This lovely west Plano kitchen was updated to better serve the lovely family who lives there by removing the existing island (with raised bar) and replaced with custom built option. Quartzite countertops, marble splash and travertine floors create a neutral foundation. Transitional bold lighting over the island offers lots of great task lighting and style.

Emily Minton Redfeild
Example of a large transitional u-shaped ceramic tile kitchen design in Denver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, metallic backsplash, paneled appliances and metal backsplash

Oasis in the Desert You can find a whole lot of fun ready for the kids in this fun contemporary play-yard in the dessert. Theme: The overall theme of the play-yard is a blend of creative and active outdoor play that blends with the contemporary styling of this beautiful home. Focus: The overall focus for the design of this amazing play-yard was to provide this family with an outdoor space that would foster an active and creative playtime for their children of various ages. The visual focus of this space is the 15-foot tree placed in the middle of the turf yard. This fantastic structure beacons the children to climb the mini stumps and enjoy the slide or swing happily from the branches all the while creating a touch of whimsical nature not typically found in the desert. Surrounding the tree the play-yard offers an array of activities for these lucky children from the chalkboard walls to create amazing pictures to the custom ball wall to practice their skills, the custom myWall system provides endless options for the kids and parents to keep the space exciting and new. Rock holds easily clip into the wall offering ever changing climbing routes, custom water toys and games can also be adapted to the wall to fit the fun of the day. Storage: The myWall system offers various storage options including shelving, closed cases or hanging baskets all of which can be moved to alternate locations on the wall as the homeowners want to customize the play-yard. Growth: The myWall system is built to grow with the users whether it is with changing taste, updating design or growing children, all the accessories can be moved or replaced while leaving the main frame in place. The materials used throughout the space were chosen for their durability and ability to withstand the harsh conditions for many years. The tree also includes 3 levels of swings offering children of varied ages the chance to swing from the branches. Safety: Safety is of critical concern with any play-yard and a space in the harsh conditions of the desert presented specific concerns which were addressed with light colored materials to reflect the sun and reduce heat buildup and stainless steel hardware was used to avoid rusting. The myWall accessories all use a locking mechanism which allows for easy adjustments but also securely locks the pieces into place once set. The flooring in the treehouse was also textured to eliminate skidding.

These owners know craftsmanship and appreciate high-quality details. The owner hand crafted some of the furniture pieces included in this remodel, including the master bed frame. To update the home and do justice to the owner’s own furniture pieces, we installed a sky light in the upstairs bedroom hallway to bathe the space in light and added new doors with brass hardware. The master bathroom was transformed into an oasis and the kitchen underwent a remodel to make it more functional with modern appliances. Photos by Kimberly Gavin Photography

©2014 Nathan Varney
Mid-sized farmhouse white two-story wood gable roof photo in Portland Maine

Out of sight from the bathroom entrance, these niches offer maximum storage for a bathroom shared by 3 teenage boys. Blue and gray penny tile carry the color throughout the bathroom in an accent tile band and as the back of the niches. Mixed with classic beveled subway tile, this space is a timeless classic.

This lovely west Plano kitchen was updated to better serve the lovely family who lives there by removing the existing island (with raised bar) and replaced with custom built option. Quartzite countertops, marble splash and travertine floors create a neutral foundation. Transitional bold lighting over the island offers lots of great task lighting and style.

We reduced the number of glass profiles in the uppers to hide the practical items that aren't as pretty. Swapping about huge base cabinets with useful drawers offered more options for this service area.

This charming cape located in Bonnet Shores, Narragansett, RI was in need of updating and adding to in support of this five person family. We approached this project with an attitude of creating a comfortable, small scale addition / renovation that would not overwhelm the area. We instead created an addition that has a great amount of detail and functionality while adding just the right amount of space for everyone in the family. As this is a vacation home located by the ocean; we wanted to create enough space for entertaining and the flow of the living areas was an important consideration. The entertainment room is small enough for movie watching, the living room is spacious enough for entertaining or curling up with a book, the sun porch is perfectly positioned to capture the sun’s rays while offering views to the private beach club. The family can go easily from the enlarged kitchen to the screened porch with views to the private beach to the southwest and to the Jamestown bridge to the northeast. The bedrooms are spacious enough for each family member with one doubling as a comfortable guest suite. The master bedroom suite offers the same views to the southwest and northeast, appreciating the views to the beach club and Jamestown Bridge. The evening views from the master offer the Jamestown Bridge fully lit in spectacular glory. We outfitted the master with a second floor balcony space to the southwest that serves perfectly for morning coffee or evening cocktails. This home exemplifies how we approach our designs. We did not simply want to add large spaces for the sake of additional living area. We wanted to provide a comfortable environment for this family and offer the detail that maintains the character of the existing cape charm without overdeveloping the site, which is the largest parcel in Bonnet Shores. This project was featured in the February issue of Builder / Architect magazine 2011! Eric Roth Photography

