Many homeowners want natural light in their bathrooms which poses a design dilemma for interior bathrooms. Luckily, large skylights offer a great resolution for said dilemma and flood the space with natural light. Architect: Meyer Design Builder: Lakewest Custom Homes

This 1938 South Minneapolis Tudor was ready for a Kitchen remodel that not only improved the aesthetics, but also the function. Luckily, the home was asking for a larger kitchen. By removing what was originally a breakfast room or informal dining, we were able to expand the kitchen for new potential. A new archway was designed to open the new kitchen to the formal dining and living room. We had a small list of “must haves” including a large pantry wall, double oven, and custom bench seating. All new custom cabinetry was designed with practical storage including a lazy susan corner, trash/recycle pull-out, sink tip-out, full extension drawers, shelf pull-outs, silverware organizers, tray tip-up, pocket door appliance garage, a space in the pantry for their vacuum, and a messaging corner. To complement the homes dark woodwork and stone front facade, new porcelain slate tile floors, rich cherry stained cabinets, and natural slate tile backsplash were paired with a neutral Cambria quartz countertop. Fun details were included across the room including a new Kohler cast iron sink, Delta Touch-less faucet, pewter knobs and pulls, bronze lighting, and a rich wall color by Benjamin Moore. The homeowner’s couldn’t be happier and are enjoying the new kitchen with family and friends.

We planned a thoughtful redesign of this beautiful home while retaining many of the existing features. We wanted this house to feel the immediacy of its environment. So we carried the exterior front entry style into the interiors, too, as a way to bring the beautiful outdoors in. In addition, we added patios to all the bedrooms to make them feel much bigger. Luckily for us, our temperate California climate makes it possible for the patios to be used consistently throughout the year. The original kitchen design did not have exposed beams, but we decided to replicate the motif of the 30" living room beams in the kitchen as well, making it one of our favorite details of the house. To make the kitchen more functional, we added a second island allowing us to separate kitchen tasks. The sink island works as a food prep area, and the bar island is for mail, crafts, and quick snacks. We designed the primary bedroom as a relaxation sanctuary – something we highly recommend to all parents. It features some of our favorite things: a cognac leather reading chair next to a fireplace, Scottish plaid fabrics, a vegetable dye rug, art from our favorite cities, and goofy portraits of the kids. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/functional-ranch-house-design/

This customer spent over 40 years building and renovating his home. In his younger days, he was an amazing building and craftsman. Recently, he suffered a stroke and lost the ability to build. He wants to leave his home to his daughter, so he planned one last renovation project. For this project, he wanted to choose a renovation company that could build a kitchen as well as he could. Luckily, he chose Wood Front Kitchens. He was thrilled with the result. He loved that we were able to keep storage features he had built in his previous cabinets and transfer them to the new cabinets. This homeowner chose shaker-style oak cabinets stained in Michels. He chose Amerock Conrad Square hardware in oil-rubbed bronze to give his rustic cabinets an industrial feel. He and his daughter are both pleased with the results, and with their huge increase in storage space.

This living room started from a blank canvas. The client had just recently moved in and had no furniture except for a desk in her office. My initial goal was to figure out what she was looking for, her preferred style, and color palette. She told me her must-haves: plenty of seating for friend gatherings, lots of plants, neutral tones, and a midcentury style with a twist. Given her preferences and needs, I went to work. Luckily, I’m quite savvy with resources including Facebook Marketplace, Next Door, Offer-up, and Instagram as well as using various online and local retailers. This renovation was designed by Heidi Reis with Abode Agency LLC, she serves clients in Atlanta including but not limited to Intown neighborhoods such as: Grant Park, Inman Park, Midtown, Kirkwood, Candler Park, Lindberg area, Martin Manor, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Decatur, and Avondale Estates. For more information on working with Heidi Reis, click here: https://www.AbodeAgency.Net/

