The kitchen area was originally two spaces. The area in the foreground was a butlers pantry/ breakfast room that had been converted to a laundry room. The Kitchen was the area by the window, roughly 8' x 8' and completely cut off from the rest of the house. The island sits on what had been the dividing line between the kitchen and the dining room. We discovered some salvageable hardwood flooring under the linoleum, we brought in salvaged hardwood to match. All the floors were then stained English Chestnut. All the woodwork was removed for construction, then carefully re installed and stripped once the work was complete. The kitchen has a mix of 6" recessed cans, under cabinet lighting, and island pendants. The soffit over the cabinets conceals the HVAC ducting as well as the hood ducting.

Example of a large trendy wooden straight open staircase design in Austin

Small elegant women's reach-in closet photo in Miami with open cabinets and white cabinets

Mid-sized trendy 3/4 white tile and subway tile bathroom photo in Omaha with open cabinets, white walls and a pedestal sink

Home built by JMA (Jim Murphy and Associates); designed by Hart Howerton. Photo credit: Tim Maloney, Technical Imagery Studios. Extraordinary impressions of the old world were created in this Tuscan-style home. Stucco exterior walls and wrought iron fixtures give a handmade, rustic look that exemplifies the architectural style. The plaster interior walls, artfully crafted, embrace the home's romance with the past. Their surface is a blend of colors created on site with a wax patina applied to some of the walls. The remarkable feeling of elegant antiquity is aided by the home's floors, which were created from reclaimed wood. Our carpenters gave the large beams in the great room and kitchen a rustic radiance through modern distressing techniques.

Suzanna Scott Photography
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized scandinavian l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen idea in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Larry Falke
Large trendy open concept and formal light wood floor living room photo in Orange County with gray walls and no fireplace

Another small house looking for "TLC". House was given an exterior refresher by opening up the front enclosed porch to an open porch for a more welcoming feel along with new windows and siding. On the interior we moved the front door and created an open floor plan and provided more light to turn this little old house in to a cute gem! Front Door Photography

Trendy open concept dark wood floor and brown floor family room photo in Chicago with brown walls, a wall-mounted tv, a corner fireplace and a stone fireplace

Shelly Harrison
Example of a beach style kitchen pantry design in Boston with white cabinets, wood countertops, stainless steel appliances and open cabinets

Large transitional master beige tile and mosaic tile marble floor and beige floor bathroom photo in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink and white countertops

Example of a mid-sized minimalist galley concrete floor open concept kitchen design in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, concrete countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Small trendy l-shaped porcelain tile and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island, white appliances and brown countertops

Bill Timmerman
Example of a small trendy master white tile and porcelain tile concrete floor bathroom design in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white walls, solid surface countertops and a drop-in sink

Walk-in closet - small traditional women's walk-in closet idea in Miami with open cabinets and dark wood cabinets

The clients approached us with an addition that was failing structurally and a 1950’s era kitchen that was in serious need of updating. Alloy created a new addition to accommodate a larger bathroom, a laundry room and a small mudroom. The addition also includes a portico that opens to the clients wonderful gardens in the back. The kitchen was also opened up to the dining room creating more light and natural flow throughout the house. Our client, a landscape architect, wanted a view from the kitchen that looks into the gardens at the back of the house. The bathroom has exposed joists and clerestory windows bathing the whole room in natural light while allowing for privacy. The same tile was used throughout but in multiple scales creating interesting textures while maintaining a cohesive palette and a serene ambiance. Andrea Hubbel Photography

Get the look of wood flooring with the application of tile. This product is great for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens, but also works in living rooms, patio areas, or walls.

Chipper Hatter
Elegant brick floor kitchen pantry photo in New Orleans with open cabinets, white cabinets and laminate countertops

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.