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Bruce Damonte
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The kitchen sink was moved from the original peninsula to the island. Featuring black and white cabinets and black and white counters the overall shade palette is as striking as it is unifying. The sub zero refrigerator has been integrated in a unique Armoir cabinet the positioning in the middle of a cabinet run is strategic to drawing attention.

The use of clean lines and classic materials beautifully integrates the yard with the architecture of the home. Three large chaise lounges are positioned strategically to take advantage of the angle of the sun.

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.

Designer: Allen Construction General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
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The kitchen is designed for two serious home chefs who often entertain guests for dinner parties. Merging the kitchen and dining room into a singular space was a strategic design decision to both foster their style of ‘chefs table’ entertaining, and also make the most efficient use of valuable floor space - a common consideration in most Toronto homes. The table becomes an island-like surface for additional prep space, and also as the surface upon which the meal is eventually enjoyed.

Heucherella Pumpkin Spice used as entrance plant on both ends of the walkway, Star Magnolia visually separates the driveway space from the intimate space; limestone sundial was gift from parents.

A new garage was built with improved, integrated landscaping to connect to the house and retain a beautiful backyard. The two-car garage is larger than the one it replaces and positioned strategically for better backing up and maneuvering. It stylistically coordinates with the house and provides 290 square feet of attic storage. Stone paving connects the drive, path, and outdoor patio which is off of the home’s sun room. Low stone walls and pavers are used to define areas of plantings and yard.

George Sexton Associates provided lighting design and focusing services to the interior spaces and roof terrace of this NYC residence. A recessed slot with tracks provided a flexible lighting solution for showcasing the owner’s vast art collection. GSA collaborated with Glasbau Hahn to design and coordinate four museum grade vitrines. Wallgrazing luminaires where strategically located and integrated into the architecture to provide lighting for a series of detailed reliefs. Millwork was fitted with integrated lighting that is activated with door movement. Integrated lighting was also used under shelves and in closets.

Example of a large farmhouse l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen design in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, multicolored backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

George Sexton Associates provided lighting design and focusing services to the interior spaces and roof terrace of this NYC residence. A recessed slot with tracks provided a flexible lighting solution for showcasing the owner’s vast art collection. GSA collaborated with Glasbau Hahn to design and coordinate four museum grade vitrines. Wallgrazing luminaires where strategically located and integrated into the architecture to provide lighting for a series of detailed reliefs. Millwork was fitted with integrated lighting that is activated with door movement. Integrated lighting was also used under shelves and in closets.

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A walk-in closet is a luxurious and practical addition to any home, providing a spacious and organized haven for clothing, shoes, and accessories. Typically larger than standard closets, these well-designed spaces often feature built-in shelves, drawers, and hanging rods to accommodate a variety of wardrobe items. Ample lighting, whether natural or strategically placed fixtures, ensures visibility and adds to the overall ambiance. Mirrors and dressing areas may be conveniently integrated, transforming the walk-in closet into a private dressing room. The design possibilities are endless, allowing individuals to personalize the space according to their preferences, making the walk-in closet a functional storage area and a stylish retreat where one can start and end the day with ease and sophistication.

A riverfront property is a desirable piece of property duet to its proximity to a waterway and parklike setting. The value in this renovation to the customer was creating a home that allowed for maximum appreciation of the outside environment and integrating the outside with the inside, and this design achieved this goal completely. To eliminate the fishbowl effect and sight-lines from the street the kitchen was strategically designed with a higher counter top space, wall areas were added and sinks and appliances were intentional placement. Open shelving in the kitchen and wine display area in the dining room was incorporated to display customer's pottery. Seating on two sides of the island maximize river views and conversation potential. Overall kitchen/dining/great room layout designed for parties, etc. - lots of gathering spots for people to hang out without cluttering the work triangle. Eliminating walls in the ensuite provided a larger footprint for the area allowing for the freestanding tub and larger walk-in closet. Hardwoods, wood cabinets and the light grey colour pallet were carried through the entire home to integrate the space.