With two teen daughters, a one bathroom house isn’t going to cut it. In order to keep the peace, our clients tore down an existing house in Richmond, BC to build a dream home suitable for a growing family. The plan. To keep the business on the main floor, complete with gym and media room, and have the bedrooms on the upper floor to retreat to for moments of tranquility. Designed in an Arts and Crafts manner, the home’s facade and interior impeccably flow together. Most of the rooms have craftsman style custom millwork designed for continuity. The highlight of the main floor is the dining room with a ridge skylight where ship-lap and exposed beams are used as finishing touches. Large windows were installed throughout to maximize light and two covered outdoor patios built for extra square footage. The kitchen overlooks the great room and comes with a separate wok kitchen. You can never have too many kitchens! The upper floor was designed with a Jack and Jill bathroom for the girls and a fourth bedroom with en-suite for one of them to move to when the need presents itself. Mom and dad thought things through and kept their master bedroom and en-suite on the opposite side of the floor. With such a well thought out floor plan, this home is sure to please for years to come.

This custom kitchen checked all the boxes for this large family! Seating for all the kids on the island, room for the feast table, a 60" range for crafting mega meals, and the warm, cozy, comfortable feeling of home. We were successful in this pursuit by relocating the garage access, and reorienting the kitchen. This allowed for primary and secondary prep zones, primary and secondary wash zones and the chef zone on the island. Hidden appliances give the feeling that this is more than a kitchen, it's a family hang-out space. The soft visual texture of the Fantasy Brown Quartzite counters add a richness and depth. Walls wrapped in a high-performance textured wallcovering soften, while the grey trim and doors warms this cozy space.

This stunning complete kitchen and powder bath remodel in a historic Kensington home is the second project Lars has had the pleasure of working on with this family. After completing a second story master suite addition and backyard remodel nearly 13 years ago, the clients were ready to tackle phase two: transforming their kitchen into their dream space. Timeless design elements are paired with decidedly modern touches, upscale appliances, and custom finishes. The expansive island serves as the focal point of the room, drawing the eye in with its rich gray color, while stunning gold accents, pendant lighting, and handsome Waterstone fixtures complete the look. Another stunning showpiece in this remodel is the custom armoire cabinet that houses the Miele Mastercool refrigerator and freezer. The powder room perfectly pairs drama and design with its sultry color palette and rich gold accents, but the true star of the show in this small space are the oversized teardrop pendant lights that flank the embossed leather vanity.

This industrial chic open floor plan home in Pasadena's coveted Historic Highlands was given a complete modern farmhouse makeover with shiplap siding, wide planked floors and barn doors. No detail was overlooked by the interior designer home owner. Welcome guests into the vaulted ceiling great room as you gather your friends and family at the 10' farmhouse table after some community cooking in this entertainer's dream kitchen. The 14' island peninsula, individual fridge and freezers, induction cooktop, double ovens, 3 sinks, 2 dishwashers, butler's pantry with yet another sink, and hands free trash receptacle make prep and cleanup a breeze. Stroll down 2 blocks to local shops like Millie's, Be Pilates, and Lark Cake Shop, grabbing a latte from Lavender & Honey. Then walk back to enjoy some apple pie and lemonade from your own fruit trees on your charming 40' porch as you unwind on the porch swing smelling the lavender and rosemary in your newly landscaped yards and waving to the friendly neighbors in this last remaining Norman Rockwell neighborhood. End your day in the polished nickel master bath, relaxing in the wet room with a steam shower and soak in the Jason Microsilk tub. This is modern farmhouse living at its best. Welcome home!

Kitchen - modern kitchen idea in Toronto

This custom kitchen checked all the boxes for this large family! Seating for all the kids on the island, room for the feast table, a 60" range for crafting mega meals, and the warm, cozy, comfortable feeling of home. We were successful in this pursuit by relocating the garage access, and reorienting the kitchen. This allowed for primary and secondary prep zones, primary and secondary wash zones and the chef zone on the island. Hidden appliances give the feeling that this is more than a kitchen, it's a family hang-out space. The soft visual texture of the Fantasy Brown Quartzite counters add a richness and depth. Walls wrapped in a high-performance textured wallcovering soften, while the grey trim and doors warms this cozy space.

