We were contracted by a local couple who owns an accounting practice locally that wanted to build their retirement home in a desired neighborhood close to their offices. They had already bought their lot, and purchased their home plans online. The owners of this beautiful home had many of their selections, colors, and other desires already picked prior to beginning the project. One unique feature that was requested was to incorporate a toe ledge into the master shower so that the lady of the house would have an easier time when shaving her legs. Now that is a true customized item that not many ladies would think about when building the home of her dreams. Connie McCoy

Like many California ranch homes built in the 1950s, this original master bathroom was not really a "master bath." My clients, who only three years ago purchased the home from the family of the original owner, were saddled with a small, dysfunctional space. Chief among the dysfunctions: a vanity only 30" high, and an inconveniently placed window that forced the too-low vanity mirror to reflect only the waist and partial torso--not the face--of anyone standing in front of it. They wanted not only a more spacious bathroom but a bedroom as well, so we worked in tandem with an architect and contractor to come up with a fantastic new space: a true Master Suite. In order to refine a design concept for the soon-to-be larger space, and thereby narrow down material choices, my clients and I had a brainstorming session: we spoke of an elegant Old World/ European bedroom and bathroom, a luxurious bath that would reference a Roman spa, and finally the idea of a Hammam was brought into the mix. We blended these ideas together in oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and a tiny tile mosaic in beautiful Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece. The new generously sized bathroom boasts a jetted soaking tub, a very large walk-in shower, a double-sided fireplace (facing the tub on the bath side), and a luxurious 8' long vanity with double sinks and a storage tower. The vanity wall is covered with a mosaic vine pattern in a beautiful Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece,. The custom Larson Juhl framed mirrors are flanked by gorgeous hand-wrought scones from Hubbardton Forge which echo the vine and leaf pattern in the mosaic. And the vanity itself features an LED strip in the toe-kick which allows one to see in the middle of the night without having to turn on a shockingly bright overhead fixture. At the other end of the master bath, a luxurious jetted tub nestles by a fireplace in the bay window area. Views of my clients' garden can be seen while soaking in bubbles. The over-sized walk-in shower features a paneled wainscoting effect which I designed in Crema Marfil marble. The vine mosaic continues in the shower, topped by green onyx squares. A rainshower head and a hand-held spray on a bar provides showering options. The shower floor slopes gently in one direction toward a hidden linear drain; this allows the floor to be read as a continuation of the main space, without being interrupted by a center drain. Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

Believe it or not, this award-winning home began as a speculative project. Typically speculative projects involve a rather generic design that would appeal to many in a style that might be loved by the masses. But the project’s developer loved modern architecture and his personal residence was the first project designed by architect C.P. Drewett when Drewett Works launched in 2001. Together, the architect and developer envisioned a fictitious art collector who would one day purchase this stunning piece of desert modern architecture to showcase their magnificent collection. The primary views from the site were southwest. Therefore, protecting the interior spaces from the southwest sun while making the primary views available was the greatest challenge. The views were very calculated and carefully managed. Every room needed to not only capture the vistas of the surrounding desert, but also provide viewing spaces for the potential collection to be housed within its walls. The core of the material palette is utilitarian including exposed masonry and locally quarried cantera stone. An organic nature was added to the project through millwork selections including walnut and red gum veneers. The eventual owners saw immediately that this could indeed become a home for them as well as their magnificent collection, of which pieces are loaned out to museums around the world. Their decision to purchase the home was based on the dimensions of one particular wall in the dining room which was EXACTLY large enough for one particular painting not yet displayed due to its size. The owners and this home were, as the saying goes, a perfect match! Project Details | Desert Modern for the Magnificent Collection, Estancia, Scottsdale, AZ Architecture: C.P. Drewett, Jr., AIA, NCARB | Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ Builder: Shannon Construction | Phoenix, AZ Interior Selections: Janet Bilotti, NCIDQ, ASID | Naples, FL Custom Millwork: Linear Fine Woodworking | Scottsdale, AZ Photography: Dino Tonn | Scottsdale, AZ Awards: 2014 Gold Nugget Award of Merit Feature Article: Luxe. Interiors and Design. Winter 2015, “Lofty Exposure”

This fairly new home was built on Daniel Island right on beautiful Smythe Park. The homeowners purchased the five-year-old home because of its location and potential, but they had great plans to make it more modern and unique to their styles by incorporating transitional and modern design. They decided to go very white, creating a sleek, clean look while contrasting it against stained, dark hardwood floors. The project included adding new hardware, applying a fresh coat of paint to the entire interior (walls and ceilings), adding new light fixtures, refinishing the floors throughout the home and remodeling the master bathroom, morning kitchen, main kitchen and butler’s pantry cabinetry with newly refinished cabinetry, countertops and fixtures. What a remarkable transformation! The family able to create a fresh new look while keeping the architectural bones of the home in tact. Photography by: Brennan Wesley

The Oak Hill® Suite blends the charm and rustic detailing of traditional farmhouse design with progressive convenience. Rural Americana with a modern twist.

