Sound isolated home theater with integrated audio and video projection.
Example of a mid-sized trendy enclosed carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Los Angeles with gray walls and a projector screen

Great room
Trendy open concept white floor living room photo in Salt Lake City with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

Mountain style multicolored floor indoor basketball/tennis/multi-game court photo in Boston with green walls

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.

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.

Pool - coastal pool idea in Jacksonville

A micro-addition and new layout turns 1980’s cramped kitchen into bright, light-filled collaborative kitchen space. The cramped, isolated kitchen in this 1980’s era home did not fit our clients’ lifestyle nor take advantage of the beautiful views of the nearby pond and woods. They longed for a functional yet fabulous space to support collaborative cooking and family gatherings. A micro-addition facilitated a new layout that both opened to and enlivened their existing living and dining spaces. A bold tri-color palette along with pro-level appliances and impeccable finish detailing gives them everything they desired and more.

The key feature in this room is the custom gas fireplace wall which now honors and accentuates the leaded glass window above it.
Example of an eclectic living room design in Portland

Example of a large trendy galley concrete floor and gray floor open concept kitchen design with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink and window backsplash

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.

Photo by June Cannon
Inspiration for a rustic wood exterior home remodel in Salt Lake City

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Elegant home office photo in New York

Front Porch
Mid-sized transitional porch idea in Minneapolis

Large windows and a custom-built California King-size bed give this Colorado vacation home bedroom a luxurious, bright, and peaceful atmosphere. The home uses passive solar techniques and a green heating system to ensure that the bedroom stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Example of a beach style backyard rectangular pool house design in New York

Trent Bell Photography
Home office - coastal freestanding desk home office idea in Portland Maine with blue walls

WDA designed the interior remodel and exterior renovation for this house in the hills above Los Gatos. The exterior work included an update to the Mediterranean detailing, as well as installation of all new French doors and windows, and the addition of custom metal railings on the wraparound decks, to take full advantage of the panoramic views. The interior features a new kitchen, family room and home theater, and new finishes throughout the house, which combine sleek modern design with rich, warm materials, and our clients’ sense of fun and whimsy. Photo: ©Lucas Fladzinski

Frank Herfort
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Moscow with white walls