Living room - mediterranean living room idea in Orange County

Summer annuals display. Photo by Rachel Carlson
This is an example of a traditional partial sun landscaping in Chicago for summer.

Outdoor kitchen, lattice screen and more serenity.
Inspiration for a traditional shade backyard stone garden path in Chicago for summer.

Kitchen pantry - mid-sized transitional kitchen pantry idea in Nashville with open cabinets

This 5687 sf home was a major renovation including significant modifications to exterior and interior structural components, walls and foundations. Included were the addition of several multi slide exterior doors, windows, new patio cover structure with master deck, climate controlled wine room, master bath steam shower, 4 new gas fireplace appliances and the center piece- a cantilever structural steel staircase with custom wood handrail and treads. A complete demo down to drywall of all areas was performed excluding only the secondary baths, game room and laundry room where only the existing cabinets were kept and refinished. Some of the interior structural and partition walls were removed. All flooring, counter tops, shower walls, shower pans and tubs were removed and replaced. New cabinets in kitchen and main bar by Mid Continent. All other cabinetry was custom fabricated and some existing cabinets refinished. Counter tops consist of Quartz, granite and marble. Flooring is porcelain tile and marble throughout. Wall surfaces are porcelain tile, natural stacked stone and custom wood throughout. All drywall surfaces are floated to smooth wall finish. Many electrical upgrades including LED recessed can lighting, LED strip lighting under cabinets and ceiling tray lighting throughout. The front and rear yard was completely re landscaped including 2 gas fire features in the rear and a built in BBQ. The pool tile and plaster was refinished including all new concrete decking.

David Wakely
Small trendy home design photo in San Francisco

This modern bathroom design in Cohasset is a striking, stylish room with a Tedd Wood Luxury Line Cabinetry Monticello door style vanity in a vibrant blue finish with black glaze that includes both open and closed storage. The cabinet finish is beautifully contrasted by an Alleanza Calacatta Bettogli polished countertop, with the sills, built in shower bench and back splash all using the same material supplied by Boston Bluestone. Atlas Hardwares Elizabeth Collection in warm brass is the perfect hardware to complement the blue cabinetry in this vibrant bathroom remodel, along with the Kate & Laurel Minuette 24 x 36 mirror in gold and Mitzi Anya wall sconces in brass. The vanity space includes two Kohler Archer undermount sinks with Grohe Atrio collection faucets. The freestanding Victoria + Albert Trivento bathtub pairs with a Grohe Atrio floor mounted tub faucet. The tub area includes a custom designed archway and recessed shelves that make this a stunning focal point in the bathroom design. The custom alcove shower enclosure includes a built in bench, corner shelves, and accent tiled niche, along with Grohe standard and handheld showerheads. The tile selections from MSI are both a practical and stylish element of this design with Dymo Stripe White 12 x 24 glossy tile on the shower walls, Bianco Dolomite Pinwheel polished tile for the niche, and Georama Grigio polished tile for the shower floor. The bathroom floor is Bianco Dolomite 12 x 24 polished tile. Every element of this bathroom design works together to create a stunning, vibrant space.

A small, charming bathroom remodel featuring a wood window in the shower, a misplaced sconce, and a cluttered vanity with a plea to add much needed function and storage while maintaining the room’s vintage charm. Within the new design, the original arched detail, replicated in other places in the home, is preserved. Nearby, a newly added braided chevron recycled glass floor tile plays against the curves of the arch. Champagne brushed bronze fixtures contrast beautifully against wall tiles in varying shades of green laid vertically offering a handmade feel. Giving a nod to the home’s treasured history, a custom walnut vanity with antique glass knobs ties into the bathroom’s original green glass doorknob, offering deeper storage while accommodating an elongated tub. Adding modern convenience, a new medicine cabinet with built in lighting and interior power hangs above the vanity. Adjacent to the cabinet, a custom designed hanging shelf and towel bar maximize space. As a final touch, woven wallpaper softens the room’s hard surfaces, and a sculptural alabaster stone ceiling light provides a touch of elegance, transforming the space with function while paying homage to the home’s historic origins. Photo by Spacecrafting Photography

When Casework first met this 550 square foot attic space in a 1912 Seattle Craftsman home, it was dated and not functional. The homeowners wanted to transform their existing master bedroom and bathroom to include more practical closet and storage space as well as add a nursery. The renovation created a purposeful division of space for a growing family, including a cozy master with built-in bench storage, a spacious his and hers dressing room, open and bright master bath with brass and black details, and a nursery perfect for a growing child. Through clever built-ins and a minimal but effective color palette, Casework was able to turn this wasted attic space into a comfortable, inviting and purposeful sanctuary.

