Our kitchen is in the perfect harmony of blue and white.
Kitchen - farmhouse kitchen idea in DC Metro

THE SETUP Client Background: Our clients, a couple who have transitioned into the empty nest phase, have cherished their home for over three decades without undergoing any significant renovations. With a newfound desire to adapt their living space to better suit their current lifestyle, they’ve embarked on a journey to reimagine their kitchen — the heart of their home. Their aspiration is to cultivate a serene, neutral-toned sanctuary on the first floor that seamlessly merges with their family room, ensuring a harmonious and inviting environment. Design Inspiration: The renovation is inspired by the couple’s penchant for soft, calming neutrals, using their cherished family room and the kitchen’s existing tile flooring as the cornerstone for the color scheme. This approach aims to foster a sense of warmth and tranquility throughout. Design Objectives: Harmonize the kitchen with the family room by adopting a soothing, neutral color scheme, ensuring a seamless flow across the first floor. Enhance kitchen functionality with thoughtfully designed cabinetry, providing a designated place for every item and maximizing storage efficiency. Cultivate an inviting and comfortable atmosphere that reflects the homeowners’ desire for a calm and relaxing space. Design Challenges: The homeowners wish to retain the existing kitchen tile flooring and integrate it into a refreshed, modern design. Accommodating a dining area spacious enough for family visits without compromising the kitchen’s open feel or functional layout. Despite liking the current placement of plumbing and appliances, the homeowners aspire for a more open floor plan to facilitate better movement and interaction. The need to amplify natural light in the kitchen, especially around the sink area, where existing lighting is insufficient. Preserving the half-wall between the kitchen and family room, a feature the homeowners want to keep, while ensuring it complements the new design. THE RENEWED SPACE Design Solutions: By choosing a neutral color palette that complements the existing tile, the design unifies the kitchen with the adjacent spaces. The tile’s grout was cleaned and restored, enhancing the floor’s appearance and integrating it seamlessly with the new kitchen aesthetic. The inclusion of a larger island with seating for two, alongside maintaining a substantial dining table, was achieved by optimizing the spatial layout. This allowed for a sociable yet functional kitchen, accommodating large family gatherings without feeling crowded. Minor adjustments to the kitchen’s layout maintained the preferred locations for plumbing and appliances while introducing an ‘open’ design concept. Strategic modifications, such as angling the pantry wall, improved the flow and accessibility within the space. Replacing the garden window with a broader, standard window significantly increased natural light, transforming the sink area into a bright, welcoming space with enhanced views of the outdoors. The decision to keep the half-wall was ingeniously leveraged to define the dining area while maintaining an open connection to the family room. This feature not only serves as a visual separator but also ties the two spaces together through the shared color scheme and design elements. The homeowners are thrilled with their newly remodeled kitchen, which has become a hub of warmth and hospitality. Hosting a wedding shower and a birthday party, they have shared their renewed space with friends and family, who have been equally enamored. This remodel has not only met their functional and aesthetic desires but has also enriched their home with a fresh sense of serenity and joy. The upstairs part of the home is shaping up nicely. Here’s their newly remodeled primary bathroom.

Trendy built-in desk medium tone wood floor home office photo in New York with white walls

The original kitchen was confined within four walls and our clients were eager to create a more open floor plan to provide more social interaction between the home chef (mom) and the 4 men in her life. By removing walls and borrowing a few extra square feet from the adjacent laundry room we were able to incorporate a 48” refrigerator and range, extra storage, a central island, increased workspaces and banquette seating into this modestly sized kitchen. This project was designed to provide both high function and high style while optimizing the influx of natural light from the enlarged kitchen windows. We maximized the space and created an open floor plan that improved traffic flow between the adjacent rooms. The custom cabinetry, stainless hood, shelves, and the professional faucet gives this rather traditional white kitchen a more modern design sensibility. Photo Credit: Bethany Nauert

Study room - contemporary built-in desk dark wood floor study room idea in New York with blue walls

Kitchen, dining, and entertaining.
Example of a trendy kitchen design in Orlando with shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, gray cabinets and gray countertops

A young Mexican couple approached us to create a streamline modern and fresh home for their growing family. They expressed a desire for natural textures and finishes such as natural stone and a variety of woods to juxtapose against a clean linear white backdrop. For the kid’s rooms we are staying within the modern and fresh feel of the house while bringing in pops of bright color such as lime green. We are looking to incorporate interactive features such as a chalkboard wall and fun unique kid size furniture. The bathrooms are very linear and play with the concept of planes in the use of materials.They will be a study in contrasting and complementary textures established with tiles from resin inlaid with pebbles to a long porcelain tile that resembles wood grain. This beautiful house is a 5 bedroom home located in Presidential Estates in Aventura, FL.

