This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This home in Bonita Bay, Florida is located in a development designed with a tropical, entertaining-friendly courtyard floor plan, barrel tile roofs, and arched windows. The only thing missing was a modern, elegant and functional kitchen where two chefs could work simultaneously and have better flow among the surrounding spaces. Having worked with Progressive Design before on three prior renovations, all in less than one year, Progressive was the obvious choice for their fourth major remodel—this masterful kitchen renovation. Challenge Ultimately, Progressive Design Build was tasked with transforming a closed-off kitchen into an open concept floor plan. The design and production team began working on a solution to the structural beam support—confirming its adequacy for supporting the loft above after cutting a few holes in the drywall. Secondly, the size of the current marble tile flooring was no longer available. We needed a solution that would seamlessly blend the new flooring with the old. Thirdly, the existing lighting plan was inefficient and would need to be updated to accommodate the new island location and kitchen layout. Solution Since the existing marble flooring tile size was no longer available, we designed a beautiful stone border between the new kitchen and the existing living space to create a small break in the two-floor patterns, minimizing the noticeable difference in the tile sizes. Once installed, we re-polished and sealed the entire floor creating a beautiful sheen and natural flow throughout the space. The new location of the kitchen island, as well as additional perimeter lighting, necessitated the need to move electrical outlets and light switches to a more convenient and intuitive location. This was implemented strategically using a well-thought-out lighting plan. The clients were thrilled when we suggested removing a sink from their existing wet bar (which was rarely used) and moved the wet bar drain to the new laundry room, located on the backside of the wet bar. Special features include custom-designed Dura Supreme cabinets painted in a white finish, for the kitchen, wet bar, and laundry room; Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and an impressive gas range with downdraft at the cooktop. Results Not only was this Bonita Bay couple thrilled to receive all of their remodel wish list items, but Progressive Design Build was able to complete their project ahead of schedule and on budget.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

Here at Countryside Industries, we offer two professional services that are crucial to the success of your business: landscape management and snow removal. We work individually with you to design a plan that will create a beautiful landscape in the spring and summer months, and then continue to care for your property with maintenance and snow removal in the fall and winter months. Contact us for more information. ​ Nothing defines the look and feel of your property quite like a great looking, well-maintained landscape. Appropriate and well-balanced landscaping reflects the personality of your property and the identity of your company. Designing and implementing a beautiful landscape requires knowledge, expertise, and time – which many individuals, associations, and businesses simply don’t have. Countryside Industries will bring together a unique landscape that you can be proud of. Let Countryside landscape your property today. ​ Being that we are a premium snow removal company, we offer complete snow removal services including snow plowing, snow hauling, de-icing, ice control, shoveling, sidewalk clearing, and maintenance. In order to achieve this, we maintain an extensive fleet of commercial-grade snowplows, snow pushers, and front-end loaders. We utilize top of the line de-icing products and facilitate complete winter services for corporate offices, retail stores, industrial properties, hospitals, health care facilities, and more. ​ To learn more about one of the best landscaping companies as well as one of the top snow removal companies in Lake County, IL, call our team today at 847-526-1909 or email us at info@countrysideindustries.com.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

These clients were in the second stage of renovating their stylish Tudor when we were approached to help formulate a final design plan for entertainment, technology integration and lighting design and control systems. Although the plan was to implement the final completion of these systems in stages, we needed to prepare the appropriate wiring to accomplish the end goals. We provided a lighting design plan for the areas under construction and some simple control solutions from Lutron and Universal Remote Control. Once the Family room was completed we brought in the BDI Novia A/V Cabinet in Coco stained Cherry. This excellent piece of A/V furniture was just large enough to house the entertainment system along with the homes WiFi router. The A/V system was built around a Denon AVR 3809Ci. Source components consisted of Comcast Cable HD DVR, Samsung Blu-Ray DVD player and an Apple TV. The Apple TV was the primarily used for playing the clients music and sharing their family pictures on the 50” Samsung LED TV. The Samsung Blu-Ray DVD player was designed with an internet application for Pandora Radio which is a great way to experience a wide variety of music by creating sets of personable radio stations. Listing to the entertainment system is a real joy with the Totem Tribe in-wall speakers. These sealed cabinet in-wall speakers are some of the best in the world for a very reasonable price. The Velodyne MiniVee 10 was used as the subwoofer. Panamax surge protection was incorporated for everything including the TV. The Universal Remote Control MX-980 was programmed to operate the primary entertainment system along with multiple audio zones for Kitchen, Dining, Patio, Master Bed & Bathroom through the Aton DLA6 zoned speaker selector and volume controller. Additional MX900 was used to support the master suite control within that area. A Lutron Graphic eye was used in the Dining room to manage all of the lighting scenes while the Family room was controlled via the MX-980 remote and RF replacement wall dimmers. This was a great balance of budget and appropriate user interface options. Client

