Photo: Heather Banks © 2015 Houzz
Example of a trendy living room design in Austin

Example of a small classic 3/4 white tile and stone tile mosaic tile floor alcove shower design in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite countertops, a two-piece toilet and gray walls

Tucked away in the backwoods of Torch Lake, this home marries “rustic” with the sleek elegance of modern. The combination of wood, stone and metal textures embrace the charm of a classic farmhouse. Although this is not your average farmhouse. The home is outfitted with a high performing system that seamlessly works with the design and architecture. The tall ceilings and windows allow ample natural light into the main room. Spire Integrated Systems installed Lutron QS Wireless motorized shades paired with Hartmann & Forbes windowcovers to offer privacy and block harsh light. The custom 18′ windowcover’s woven natural fabric complements the organic esthetics of the room. The shades are artfully concealed in the millwork when not in use. Spire installed B&W in-ceiling speakers and Sonance invisible in-wall speakers to deliver ambient music that emanates throughout the space with no visual footprint. Spire also installed a Sonance Landscape Audio System so the homeowner can enjoy music outside. Each system is easily controlled using Savant. Spire personalized the settings to the homeowner’s preference making controlling the home efficient and convenient.

Chris Golden
Inspiration for a transitional carpeted living room remodel in Phoenix with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

3House Media
Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept concrete floor and multicolored floor living room design in Denver with gray walls, a metal fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Shower and bathroom mould and soap scum growth are probably the most common, annoying and frustrating tile-related problems. Wet and high humidity areas with poor ventilation provide the perfect breeding ground for mould and stains. Soap residue and body oils also create a food source for soap scum, mould to grow. My customer in Dane Bank had the exact problem with dirty and mouldy grout lines in her shower cubicle. She had tried scrubbing the grout lines herself with a toothbrush and standard supermarket cleaners but never got the result she wanted. Fortunately she was lucky to find Tile Doctor from the internet and I was asked to pop over and take a look to see what could be done. I was confident we could make a big difference so I went through the options with her and give her price for the job. She was happy with the price and we agreed a date for me to return and complete the work. For grout lines cleaning I used Tile Doctor Grout Colorant Pre-Treat Cleaner, which successfully removes dirt, soil, soap scum and hard water deposits from grout joints. The product was sprayed on to the grout and left to dwell and seep into the pores for approximately five minutes to break down the soap scum and dirt before being scrubbed in using a stiff grout brush. The cleaning was successful but there were still few mouldy spots left. On these spots I used Tile Doctor Mould Away Spray that is meant for quick removal of mould from grout and silicone. One again product got sprayed on grout lines and left to dwell for five minutes and then scrubbed with stiff grout brush and then rinsed with clean water. After I had finished cleaning I express dried the tile and grout using high power heat gun. With the area nice and dry, I had to choose the matching colour for the existing grout. There are ten colours to choose from the Tile Doctor range of Grout Colourant and on this occasion we chose Limestone as the best colour to match the tile. The colourant is easily applied directly to the grout and in this case I applied two coats. The product is epoxy based and completely seals and rejuvenates the appearance of the grout, which not only drastically improves appearance it also makes it much easier to clean in the future. After applying the re-colourant I buffed all grout colorant excess off the tiles and the shower cubicle was ready. My customer was very satisfied with the work and left the following comment on the Tile Doctor Feedback system “Really, really happy with the service Tony provided and the recommendations he suggested. The work was carried out in a highly professional manner, to a high standard. I have already recommended him to friends. Thank you” Tony Olmet Greater Manchester Tile Doctor

Custom leaded glass panel used for privacy and charm in small window of front entry door. Glass: clear textured glass (granite, 1/16" reed, beveled glue chip) and beveled glass Lead: 3/16" rounded Size: 1 @ ~8" x 18" x 1/4" thick *This product was commissioned and made-to-order. If you're interested in this design, let's chat! We can recreate it for you to your specified dimensions, or we can discuss any design changes you'd like, as well as additional options for materials (glass texture, color, lead size, etc.). Reach out to hello@legacyglass.com to get started!

