Photo courtesy of Hansgrohe

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional partial sun front yard pond in New York.

Photography by Keith Isaacs
Mid-sized 1950s l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen photo with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, gray countertops and white backsplash

Modern home in a natural, rustic setting, terracing downhill to flow with the existing landscape. Contemporary landscaping elements complement the elegant geometry of the architecture.

Home design - coastal home design idea in Los Angeles

Looking for a nice clean crown molding, but what something different? These homeowners did just that with a simple clean flat molding applied to the wall and ceiling to create this look.

Dynamic Garage Door specializes in Tuscan Architectural beautification in the Newport Beach, CA through our custom designed and hand made architectural shutters, garden gates and garage doors. This Newport-Mesa Tuscan home was exquisitely decorated with a combination of custom gates, decorative shutters and balcony barn door style shutters all handcrafted out of authentic, century-old reclaimed barn wood specifically harvested for this custom project. Beginning with the balcony shutters which actually slide from side to side like a real barn door we worked a charming rustic shutter design that would typically be seen in the Tuscan Riviera. We opted for sliding shutters as the balcony spacing limited the swing action of even bi-folding shutters. Incorporating real barn door hardware railing and crowing it behind the faux reclaimed wood beam made an excellent statement while adding functional shutters that can be shut close for comfort during the summer morning when the sun beats down into the master suite. The four shutter leafs are decorated with real hand forged dummy straps that were hammered and crafted by hand to achieve that gorgeous rustic charm typical of Tuscan architecture. The reclaimed barn wood from a century-old barn gives off a timeless appearance that increase in characters as the years go by. Because rustic barn wood has already aged beautifully over hundreds of years, the next century will only increase its authentically gorgeous appearance. The culmination of this project has been a meticulous collaborative input of our in-house head designer and the clients themselves. Although the completion of this project is lengthy and intricate, the results speak volumes and the wait simply justifies the outcome. The rest of thew windows on this Tuscan home have been accessorized with rustic barn wood as well and accentuated with our custom designed and handmade dummy iron hinge straps. Our dummy hardware is so authentically done in the same tradition used for hundreds of years in Europe to create shutter hardware that looks authentic and functional although it is only decorative. The details of our custom shutters is evident in the slightest of details including the bolts used to hold the shutter straps in place. Each of the shutter also has a decorative ring pull with a hand-hammered back plate which enhances the appearance of true functional shutters and defining that authentic Tuscan look. The beauty of this Tuscan home is visible throughout the entire property including the garden gates, garage doors and entry door. Again, for the garden gates, we went with rustic barn wood carefully crafted to preserve the original surface that has aged over hundreds of years but building the gates on galvanized steel frames that will ensure structural durability for the next few hundred years. The gates are highly secure, sound and can definitely hold back a crowd with authentic rustic charm. Don't be fooled with the simple-looking gate design. It is quite intricate with its 45 degree angle cuts around the perimeter of the trim which deviates water away from crevices that would otherwise make the gates vulnerable to the accumulation of moisture from the elements, sprinkler system or simply air humidity since the home is located near the ocean. Each one of the garden gates is equipped with European style mortise lock mechanisms and roller catches. Dynamic Garage Door gates are not your typical garden gates, they are truly made with quality and durability in mind as well as aesthetic attention to detail. Everything, from the hardware used, the core steel frame and overlay material used is hand selected and approved individually for maximum beauty and timeless appreciation. At Dynamic Garage Door, we specialize in multiple facet projects that include garden gates, driveway gates as well as barn doors and shutters. It is very important because these are the accessories that can make or break the beauty and continuity of your home's architectural style and authenticity. Increase your curb appeal and home value with Dynamic Garage Door's gates, shutters and automatic custom garage doors. Our in-house designers would love to speak with you today! Design Consultation Center: (855) 343-3667