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER A single family home in Oakton, VA built in late 80’ was occupied by family of four for 10 years. The owner wishes to expand the living space, finish the basement, add a sunroom/breakfast area addition, eliminate the deck and put in a screen porch. Also convert the laundry room to office/mudroom area. It took months of planning to get into the final design. We have implemented a plan that had a two story back addition (both basement level and first level). This required removing the cinder block wall of basement to add the seamless addition, and removing the entire first level back wall of kitchen to open up kitchen into sunroom. The major challenge was to re-route all duct work going to second level, add ducts for basement and first level to existing system. Then add a second HVAC system in attic for entire second level. Then change all load structure for tow story addition to side wall and new walls to have entire width opened up. The basement has gained a new bar area, a total new bathroom with shower and large vanities and all amenities, media area with gas fireplace and mantel surrounded with matching cherry bookcases and granite tops, recess lights, surround sound system, wood floor and steps, new sewer ejection system due to their difficult septic tank. The new French doors lead into back bricked patio The first floor gained this new 16’x20’ cathedral ceiling sunroom/breakfast addition surrounded with large arched windows and French slider leading into new screen porch. The kitchen lay-out gained three more feet in width. Also by removing partition wall between kitchen and existing family room. The first floor now has total open floor plan. The fireplace in existing family room was converted to gas and got marble surround and new mantel. All bulkhead and part of partition walls contained massive plumbing and electrical that needed to be relocated in order to implement the new kitchen layout. This design has much more appliances and a beautiful large furniture style island that is the focal point of this kitchen done in espresso color cherry cabinetry and contrasting light color exotic stove top lighted by two crystal chandeliers. The wrap around of cherry cabinetry in the kitchen with expended cabinetry into butler area and bookcases and bench in sunroom has given this couple lots to fill in. The entire first floor and leading stairs to second floor and part of the second floor was all covered with new 5” wide exotic Santos Mahogany wood floors and new railings. The powder room has been reconfigured to allow larger hallway and with new furniture style vanity this powder room even small than before but has better layout and space. The old Laundry room and has been converted to a 10’x15’ area of multipurpose space. On the left wall there are locker style cabinetry and bench. One the left wall built in and desk area with tones of storage space. The washer and dryer are install into a closet, away from site. A set of French doors were installed into the new back deck and screen porch. The large porcelain floors made the space look even larger and more utilitarian. Use of cherry cabinetry on deck and bookcase with recess lighting scaled up look of the space. The new kitchen, family room and sun room with the rich cherry cabinetry and darker granite top, tumbled marble backsplash and wide board mahogany floors, upper scale stainless steel appliances and furniture style distressed look darker wood Island and light granite have made this project a breathtaking one. The added side screen porch done with Trex decking and cathedral ceiling covered in beaded panel and corner gas fireplace all around covered with Ledgestone has given this family a place to retire in for all those autumn afternoons and much more. The major overhaul of this home from replacement of all existing doors and windows, flooring, crown molding and trim, stairs, entire first floor reface, new siding , new roofing, new electrical, new HVAC, entire new basement, bathroom, mud room, screen porch and lots more makes these owner proud to stay in this home for years to come.

Photo: Teness Herman © 2015 Houzz
Family room - mid-century modern family room idea in Portland

When the homeowners purchased this traditional colonial in Vienna, Virginia, they were already planning on making some serious changes. The home’s original floor plan was boxy and closed in, making traffic flow from one room to the next virtually non-existent. Additionally, the existing décor left a lot to be desired. Their vision was to open up the layout and create a more contemporary look using lots of light, soft colors and high end materials. They decided to add a two-story addition to the back of the home’s existing breakfast room and the small upstairs bedroom above it. The old breakfast area was too small for their daily meals and their teenage son needed more space in his bedroom. They also decided to add a sunroom/family room to the left side of their old family room. This new room offers a vaulted ceiling with four skylights and lots of windows with a better view of the side and backyard. To create a more open floor plan, the team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes removed the load bearing wall between the kitchen and family room and installed a large beam to handle the second floor load. Not only did this open up the space, but it allowed for the addition of a breakfast bar. The right side bearing wall of the old family room was also removed and replaced with structural beams. This action created a continuous flow between the new sunroom and old family room. Separated by a double-sided stone fireplace, this new sunroom is connected to a new outside sun deck built using a maintenance-free decking material. The old family room with new lighting now serves as a casual seating area. It also features an eight-foot long built-in desk. The newly updated kitchen features granite countertops with matching tile backsplash, professional-quality appliances, a porcelain tile floor and custom cabinets, including a large pantry. The new breakfast room is more spacious and gets daylight from three different angles. Upstairs, a new 12’ x 20’ bedroom is a great place for this teenage football fan to hang out. It provides significantly more closet space than the old room and lets in more sunlight as well. The old laundry room was converted to a new mudroom with locker style cabinetry and a place for kids to store their bag packs. New plumbing and electrical were implemented in a new closet in an upper hallway to facilitate the new washer and dryer. In this remodel, form and function have come together in an open concept design that meets the needs of the entire family.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Outdoor living design build specialist Michael Gotowala principle designer for Preferred Properties landscaping and masonry excels in outdoor living design and masonry excellence. Here are a few outdoor fireplaces designed and built by Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry has been building outdoor living environments for over two decades long before outdoor kitchens, Fireplaces and pizza ovens became popular. Todays motto of living outside of your walls outdoors has become seamless, with the implementation of a good design. Preferred Properties Landscaping has been well recognized amongst their peers as the leaders in exemplary masonry. Preferred’s vision and creative designs are fully built and backed by extraordinary masonry capabilities. Preferred’s staff has intermingled granite, stone, brick, and limestone into incredible outdoor fireplaces, spa surrounds and kitchens throughout New England Michael Gotowala founder of the OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE. www.OutdoorKitchenDesigner.com