When this Harbor Island home was originally purchased, the new owner knew that a lot work was needed to transform the whole home to fit his more contemporary style. The Big Sky Design team added new finishes, fireplaces, window treatments and completed a full kitchen and master bath renovation. In the kitchen they added a new island, new custom stained wood detailed bulkhead, Cambria Quartz countertop and backsplash as well as custom finished cabinetry. The master bath has a sleek new tiled wall, all new plumbing and fixtures, lighting and custom concrete sinks. With numerous windows around the perimeter of the home, the space feels open, light and airy. The home is surrounded by palm trees on the exterior all at the perfect heigh to provide privacy and a touch of classic Wrightsville Beach feel. The final look is sleek and handsome and the perfect space for the client to call home! || Photography: Mark Steelman (marksteelmanphoto.com)

Aventura Magazine said: In the master bedroom, the subtle use of color keeps the mood serene. The modern king-sized bed is from B@B Italia. The Willy Dilly Lamp is by Ingo Maurer and the white Oregani linens were purchased at Luminaire. In order to achieve the luxury of the natural environment, she extensively renovated the front of the house and the back door area leading to the pool. In the front sections, Corredor wanted to look out-doors and see green from wherever she was seated. Throughout the house, she created several architectural siting areas using a variety of architectural and creative devices. One of the sting areas was greatly expanded by adding two marble slabs to extend the room, which leads directly outdoors. From one door next to unique vertical shelf filled with stacked books. Corredor and her husband can pass through paradise to a bedroom/office area.

Photo: Heather Banks © 2015 Houzz
Elegant living room photo in Austin

We were contracted by a local couple who owns an accounting practice locally that wanted to build their retirement home in a desired neighborhood close to their offices. They had already bought their lot, and purchased their home plans online. The owners of this beautiful home had many of their selections, colors, and other desires already picked prior to beginning the project. One unique feature that was requested was to incorporate a toe ledge into the master shower so that the lady of the house would have an easier time when shaving her legs. Now that is a true customized item that not many ladies would think about when building the home of her dreams. Connie McCoy

This newly purchased home was the perfect size for our client's growing family. The house, having been expanded on and renovated by the previous owners was the right size but not quite the right style. The house was full of design elements that may have been "cool" in the early 2000s but just didn't feel right for a young family. The master bathroom was in the most serious need of redo with many, many square feet of dingy and somewhat depressing deep red granite tile with diamond accents in black granite. The bathroom felt dark and dingy. Together with our clients, we set out on our mission to efficiently turn this room into an inviting and happy place for our clients. Thankfully the layout of the space was very functional, so we focused on an aesthetic overhall. At the top of the client’s list was to have a beautiful and comfortable freestanding soaker tub. Behind the Kohler tub and throughout the bathroom walls is polished Calacatta Gold marble tile. The new brushed nickel plumbing fixtures are timeless and unfussy, an important thing for busy young parents! The new bathroom is sleek but not stark. A welcoming space for our clients to feel at home.

This fairly new home was built on Daniel Island right on beautiful Smythe Park. The homeowners purchased the five-year-old home because of its location and potential, but they had great plans to make it more modern and unique to their styles by incorporating transitional and modern design. They decided to go very white, creating a sleek, clean look while contrasting it against stained, dark hardwood floors. The project included adding new hardware, applying a fresh coat of paint to the entire interior (walls and ceilings), adding new light fixtures, refinishing the floors throughout the home and remodeling the master bathroom, morning kitchen, main kitchen and butler’s pantry cabinetry with newly refinished cabinetry, countertops and fixtures. What a remarkable transformation! The family able to create a fresh new look while keeping the architectural bones of the home in tact. Photography by: Brennan Wesley

This family needed help decorating their large new home in Chino. They moved in and didn’t know where to start. We decided to start with the master bedroom. They were sleeping on a mattress on the floor with paper blinds on the windows – totally unacceptable! They had already painted and the flooring was new, so we worked with the existing color scheme, which was great, because they selected a sophisticated neutral color scheme that gave us a perfect base. The room was completely empty, so to get the ball rolling, we started by sourcing and purchasing the larger furniture items first and basing the remainder of the decor around those pieces. I really enjoy finding a good deal and gathering unique accents from multiple sources, rather than having a room decorated all from one store. I never want a client’s home to look like it came straight from a catalog page…where’s the fun in that? Luckily this client felt the same way and they were totally on board with finding special pieces from stores like: Wayfair, Home Goods and Pier 1.

