Amanda Kirkpatrick
Example of a large trendy open concept medium tone wood floor family room design in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a tv stand

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped vinyl floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Orange County with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

Design by Astro Design Centre - Ottawa, Canada Photo by DoubleSpace Photography The large tiled Travertine wall meets a smaller scaled subway tile to connect the shower to the vanity wall. The vanity was designed to compliment a free standing piece of bedroom furniture. The shaker drawers marry the traditional details with an oversized contemporary build up of the counter. A trough sink equipped with two faucets addresses the challenge of ‘his and hers’ sinks in a master. The uninterrupted mirror length with built in sconces, further add to the concept of interconnecting the various functions of the bathroom.

The unique opportunity and challenge for the Joshua Tree project was to enable the architecture to prioritize views. Set in the valley between Mummy and Camelback mountains, two iconic landforms located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this lot “has it all” regarding views. The challenge was answered with what we refer to as the desert pavilion. This highly penetrated piece of architecture carefully maintains a one-room deep composition. This allows each space to leverage the majestic mountain views. The material palette is executed in a panelized massing composition. The home, spawned from mid-century modern DNA, opens seamlessly to exterior living spaces providing for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Project Details: Architecture: Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ // C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB // www.drewettworks.com Builder: Bedbrock Developers, Paradise Valley, AZ // http://www.bedbrock.com Interior Designer: Est Est, Scottsdale, AZ // http://www.estestinc.com Photographer: Michael Duerinckx, Phoenix, AZ // www.inckx.com

Mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor family room library photo in Charlotte with a tv stand, white walls, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround

This was a complete interior renovation project of a client’s second home. DEANE collaborated with the client on the design of 5 bathrooms and all the built-ins in addition to the kitchen. The home had an open floor plan with wide pine, bleached flooring throughout but was a challenge because of the various ceiling heights and support beams that needed to be accommodated.The homeowner wanted to able to casually host large gatherings without worrying about maintenance or upkeep. The kitchen cabinetry, featuring chamfer style doors, is painted a pale grey, with a darker, charcoal grey selected for the center island to accent the space. All appliances are stainless steel, with the dishwasher and trash/recycling drawers faced in the same material to mimic the dishwasher. The countertops are an engineered quartz in white, while the cooktop backsplash is a white ceramic tile in a soothing herringbone pattern. The counter cabinet with its glass front for dish storage and floating shelves that anchor two corners of the room are the designer’s favorite things about the space. Photographer – Kit Noble Photography Builder – Todd Burns Building and Restoration Inc. Nantucket, MA

Upon moving to a new home, this couple chose to convert two small guest baths into one large luxurious space including a Japanese soaking tub and custom glass shower with rainfall spout. Two floating vanities in a walnut finish topped with composite countertops and integrated sinks flank each wall. Due to the pitched walls, Barbara worked with both an industrial designer and mirror manufacturer to design special clips to mount the vanity mirrors, creating a unique and modern solution in a challenging space. The mix of travertine floor tiles with glossy cream wainscotting tiles creates a warm and inviting feel in this bathroom. Glass fronted shelving built into the eaves offers extra storage for towels and accessories. A oil-rubbed bronze finish lantern hangs from the dramatic ceiling while matching finish sconces add task lighting to the vanity areas. This project was featured in Boston Magazine Home Design section entitiled "Spaces: Bathing Beauty" in the March 2018 issue. Click here for a link to the article: ​ https://www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2018/03/27/elza-b-design-bathroom-transformation/ Photography: Jared Kuzia

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

The unique opportunity and challenge for the Joshua Tree project was to enable the architecture to prioritize views. Set in the valley between Mummy and Camelback mountains, two iconic landforms located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this lot “has it all” regarding views. The challenge was answered with what we refer to as the desert pavilion. This highly penetrated piece of architecture carefully maintains a one-room deep composition. This allows each space to leverage the majestic mountain views. The material palette is executed in a panelized massing composition. The home, spawned from mid-century modern DNA, opens seamlessly to exterior living spaces providing for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Project Details: Architecture: Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ // C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB // www.drewettworks.com Builder: Bedbrock Developers, Paradise Valley, AZ // http://www.bedbrock.com Interior Designer: Est Est, Scottsdale, AZ // http://www.estestinc.com Photographer: Michael Duerinckx, Phoenix, AZ // www.inckx.com

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2015 Houzz
Eclectic medium tone wood floor dining room photo in Los Angeles with beige walls

This 1970’s Ranch was purchased by a young family with active boys and animals. Changes were needed in this home for the family to be comfortable. With a very limited budget, Obelisk Home was challenged to be creative but keep with the clients sensibilities. We painted paneling, painted trim in custom colors, and took the room to a new level. High gloss paint on brick added to a bright open feel. New art, lighting, furniture and accessories were brought in to work with existing furniture that was incorporated from the clients Oklahoma home. Old, dark and full becomes light, airy and cozy. Photos by Jeremy Mason McGraw

