Cottage brick floor and red floor kitchen photo in Bridgeport with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, white countertops and a peninsula

Luke Gibson Photography
Transitional women's dark wood floor reach-in closet photo in Los Angeles with white cabinets and gray walls

Large elegant enclosed dark wood floor and brown floor living room library photo in Los Angeles with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Originally designed by one of the most notable landscape architects in town, this once impressive project had faltered in recent years. The pool and spa still functioned well, and the client wanted to keep it intact. In addition, they wanted to keep as much of the existing landscaping as possible. The surrounding decks, walls, and steps were fair game. At first glance, one might think that our changes were simple material changes. Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the subtle, yet transformative changes that come together to update this classic pool in a tasteful, timeless manner, and improve the flow and usability of the deck areas, while softening the feel of the massive hardscape. The subtle changes begin as soon as you walk out the back door of the house. The existing decking had a lot of what we call “tweeners”; areas that are overly generous walkways, yet not large enough to house furniture. The awkwardly small bluestone patio was expanded to accommodate a generous seating area, by pushing the step-down closer to the pool. Our talented stone mason carefully married the new bluestone into the existing, resulting in an imperceptible difference between the two. As you descend the new bluestone steps to the pool level, your bare feet will be thankful for the new smooth-finished limestone colored concrete, with a hand cut pattern carefully etched into its surface. The old red brick decking was so hot that the owners could not walk around the pool in bare feet. The brick coping was also replaced with an eased edge Pennsylvania Premier Stone which matches the new step treads throughout the project. Between the house and the pool, a large raised planter was reconfigured, giving additional space to the pool deck for a shaded lounge chair area. Across the pool, a bank of rather tall painted brick retaining walls were cut down, shortened, and moved. This lessened the visual impact of the walls, which were rather overwhelming in the space, as well as opening up a new seating area, nestled under the arms of the massive pecan at the back of the property. Rather than continuing solid decking around the entire pool, the area near these walls has been transformed to large stone stepper pads set in a sea of beautiful St. Augustine lawn. This creates a visually softened area that is still suited to setting tables and chairs when the guest list calls for additional seating. The spa area is quite possibly the most dramatic change on this project. Yet more raised planter walls divided this area into awkward spaces, unsuited to proper furniture placement. The planters were removed, new stone decks, once again expertly married into the existing, opening the area to house a large dining table and new built in bbq area. The spa itself was re-imagined with the bluestone coping, and painted brick veneer. The most impressive addition though is the new handmade glazed tiles that surround the existing cast stone water feature. This water feature was almost unnoticeable against the painted brick wall, but now the dramatic arch and pop of color draw the eye to this quaint little corner of the property.

Inspiration for a large country l-shaped concrete floor living room remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, gray backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Kimberley Bryan
Photo of a farmhouse full sun water fountain landscape in Seattle.

Photos by Andrew Giammarco Photography.
Example of a small trendy 3/4 white tile and ceramic tile alcove shower design in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops, a hinged shower door, black countertops and gray cabinets

Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor and gray floor living room design in New York with gray walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Embarking on a garage remodeling project is a transformative endeavor that can significantly enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of the space. By investing in tailored storage solutions such as cabinets, wall-mounted organizers, and overhead racks, one can efficiently declutter the area and create a more organized storage system. Flooring upgrades, such as epoxy coatings or durable tiles, not only improve the garage's appearance but also provide a resilient surface. Adding custom workbenches or tool storage solutions contributes to a more efficient and user-friendly workspace. Additionally, incorporating proper lighting and ventilation ensures a well-lit and comfortable environment. A remodeled garage not only increases property value but also opens up possibilities for alternative uses, such as a home gym, workshop, or hobby space, making it a worthwhile investment for both practicality and lifestyle improvement.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Tricia Shay Photography
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized contemporary l-shaped concrete floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in Milwaukee with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink and an island

Bryan Parker
This is an example of a mid-sized craftsman concrete paver back porch design in Austin with a fire pit.

Margot Hartford Photography
Inspiration for an eclectic master blue tile and subway tile beige floor bathroom remodel in San Francisco with blue walls

Trendy multicolored three-story mixed siding flat roof photo in Minneapolis

The stone base, painted blue shingle upper story and hipped natural shingle roof create a distinctive composition reminiscent of an architectural precedent nearly one hundred years old.

Living room - traditional formal living room idea in Philadelphia with a standard fireplace

HARIS KENJAR
Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

A master bath immersed in serenity indulges in all manner of luxuries including honed and tumbled thassos marble tile rug with shell inlay and polished marble border, entire walls of recessed wood paneling, a burst of color at the soaring tray ceiling, a soaking tub niche with bowed window bay, and crisp polished nickel fixtures and hardware and accoutrements. James Merrell Photography

Dining room - large coastal light wood floor and brown floor dining room idea in Providence with beige walls and no fireplace