Originally, the exterior of the Napa ranch residence was a standard knocked down stucco finish. We covered over the entire exterior of the house with a natural plaster product that has been made in Italy for centuries, known as Rialto or Vero. This product is a combination of slaked lime mixed with 60% reconstituted crushed marble dust. Quarried from the legendary Carrara marble mines. The finish itself is a vertically combed striated texture embedded into the plaster. While it cures, a transparent group of patinas are applied to the stone-like plaster substance to create a look of an aged villa.

Wavy mother of pearl porcelain tile, wavy white tile for bathroom shower or backsplash. Perfect for fireplace or accent wall
Example of a trendy bathroom design in Los Angeles

This request came from a client who lives in the Newcastle district of Jesmond who was unhappy with the appearance of their Textured Porcelain floor tiles. The problem was that the Porcelain Tiles were grouted in whilst the underfloor heating was switched on. This resulted in the grout drying out quicker than expected and the tiler struggled to get the excess grout off the tiles. To rectify the problem, the tiler tried to get the dried grout off with acid, but it didn’t work, and the floor was left looking dark and dull. Unable to rectify the problem the client was left with a disappointing pale floor and had searched around the internet for a solution. Normally grout smears like these (aka Grout Haze) can be removed with an acidic product and Tile Doctor sell Grout Clean-up specially for this purpose. However, some grouts contain acid resistant polymers which need to broken down first. Fortunately, we have a solution for everything tile related and the system we use does not affect the main grout lines only the excess grout. I called in to do a site visit and having surveyed the problem I was confident it could resolved, I gave them a price for the work and agreed a date to return to do the job. My first task was to spray the tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go, this was left to soak into the tile for around ten minutes before being scrubbed in. Remove and Go is a coatings remover that is safe to use on tile and grout; normally we use it to remove old sealers but in this case I applied it to break down the polymers. To work the product into the tile I use a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad, the mechanical advantage this gives makes the job a lot quicker. Then the slurry generated is rinsed off with water and removed with a wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry for 30 minutes. We were then able to remove the excess grout which was done by applying Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which I mentioned earlier. The process was the same, i.e. using the buffing machine and a wet vacuum to scrub the floor and extract the soil. The floor was rinsed with water to remove any trace of the products used and dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum. The underfloor heating really helped at this point to dry out the floor. Once the floor was fully dry including the grout lines a single thin coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer was applied. The tiles were textured porcelain, so the dirt gets trapped into the textured surface if it is not sealed. We usually find one coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow is more than enough for this, anything that hadn’t soaked in after three to five minutes was then polished off with clean dry cloths. The client was very happy with the floor and pleased that the excess grout had been cleaned up and the floor looked as it should. Before leaving I recommended the use a pH Neutral tile cleaner for general cleaning such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. There is no point sealing the tiles only to have it stripped off later with the use of a bleach based cleaner. Raf Barrett Tyneside Tile Doctor

Budget Blinds blackout roller shades, photo credit installer Adam Brannick
Example of a mid-sized transitional guest bedroom design in Cedar Rapids with gray walls and no fireplace

I worked with David Kuznitz to design the millwork and beams, Henry Means did the iron straps, Ted Ellison did the Stained Glass, Sam Mossaedi made the wall sconce and DR fixture. The rugs under the DR table is from Tufenkian, the foreground rug is Tiger Rug. I worked with Brian Kawal to design the dining chairs and Brian created the DR table in mahogany. All woodwork is bleached walnut. THe floors are maple

Mid-sized elegant carpeted straight staircase photo in New York with carpeted risers

Example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Salt Lake City with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

Trendy home gym photo in Orange County

This lovely little lantern gives scale and adds a bit of whimsy to the landscape that surrounds it.
Inspiration for an asian landscaping in Manchester.

