Example of a transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

Inspiration for a large timeless u-shaped medium tone wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Boston with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, glass tile backsplash, paneled appliances and two islands

Designer: Aaron Keller | Photographer: Sarah Utech
Transitional walk-out living room photo in Milwaukee

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.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Sean Litchfield
Example of a mid-sized classic open concept beige floor family room design in New York with beige walls

Example of a classic kitchen design in Houston

Example of a trendy open concept living room design in Los Angeles with white walls and no fireplace

This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

The Vida Rectangle Dining Collection exposes the drama of pure positive and negative shapes. The expansive table is sculpted in pristine and durable high-gloss resin with a glass top. The base marries supple metallic weave contrasts crisply with swathes of pure white.

Mid-sized elegant formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room photo in Paris with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Inspiration for a small timeless 3/4 bathroom remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops and multicolored walls

Hoachlander Davis Photography
Eat-in kitchen - large contemporary l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, glass tile backsplash and black countertops

Fabric on window shade is Duralee Pattern 20955. Floor is fabric squares by FLOR. Photography by Nancy Nolan.
Example of a bedroom transitional carpeted kids' bedroom design in Little Rock with beige walls

This smart kitchen renovation in Silver Spring, Maryland, involved removing three walls and a centrally located powder room and a closet. The powder room was relocated into the original closet area, and the patio door moved nearby. The main window was enlarged to create an anchor and focal point for the new kitchen as well as to enhance the view onto the lovely backyard. An angled island keeps the room feeling spacious and open, and a corner pantry was designed so as not to lose precious storage space. Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg

ATIID collaborated with these homeowners to curate new furnishings throughout the home while their down-to-the studs, raise-the-roof renovation, designed by Chambers Design, was underway. Pattern and color were everything to the owners, and classic “Americana” colors with a modern twist appear in the formal dining room, great room with gorgeous new screen porch, and the primary bedroom. Custom bedding that marries not-so-traditional checks and florals invites guests into each sumptuously layered bed. Vintage and contemporary area rugs in wool and jute provide color and warmth, grounding each space. Bold wallpapers were introduced in the powder and guest bathrooms, and custom draperies layered with natural fiber roman shades ala Cindy’s Window Fashions inspire the palettes and draw the eye out to the natural beauty beyond. Luxury abounds in each bathroom with gleaming chrome fixtures and classic finishes. A magnetic shade of blue paint envelops the gourmet kitchen and a buttery yellow creates a happy basement laundry room. No detail was overlooked in this stately home - down to the mudroom’s delightful dutch door and hard-wearing brick floor. Photography by Meagan Larsen Photography

What a beautiful way of working from home when you have a remote position. This multi-functional basement design incorporated 3 areas, the workspace, workout zone, and lounging area. Inspired by this brand "Lionspride" this design was meant to marry a rustic to modern flare while still be a calming inspiring space to work from home.

What a beautiful way of working from home when you have a remote position. This multi-functional basement design incorporated 3 areas, the workspace, workout zone, and lounging area. Inspired by this brand "Lionspride" this design was meant to marry a rustic to modern flare while still be a calming inspiring space to work from home.

What a beautiful way of working from home when you have a remote position. This multi-functional basement design incorporated 3 areas, the workspace, workout zone, and lounging area. Inspired by this brand "Lionspride" this design was meant to marry a rustic to modern flare while still be a calming inspiring space to work from home.