The master bedroom was difficult to heat and cool partly due to old, inefficient windows, so Studio Z designed beautiful new Douglas fir windows, including a new transom, to coordinate with the existing Douglas fir that can be seen throughout the home.

The new sunroom is a nice retreat for reading, chatting, or looking outside, while the ductless Mitsubishi three-head mini-split provides quiet comfort. The floor is COREtec Plus HD in Sherwood Rustic Pine.

This couple approached us to design and renovate their existing master suite on their adorable Broad Ripple area home. Their goals were to update, open up and improve the function of their space. The ceilings were very low and the space was tight with an inefficient master bath and separate closet. We began by removing the ceiling and providing a high cathedral space for an expanded feel in the bedroom. We removed a side door and picture window and installed a sliding glass door to improve the natural lighting of the space and allow access to their landscaped patio on the back of the home. We stole space from the large master bedroom and eliminated the door that led into the closet, to allow for a larger bathroom and walk-in master closet with dressing area. This permitted a larger shower with a bench and the addition of a make-up vanity area. We also enlarged the window in the bathroom to allow more natural light into the space. The final design element was a floating step outside the sliding door onto their patio which is clean, modern and enhances the entrance to their serene master suite from the exterior.

What began as a dated primary bathroom and undersized closet evolved into a light-filled retreat designed around the homeowners' lifestyle. The original space featured a large built-in tub, oversized shower enclosure, limited storage, and an inefficient closet layout that no longer met the family's needs. Through extensive demolition and structural modifications, the bathroom and closet were completely reconfigured to maximize both function and beauty. Walls were removed, storage was reimagined, and every square foot was carefully planned to create a more open, luxurious experience. The finished space features a freestanding soaking tub positioned beneath expansive windows, a custom walk-in shower wrapped in marble-look porcelain, warm brass fixtures and hardware, custom cabinetry, and a fully tailored dressing room with dedicated storage for clothing, shoes, and accessories. Soft neutral finishes, elegant lighting, and thoughtfully layered details create a timeless primary suite designed to feel like a private retreat.

Home design - traditional home design idea in New York

Customer's idea. The design was worked out between us. Closet with glass doors already existed but used inefficiently. Customer installed their own lights under the bottom floating shelf.

This bathroom remodel in Clinton, MA focused on upgrading an outdated and inefficient space into a clean, modern, and highly functional bathroom. The project included full demolition, plumbing updates, new tile installation, vanity replacement, lighting upgrades, and detailed finish work. Our team maintained a clean and organized job site throughout the entire process, ensuring each phase was completed efficiently and with attention to detail. The layout was optimized to improve usability, while the selected materials provided durability and a timeless appearance. The final result is a bright, refreshed bathroom designed for everyday comfort, featuring improved lighting, clean finishes, and a practical layout suited for a typical residential home.

We wanted to update the master bathroom to be a more modern and open layout. There were existing skylights that we wanted to utilize and brighten the space because it was dark, dated, and closed off, making the layout inefficient. The client also wanted to add a tub, which did not exist. We reconfigured the entire layout to allow for adding a freestanding tub. We accomplished this by designing the shower and tub area to create a wet room on one side of the space.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Our homeowner had worked with us in the past and asked us to design and renovate their 1980’s style master bathroom and closet into a modern oasis with a more functional layout. The original layout was chopped up and an inefficient use of space. Keeping the windows where they were, we simply swapped the vanity and the tub, and created an enclosed stool room. The shower was redesigned utilizing a gorgeous tile accent wall which was also utilized on the tub wall of the bathroom. A beautiful free-standing tub with modern tub filler were used to modernize the space and added a stunning focal point in the room. Two custom tall medicine cabinets were built to match the vanity and the closet cabinets for additional storage in the space with glass doors. The closet space was designed to match the bathroom cabinetry and provide closed storage without feeling narrow or enclosed. The outcome is a striking modern master suite that is not only functional but captures our homeowners’ great style.