Recently, I was asked to do some Tile Doctoring at Palmeira Square, in the seaside city of Brighton and Hove, to restore the Victorian tiled floor of one of the downstairs offices. Palmeira Square is a residential area which was first developed in the mid-19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria, so many of the buildings feature some fantastic original Victorian tile floors. Although there are many large terraced houses and even mansions in the area, some of the buildings have been converted into offices for commercial use. My client, who leased the downstairs office, managed to persuade the other tenants to employ professional help to restore the tiles, and so I was asked to come in to clean and seal the floor to get it back to looking its best. With Palmeira Square being quite a lively area, I made sure to fence off the front door area from the wandering public. My first job was to apply Tile Doctor Remove & Go to the floor, a heavy duty stripper, multi-purpose stripper that was able to remove the stubborn marks, stains and ingrained dirt on and between the tiles. In particular, Remove & Go helped to remove some rust stains I found near the door hinges. I left the product to sit and work its magic for twenty minutes, and during this time I began cleaning the floor using a buffing pad, which is suitable for use on all types of floor (except polished stone), and a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with water. The combination of a buffing pad and Pro-Clean helped to remove the general dirt and grime that had built up over time in this high traffic area of the office. After the cleaning was complete, the black tiles appeared grey because any remaining sealer had been removed. However, the colour would return after resealing the tiles, which was my next job. I returned to the office after two days to seal the Victorian tile floor. To do this, I needed to use Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which meant I had to ask the office workers to keep off the floor for most of the day. This is because I needed to apply six coats of Seal & Go to the floor, and each coat takes roughly fourty minutes to dry. Seal & Go provides a stain-resistant surface seal and a durable low-sheen finish, which will help keep this floor looking great for a long time, even with a high traffic of workers coming in and out of the office. Luckily, it was a warm day outside, and the floor dried quickly, leaving a shiny, deep black surface. Both my client and I were very happy with the result. The client was also pleasantly surprised to see that I had been able to remove the rust stains near the door.

This Oak Vista home was built in the early part of the 20th Century. We were brought in to make some drastic changes. This property had been used for many years as an office space, so it was full of fluorescent lighting, inexpensive cabinetry, and poorly-executed space planning. We took down a wall between the existing kitchen and another unused room to create a much more useful and beautiful kitchen with all new cabinets and finishes. In the upstairs master bathroom, we reconfigured the master bathroom and added a large shower. In the upstairs hall, which connected to one of the bedrooms, we added a secondary bathroom with a shower featuring period-appropriate scalloped tile. We selected vintage lighting and, when possible, we reused some of the original fixtures that luckily had been stored previously in the basement for years.

Shehan Luxury Pools is pleased to present The Balfe: Naturally, the essentials like an elegant, eco-friendly pool design, automatic cleaning system, and polished pebble interior were already included, but in all honesty, we did not see the speed slide coming… Luckily, with five 17-foot expertly crafted cascading waterfalls to choose from, our design team managed to carve out a 40-foot high-speed super tube any resort would be happy to claim as their own. Hiding beneath over 6,500 square feet of simulated granite slabs, spires and cliff-face rock, a sculpted limestone cavern snakes around a swim-up bar and leads to the world’s first fire Majilis; aka a cozy spot around a blazing bonfire reserved for VIP BFF’s only. A full service outdoor kitchen, personalized travertine decking, and hand-sculpted limestone stalactites complete this fairy tale landscape. As far as opulent designer swimming pools and exotic outdoor spaces go, The Balfe has set a new standard in engineering, construction, and craftsmanship (not to mention extravagance).

This is a redesigned studio apartment we recently renovated. The goal was to increase function and increase the feeling of separate functions. Luckily, this studio is of an impressive size and we were able to increase function via a large kitchen, dining area, home office, and bedroom area. Each separated area serves its own purpose and gives the feeling that the apartment, though small, has plenty of space for differing tasks. The result is a highly functioning studio that doesn’t feel cramped, but rather like a one bed apartment. Designed by Chi Renovation & Design who serve Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Skokie, Wilmette, and all the way up to Lake Forest. For more about Chi Renovation & Design, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/portfolio/upscale-chicago-studio-renovation-design/

Designer: Emily Blonigen Home Style: Tudor Design Style: Traditional Project Completion Date: November 2016 This 1938 South Minneapolis Tudor was ready for a Kitchen remodel that not only improved the aesthetics, but also the function. Luckily, the home was asking for a larger kitchen. By removing what was originally a breakfast room or informal dining, we were able to expand the kitchen for new potential. A new archway was designed to open the new kitchen to the formal dining and living room. We had a small list of “must haves” including a large pantry wall, double oven, and custom bench seating. All new custom cabinetry was designed with practical storage including a lazy susan corner, trash/recycle pull-out, sink tip-out, full extension drawers, shelf pull-outs, silverware organizers, tray tip-up, pocket door appliance garage, a space in the pantry for their vacuum, and a messaging corner. To complement the homes dark woodwork and stone front facade, new porcelain slate tile floors, rich cherry stained cabinets, and natural slate tile backsplash were paired with a neutral Cambria quartz countertop. Fun details were included across the room including a new Kohler cast iron sink, Delta Touch-less faucet, pewter knobs and pulls, bronze lighting, and a rich wall color by Benjamin Moore. The homeowner’s couldn’t be happier and are enjoying the new kitchen with family and friends.