Our clients had just recently closed on their new house in Stapleton and were excited to transform it into their perfect forever home. They wanted to remodel the entire first floor to create a more open floor plan and develop a smoother flow through the house that better fit the needs of their family. The original layout consisted of several small rooms that just weren’t very functional, so we decided to remove the walls that were breaking up the space and restructure the first floor to create a wonderfully open feel. After removing the existing walls, we rearranged their spaces to give them an office at the front of the house, a large living room, and a large dining room that connects seamlessly with the kitchen. We also wanted to center the foyer in the home and allow more light to travel through the first floor, so we replaced their existing doors with beautiful custom sliding doors to the back yard and a gorgeous walnut door with side lights to greet guests at the front of their home. Living Room Our clients wanted a living room that could accommodate an inviting sectional, a baby grand piano, and plenty of space for family game nights. So, we transformed what had been a small office and sitting room into a large open living room with custom wood columns. We wanted to avoid making the home feel too vast and monumental, so we designed custom beams and columns to define spaces and to make the house feel like a home. Aesthetically we wanted their home to be soft and inviting, so we utilized a neutral color palette with occasional accents of muted blues and greens. Dining Room Our clients were also looking for a large dining room that was open to the rest of the home and perfect for big family gatherings. So, we removed what had been a small family room and eat-in dining area to create a spacious dining room with a fireplace and bar. We added custom cabinetry to the bar area with open shelving for displaying and designed a custom surround for their fireplace that ties in with the wood work we designed for their living room. We brought in the tones and materiality from the kitchen to unite the spaces and added a mixed metal light fixture to bring the space together Kitchen We wanted the kitchen to be a real show stopper and carry through the calm muted tones we were utilizing throughout their home. We reoriented the kitchen to allow for a big beautiful custom island and to give us the opportunity for a focal wall with cooktop and range hood. Their custom island was perfectly complimented with a dramatic quartz counter top and oversized pendants making it the real center of their home. Since they enter the kitchen first when coming from their detached garage, we included a small mud-room area right by the back door to catch everyone’s coats and shoes as they come in. We also created a new walk-in pantry with plenty of open storage and a fun chalkboard door for writing notes, recipes, and grocery lists. Office We transformed the original dining room into a handsome office at the front of the house. We designed custom walnut built-ins to house all of their books, and added glass french doors to give them a bit of privacy without making the space too closed off. We painted the room a deep muted blue to create a glimpse of rich color through the french doors Powder Room The powder room is a wonderful play on textures. We used a neutral palette with contrasting tones to create dramatic moments in this little space with accents of brushed gold. Master Bathroom The existing master bathroom had an awkward layout and outdated finishes, so we redesigned the space to create a clean layout with a dream worthy shower. We continued to use neutral tones that tie in with the rest of the home, but had fun playing with tile textures and patterns to create an eye-catching vanity. The wood-look tile planks along the floor provide a soft backdrop for their new free-standing bathtub and contrast beautifully with the deep ash finish on the cabinetry.

When an international client moved from Brazil to Stamford, Connecticut, they reached out to Decor Aid, and asked for our help in modernizing a recently purchased suburban home. The client felt that the house was too “cookie-cutter,” and wanted to transform their space into a highly individualized home for their energetic family of four. In addition to giving the house a more updated and modern feel, the client wanted to use the interior design as an opportunity to segment and demarcate each area of the home. They requested that the downstairs area be transformed into a media room, where the whole family could hang out together. Both of the parents work from home, and so their office spaces had to be sequestered from the rest of the house, but conceived without any disruptive design elements. And as the husband is a photographer, he wanted to put his own artwork on display. So the furniture that we sourced had to balance the more traditional elements of the house, while also feeling cohesive with the husband’s bold, graphic, contemporary style of photography. The first step in transforming this house was repainting the interior and exterior, which were originally done in outdated beige and taupe colors. To set the tone for a classically modern design scheme, we painted the exterior a charcoal grey, with a white trim, and repainted the door a crimson red. The home offices were placed in a quiet corner of the house, and outfitted with a similar color palette: grey walls, a white trim, and red accents, for a seamless transition between work space and home life. The house is situated on the edge of a Connecticut forest, with clusters of maple, birch, and hemlock trees lining the property. So we installed white window treatments, to accentuate the natural surroundings, and to highlight the angular architecture of the home. In the entryway, a bold, graphic print, and a thick-pile sheepskin rug set the tone for this modern, yet comfortable home. While the formal room was conceived with a high-contrast neutral palette and angular, contemporary furniture, the downstairs media area includes a spiral staircase, comfortable furniture, and patterned accent pillows, which creates a more relaxed atmosphere. Equipped with a television, a fully-stocked bar, and a variety of table games, the downstairs media area has something for everyone in this energetic young family.

