Photography by John Bessler Top priority for this young couple, having recently leap-frogged from cozy salt box to rambling tudor estate, was the creation of a nursery for their first child (arrival eminent!). Next up? Imbuing the grand scale with intimate charm, in a family-oriented common space to accommodate baby plus their three dogs! Blending his love for all things rustic, and hers for a “glam-sophisticate” splash or two, the result is a beautiful and practical space fit for the whole tribe.

The living room wasn't the largest, but it had great natural light. An easy approach would be to place the sofa on the long wall, however, buyers like to be "told" where to put their TV. Here the console table and the horse print act as a place setting for an entertainment center.

To obtain sources, copy and paste this link into your browser. https://www.arlingtonhomeinteriors.com/playful-dining-room Photographer: Jenn Verrier

Belgard Catalina Stone paver in Victorian color
Inspiration for a contemporary patio remodel in Salt Lake City

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Callaway Craftsman is located in Jeromesville, Ohio. The home features a thoughtfully designed 2,659 sq. ft. floor plan offering 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Tailor-made for entertaining, the expansive kitchen is equipped with abundant counter space and a premium cooktop layout, creating a sense of effortless openness for guests. Downstairs, a seamless progression of living spaces—including a formal living room, private den, and soaring great room—offers ultimate functional flexibility for today and the future.

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

One of Oregon's most famous houses, the 1918 Frank J Cobbs House in Portland, designed by architect Albert E. Doyle. The Jacobethan-style mansion with Tudor touches is the largest residence Doyle designed. Photo by KuDa Photography

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Callaway Craftsman is located in Jeromesville, Ohio. The home features a thoughtfully designed 2,659 sq. ft. floor plan offering 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Tailor-made for entertaining, the expansive kitchen is equipped with abundant counter space and a premium cooktop layout, creating a sense of effortless openness for guests. Downstairs, a seamless progression of living spaces—including a formal living room, private den, and soaring great room—offers ultimate functional flexibility for today and the future.

When ALE Solutions asked us to help create a feeling of home and family for their corporate headquarters, we jumped at the chance! As the largest nationwide provider of temporary housing for people displaced by fire, tornado, earthquake, and hurricanes, ALE sought to create a more residential, “at home” feel for their new office space. We tailored each area to provide the comfort, functionality, and style in this highly productive workplace.

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Callaway Craftsman is located in Jeromesville, Ohio. The home features a thoughtfully designed 2,659 sq. ft. floor plan offering 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Tailor-made for entertaining, the expansive kitchen is equipped with abundant counter space and a premium cooktop layout, creating a sense of effortless openness for guests. Downstairs, a seamless progression of living spaces—including a formal living room, private den, and soaring great room—offers ultimate functional flexibility for today and the future.

Detail of the Great Room in the stone arched alcove adds old-world charm. The 1-1/2 story space is the largest in the house.
Example of a mid-sized tuscan open concept carpeted family room design in St Louis with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a concealed tv

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Callaway Craftsman is located in Jeromesville, Ohio. The home features a thoughtfully designed 2,659 sq. ft. floor plan offering 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Tailor-made for entertaining, the expansive kitchen is equipped with abundant counter space and a premium cooktop layout, creating a sense of effortless openness for guests. Downstairs, a seamless progression of living spaces—including a formal living room, private den, and soaring great room—offers ultimate functional flexibility for today and the future.

Living room before. This area received the largest construction remodel. The bar was removed and relocated across the room to the cabinet storage area. The fireplace blue granite surround and hearth were removed and a custom designed wood surround and mantel was installed. The single window on the left was removed and relocated to create a three window placement towards the alcove area.

Imagine Backyard Living has partnered with Creative Environments Pool/Spa Design & Landscape, an industry leader since 1950, is one of the largest and most respected landscape and pool design companies in Arizona.

This is the largest outdoor living space I have ever designed. This outdoor living space features a fire pit and outdoor kitchen, dining bar, and sitting room. The windows in the dormers above were replaced with custom doors that now lead out to a waterproof decks featuring stainless steel cable rails as to not interrupt on the beautiful view of the Puget Sound

This is the largest outdoor living space I have ever designed. This outdoor living space features a fire pit and outdoor kitchen, dining bar, and sitting room. The windows in the dormers above were replaced with custom doors that now lead out to a waterproof decks featuring stainless steel cable rails as to not interrupt on the beautiful view of the Puget Sound

Built by Schumacher Homes, America's Largest Custom Home Builder, this stunning Callaway Craftsman is located in Jeromesville, Ohio. The home features a thoughtfully designed 2,659 sq. ft. floor plan offering 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Tailor-made for entertaining, the expansive kitchen is equipped with abundant counter space and a premium cooktop layout, creating a sense of effortless openness for guests. Downstairs, a seamless progression of living spaces—including a formal living room, private den, and soaring great room—offers ultimate functional flexibility for today and the future.

The plans included a new master suite, expanded laundry room, a powder room, a second-floor multipurpose room, a guest room with bath, and a new basement with a playroom for the boys, an entertaining space for the grownups, and another bathroom and unfinished storage space. Once complete, the home was more than 5,900 square feet. The home’s largest family space is the loft-style multipurpose room on the new second floor. The renovation also includes a fantastic and modern pool and outdoor living area with plenty of space for summer cookouts and entertaining.

brian thomas jones
Living room - contemporary living room idea in Los Angeles with white walls