Search results for "Level playing" in Home Design Ideas

Basement - large traditional vinyl floor and brown floor basement idea in St Louis with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large.
The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope.
The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs.
Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone.
The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave.
Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam.
The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED.
The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant.
The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large.
The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope.
The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs.
Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone.
The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave.
Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam.
The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED.
The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant.
The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.
Find the right local pro for your project

A married couple from Weehawken, New Jersey hired our Interior Decor firm to renovate the fourth floor level in their townhouse. They wanted it turned into a split bedroom/ play area for there 3 1/2 year old twins: brother & sister. We went vibrant with the play room by using Flor’s “Parallel Reality” Rug tiles, and added a colorful world map to inspire the toddlers’ imaginations. We also added a fun loft bed for the kids to jump & roll on while dressing on top Maharam fabric ” L” shaped pillows. We individualized each wall area with unique wall decal’s from the company “whatisblik.com”. An indoor play ground from Cedarworks.com plays as our focal play land. This room deff. got a blast of color by our Decor firm turning these little twins into TWO LUCKY CHARMS!!
photo credit: Danielle Stingu

This custom-built home in The Ridge of North Park Manor was built by Barrington Homes in 2019. We worked with the homeowners early in the building process to create a custom master plan for the entire property.
In the front of the home, we made recommend addition contouring to increase the curb appeal and views of the home from the road. The backyard featured a multi-level walkout basement which created unique terraced entertaining spaces. From the covered patio space, we incorporated a large boulder wall to create extra flat usable lawn space for the kids to play. Our design team created a unique swimming pool area mid-level between the basement and the first-floor covered patio. The homeowner requested a small swimming pool with a larger entertaining space around it. The space includes a circular gas firepit surrounded a sitting wall and pillars. The customer chose a natural look by selecting Lampus Desert Blend Country Stone pillars. The homeowner wanted to incorporate a spa into the entertaining space without obstructing the view from the upper level space and pool area. Our design team solved this by integrating the spa into the landscape surrounded by plantings and boulders to mask the look of the bulky spa. The pergola above the spa with a custom drapery created an elegant look and provided a nice cover to incorporate lighting for evening enjoyment.

Young couple with two youngsters lived in 1970 Rambler in Arlington. As their kids growing and their nanny moving in, they all needed more space, bigger kitchen and better backyard space for kids to play.
Existing kitchen was 10’x10’ adjacent to dining room of about the same size
Old cabinets, vinyl floor and olive green appliances no longer made this kitchen a happy place to come home to
The back wall of solid block and brick and interior plaster walls where all big challenges to get rid of and opening up the place
A narrow hallway leading to bedroom was one of their major concerns and tough to get through. As the traffic path to get to the kitchen has been difficult
In few consultation session we all agreed on bumping the entire kitchen and dining room back wall and move the kitchen into new addition
This required breaking through a massive amount of cinder block and brick, leveling a majority of backyard to accomplish the desired grade level for addition and back deck
In past the only way out to backyard was through a single door of back stairway and it has been a big problem for them
With a new angle wall we have placed a large French door leading kitchen into back deck area
The old hallway wall has came down and gotten wider and new path from front to open floor plan kitchen and dining room was put in place
Another big challenge for this job was to run heating and cooling as well as plumbing into a kitchen area
The new kitchen had tall cabinets a beautiful cherry finish with a large bay window over sink area leading lot of light form back side.
New island with seating contributed to addition work space and more storage
Lot of recessed lights and a stone back splash made the project even more attractive
New wood flooring was put in place and entire Living, Dining room and kitchen was sanded and refinished to unify the space and make a seamless connection
A big wooded deck on the entire back was a place for kids to play and couple to retire and grill on their afternoons

This fully finished basement was designed as a multifunctional lower-level retreat featuring expansive entertaining space, a dedicated gym area with dramatic dark finishes, a playful kids zone with a custom slide and hidden space beneath the stairs, plus a full bedroom and bath for guests. Warm wood look flooring, integrated tray ceiling lighting, and modern finishes throughout create a refined yet highly functional environment built for both relaxation and family living.

This 1912 traditional style house sits on the edge of Cheesman Park with four levels that needed updating to better suit the young family’s needs. A custom wine room was constructed on the lower level to accommodate an area for entertaining guests. The main level was divided into a smaller family room area with a double door opening into the formal living room. The kitchen and butler’s pantry were combined and remodeled for better function. The second level master bathroom was relocated and created out of an adjacent bedroom, incorporating an existing fireplace and Juliet balcony that looks out to the park. A new staircase was constructed on the third level as a continuation of the grand staircase in the center of the house. A gathering and play space opens off the stairs and connects to the third-floor deck. A Jill & Jill bathroom remodel was constructed between the girls’ rooms.