When this Harbor Island home was originally purchased, the new owner knew that a lot work was needed to transform the whole home to fit his more contemporary style. The Big Sky Design team added new finishes, fireplaces, window treatments and completed a full kitchen and master bath renovation. In the kitchen they added a new island, new custom stained wood detailed bulkhead, Cambria Quartz countertop and backsplash as well as custom finished cabinetry. The master bath has a sleek new tiled wall, all new plumbing and fixtures, lighting and custom concrete sinks. With numerous windows around the perimeter of the home, the space feels open, light and airy. The home is surrounded by palm trees on the exterior all at the perfect heigh to provide privacy and a touch of classic Wrightsville Beach feel. The final look is sleek and handsome and the perfect space for the client to call home! || Photography: Mark Steelman (marksteelmanphoto.com)

The homeowners had just purchased this home in El Segundo and they had remodeled the kitchen and one of the bathrooms on their own. However, they had more work to do. They felt that the rest of the project was too big and complex to tackle on their own and so they retained us to take over where they left off. The main focus of the project was to create a master suite and take advantage of the rather large backyard as an extension of their home. They were looking to create a more fluid indoor outdoor space. When adding the new master suite leaving the ceilings vaulted along with French doors give the space a feeling of openness. The window seat was originally designed as an architectural feature for the exterior but turned out to be a benefit to the interior! They wanted a spa feel for their master bathroom utilizing organic finishes. Since the plan is that this will be their forever home a curbless shower was an important feature to them. The glass barn door on the shower makes the space feel larger and allows for the travertine shower tile to show through. Floating shelves and vanity allow the space to feel larger while the natural tones of the porcelain tile floor are calming. The his and hers vessel sinks make the space functional for two people to use it at once. The walk-in closet is open while the master bathroom has a white pocket door for privacy. Since a new master suite was added to the home we converted the existing master bedroom into a family room. Adding French Doors to the family room opened up the floorplan to the outdoors while increasing the amount of natural light in this room. The closet that was previously in the bedroom was converted to built in cabinetry and floating shelves in the family room. The French doors in the master suite and family room now both open to the same deck space. The homes new open floor plan called for a kitchen island to bring the kitchen and dining / great room together. The island is a 3” countertop vs the standard inch and a half. This design feature gives the island a chunky look. It was important that the island look like it was always a part of the kitchen. Lastly, we added a skylight in the corner of the kitchen as it felt dark once we closed off the side door that was there previously. Repurposing rooms and opening the floor plan led to creating a laundry closet out of an old coat closet (and borrowing a small space from the new family room). The floors become an integral part of tying together an open floor plan like this. The home still had original oak floors and the homeowners wanted to maintain that character. We laced in new planks and refinished it all to bring the project together. To add curb appeal we removed the carport which was blocking a lot of natural light from the outside of the house. We also re-stuccoed the home and added exterior trim.

About a year after purchasing this structure, these clients engaged us to to start the process of designing and engineering a expansion of this little cottage into a larger home where they could put down roots and start a family. Our clients looked long and hard for the perfect outdoor setting and after months of searching, they found a little post-war cottage on a lake just east of Redmond, Washington. Our solution is a classic upper level addition that takes in the views of its alpine lake setting. The existing basement level was repurposed as the recreation hub of the house with a game area, media center, guest suite and storage for a large inventory of outdoor & boating gear. The main level was redesigned in a more family friendly format with a powder room, bedroom, vaulted great room, pantry and gourmet kitchen. The upper level is the private domain of the Master Suite and high tech hub. Because our clients work in the tech industry, a large home office that allows them to work remotely was an important component of their home's program. The master suite includes a large walk-in closet, small laundry, sleeping area and 5-piece master bath. The exterior of the house includes a covered porch that wraps around this level and leads to an expansive deck on the water side of the house. This deck functions as an extension of the main level and effectively adds several hundred square feet of additional living space. We then enveloped this building shell in a shingled craftsman style that is a hallmark of Seattle residential architecture.

