The Johnson-Thompson house is the oldest house in Winchester, MA, dating back to the early 1700s. The addition and renovation expanded the structure and added three full bathrooms including a spacious two-story master bathroom, as well as an additional bedroom for the daughter. The kitchen was moved and expanded into a large open concept kitchen and family room, creating additional mud-room and laundry space. But with all the new improvements, the original historic fabric and details remain. The moldings are copied from original pieces, salvaged bricks make up the kitchen backsplash. Wood from the barn was reclaimed to make sliding barn doors. The wood fireplace mantels were carefully restored and original beams are exposed throughout the house. It's a wonderful example of modern living and historic preservation. Eric Roth

The homeowners of this wanted to create an informal year-round residence for their active family that reflected their love of the outdoors and time spent in ski and camping lodges. The result is a luxurious, yet understated, comfortable kitchen/dining area that exudes a feeling of warmth and relaxation. The open floor plan offers views throughout the first floor, while large picture windows integrate the outdoors and fill the space with light. A door to the three-season room offers easy access to an outdoor kitchen and living area. The dark wood floors, cabinets with natural wood grain, leathered stone counters, and coffered ceilings offer the ambiance of a 19th century mountain lodge, yet this is combined with painted wainscoting and woodwork to brighten and modernize the space. A blue center island in the kitchen adds a fun splash of color, while a gas fireplace and lit upper cabinets adds a cozy feeling. A separate butler’s pantry contains additional refrigeration, storage, and a wine cooler. Challenges included integrating the perimeter cabinetry into the crown moldings and coffered ceilings, so the lines of millwork are aligned through multiple living spaces. In particular, there is a structural steel column on the corner of the raised island around which oak millwork was wrapped to match the living room columns. Another challenge was concealing second floor plumbing in the beams of the coffered ceiling.

Above-the-garage addition of a master suite - master bedroom, bath, and walk-in closet. Photo shows master bath with custom-built rustic vanity topped by concrete sink/counter. Construction by Murphy General Contractors of South Orange, NJ; Photo by Greg Martz.

Mid-sized elegant master white tile and subway tile porcelain tile bathroom photo in New York with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls, an integrated sink and solid surface countertops

Ryan Fung
Small trendy master white tile and subway tile marble floor double shower photo in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an integrated sink and solid surface countertops

Luxe Design/Build, Inc.
Minimalist gray tile and porcelain tile bathroom photo in Los Angeles with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and quartz countertops

This beautiful Birmingham, MI home had been renovated prior to our clients purchase, but the style and overall design was not a fit for their family. They really wanted to have a kitchen with a large “eat-in” island where their three growing children could gather, eat meals and enjoy time together. Additionally, they needed storage, lots of storage! We decided to create a completely new space. The original kitchen was a small “L” shaped workspace with the nook visible from the front entry. It was completely closed off to the large vaulted family room. Our team at MSDB re-designed and gutted the entire space. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and eliminated existing closet spaces and then added a small cantilevered addition toward the backyard. With the expanded open space, we were able to flip the kitchen into the old nook area and add an extra-large island. The new kitchen includes oversized built in Subzero refrigeration, a 48” Wolf dual fuel double oven range along with a large apron front sink overlooking the patio and a 2nd prep sink in the island. Additionally, we used hallway and closet storage to create a gorgeous walk-in pantry with beautiful frosted glass barn doors. As you slide the doors open the lights go on and you enter a completely new space with butcher block countertops for baking preparation and a coffee bar, subway tile backsplash and room for any kind of storage needed. The homeowners love the ability to display some of the wine they’ve purchased during their travels to Italy! We did not stop with the kitchen; a small bar was added in the new nook area with additional refrigeration. A brand-new mud room was created between the nook and garage with 12” x 24”, easy to clean, porcelain gray tile floor. The finishing touches were the new custom living room fireplace with marble mosaic tile surround and marble hearth and stunning extra wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.

The elegant look of grey is hot in kitchen design; a pop of color to base cabinets or center island adds visual interest to your design. This kitchen also features integrated appliances and hidden storage. The open concept floor plan opens up to a breakfast area and butler's pantry. Ceramic subway tile, quartzite countertops and stainless steel appliances provide a sleek finish while the rich stain to the hardwood floors adds warmth to the space. Butler's pantry with walnut top and khaki sideboard with corbel accent bring a touch of drama to the design.