Inspiration for a timeless u-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Other with an undermount sink, white backsplash, white appliances, an island and white countertops

Photo: Joyelle West
Example of a mid-sized classic l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Boston with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, multicolored backsplash, terra-cotta backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This 1950’s mid century ranch had good bones, but was not all that it could be - especially for a family of four. The entrance, bathrooms and mudroom lacked storage space and felt dark and dingy. The main bathroom was transformed back to its original charm with modern updates by moving the tub underneath the window, adding in a double vanity and a built-in laundry hamper and shelves. Casework used satin nickel hardware, handmade tile, and a custom oak vanity with finger pulls instead of hardware to create a neutral, clean bathroom that is still inviting and relaxing. The entry reflects this natural warmth with a custom built-in bench and subtle marbled wallpaper. The combined laundry, mudroom and boy's bath feature an extremely durable watery blue cement tile and more custom oak built-in pieces. Overall, this renovation created a more functional space with a neutral but warm palette and minimalistic details. Interior Design: Casework General Contractor: Raven Builders Photography: George Barberis Press: Rebecca Atwood, Rue Magazine On the Blog: SW Ranch Master Bath Before & After

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

GC: Ekren Construction Photography: Tiffany Ringwald
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Charlotte with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

This 2-story home with first-floor Owner’s Suite includes a 3-car garage and an inviting front porch. A dramatic 2-story ceiling welcomes you into the foyer where hardwood flooring extends throughout the main living areas of the home including the Dining Room, Great Room, Kitchen, and Breakfast Area. The foyer is flanked by the Study to the left and the formal Dining Room with stylish coffered ceiling and craftsman style wainscoting to the right. The spacious Great Room with 2-story ceiling includes a cozy gas fireplace with stone surround and shiplap above mantel. Adjacent to the Great Room is the Kitchen and Breakfast Area. The Kitchen is well-appointed with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops with tile backsplash, and attractive cabinetry featuring crown molding. The sunny Breakfast Area provides access to the patio and backyard. The Owner’s Suite with includes a private bathroom with tile shower, free standing tub, an expansive closet, and double bowl vanity with granite top. The 2nd floor includes 2 additional bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.

Terrific Black PVC vinyl picket fence from the Grand Illusions Color Spectrum line by Illusions Vinyl Fence. The American Dream fence just got cooler!

The design of this home was driven by the owners’ desire for a three-bedroom waterfront home that showcased the spectacular views and park-like setting. As nature lovers, they wanted their home to be organic, minimize any environmental impact on the sensitive site and embrace nature. This unique home is sited on a high ridge with a 45° slope to the water on the right and a deep ravine on the left. The five-acre site is completely wooded and tree preservation was a major emphasis. Very few trees were removed and special care was taken to protect the trees and environment throughout the project. To further minimize disturbance, grades were not changed and the home was designed to take full advantage of the site’s natural topography. Oak from the home site was re-purposed for the mantle, powder room counter and select furniture. The visually powerful twin pavilions were born from the need for level ground and parking on an otherwise challenging site. Fill dirt excavated from the main home provided the foundation. All structures are anchored with a natural stone base and exterior materials include timber framing, fir ceilings, shingle siding, a partial metal roof and corten steel walls. Stone, wood, metal and glass transition the exterior to the interior and large wood windows flood the home with light and showcase the setting. Interior finishes include reclaimed heart pine floors, Douglas fir trim, dry-stacked stone, rustic cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. Exterior spaces include a timber-framed porch, stone patio with fire pit and commanding views of the Occoquan reservoir. A second porch overlooks the ravine and a breezeway connects the garage to the home. Numerous energy-saving features have been incorporated, including LED lighting, on-demand gas water heating and special insulation. Smart technology helps manage and control the entire house. Greg Hadley Photography

Located in Newport Beach’s coveted Port Streets, this family home was taken down to the studs and completely reimagined to create a layered, detail-rich forever home. We expanded key living spaces — including the kitchen and primary bathroom — to enhance both functionality and everyday luxury. Throughout the home, thoughtfully curated moments bring personality and warmth. From the beautifully wallpapered dining room to the checkerboard marble laundry room, each space was designed to feel timeless yet distinctive. Living spaces and bathrooms were individually styled using a cohesive palette of blues, greens, and warm browns — creating a sense of flow while allowing each room its own identity. The result is a thoughtfully tailored home that blends classic design with family-centered living in one of Newport Beach’s most beloved neighborhoods. This home was featured in the 2026 Corona del Mar Home Tour.