The construction industry finds cork a great material to work with, as there are many benefits to using this natural material. One of its most advantageous is that the cellular structure of cork helps to reduce noise and vibration. This makes it a huge plus rooms that require good acoustics. Cork offers office flooring insulation at its best without the high cost and pollution of synthetics. Relax in peace or yammer it up with your staff. Using cork products on your floors will bring a whole new level of fun.

Inspiration for a large transitional master multicolored tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile, beige floor and single-sink double shower remodel in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, multicolored walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, beige countertops and a built-in vanity

This 80 year old farm house was in need of an update. The kitchen and dining areas were cramped, dark and isolated from one another. The homeowner requested an open floor plan with more storage and space where her children could play while she was busy in the kitchen. Thompson Remodeling flipped the existing positions of the dining room and kitchen and removed walls to open up the space. The new kitchen has bright white cabinets, quartz countertops and an island with a butcher block counter. A custom banquette provides seating and a spot for the kids to play and do homework while its bench doubles as hidden storage. The wet bar in the dining space has loads of pantry space. The existing floors were very uneven, so we used a vinyl plank flooring that would allow more give for installation. It looks just like weathered pine and will offer very easy care for the busy family.

Acoustically engineered and beautiful private home theater in Beverly Hills. Full sound isolation creates a serene environment to enjoy this extraordinary theater experience. Perforated leather and acoustical wood allow for optimal acoustics with unique finishes. Light coves conceal fabric which cover the Dolby Atmos ceiling speakers. 17 foot wide screen is illuminated by Sony's flagship 4k laser projector. Theater designed by Paradise Theater, Built by Fantastic Theaters, AV & system integration by Robert's Home AV.

Private house is located in the northwestern part of the area with the development of the south by the living aisle. The building has 3 floors and a basement. The building has 5 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 2 swimming pools, 2 elevators, bowling, sauna, steam bath, garage for 4 cars, an isolated area for staff. The building has developed balconies and terraces, roofs planted with grass and used for recreation. Facades are decorated with fiber cement panels and granite. Due to the extensive glazing and the unusual layout, a beautiful view opens to the adjacent lot from the windows of all dwellings. All living rooms have access to the green roof and balconies. Architect: Sergey Kuzmin

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

This powder room was designed to be an architecturally isolating space. The rich blue walls and black tile wainscot and floor, highlighted by a cobalt blue single pendant over the sink, create a soothing, quiet atmosphere far away from the world just outside the door. A motion sensor triggers the pendant and a low wattage spotlight over the black commode. Robert M Kieft

Master Bedroom with lakeside patio.
Mid-sized arts and crafts master carpeted bedroom photo in New York with beige walls

#Overall Dimension: 23.25" x 17.875" x 9" #Inner Bowl Dimension: 21.125" x 15.75" x 9" #Premium Grade of T304 Stainless Steel #Durable Long Lasting 18 Gauge with Commercial Grade Finish #18/8 (Chromium/Nickel) Content For Corrosion Resistance #Scratch, Stain-Resistant with Premium Polished Satin Finish #State of the Art Sound Isolation System Pads and Undercoating #Highly Engineer Channel Grooves For Easy Drainage #Dynamic Round Radius Corners For Easy Cleaning #Extra Deep Sink Bowl Design #Certified and Listed by cUPC, SCC, IAPMO and ANSI / © Exclusive Heritage LLC. All Rights Reserved.

We transformed this dark and isolated kitchen, dining, and family room into a large, open concept space for a family who loves to cook and entertain. Using the floors and kitchen cabinet colors as an anchor, we opted to keep everything else light and bright while allowing seasonal decor items to serve as our bold color statement in the space. We chose a quartz countertop as an island waterfall and kitchen backsplash to ensure this space remains easy to use for years to come. Interior Design by Bennett Design Co

We transformed this dark and isolated kitchen, dining, and family room into a large, open concept space for a family who loves to cook and entertain. Using the floors and kitchen cabinet colors as an anchor, we opted to keep everything else light and bright while allowing seasonal decor items to serve as our bold color statement in the space. We chose a quartz countertop as an island waterfall and kitchen backsplash to ensure this space remains easy to use for years to come. Interior Design by Bennett Design Co

What began as a renovation project morphed into a new house, driven by the natural beauty of the site. The new structures are perfectly aligned with the coastline, and take full advantage of the views of ocean, islands, and shoals. The location is within walking distance of town and its amenities, yet miles away in the privacy it affords. The house is nestled on a nicely wooded lot, giving the residence screening from the street, with an open meadow leading to the ocean on the rear of the lot. The design concept was driven by the serenity of the site, enhanced by textures of trees, plantings, sand and shoreline. The newly constructed house sits quietly in a location advantageously positioned to take full advantage of natural light and solar orientations. The visual calm is enhanced by the natural material: stone, wood, and metal throughout the home. The main structures are comprised of traditional New England forms, with modern connectors serving to unify the structures. Each building is equally suited for single floor living, if that future needs is ever necessary. Unique too is an underground connection between main house and an outbuilding. With their flowing connections, no room is isolated or ignored; instead each reflects a different level of privacy and social interaction. Just as there are layers to the exterior in beach, field, forest and oceans, the inside has a layered approach. Textures in wood, stone, and neutral colors combine with the warmth of linens, wools, and metals. Personality and character of the interiors and its furnishings are tailored to the client’s lifestyle. Rooms are arranged and organized in an intersection of public and private spaces. The quiet palette within reflects the nature outside, enhanced with artwork and accessories.