Our homeowner had worked with us in the past and asked us to design and renovate their 1980’s style master bathroom and closet into a modern oasis with a more functional layout. The original layout was chopped up and an inefficient use of space. Keeping the windows where they were, we simply swapped the vanity and the tub, and created an enclosed stool room. The shower was redesigned utilizing a gorgeous tile accent wall which was also utilized on the tub wall of the bathroom. A beautiful free-standing tub with modern tub filler were used to modernize the space and added a stunning focal point in the room. Two custom tall medicine cabinets were built to match the vanity and the closet cabinets for additional storage in the space with glass doors. The closet space was designed to match the bathroom cabinetry and provide closed storage without feeling narrow or enclosed. The outcome is a striking modern master suite that is not only functional but captures our homeowners’ great style.

We transformed an inefficient walk-in closet/bathroom into a luxury master bathroom. The walk-in closet was relocated to another area. Our customers were looking for an open concept bathroom with lots of natural light but with some privacy. This beautiful master bathroom has a custom walk in shower with half walls for privacy. It also creates a nice hidden space for the toilet. Photographer: Ilona Kalimov

The goal for the owners of this Blue Ridge home was to remodel their traditional Blue Ridge home to open up rooms to improve flow and update the finishes. The separate formal living room was a rarely used space so the wall between living and family rooms was opened up and the stairwell was updated to transform how the family use these rooms. The doorway from the entry to the kitchen was also opened up to welcome guests into the heart of the home. The existing dated and inefficient kitchen was redesigned to include a large island with dining, light filled sink area and decorative hood at the range. A tall pantry cabinet and additional mud room cabinets were installed to provide storage for this busy family. The new kitchen is bright and modern with white Columbia cabinetry complimented by a dark wood island. The Pental quartz countertops feature a light marble design and the soft grey backsplash completes this kitchen transformation. The tiny powder room received a face lift with a custom shallow vanity that is big on style. The existing living room fireplace, which was too large and out of scale with the space, was updated with new tile and painted wood surround. The success of this gorgeous remodel was a true team effort with the clients, Model Remodel on the construction and our firm on design. Contractor: Model Remodel Photography: Cindy Apple Photography

With sustainability in mind, this cheery and bright eclectic kitchen reused some elements from their old space to minimize their footprint. This craftsman bungalow had an old updated kitchen that offered a very inefficient layout with an awkward opening to the existing dining room. There was also a very shallow coat closet between the kitchen and living room that could not even fit a coat. The new kitchen layout captured that unusable closet space, as well as chimney space that was no longer needed for mechanical venting. A more traditional work triangle was created by rearranging the placement of the sink, gas range and refrigerator. A new archway that mimics an original archway at the dining room built-in now highlights the bright and cheery kitchen space while providing a new seating area at a peninsula that is opened up between the kitchen and dining room. The homeowner loved the vintage green color in their old cabinetry and wanted to keep that electric vintage styling in their new space. A custom, handmade tile backsplash in a neutral color adds texture while still letting the cabinetry be the star of the kitchen. Sustainability in mind, choices like Marmoleum flooring, formaldehyde free plywood cabinet boxes, and local sourcing for the tile were important to the clients. In addition to the kitchen project, they also added solar panels from All Energy Solar. The clients reused some elements from their old space also to keep their footprint minimal. The old gas range was reused, the cabinetry hardware, and a beautiful patterned drum shade light that sits in the center of the ceiling adding even more charm to the design. In the end, the thoughtfulness of style, materials and function, helped to give this special house an equally special place to cook and entertain.

Built in 1992, this lakeside home was ready for a full renovation to match its scenic setting and the demands of modern living. The original layout felt dated and inefficient, so the remodel opened the space by replacing a pantry closet with a sleek pantry cabinet and adding a large window above the sink to flood the kitchen with light and views. An oversized closet became a stylish wet bar and butler’s pantry in rich alder, now a walk-through between the dining and living areas. Warm white oak floors, contrasting cabinetry, honed Borghini marble, and soapstone counters complete the sophisticated yet inviting kitchen design. The bathroom, laundry room, sitting room, front entry, and dining area were also updated in the home remodel. Welcome to Heart of Home.

