While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photography by Ira Montgomery

John Bedell Photography, Interiors by Angela Free Design
Living room - large mediterranean formal and enclosed carpeted living room idea in San Francisco with beige walls

Le jardinet
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Seattle.

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photography by Ira Montgomery

Photo: Jennifer Siu-Rivera // Design: The Inside Story Design
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized mid-century modern l-shaped beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Austin with medium tone wood cabinets, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Inspiration for a contemporary open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City with white walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

Trendy home office photo in New York

While this new home had an architecturally striking exterior, the home’s interior fell short in terms of true functionality and overall style. The most critical element in this renovation was the kitchen and dining area, which needed careful attention to bring it to the level that suited the home and the homeowners. As a graduate of Culinary Institute of America, our client wanted a kitchen that “feels like a restaurant, with the warmth of a home kitchen,” where guests can gather over great food, great wine, and truly feel comfortable in the open concept home. Although it follows a typical chef’s galley layout, the unique design solutions and unusual materials set it apart from the typical kitchen design. Polished countertops, laminated and stainless cabinets fronts, and professional appliances are complemented by the introduction of wood, glass, and blackened metal – materials introduced in the overall design of the house. Unique features include a wall clad in walnut for dangling heavy pots and utensils; a floating, sculptural walnut countertop piece housing an herb garden; an open pantry that serves as a coffee bar and wine station; and a hanging chalkboard that hides a water heater closet and features different coffee offerings available to guests. The dining area addition, enclosed by windows, continues to vivify the organic elements and brings in ample natural light, enhancing the darker finishes and creating additional warmth. Photography by Ira Montgomery

This Californian home was transformed from a standard house builders’ specification into a showcase for the owners. The multi generational Indian family who lives here now has a home which unites the living and cooking areas with the outside space which reflects their way of life. The introduction of a sweeping staircase connects the first and second floors and celebrates the triple height entryway. Guests experience an open floor plan with generous vistas throughout the house with a multitude of surprise elements such as pops of charm delivered via playful wallpaper and decorative tile.

Every detail matters, but your front entry is one of the most important, and this exterior is a perfect introduction to the beauty of the rest of the home.

A small second floor room that was being used as a storage closet was converted to an En-suite Bathroom. The Bathroom was thoughtfully designed for aging-in-place with adequate clearances, minimal thresholds, and smart design elements for caretakers to assist in everyday tasks. The Master Bathroom on this floor was also updated with the introduction of a curb-less shower, custom vanity cabinets, and modern plumbing and lighting fixtures. The Kitchen received a new, modern layout and custom cabinetry to take advantage of the generous ceiling height and abundant natural light. The beloved wood stove in the adjacent sitting room was flanked with floating walnut shelves and a custom hutch to highlight the brick chimney and activate the space. Natural materials and a simple yet modern aesthetic create warm and functional spaces in the classic West Philadelphian home.

Positioned near the base of iconic Camelback Mountain, “Outside In” is a modernist home celebrating the love of outdoor living Arizonans crave. The design inspiration was honoring early territorial architecture while applying modernist design principles. Dressed with undulating negra cantera stone, the massing elements of “Outside In” bring an artistic stature to the project’s design hierarchy. This home boasts a first (never seen before feature) — a re-entrant pocketing door which unveils virtually the entire home’s living space to the exterior pool and view terrace. A timeless chocolate and white palette makes this home both elegant and refined. Oriented south, the spectacular interior natural light illuminates what promises to become another timeless piece of architecture for the Paradise Valley landscape. Project Details | Outside In Architect: CP Drewett, AIA, NCARB, Drewett Works Builder: Bedbrock Developers Interior Designer: Ownby Design Photographer: Werner Segarra Publications: Luxe Interiors & Design, Jan/Feb 2018, "Outside In: Optimized for Entertaining, a Paradise Valley Home Connects with its Desert Surrounds" Awards: Gold Nugget Awards - 2018 Award of Merit – Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home – Custom The Nationals - 2017 Silver Award -- Best Architectural Design of a One of a Kind Home - Custom or Spec http://www.drewettworks.com/outside-in/

