The objective was to create a warm neutral space to later customize to a specific colour palate/preference of the end user for this new construction home being built to sell. A high-end contemporary feel was requested to attract buyers in the area. An impressive kitchen that exuded high class and made an impact on guests as they entered the home, without being overbearing. The space offers an appealing open floorplan conducive to entertaining with indoor-outdoor flow. Due to the spec nature of this house, the home had to remain appealing to the builder, while keeping a broad audience of potential buyers in mind. The challenge lay in creating a unique look, with visually interesting materials and finishes, while not being so unique that potential owners couldn’t envision making it their own. The focus on key elements elevates the look, while other features blend and offer support to these striking components. As the home was built for sale, profitability was important; materials were sourced at best value, while retaining high-end appeal. Adaptations to the home’s original design plan improve flow and usability within the kitchen-greatroom. The client desired a rich dark finish. The chosen colours tie the kitchen to the rest of the home (creating unity as combination, colours and materials, is repeated throughout). Photos- Paul Grdina

Two Birds Photography
Kids' room - transitional kids' room idea in Chicago

Close up of 'Amy Cotta' flowers. In cool weather, leaf color is dark purple.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional partial sun landscaping in Chicago for spring.

Their Kitchen Remodel Siene & Kentay’s tired kitchen needed some attention. The large and heavy stone covered hood vent paired with the dark stained cabinets sucked the life and light out of the room. One thing that struggled was lighting. Even with the walls of windows the dark features just absorbed the light. We started by using a soft white shaker cabinet called Dove White as the main cabinet color in the kitchen. We removed the stone from the hood and the dark slate from the backsplash. We also removed the dated shape of the peninsula by squaring it off. By doing this, the new walking area improved and allows for transitioning between rooms. The oddly shaped island in the center struggled to give them the storage they needed. They were large cabinets, but items usually got stuck or lost. After determining that Siene wanted to prepare food here, we opted to do deep drawer cabinets to store a lot of her prep items at arm’s reach. The Island and bar cabinets are in a natural stain called Fawn. This color complimented the existing slate flooring. We also lined the hood in trim that matches the island. The island is also waterfalled on both sides with quartz from Arizona Tile called Ivory White Honed. Kitchen getting remodeled before & after photo Kitchen being remodeled before and after photo Just off the kitchen there was a bar, however it was hidden from all rooms. We decided that we would move the bar to a more prominent place in the home, and the existing would be turned into an appliance pantry. A place for the coffee maker, microwave, and other smaller appliance storage. We finished the kitchen with a simple backsplash in a lantern white mosaic with a natural tan grout. The door hardware, faucet from Delta and the new pendant lighting are all in the stainless family allowing for depth and consistency. The new bar features a Sub-Zero wine column with refrigerated storage below. The upper lit glass cabinets offer a chance to showcase stemware and spirits. This custom cabinet install allows the wood to shine and offers storage. Lastly, the additional lighting installed in all areas now is controllable. Siene and Kentay have full control and can direct the light and how much is used. When they want a night in, they can turn down the lights and relax. In their new updated family room in front of a newly integrated modern fireplace. Kitchen getting renovated before and after photo Laundry Room Remodeling Jokingly, Siene called her Laundry Room the Christmas Box. We traded the red and green wallpaper for paint called Drift of Mist from Sherwin Williams. The new white cabinetry offers a lot of storage they are , and a dedicated folding station was integrated for easy transitioning between loads of laundry.

