Bloomington is filled with a lot of homes that have remained trapped in time, which is awesome and fascinating (albeit sometimes frightening). When this young family moved to Bloomington last spring, they saw potential behind the Florida wallpaper of this Eastside ranch, and good bones despite its choppy layout. Wisely, they called SYI and Loren Wood Builders for help bringing it into the two thousand-teens. Two adjacent bathrooms were gutted together and went back up in much better configurations. A half bath and mud-cum-laundry room near the garage went from useful but blah, to an area you don't have to close the door on when guests come over. Walls came down to open up the family, living, kitchen and dining areas, creating a flow of light and function that we all openly envy at SYI. (We do not hide it whatsoever. We all want to live in this happy, bright house. Also the homeowners are amazing cooks, another good reason to want to move in.) Like split-levels and bi-levels, ranches are often easy to open up for the casual and connected spaces we dig so much in middle America this century. Knock down walls; unify flooring; lighten and brighten the space; and voila! a dated midcentury shell becomes a modern family home. Contractor: Loren Wood Builders Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Tile work: Fitzgerald Flooring & Construction Photography: Gina Rogers

Light Plummet (Taupe) and Light Plummet (Taupe) Silk with Light Cream Silk. 8 x 20. Photo courtesy of NovaBell.
Example of a large minimalist brown tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile doorless shower design in Boise with a pedestal sink and brown walls

Close up view of the house from the ocean side. Floor to ceiling windows amplify the view of the ocean.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern three-story wood flat roof remodel in New York

Close-up of modern farmhouse design home with porch area for entertaining - details include a slate floor, white columns, and an outdoor fireplace
Cottage porch photo in Atlanta

A close up view of the vaulted ceiling and natural light that flood into this guest bedroom space.
Inspiration for a contemporary bedroom remodel in Atlanta

http://www.nicelydonekitchens.com
Eat-in kitchen - traditional l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, beige backsplash and stainless steel appliances

"Kerry Taylor was professional and courteous from our first meeting forwards. We took a long time to decide on our final design but Kerry and his design team were patient and respectful and waited until we were ready to move forward. There was never a sense of being pushed into anything we didn’t like. They listened, carefully considered our requests and delivered an awesome plan for our new bathroom. Kerry also broke down everything so that we could consider several alternatives for features and finishes and was mindful to stay within our budget. He accommodated some on-the-fly changes, after construction was underway and suggested effective solutions for any unforeseen problems that arose. Having construction done in close proximity to our master bedroom was a challenge but the excellent crew TaylorPro had on our job made it relatively painless: courteous and polite, arrived on time daily, worked hard, pretty much nonstop and cleaned up every day before leaving. If there were any delays, Kerry made sure to communicate with us quickly and was always available to talk when we had concerns or questions." This Carlsbad couple yearned for a generous master bath that included a big soaking tub, double vanity, water closet, large walk-in shower, and walk in closet. Unfortunately, their current master bathroom was only 6'x12'. Our design team went to work and came up with a solution to push the back wall into an unused 2nd floor vaulted space in the garage, and further expand the new master bath footprint into two existing closet areas. These inventive expansions made it possible for their luxurious master bath dreams to come true. Just goes to show that, with TaylorPro Design & Remodeling, fitting a square peg in a round hole could be possible! Photos by: Jon Upson

Once a sunken living room closed off from the kitchen, we aimed to change the awkward accessibility of the space into an open and easily functional space that is cohesive. To open up the space even further, we designed a blackened steel structure with mirrorpane glass to reflect light and enlarge the room. Within the structure lives a previously existing lava rock wall. We painted this wall in glitter gold and enhanced the gold luster with built-in backlit LEDs. Centered within the steel framing is a TV, which has the ability to be hidden when the mirrorpane doors are closed. The adjacent staircase wall is cladded with a large format white casework grid and seamlessly houses the wine refrigerator. The clean lines create a simplistic ornate design as a fresh backdrop for the repurposed crystal chandelier. Nothing short of bold sophistication, this kitchen overflows with playful elegance — from the gold accents to the glistening crystal chandelier above the island. We took advantage of the large window above the 7’ galley workstation to bring in a great deal of natural light and a beautiful view of the backyard. In a kitchen full of light and symmetrical elements, on the end of the island we incorporated an asymmetrical focal point finished in a dark slate. This four drawer piece is wrapped in safari brasilica wood that purposefully carries the warmth of the floor up and around the end piece to ground the space further. The wow factor of this kitchen is the geometric glossy gold tiles of the hood creating a glamourous accent against a marble backsplash above the cooktop. This kitchen is not only classically striking but also highly functional. The versatile wall, opposite of the galley sink, includes an integrated refrigerator, freezer, steam oven, convection oven, two appliance garages, and tall cabinetry for pantry items. The kitchen’s layout of appliances creates a fluid circular flow in the kitchen. Across from the kitchen stands a slate gray wine hutch incorporated into the wall. The doors and drawers have a gilded diamond mesh in the center panels. This mesh ties in the golden accents around the kitchens décor and allows you to have a peek inside the hutch when the interior lights are on for a soft glow creating a beautiful transition into the living room. Between the warm tones of light flooring and the light whites and blues of the cabinetry, the kitchen is well-balanced with a bright and airy atmosphere. The powder room for this home is gilded with glamor. The rich tones of the walnut wood vanity come forth midst the cool hues of the marble countertops and backdrops. Keeping the walls light, the ornate framed mirror pops within the space. We brought this mirror into the place from another room within the home to balance the window alongside it. The star of this powder room is the repurposed golden swan faucet extending from the marble countertop. We places a facet patterned glass vessel to create a transparent complement adjacent to the gold swan faucet. In front of the window hangs an asymmetrical pendant light with a sculptural glass form that does not compete with the mirror.

