The client asked us to create a low maintenance, highly functional front entry to this beachfront retreat. As with most beach homes, guest parking is critical and creating an easy to navigate parking area is paramount to design success. We chose to maximize the front yard without turning it into a parking lot. Native crushed stone parking pads surrounded by sun loving, drought tolerant plants create exactly what the client was looking for.

Tahoe Real Estate Photography
Example of a mid-sized mountain style brown three-story wood exterior home design in San Francisco

Contractor: Windover Construction, LLC Photographer: Shelly Harrison Photography
Example of a classic kitchen design in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and white backsplash

Photography by Anna Herbst
Bedroom - mid-sized transitional master dark wood floor bedroom idea in New York with beige walls

Example of a classic u-shaped dark wood floor laundry room design in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a stacked washer/dryer and gray countertops

Alan Tansey
Dining room - contemporary dining room idea in New York

Vince Lupo / Direction One, Inc.
Large elegant women's carpeted walk-in closet photo in Baltimore with white cabinets and open cabinets

Architectural advisement, Interior Design, Custom Furniture Design & Art Curation by Chango & Co. Photography by Sarah Elliott See the feature in Domino Magazine

Photo: Jason Snyder © 2014 Houzz Design: Luca Construction and Design

  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

In this new construction, the client wanted to maximize sleeping space for visiting family and her grandchildren's overnight visits. With the custom, built-in murphy bed, the sleek, stylish and functional home office converts to a guest room in a snap.

Organized Living freedomRail is the perfect combination of strength, ease and versatility to save you time, money and stress. The heart of this organization system is its ability to adjust- and readjust – to suit you and your family’s ever-changing needs. Learn more about freedomRail and its unique benefits here: http://organizedliving.com/home/products/freedomrail/about

Turquoise chairs, sectional, flax sectional, natural sectional, gray grasscloth wallpaper, tv above fireplace, stained mantle, woven wood, cordless woven wood, cordless blinds, gray and whit rug, sofa table, console table, x bench, turquoise poufs, concrete coffee table, gray tray, accessories, geometric pillows

When the developer found this brownstone on the Upper Westside he immediately researched and found its potential for expansion. We were hired to maximize the existing brownstone and turn it from its current existence as 5 individual apartments into a large luxury single family home. The existing building was extended 16 feet into the rear yard and a new sixth story was added along with an occupied roof. The project was not a complete gut renovation, the character of the parlor floor was maintained, along with the original front facade, windows, shutters, and fireplaces throughout. A new solid oak stair was built from the garden floor to the roof in conjunction with a small supplemental passenger elevator directly adjacent to the staircase. The new brick rear facade features oversized windows; one special aspect of which is the folding window wall at the ground level that can be completely opened to the garden. The goal to keep the original character of the brownstone yet to update it with modern touches can be seen throughout the house. The large kitchen has Italian lacquer cabinetry with walnut and glass accents, white quartz counters and backsplash and a Calcutta gold arabesque mosaic accent wall. On the parlor floor a custom wetbar, large closet and powder room are housed in a new floor to ceiling wood paneled core. The master bathroom contains a large freestanding tub, a glass enclosed white marbled steam shower, and grey wood vanities accented by a white marble floral mosaic. The new forth floor front room is highlighted by a unique sloped skylight that offers wide skyline views. The house is topped off with a glass stair enclosure that contains an integrated window seat offering views of the roof and an intimate space to relax in the sun.

Elegant medium tone wood floor home office photo in Boston with gray walls

Matt Wittmeyer - www.mattwittmeyer.com
Laundry room - traditional laundry room idea in New York

Before we remodeled this space, the kitchen cabinetry had a deep-dark stain, standard builder finishes, and could use a little makeover. Overall, the space lacked excitement, finesse, and good layout. So, in order to maximize the space to its full potential, we incorporated a new kitchen island which would give the space more storage, counter space, and we could include a wine unit! Win-win! Plus, the existing cabinetry on the perimeter was in great condition, so we could refinish those and have a little more fun with the other finishes of the space. Want to see what we did? Take a look below! Cabinetry As mentioned above, the cabinetry on the perimeter was refinished with white paint. The new island we installed cabinetry from WWWoods Shiloh, with a Heritage door style, and a finish of Arctic paint. Countertops The countertops feature a beautiful 3 cm Caesarstone Quartz in Symphony Grey. We also incorporated a waterfall on the edge, adding that extra element of design. Backsplash From the Glazzio Gemstone Series, we installed a Glacier Onyx 3” x 12” as the main backsplash tile and on the backside of the island. As a picture frame over the sink, we installed a Daltile Contempo White Polished marble pencil rail, with a Daltile Carrara White 1”x random marble Mosaic inside the frame. Fixtures From Blanco we have installed a Quatrus R0 Super Single Bowl sink, and a BLANCOCULINA semiprofessional kitchen faucet in satin nickel. The hardware cabinetry is the It Pull in Modern Bronze from Atlas. Flooring The new flooring is a hardwood oak, that’s been sanded and finished.

A customized design pantry will divide and conquer space that is not used to its fullest potential. The space is maximized with our space-saving solutions. Adjustable shelves, pull-out drawers, baskets, rotating corner shelves help you save space and increase the visibility of your pantry.