This beautifully open and bright master bedroom has a unique accent wall that continues onto the ceiling. With simple trim work and paint this stripe adds a touch of style to this master suite. Designed and built by Terramor Homes in Raleigh, NC. Photo: M. Eric Honeycutt

Bedroom - large 1950s master carpeted and beige floor bedroom idea in New York with brown walls and a standard fireplace

The SlimLine Fusion SL-550 Direct Vent gas fireplace can be personalized with more than 10 options to deliver a custom look. Create a style uniquely yours—a fusion of modern and traditional elements. Add flair to a classic look, highlight contemporary elements, or upgrade your space years from now. It’s all possible with the SlimLine Fusion SL-550 gas fireplaces.

Luxury master bathroom ensuite with a spa-like feel. -Deep Maax soaker tub in grey, custom 84" double sink vanity with quartz countertop. -Full tile wall that continues into the large 42x60" shower. -Vertical accent wall in shower that continues through niche with marble shelves that matches the shower curb and counter. -Custom glass with glass return panel to get the maximum oomph out of this space.

The aspiration was to create a graphic from that was in oppo.
Large contemporary two-story wood flat roof idea in Melbourne

The large master bathroom has space for storage and wide counter space. The mirrors add to the size by expanding the feel and the large cabinets provide storage and continuity of material. With a monotoned feel, the bathroom is brought to life with the blue decor and bath assesories. Mark Quentin, StudioQphoto.com

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to match the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who cannot live tiny, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design Assistance Jimmy Thornton

Alcove shower - mid-sized contemporary 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile, black floor and single-sink alcove shower idea in New York with medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink, white countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity

Beautiful Silver travertine master bath with travertine slab walls with continues vein match. Tub deck is 4cm laminated with ogee edge detail. Stone fabrication and installation by Ageless Stoneworks in Houston, TX.

Large gray center island with raised-panel doors topped in 3cm Taj Mahal Quartzite. Backsplash is Transceramica French Clay, 4" x 12", in Automne Glossy.

Amazing 37 sq. ft. bathroom transformation. Our client wanted to turn her bathtub into a shower, and bring light colors to make her small bathroom look more spacious. Instead of only tiling the shower, which would have visually shortened the plumbing wall, we created a feature wall made out of cement tiles to create an illusion of an elongated space. We paired these graphic tiles with brass accents and a simple, yet elegant white vanity to contrast this feature wall. The result…is pure magic ✨

The second-floor bath in this Brooklyn brownstone was a complete gut job. We covered 3 quarters of the walls in large-scale marble tile—but the glass enclosed shower features a pony wall of marble tile that continues onto the shower walls and ceiling. A vessel sink sits atop a white-granite vanity / countertop that's large enough to accommodate an adjacent sitting area. A huge freestanding soaking tub remains separate from the shower—we really made the most of this space without having to make major structural changes. Black hex tile with white grout covers the floor.

The master bedroom of the Needham house continues the theme of tastefully discreet by keeping the electronics out of sight. Automated lighting, shade and energy management can all be controlled from a smart phone or tablet.

Matthew Millman
Large transitional backyard rectangular pool photo in San Francisco

Alcove shower - small contemporary 3/4 white tile ceramic tile alcove shower idea in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, black walls, a wall-mount sink and a hinged shower door

Powder room - coastal blue tile blue floor powder room idea in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and white countertops

Example of a small trendy 3/4 gray tile and marble tile slate floor alcove shower design in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, marble countertops and an undermount sink

*Interior Design by Jennifer Stoner of Jennifer Stoner Interiors http://www.houzz.com/pro/jstoner/jennifer-stoner-interiors *Photography by Bryan Chavez

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com