The rear entrance to the home boasts cubbyholes for three boys and parents, a tiled floor to remove muddy sneakers or boots, and a desk for quick access to the Internet. If you're hungry, it's but a few steps to the kitchen for a snack! Behind the camera is a built-in dog shower, complete with shelves and hooks for leashes and dog treats.

Redone back entry to new combined laundry/powder room
Example of a huge transitional hallway design in Boston

Jim Picardi
Basement - mid-sized contemporary walk-out ceramic tile basement idea in Boston with white walls

A fun updated to a once dated basement. We renovated this client’s basement to be the perfect play area for their children as well as a chic gathering place for their friends and family. In order to accomplish this, we needed to ensure plenty of storage and seating. Some of the first elements we installed were large cabinets throughout the basement as well as a large banquette, perfect for hiding children’s toys as well as offering ample seating for their guests. Next, to brighten up the space in colors both children and adults would find pleasing, we added a textured blue accent wall and painted the cabinetry a pale green. Upstairs, we renovated the bathroom to be a kid-friendly space by replacing the stand-up shower with a full bath. The natural stone wall adds warmth to the space and creates a visually pleasing contrast of design. Lastly, we designed an organized and practical mudroom, creating a perfect place for the whole family to store jackets, shoes, backpacks, and purses. Designed by Chi Renovation & Design who serve Chicago and it's surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Skokie, Wilmette, and all of the way up to Lake Forest. For more about Chi Renovation & Design, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/portfolio/lincoln-square-basement-renovation/

The built-in cubbies in the mudroom. Kipnis Architecture + Planning
Closet - traditional closet idea in Chicago

We built 24" deep boxes to really showcase the beauty of this walk-in closet. Taller hanging was installed for longer jackets and dusters, and short hanging for scarves. Custom-designed jewelry trays were added. Valet rods were mounted to help organize outfits and simplify packing for trips. A pair of antique benches makes the space inviting.

An entry area to the home, this family laundry room became a catch-all for coats, bags and shoes. It also served as the laundry hub with a collection of portable drying racks, storage shelves and furniture that did not optimize the available space and layout. The new design made the most of the unique space and delivered an organized and attractive mud and laundry room with bench seating, hooks for hanging jackets and laundry needs, integrated wall drying racks, and lots of convenient storage.

Large transitional dark wood floor and brown floor entryway photo in Denver with gray walls

Coming from the garage, this welcoming space greets the homeowners. An inviting splash of color and comfort, the built-in bench offers a place to take off your shoes. The tall cabinets flanking the bench offer generous storage for coats, jackets, and shoes. Bob Narod, Photographer

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2014 Houzz
Entryway - eclectic entryway idea in San Francisco

Utility room - mid-sized transitional single-wall dark wood floor utility room idea in Calgary with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Photographer: William J. Hebert • The best of both traditional and transitional design meet in this residence distinguished by its rustic yet luxurious feel. Carefully positioned on a site blessed with spacious surrounding acreage, the home was carefully positioned on a tree-filled hilltop and tailored to fit the natural contours of the land. The house sits on the crest of the peak, which allows it to spotlight and enjoy the best vistas of the valley and pond below. Inside, the home’s welcoming style continues, featuring a Midwestern take on perennially popular Western style and rooms that were also situated to take full advantage of the site. From the central foyer that leads into a large living room with a fireplace, the home manages to have an open and functional floor plan while still feeling warm and intimate enough for smaller gatherings and family living. The extensive use of wood and timbering throughout brings that sense of the outdoors inside, with an open floor plan, including a kitchen that spans the length of the house and an overall level of craftsmanship and details uncommon in today’s architecture. •

This closet is designed specifically for the man of the house. The color, door style and accessories were all chosen to address a man's needs and wants. Adding crown molding gives the cabinetry a finished furniture look. The bench provides seating as well as additional storage. Custom Closets Sarasota County Manatee County Custom Storage Sarasota County Manatee County

Walls that separated a number of small rooms at the kitchen entry were removed, opening up the space and allowing for a traditional style mudroom/bench area with white painted paneling, shoe storage, hooks for jackets and a top shelf for baskets.

An entry area to the home, this family laundry room became a catch-all for coats, bags and shoes. It also served as the laundry hub with a collection of portable drying racks, storage shelves and furniture that did not optimize the available space and layout. The new design made the most of the unique space and delivered an organized and attractive mud and laundry room with bench seating, hooks for hanging jackets and laundry needs, integrated wall drying racks, and lots of convenient storage.

Customer was looking for organized way of storing coats, shoes, backpacks, purses, and miscellaneous items. Added crown molding to give the units a more finished look.

Open gas fire with stainless steel fascia and stone surround.
Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept living room design in Auckland with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

This spacious Mudroom allows for all kinds of storage - cubbies up top, the hooks for hanging jackets/accessories, and the space underneath the bench for tucking away shoes. Built-ins are a great option for customizing your Mudroom when a standard item from a furniture manufacturer just won't do.

This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”