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2013 Houzz
Ornate exterior home photo in Seattle

Step into a contemporary luxury kitchen that effortlessly blends modern design with timeless elegance. This space features sleek cabinetry and high-end appliances, complemented by a stunning natural wood ceiling adorned with exposed beams, adding warmth and character. The open layout encourages flow and interaction, making it perfect for both cooking and entertaining. A chic fireplace serves as a focal point, offering a cozy ambiance and enhancing the inviting atmosphere. With thoughtful details and high-quality finishes, this kitchen is a perfect harmony of style and functionality, creating an inviting retreat for culinary adventures and gatherings.

Photo by Karen Melvin
Traditional exterior home idea in Minneapolis

Modern and moody dining room blends textures with bold statement art.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional light wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room remodel in Philadelphia with no fireplace

Elegant living room photo in Boston

A Hampton style sofa has become a necessity in home decor as people become more familiar with the Hampton interior style. Hampton style sofas are a good choice for timeless design if you are replacing or buying a new one. When you are uncertain of what you want, buying a sofa can seem challenging. If you're trying to select La maison hampton furniture for one of your home's most important rooms, you have a lot to take into account. It maust suit your taste and function.

Couches require thought and consideration. It is important that you choose a style and a color that goes well with your living area, along with a durable material that meets your needs. The front door must also be able to accommodate the rug. So, don't forget to familiarize yourself with the different sizes, fillings, and textures before creating your budget. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a new sofa, but while there are some places where you can save money, there are others where you should invest.

First, Let's Talk about the Vibe of sofa style

First and foremost, you should consider the style of your sofa. Choose a sofa whose style fits the current theme of your home. It may seem very obvious, but many people simply buy whatever suits their fancy, and unfortunately, the style of the room is a lot of the time different from what suits their fancy.

If the rug or the art above the sofa don't go together, it might not work in the room. It's imperative to get the look right before adding the rest of these elements. Make sure you consider how you wish the room to feel when you're in it. If you're looking for something more colorful, or you have a particular style in mind, such as mid-century (then googling 'Hampton style sofas' will prove valuable). A sofa that looks great but is super-comfy might end up looking completely out of place if you skip this step.

Next, We will Discuss Functionality of sofas

It is important to consider what you will be doing with the sofa. Although I am convinced that the answer is "to sit on", we need to dig deeper. Can you, for instance, sit down for drinks in this formal sitting room when company comes over? Do you watch television in this room every day? There is a rumpus room upstairs for the kids to interact with their friends and eat and drink on it? There might be Hampton style sofas in the guest room.

For your convenience, I have compiled a full list of Hampton style sofas here. Depending on the situation, each sofa style needs to be different. Typically, formal couches tend to be less comfortable. They're usually more rigid and upright. Couches for watching TV should be cushier; they should be comfortable. We know that many teens are not concerned about Hampton style sofas maintenance, so kids zones need sofas that are able to withstand more wear and tear. This is something high schools should teach.

This story shows you the importance of not skipping this important ‘how will it be used? At this point, you should have an idea of how you'll use the Hampton style sofas. Consider, for instance, a sofa with a bold color and a formal feel for your living room. If you want a couch with a relaxed feel, choose a neutral shade with a cushy feel.

Dimensions of an ideal hamptons style sofa

Before you buy a Hampton style sofa, you must measure the size of your current living room. You will probably not fit it if you don't do this. A large one will either overwhelm the room and leave no room for a coffee table, or a small one will look dwarfed in comparison. When a pandemic strikes, scale is everything.