This beautiful Craftsman style Passive House has a carbon footprint 20% that of a typically built home in Oregon. Its 12-in. thick walls with cork insulation, ultra-high efficiency windows and doors, solar panels, heat pump hot water, Energy Star appliances, fresh air intake unit, and natural daylighting keep its utility bills exceptionally low. Jen G. Pywell

This is an organic Lime Wash done with a true lime wash product as opposed to a brick mortar or concrete that is often seen on new houses. This product can be applied as a solid coating making the surface completely white, or can be applied and "washed off" in many artistic ways, as seen here. If you hate your brick or just want something unique this is a great option! Photo credit: Jeff Murrey

Manufacturer of custom recycled glass counter tops and landscape glass aggregate. The countertops are individually handcrafted and customized, using 100% recycled glass and diverting tons of glass from our landfills. The epoxy used is Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and emits no off gassing. The newest product base is a high density, UV protected concrete. We now have indoor and outdoor options. As with the resin, the concrete offer the same creative aspects through glass choices.

Better Homes & Gardens landscaping software is very user-friendly, which means you’ll be creating the moment you load the software onto your computer. You merely tell the software what kind of dimensions you’re working with and then you can play around with the options available by the software program. For instance, with the click of a mouse, you can add a bush here, a rose garden there, or you can even put in a little man-made pond, the choices are all up to you. Playing with the different options available is all part of the fun. Of course, the best part is when your vision is actually realized and when you finally get the yard you’ve always wanted. In choosing a home and garden decor, first, you have to know what you want and what style you are looking for. One way of determining which décor to buy is by setting a theme for your garden. Thin about what you would like your garden to look like — what accessories you would like to see, and what plants and trees you’d like to add. Here are some of the theme ideas that you can incorporate with your home and garden decor: butterfly, temple, sundial, Japanese, water, winter, and jungle. Home furnishing: As any professional interior decorator will tell you, each room within the house has a certain function and a certain character. It is necessary to recognize this innate character before one can go about furnishing the room appropriately. Indoor decor leans heavily on the right use of color, lighting, and furnishing. For instance, the role of curtains, decorative rugs, objects of art and other decorative materials must be complimentary. Every object within the room must contribute seamlessly to the total effect. Garden furnishing: The garden is typically the extension of the home. It is where we seek to establish an instant connect with nature. For many, it is the place dedicated to the pleasure of cultivation and abundant growth. Even homes in urban areas where garden space is limited make the effort to transform the garden into a haven of sorts. The use of unusual, whimsical and colorful furniture and objects of art can transform the garden into something that is out of a fairytale book. For example, whimsically designed benches and tables are available in the most stunning colors. These pieces of furniture greatly add to the appeal of the garden. In addition to this, pieces of art may be strategically scattered around the garden to make it colorful and beautiful. By adding these pieces of art to your garden space, it is possible to achieve the perfect balance between beauty and utility that characterizes great outdoor spaces. When you want to landscape your yard, you typically hire someone to come out and give you a quote. However, what if you could do it all yourself with Better Homes & Gardens landscaping software? You’re probably thinking that you don’t have the artistic ability, or the know how to landscape your yard yourself. However, with Better Homes & Gardens landscaping software, you don’t need to be artistically inclined, nor do you need any knowledge of how to landscape a house or yard. All you need is a computer, a mouse, and a little time and a lot of imagination. With Better Homes & Gardens landscaping software, the sky’s the limit as far as what you can create, not to mention it’s a lot of fun to create the yard you want.

Michael J. Lee Photography. Custom binding and area rug installation by Landry & Arcari Rugs and Carpeting.
Bedroom - traditional bedroom idea in Boston

