with her project and the Advance Design team. Here is what she said: “I was intrigued about Common Sense Remodeling and in my head that there would be clear costs and prices, great communication between the design team, the execution team and me”, said Jennifer. They did deliver on that, it was so clear about the cost breakdown, what I could expect from everyone who came to my house, and everything that we had ordered. That to me is the Common Sense”! It’s great to see a client take literally our assertion that a well-planned remodeling project is simply “Common Sense”! She anticipated each step of the way would be clear, concise, and predictable, all the while protecting the outcome due to the careful upfront planning. “Advance Design delivered on their ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ promise,” Jennifer said. “From the design team, to the execution team - everything was straight forward like I imagined. The project turned out exactly how I envisioned, I enjoyed this process and absolutely would recommend Advance Design Studio to anyone.”

Photography by Carlos Esteva. When this private client, a married couple, first approached Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón to build ‘the house of their dreams’ on the grounds of their sprawling family estate, the first challenge was to identify the exact location that would maximize the positive aspects of the topography while affording the most gracious views. Propped up on scaffolding, juggling digital cameras and folding ladders, the design team photographed the property from hundreds of angles before the ideal site was selected. Once the site was selected, construction could begin. The building’s foundation was raised slightly off the ground to disperse geothermal heat. In addition, the designers studied daily sunlight patterns and positioned the structure accordingly in order to warm the swimming pool during the cooler morning hours and illuminate the principal living quarters during the late afternoon. Finally, the main house was designed with functional balconies on all sides: each balcony meticulously planned ~ and precisely positioned ~ to both optimize wind flow and frame the property’s most breath-taking views. Stylistically, the goal was to create an authentic Spanish hacienda. Following Old World tradition, the house was anchored around a centralized interior patio in the Moorish style: enclosed on three sides ~ yet open on the fourth (similar to the Alcázar of Seville) ~ to reveal a reflecting pool ~ and mirror the water motif of the home’s magnificent marble fountain. A bell tower, horseshoe arches, a colonnaded,vineyard-style patio, and ornamental Moorish mosaic tilework (“azulejos”) completed this picturesque portrait of a faraway fantasy world of castles, chivalry, and swordsplay, reminiscent of Medieval Spain. Shortly after completion, this showcase home was showcased on the TVE Spanish television series Spaniards Around The World (Españoles Alrededor Del Mundo) as a prime example of authentic Spanish architecture designed outside the peninsula. Not surprising. After all, the story of a fairy-tale retreat as magical as this one deserves a happy ending.

Relocating to Portland, Oregon from California, this young family immediately hired Amy to redesign their newly purchased home to better fit their needs. The project included updating the kitchen, hall bath, and adding an en suite to their master bedroom. Removing a wall between the kitchen and dining allowed for additional counter space and storage along with improved traffic flow and increased natural light to the heart of the home. This galley style kitchen is focused on efficiency and functionality through custom cabinets with a pantry boasting drawer storage topped with quartz slab for durability, pull-out storage accessories throughout, deep drawers, and a quartz topped coffee bar/ buffet facing the dining area. The master bath and hall bath were born out of a single bath and a closet. While modest in size, the bathrooms are filled with functionality and colorful design elements. Durable hex shaped porcelain tiles compliment the blue vanities topped with white quartz countertops. The shower and tub are both tiled in handmade ceramic tiles, bringing much needed texture and movement of light to the space. The hall bath is outfitted with a toe-kick pull-out step for the family’s youngest member!

MPdL Studio designed this house with healthy living in mind, using materials and furnishings that meet or exceed current environmental standards. The project is an experiment in new ways to think about detailed brickwork, glass, millwork and cabinetry. For the dining room, MPdL Studio designed a walnut wood, digitally designed and fabricated table that could flexibly accommodate groups of varied sizes. The design features a scalloped edge that relates to the body of the person sitting at the table. The size and rhythm of the edge can comfortably seat 10 to 16 people. The divots along the center of the table were designed to receive three different sizes of the Georg Jensen BLOOM mirror bowls designed by Helle Damkjaer. The legs read as extensions of the divots for a futuristic, yet warm, effect. You would never guess that this table is digitally designed and fabricated. A stand out design move in the dining room is to balance the warmth of wood with the reflectivity of glass and chrome, mixing contemporary design with old-world techniques. The dining table is paired with Ask Emil Skovgaard chairs and an exceptional 1950s Dunbar woven-front credenza by Edward Wormley. Conversely, the walls between and around the windows are clad in a slightly frosted Bendheim mirror glass. This allows the wall to read as a singular element, and perceptually expands the size of the space. This use of glass sets the tone for the selection of the light fixtures, and other finishes in the room. In general, we place special attention to the way that window treatments transform a space and the dining room is a good example of our techniques. The wall to ceiling sheer curtains completely transform the effect of the room when pulled to a close, allowing the space to remain luminous, while accentuating the verticality of the space.

Relocating to Portland, Oregon from California, this young family immediately hired Amy to redesign their newly purchased home to better fit their needs. The project included updating the kitchen, hall bath, and adding an en suite to their master bedroom. Removing a wall between the kitchen and dining allowed for additional counter space and storage along with improved traffic flow and increased natural light to the heart of the home. This galley style kitchen is focused on efficiency and functionality through custom cabinets with a pantry boasting drawer storage topped with quartz slab for durability, pull-out storage accessories throughout, deep drawers, and a quartz topped coffee bar/ buffet facing the dining area. The master bath and hall bath were born out of a single bath and a closet. While modest in size, the bathrooms are filled with functionality and colorful design elements. Durable hex shaped porcelain tiles compliment the blue vanities topped with white quartz countertops. The shower and tub are both tiled in handmade ceramic tiles, bringing much needed texture and movement of light to the space. The hall bath is outfitted with a toe-kick pull-out step for the family’s youngest member!

