Since the pandemic more of us are working from home and loving it. Working from home can often means “repurposing.” A spare bedroom becomes a home office, and that sometimes means a less-than-comfortable place to work. Then there’s the distraction of a busy family and friendly dog just down the hall. The owners of this Minneapolis home wanted a bigger, more private place to work from home. With harsh Minnesota winters, they also needed a big garage to both cars, lawn and garden equipment and recreational toys The design accomplished both: A second floor, finished, private work from home but not-in-the-home office above a big two+ car garage. This 24’ X 24’ garage can easily fit two cars and lots of recreational and maintenance equipment. With the stairs located inside the garage there’s no worry about slipping on icy, snowy stairs each winter. The second-floor office is fully finished and heated. It’s become the perfect home office just a few steps from the back door. The new garage/office was designed to match the exterior of the existing home in both style and color. Landscaping has just begun and will tie the home and garage together. The owners get lots of questions from curious neighbors about this project because this design could work with many homes in this neighborhood. A similar design could accommodate a second-floor apartment, art or yoga studio.

A Spiff Midtown Kitchen & Bath Renovation A renovation as unique and extraordinary as the homeowners, this kitchen and bath remodel brings this 1969 home new life and exceptional style. Both the kitchen and bath were stripped to the bones and completely reconfigured to accommodate the homeowners’ needs. If you are wondering what a home renovation can do, take a look at these before and after photos to view this amazing transformation. Designer: Lindsey West Contractor: Johnny Spiers Photographer: Al Pursley, The Digital Studio Kitchen: Mother of Pearl quartzite perimeter countertops are complimented by an island of Azul Macaubus Quartzite paired with a rich, maple butcher block. White oak oil finished wood flooring and Ledger Stone walls are contrasted against rich blue custom cabinetry. New appliances and hardware are among the many features that work in perfect harmony to create this truly custom look. Master Bathroom: The large walk-in shower features porcelain plank wall tile, teak mosaic flooring, and comes complete with a full length soaking tub. Ledger stone walls, Mexican tile flooring, and a custom-built vanity conclude this peaceful bathroom retreat.

Established in 1895 as a warehouse for the spice trade, 481 Washington was built to last. With its 25-inch-thick base and enchanting Beaux Arts facade, this regal structure later housed a thriving Hudson Square printing company. After an impeccable renovation, the magnificent loft building’s original arched windows and exquisite cornice remain a testament to the grandeur of days past. Perfectly anchored between Soho and Tribeca, Spice Warehouse has been converted into 12 spacious full-floor lofts that seamlessly fuse Old World character with modern convenience. Steps from the Hudson River, Spice Warehouse is within walking distance of renowned restaurants, famed art galleries, specialty shops and boutiques. With its golden sunsets and outstanding facilities, this is the ideal destination for those seeking the tranquil pleasures of the Hudson River waterfront. Expansive private floor residences were designed to be both versatile and functional, each with 3 to 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, and a home office. Several residences enjoy dramatic Hudson River views. This open space has been designed to accommodate a perfect Tribeca city lifestyle for entertaining, relaxing and working. This living room design reflects a tailored “old world” look, respecting the original features of the Spice Warehouse. With its high ceilings, arched windows, original brick wall and iron columns, this space is a testament of ancient time and old world elegance. The master bedroom reflects peaceful tailored environment. The color skim respect the overall skim of the home to carry on the industrial/ old world look. The designer combined modern furniture pieces suc as the Ibiza white leather chairs with rustic elements as the tree trunk side table. The old world look is created by a superposition of textures from the Italian Vintage Baroque bedding, to the cowhide bench, white linen flowing drapes and a geometric pattern Indian rug. Reflective surfaces were alos introduced to bring a little glamour in the form of this antique round concave mirror, floating framed wall art and mercury glass table lamps. Photography: Francis Augustine

A Media Room is the perfect place to add dramatic color and rich, masculine accents and the feeling of a true bachelor pad. Perfect for entertaining, this room offers a bar, media equipment and will accommodate up to 12 people. To achieve this style we incorporated a wall of glass tile and bar. A large sectional offers lots of pillows for movie watchers. Backlit movie posters on canvas add theatre ambience. Just add popcorn and you are good to go. In this remodel the existing media room was attached to the home via a new vestibule and stairway. The entire room was resurfaced and revamped. We added thick wool carpeting for better acoustics, repainted top to bottom, added beautifully hand-carved custom wooden barn doors as well as a wet bar in the back of the room. A full wall of mosaic glass tile in the back of the media room is lit by LED tape lighting which is built-into the custom wood shelves. Warm tones of olive green, oranges, browns and golds as well as custom-built tables and barstools make this room feel like a “man-cave”. A custom designed bar height table that sits behind the sectional was commissioned to match the new barn doors. This bar table adds extra seating to the room. Adjacent the movie screen, a custom fabric panel was constructed and hides the media tower and cables. It matches the blackout Roman shades, which keep out light and nearly disappear into the wall. Photography by Erika Bierman