This industrial chic open floor plan home in Pasadena's coveted Historic Highlands was given a complete modern farmhouse makeover with shiplap siding, wide planked floors and barn doors. No detail was overlooked by the interior designer home owner. Welcome guests into the vaulted ceiling great room as you gather your friends and family at the 10' farmhouse table after some community cooking in this entertainer's dream kitchen. The 14' island peninsula, individual fridge and freezers, induction cooktop, double ovens, 3 sinks, 2 dishwashers, butler's pantry with yet another sink, and hands free trash receptacle make prep and cleanup a breeze. Stroll down 2 blocks to local shops like Millie's, Be Pilates, and Lark Cake Shop, grabbing a latte from Lavender & Honey. Then walk back to enjoy some apple pie and lemonade from your own fruit trees on your charming 40' porch as you unwind on the porch swing smelling the lavender and rosemary in your newly landscaped yards and waving to the friendly neighbors in this last remaining Norman Rockwell neighborhood. End your day in the polished nickel master bath, relaxing in the wet room with a steam shower and soak in the Jason Microsilk tub. This is modern farmhouse living at its best. Welcome home!

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Seattle

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The Klimala’s and their three kids are no strangers to moving, this being their fifth house in the same town over the 20-year period they have lived there. “It must be the 7-year itch, because every seven years, we seem to find ourselves antsy for a new project or a new environment. I think part of it is being a designer, I see my own taste evolve and I want my environment to reflect that. Having easy access to wonderful tradesmen and a knowledge of the process makes it that much easier”. This time, Klimala’s fell in love with a somewhat unlikely candidate. The 1950’s ranch turned cape cod was a bit of a mutt, but it’s location 5 minutes from their design studio and backing up to the high school where their kids can roll out of bed and walk to school, coupled with the charm of its location on a private road and lush landscaping made it an appealing choice for them. “The bones of the house were really charming. It was typical 1,500 square foot ranch that at some point someone added a second floor to. Its sloped roofline and dormered bedrooms gave it some charm.” With the help of architect Maureen McHugh, Klimala’s gutted and reworked the layout to make the house work for them. An open concept kitchen and dining room allows for more frequent casual family dinners and dinner parties that linger. A dingy 3-season room off the back of the original house was insulated, given a vaulted ceiling with skylights and now opens up to the kitchen. This room now houses an 8’ raw edge white oak dining table and functions as an informal dining room. “One of the challenges with these mid-century homes is the 8’ ceilings. I had to have at least one room that had a higher ceiling so that’s how we did it” states Klimala. The kitchen features a 10’ island which houses a 5’0” Galley Sink. The Galley features two faucets, and double tiered rail system to which accessories such as cutting boards and stainless steel bowls can be added for ease of cooking. Across from the large sink is an induction cooktop. “My two teen daughters and I enjoy cooking, and the Galley and induction cooktop make it so easy.” A wall of tall cabinets features a full size refrigerator, freezer, double oven and built in coffeemaker. The area on the opposite end of the kitchen features a pantry with mirrored glass doors and a beverage center below. The rest of the first floor features an entry way, a living room with views to the front yard’s lush landscaping, a family room where the family hangs out to watch TV, a back entry from the garage with a laundry room and mudroom area, one of the home’s four bedrooms and a full bath. There is a double sided fireplace between the family room and living room. The home features pops of color from the living room’s peach grass cloth to purple painted wall in the family room. “I’m definitely a traditionalist at heart but because of the home’s Midcentury roots, I wanted to incorporate some of those elements into the furniture, lighting and accessories which also ended up being really fun. We are not formal people so I wanted a house that my kids would enjoy, have their friends over and feel comfortable.” The second floor houses the master bedroom suite, two of the kids’ bedrooms and a back room nicknamed “the library” because it has turned into a quiet get away area where the girls can study or take a break from the rest of the family. The area was originally unfinished attic, and because the home was short on closet space, this Jack and Jill area off the girls’ bedrooms houses two large walk-in closets and a small sitting area with a makeup vanity. “The girls really wanted to keep the exposed brick of the fireplace that runs up the through the space, so that’s what we did, and I think they feel like they are in their own little loft space in the city when they are up there” says Klimala. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This kitchen is all about layering textures and hand-made artistry to give it a timeless look full of soul, with each material begging to be touched and appreciated as it’s own work of art. The remodel started by opening up 2 walls, removing windows, installing a 25’ long steel beam, vaulting the ceiling and adding skylights. The 12’ tall ceiling hood focal wall is the wow-factor of the entire open living, dining, kitchen and entry space of this home. The tiles are all hand-chiseled and hand-painted meaning no two are alike in both color and shape. We covered the entire hood wall with the tiles to create lots of texture, but in a minimal way so as to not take away from the texture in the wood walls and ceiling, and reclaimed mix of hardwoods that we had milled into flooring. We continue with the hand-made artistry with soft-black cabinetry, hand-brushed for a timeless look and flanked by reclaimed beams to bring in a warm touch. They’re topped with hand-troweled cement countertops to continue with the timeless vintage vibe. The expansive 9’ island is the perfect conversation and hangout space for a family and large groups. The industrial pendants, 5’ wide professional fridge/freezer, and 48” professional range (painted the famous Ferrari red at the Ferrari plant in Italy) make this a master kitchen perfect for the most discerning chefs and bakers.