You should be able to fit the sofa into the room comfortably without it feeling too large or small. Measure the width of your La maison hampton furniture style sofas first with a tape measure. Consider if you'd like side tables beside your sofa. In that case, you would need to measure the width of either side of your sofa and add around 50cm to either side (most decent side tables have a width of about 50cm).

In addition to measuring Hampton style sofas depth, you should also measure the width. There are some sofas that can be as deep as a metre (from the front of the sofa cushion to its back). Since your sofa will need an allowance of 50cm from the edge of the coffee table to the front of the sofa, and a minimum of 50cm on the other side of the coffee table, you might want to measure your current coffee table to ensure it matches.

Another Important Factor is Height

In an open-plan living room, this element is particularly important if your sofa crosses the space. When you have a sectional sofa, for example, one of the ends will likely cut across the room, so the back should be low so your eye can still pass over the back.

One of the top 10 living room design mistakes I make is to place tall-backed Hampton style sofas across the room, a mistake that really cramps the style of the whole space. It happens way too often.

Although the height won't be a major issue if the sofa is backed up against a wall, it is still worth considering the size of the art you want to hang above it. If you want neck support whilst watching TV, a low-back sofa might not be for you. My neck tends to become less and less flexible as I get older. It's a sad fact, but true nonetheless. If you find yourself in the same situation, you should consider high-back Hampton style sofas.

Sofa Cushions: How Low are They?

Many people don't think about this dimension when purchasing a sofa online, especially if they're doing so for the first time. If you're road-testing the sofa in-store, you'll know if it's too low for you right away, but an online purchase is something else. Low-profile sofas have a seat height of 40 cm or less. The sofa's 60cm seat height will make it much more difficult to get up and out of it. The importance of this factor increases as we age or if we have mobility problems.

The seat you're sitting in should allow you to stand up comfortably, without feeling like you need assistance. Additionally, the height of your coffee table should not be higher than the seat cushions on the sofa, because the table should never be higher than the seat cushions on the sofa. They should never be higher than each other. Make sure you take notes!

What Else is There in the Room?

A good idea when choosing a sofa is to consider what other elements will be in the room. For a well-designed, elegantly-resolved living room, you'll need a sofa, rug, coffee table, side table/s, lamp, TV unit, and wall art. The room will not feel right if you buy a massive sectional sofa that takes up the entire room and leaves no space for a coffee table or side tables.

You should measure out your sofa, keeping in mind that the other pieces La maison hampton furniture and decor will also need to fit into the space. All pieces of furniture need to have enough space to breathe. It's best not to have all the furniture crammed into the point where sitting down means hitting your legs or feet against pieces. You probably now understand that choosing a couch is more about the couch itself than with how to choose it. So think of the big picture whenever you choose something.

Two Two-Seaters, or a Sectional Sofa?

People often have to wrestle with the question of whether they should buy two sofas or one sectional when figuring out how to choose a sofa. Sectionals are usually preferable to two separate two-seater sofas. However, the corner piece is rarely occupied anyway. Often, the corner piece of a sectional is so tiny that it is impossible for a person to sit there comfortably. Therefore, think about whether you actually need this over getting two x two-seater sofas and arranging them into an L-shape.

If you don't have a large living room, you might prefer 2 x two-seater sofas instead. Sectional sofas are best for larger rooms. With the visual break of all that fabric dominating the corner, it will do the room a world of good. Furthermore, you can use the space between your sofas to put a side table so you can place drinks, or a table lamp, there.

You may want to consider getting 1 x two-seater sofa and an armchair instead, if you have a really small living room. Even though you want to seat as many people as possible, you should let the room determine how many people the sofa can accommodate.

A Guide to Picking the Right Material

The material of the sofa is obviously very important when it comes to picking out the right one. The best advice I can offer is to consider who will use the sofa and how that will impact maintenance.

Leather sofas are easier to clean than fabric ones when kids or pets are present. Leather has the disadvantage of retaining heat in the winter and being cold in the summer. Cushions work well with leather sofas, but velvet ones work better with leather sofas. Leather will show up claw marks more easily on some pets (like my cats).

It is true that fabric sofas are softer and cozier, but they can also be more difficult to clean. Having a slipcover sofa is a godsend if you have pets or toddlers, but they're not too easy to maintain.

