C.L. Fry Photo - www.clfryphoto.com
Example of a country family room design in Austin

David Duncan Livingston
Large transitional dark wood floor vestibule photo in San Francisco with multicolored walls

Inspiration for a transitional 3/4 white tile multicolored floor corner shower remodel in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Kids' bedroom - bedroom transitional gender-neutral carpeted kids' bedroom idea in Salt Lake City with green walls

Inspiration for a timeless u-shaped kitchen remodel in Charleston with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets and paneled appliances

Inspiration for a large rustic open concept concrete floor family room remodel in San Francisco with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Waypoint Cabinetry. Design by Mindy at Creekside Cabinets and Joanne Glenn at Island Creek Builders, Photos by Archie at Smart Focus Photography.
Inspiration for a small transitional 3/4 beige tile and black and white tile medium tone wood floor and brown floor alcove shower remodel with gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door, gray countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

Example of a transitional dining room design in Houston with beige walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a coastal family room remodel in Orange County

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Developer: KGA Lifestyle | Design: Charlie & Co. Design | Furnishings: Martha O'Hara Interiors | Landscaping: TOPO | Photography: Corey Gaffer

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Photographer: Kevin Colquhoun
Example of a mid-sized classic porcelain tile powder room design in New York with a console sink, marble countertops, white walls and a two-piece toilet

Multi-Pendant Canopy featuring the Parallel Canister, Teardrop, Sphere, Wide Cylinder
Inspiration for an industrial galley dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Committing to a kosher kitchen is quite a daunting undertaking and when you are also taking on a complete remodel, it can be overwhelming. It does not, however, have to be insurmountable. There are many resources to help guide you through the experience. Check out the internet and magazines to guide you. Once you have done the initial research, contact your Rabi with questions and for clarification on a kosher kitchen. Kosher requirements can vary differently between Orthodox, Conservatism, Ultra Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Your Rabi most likely will have a list of rules and guidelines. Also, hire a professional kitchen designer. They will not only be able to design the needs of a kosher kitchen but also make it personal to your needs and beautiful too. If the space and the budget allow, two distinct kitchens within one space is a possibility. A kosher kitchen requires stringent separation of meat and dairy items. Depending on the sect of Judaism you practice ------ Storage: The Storage areas need space for two sets of dishes, pots and pans, flatware, cups and utensils. You can combine the storage areas as long as there is a separation and that you do not mix service ware. A good recommendation is to color code your plates, flatware, table linen, pots. For example, red plates, gold-colored flatware, copper pots for meat items while dairy items have white plates, stainless flatware, stainless pots. You may want to label each area so when you have your new sister-in-law help in the kitchen; everything stays in the correct place. Appliances: When selecting appliances look for the STAR-K logo. This will help you determine to what extent an appliance is Kosher. Some ovens will have Sabbath modes where they will turn on automatically at a predetermined time. Once the oven is open, the oven turns off. Some refrigerators also have Sabbath modes where the ice maker turns off on the Sabbath and back on the following day. One refrigerator is usually sufficient provided all foods stay on the proper container in the proper section of the refrigerator. Having an immaculately clean refrigerator is a must if this is the case. You do not want spills from one food source contaminating food from the other. If you decide on two refrigerators, one can be full size while the other is smaller. A good kitchen designer can help assess your family’s needs to determine which is best for you. Dishwashers cannot be Kosher in most cases. You either need two dishwashers, separate compartment dishwashers as in dishwasher drawers or wash by hand. Look at Fisher Pikel or Kitchen Aid for dishwasher drawers. Each drawer is on separate controls. You can dedicate the top drawer for dairy while the bottom drawer is for meat service ware. If you have space and decide to have two dishwashers, you can get two 24” wide dishwashers. Another option is to have one full size dishwasher and supplement it with a small 18” wide dishwasher. Miele makes an 18” wide dishwasher that is super quiet and cleans dishes very well. You may also opt for a single dishwasher drawer in addition to a full sized dishwasher. A single Microwave oven can be used for milk and meat provided that a complete cover is used around the food. You will also need separate plastic plate’s places on the bottom or glass turn table. Keeping the unit clean is very important. Counter tops: Counter tops may or may not be able to be koshered depending on your sect. Simply having sets of trivets for dairy, meat and pareve (not meat or dairy) will provide adequate separation of foods. Sinks: If you can’t have two separate sinks, include three separate tubs to be places in the sink. Color code the tubs for meat, dairy and pareve. If you have one sink or a single divided sink, you will need to be cautious about splashing, to keep the meat and dairy particulates apart. You will also need space for separate dish cloths or sponges and dish towels. Again, color coding is extremely helpful and highly suggested. Must Haves: ~Storage space for two sets of dishes, flatware, pans bowls ~Color Code and label where appropriate ~Separate burners dedicate for either meat or dairy ~Separate clean up areas ~Clean environment to avoid contamination between meat and dairy ~A space that functions for how you cook ~A space that reflects you Design and remodel by Design Studio West Brady Architectural Photography

Living Room and Family Room are one large room with a vaulted ceiling separated by a brick fireplace pillar. The fireplace pillar was reconfigured to allow for a wide-screen TV on the family room side. All new trims, baseboards and doors in the redone living room. All new, modern lighting was installed. Heated du chateau flooring was added. Bruce Damonte Photography

Ken Vaughan - Vaughan Creative Media
Enclosed kitchen - small traditional galley light wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Tim Krueger
Inspiration for a bedroom farmhouse boy medium tone wood floor and beige floor kids' bedroom remodel in Orange County with white walls

Mountain style 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile, gray floor and single-sink doorless shower photo in Burlington with gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, wood countertops, a freestanding vanity and flat-panel cabinets