Waterfront living at Maxwell Place. Enjoy the spacious 1865 square foot floor plan with 2 bedrooms and 2 large dens. Open living/dining/kitchen is ideal for entertaining. Sunny southern exposure with park and partial NYC views. Custom upgrades and built-ins throughout. Chef’s kitchen features custom island and cabinetry, double door refrigerator, wine refrigerator, built-in keg refrigerator and additional Sub Zero refrigerator & freezer drawers. Luxurious master bedroom with walk-in closet and en-suite bath with separate shower and tub. Central air/heat, custom closets and laundry. Full service elevator building: Doorman, PATH shuttle, two gyms, two pools, two playrooms and common outdoor space with grills. On-site garage parking completes the package.

This custom kitchen checked all the boxes for this large family! Seating for all the kids on the island, room for the feast table, a 60" range for crafting mega meals, and the warm, cozy, comfortable feeling of home. We were successful in this pursuit by relocating the garage access, and reorienting the kitchen. This allowed for primary and secondary prep zones, primary and secondary wash zones and the chef zone on the island. Hidden appliances give the feeling that this is more than a kitchen, it's a family hang-out space. The soft visual texture of the Fantasy Brown Quartzite counters add a richness and depth. Walls wrapped in a high-performance textured wallcovering soften, while the grey trim and doors warms this cozy space.

RV renovation. Entire project was DIY on a strict budget. Work done: wall paint, new floors, new curtains, trim paint, new fridge/freezer, new kitchen sink and faucet, move tv, new office/desk, demo annoying cabinets in bedroom. Photo credit: GreytoBlue.com

Xtreme Renovations just completed a Total Kitchen Renovation as well as the Family Room, Entryway and installing new granite in the Master Bathroom for a repeat client in the Energy Corridor of West Houston. This project included transforming the 1955 constructed home into a show piece that will provide years of enjoyment and add value to the home. Our client desired to totally renovate the Kitchen into a Modern and fully functional ‘Cooks Kitchen’. The project required removing all existing flooring, cabinetry, appliances and custom building new pantries and updating a small powder bath. Custom built cabinets were installed in the Shaker Style with soft closing European hinges and as well as full extension soft closing drawer glides. Major plumbing upgrades were also completed to allow for installation of a new gas range and cook top as well as moving the location of the existing refrigerator/freezer to a new location in the kitchen. All new Stainless Steel appliances were installed along with a new over Cook Top exhaust system. This project included fabricating and installing new Granite Counter Top as two custom built cabinetry units. New Porcelain Tile was installed throughout the Laundry Area, Kitchen, Powder Bath, Family Room and Entryway. Major electrical upgrades were include in this project such as upgrading the existing main electrical service, LED overhead lighting on dimmers as well as under cabinet lighting to add that ‘Wow Factor our client desired and Xtreme Renovations is known for. The existing counter area behind the Kitchen sink was lowered to provide and open feel to the formal dining area. A stainless steel Farm Sink was also installed. All areas that were renovated required drywall, texturing, priming and painting to complete the project.