This kitchen was transformed from a dark, inefficient space into a bright welcoming area full of countertop space and storage. Accented with brass fixtures, lighting and hardware this transitional meets modern farmhouse kitchen space now offers this family lots of new amenities such as a 4-seat island, coffee/entertaining bar area as well as tons of storage. Two lantern style lights are the perfect touch to this 7' island space. Opening up the doorway to the dining area helped bring these two rooms back together.

2010 REGIONAL AWARD WINNER Built in 2000, this center hall colonial in Fairfax Station, Virginia had a kitchen that was neither functional nor aesthetically pleasing. First, the floor plan was poorly rationalized. The work triangle was inefficient, a large pantry took up too much floor space, and a series of railings between the kitchen and family room obstructed traffic flow. Aesthetically, the space was dated. Dutch cabinetry, floral wallpaper and a faux Victorian chandelier all cried for an update. Additionally, the homeowners wanted to incorporate high-end appliances and other amenities like a wine cooler and steam cooker. Overall, the owners were seeking to replace worn out-of-style kitchen with a substantially upgraded “open” facility that combines traditional and contemporary features configured to support multiple social and culinary needs. Working with Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, they decided to implement a series of strategic revisions that would support their new use goals. First, they removed an obstructive bearing wall between the existing kitchen and mudroom, creating a recessed niche for a new 48” gas range with custom hood. An unused desk taken out provided a spot for the new 48” two-drawer refrigerator/freezer. A custom-designed L-shaped granite-surfaced island with bar sink, icemaker and mini-drawer refrigerator takes center stage in the space and offers seating for six. Now the chef can entertain guests while preparing the meal. From an aesthetic point of view, the interior features are nothing less than stunning. Softly painted walls, decorative ceramic tile backsplashes and granite surfaces combine with custom made cabinets to create an elegant space. Antiqued soft-opaque cabinet facings, wood panel refrigerator door inserts, glass-facing display cabinets and a custom mantle range hood are true works of craftsmanship. Fine detail is expressed with flutes and corbels. Beauty is truly in the details of this award-winning kitchen.

The clients wanted to update their ranch house and make good use of their unusually large site next to downtown Mountain View. We sketched several options for design and scope of work to assess feasibility and value to the clients. The chosen design retains an existing bedroom wing, while the layout of the living spaces is re-worked to an open plan flooded with light, with vaulted ceilings and strong indoor-outdoor connection to a yard optimized for outdoor living. Awkward angles and inefficient spaces of the former house have been replaced with a clear, simple floor plan designed for ease of everyday living. One end of the site is used for a two-bedroom ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) with its own face to the street and its own back yard. Income from the ADU will go a long way toward financing the rebuild of the main house. Photography: Kurt Manley https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/open-ranch-adu/

Harnessing the power of 3D Architectural rendering abilities, OMNIA Architects’ delivered this finished conceptual design to our client, who wanted to modernize a dated residential seashore house, located in lovely Longport, New Jersey OMNIA designed both a new interior layout and a new exterior aesthetic. By rearranging the architectural living spaces, we ended up with an expanded, gourmet kitchen that was open to the primary living area. OMNIA Architects then doubled the size of the covered outdoor space and replaced the small patio doors with two full walls of folding glass Nana walls, Entering the home, one now sees through the foyer and out to the backyard with views of the bay. An inefficient, awkward utility area was enlarged by removing a rarely used back stair that accessed a small room over the garage. The new utility room features laundry, a second “beach” powder room and significant, thoughtful built-ins for dirty and clean towels, beach stuff and more. The room over the garage was reconfigured to be accessed from the main floor and the room enhanced to become a full suite. On the outside, new window patterns, more glass and new cladding create a sleek, modern new beach feel while ensuring minimum maintenance through the use of premium materials like Hardie Vertical Fiber Cement.