Example of a beach style kitchen design in Minneapolis

This home addition was intended to expand the home to provide the space needed for the growing new family. The existing kitchen was gutted, expanded and opened up to a family room and nook area. Custom inset cabinets were our preference; however cost was a significant concern. The owner researched multiple companies and standard product lines to save on her budget. After careful analysis, we discovered that it was just as cost effective to use the local custom cabinet maker we preferred. This allowed for more precise detailing and unique features. The goal of a classical farm house kitchen character updated with modern features was able to be obtained much to the home owner's delight. A family room was added to this home, opening up to a screen porch that takes advantage of a previously unused side yard. The much needed new rear entry provides the family a space for their laundry room and is now the primary entry point from the detached garage. Great care was taken to ensure that the home’s new detailing could have been built this way originally. The space however needed to have a modern function for a modern family. The homes existing exterior had aluminum siding and trim which concealed original millwork and shingles. When the nondescript materials were removed, it was discovered that the original was in poor condition. Careful attention was taken to replace and/or repair original materials wherever possible around the entire home, in order to create a seamless exterior character.

Entryway - mid-sized 1950s entryway idea in Minneapolis

Timothy Hill Photography
Large minimalist master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and white floor alcove shower photo in New York with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, a hot tub, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a vessel sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Open concept kitchen - mid-sized traditional l-shaped light wood floor, beige floor and coffered ceiling open concept kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an integrated sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, an island and multicolored countertops

Patsy McEnroe
Example of a mid-sized mid-century modern beige split-level concrete fiberboard exterior home design in Chicago with a shed roof

abode Design Solutions
Mid-sized elegant u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Minneapolis with an integrated sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, brown backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Kitchen – Integrated Vent Hood, Two-Tone Wood Grain & Flush Undercabinet Lighting | Toronto This kitchen detail highlights the precision and cohesion of the custom millwork design. The vent hood cover was intentionally designed to match the upper cabinet door profile, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the cabinetry rather than stand out as a separate element. This creates a clean, uninterrupted visual line across the upper cabinets—an essential detail in modern, minimalist kitchens. The two-tone wood grain palette adds depth and warmth, balancing contemporary design with natural texture. The contrast between tones helps define zones within the kitchen while keeping the overall look refined and cohesive. Integrated flush under-cabinet lighting provides functional task illumination without visible fixtures or glare. By recessing the lighting, the cabinets maintain a crisp profile while enhancing usability and highlighting the material finishes below. This level of coordination between millwork detailing, lighting design, and appliance integration reflects Cedarstone Group Inc.’s design-build approach—where every element is planned together to ensure the final kitchen feels intentional, polished, and timeless.

No strangers to remodeling, the new owners of this St. Paul tudor knew they could update this decrepit 1920 duplex into a single-family forever home. A list of desired amenities was a catalyst for turning a bedroom into a large mudroom, an open kitchen space where their large family can gather, an additional exterior door for direct access to a patio, two home offices, an additional laundry room central to bedrooms, and a large master bathroom. To best understand the complexity of the floor plan changes, see the construction documents. As for the aesthetic, this was inspired by a deep appreciation for the durability, colors, textures and simplicity of Norwegian design. The home’s light paint colors set a positive tone. An abundance of tile creates character. New lighting reflecting the home’s original design is mixed with simplistic modern lighting. To pay homage to the original character several light fixtures were reused, wallpaper was repurposed at a ceiling, the chimney was exposed, and a new coffered ceiling was created. Overall, this eclectic design style was carefully thought out to create a cohesive design throughout the home. Come see this project in person, September 29 – 30th on the 2018 Castle Home Tour.

Our objective in this home remodeling project was to transform our clients’ newly purchased Studio City cape cod style house into an aesthetically beautiful yet functional residence, that they could use for everyday living as well as entertaining friends and family. Our clients loved the original exterior design but wanted an almost entirely changed interior and backyard. We worked with them through the initial stages of design and material selection to ensure that we understand their vision. We integrated elements of contemporary and farmhouse designs throughout the interior. We created an open floor plan with a lot of natural light making a spacious, bright and connected space. We did this through some structural changes and the addition of glass sliding doors and windows. The open floor plan combined with the fully remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, new flooring, plenty of recessed lighting, and many other details managed to literally amaze our clients. We also created a master suite by expanding the master bathroom and constructing a walk-in closet. A new bathroom addition as well as a new pool house along with a new pool and spa were the other parts of this home remodeling project. The new pool and pool house along with a simple yet beautiful landscaping gave the backyard a whole new look. The roof, the HVAC system as well as all doors and windows were replaced. The garage was remodeled and the door replaced. This was a truly beautiful home remodeling at its best by Ava Homes.

Pictured: Ulisse Sofa, Goliath table, Scilla chair, ConcreteWall Bed Linen Collection Weissman Equities - featured in New York Magazine http://nymag.com/homedesign/features/pad-project-micro-apartments/