Mid-sized 1950s slate floor, gray floor, vaulted ceiling and wood wall hallway photo in DC Metro with white walls

Breathtaking views of the incomparable Big Sur Coast, this classic Tuscan design of an Italian farmhouse, combined with a modern approach creates an ambiance of relaxed sophistication for this magnificent 95.73-acre, private coastal estate on California’s Coastal Ridge. Five-bedroom, 5.5-bath, 7,030 sq. ft. main house, and 864 sq. ft. caretaker house over 864 sq. ft. of garage and laundry facility. Commanding a ridge above the Pacific Ocean and Post Ranch Inn, this spectacular property has sweeping views of the California coastline and surrounding hills. “It’s as if a contemporary house were overlaid on a Tuscan farm-house ruin,” says decorator Craig Wright who created the interiors. The main residence was designed by renowned architect Mickey Muenning—the architect of Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, —who artfully combined the contemporary sensibility and the Tuscan vernacular, featuring vaulted ceilings, stained concrete floors, reclaimed Tuscan wood beams, antique Italian roof tiles and a stone tower. Beautifully designed for indoor/outdoor living; the grounds offer a plethora of comfortable and inviting places to lounge and enjoy the stunning views. No expense was spared in the construction of this exquisite estate.

Kitchen - large country l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Portland Maine with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

This contemporary Miami Beach bathroom showcases a refined, spa-like design with a sleek vanity, elegant mirror, and decorative sconces that provide warm ambient lighting. The space is elevated by beautifully detailed tile-work in the shower, adding texture and visual interest while maintaining a clean, modern aesthetic.

The homeowner of this old, detached garage wanted to create a functional living space with a kitchen, bathroom and second-story bedroom, while still maintaining a functional garage space. We salvaged hickory wood for the floors and built custom fir cabinets in the kitchen with patchwork tile backsplash and energy efficient appliances. As a historical home but without historical requirements, we had fun blending era-specific elements like traditional wood windows, French doors, and wood garage doors with modern elements like solar panels on the roof and accent lighting in the stair risers. In preparation for the next phase of construction (a full kitchen remodel and addition to the main house), we connected the plumbing between the main house and carriage house to make the project more cost-effective. We also built a new gate with custom stonework to match the trellis, expanded the patio between the main house and garage, and installed a gas fire pit to seamlessly tie the structures together and provide a year-round outdoor living space.

Friends and neighbors of an owner of Four Elements asked for help in redesigning certain elements of the interior of their newer home on the main floor and basement to better reflect their tastes and wants (contemporary on the main floor with a more cozy rustic feel in the basement). They wanted to update the look of their living room, hallway desk area, and stairway to the basement. They also wanted to create a 'Game of Thrones' themed media room, update the look of their entire basement living area, add a scotch bar/seating nook, and create a new gym with a glass wall. New fireplace areas were created upstairs and downstairs with new bulkheads, new tile & brick facades, along with custom cabinets. A beautiful stained shiplap ceiling was added to the living room. Custom wall paneling was installed to areas on the main floor, stairway, and basement. Wood beams and posts were milled & installed downstairs, and a custom castle-styled barn door was created for the entry into the new medieval styled media room. A gym was built with a glass wall facing the basement living area. Floating shelves with accent lighting were installed throughout - check out the scotch tasting nook! The entire home was also repainted with modern but warm colors. This project turned out beautiful!