As the entryway to the home, we wanted this foyer to be a truly refined welcome to each of its guests. As guests enter they will be greeted with this polished and inviting entry, which contrasts dark colors against stunning tall white millwork along the walls. As a designer there is always the challenge of working with aspects of a room that your clients are not going to be changing. For us this was the flooring, to which we fitted with a custom cut L shaped rug that would allow us to tie together the foyer to the stairs and better coincide with the rest of our designs. We added a touch of bright color in the side table with gold and light yellow elements, while still tying things together with the blue and white detailed vase that mirrors the rug design. As the eye travels up the stairs the iron wrought spindles wonderfully accent the stairway’s dark wood railings. Further upward and this captivating grand chandelier accentuates the whole room. The star of the show, this breathtaking chandelier is enhanced by a beautiful ceiling medallion that we had painted within in gold to capture the elegance and light from this chandelier. As a first impression of the household, this foyer space is truly an introduction to the refinement and dignity of this home, and the people within it. Custom designed by Hartley and Hill Design. All materials and furnishings in this space are available through Hartley and Hill Design. www.hartleyandhilldesign.com 888-639-0639 ***Note: We recently went back to our client's home, and replaced the marble tiles with a herringbone hardwood floor.

During excavation for this new modern home, large granite boulders rose to the surface from the primordial hillside. Instead of displacing these monoliths from the site from which they were created, they were arranged to define space. A circle of boulders stand guard around a custom built fire pit, providing protection from the wind while offering a place to climb or sit. The extended landscape view from the lawn is kept intact by the introduction of a ha-ha, a traditional landscape feature, that hides the productive garden and keeps it from breaking the view. Native and drought tolerant plantings hug the outer edges of the property for minimal use of irrigation and to visually blend into the surrounding hillside. This project also features a custom ipe bench with integrated lighting, waterjet address numbers with night lighting, and hardscape that complements the form and materiality of the architecture to create a harmonious transition into the horizontal plane. Photography: Louie Jeon Photography

Designer: Goran Savic Architect: HAAK Architects Photographer: Zdravko Cota Kitchen Topos - Walnut Natural Bossa - Walnut Lined Kiruna-Minera (island) Dekton Laurent Stone Back Kitchen/Butler Pantry Ceres - Olive Grey Downstairs Bar Ikono - Keraton The Beauty of Rich Finishes The designer instills a dramatic, moody and deeply textured aesthetic in the kitchen space. The walnut wood combined with dark and moody tones, creates an intimate ambiance making this large open space feel grounded, stable, and welcoming. Layered lighting from natural light and track lighting, along with integrated high-end appliances, adds to the striking beauty. The kitchen exudes warmth and elegance characterized by the luxurious Topos Walnut wood cabinets with their rich color and naturally smooth grain. The walnut palette, combined with the textured dark grey Kiruna cabinets and the marble-like Laurent stone—which showcases a deep brown hue with integrated gold and copper veining—creates a powerful and beautiful atmosphere. The design is a highly organized layout that focuses on the homeowner’s every day and entertaining lifestyle, emphasizing functionality, efficiency, and streamlined aesthetics. The back kitchen/butler pantry area was designed to help keep the main kitchen clean and organized. Bulk cooking will take place in the back kitchen area, which has a full suite of appliances. The pantry is accessible yet hidden from the main kitchen via a passage door concealed within the main kitchen. The downstairs bar area has a sink, dishwasher, beverage fridge and drawer microwave. Designed for easy functionality, it offers ample counter space for small appliances like a juicer, blender, or tea kettle, allowing for refreshment after using the adjacent home gym. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Goran and his team at Leight Westchester are highly reliable, trustworthy and just fantastic! We were more than satisfied with Goran’s professional advice as well as attention to details. All of our friends who visit our house praise the look and design of our custom kitchen, powder room and basement wet bar. Goran also introduced and coordinated the Dekton and other stone fabrication companies who did an impeccable job in design, color and specifications. Goran even gave us his opinion as to the lighting designs which were of great help. All European seamless cabinet doors with no handle look just impressive. A few of our friends have already started working with Goran on the entire kitchen cabinet system, and all thank us for the introduction!!!"