Our clients are seasoned home renovators. Their Malibu oceanside property was the second project JRP had undertaken for them. After years of renting and the age of the home, it was becoming prevalent the waterfront beach house, needed a facelift. Our clients expressed their desire for a clean and contemporary aesthetic with the need for more functionality. After a thorough design process, a new spatial plan was essential to meet the couple’s request. This included developing a larger master suite, a grander kitchen with seating at an island, natural light, and a warm, comfortable feel to blend with the coastal setting. Demolition revealed an unfortunate surprise on the second level of the home: Settlement and subpar construction had allowed the hillside to slide and cover structural framing members causing dangerous living conditions. Our design team was now faced with the challenge of creating a fix for the sagging hillside. After thorough evaluation of site conditions and careful planning, a new 10’ high retaining wall was contrived to be strategically placed into the hillside to prevent any future movements. With the wall design and build completed — additional square footage allowed for a new laundry room, a walk-in closet at the master suite. Once small and tucked away, the kitchen now boasts a golden warmth of natural maple cabinetry complimented by a striking center island complete with white quartz countertops and stunning waterfall edge details. The open floor plan encourages entertaining with an organic flow between the kitchen, dining, and living rooms. New skylights flood the space with natural light, creating a tranquil seaside ambiance. New custom maple flooring and ceiling paneling finish out the first floor. Downstairs, the ocean facing Master Suite is luminous with breathtaking views and an enviable bathroom oasis. The master bath is modern and serene, woodgrain tile flooring and stunning onyx mosaic tile channel the golden sandy Malibu beaches. The minimalist bathroom includes a generous walk-in closet, his & her sinks, a spacious steam shower, and a luxurious soaking tub. Defined by an airy and spacious floor plan, clean lines, natural light, and endless ocean views, this home is the perfect rendition of a contemporary coastal sanctuary. PROJECT DETAILS: • Style: Contemporary • Colors: White, Beige, Yellow Hues • Countertops: White Ceasarstone Quartz • Cabinets: Bellmont Natural finish maple; Shaker style • Hardware/Plumbing Fixture Finish: Polished Chrome • Lighting Fixtures: Pendent lighting in Master bedroom, all else recessed • Flooring: Hardwood - Natural Maple Tile – Ann Sacks, Porcelain in Yellow Birch • Tile/Backsplash: Glass mosaic in kitchen • Other Details: Bellevue Stand Alone Tub Photographer: Andrew, Open House VC

view of kitchen with dining room beyond photo by Sara Terranova
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen remodel in Kansas City with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, a double-bowl sink and blue backsplash

Location: Brooklyn, NY, United States This brand-new townhouse at Pierhouse, Brooklyn was a gorgeous space, but was crying out for some personalization to reflect our clients vivid, sophisticated and lively design aesthetic. Bold Patterns and Colors were our friends in this fun and eclectic project. Our amazing clients collaborated with us to select the fabrics for the den's custom Roche Bobois Mah Jong sofa and we also customized a vintage swedish rug from Doris Leslie Blau. for the Living Room Our biggest challenge was to capture the space under the Staircase so that it would become usable for this family. We created cubby storage, a desk area, coat closet and oversized storage. We even managed to fit in a 12' ladder - not an easy feat! Photographed by: James Salomon

The unique opportunity and challenge for the Joshua Tree project was to enable the architecture to prioritize views. Set in the valley between Mummy and Camelback mountains, two iconic landforms located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this lot “has it all” regarding views. The challenge was answered with what we refer to as the desert pavilion. This highly penetrated piece of architecture carefully maintains a one-room deep composition. This allows each space to leverage the majestic mountain views. The material palette is executed in a panelized massing composition. The home, spawned from mid-century modern DNA, opens seamlessly to exterior living spaces providing for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Project Details: Architecture: Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ // C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB // www.drewettworks.com Builder: Bedbrock Developers, Paradise Valley, AZ // http://www.bedbrock.com Interior Designer: Est Est, Scottsdale, AZ // http://www.estestinc.com Photographer: Michael Duerinckx, Phoenix, AZ // www.inckx.com

A desire for a more modern and zen-like environment in a historical, turn of the century stone and stucco house was the drive and challenge for this sophisticated Siemasko + Verbridge Interiors project. Along with a fresh color palette, new furniture is woven with antiques, books, and artwork to enliven the space. Carefully selected finishes enhance the openness of the glass pool structure, without competing with the grand ocean views. Thoughtfully designed cabinetry and family friendly furnishings, including a kitchenette, billiard area, and home theater, were designed for both kids and adults.

Nestled in the surrounding hillside of Telluride Ski Resort, this mountain home was born from the idea of integrating a home in to it’s site and having it interact with the natural vegetation and impressive circling views. This did not come without design challenges, but the result was a rustic modern structure clad in steel, glass, wood, and stone. Floor to ceiling glass walls lend to breathtaking views of Mount Emma, Dallas, and Iron Mountain. Transparency through the structure was very important to the clients as it allowed them to feel apart of the natural environment. You can see through the formal entry through the great room and out the back of the house. This created a spacious feel to the already open floor plan of the great room, dining room, and kitchen. http://www.centresky.com/telluride-mountain-home-video-tour Photos by Whit Richardson

The remodel includes new semi-custom cabinetry with smart interior conveniences, pull-out hanging racks, open shelving, a farmhouse sink, and striking matte black quartz countertops with marble veining. We added gold hardware for warmth and contrast, installed a large-capacity front-loading GE washer and dryer, and created ample storage throughout. To make the room even more functional for everyday living, we also incorporated a dedicated feeding station for her pet.