Their Kitchen Remodel Siene & Kentay’s tired kitchen needed some attention. The large and heavy stone covered hood vent paired with the dark stained cabinets sucked the life and light out of the room. One thing that struggled was lighting. Even with the walls of windows the dark features just absorbed the light. We started by using a soft white shaker cabinet called Dove White as the main cabinet color in the kitchen. We removed the stone from the hood and the dark slate from the backsplash. We also removed the dated shape of the peninsula by squaring it off. By doing this, the new walking area improved and allows for transitioning between rooms. The oddly shaped island in the center struggled to give them the storage they needed. They were large cabinets, but items usually got stuck or lost. After determining that Siene wanted to prepare food here, we opted to do deep drawer cabinets to store a lot of her prep items at arm’s reach. The Island and bar cabinets are in a natural stain called Fawn. This color complimented the existing slate flooring. We also lined the hood in trim that matches the island. The island is also waterfalled on both sides with quartz from Arizona Tile called Ivory White Honed. Kitchen getting remodeled before & after photo Kitchen being remodeled before and after photo Just off the kitchen there was a bar, however it was hidden from all rooms. We decided that we would move the bar to a more prominent place in the home, and the existing would be turned into an appliance pantry. A place for the coffee maker, microwave, and other smaller appliance storage. We finished the kitchen with a simple backsplash in a lantern white mosaic with a natural tan grout. The door hardware, faucet from Delta and the new pendant lighting are all in the stainless family allowing for depth and consistency. The new bar features a Sub-Zero wine column with refrigerated storage below. The upper lit glass cabinets offer a chance to showcase stemware and spirits. This custom cabinet install allows the wood to shine and offers storage. Lastly, the additional lighting installed in all areas now is controllable. Siene and Kentay have full control and can direct the light and how much is used. When they want a night in, they can turn down the lights and relax. In their new updated family room in front of a newly integrated modern fireplace. Kitchen getting renovated before and after photo Laundry Room Remodeling Jokingly, Siene called her Laundry Room the Christmas Box. We traded the red and green wallpaper for paint called Drift of Mist from Sherwin Williams. The new white cabinetry offers a lot of storage they are , and a dedicated folding station was integrated for easy transitioning between loads of laundry.

Camden Hills is an exceptionally inviting hand-scraped fllor that fills a niche between the traditional and the very rustic and timeworn - so it appeals to a broader audience. The elegantly distressed linear scraping has a smoother look that's more refined than that of traditional scraping. All boards are different - though they're linear-scraped, there is no visible repeat. Camden Hills' graceful texture combines with lustrous, warm colors to accentuate the hickory grain of each plank. And the fineness of the scraping further enhances the sculpted, contoured bevel edges. In the flooring industry, there’s no shortage of competition. If you’re looking for hardwoods, you’ll find thousands of product options and hundreds of people willing to install them for you. The same goes for tile, carpet, laminate, etc. At Fantastic Floors, our mission is to provide a quality product, at a competitive price, with a level of service that exceeds our competition. We don’t “sell” floors. We help you find the perfect floors for your family in our design center or bring the showroom to you free of charge. We take the time to listen to your needs and help you select the best flooring option to fit your budget and lifestyle. We can answer any questions you have about how your new floors are engineered and why they make sense for you…all in the comfort of our home or yours. We work with designers, retail customers, commercial builders, and real estate investors to improve an existing space or create one that is totally new and unique...and we’d love to work with you.

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Expansive transitional chef's kitchen featuring white shaker cabinetry, custom crown molding, and a large central island topped with polished gray quartzite and upholstered high-top seating. Geometric brass lantern pendants illuminate the island, complemented by a gray glass subway tile backsplash, a built-in stainless steel gas cooktop, double wall ovens, and rich dark hardwood floors. Expertly built by Cutler Construction Services, Inc. in collaboration with RAD Designs and MLM Custom Cabinets.

Great glass scallop tile detail. This tile is bordered by slabs of white marble.
Bathroom - modern bathroom idea in Miami

This bedroom and full bathroom are part of an adventuresome project my wife and I embarked upon to create a complete apartment in the basement of our townhouse. We designed a floor plan that creatively and efficiently used all of the 385-square-foot-space, without sacrificing beauty, comfort or function – and all without breaking the bank! To maximize our budget, we did the work ourselves and added everything from thrift store finds to DIY wall art to bring it all together. A partial double closet bar adds a little extra space while still leaving room for longer hanging clothes.

Ryan Day Thompson
Inspiration for a contemporary wooden u-shaped staircase remodel with wooden risers

Katherine Sfeir
Example of an urban home bar design in Miami

Self
Inspiration for a small modern wooden straight staircase remodel in Louisville with wooden risers

Shiloh Cabinetry. Polar White, Inset
Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Manchester with white cabinets, beaded inset cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Mid-sized traditional blue two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof idea in Chicago

Hot tub - large southwestern backyard brick and rectangular lap hot tub idea in Phoenix

Garden 2 in Santa Monica http://www.nativeplantgardentour.org/gardens/garden-2-in-santa-monica/ Photo Credit: Philip Oakley Otto

Detail of LED wall sconce with white glass tile background
Inspiration for a small contemporary kids' white tile and glass tile porcelain tile and gray floor alcove bathtub remodel in New York with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, green walls and an integrated sink

Deer and rabbit fencing around a culinary herb garden bursting with Oregano.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard mulch vegetable garden landscape for summer.