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large.
The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope.
The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs.
Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone.
The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave.
Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam.
The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED.
The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant.
The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.

This 1912 traditional style house sits on the edge of Cheesman Park with four levels that needed updating to better suit the young family’s needs. A custom wine room was constructed on the lower level to accommodate an area for entertaining guests. The main level was divided into a smaller family room area with a double door opening into the formal living room. The kitchen and butler’s pantry were combined and remodeled for better function. The second level master bathroom was relocated and created out of an adjacent bedroom, incorporating an existing fireplace and Juliet balcony that looks out to the park. A new staircase was constructed on the third level as a continuation of the grand staircase in the center of the house. A gathering and play space opens off the stairs and connects to the third-floor deck. A Jill & Jill bathroom remodel was constructed between the girls’ rooms.

This 1912 traditional style house sits on the edge of Cheesman Park with four levels that needed updating to better suit the young family’s needs. A custom wine room was constructed on the lower level to accommodate an area for entertaining guests. The main level was divided into a smaller family room area with a double door opening into the formal living room. The kitchen and butler’s pantry were combined and remodeled for better function. The second level master bathroom was relocated and created out of an adjacent bedroom, incorporating an existing fireplace and Juliet balcony that looks out to the park. A new staircase was constructed on the third level as a continuation of the grand staircase in the center of the house. A gathering and play space opens off the stairs and connects to the third-floor deck. A Jill & Jill bathroom remodel was constructed between the girls’ rooms.

Young couple with two youngsters lived in 1970 Rambler in Arlington. As their kids growing and their nanny moving in, they all needed more space, bigger kitchen and better backyard space for kids to play.
Existing kitchen was 10’x10’ adjacent to dining room of about the same size
Old cabinets, vinyl floor and olive green appliances no longer made this kitchen a happy place to come home to
The back wall of solid block and brick and interior plaster walls where all big challenges to get rid of and opening up the place
A narrow hallway leading to bedroom was one of their major concerns and tough to get through. As the traffic path to get to the kitchen has been difficult
In few consultation session we all agreed on bumping the entire kitchen and dining room back wall and move the kitchen into new addition
This required breaking through a massive amount of cinder block and brick, leveling a majority of backyard to accomplish the desired grade level for addition and back deck
In past the only way out to backyard was through a single door of back stairway and it has been a big problem for them
With a new angle wall we have placed a large French door leading kitchen into back deck area
The old hallway wall has came down and gotten wider and new path from front to open floor plan kitchen and dining room was put in place
Another big challenge for this job was to run heating and cooling as well as plumbing into a kitchen area
The new kitchen had tall cabinets a beautiful cherry finish with a large bay window over sink area leading lot of light form back side.
New island with seating contributed to addition work space and more storage
Lot of recessed lights and a stone back splash made the project even more attractive
New wood flooring was put in place and entire Living, Dining room and kitchen was sanded and refinished to unify the space and make a seamless connection
A big wooded deck on the entire back was a place for kids to play and couple to retire and grill on their afternoons

This 1912 traditional style house sits on the edge of Cheesman Park with four levels that needed updating to better suit the young family’s needs. A custom wine room was constructed on the lower level to accommodate an area for entertaining guests. The main level was divided into a smaller family room area with a double door opening into the formal living room. The kitchen and butler’s pantry were combined and remodeled for better function. The second level master bathroom was relocated and created out of an adjacent bedroom, incorporating an existing fireplace and Juliet balcony that looks out to the park. A new staircase was constructed on the third level as a continuation of the grand staircase in the center of the house. A gathering and play space opens off the stairs and connects to the third-floor deck. A Jill & Jill bathroom remodel was constructed between the girls’ rooms.

