Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

Gorgeous kitchen in Redmond awaited a complete makeover, driven by the client's desire for enhanced storage, improved spatial flow, and, above all, a seamless connection between the kitchen, dining area, and living room. Despite the house's generous room sizes and vaulted ceilings, the existing kitchen felt cramped, with low ceilings and a less-than-optimal layout. Our approach to reconfiguring the kitchen was bold and transformative. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room, opening up the space. The ceiling height was raised to create an airier atmosphere. Moreover, we ingeniously relocated the faucet and stove, optimizing functionality and aesthetics. Despite the kitchen's modest footprint, we successfully integrated ample storage, achieving a remarkable transformation in both layout and flow. But our renovation didn't stop there. We also treated the entire house to the allure of refinished and restrained wood floors, breathing new life into the living spaces. Outdated lighting fixtures in the living and dining areas were thoughtfully replaced with designs that not only complemented the new kitchen but also harmonized with the home's existing interior. This Redmond kitchen renovation project is a true testament to the power of vision, skill, and transformation.

As I drive from job to job is never ceases to amaze me how uninspiring and even downright unappealing the decks are in new development neighborhoods. While doing a finish carpentry job in the formal living and dining rooms the homeowner asked me to come outside to get my opinion on his deck. The previous owner of the property invested a great deal of money on a well designed deck but because it was completely close in under the deck the decking had deteriorated. We removed the decking and surround and power-washed the framing, then allowed it to dry completely before installing the new decking. We were careful when removing the decking and were able to save the white vinyl hand railing. Before installing the new decking we checked and corrected all of the framing for level, plumed all of the posts, and replace all of the rotten stair stringer. We then installed all of the blocking for the new decking perimeter boards and partitions. The decking went on smoothly with a new pneumatic hidden fastener nailer which drives 3" screws into the framing. The stair risers and rim board are in white paint grade vinyl (PGV) to compliment the dark wood tone decking. The overall look of the deck exceeded the homeowners hopes and the price was below budget. 95% of each composite decking board contents recycled and reclaimed plastic and wood fibers. 70% of all the plastic bags recycled in the U.S. are part of an in-store collection program used by TREX. ECO Building Solutions is "improving the planet one home at a time" .

When people think of remodeling their homes, they often immediately consider starting with rooms like the dining area, living room, or basement – rooms where the most amount of people spend the most amount of time. While those rooms are important, recent remodeling trends are pointing toward the popularity of re-creating a more private place – the master bath. In fact, we are in the midst of The Year of the Master Bath. Current home improvement practices show that, not only is redoing your master bath a fun and stylish choice, but it also is a wise way to add value to your home. For homes built in the 1990’s with master baths over 200 square feet in size, now is the ideal time to remodel and upgrade to a more efficient, stylish, and worth-while setup. Most homes built during this time period were completed with a typical master bath that included a large jetted tub, and a separate small shower. Both of these elements are quickly becoming recognizable as features of the past, and are being replaced by new and improved technologies. For instance, many homeowners have taken it upon themselves to remove the large jetted bath, and replace it with a free standing tub. These free standing tubs allow for the room to open up in a more modern fashion, and provide endless style and aesthetic choices. Homeowners are also expanding their small showers to create a luxury environment. By pushing out walls to make more shower space, adding skylights and hinged doors, or even designing an accent tile pattern, homeowners are able to take their simple shower and turn it into a relaxing space that rivals even the best spa. The remodeling of a master bath even allows for homeowners to get creative with storage space and style. Many emerging trends include higher vanity height, and even additional built-in towers with extra outlets so that no one is without power while curling their hair or charging a razor. When you take the time to customize your master bath, you will add a level of value to your home that you can experience each and every day, and that will also add to your home’s worth in the long run. Join in on The Year of the Master Bath, and enjoy your improved space for decades to come!

This Indian Sandstone Patio in Bolton-Le-Sands near Lancaster had not been cleaned successfully for several years. Although the owner had power washed it on occasion, that won’t rid you of Black Spot, Mould, Lichen etc and this will build-up over the years. It does clean the stone up to a certain standard but at some point, it will need further treatment. My client had now reached this point and decided to give Tile Doctor a call to have it renovated. We discussed the Patio which ran around the house and calculated that it measured approximately 60m2. With the measurements and a summary of the issues I was able to work out a quote which they were happy to accept. To improve the appearance of the stone I started by giving it a power wash to remove the general grime and dirt. I used a top of the range Karcher Pressure Washer for this which can apply up to 20 bars of pressure. The machine also comes with a spinner attachment results in a much more even clean than simply using the spray head. The patio was left to dry for thirty minutes before applying neat Tile Doctor Patio & Brick Driveway Cleaner. Please note this is a very powerful product meant for professional use so if you’re using it always wear gloves and protective glasses. You leave it on the stone for ten minutes or longer before working it in. The directions on the back of the bottle say recommend leaving it for two to four hours, but its general advice. Personally, I find it is best to test the timing on a small inconspicuous area first, leave it on for say ten minutes then add a bit of water, scrub the surface and if the Black Spot disappears then that is all the time you need. If the stain is stubborn, increase the time. The two to four hour recommendation is really for difficult Black Spots that have become ingrained into the stone and then the product needs longer to digest the stain before it can work. Once that was done, I used the power washer on low pressure to wash the products off the stone and into the sewerage drain, a wet vacuum comes in handy for this. Don’t dispose of it into the grass or planting areas as the strong chemicals in the product could upset them. Many properties have a soak away to capture rainwater from gutters, so you need to make sure it’s the sewage drain you are using. As you can see on the pictures, this product really does work and got rid of the Black Spot completely. To maintain the patio a regular jet wash was recommended, the household versions are ideal for keeping it clean and tidy. Due to the size of the Sandstone patio the whole process took around six hours to complete. Once done though the patio looked transformed and was all ready for a barbeque and some guests. Hopefully, it will stop raining long enough for this to happen. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