While the root of the scope stayed the same - open the kitchen to the dining and living rooms - this project grew into so much more than just reconfiguring spaces. The design team loved the creativity that comes from working with a trusting client and our opportunity to flex our design muscles in the mid century category. The goal was to not be literal with the design style, but to be respectful of the home’s original architecture and features while making it decidedly Pacific Northwest by letting it’s setting in the trees really shine! We doubled the size of the kitchen, taking over an unused second eat-in space that sat immediately next to the homes dining room. We opened the walls between the dining/kitchen/and hallway creating an expansive open feel. Step in pantry closet that was lacking in efficiency and took up precious walk-way space was removed in favor of a custom pantry cabinet with roll-out shelves for easy use. The custom walnut stair railing is a welcomed greeting near the front door and ties all of the spaces together.

A family with nantucket ties brings a beach house sensibility to the mile-high home. The goal was to incorporate as much light as possible while capturing the mountains through the windows.

Our client invited us over to walk the house while under contract, we knew right there what a super hidden opportunity this property presents. Seeing through what was in vogue in early 1970’s and trying to understand the architectural decisions made over 50 years ago, drawing analysis and seeking a flow that connects to our client’s present need for their family and lifestyle was a bit challenging. Timing was of the essence for our client and we had to get the house refreshed in 6 months. Arriving this Country French brick home, the first thing you’ll notice is the ancient slate roof that we work diligently to preserve, removing, refreshing and reinstalling each slate by hand to preserve its ancient uniqueness. On the main level, we installed a custom modern digital Jet shower with multiple heads, a sprawling boutique style walk in closet and an open plan kitchen as a backdrop for souring height living room. Our client is a top golfer and it was crucial to install a state of the art golf simulator on the lower level, we redesigned the bar by the Grand billiard room as the main entertaining area in the house, upgrade the gym with an addition of steam room and state of the arts equipment. The pool and outdoor living area right on Chattahoochee was recently permitted and currently under construction. The top highlight for us as a builder is the wine cellar. Walking into the wine cellar, you noticed the ancient Spanish tiles, you can perceive the strong smell of ancient oak wood, it smells like it’s been freshly sawed. Our approach to the wine cellar was to do nothing, preserving it as the part of the house that takes us back to 1970’s

Project Feature in: Luxe Magazine & Luxury Living Brickell From skiing in the Swiss Alps to water sports in Key Biscayne, a relocation for a Chilean couple with three small children was a sea change. “They’re probably the most opposite places in the world,” says the husband about moving from Switzerland to Miami. The couple fell in love with a tropical modern house in Key Biscayne with architecture by Marta Zubillaga and Juan Jose Zubillaga of Zubillaga Design. The white-stucco home with horizontal planks of red cedar had them at hello due to the open interiors kept bright and airy with limestone and marble plus an abundance of windows. “The light,” the husband says, “is something we loved.” While in Miami on an overseas trip, the wife met with designer Maite Granda, whose style she had seen and liked online. For their interview, the homeowner brought along a photo book she created that essentially offered a roadmap to their family with profiles, likes, sports, and hobbies to navigate through the design. They immediately clicked, and Granda’s passion for designing children’s rooms was a value-added perk that the mother of three appreciated. “She painted a picture for me of each of the kids,” recalls Granda. “She said, ‘My boy is very creative—always building; he loves Legos. My oldest girl is very artistic— always dressing up in costumes, and she likes to sing. And the little one—we’re still discovering her personality.’” To read more visit: https://maitegranda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/LX_MIA11_HOM_Maite_12.compressed.pdf Rolando Diaz Photography

This solution provides ample storage for your tiny tot’s toys. Parenting experts suggest that one of the keys to helping kids put things away is a routine. Among the things that can help establish a routine are definite places to put playthings. Just think about how confusing it is for you, the adult, to put things away if you don’t know where to put them. Kids are the same way, only they are usually less driven to find the right spot for that giant panda. Effective children’s storage needs to be kid-sized and in a configuration that is specific for your home. CHP can design just the right custom application to meet your needs. Six open shelves, six doors, two top shelves, and a place for a small TV highlight the Kildeer design. The project starts with white melamine as a base for a neat looking and easy-to-clean storage installation. Flat panel fronts help keep things simple, but you are free to choose your own finish and front style. Bar pull handles provide a simple and classic solution. The open shelves will be a kid’s favorite. They may want to find their Legos quickly if they have an immediate urge to build. Elmo may need to be positioned for quick deployment. While other toys, i.e. Kacey the Pink Koala might be better off hidden behind doors. Also, you may want to help your child see the value of stowing those noisy toys where they are not the first thing deployed in the early morning. A mounted TV, in its place, brings in the kid’s favorite programming into an easy to monitor space. Think about custom designed toy storage in your house and, if you want to be a popular Grandparent, Uncle or Aunt, consider giving a play storage solution to the parents of the child who makes your eyes sparkle.

Every Iron & Wood Gate from First Impression Ironworks is designed to provide security and beauty to your home, and is always custom built to your home’s specifications. Each gate is made in Arizona from the highest quality materials sourced here in the U.S.A., using only 100% American steel. Each Iron Gate is crafted from the most robust steel and gate posts available, as well as a standard 10” steel latch and lock guard, name brand Kwikset or Schlage hardware is always included, and customization is available for whatever needs fit your home best. Our product line includes a customizable array of steel plate gates, iron and wood gates, wrought iron and glass, or timeless iron and redwood gates. You can choose your Iron Gate from a variety of styles such as Contemporary, Traditional and Tuscan, and with additional options such as arches or digital locks. Our design consultants are here to help – let us know how we can create a one-of-a-kind Iron Gate for your home today!