Photo: Faith Towers © 2016 Houzz
Inspiration for a transitional bathroom remodel in Burlington

Castello di Reschio- Belvedere, Umbria, Italy Castello di Reschio is a very private estate of some 2,700 acres on the borders of Umbria and Tuscany. Scattered amongst the olive groves, vineyards and extensive Mediterranean oak and chestnut woods are 50 farmhouses, of which almost half have been restored to create exquisite private homes designed to the highest international standards. Integral to Reschio is a unique combination of world class service and a high level of privacy and security.

Hammer & Hand built this custom listening room for a Portland audiophile. To isolate the room from the rest of the home and improve the listening experience the space includes a self-contained minisplit heat pump and a dedicated cryogenically-treated electricity system. Tibetan bowls allow the client to tune the room. Noted acoustic engineer Art Noxon positioned gray bass traps along the walls of the room so bass frequencies penetrate the walls instead of bouncing around the room. The team removed a bathroom to increase the size of the space to 11 x 17. Double sound attenuating doors lock sound into the room and keep the rest of the home quiet. A small storage room adjoining the listening room includes a custom built bookshelf for holding records, CDs, and other items. Photos by Jeff Amram Photography

State-of-the-art home theater environment featuring a sound isolated room, a 227” 2.40:1 aspect ratio screen illuminated by a dual laser projection system, and an 11.2.4 immersive audio system delivering an outstanding movie AND music experience. The control system simplifies extremely unique customer requirements such as a dual screen mode to enable watching two A/V sources simultaneously – one heard through the audio system, and the second through headphones. Granular lighting control provides zones to support movie playback, game-room style usage, and an intimate reading and music environment. The room was built from the ground up as “floating” room featuring a custom engineered isolation system, floating concrete floor, and unique speaker placement system. Designed by industry renowned acoustician Russ Berger, the room’s noise floor measured quieter than a typical recording studio and produces a pinpoint accurate reference audio experience. Powered by a 20kW RoseWater HUB20, electrical noise and potential power interruptions are completely eliminated. The audio system is driven by 11.1kW of amplification powering a reference speaker system. Every detail from structural to mechanical, A/V, lighting, and control was carefully planned and executed by a team of experts whose passion, dedication, and commitment to quality are evident to anyone who experiences it.

The layout of this colonial-style house lacked the open, coastal feel the homeowners wanted for their summer retreat. Siemasko + Verbridge worked with the homeowners to understand their goals and priorities: gourmet kitchen; open first floor with casual, connected lounging and entertaining spaces; an out-of-the-way area for laundry and a powder room; a home office; and overall, give the home a lighter and more “airy” feel. SV’s design team reprogrammed the first floor to successfully achieve these goals. SV relocated the kitchen to what had been an underutilized family room and moved the dining room to the location of the existing kitchen. This shift allowed for better alignment with the existing living spaces and improved flow through the rooms. The existing powder room and laundry closet, which opened directly into the dining room, were moved and are now tucked in a lower traffic area that connects the garage entrance to the kitchen. A new entry closet and home office were incorporated into the front of the house to define a well-proportioned entry space with a view of the new kitchen. By making use of the existing cathedral ceilings, adding windows in key locations, removing very few walls, and introducing a lighter color palette with contemporary materials, this summer cottage now exudes the light and airiness this home was meant to have. © Dan Cutrona Photography

We transformed this dark and isolated kitchen, dining, and family room into a large, open concept space for a family who loves to cook and entertain. Using the floors and kitchen cabinet colors as an anchor, we opted to keep everything else light and bright while allowing seasonal decor items to serve as our bold color statement in the space. We chose a quartz countertop as an island waterfall and kitchen backsplash to ensure this space remains easy to use for years to come. Interior Design by Bennett Design Co

BATHROOM AND HOME ENHANCEMENT. | We no longer consider the bathroom a separate, isolated room, but instead an open, cozy seamless space. With 2nd floor, Sieger Design and Duravit pay tribute to this idea. A combined high-quality design collection and comfortable furniture range, 2nd floor uses simple means to design an elegant, inviting room. Its many warm wood elements provide an engaging contrast to the white of the ceramic and sanitary acrylic. Thanks to a variety of available dimensions and options, it is possible to create an attractive washing area in every architectural situation, including smaller rooms, such as guest bathrooms and powder rooms. | Available at www.ShopStudio41.com