The Challenge: Create a rugged yet warm farmhouse feel in a high rise tower. Start with an entire 9600 gross square foot penthouse floor of raw concrete floor, walls and ceiling. Devise inventive ways to address intractable existing conditions including a plumbing layout inconsistent with our Client program, a relatively low ceiling and a massive elevator core and yet take of advantage of panoramic views of the city from all sides. For example, rather than make a bulky drywall enclosure for existing pipes that poke thru the kitchen counter, they are wrapped with antique painted galvanized sheet metal to keep sight lines around the corner as open as possible. Or, transform an unattractive and inconveniently located 24” diameter vertical duct in the middle of Samantha’s and Hannah’s (grandchildren’s) guest bedroom into part of a lovely arched top bed nook. Or, disguise a chase for above floor plumbing runs as the base for an open buffet counter. The oppressive elevator lobby was shortened; terminating in handmade glass and steel garden doors at both ends. Custom details include a groined vaulted ceiling and arched openings with stone pilasters (for future trompe-l’oeil images of a Tuscany countryside). To maximize a feeling of height, the ceilings start low and get higher as they progress to the outside walls. The Program: Create a five bedroom condo for an elderly couple with specific and different needs. Mr. likes his privacy and to stay up late into the night on the internet. He likes order. Mrs. has some physical limits that have been addressed in various ways such as shorter travel distances, a step down shower, raised dishwasher and custom cast (to ensure that they won’t rust) iron grab bars. She prefers more disorder. Spaces should be visually arresting, full of detail and easy to maintain. Private spaces include separate master bathrooms, his and her offices and a multi screened Media Room. The balance of the floor must link spaces into one continuous open room along the south and east elevations using large elements yet keeping an intimate scale, sound control and privacy. For example, a substantial fireplace made of old barn timber framing, country stone and a hammered iron grill is strategically located at the critical Southeast corner. Above, black iron offset pintel hardware allow custom double doors to hide a large flat screen TV. High technology is in place for inconspicuous yet easy use. Icon driven key pads operate lighting, window treatments, audio visual systems with multiple sources and access to movie and music databases and five HVAC zones with independent humidity controls. Outstanding Features: Exterior masonry walls have stone culled from five quarries. Sprinkled throughout are surprises - bricks with words as messages from the past, wood trimmed niches and colored glass. Glass pieces set in window corners offer bursts of color when backlit by the sun. These materials are assembled in a rough irregular fashion to look like the work of a mason from the Italian countryside. Interior ceilings and walls have overlapping layers of two plaster colors. Perimeter ceilings are made of smooth random width cedar. Rough planed cedar beams hide ductwork and allow the maximum ceiling height between them. Custom details are everywhere-consider the ten foot barn doors on overhead track at the service elevator, cedar benches/storage areas that run below window banks, antique air registers, acid washed piano hinges and transom window operators and existing concrete piers that are featured instead of hidden. The floors are made of random width wide plank old oak with hand planed faces and edges. Overall, the elements were carefully selected or painted/stained to form a soft muted gray palate The Country kitchen features an old fashioned style ice box appearance for the refrigerator/freezer, a tin ceiling, a distressed assortment of cabinets in multiple heights, colors and woods such as the cherry wood buffet cabinet with sliding glass doors on both sides. A backlit breakfast counter, a hammered copper hood and chicken wire inserts are part of the effort to make a comfortable, eclectic old fashioned looking Kitchen while containing the latest appliances and storage systems. Awards: This project has won several kitchen and bath awards: Felman Kitchen Awards 2009 St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles Kitchen of the Year – Gold Award 2008-2009 SubZero Wolf Kitchen Design Contest – Regional Winner, Regional Designer’s Choice 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – Pinnacle of Design Award 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – First Place Medium Kitchen 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – Consumer’s Choice Award 2010 K&BB Kitchen of the Year Award Felman Bath Awards 2010 Ladue News Award—Master Bathroom

This home office was designed to act as both a serene guest room and a home office with work space for two people. Both the husband and wife work from home, so two desk spaces were a must. We were working with a somewhat small footprint, so we opted for a daybed that can pull out to become a king bed for guests. We brought in soft mint touches with rustic, industrial twists. Designed by Sara Barney’s BANDD DESIGN, who are based in Austin, Texas and serving throughout Round Rock, Lake Travis, West Lake Hills, and Tarrytown. For more about BANDD DESIGN, click here: https://bandddesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://bandddesign.com/austin-home-office/

