Leave a legacy. Reminiscent of Tuscan villas and country homes that dot the lush Italian countryside, this enduring European-style design features a lush brick courtyard with fountain, a stucco and stone exterior and a classic clay tile roof. Roman arches, arched windows, limestone accents and exterior columns add to its timeless and traditional appeal. The equally distinctive first floor features a heart-of-the-home kitchen with a barrel-vaulted ceiling covering a large central island and a sitting/hearth room with fireplace. Also featured are a formal dining room, a large living room with a beamed and sloped ceiling and adjacent screened-in porch and a handy pantry or sewing room. Rounding out the first-floor offerings are an exercise room and a large master bedroom suite with his-and-hers closets. A covered terrace off the master bedroom offers a private getaway. Other nearby outdoor spaces include a large pergola and terrace and twin two-car garages. The spacious lower-level includes a billiards area, home theater, a hearth room with fireplace that opens out into a spacious patio, a handy kitchenette and two additional bedroom suites. You’ll also find a nearby playroom/bunk room and adjacent laundry.

This Westlake site posed several challenges that included managing a sloping lot and capturing the views of downtown Austin in specific locations on the lot, while staying within the height restrictions. The service and garages split in two, buffering the less private areas of the lot creating an inner courtyard. The ancillary rooms are organized around this court leading up to the entertaining areas. The main living areas serve as a transition to a private natural vegetative bluff on the North side. Breezeways and terraces connect the various outdoor living spaces feeding off the great room and dining, balancing natural light and summer breezes to the interior spaces. The private areas are located on the upper level, organized in an inverted “u”, maximizing the best views on the lot. The residence represents a programmatic collaboration of the clients’ needs and subdivision restrictions while engaging the unique features of the lot. Built by Butterfield Custom Homes Photography by Adam Steiner

We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to enjoy an evening with Mr. & Mrs. Oh....shared the cooking and loved working in this Kitchen! The Island is a great spot for making pizza, eating a casual meal, or doing homework. The range is fabulous...Notice the baking area on the left...Countertop in Danby marble and at just the perfect height for rolling out pie crust...kneading bread... Architect - Patrick Mulberry Kitchen Design & Cabinetry - Trish Namm, Quality Custom Cabinetry Builder - Denis Langlois, Den Construction Photo by Randy O'Rourke

Renovated kitchen in old home with low ceilings. Photography: Rob Karosis
Example of a cottage l-shaped kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and soapstone countertops

The traditional screen porch with stained bead board ceiling ties into the traditional aesthetic of the main house.
This is an example of a traditional screened-in porch design in DC Metro with decking and a roof extension.

Photo by Andrew Hyslop
Inspiration for a timeless laundry room remodel in Louisville

The screened-in porch on this mid-century beach house was updated while remaining in sync with the rest of the neighborhood. Raising the ceiling gave the space a more open feeling and made room for ceiling fans with light boxes to illuminate balmy summer evenings. Beadboard panels on the outside walls and ceiling added a vertical rhythm while maintaining the mid-century ambiance.

Featuring white painted cabinetry for the perimteter of the space and dark stained island for a contrast, the green backsplash tiles and subtle green countertops add personality to the space. Learn more about the Normandy Remodeling Designer, Vince Weber, who created this kitchen and room addition: http://www.normandyremodeling.com/designers/vince-weber/ To learn more about this award-winning Normandy Remodeling Kitchen, click here: http://www.normandyremodeling.com/blog/2-time-award-winning-kitchen-in-wilmette