The pictures above are of a 12 metre squared Chinese slate floor in the kitchen of a property in Harrogate which had been laid ten years prior. You can see from the photographs that the grout had darkened and the slate itself had lost a lot of its character and colour. Sealers typically last between three to five years so by now there was little protection left and so dirt had become trapped in the pores of the stone and grout making it difficult to keep clean. It was now overdue a deep clean and the application of a fresh seal. I went over to survey the floor and provide a quote for stripping off what was left of the original sealer, cleaning the floor, and then resealing. I had been recommended by a previous customer so happy with my track record and the price I quoted, they asked me to do the work. They had received a quote from another firm which as it turned out was a lot more expensive than mine. Given there was little sealer left to remove I decided to start by scrubbing the floor with a strong concentration of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak into the slate for ten minutes. Then I worked the solution in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Pro-Clean is a very versatile product that will strip the sealer off a floor when used in a strong dilution with water, it will also remove deep seated dirt too. Due to the riven nature of the tiles however I found the black pad was struggling to reach into the crevices of the tile so to achieve the desired result I resorted to scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees with a scrubbing brush. Its important that the floor is as clean as it possibly can be before sealing otherwise you simply lock the dirt in and it will never look clean. The floor was left to dry off overnight and I returned the next day to apply the new sealer. First, I checked to ensure that the floor was fully dry using a damp meter. The sealer would not cure properly if the floor damp and this can detract from the finished appearance. I was happy with the readings, so I started to apply the first coat of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which I felt was the best product sealing Slate. The stone needed four coats; each one being left to dry before applying the next. Seal and Go is a stain resistant sealer which results in a low sheen silky appearance, it is good on surfaces such as the Chinese Slate which tend to be more porous and being water based it does not leave a smell as it dries. The client was very happy with the result and mentioned to me that it had never looked that good even when new. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will keep the floor in the best condition. This is a pH neutral cleaner which can be used daily and won’t compromise the newly laid sealer like many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Let's face it: times are changing. We're living in an era where technology advances at a fast pace and its developments have a significant impact on the surroundings. The need for environmental solutions has become more urgent with each passing day. While we live and adapt to our immediate environment, it doesn't mean that we have to settle with what's present, especially when our surrounding conditions are becoming detrimental to our wellbeing. This is the reason Singapore architects are looking into eco-friendly approaches when designing residential spaces. Singapore architects are becoming more proactive in integrating eco-friendly principles in their residential projects. Below are some of the standout reasons why: 1. You get to practice energy efficiency. In typical homes, electricity is powered by non-renewable sources. The continuous use of non-renewable energy increases carbon footprint and worsens air pollution, both of which negatively affect the environment. However, there are alternative sources of energy that can be included in your home's architectural design. These include solar panels and wind turbines that produce electricity that can keep the house powered. These methods do not produce toxic compounds or carbon emissions; they are also renewable and do not incur recurring expenses. 2. Eco-friendly architecture brings you closer to a more "natural environment." The emergence of urban landscapes has deprived today's generation of the opportunity to be one with nature. Individuals these days have to travel to the countryside to enjoy nature's beauty and all the amazing benefits it has to offer. Fortunately, eco-friendly architecture provides a route where you can better appreciate many of the benefits nature offers. As a homeowner, you must enjoy a calm, clean, and fresh indoor environment. Eco-friendly approaches to homes aim to provide this kind of atmosphere through the use of local materials, renewable energy sources, and incorporating nature's elements (such as sunlight and air ventilation) on the structural design. 3. You save money for maintenance and upkeep. Eco-friendly architecture is known for its low maintenance costs. At first glance, you may find it expensive to build a "green home." However, since it makes use of renewable energy sources and local resources for upkeep, operational costs become much cheaper compared to living in a conventional home. Also, green homes promote material efficiency. Apart from using local resources, eco-friendly construction involves building processes that generate as little waste as possible. Recycled and reusable materials are preferred in building the home, while the architectural design follows construction techniques that use less energy, water, and raw materials. 4. You enjoy better health. Living in a green home offers a lot of health benefits. For instance, eco-friendly architecture supports the use of natural materials and it discourages having plastic by-products in the building process. At the same time, eco-friendly architectural designs look into utilising vertical space to boost freedom of movement and air circulation. These spatial strategies allow you to breathe better even while indoors and move around the house without feeling cramped. Lastly, utilising vertical space offers more natural light to enter the home. Natural light is essential not just because it illuminates the house during the day, it also regulates the circadian rhythm, which dictates our body's waking and sleeping hours. In a nutshell Eco-friendly homes can help you save money and time, not to mention improve your health dramatically. Moreover, it can also help reduce your environmental footprint significantly. From improving air quality to helping regulate the effects of climate change, eco-friendly homes allow you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