The Challenge: Create a rugged yet warm farmhouse feel in a high rise tower. Start with an entire 9600 gross square foot penthouse floor of raw concrete floor, walls and ceiling. Devise inventive ways to address intractable existing conditions including a plumbing layout inconsistent with our Client program, a relatively low ceiling and a massive elevator core and yet take of advantage of panoramic views of the city from all sides. For example, rather than make a bulky drywall enclosure for existing pipes that poke thru the kitchen counter, they are wrapped with antique painted galvanized sheet metal to keep sight lines around the corner as open as possible. Or, transform an unattractive and inconveniently located 24” diameter vertical duct in the middle of Samantha’s and Hannah’s (grandchildren’s) guest bedroom into part of a lovely arched top bed nook. Or, disguise a chase for above floor plumbing runs as the base for an open buffet counter. The oppressive elevator lobby was shortened; terminating in handmade glass and steel garden doors at both ends. Custom details include a groined vaulted ceiling and arched openings with stone pilasters (for future trompe-l’oeil images of a Tuscany countryside). To maximize a feeling of height, the ceilings start low and get higher as they progress to the outside walls. The Program: Create a five bedroom condo for an elderly couple with specific and different needs. Mr. likes his privacy and to stay up late into the night on the internet. He likes order. Mrs. has some physical limits that have been addressed in various ways such as shorter travel distances, a step down shower, raised dishwasher and custom cast (to ensure that they won’t rust) iron grab bars. She prefers more disorder. Spaces should be visually arresting, full of detail and easy to maintain. Private spaces include separate master bathrooms, his and her offices and a multi screened Media Room. The balance of the floor must link spaces into one continuous open room along the south and east elevations using large elements yet keeping an intimate scale, sound control and privacy. For example, a substantial fireplace made of old barn timber framing, country stone and a hammered iron grill is strategically located at the critical Southeast corner. Above, black iron offset pintel hardware allow custom double doors to hide a large flat screen TV. High technology is in place for inconspicuous yet easy use. Icon driven key pads operate lighting, window treatments, audio visual systems with multiple sources and access to movie and music databases and five HVAC zones with independent humidity controls. Outstanding Features: Exterior masonry walls have stone culled from five quarries. Sprinkled throughout are surprises - bricks with words as messages from the past, wood trimmed niches and colored glass. Glass pieces set in window corners offer bursts of color when backlit by the sun. These materials are assembled in a rough irregular fashion to look like the work of a mason from the Italian countryside. Interior ceilings and walls have overlapping layers of two plaster colors. Perimeter ceilings are made of smooth random width cedar. Rough planed cedar beams hide ductwork and allow the maximum ceiling height between them. Custom details are everywhere-consider the ten foot barn doors on overhead track at the service elevator, cedar benches/storage areas that run below window banks, antique air registers, acid washed piano hinges and transom window operators and existing concrete piers that are featured instead of hidden. The floors are made of random width wide plank old oak with hand planed faces and edges. Overall, the elements were carefully selected or painted/stained to form a soft muted gray palate The Country kitchen features an old fashioned style ice box appearance for the refrigerator/freezer, a tin ceiling, a distressed assortment of cabinets in multiple heights, colors and woods such as the cherry wood buffet cabinet with sliding glass doors on both sides. A backlit breakfast counter, a hammered copper hood and chicken wire inserts are part of the effort to make a comfortable, eclectic old fashioned looking Kitchen while containing the latest appliances and storage systems. Awards: This project has won several kitchen and bath awards: Felman Kitchen Awards 2009 St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles Kitchen of the Year – Gold Award 2008-2009 SubZero Wolf Kitchen Design Contest – Regional Winner, Regional Designer’s Choice 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – Pinnacle of Design Award 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – First Place Medium Kitchen 2010 NKBA Art of the Industry – Consumer’s Choice Award 2010 K&BB Kitchen of the Year Award Felman Bath Awards 2010 Ladue News Award—Master Bathroom