Todd Hafermann Photography
Example of an eclectic family room design in Minneapolis

The Loon Room: Kids bunk room-As a weekly rental property built specifically for family vacations and group trips, maximizing comfortable sleeping space was a top priority. We used the extra-large bonus room above the garage as a bunk room designed for kids, but still comfortable enough for adult guests in larger groups. With 4 twin beds and a twin over full bunk this room sleeps 7 with some leftover space for a craft area and library stocked with children and young adult books. While the slanted walls were a decorating challenge, we used the same paint color on all of the walls and ceilings to wrap the room in one cohesive color without drawing attention to the lines. The faux beams and nautical jute rope light fixtures added some fun, whimsical elements that evoke a campy, boating theme without being overly nautical, since the house is on a lake and not on the ocean. Some other great design elements include a large dresser with boat cleat pulls, and some vintage oars and a boat motor mounted to the wall on the far side of the room. Wall Color- Wickham Grey by Benjamin Moore Decor- My Sister's Garage

Enclosed kitchen - large contemporary u-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Transitional laundry room photo in Salt Lake City

Eclectic galley dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen photo in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white backsplash, colored appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Example of a beach style dark wood floor dining room design in Dallas with green walls and no fireplace

The dominant colors in the interior of this family room - pink, gray, white, and light brown - form a warm, gentle, calm background against which the main elements such as a sofa, armchairs, a coffee table and other furniture pieces are clearly visible. Colorful paintings, living houseplants, books, magazines, vases, and pillows act as expressive decorative elements in the interior design of this room. Make your family room as beautiful, fully functional, and stylish as this one in the photo. Our best interior designers are always ready to help you with it. Contact them as soon as possible and get the perfect family room!

This full shot of this contemporary bathroom shows how the three main elements of the bathroom fit together. The shower and toilet sit at the far end of the bathroom and the black vanity and sink are closer to the entrance. This contemporary bathroom design utilizes traditional elements like a light color scheme and beige floor tiles and then uses contemporary elements such as the flat panel black vanity to add more style to the space.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values.

Example of an eclectic bathroom design in Minneapolis

Powder room - contemporary medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wallpaper powder room idea in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, multicolored countertops and a floating vanity

Kitchen island.
Kitchen - large cottage medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Charlotte with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, an island and wood countertops

A rare find in Bloomfield Township is new construction. This gem of a custom home not only featured a modern, open floorplan with great flow, it also had an 1,800 sq. ft. unfinished basement. When the homeowners of this beautiful house approached MainStreet Design Build, they understood the value of renovating the accessible, non-livable space—and recognized its unlimited potential. Their vision for their 1,800 sq. ft. finished basement included a lighter, brighter teen entertainment area—a space large enough for pool, ping pong, shuffle board and darts. It was also important to create an area for food and drink that did not look or feel like a bar. Although the basement was completely unfinished, it presented design challenges due to the angled location of the stairwell and existing plumbing. After 4 months of construction, MainStreet Design Build delivered—in spades! Details of this project include a beautiful modern fireplace wall with Peau de Beton concrete paneled tile surround and an oversized limestone mantel and hearth. Clearly a statement piece, this wall also features a Boulevard 60-inch Contemporary Vent-Free Linear Fireplace with reflective glass liner and crushed glass. Opposite the fireplace wall, is a beautiful custom room divider with bar stool seating that separates the living room space from the gaming area. Effectively blending this room in an open floorplan, MainStreet Design Build used Country Oak Wood Plank Vinyl flooring and painted the walls in a Benjamin Moore eggshell finish. The Kitchenette was designed using Dynasty semi-custom cabinetry, specifically a Renner door style with a Battleship Opaque finish; Top Knobs hardware in a brushed satin nickel finish; and beautiful Caesarstone Symphony Grey Quartz countertops. Tastefully coordinated with the rest of the décor is a modern Filament Chandelier in a bronze finish from Restoration Hardware, hung perfectly above the kitchenette table. A new ½ bath was tucked near the stairwell and designed using the same custom cabinetry and countertops as the kitchenette. It was finished in bold blue/gray paint and topped with Symphony Gray Caesarstone. Beautiful 3×12” Elemental Ice glass subway tile and stainless steel wall shelves adorn the back wall creating the illusion of light. Chrome Shades of Light Double Bullet glass wall sconces project from the wall to shed light on the mirror. Kate Benjamin Photography