Close-up front exterior view of custom farmhouse design with stone, white columns, widow's walk, and metal roof as architectural accents, large front porch, and breezeway access to rear of the home

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Close to Lincoln Center Plaza, two existing apartments were combined into a single custom tailored 4-bedroom residence. Characteristic with other buildings from the same post-war era, the existing apartments suffered greatly from a low, monotonous ceiling slab. To break up the ceiling, floating planes containing low-profile LED recessed lighting were incorporated throughout. Grey-washed birch veneer millwork is seen as you enter into the new foyer space. A blackened steel inlaid panel serves as a datum that continues throughout the apartment, wrapping the entry unit and extending around the corner to then transform into a floating bookshelf. The unit not only divides the entry area from the Living room, but also serves its utilitarian purpose on the foyer side as coat and storage closets, and then an entertaining function on the opposing side with a TV niche and custom liquor bar. Whitewashed rift and quartered white oak floors were used to brighten the space. In the kitchen, marble counters extend up the wall and onto the ceiling marking the separation of the kitchen/dining area from the living room/entry area. The kid’s room contains a custom curved desk area built beneath the bay windows to take advantage of the views. In the master bedroom, the blackened steel inlay reappears inset into the wardrobe wall unit.

Close up of sunken bocce court. Cross River Design, Inc.
Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in New York.

A close-up view of a few of the residence's architectural accents. These include stacked stone on either side of a square bay window, keystone design on top of a palladian window, and square on square thickened stucco applique.

A close-up view of the home's entry, with the formal living space on the right hand side, and plenty of windows for natural light.
Trendy exterior home photo in Atlanta

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours and High Resolution Photography is your best choice to find just what you are looking for in the Lake Burton Area . Knowing the areas and resources of Lake Burton is our specialty Lake Burton is a 2,775 acre man-made lake with 62 miles of shoreline located in the northeastern corner of Georgia in Rabun County. It is the first lake in a five-lake series called the Tallulah River Watershed that follows the original course of the Tallulah River. The series of lakes starts with Lake Burton as the northernmost lake followed by Lake Seed, Lake Rabun, Lake Tallulah Falls and the eastern arm of Lake Tugalo (the western arm is formed by the Chattooga River. The lakes are owned and operated by the Georgia Power Company to generate hydroelectric energy for Georgia's largest city, Atlanta. At one time these lakes were the largest producers of electricity in the state of Georgia. Now, they only provide peak power supply. The lake was built in a deep valley located along a 10 mile section of the Tallulah River. The Lake Burton Dam was closed on December 22, 1919 and the lake started to fill. The dam is a gravity concrete dam, with a height of 128 feet and a span of 1,100 feet. The spillway is equipped with eight gates 22 feet wide by 6.6 feet high. The total capacity at an elevation of 1,866.6 feet is 108,000 acre-ft, of which 106,000 acre-ft is usable storage. The generating capacity of the dam is 6,120 kilowatts (two units).Lake Burton is the highest Georgia Power lake in Georgia. Lake Burton gets its named from the town of Burton, which was the second largest town in Rabun County with a population of approximately 200 but now lies below the lake's surface. The town (and the lake) was named after local prominent citizen Jeremiah Burton and was situated along the road from Clayton, Georgia to the Nacoochee Valley. Andrew Jackson Ritchie served as the postmaster for the area for several years. Gold was first discovered in Rabun County where Dicks Creek and the Tallulah River come together and was the reason for the town's founding in the early 1800s. The Lake Burton Fish Hatchery and Moccasin Creek State Park are located on the western side of the lake. Lake Burton is home to several species of fish, including Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, White Catfish, Walleye, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Yellow Perch. The residents of Lake Burton are a mix of permanent residents and seasonal vacationers who together make-up the Lake Burton Civic Association, a local organization who goal is to maintain the lake through volunteer clean-ups and other such events. Let a Lake Burton resident and expert show you the way The Lake Burton Civic Association is an active homeowners association for residents of the Lake Burton area and sponsors many events throughout the year such as: burton, custom, envision, georgia, lake, mountain, nc, north, photography, web, western, Lake Burton, Lake Rabun, Seed Lake,Virtual Tours.

Top floor is comprised of vastly open multipurpose space and a guest bathroom incorporating a steam shower and inside/outside shower. This multipurpose room can serve as a tv watching area, game room, entertaining space with hidden bar, and cleverly built in murphy bed that can be opened up for sleep overs. Recessed TV built-in offers extensive storage hidden in three-dimensional cabinet design. Recessed black out roller shades and ripplefold sheer drapes open or close with a touch of a button, offering blacked out space for evenings or filtered Florida sun during the day. Being a 3rd floor this room offers incredible views of Fort Lauderdale just over the tops of palms lining up the streets. Color scheme in this room is more vibrant and playful, with floors in Brazilian ipe and fabrics in crème. Cove LED ceiling details carry throughout home. Photography: Craig Denis

Large elegant l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, red walls, an island, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Close-up shot of water feature and deck. Glass panels keep the view clear when enjoying the patio area. The fountain was a murky, slimy pond before we retrofitted it to recirculate into the pool. The brick veneer pops in and out in a random arrangement, creating a serene white noise as the water trickles over them. Photo by Susan Sotera

Close-up highlighting core craftsmanship details of this custom vanity set. Two frameless round LED backlit mirrors supply soft even lighting for grooming; seamless integrated quartz countertop holds two undermount sinks and matte black minimalist faucets. Consistent marble veining runs across countertop and floating drawer fronts, with precision seam assembly and soft-close drawer structure, highlighting premium custom cabinet workmanship and high-end finishing standard.