You should consider how much patience you have to keep the sofa clean and who uses it. That will make it easier to decide what material to use. I work with a sofa supplier who has bomb-proof fabric that is so easy to clean that you can literally serve dinner right onto the cushions without making an utter mess.

Steven & Cathi House
Inspiration for a contemporary bedroom remodel in Mexico City with orange walls

Steven Paul Whitsitt Photography
Elegant kitchen photo in Baltimore

A Hampton style sofa has become a necessity in home decor as people become more familiar with the Hampton interior style. Hampton style sofas are a good choice for timeless design if you are replacing or buying a new one. When you are uncertain of what you want, buying a sofa can seem challenging. If you're trying to select La maison hampton furniture for one of your home's most important rooms, you have a lot to take into account. It maust suit your taste and function.
Couches require thought and consideration. It is important that you choose a style and a color that goes well with your living area, along with a durable material that meets your needs. The front door must also be able to accommodate the rug. So, don't forget to familiarize yourself with the different sizes, fillings, and textures before creating your budget. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a new sofa, but while there are some places where you can save money, there are others where you should invest.
First, Let's Talk about the Vibe of sofa style
First and foremost, you should consider the style of your sofa. Choose a sofa whose style fits the current theme of your home. It may seem very obvious, but many people simply buy whatever suits their fancy, and unfortunately, the style of the room is a lot of the time different from what suits their fancy.
If the rug or the art above the sofa don't go together, it might not work in the room. It's imperative to get the look right before adding the rest of these elements. Make sure you consider how you wish the room to feel when you're in it. If you're looking for something more colorful, or you have a particular style in mind, such as mid-century (then googling 'Hampton style sofas' will prove valuable). A sofa that looks great but is super-comfy might end up looking completely out of place if you skip this step.
Next, We will Discuss Functionality of sofas
It is important to consider what you will be doing with the sofa. Although I am convinced that the answer is "to sit on", we need to dig deeper. Can you, for instance, sit down for drinks in this formal sitting room when company comes over? Do you watch television in this room every day? There is a rumpus room upstairs for the kids to interact with their friends and eat and drink on it? There might be Hampton style sofas in the guest room.
For your convenience, I have compiled a full list of Hampton style sofas here. Depending on the situation, each sofa style needs to be different. Typically, formal couches tend to be less comfortable. They're usually more rigid and upright. Couches for watching TV should be cushier; they should be comfortable. We know that many teens are not concerned about Hampton style sofas maintenance, so kids zones need sofas that are able to withstand more wear and tear. This is something high schools should teach.
This story shows you the importance of not skipping this important ‘how will it be used? At this point, you should have an idea of how you'll use the Hampton style sofas. Consider, for instance, a sofa with a bold color and a formal feel for your living room. If you want a couch with a relaxed feel, choose a neutral shade with a cushy feel.
Dimensions of an ideal hamptons style sofa
Before you buy a Hampton style sofa, you must measure the size of your current living room. You will probably not fit it if you don't do this. A large one will either overwhelm the room and leave no room for a coffee table, or a small one will look dwarfed in comparison. When a pandemic strikes, scale is everything.
You should be able to fit the sofa into the room comfortably without it feeling too large or small. Measure the width of your La maison hampton furniture style sofas first with a tape measure. Consider if you'd like side tables beside your sofa. In that case, you would need to measure the width of either side of your sofa and add around 50cm to either side (most decent side tables have a width of about 50cm).
In addition to measuring Hampton style sofas depth, you should also measure the width. There are some sofas that can be as deep as a metre (from the front of the sofa cushion to its back). Since your sofa will need an allowance of 50cm from the edge of the coffee table to the front of the sofa, and a minimum of 50cm on the other side of the coffee table, you might want to measure your current coffee table to ensure it matches.
Another Important Factor is Height