The goal of this project was to update the outdated master bathroom to better meet the homeowners design tastes and the style of the rest of this foothills home, as well as update all the doors on the first floor, and create a contemporary mud room and staircase to the basement. The homeowners wanted a master suite that had a masculine feel, incorporated elements of black steel, wood, and contrast with clean white tiles and counter-tops and helped their long and skinny layout feel larger/ make better use of the space they have. They also wanted a more spacious and luxurious shower with water temperature control. A large window that existed above the original soaking tub offered spectacular views down into Boulder valley and it was important to keep this element in the updated design. However, privacy was also very important. Therefore, a custom-built powder coated steel shelf, was created to provide privacy blocking, add storage, and add a contrasting design element to the white wall tiles. Black honeycomb floor tiles, new black walnut cabinetry, contemporary wall paper, a floor to ceiling glass shower wall, and updated fixtures elevated the space and gave the clients exactly the look and feel that they wanted. Unique custom metal design elements can be found throughout the new spaces (shower, mud room bench and shelving, and staircase railings and guardrails), and give this home the contemporary feel that the homeowners desired.

A spacious and open kitchen design was ideal for these clients, who wanted a home for entertaining. The traditional white shaker cabinets offer an updated feel when combined with the slate gray countertops, stainless steel appliances, and glazed subway tile backsplash. A convenient banquet is subtly placed to the side of the kitchen, offering an accessible place to sit with family without being isolated from them.

Character and details are the highlight of this stunning modern kitchen remodel! Working with the existing footprint of the space was very important to our clients, so our senior designer Bethann created a design that played off the room’s unique stone accents and dramatic ceiling beams. Our custom Sharer Cabinetry is featured in striking contrasts of white and black, with floating shelves added to the existing stone walls. The large center island offers abundant storage and serving options, while upgraded appliances offer added convenience. Our clients love their updated, reimagined kitchen - and so do we!

Photography Credit: Gary Harris
Example of a large transitional medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Cedar Rapids with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and marble countertops

This Shaker Style kitchen was created using Homecrest Cabinetry in two distinct finishes, Maple Alpine for the perimeter and Maple Anchor for the Island. This large island features a waterfall quartz counter on both sides This design was achieved by removing walls, installing new flooring, doors and incorporating a home bar. This inviting new kitchen is now the focal point of this South Miami home offering updated style, function and plenty of daylight.

As a practical trend, formal dining spaces have largely become obsolete in favor of great, dynamic kitchens; however, bucking the movement, my young, but highly traditional client wanted to enjoy evening meals as a routine close to the family’s scattered and hectic days. Ceilings are christened a whisper of a blush to inspire relaxed conversation under the halo of a warm glow. The traditional table and chairs are the yield of a highly juried online treasure hunt. Each piece is meticulously refinished in an updated stain more reflective of the young homeowners. Performance fabric is used on the chairs to ensure ease of cleanability to combat daily use by children and young adults. Walls are clad in a cut velvet and metallic animal print wallpaper to add subtle nostalgia from eras gone by. Millwork is freshly painted in a semi-gloss alabaster to offer relief from the wallpaper and ceiling. The opulent, antique-inspired chandelier is the dazzling focal point with draped crystal beading. Linen drapery panels seamlessly silhouette the cozy window seat. Cleanable yet regal velvet fabric upholstered cushions, ornamented with a braided trim add a final pop of elegance.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. 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

This complete home renovation started in the the kitchen. An expansive white kitchen was created using Homecrest Cabinetry in two distinct finishes, Maple Alpine for the perimeter and Maple Anchor for the Island. This large island features a waterfall quartz counter on both sides This design was achieved by removing walls, installing new flooring, doors and incorporating a home bar. was This inviting new kitchen is now the focal point of this South Miami home offering updated style, function and plenty of daylight.

A spacious and open kitchen design was ideal for these clients, who wanted a home for entertaining. The traditional white shaker cabinets offer an updated feel when combined with the slate gray countertops, stainless steel appliances, and glazed subway tile backsplash. A convenient banquet is subtly placed to the side of the kitchen, offering an accessible place to sit with family without being isolated from them.

A spacious and open kitchen design was ideal for these clients, who wanted a home for entertaining. The traditional white shaker cabinets offer an updated feel when combined with the slate gray countertops, stainless steel appliances, and glazed subway tile backsplash. A convenient banquet is subtly placed to the side of the kitchen, offering an accessible place to sit with family without being isolated from them.