When people think of remodeling their homes, they often immediately consider starting with rooms like the dining area, living room, or basement – rooms where the most amount of people spend the most amount of time. While those rooms are important, recent remodeling trends are pointing toward the popularity of re-creating a more private place – the master bath. In fact, we are in the midst of The Year of the Master Bath. Current home improvement practices show that, not only is redoing your master bath a fun and stylish choice, but it also is a wise way to add value to your home. For homes built in the 1990’s with master baths over 200 square feet in size, now is the ideal time to remodel and upgrade to a more efficient, stylish, and worth-while setup. Most homes built during this time period were completed with a typical master bath that included a large jetted tub, and a separate small shower. Both of these elements are quickly becoming recognizable as features of the past, and are being replaced by new and improved technologies. For instance, many homeowners have taken it upon themselves to remove the large jetted bath, and replace it with a free standing tub. These free standing tubs allow for the room to open up in a more modern fashion, and provide endless style and aesthetic choices. Homeowners are also expanding their small showers to create a luxury environment. By pushing out walls to make more shower space, adding skylights and hinged doors, or even designing an accent tile pattern, homeowners are able to take their simple shower and turn it into a relaxing space that rivals even the best spa. The remodeling of a master bath even allows for homeowners to get creative with storage space and style. Many emerging trends include higher vanity height, and even additional built-in towers with extra outlets so that no one is without power while curling their hair or charging a razor. When you take the time to customize your master bath, you will add a level of value to your home that you can experience each and every day, and that will also add to your home’s worth in the long run. Join in on The Year of the Master Bath, and enjoy your improved space for decades to come!

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

After half a century of exposure to wind and weather, this unique home at the Point Richmond shoreline was in dire need of complete renovation. The original mansard was removed and the new exterior takes its cues from the Craftsman interior of the home, featuring a new façade with lap siding, an accent gable facing the street, and a deep overhang facing San Francisco Bay. This reconfiguration makes the most out of the interior vistas, and it also opens up the bay view from the street. The project passed the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council, the city design review, as well as the SF Bay Conservation and Development Council with flying colors. The owners set ambitious environmental goals and allowed us to follow through with a design for net-zero energy performance, meaning that the home could produce the annual power consumption from the rooftop solar system; the gas line was disconnected. Improved insulation and window upgrades go hand in hand with highly efficient heat pumps for space heating and domestic hot water. The bath fans recycle heat from the exhaust air, and the incoming air goes through a filter for improved indoor air quality, notably during wildfire season. The home also received substantial seismic upgrades. Interior remodeling focused on the kitchen and master bath, while for most other rooms the challenge was to preserve and refresh the original character. Kasten Builders was the general contractor and got this home ready for the next 50+ years with a tremendously reduced carbon footprint.

After half a century of exposure to wind and weather, this unique home at the Point Richmond shoreline was in dire need of complete renovation. The original mansard was removed and the new exterior takes its cues from the Craftsman interior of the home, featuring a new façade with lap siding, an accent gable facing the street, and a deep overhang facing San Francisco Bay. This reconfiguration makes the most out of the interior vistas, and it also opens up the bay view from the street. The project passed the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council, the city design review, as well as the SF Bay Conservation and Development Council with flying colors. The owners set ambitious environmental goals and allowed us to follow through with a design for net-zero energy performance, meaning that the home could produce the annual power consumption from the rooftop solar system; the gas line was disconnected. Improved insulation and window upgrades go hand in hand with highly efficient heat pumps for space heating and domestic hot water. The bath fans recycle heat from the exhaust air, and the incoming air goes through a filter for improved indoor air quality, notably during wildfire season. The home also received substantial seismic upgrades. Interior remodeling focused on the kitchen and master bath, while for most other rooms the challenge was to preserve and refresh the original character. Kasten Builders was the general contractor and got this home ready for the next 50+ years with a tremendously reduced carbon footprint.

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.