In an open-plan living room, this element is particularly important if your sofa crosses the space. When you have a sectional sofa, for example, one of the ends will likely cut across the room, so the back should be low so your eye can still pass over the back.
One of the top 10 living room design mistakes I make is to place tall-backed Hampton style sofas across the room, a mistake that really cramps the style of the whole space. It happens way too often.
Although the height won't be a major issue if the sofa is backed up against a wall, it is still worth considering the size of the art you want to hang above it. If you want neck support whilst watching TV, a low-back sofa might not be for you. My neck tends to become less and less flexible as I get older. It's a sad fact, but true nonetheless. If you find yourself in the same situation, you should consider high-back Hampton style sofas.
Sofa Cushions: How Low are They?
Many people don't think about this dimension when purchasing a sofa online, especially if they're doing so for the first time. If you're road-testing the sofa in-store, you'll know if it's too low for you right away, but an online purchase is something else.
Low-profile sofas have a seat height of 40 cm or less. The sofa's 60cm seat height will make it much more difficult to get up and out of it. The importance of this factor increases as we age or if we have mobility problems. The seat you're sitting in should allow you to stand up comfortably, without feeling like you need assistance.
Additionally, the height of your coffee table should not be higher than the seat cushions on the sofa, because the table should never be higher than the seat cushions on the sofa. They should never be higher than each other. Make sure you take notes!
What Else is There in the Room?
A good idea when choosing a sofa is to consider what other elements will be in the room. For a well-designed, elegantly-resolved living room, you'll need a sofa, rug, coffee table, side table/s, lamp, TV unit, and wall art. The room will not feel right if you buy a massive sectional sofa that takes up the entire room and leaves no space for a coffee table or side tables.
You should measure out your sofa, keeping in mind that the other pieces La maison hampton furniture and decor will also need to fit into the space. All pieces of furniture need to have enough space to breathe. It's best not to have all the furniture crammed into the point where sitting down means hitting your legs or feet against pieces.
You probably now understand that choosing a couch is more about the couch itself than with how to choose it. So think of the big picture whenever you choose something.
Two Two-Seaters, or a Sectional Sofa?
People often have to wrestle with the question of whether they should buy two sofas or one sectional when figuring out how to choose a sofa. Sectionals are usually preferable to two separate two-seater sofas. However, the corner piece is rarely occupied anyway. Often, the corner piece of a sectional is so tiny that it is impossible for a person to sit there comfortably. Therefore, think about whether you actually need this over getting two x two-seater sofas and arranging them into an L-shape.
If you don't have a large living room, you might prefer 2 x two-seater sofas instead. Sectional sofas are best for larger rooms. With the visual break of all that fabric dominating the corner, it will do the room a world of good. Furthermore, you can use the space between your sofas to put a side table so you can place drinks, or a table lamp, there.
You may want to consider getting 1 x two-seater sofa and an armchair instead, if you have a really small living room. Even though you want to seat as many people as possible, you should let the room determine how many people the sofa can accommodate.
A Guide to Picking the Right Material
The material of the sofa is obviously very important when it comes to picking out the right one. The best advice I can offer is to consider who will use the sofa and how that will impact maintenance.
Leather sofas are easier to clean than fabric ones when kids or pets are present. Leather has the disadvantage of retaining heat in the winter and being cold in the summer. Cushions work well with leather sofas, but velvet ones work better with leather sofas. Leather will show up claw marks more easily on some pets (like my cats).
It is true that fabric sofas are softer and cozier, but they can also be more difficult to clean. Having a slipcover sofa is a godsend if you have pets or toddlers, but they're not too easy to maintain.
You should consider how much patience you have to keep the sofa clean and who uses it. That will make it easier to decide what material to use. I work with a sofa supplier who has bomb-proof fabric that is so easy to clean that you can literally serve dinner right onto the cushions without making an utter mess.

