The kitchen, breakfast room and family room are all open to one another. The kitchen has a large twelve foot island topped with Calacatta marble and features a roll-out kneading table, and room to seat the whole family. The sunlight breakfast room opens onto the patio which has a built-in barbeque, and both bar top seating and a built in bench for outdoor dining. The large family room features a cozy fireplace, TV media, and a large built-in bookcase. The adjoining craft room is separated by a set of pocket french doors; where the kids can be visible from the family room as they do their homework.

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

The 100-year old home’s kitchen was old and just didn’t function well. A peninsula in the middle of the main part of the kitchen blocked the path from the back door. This forced the homeowners to mostly use an odd, U-shaped corner of the kitchen. Design objectives: -Add an island -Wow-factor design -Incorporate arts and crafts with a touch of Mid-century modern style -Allow for a better work triangle when cooking -Create a seamless path coming into the home from the backdoor -Make all the countertops in the space 36” high (the old kitchen had different base cabinet heights) Design challenges to be solved: -Island design -Where to place the sink and dishwasher -The family’s main entrance into the home is a back door located within the kitchen space. Samantha needed to find a way to make an unobstructed path through the kitchen to the outside -A large eating area connected to the kitchen felt slightly misplaced – Samantha wanted to bring the kitchen and materials more into this area -The client does not like appliance garages/cabinets to the counter. The more countertop space, the better! Design solutions: -Adding the right island made all the difference! Now the family has a couple of seats within the kitchen space. -Multiple walkways facilitate traffic flow. -Multiple pantry cabinets (both shallow and deep) are placed throughout the space. A couple of pantry cabinets were even added to the back door wall and wrap around into the breakfast nook to give the kitchen a feel of extending into the adjoining eating area. -Upper wall cabinets with clear glass offer extra lighting and the opportunity for the client to display her beautiful vases and plates. They add and an airy feel to the space. -The kitchen had two large existing windows that were ideal for a sink placement. The window closest to the back door made the most sense due to the fact that the other window was in the corner. Now that the sink had a place, we needed to worry about the dishwasher. Samantha didn’t want the dishwasher to be in the way of people coming in the back door – it’s now in the island right across from the sink. -The homeowners love Motawi Tile. Some fantastic pieces are placed within the backsplash throughout the kitchen. -Larger tiles with borders make for nice accent pieces over the rangetop and by the bar/beverage area. -The adjacent area for eating is a gorgeous nook with massive windows. We added a built-in furniture-style banquette with additional lower storage cabinets in the same finish. It’s a great way to connect and blend the two areas into what now feels like one big space!

After a not-so-great experience with a previous contractor, this homeowner came to Kraft Custom Construction in search of a better outcome. Not only was she wanting a more functional kitchen to enjoy cooking in, she also sought out a team with a clear process and great communication. Two elements of the original floorplan shaped the design of the new kitchen: a protruding pantry that blocked the flow from the front door into the main living space, and two large columns in the middle of the living room. Using a refined French-Country design aesthetic, we completed structural modifications to reframe the pantry, and integrated a new custom buffet cabinet to tie in the old columns with new wood ceiling beams. Other design solutions include more usable countertop space, a recessed spice cabinet, numerous drawer organizers, and updated appliances and finishes all around. This bright new kitchen is both comfortable yet elegant, and the perfect place to cook for the family or entertain a group of guests.

For this classic San Francisco William Wurster house, we complemented the iconic modernist architecture, urban landscape, and Bay views with contemporary silhouettes and a neutral color palette. We subtly incorporated the wife's love of all things equine and the husband's passion for sports into the interiors. The family enjoys entertaining, and the multi-level home features a gourmet kitchen, wine room, and ample areas for dining and relaxing. An elevator conveniently climbs to the top floor where a serene master suite awaits.

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in San Francisco.

Elegant enclosed dining room photo in Philadelphia with gray walls

Living room - traditional living room idea

Kitchen - contemporary l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen idea in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Bedroom - traditional bedroom idea

Dale Hall Photography. LLC Dura Supreme Cabinetry Cushman Construction LLC
Trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, green backsplash and an island

Designed for an active family, this exceptional, welcoming Lake Minnetonka home features main level living with lower-level walkout for easy access to the lake, firepit, and sand beach. Amazing views are captured from nearly every main level space, including a unique center kitchen with built-in banquet. The main level opens fully to a screen porch for dining, grilling, and relaxing by the fireplace.

Inspiration for a rustic two-story wood exterior home remodel

Photography: Julie Soefer
Example of a transitional living room library design in Houston with purple walls

GC: Osborne Construction Architect: C2 Architecture Design: Kole Made. Custom Woodwork + Cabinetry: Loubier Design. http://www.kolemade.com/ http://www.c2-architecture.com/ http://kirk-loubier.squarespace.com/ Photo Credit: http://www.samoberter.com/

Hallway - coastal hallway idea in Providence

Hallway - large contemporary marble floor hallway idea in Ahmedabad

View of the bedroom and its furniture with LED lights incorporated Vista della camera da letto con arredo dotato di luci a LED incorporate
Inspiration for a modern bedroom remodel in Milan

Alloy Homes Incorporated
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary galley light wood floor kitchen remodel in Calgary with flat-panel cabinets, an island, an undermount sink, white cabinets, white backsplash, glass sheet backsplash and stainless steel appliances