I always love when a client says “do what you think”. I had the best time designing this beach house for another adorable family. When I learned the homes history and the families Greek heritage, my brain entered Mykonos mode. They agreed and let me run with it. Both floors of the home went thru some major overhaul (pictures to come). Luckily I had a dream of a contractor and some magical tradespeople to work with. Not the quickest reno but I’ve learned in this business, nothing pretty comes easy or fast. Big thanks to: @ocgranite, @millmansappliances, @blindfactoryinc, @moegrimes, @joe57bc1, @firstclasshomeservices, @tilemarketofdelaware @mikes_carpet_connection, @generations_oc, @nwilson8503, @savannah_lawyer @dalecropper, @love.letters.oc @rickyjohnson6687

objectives: One of Fairhaven's historic gems, this home needed a ton of love and luckily this house fell into loving owners arms. A complete renovation and addition saved the historic details and re-integrated them into the addition. Clean lines and natural materials glow in the abundance of natural light this home has. photography by Chris DiNottia built by Instict Builders architect: [Bundle]

I always love when a client says “do what you think”. I had the best time designing this beach house for another adorable family. When I learned the homes history and the families Greek heritage, my brain entered Mykonos mode. They agreed and let me run with it. Both floors of the home went thru some major overhaul (pictures to come). Luckily I had a dream of a contractor and some magical tradespeople to work with. Not the quickest reno but I’ve learned in this business, nothing pretty comes easy or fast. Big thanks to: @ocgranite, @millmansappliances, @blindfactoryinc, @moegrimes, @joe57bc1, @firstclasshomeservices, @tilemarketofdelaware @mikes_carpet_connection, @generations_oc, @nwilson8503, @savannah_lawyer @dalecropper, @love.letters.oc @rickyjohnson6687

Jody Finglas A little about Finglas Painting, Inc. Luckily, I also had the ability to convey my enthusiasm to customers, to help them understand the difference between a “paint” job and a “refine your home” job. As president of Finglas Painting, I run the day-to-day operations of the company. Yet I also feel an obligation to train and mentor the next generation of painting professionals. I believe the art of fine details in painting must be preserved, as it makes a difference that goes beyond work for individual clients. Even so, my clients inevitably become my friends, and they remain so long after we are through with their projects. I am so proud to be able to say that. Thank you to my friends for helping me add quality, preserve craftsmanship, and make a difference. Finglas Painting, Inc. brings European elegance and craftsmanship to every home. Jody Finglas, owner of Finglas Painting, is the mentor to a team of highly skilled painters that continue a tradition of artisanship. Jody honed his skills under just such an artisan and then took over the business to carry on the tradition. European painters are known for this philosophy: A “good job” isn’t enough. An “excellent job” is what we strive for in a project. We do Interior and exterior painting for the fine homes of Westchester, Fairfield & Rockland Counties. Standard paints in great trending colors to contrast walls excellently taped for perfection, along with oil based gloss crown moulding and trims really add luster to any room. We also do wall paper removal & installation with some of the finest designer’s picks. Did you know that the color of your house can raise the value when you are selling it? We know this and also do ‘selling your house’ light carpentry and painting.

This AMAZING natural stone backyard makeover was recently installed in Stevens, PA located in beautiful northern Lancaster County. Installed during the early winter which made it quite cold. Luckily once the fire pit was complete we had the luxury of enjoy the warmth of the fire through the day. We even manage to cook a hot lunch a few days on the grill attachment of the fire pit insert. The Project included a two tier natural flagstone patio with a smokeless fire pit feature embedded in the top tier of the patio. Natural Stone steps and boulder retaining walls separate the two patio tiers as well as border the edges. Color changing LED landscape lighting was installed around the perimeter along with an impressive outdoor audio system. The project was finished of with surrounding landscaping and a sod yard.

This executive wanted both a working office and a meeting space within the home to use during retirement years. She was interested in a comfortable “non-office” space for meetings as well as a highly functional, true office arrangement to work within. Luckily, the space available lent itself well to both venues. High up, perched on the third floor, with a private entrance, we created the Tree House Office. It has sweeping views of the water in one direction and beautiful landscaping in the other.

This kitchen needed an update and luckily, we were able to close up a door & enlarge the space. The customers wanted something bright but not white. The perimeter cabinets are an off white opaque on maple & the island is in a warm brown gray stain on cherry. The movement and colors of the granite bring the separate cabinet colors together for a warmer more inviting space. Shout out to Clear Choice Home Improvements in Grand Rapids, Michigan on the install.

This space was originally a closet with out any actual good storage. Working closely with the client, we decided that it was better to convert this to a bathroom. Luckily we were able to open up the ceiling and gain some much needed ceiling height. With a walk in shower and vanity with a variety of storage space as well as plenty of countertop space, this bathroom now perfectly fits this family's needs.

This view is into the guest bath. Luckily, a Martha Stewart vanity (home depot) fit style and space - and cost saving as well. Features here are the wainscot treatment and the sea glass brick tile. ( Photos by Rebecca Klein)