This fun classic kitchen in Gold River features Columbia frameless cabinets in Sandy Hook grey. A green glass backsplash in a random matte and polished pattern complements the cabinets which are faced with both painted wood and frosted glass. The Silestone countertops in the Lyra finish have an ogee bullnose edge. The floors are finished in a rich brown porcelain tile of varying sizes that are made to resemble distressed wood. Photo Credit: Nar Fine Carpentry, Inc

Small elegant gray one-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Charleston

This one bedroom apartment is located in a converted loft building in the Flatiron District of Manhattan overlooking Madison Square, the start of Madison Avenue and the Empire State Building. The project involved a gut renovation interior fit-out including the replacement of the windows. In order to maximize natural light and open up views from the apartment, the layout is divided into three "layers" from enclosed to semi-open to open. The bedroom is set back as far as possible within the central layer so that the living room can occupy the entire width of the window wall. The bedroom was designed to be a flexible space that can be completely open to the living room and kitchen during the day, creating one large space, but enclosed at night. This is achieved with sliding and folding glass doors on two sides of the bedroom that can be partially or completely opened as required. The open plan kitchen is focused on a long island that acts as a food preparation area, workspace and can be extended to create a dining table projecting into the living room. The bathroom acts as a counterpoint to the light, open plan design of the rest of the apartment, with a sense of luxury provided by the finishes, the generous shower and bath and three separate lighting systems that can be used together or individually to define the mood of the space. The materials throughout the apartment are a simple palette of glass, metal, stone and wood. www.archphoto.com

The client’s most important request: She wanted a “bling” kitchen, and he wanted an affordable makeover. The Solution: The existing kitchen layouts satisfactory for the clients, but they wanted an updated space that stood out from the rest of the neighboring homes. With some research, I found new wall stacker cabinets made by their existing cabinet manufacturer, and added new doors to the existing cabinets which eliminated the arch detail on the doors. These are the SAME cabinets, I know it’s unbelievable, but fortunately the manufacturer still made this line so we added glass-front stacker cabinets over the existing wall cabinets; removed the existing wall cabinet over the cooktop to install a new custom hood; upgraded the hardware and refinished all the cabinets; and installed a luxe marble backsplash. How did we increase the island size? During the initial design consultation, I noticed that the existing kitchen island was set very far from the refrigerator. After drawing the plans, I was able to move all the existing island cabinets closer to the refrigerator wall and install new cabinets behind them, thus doubling the size of the island. Even after shifting the existing island cabinets closer to the refrigerator wall, there is still plenty of space to work comfortably in the kitchen. We took this opportunity to design a custom board and batten detail for the sides of the island. The before-and-after photo depicts the outcome of the the next challenge: How do we add stacker cabinets when there is an air vent in the wall? Since the wall cabinets are 24” deep (due to the wall ovens and refrigerator), I designed a bulkhead behind the new 12” deep wall stacker cabinets to reroute the ductwork, thus relocated the air vent to the side of the wall. Absolutely dazzling! Checkered crystal prisms on the pendant grace the kitchen island with glittering warm task lighting. An affordable and stunning kitchen transformation! The scope includes: augmenting new cabinets over all the existing wall cabinets; enlarging the island with new base cabinets and 7’ x 6’ stone countertop; refinishing the existing hardwood flooring and staircase; replacing the doors on the all the existing cabinets to match the new ones; updating hardware, lighting, backsplash, and hood; designing board and batten details on the sides of the island; adding new cabinet between the ovens and refrigerator creating a sleek and modern wall.

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

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

Tucked away in the backwoods of Torch Lake, this home marries “rustic” with the sleek elegance of modern. The combination of wood, stone and metal textures embrace the charm of a classic farmhouse. Although this is not your average farmhouse. The home is outfitted with a high performing system that seamlessly works with the design and architecture. The tall ceilings and windows allow ample natural light into the main room. Spire Integrated Systems installed Lutron QS Wireless motorized shades paired with Hartmann & Forbes windowcovers to offer privacy and block harsh light. The custom 18′ windowcover’s woven natural fabric complements the organic esthetics of the room. The shades are artfully concealed in the millwork when not in use. Spire installed B&W in-ceiling speakers and Sonance invisible in-wall speakers to deliver ambient music that emanates throughout the space with no visual footprint. Spire also installed a Sonance Landscape Audio System so the homeowner can enjoy music outside. Each system is easily controlled using Savant. Spire personalized the settings to the homeowner’s preference making controlling the home efficient and convenient.

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2017 Houzz
Entryway - contemporary entryway idea in New York

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.

Exterior, brick, lime, limewash, painted brick, architectural finish

Unique pivot front door with frosted glass.
Front door - large contemporary dark wood floor front door idea with beige walls and a glass front door

Budget Blinds blackout roller shades, photo credit installer Adam Brannick
Example of a mid-sized transitional guest bedroom design in Cedar Rapids with gray walls and no fireplace

Dolores Garden by Growsgreen Landscape Design
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco.

Full-overlay Rustic Beech cabinets in the "Charleston" door style and "Briarwood" finish. Village Home Stores
Example of a large mountain style kitchen design in Chicago

maple hardwood floor, water-popped, and stained with 50% rosewood and 50% neutral stains.
Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City

Example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Salt Lake City with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

Complete luxury with this large walk-in shower. Overhead rainfall panel and two separate shower heads keep you warm and relaxed. The tile is a rustic barnwood look with small travertine squares for the inset.

Bedroom - cottage bedroom idea in Chicago