The 100-year old home’s kitchen was old and just didn’t function well. A peninsula in the middle of the main part of the kitchen blocked the path from the back door. This forced the homeowners to mostly use an odd, U-shaped corner of the kitchen. Design objectives: -Add an island -Wow-factor design -Incorporate arts and crafts with a touch of Mid-century modern style -Allow for a better work triangle when cooking -Create a seamless path coming into the home from the backdoor -Make all the countertops in the space 36” high (the old kitchen had different base cabinet heights) Design challenges to be solved: -Island design -Where to place the sink and dishwasher -The family’s main entrance into the home is a back door located within the kitchen space. Samantha needed to find a way to make an unobstructed path through the kitchen to the outside -A large eating area connected to the kitchen felt slightly misplaced – Samantha wanted to bring the kitchen and materials more into this area -The client does not like appliance garages/cabinets to the counter. The more countertop space, the better! Design solutions: -Adding the right island made all the difference! Now the family has a couple of seats within the kitchen space. -Multiple walkways facilitate traffic flow. -Multiple pantry cabinets (both shallow and deep) are placed throughout the space. A couple of pantry cabinets were even added to the back door wall and wrap around into the breakfast nook to give the kitchen a feel of extending into the adjoining eating area. -Upper wall cabinets with clear glass offer extra lighting and the opportunity for the client to display her beautiful vases and plates. They add and an airy feel to the space. -The kitchen had two large existing windows that were ideal for a sink placement. The window closest to the back door made the most sense due to the fact that the other window was in the corner. Now that the sink had a place, we needed to worry about the dishwasher. Samantha didn’t want the dishwasher to be in the way of people coming in the back door – it’s now in the island right across from the sink. -The homeowners love Motawi Tile. Some fantastic pieces are placed within the backsplash throughout the kitchen. -Larger tiles with borders make for nice accent pieces over the rangetop and by the bar/beverage area. -The adjacent area for eating is a gorgeous nook with massive windows. We added a built-in furniture-style banquette with additional lower storage cabinets in the same finish. It’s a great way to connect and blend the two areas into what now feels like one big space!

The garden space faces south so gets morning sun then mostly in the shade. In the summer especially it is lovely to sit here have breakfast and later in the day under the large Sugar Maple a cool spot to relax and grill. I am asked all the time are there any shade plants to use! as you can see the garden is constantly changing from spring bulbs and spring flowers to summer and fall color. The gravel terrace provides a simple and affordable surface and very European.

This is an example of a small traditional full sun backyard stone formal garden in Boise with a fire pit for spring.

Walkways are a means of getting people from one area to another. They can be as simple as a few stones or as a design feature of the whole garden.
Photo of a traditional shade side yard stone formal garden in St Louis for summer.

Photo of a traditional landscaping in Burlington.

Design ideas for a traditional partial sun front yard stone driveway in Vancouver.

Design ideas for a large traditional full sun backyard pond.

This painting was a fun departure from the very traditional dining room in which it was placed. Photo by M Haven
Mid-sized eclectic dining room photo

Huge cottage multicolored two-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Austin with a metal roof

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Mid-sized trendy master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

An Arbutus Marina tree is complimented by California natives Alum Root and Yerba Buena. Edger Landscape Design
Home design - rustic home design idea in San Francisco

Spice Girl™ in the landscape
Photo of an eclectic partial sun landscaping in Chicago.

Caribbean Shell Stone is quarried in the arabian peninsula. this shell stone material is perfect for interior or exterior applications. it is light grey in color and has fossilized abalone shells scattered throughout. it is a dense material and is always cool to the touch. available in tiles, pavers, coping, slabs, or whatever you might need.

The exterior project included a water feature, covered and uncovered patio areas, an outdoor fireplace, paved patio and a built-in BBQ. The previous kitchen, nook and family phases were done with this phase in mind - better kitchen to patio access and view of the landscaping done for all 4 seasons. Landscaping & photography - J.P.Stone Contractors

Dave Reed
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in DC Metro.

Peter Bochenek and Associates, Inc.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard formal garden in Raleigh.

Example of a large country gray two-story mixed siding gable roof design in Austin with a metal roof

White fantasy corner shelves. Photo; Christopher Dearborn, New Frontiers Design
Corner shower - traditional master corner shower idea in New York with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet and gray walls