Photography by Corey Gaffer
Mid-sized danish back porch photo in Minneapolis with a roof extension

Lake Front Country Estate Living Room, designed by Tom Markalunas, built by Resort Custom Homes. Photography by Rachael Boling.
Inspiration for a timeless formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Modern Loft designed and built by Sullivan Building & Design Group. Kitchen Cabinetry built by Cider Press Woodworks, made from sustainably harvested Ecuadorian hardwood. Photo credit: Kathleen Connally

This breakfast nook sits opposite the island in the great room. Photo by Bill Cartledge
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in New York with green walls and no fireplace

Our client was so happy with her kitchen she came back to NJ Kitchens And Baths to help her design her new home office. She needed 2 work areas. Considering the space in the room, I thought it would be a great idea to add a window seat that separated the work areas and create a calming space to relax or read.

Beach style l-shaped kitchen photo in Minneapolis with white cabinets, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, wood countertops and gray backsplash

This bright North Shore, MA kitchen showcases expansive windows that flood the space with natural light and frame serene garden views. A marble-topped island with a polished nickel faucet anchors the room, complemented by classic white cabinetry, subtle tile backsplash, and stainless steel appliances. The design blends elegance and functionality, creating a fresh, inviting space ideal for cooking, gathering, and everyday living.

White modern kitchen with Green Lagoon quartz counter with waterfall edge. Australian Blackbutt wood floors. Hanging herb garden outside picture window.

Jacob Elliott
Example of a trendy two-story exterior home design in San Francisco

Inspiration for a large coastal open concept light wood floor living room remodel in Boston with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Nice open grids on this small kitchen bay window.
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in DC Metro

Large trendy rooftop deck photo in Chicago with a pergola

Inspiration for a rustic entryway remodel in Charlotte

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Elegant patio container garden photo in New York with no cover

Katya Grozovskaya
Example of a huge trendy formal and open concept great room design in Los Angeles with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

Addition and renovation of this property included completely reworking the exterior entry and points of arrival, new shingles and paint, new exterior stair case and landscape retaining walls as well as a dining room addition, custom kitchen and bath renovations.

The homeowners wanted to open up their living and kitchen area to create a more open plan. We relocated doors and tore open a wall to make that happen. New cabinetry and floors where installed and the ceiling and fireplace where painted. This home now functions the way it should for this young family!

Family room - transitional family room idea in Chicago

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.