Stephanie Russo
Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Sacramento with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

In this middle size town house the kitchen is a very important, central place and it had undergone a full structural remodel. The client had requested a neutral color palette with subdued natural tones. The designer had used two level counter tops to give a hint of separation between kitchen and dining areas but consistency in material gave it a united look.

A lovely rustic modern kitchen in cerused rift sawn oak cabinetry by Studio Dearborn. White Macauba quartzite countertops and backsplash by Marble America. Wolf 48” range. Refrigerator by Subzero. Dishwasher by Bosch. Garrison pendant lights by Arteriors. Stools by Emeco, 1951 Counter stool. Rangehood by Rangecraft. Schaub & Co. Italian Contemporary pulls 6” in Brushed brass finish. Photography c 2015 by Jeff McNamara

Example of a large mid-century modern u-shaped eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, metallic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW As with most projects, it all started with the kitchen layout. The home owners came to us wanting to upgrade their kitchen and overall aesthetic in their suburban home, with a combination of fresh paint, updated finishes, and improved flow for more ease when doing everyday activities. A monochromatic, earth-toned palette left the kitchen feeling uninspired. It lacked the brightness they wanted from their space. An eat-in table underutilized the available square footage. The butler’s pantry was out of the way and hard to access, and the dining room felt detached from the kitchen. Lead Designer, Stephanie Cole, saw an improved layout for the spaces that were no longer working for this family. By eliminating an existing wall between the kitchen and dining room, and relocating the bar area to the dining room, we opened up the kitchen, providing all the space we needed to create a dreamy and functional layout. A new perimeter configuration promoted circulation while also making space for a large and functional island loaded with seating – a must for any family. Because an island that isn’t big enough for everyone (and a few more) is a recipe for disaster. The light white cabinetry is fresh and contrasts with the deeper tones in the wood flooring, creating a modern aesthetic that is elevated, yet approachable for everyday living. With better flow as the overarching goal, we made some structural changes too. To remove a bottleneck in the entryway, we angled one of the dining room walls to create more natural separation between rooms and facilitate ease of movement throughout the large space. At The Kitchen Studio, we believe a well-designed kitchen uses every square inch to the fullest. By starting from scratch, it was possible to rethink the entire kitchen layout and design the space according to how it is used, because the kitchen shouldn’t make it harder to feed the family. A new location for the existing range, flanked by a new column refrigerator and freezer on each side, worked to anchor the space. The very large and very spacious island (a dream island if we do say so ourselves) now houses the primary sink and provides ample space for food prep and family gathering. The new kitchen table and coordinating banquette seating provide a cozy nook for quick breakfasts before school or work, and evening homework sessions. Elegant gold details catch the natural light, elevating the aesthetic. The dining room was transformed into one of this client’s favorite spaces and we couldn’t agree more. We saw an opportunity to give the dining room a more distinguished identity by closing off the entrance from the foyer. The relocated wet bar enhances the sophisticated vibe of this gathering space, complete with beautiful antique mirror tiles and open shelving encased by moody built-in cabinets. Updated furnishings add warmth. A rich walnut table is paired with custom chairs in a muted coral fabric. The large, transitional chandelier grounds the room, pairing beautifully with the gold finishes prevalent in the faucet and cabinet hardware. Linen-inspired wallpaper and cream-toned window treatments add to the glamorous feel of this entertainment space. There is no way around it. The laundry room was cramped. The large washer and dryer blocked access to the sink and left little room for the space to serve its other essential function – as a mudroom. Because we reworked the kitchen layout to create more space overall, we could rethink the mudroom too – an essential for any busy family. The first step was moving the washer and dryer to an existing area on the second floor, where most of the family’s laundry lives (no one wants to carry laundry up and down the stairs if they don’t have to anyway). This is a more functional solution and opened up the space for all the mudroom necessities – including the existing kitchen refrigerator, loads of built-in cubbies, and a bench. It’s hard to not fall in love with every detail of a new space, especially when it serves your day-to-day life. But that doesn’t mean the clients didn’t have their favorite features they use on the daily. This remodel was focused largely on function with a new kitchen layout. And it’s the functional features that have the biggest impact. The large island provides much needed workspace in the kitchen and is a spot where everyone gathers together – it grounds the space and the family. And the custom counter stools are the icing on the cake. The nearby mudroom has everything their previous space was lacking – ample storage, space for everyone’s essentials, and the beloved cement floor tiles that are both durable and artistic.

Removing a secondary staircase and converting the main floor bath to a powder room allowed for an expanded kitchen for this family of 4. A beamed ceiling brings visual interest and speaks to the era of the home while the warm white cabinetry keeps the space light and bright.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped vinyl floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen remodel in Omaha with white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, quartz countertops and white countertops

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017

Mill Valley Scandinavian, modern, open kitchen with skylight, simple cabinets, stone backsplash, Danish furniture, open shelves Photographer: John Merkl

Designer: MODtage Design / Photographer: Paul Dyer
Example of a large transitional enclosed light wood floor family room design in San Francisco with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Photos by Project Focus Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Tampa with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, tile countertops, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, black appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a huge transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, multicolored backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, white countertops, dark wood cabinets and ceramic backsplash

Kids' bedroom - coastal girl light wood floor kids' bedroom idea in Charleston with white walls

Transitional built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room photo in Grand Rapids with gray walls

Large arts and crafts backyard concrete paver patio photo in Philadelphia with a fire pit and no cover

Backsplash and tile floors by J. Anderson Contracting; Cabinets by Bombergers; Countertops by Lapps; Painting, finishing, structural and project managment by Josh Strayer Home Improvement.

Please see this Award Winning project in the October 2014 issue of New York Cottages & Gardens Magazine: NYC&G http://www.cottages-gardens.com/New-York-Cottages-Gardens/October-2014/NYCG-Innovation-in-Design-Winners-Kitchen-Design/ It was also featured in a Houzz Tour: Houzz Tour: Loving the Old and New in an 1880s Brooklyn Row House http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/29691278/list/houzz-tour-loving-the-old-and-new-in-an-1880s-brooklyn-row-house Photo Credit: Hulya Kolabas

Modern farmhouse kitchen featuring white ceiling and white cabinetry accented with blue ceramic backsplash tiles, a white farmhouse kitchen sink, black drawer pulls and handles, lucite and silver metal counter seating at a kitchen island painted cornflower-blue, stainless steel appliances including a stove/cooktop, hood, dishwasher and fridge, and glass dewdrop-shaped pendant lights against a backdrop of cedar wood walls, and hardwood flooring.