This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

Property Marketed by Hudson Place Realty - Style meets substance in this circa 1875 townhouse. Completely renovated & restored in a contemporary, yet warm & welcoming style, 295 Pavonia Avenue is the ultimate home for the 21st century urban family. Set on a 25’ wide lot, this Hamilton Park home offers an ideal open floor plan, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a private outdoor oasis. With 3,600 sq. ft. of living space, the owner’s triplex showcases a unique formal dining rotunda, living room with exposed brick and built in entertainment center, powder room and office nook. The upper bedroom floors feature a master suite separate sitting area, large walk-in closet with custom built-ins, a dream bath with an over-sized soaking tub, double vanity, separate shower and water closet. The top floor is its own private retreat complete with bedroom, full bath & large sitting room. Tailor-made for the cooking enthusiast, the chef’s kitchen features a top notch appliance package with 48” Viking refrigerator, Kuppersbusch induction cooktop, built-in double wall oven and Bosch dishwasher, Dacor espresso maker, Viking wine refrigerator, Italian Zebra marble counters and walk-in pantry. A breakfast nook leads out to the large deck and yard for seamless indoor/outdoor entertaining. Other building features include; a handsome façade with distinctive mansard roof, hardwood floors, Lutron lighting, home automation/sound system, 2 zone CAC, 3 zone radiant heat & tremendous storage, A garden level office and large one bedroom apartment with private entrances, round out this spectacular home.

Doorless shower - large transitional master double-sink doorless shower idea in Sacramento with gray cabinets and white countertops

Minimalist master dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Raleigh with white walls

The softened corners of the rectangular mirror match the shape of the sink and offer a nod to the subway tile. To see more from Normandy Designer Vince Weber, visit https://www.normandyremodeling.com/team/vince-weber

Images 4 Photography - Chris Meech
Inspiration for a mediterranean open concept medium tone wood floor family room remodel in New York with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Exceptional custom-built 1 ½ story walkout home on a premier cul-de-sac site in the Lakeview neighborhood. Tastefully designed with exquisite craftsmanship and high attention to detail throughout. Offering main level living with a stunning master suite, incredible kitchen with an open concept and a beautiful screen porch showcasing south facing wooded views. This home is an entertainer’s delight with many spaces for hosting gatherings. 2 private acres and surrounded by nature.

Surface Bedroom Set by Huppe, Canada. The Surface Bedroom collection is made of North American birch veneer and features a very unique and interesting design that will adorn any interior, making it even more modern and gorgeous. The low profile of the Surface platform bed underlines its stout and robust appearance and adds a modern stunning look. However the focal point of this bed is definitely its headboard that offers so many customization options. The headboard can be ordered either standard or extended, with or without upholstered. The optional extensions can be also equipped with either Shelves or Drawers and with or without Light. The platform bed Surface can be ordered with optional matching case-goods:nightstands, dresser, chest and mirrors. The drawers of the casegoods close softly thanks to invisible self-closing German slides. The interior of each drawer is stained the same finish as the furniture itself and coated with a silky finish that protects the most delicate garments. All the storage casegoods come with a lacquered glass on the top, making the design even more noble and elegant. The platform bed Surface only requires a mattress that sits on Italian slats and does not require a box spring. Available in a variety of finishes according to our color samples. Presented in Smoked Birch #32 finish (main picture). The starting price is for the Surface Queen size Bed with a Standard Non-Upholstered Headboard. Contact our office to get Surface Bed for even better price! Limited Time Offer! P: 718-676-1977 (MIG Furniture, Brooklyn NY) Dimensions: Queen Size Bed: W66.5" x D85" x H40" King Size Bed: W84" x D85" x H40" Headboard Extensions: W22.5" x D2" x H40" Night Stand: W24" x D19" x H22" Double Dresser: W66" x D19" x H30" Lingerie Chest: W24" x D19" x H56" Wall Mirror: W46" x D2" x H26" Floor Mirror: W29" x D2" x H75"

Between The Sheets, LLC is a luxury linen and bath store on Long Beach Island, NJ. We offer the best of the best in luxury linens, furniture, window treatments, area rugs and home accessories as well as full interior design services. Photography by Joan Phillips

Bright and cheery master bedroom with blue walls, linen sheets, accent pillows and a side bench. A chandelier elevates the space and offers a woven and beaded quality.