This dining space transformation utilizes a series of high-impact design choices, including the removal of two columns to open the room, the introduction of botanical wallpaper and a dark painted ceiling for a jewel box effect, and modern yet cozy furnishings. Key pieces such as chocolate velvet seating and a cerused oak dining table anchor the aesthetic, while the John Richard spherical light fixture with quartz and brass stands out as a showstopping centerpiece.

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowners built their traditional Colonial style home 17 years’ ago. It was in great shape but needed some updating. Over the years, their taste had drifted into a more contemporary realm, and they wanted our help to bridge the gap between traditional and modern. We decided the layout of the kitchen worked well in the space and the cabinets were in good shape, so we opted to do a refresh with the kitchen. The original kitchen had blond maple cabinets and granite countertops. This was also a great opportunity to make some updates to the functionality that they were hoping to accomplish. After re-finishing all the first floor wood floors with a gray stain, which helped to remove some of the red tones from the red oak, we painted the cabinetry Benjamin Moore “Repose Gray” a very soft light gray. The new countertops are hardworking quartz, and the waterfall countertop to the left of the sink gives a bit of the contemporary flavor. We reworked the refrigerator wall to create more pantry storage and eliminated the double oven in favor of a single oven and a steam oven. The existing cooktop was replaced with a new range paired with a Venetian plaster hood above. The glossy finish from the hood is echoed in the pendant lights. A touch of gold in the lighting and hardware adds some contrast to the gray and white. A theme we repeated down to the smallest detail illustrated by the Jason Wu faucet by Brizo with its similar touches of white and gold (the arrival of which we eagerly awaited for months due to ripples in the supply chain – but worth it!). The original breakfast room was pleasant enough with its windows looking into the backyard. Now with its colorful window treatments, new blue chairs and sculptural light fixture, this space flows seamlessly into the kitchen and gives more of a punch to the space. The original butler’s pantry was functional but was also starting to show its age. The new space was inspired by a wallpaper selection that our client had set aside as a possibility for a future project. It worked perfectly with our pallet and gave a fun eclectic vibe to this functional space. We eliminated some upper cabinets in favor of open shelving and painted the cabinetry in a high gloss finish, added a beautiful quartzite countertop and some statement lighting. The new room is anything but cookie cutter. Next the mudroom. You can see a peek of the mudroom across the way from the butler’s pantry which got a facelift with new paint, tile floor, lighting and hardware. Simple updates but a dramatic change! The first floor powder room got the glam treatment with its own update of wainscoting, wallpaper, console sink, fixtures and artwork. A great little introduction to what’s to come in the rest of the home. The whole first floor now flows together in a cohesive pallet of green and blue, reflects the homeowner’s desire for a more modern aesthetic, and feels like a thoughtful and intentional evolution. Our clients were wonderful to work with! Their style meshed perfectly with our brand aesthetic which created the opportunity for wonderful things to happen. We know they will enjoy their remodel for many years to come! Photography by Margaret Rajic Photography

This inviting entry is an introduction to the overall house aesthetic.
Small trendy entryway photo in Chicago

This Centennial NDG home was ready for a refresh with an environmentally friendly flair. Custom flat panel cabinets warmed by the introduction of Bamboo panels for the island, the shelves and the table, keep this kitchen fresh and inviting to a busy family of four and their dog. Marmolueum floors in neutral tones were installed to emphasize the extra long, multi-task island. Prep, work and eat, this kitchen is a welcome space while families are staying in together and a great solution to inviting a few extra friends.