This 1920 Craftsman home was remodeled in the early 80’s where a large family room was added off the back of the home. This remodel utilized the existing back porch as part of the kitchen. The 1980’s remodel created two issues that were addressed in the current kitchen remodel: 1. The new family room (with 15’ ceilings) added a very contemporary feel to the home. As one walked from the dining room (complete with the original stained glass and built-ins with leaded glass fronts) through the kitchen, into the family room, one felt as if they were walking into an entirely different home. 2. The ceiling height change in the enlarged kitchen created an eyesore. The designer addressed these 2 issues by creating a galley kitchen utilizing a mid-tone glazed finish on alder over an updated version of a shaker door. This door had wider styles and rails and a deep bevel framing the inset panel, thus incorporating the traditional look of the shaker door in a more contemporary setting. By having the crown molding stained with an espresso finish, the eye is drawn across the room rather than up, minimizing the different ceiling heights. The back of the bar (viewed from the dining room) further incorporates the same espresso finish as an accent to create a paneled effect (Photo #1). The designer specified an oiled natural maple butcher block as the counter for the eating bar. The lighting over the bar, from Rejuvenation Lighting, is a traditional shaker style, but finished in antique copper creating a new twist on an old theme. To complete the traditional feel, the designer specified a porcelain farm sink with a traditional style bridge faucet with porcelain lever handles. For additional storage, a custom tall cabinet in a denim-blue washed finish was designed to store dishes and pantry items (Photo #2). Since the homeowners are avid cooks, the counters along the wall at the cook top were made 30” deep. The counter on the right of the cook top is maple butcher block; the remainder of the countertops are Silver and Gold Granite. Recycling is very important to the homeowner, so the designer incorporated an insulated copper door in the backsplash to the right of the ovens, which allows the homeowner to put all recycling in a covered exterior location (Photo #3). The 4 X 8” slate subway tile is a modern play on a traditional theme found in Craftsman homes (Photo #4). The new kitchen fits perfectly as a traditional transition when viewed from the dining, and as a contemporary transition when viewed from the family room.

Master bathroom suite with slab and mosaic Calacatta Marble floors, slab counters and tiled walls. Crystal chandeliers and sconces highlighting custom painted inset cabinets.

This tranquil master bedroom suite includes a small seating area, beautiful views and an interior hallway to the master bathroom & closet. All furnishings in this space are available through Martha O'Hara Interiors. www.oharainteriors.com - 952.908.3150 Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Selections & Furnishings | Charles Cudd De Novo, Architecture | Troy Thies Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling

Photo by Bernard André
Inspiration for a timeless home theater remodel in San Francisco with a wall-mounted tv

Linda Oyama Bryan, photographer Raised panel, white cabinet kitchen with oversize island, hand hewn ceiling beams, apron front farmhouse sink and calcutta gold countertops. Dark, distressed hardwood floors. Two pendant lights.

Transitional foyer expresses hints of traditional design mixed with the look of contemporary design.
Foyer - contemporary marble floor foyer idea in Chicago with white walls

Elegant kitchen photo in Indianapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, marble countertops, white cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, marble backsplash and white countertops

Second floor porch like bedroom. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely. Contractor: Young & Burton, Inc.
Bedroom - contemporary medium tone wood floor bedroom idea in San Francisco with white walls

With tall ceilings, an impressive stone fireplace, and original wooden beams, this home in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago, had plenty of character and a style that felt coastal. Six months into the purchase of their home, this family of six contacted Alessia Loffredo and Sarah Coscarelli of ReDesign Home to complete their home’s renovation by tackling the kitchen. “Surprisingly, the kitchen was the one room in the home that lacked interest due to a challenging layout between kitchen, butler pantry, and pantry,” the designer shared, “the cabinetry was not proportionate to the space’s large footprint and height. None of the house’s architectural features were introduced into kitchen aside from the wooden beams crossing the room throughout the main floor including the family room.” She moved the pantry door closer to the prepping and cooking area while converting the former butler pantry a bar. Alessia designed an oversized hood around the stove to counterbalance the impressive stone fireplace located at the opposite side of the living space. She then wanted to include functionality, using Trim Tech‘s cabinets, featuring a pair with retractable doors, for easy access, flanking both sides of the range. The client had asked for an island that would be larger than the original in their space – Alessia made the smart decision that if it was to increase in size it shouldn’t increase in visual weight and designed it with legs, raised above the floor. Made out of steel, by Wayward Machine Co., along with a marble-replicating porcelain countertop, it was designed with durability in mind to withstand anything that her client’s four children would throw at it. Finally, she added finishing touches to the space in the form of brass hardware from Katonah Chicago, with similar toned wall lighting and faucet.

Complete renovation of kitchen in a historically significant colonial in Pasadena, CA. Kitchen features a vintage Wedgewood stove from the 50's, cork floor, white shaker style cabinets, and painted bead board ceiling. Erika Bierman Photography www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Inspiration for a coastal living room remodel in New York with a stone fireplace