Young couple with two youngsters lived in 1970 Rambler in Arlington. As their kids growing and their nanny moving in, they all needed more space, bigger kitchen and better backyard space for kids to play.
Existing kitchen was 10’x10’ adjacent to dining room of about the same size
Old cabinets, vinyl floor and olive green appliances no longer made this kitchen a happy place to come home to
The back wall of solid block and brick and interior plaster walls where all big challenges to get rid of and opening up the place
A narrow hallway leading to bedroom was one of their major concerns and tough to get through. As the traffic path to get to the kitchen has been difficult
In few consultation session we all agreed on bumping the entire kitchen and dining room back wall and move the kitchen into new addition
This required breaking through a massive amount of cinder block and brick, leveling a majority of backyard to accomplish the desired grade level for addition and back deck
In past the only way out to backyard was through a single door of back stairway and it has been a big problem for them
With a new angle wall we have placed a large French door leading kitchen into back deck area
The old hallway wall has came down and gotten wider and new path from front to open floor plan kitchen and dining room was put in place
Another big challenge for this job was to run heating and cooling as well as plumbing into a kitchen area
The new kitchen had tall cabinets a beautiful cherry finish with a large bay window over sink area leading lot of light form back side.
New island with seating contributed to addition work space and more storage
Lot of recessed lights and a stone back splash made the project even more attractive
New wood flooring was put in place and entire Living, Dining room and kitchen was sanded and refinished to unify the space and make a seamless connection
A big wooded deck on the entire back was a place for kids to play and couple to retire and grill on their afternoons

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large.
The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope.
The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs.
Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone.
The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave.
Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam.
The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED.
The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant.
The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.

This custom-built home in The Ridge of North Park Manor was built by Barrington Homes in 2019. We worked with the homeowners early in the building process to create a custom master plan for the entire property.
In the front of the home, we made recommend addition contouring to increase the curb appeal and views of the home from the road. The backyard featured a multi-level walkout basement which created unique terraced entertaining spaces. From the covered patio space, we incorporated a large boulder wall to create extra flat usable lawn space for the kids to play. Our design team created a unique swimming pool area mid-level between the basement and the first-floor covered patio. The homeowner requested a small swimming pool with a larger entertaining space around it. The space includes a circular gas firepit surrounded a sitting wall and pillars. The customer chose a natural look by selecting Lampus Desert Blend Country Stone pillars. The homeowner wanted to incorporate a spa into the entertaining space without obstructing the view from the upper level space and pool area. Our design team solved this by integrating the spa into the landscape surrounded by plantings and boulders to mask the look of the bulky spa. The pergola above the spa with a custom drapery created an elegant look and provided a nice cover to incorporate lighting for evening enjoyment.

Young couple with two youngsters lived in 1970 Rambler in Arlington. As their kids growing and their nanny moving in, they all needed more space, bigger kitchen and better backyard space for kids to play.
Existing kitchen was 10’x10’ adjacent to dining room of about the same size
Old cabinets, vinyl floor and olive green appliances no longer made this kitchen a happy place to come home to
The back wall of solid block and brick and interior plaster walls where all big challenges to get rid of and opening up the place
A narrow hallway leading to bedroom was one of their major concerns and tough to get through. As the traffic path to get to the kitchen has been difficult
In few consultation session we all agreed on bumping the entire kitchen and dining room back wall and move the kitchen into new addition
This required breaking through a massive amount of cinder block and brick, leveling a majority of backyard to accomplish the desired grade level for addition and back deck
In past the only way out to backyard was through a single door of back stairway and it has been a big problem for them
With a new angle wall we have placed a large French door leading kitchen into back deck area
The old hallway wall has came down and gotten wider and new path from front to open floor plan kitchen and dining room was put in place
Another big challenge for this job was to run heating and cooling as well as plumbing into a kitchen area
The new kitchen had tall cabinets a beautiful cherry finish with a large bay window over sink area leading lot of light form back side.
New island with seating contributed to addition work space and more storage
Lot of recessed lights and a stone back splash made the project even more attractive
New wood flooring was put in place and entire Living, Dining room and kitchen was sanded and refinished to unify the space and make a seamless connection
A big wooded deck on the entire back was a place for kids to play and couple to retire and grill on their afternoons

Young couple with two youngsters lived in 1970 Rambler in Arlington. As their kids growing and their nanny moving in, they all needed more space, bigger kitchen and better backyard space for kids to play.
Existing kitchen was 10’x10’ adjacent to dining room of about the same size
Old cabinets, vinyl floor and olive green appliances no longer made this kitchen a happy place to come home to
The back wall of solid block and brick and interior plaster walls where all big challenges to get rid of and opening up the place
A narrow hallway leading to bedroom was one of their major concerns and tough to get through. As the traffic path to get to the kitchen has been difficult
In few consultation session we all agreed on bumping the entire kitchen and dining room back wall and move the kitchen into new addition
This required breaking through a massive amount of cinder block and brick, leveling a majority of backyard to accomplish the desired grade level for addition and back deck
In past the only way out to backyard was through a single door of back stairway and it has been a big problem for them
With a new angle wall we have placed a large French door leading kitchen into back deck area
The old hallway wall has came down and gotten wider and new path from front to open floor plan kitchen and dining room was put in place
Another big challenge for this job was to run heating and cooling as well as plumbing into a kitchen area
The new kitchen had tall cabinets a beautiful cherry finish with a large bay window over sink area leading lot of light form back side.
New island with seating contributed to addition work space and more storage
Lot of recessed lights and a stone back splash made the project even more attractive
New wood flooring was put in place and entire Living, Dining room and kitchen was sanded and refinished to unify the space and make a seamless connection
A big wooded deck on the entire back was a place for kids to play and couple to retire and grill on their afternoons