This customer from Bedford, the county town of one of England’s smallest counties Bedfordshire, called me out because they have bought a house and, upon lifting the glued down carpet, had discovered a beautiful Victorian tiled floor. They decided to call me in to see if this original feature could be restored to its former glory having already tried household products to remove the glue and clean the tiles with limited success. We often find customers who discover old tiles under carpet or linoleum struggle with the standard cleaning products available in supermarket which are only designed for everyday cleaning. The products Tile Doctor sells are far stronger; naturally however to achieve the best results it also helps if you have the right equipment, knowledge and experience and that where we come in. I popped round to take a look at the floor and having tackled quite a few of these restorations before was confident we could restore the floor so a quote was given and the work was booked in for the next week. My first course of action was to vacuum the floor to remove any loose debris. This gave me a better picture of the condition of the floor overall, and so I could assess how best to proceed. I opted for our tried and trusted method of applying a diluted solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a very reliable high alkaline cleaner suitable for all types of natural stone and tile. The solution was applied with a pump-up sprayer and left to dwell for 20 minutes to seep into the pores of the tile. Next, I worked the solution into the tiles using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine and hand brushes. The resulting cleaning slurry was then rinsed off – and I found that this had removed most of the glue and surface dirt. There were a few stubborn deposits of glue remaining, but I was able to remove them by using hand brushes and scrapers in combination with Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is as its name suggest can remove most things including old sealers, epoxy grout haze, urethane coatings, synthetic finishes, adhesives and event paint. Even after this there were still some patches of glue, so I decided to spray the whole floor with Remove and Go and worked it into the stubborn areas with brushes. I left it to dwell for 15 minutes and then rinsed the floor with a wet pick-up extraction machine. This did the job and the floor was left fresh and clean, ready to be sealed once it had dried. The floor was left to dry for several days, which is typically necessary for old tiled floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane installed. The customer wanted the floor to look traditional and therefore requested a matt finish. This was achieved by applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is also breathable thereby allowing any damp to evaporate as gases through the sealer, without affecting the finish. As I previously mentioned, floors of this age can sometimes have damp issues, so this sealer is ideal for these older floors. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer, meaning it penetrates the pores of the stone to fill them and prevent trapped dirt. It also intensifies the colours in the tiles to really bring them to life. The customer was shocked and amazed by the great results as she thought nothing could be done to restore such an old floor. Before leaving the property, I gave her some maintenance instructions to help her keep the floor looking its best in the future. Another satisfied customer! David Vissian Bedfordshire Tile Doctor

We used: Custom cherry cabinetry in Arts & Crafts Shaker style by Kabinart in Boulder and Espresso stains. Liberty Hardware Venetian bronze 1-1/2" cabinet knobs. KitchenAid Architect II Series 22 CF counter-depth French door refrigerator. KitchenAid Architect Series II 27" convection single wall oven. KitchenAid 36" 6-burner dual fuel freestanding commercial-style range. KitchenAid Architect II Series 24" dishwasher. Sharp Insight Pro Series 24" built-in microwave drawer (Model #KB6524PS). Crystorama Solaris 12" wide pendant lights in English bronze. Granite countertops in Brown Fantasy. 3"x6" polished marble backsplash. Paint colors: Walls: Glidden Silver Cloud 30YY 63/024 Ceilings/Trims/Doors: Glidden Swan White GLC23 Robert B. Narod Photography

Engineered cedar siding creates beautiful gray-blue tones at the exterior of the home, while adding a textural element to activate the simple exterior design.