When the homeowners purchased this traditional colonial in Vienna, Virginia, they were already planning on making some serious changes. The home’s original floor plan was boxy and closed in, making traffic flow from one room to the next virtually non-existent. Additionally, the existing décor left a lot to be desired. Their vision was to open up the layout and create a more contemporary look using lots of light, soft colors and high end materials. They decided to add a two-story addition to the back of the home’s existing breakfast room and the small upstairs bedroom above it. The old breakfast area was too small for their daily meals and their teenage son needed more space in his bedroom. They also decided to add a sunroom/family room to the left side of their old family room. This new room offers a vaulted ceiling with four skylights and lots of windows with a better view of the side and backyard. To create a more open floor plan, the team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes removed the load bearing wall between the kitchen and family room and installed a large beam to handle the second floor load. Not only did this open up the space, but it allowed for the addition of a breakfast bar. The right side bearing wall of the old family room was also removed and replaced with structural beams. This action created a continuous flow between the new sunroom and old family room. Separated by a double-sided stone fireplace, this new sunroom is connected to a new outside sun deck built using a maintenance-free decking material. The old family room with new lighting now serves as a casual seating area. It also features an eight-foot long built-in desk. The newly updated kitchen features granite countertops with matching tile backsplash, professional-quality appliances, a porcelain tile floor and custom cabinets, including a large pantry. The new breakfast room is more spacious and gets daylight from three different angles. Upstairs, a new 12’ x 20’ bedroom is a great place for this teenage football fan to hang out. It provides significantly more closet space than the old room and lets in more sunlight as well. The old laundry room was converted to a new mudroom with locker style cabinetry and a place for kids to store their bag packs. New plumbing and electrical were implemented in a new closet in an upper hallway to facilitate the new washer and dryer. In this remodel, form and function have come together in an open concept design that meets the needs of the entire family.

The new owner of this Centex complex townhomes was about to overhaul there entire first floor. Having a building industries background, he wanted to explore taking all interior walls out and create a much-desired open floor plan with a massive kitchen. The current home had a front living room followed by a small boxed out dining room. A structure wall separating the back of the house kitchen from the front living space. It was all to chopped up for their daily lives. The floor is concrete slab. the partition wall was bearing. The HVAC system is located on second floor and the supply and return ducts were all boxed in columns in living spaces. Challenges: • Eliminating bearing partition walls • Relocating all supply and return ducts from box columns • Run 1” gas line from exterior meter for new 48” stove • Cutting slab concrete to relocate all plumbing and electrical for new island The plan was to combine the entire first level and create an open space floor-plan, with locating the new large kitchen in front of this town house, implementing a large island in middle of the space which accommodate big group seating. The old kitchen converted to a casual family room seating space facing a wall coved with linear fireplace and sheep-lap barded wall and embedded Tv. The old glued down floor was removed and replaced with a more contemporary LVT flooring, The entire space covered with new LED lighting, floor to ceiling cabinetry on south wall with upgraded appliances and inside lighting cabinetry. A gorgeous quartz counter top coving the dark blue island with water falls on one end stand tall in middle this amazing kitchen. Three pendent lights over this massive Island brighten up this new space. This new living space reveals what an amazing total overhaul has been accomplished and how happy this family is spending all their time on this floor. The design team spent a lot of time with the couple for details such as color scheme, backsplash design, counter top slab and floor design to bring what they desired their new space to look like

Handsome seating area in the Gathering Room Chairs by A. RudinChair Fabrics by Designers Guild, Pugin Collection, Martineau This 15,000 square foot home is a ground up classic Mediterranean Villa in Los Altos Hills, designed with a nod to a more elevated contemporary interior design. Our client is a High Level VC who hoped to limit time away from his young family. The scope of the project was to design a family-friendly home, while including all of the high style and high-tech amenities and conveniences expected in a Silicon Valley estate. Designing with these requirements in mind, our team created functional spaces for family life while maintaining business requirements in one space. This balance between comfort and professionalism was implemented through masterful layout and design including a private gathering room that can host up to 100 guests, which was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel, and allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. Other features include a Screening Room, Bar and Wine Tasting Area, Private Library and Executive office, and Grand Dining Room.