Transitional kitchen photo in Seattle

Example of a classic bathroom design in Boston

A rendering of one of the two luxury penthouses in this condominium conversion. The two floor-through penthouses are distinctive in every way. Private keyed elevator access opens to 360 degrees of light, air and views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines. An abundance of private and expansive outdoor space completes these grand homes. The kitchens feature six-burner Wolf cook tops, dual Wolf ovens, integrated Wolf microwave drawers, Subzero refrigerators, freezers, and wine coolers. A Bertazzoni hood accents the wood cabinetry and 9 ft island with Calacatta Gold counters and a polished brass façade. 10 ft ceilings give the space a true loft like feel. The expansive five-fixture master bathrooms are unique and grand. Double sinks are featured on an oversized vanity detailed with marble counters and reclaimed wood fronts. Calacatta marble tiles expand from floor to ceiling, and the free standing Knief Mood bathtubs are accented by brushed chrome fixtures. The powder rooms have onyx stone walls and custom built vanities.

This stunning complete kitchen and powder bath remodel in a historic Kensington home is the second project Lars has had the pleasure of working on with this family. After completing a second story master suite addition and backyard remodel nearly 13 years ago, the clients were ready to tackle phase two: transforming their kitchen into their dream space. Timeless design elements are paired with decidedly modern touches, upscale appliances, and custom finishes. The expansive island serves as the focal point of the room, drawing the eye in with its rich gray color, while stunning gold accents, pendant lighting, and handsome Waterstone fixtures complete the look. Another stunning showpiece in this remodel is the custom armoire cabinet that houses the Miele Mastercool refrigerator and freezer. The powder room perfectly pairs drama and design with its sultry color palette and rich gold accents, but the true star of the show in this small space are the oversized teardrop pendant lights that flank the embossed leather vanity.

This client sought to update their recently purchased home in Alexandria. A gourmet kitchen that complemented the size of the home and property was a top priority. They wanted more light-filled and connected living spaces for their growing family. Updating the finishes throughout the home was also a necessity. Design challenges included an existing utility space that occupied a large portion of the kitchen footprint, making the kitchen cramped and narrow. In addition, the foyer was dark, confined and uninviting as a result of its organization and enclosed nature of the main stair. To overcome the challenges, we relocated the utilities, creating a more usable footprint for the kitchen. The aging furnace was replaced with a high efficiency furnace located in a newly insulated and conditioned crawl space. A new hot water heater was placed in the finished attic, and the electrical panel was also relocated. Then, we designed a portion of the kitchen to mask the need for dropped structural headers: the refrigerator, freezer and pantry were placed under the area that necessitated a drop bulkhead, creating a sleek built-in area for the appliances. Once the utilities were moved, the kitchen could be opened up to a large family room and designed with a much-improved layout. Two new four-panel exterior doors replaced small doors at the family room to connect the main living space with the beautiful yard. In addition, white bead board was added to the family room ceiling, creating more visual continuity with the adjacent white kitchen. To transform the foyer into a grand and welcoming entry, a small amount of space was taken from a large second floor bedroom, and the entire second floor structure was supported with a series of flush beams to allow the stair to be opened and expose the rail. New glass doors to the den, relocated at an angle from the main stair provide the foyer with more natural light and a wider, more inviting path to the kitchen. In the master suite, the bedroom and bathroom entry doors were relocated to improve the room’s layout and offer more bathroom privacy and space for a walk-in closet. A room forgotten by the previous owner was turned into a family mudroom with built-ins and wainscoting to keep the family organized in style. Photography by Greg Hadley