Encompassing a range of baluster rails, newel posts and complementary decorative accessories, Outwater's new, maintenance free Cast Stone Balustrade System is manufactured utilizing a unique process that combines a mixture of resins with crushed limestone and impregnated fade resistant textured colors to create balustrades that look and feel just like authentic limestone balusters at less than half of their cost and weight. Intended for indoor or outdoor applications, which can be assembled by laypeople using traditional carpentry tools without the need for masonry, Outwater's Cast Stone Balustrade System meets the 4-inch sphere code when properly set up, and can be placed on sized dimensional lumber without the need for steel supports. Moreover, unlike lesser quality balustrade systems, which use regular screws to attach their components, also taking into account that the screws' imminent corrosion renders them as an unsafe means by which to attach baluster rails, Outwater's Cast Stone Balustrade System employs a unique incorporated pipe system, connector pins and spacers to increase the Balustrade System's stability while allowing for a more secure and professional installation with barely perceptible seams. Offered in 34-in. and 48-in. overall heights with a nominal 7-in rail width, baluster rails are sold by the foot up to 16-ft. long to accommodate most any installation. 100% mold resistant, non-porous and unaffected by the harshest elements, Outwater's Cast Stone Balustrade System does not require priming, painting or even occasional touch ups, further enhancing its appeal. Product Features: • Create balustrades that look and feel just like authentic stone balusters at less than half of their cost and weight • Intended for indoor or outdoor use • Can be installed by laypeople using traditional carpentry tools without the need for masonry • Meets the 4-inch sphere code when properly set up, and can be placed on sized dimensional lumber without the need for steel supports • Employs a unique incorporated pipe system, connector pins and spacers to increase stability while allowing for a more secure and professional installation • Offered in 34-in. and 48-in. overall heights with a nominal 7-in rail width, baluster rails are sold by the foot up to 16-ft. long • 100% mold resistant, non-porous and unaffected by the harshest elements. Does not require priming, painting or even occasional touch ups Contact: Architectural Products by Outwater Sales & Product Information (USA & Canada): 1-800-631-8375 / 1-201-498-8750 Fax (USA & Canada): 1-800-888-3315 / 1-201-498-8751 Sales & Product Information (Outside of the USA & Canada): 1-201-498-8750 Fax (Outside of the USA & Canada): 1-201-498-8751 Email: info@outwaterplastics.com Web: www.outwater.com Visit us! East Coast: 24 River Road Bogota, NJ 07603 1-201-498-8750 West Coast: 4720 West Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85043 1-602-447-0936 About Architectural Products by Outwater: It really is easy to shop with us! Relied upon by more than 1,000,000 builders, renovators, architects designers, woodworkers, cabinet and furniture manufacturers, OEM's and retail consumers since 1972, Architectural Products by Outwater is an international manufacturer and distributor of more than 65,000 innovative and traditional Decorative Building Products that you possibly never knew existed or for which you simply could not find a reliable source. This is where Outwater truly shines! “Now you can design, buy, build and dream like the Pros…” Outwater’s products are, to say the least, very competitively priced and include interior and exterior architectural mouldings and millwork; columns and capitals; LED lighting and lighting accessories; balustrading; faux stone panels; faux wood beams; genuine stone tiles; decorative wood carvings; wrought iron components; stamped steel and polymer ceiling panels and backsplashes; wainscoting; wall coverings; fireplace surrounds and mantels; plastic "glass" block; period and contemporary hardware; home organization systems; kitchen and bath accessories; kitchen and bath cabinetry; bath vanities; furniture & cabinet components; knobs & pulls; casters; laminates; brass tubing & fittings; surfacing materials… and so much more! In addition, with warehouse and distribution facilities in New Jersey and Arizona totaling over 300,000 square feet, Outwater facilitates purchases with reduced lead times and shipping costs, enabling us to fulfill and ship over 98% of our orders from stock within one to two business days! At a time when many companies appear to have rapidly transitioned away from personalized customer service, having replaced their knowledgeable and immensely valuable human sales representatives with inanimate online marketing channels, which can be helpful to you if you were to know exactly what you might need and were not to encounter difficulties in placing your order, here at Outwater, we still believe that human interaction with a live, well versed, non-commissioned sales representative will undoubtedly better serve your needs in the long run. Even though you can always shop with us at www.outwater.com, you can also always deal directly with our extremely well versed and friendly sales and customer service representatives for their unparalleled support and assistance, most of whom have worked at Outwater for more than 15 years. Whether you have been one of our loyal customers over the years or this is your first time in doing business with us, we would like to thank you for your expressed interest in our company and the products that we carry. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at 1-800-631-8375 or visit us online at www.outwater.com We look forward to serving you in the near future.

Photography by Mike Kaskel
Family room - traditional family room idea in Chicago

Photo: Courtesy of Gilbane Development
Mid-sized traditional two-story wood exterior home idea in Providence