When this Harbor Island home was originally purchased, the new owner knew that a lot work was needed to transform the whole home to fit his more contemporary style. The Big Sky Design team added new finishes, fireplaces, window treatments and completed a full kitchen and master bath renovation. In the kitchen they added a new island, new custom stained wood detailed bulkhead, Cambria Quartz countertop and backsplash as well as custom finished cabinetry. The master bath has a sleek new tiled wall, all new plumbing and fixtures, lighting and custom concrete sinks. With numerous windows around the perimeter of the home, the space feels open, light and airy. The home is surrounded by palm trees on the exterior all at the perfect heigh to provide privacy and a touch of classic Wrightsville Beach feel. The final look is sleek and handsome and the perfect space for the client to call home! || Photography: Mark Steelman (marksteelmanphoto.com)

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Bobcat Lodge- Lake Rabun Be welcomed to this perfect mountain/lake lodge through stone pillars down a driveway of stamped concrete and brick paver patterns to the porte cochere. The design philosophy seen in the home's exterior extends to the interior with 10 fireplaces, the finest materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Great Room Enter the striking foyer with the antique heart pine, walnut and bird's-eye maple inlaid pattern that harmonizes with the natural unity of the spacious great room. The visually anchored stone fireplace accented by hand hewn circa 1800 oak beams silhouettes the soft lake views making a dynamic design statement. The great room was designed with togetherness in mind and features high vaulted ceilings, wormy oak flooring with walnut borders, a spacious dining area, a gourmet kitchen and for softer and more intimate moments a keeping room. Kitchen: Wormy chestnut cabinets, Complimenting South American granite countertops Wolf cooktop, double oven Preparation bar Serving Buffet Separate wet bar Walk-in Pantry Laundry Room: entrance off the foyer, wormy chestnut cabinets and South American granite Keeping Room: Nestled off the kitchen area intimately scaled for quieter moments, wormy chestnut ceilings with hand hewn oak beams from Ohio and Pennsylvania, wormy oak flooring accented with walnut and sycamore, and private fireplace Powder Room off foyer Three Master Bedroom Suites: each with its own unique full bathroom and private alcove with masonry wood burning fireplace Master suite on the main floor with full bath enlivened by a fish theme with earthtones and blue accents, a copper soaking tub, large shower and copper sinks Upstairs master suite with wormy oak flooring sits snug above the lake looking through a tree canopy as from a tree house facilitating a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere- full bath features jetted tub, separate shower, large closet, and friendly lizards sitting on copper sinks Terrace Level Master Suite offers trey ceilings, entrance to stone terrace supported by cyprus tree trunks giving the feel of a rainforest floor: Full bath includes double mosaic-raised copper sinks, antler lighting, jetted tub accented with aquatic life tiles and separate water closet This warm and inviting rustic interior perfectly balances the outdoor lake vistas with the comfort of indoor living.moving directly to the outdoor living spaces. A full length deck supported by cyprus trees offers the opportunity for serious entertaining. The stone terrace off the downstairs family room leads directly to the two stall boathouse for lakeside entertaining with its own private fireplace. Terrace Level: 14 foot ceilings, transom windows A master suite A guest room with trey ceilings, wool carpet, and full bath with copper sinks,double vanity and riverock shower Family room with focal stone fireplace, wet bar with wine cooler, separate kitchen with sink, mini refrigerator and built in microwave Wine closet with hand painted plaster finish A full bath for drippy swimmers with oversized river rock shower accented with crayfish and salamander tiles Extras All windows are Loewen windows A ridge vent system Custom design closets Poured foundation for house and boathouse European spruce framing Exterior siding: 1 x 12 pressure treated pine with 1 x 4 batten strips Siding has three coat process of Sikkens stain finish Ten masonry fireplaces Stacked rock from Rocky Gap Virginia Eight foot custom Honduran Pine True plaster walls with three coat process faux finish Locust hand rails for the deck Support cyprus tree trunks from Charleston Outside light fixtures custom made in NY Five hot water heaters, circulating pump Duel fuel heat pump/propane, 1000 gallon buried propane tank, four zone heating system Two laundry rooms All Fireplaces set up for flat screen TV's Adjacent lot available for purchase