Georgia Coast Design & Construction - Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home at St. Simons Island, GA Built on a one-acre, lakefront lot on the north end of St. Simons Island, the Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home is characterized as Old World European featuring exterior finishes of Mosstown brick and Old World stucco, Weathered Wood colored designer shingles, cypress beam accents and a handcrafted Mahogany door. Inside the three-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot showcase home, Old World rustic and modern European style blend with high craftsmanship to create a sense of timeless quality, stability, and tranquility. Behind the scenes, energy efficient technologies combine with low maintenance materials to create a home that is economical to maintain for years to come. The home's open floor plan offers a dining room/kitchen/great room combination with an easy flow for entertaining or family interaction. The interior features arched doorways, textured walls and distressed hickory floors.

Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge, Bob Ganser AIA, Nate Dodge Photographer: Alyssa Lee www.alyssaleephotography.com
Trendy kitchen/dining room combo photo in Minneapolis with white walls

Example of a large transitional master and open concept light wood floor, brown floor and exposed beam living room design in Orange County with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv

Photos by Jill Hughes
Example of a huge minimalist galley plywood floor open concept kitchen design in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

A corner bench, handcrafted from Reclaimed Chestnut, offers storage below and prime seating next to a custom pizza oven painted with chalkboard paint. Photo Credit: Crown Point Cabinetry

Designer: Rochelle McAvin Photographer: Karen Palmer Welcome to our stunning mid-century kitchen and bath makeover, designed with function and color. This home renovation seamlessly combines the timeless charm of mid-century modern aesthetics with the practicality and functionality required by a busy family. Step into a home where classic meets contemporary and every detail has been carefully curated to enhance both style and convenience. Kitchen Transformation: The heart of the home has been revitalized with a fresh, open-concept design. Sleek Cabinetry: Crisp, clean lines dominate the kitchen's custom-made cabinets, offering ample storage space while maintaining cozy vibes. Rich, warm wood tones complement the overall aesthetic. Quartz Countertops: Durable and visually stunning, the quartz countertops bring a touch of luxury to the space. They provide ample room for food preparation and family gatherings. Statement Lighting: 2 central pendant light fixtures, inspired by mid-century design, illuminates the kitchen with a warm, inviting glow. Bath Oasis: Our mid-century bath makeover offers a tranquil retreat for the primary suite. It combines retro-inspired design elements with contemporary comforts. Patterned Tiles: Vibrant, geometric floor tiles create a playful yet sophisticated atmosphere. The black and white motif exudes mid-century charm and timeless elegance. Floating Vanity: A sleek, vanity with clean lines maximizes floor space and provides ample storage for toiletries and linens. Frameless Glass Shower: The bath features a modern, frameless glass shower enclosure, offering a spa-like experience for relaxation and rejuvenation. Natural Light: Large windows in the bathroom allow natural light to flood the space, creating a bright and airy atmosphere. Storage Solutions: Thoughtful storage solutions, including built-in niches and shelving, keep the bathroom organized and clutter-free. This mid-century kitchen and bath makeover is the perfect blend of style and functionality, designed to accommodate the needs of a young family. It celebrates the iconic design of the mid-century era while embracing the modern conveniences that make daily life a breeze.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Lucy Call
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept medium tone wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City with a bar, beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Stepping stones lead you to...
Photo of a small traditional partial sun backyard stone garden path in Portland for spring.

Elegant built-in desk medium tone wood floor home office library photo in San Francisco with white walls

Photos by Jill Hughes
Inspiration for a large modern master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile tub/shower combo remodel in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Photos by Jill Hughes
Example of a large minimalist master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile tub/shower combo design in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Photos by Jill Hughes
Inspiration for a large modern master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile tub/shower combo remodel in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Photos by Jill Hughes
Example of a large minimalist master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile tub/shower combo design in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Photos by Jill Hughes
Large minimalist master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile tub/shower combo photo in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

Your gourmet cooking is sure to wow, but it doesn't hurt to start the oohs and ahhs when your guests catch sight of your fabulous dining set. Traditional lines and bead moulding convey a classic feel, while a taste of the tropics comes through with woven raffia drawer fronts and awe-inspiring brass crocodile hardware. The brass hardware and nailhead studs echo the heirloom appeal of classic Campaign-style furniture. This fabulous piece offers ample storage in the form of three doors, each containing two adjustable shelves, and three, felt-lined drawers. The center drawer contains a built-in divider for neatly storing your fine silver.

Photos by Jill Hughes
Example of a huge minimalist galley plywood floor open concept kitchen design in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Photos by Jill Hughes
Example of a huge minimalist galley plywood floor open concept kitchen design in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island