The three-bedroom Belita offers a study, formal dining room and a gourmet-inspired kitchen with a freestanding island breakfast bar and adjoining café, home office and walk-in pantry. Sliding glass doors in the living room and café combine indoor-and-outdoor spaces and showcase views of the lakefront neighborhood, as well as its alfresco living area and fire bowl-flanked pool and spa. Two guest suites are located on the second floor, which also has a loft and wet bar, and double doors leading to a balcony. The Belita has 3,738 square feet of living space and 5,308 total square feet, including covered living areas, an attached two-car garage and an additional detached single-car garage. Image ©Advanced Photography Specialists

Interior Design | Jeanne Campana Design Contractor | Artistic Contracting Photography | Kyle J. Caldwell
Inspiration for a huge transitional master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel in New York with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

AV Architects + Builders Location: Tysons, VA, USA The Home for Life project was customized around our client’s lifestyle so that he could enjoy the home for many years to come. Designed with empty nesters and baby boomers in mind, our custom design used a different approach to the disparity of square footage on each floor. The main level measures out at 2,300 square feet while the lower and upper levels of the home measure out at 1000 square feet each, respectively. The open floor plan of the main level features a master suite and master bath, personal office, kitchen and dining areas, and a two-car garage that opens to a mudroom and laundry room. The upper level features two generously sized en-suite bedrooms while the lower level features an extra guest room with a full bath and an exercise/rec room. The backyard offers 800 square feet of travertine patio with an elegant outdoor kitchen, while the front entry has a covered 300 square foot porch with custom landscape lighting. The biggest challenge of the project was dealing with the size of the lot, measuring only a ¼ acre. Because the majority of square footage was dedicated to the main floor, we had to make sure that the main rooms had plenty of natural lighting. Our solution was to place the public spaces (Great room and outdoor patio) facing south, and the more private spaces (Bedrooms) facing north. The common misconception with small homes is that they cannot factor in everything the homeowner wants. With our custom design, we created an open concept space that features all the amenities of a luxury lifestyle in a home measuring a total of 4300 square feet. Jim Tetro Architectural Photography

White Marble offers a clean aspect to the Master Bathroom.
Mid-sized elegant master gray tile, white tile and marble tile porcelain tile and beige floor alcove bathtub photo in San Francisco with dark wood cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and beaded inset cabinets

Inspiration for a contemporary master beige tile beige floor freestanding bathtub remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Challenge: Not too many! Homeowners were a joy to work with, and the home was build on a large estate lot along the Concho River. We wanted to ensure all views of interiors were oriented to the backyard, pool and river. We also wanted to capture the feeling of the ruggedness of the land and serenity of the river, elegantly and simply. Solution: Hiring a great architect is always the perfect beginning. The base design took great advantage of the views of the beauty around. External stone was also carried inside, cladding a wall that slices through the center of the house in the living room and beyond through patio. Cutting into this wall is a fireplace in the living room, and a fireplace in the patio. The stone became the launch pad for the color scheme. We decided to keep design elements softly modern, even organic, to connect visual and tactile senses to nature. All textiles are natural fibers. In the wonderfully open kitchen/living/dining space, we left the support beams rough and stained them with a bit of gray glaze. The vent hood is iron; the back splash is a glazed brick; roman shade embroidered. Book shelving in dining is painted a metallic bronze. Island has a leathered quartzite top and cabinetry is stained. Master bed and bath offer quiet drama- colors are soft grays, but arrangement of tile surrounding the fireplace above soaking tub is quite attention getting. The custom 7' master bed is upholstered in gray velvet. Fit for a queen!

Photography: Alyssa Lee Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master double-sink bathroom remodel in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and a built-in vanity

A rustic bedroom in a modern mountain ranch, showcasing warm wood finishes, cozy textures, and thoughtful craftsmanship. This tranquil, eco-friendly space blends natural materials with energy-efficient design, offering serene mountain living in Asheville, NC.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Storage was extremely important for this project because she wanted to go from keeping everything out in the open to have everything tucked away neatly, and who wouldn’t want this? So we went to work figuring out how to hide as much as possible but still keep things easy to access. The solution was two pullouts on either side of each vanity and a flush mount medicine cabinet above, so plenty of storage for each person. We kept the layout pretty much the same, but just changed up the configuration of the cabinets. We added a storage cabinet by the toilet because there was plenty of room for that and converted the tub to a shower to make it easy to use the space long-term. Modern day conveniences were also installed, including a heated towel bar, a lower threshold cast iron shower pan with sliding barn door shower door and a flip down shower seat. The house is a classic 1950’s midcentury ranch so we chose materials that fit that bill, and that had a bit of a Scandinavian vibe, including light maple Shaker door cabinets, black hardware and lighting, and simple subway tile in the shower. Our client fell in love with the white Macauba quartzite countertops in our showroom, and we agree they bring a perfect earthy energy into her space. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Dawn Jackman For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com