Does your orange tree drop its fruit before it reaches full size, or worse, does it drop flowers before the fruit starts to form?
Trees photosynthesize to produce carbohydrates like sugar which they store as a source of energy. They can maintain a limited amount, which is used to drive the growth of new leaves, branches, roots and stem. Fruitfulness requires the tree to divert its limited energy sources away from these vital functions to the production of flowers, blossoms and fruits.
Fruit development involves maturity followed by fertilization, growth, maturity and maturity. This process takes between 6-7 months in warmer climates, which requires a large number of tree energy sources as a result.
Trees are able to manage their resources, and will also divert them to emergencies ...
Fruit Drop and Crop Depression
In regions where oranges produce one crop per year, they go through a series of growth stages as follows:
Sprout formation and flower launching (mid-winter)
Flowers and fruit set (early spring)
Fruit growth - cell division (late spring to early summer)
Fruit growth - cell proliferation (mid-summer to early autumn)
Fruit ripening (autumn to late winter)
The difference is in the regions where most citrus crops are produced year-round. In these cases, the different stages of development will take place simultaneously.
The orange tree can handle its plant load well, and it will bear as much fruit as we can support. It is natural for all citrus trees to produce too little fruit and too little flowers in early spring to prevent overproduction. There is no need to worry too much about flowering, as an orange tree needs only 1% to 2% of flowers to produce a good crop, and sometimes even less than 1% is enough.
If a tree is depressed because it does not get enough water in hot, dry weather, and if it dies of nitrogen starvation because it is not given enough fertilizer, fruit set will be very difficult in the spring. There may also be a small number of fruit losses in the summer under stressful conditions.
Solution: Provide enough water, and water often in hot weather and strong winds. Orange feed with moderate fertilizer in early spring (September in Southern hemisphere, March in the Northern Hemisphere)
Fruit Drop and Lack of Potassium Nutrient
When orange trees are heavy, the decline in fruit can be exacerbated by low potassium levels.
Potassium, also known as potash (represented by the chemical mark K on fertilizer labels meaning N-P-K or nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio) is a major macronutrient needed for flowering and fruit formation. Next to nitrogen, plants absorb more potassium than any other nutrient. Without potassium, the trees stop flowering and fruiting, which is what happens if they are not fed regularly.
Before any smug horticulturist declares to you that potassium has no direct effect on flowering and fruit set, let me say that as a horticulturist and biochemist, plant chemistry, like the chemistry of all living things is complex, but some input it is necessary to produce certain results. , and the references I have made to the end of this article support what I am saying!
Entering science, Potassium (K) is essential for water, nutrients and the movement of carbohydrates in plant tissues. It also activates enzymes that facilitate the synthesis of complex chemicals within the plant - such as starch, protein and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. The role of ATP is to transport the energy needed for all cellular metabolic activities to all living things, and in plants ATP production can regulate the level of photosynthesis.
Potassium also helps regulate the opening and closing of stomata, holes or cavities under which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with the atmosphere, and respiratory losses are controlled. It increases root growth which increases the absorption of nutrients and improves drought resistance, and increases resistance to frost, pests and diseases. High potassium levels produce similar maturity and fruit growth rate, as well as better nutritional quality, taste and range.
Agricultural extension agencies suggest that large amounts of potash are needed in many crops, and that potassium deficiency or macronutrient deficiency leads to reduced crop growth and reduced yields, and that potassium levels not only affect yield, but fruit size, juice. quality and shelf life.
Since potassium plays an important role in water regulation, deficiency can clearly increase the pressures associated with the declining fruit mentioned in the previous section.
Solution: Make sure that the orange trees are fertilized with the right fertilizer as previously discussed. Extra potassium can be brought in using seaweed extract (which is not a fertilizer but contains a good amount of potassium), wood ash (used in small quantities only as it is very alkaline), or potash sulphate (potassium sulphate) - all this is guaranteed. as acceptable in a natural garden.
Never use potassium chloride as it can be harmful to plants, it is a very inexpensive alternative to fertilizer manufacturers to save money!
Even if there are sufficient levels of potassium in the soil, it may not be accessible to plants, unless we make some improvements.
63