SOME OF OUR PROJECTS We at Not Just Closets are proud of our workmanship, our creativity, and the help we have been able to provide to our many clients. We look forward to meeting you, and working with you to find just the right solution to your space organization problems. Perhaps photos of your project will wind up here in the Portfolio section. We will be adding to the examples in this web page as we complete more projects. This web page was created on 11/05/2013, so expect the examples displayed to continue to grow in the coming years. We were pleased to be invited to do a new Master Bedroom Closet project for a home in Albuquerque that was featured in the 2013 Parade of Homes. Perhaps you visited it during the 2013 Parade? The next 4 images are from that home. The closet was long and narrow but there was plenty of space for hanging clothes and drawer units as well as for folded clothes, shoes and other items. All this was accomplished without sacrificing elbow room in this narrow space. Views from the bathroom into the Master Closet. Another perspective of the Master Closet. The closets shown here were designed for a NE Heights home in Albuquerque. They were installed and photos were taken before any clothes or other items were added. The dark pullout in the first image is a clothes hamper. These light colored cabinets were chosen for the Master Bedroom closet to help keep the space bright and light. Note the two rows of hangars for shirts and dresses above, and pants below. The double row of drawers in this closet replaces the typical Chest of Drawers without sacrificing the extra space needed for the chest. This is a great addition to any closet. The last closet photo shows a two-door vertical storage closet on the right that is very flexible to configure. It can be outfitted to store clothes, shoes, jewelry, or other items. Also note the extra-length hangar space for formal dresses or long gowns. Not Just Closets was also contracted to do the Pantry in the above home. Please notice that the shelving wraps around the corners, providing the greatest amount of storage space. Also you will find that the spacing on the shelves was designed to allow for a large number of varying size items in the pantry. There are large shelves on the bottom since large items are usually heavy and bulky. Seldom-used items can also be stored on the top shelf. The storage shelves shown are in a large walk-in pantry, with a concommitantly large number of shelves. Dark colored cabinets were chosen for the Pantry to match the Kitchen cabinets. We were asked to design and install the closets for a house in the October 2014 Parade of Homes. The view is of an extremely large walk-in closet with upper and lower hanging bars, tall hanging areas, and a huge amount of cabinet and drawer storage. The next two views portray the same closet, demonstrating the size of the closet and the many wrap around hanging areas, shelves, storage cabinets, and drawers. All four walls were filled with these features. The closet also has a pull-down ironing board, allowing for quick refreshing of creases in trousers or straightening of dresses. Not Just Closets also does commercial installations, as evidenced by the corporate office kitchen and file storage solutions shown here. This photo is of a work center island incorporating file storage. Not shown is another large set of shelves for bulk storage. The back side of the work center also has cabinets for storage. This is a view of the Break Center at the corporate office. The counter, sink and upper and lower cabinets were all designed and installed by Not Just Closets. Photo A - Shown is a corner shelf unit for a child's closet in a 2015 Parade of Homes residence. The corner unit stores many toys in a neat, orderly fashion. Photo B - Hanging space above drawers illustrates the versatility of our units. Every inch of space is utilized in this Master Bedroom Closet in the 2015 Parade of Homes residence. Roll-out shelves offer convenience and easy access to a pantry in the 2015 Parade of Homes kitchen. This customer said - "Total 100% customer satisfaction. I love it! It is the crown jewel of the room. Every woman who has seen it has mentioned they are jealous of it all". We agree. This closet was custom-designed for blueprint storage for an architect. Master Bedroom closet units offer a variety of ways to hang and store clothes. Above the double hang and drawer unit are wardrobe lifts (not shown at the top of this photograph) to store seasonal clothes. A small bedroom closet can be made more useful with the right combination of hangs (hanging racks) and shelving. An entry closet with double hangs and a convenient bench for removing and storing shoes. This is a Master Bedroom Closet with adjustable shelves to organize and optimize the storage needs of the customer. The large nest of small drawers just exudes an aura of organization, and the shoe storage is adjusted to hold different sizes of boots and shoes.