This house features a large upper / lower living area with 3 bedrooms and a den plus a 2 bedroom rental suite. The main house has a large master bathroom, which includes a soaker tub, walk-in shower and a separate makeup vanity area. There is a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom. The kitchen is an open concept to the living room and dining area. There is a nice size pantry off the kitchen and also a powder room to accommodate visitors. There is a gas fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantle with a beautiful chevron pattern tile. The front balcony is a good size for an outdoor space. There is also a rear patio with privacy backing on to a forested area. The den is located just off the front entryway with a powder room close by, which would be perfect for a home office. The front and rear landscape has been kept as natural as possible with river rock beds, and a variety of low maintenance plants with irrigation. The exterior of the house is a very modern style with cool colours to blend with the rock surrounding the property.

This home remodel is a celebration of curves and light. Starting from humble beginnings as a basic builder ranch style house, the design challenge was maximizing natural light throughout and providing the unique contemporary style the client’s craved. The Entry offers a spectacular first impression and sets the tone with a large skylight and an illuminated curved wall covered in a wavy pattern Porcelanosa tile. The chic entertaining kitchen was designed to celebrate a public lifestyle and plenty of entertaining. Celebrating height with a robust amount of interior architectural details, this dynamic kitchen still gives one that cozy feeling of home sweet home. The large “L” shaped island accommodates 7 for seating. Large pendants over the kitchen table and sink provide additional task lighting and whimsy. The Dekton “puzzle” countertop connection was designed to aid the transition between the two color countertops and is one of the homeowner’s favorite details. The built-in bistro table provides additional seating and flows easily into the Living Room. A curved wall in the Living Room showcases a contemporary linear fireplace and tv which is tucked away in a niche. Placing the fireplace and furniture arrangement at an angle allowed for more natural walkway areas that communicated with the exterior doors and the kitchen working areas. The dining room’s open plan is perfect for small groups and expands easily for larger events. Raising the ceiling created visual interest and bringing the pop of teal from the Kitchen cabinets ties the space together. A built-in buffet provides ample storage and display. The Sitting Room (also called the Piano room for its previous life as such) is adjacent to the Kitchen and allows for easy conversation between chef and guests. It captures the homeowner’s chic sense of style and joie de vivre.

Typical of bungalows and city lots, the footprint of this home was narrow with living spaces in front, bedrooms in back and kitchen centrally located. However, unlike most bungalows, the hall running from front to back have been closed off to, presumably, accommodate a walk-in pantry. Couple that with the fact that this circa 1925 bungalow had seen a lot of living – read boisterous children and remodeling trends like z-brick, soffits, and fluorescent overhead lighting – the kitchen was due for a major overhaul. Truly the hub of this house, the modest 11’ x 12’ kitchen was most in need of additional countertop space, convenient garbage/recycle bin, counter-depth refrigerator, storage aids, informal dining for two, and sound-proofing to enable this musically adept family to coexist despite varied schedules. Gone are the wall soffits, boxy overhead lighting, six-foot baseboard heat unit, extra deep refrigerator, refurbished cabinets, laminate countertops, z-brick wall covering, and makeshift door swags. Enter rich mahogany cabinets, roll and pull-out storage units, endcap spice storage, gorgeous granite tops, marble backsplash, LED lighting, acoustic insulation and solid-wood doors. Under the guise of such a handsome room, provisions such as a period style sink allow for more efficient use of corners with pull-out half-moon trays for storage. Redirecting the baseboard heat to a compact, toekick unit, means more cabinet and counter space – perfect for a baking and/or entertaining area removed from the basic work triangle. The eating area, also, doubles as a work station with drawers for office supplies and dedicated outlet for cable tv. Functional yet beautiful, this kitchen is at the ready as its owners look forward to their golden years. Designed by: The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn Photography by: Dawn Jackman For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com URL http://www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

A Media Room is the perfect place to add dramatic color and rich, masculine accents and the feeling of a true bachelor pad. Perfect for entertaining, this room offers a bar, media equipment and will accommodate up to 12 people. To achieve this style we incorporated a wall of glass tile and bar. A large sectional offers lots of pillows for movie watchers. Backlit movie posters on canvas add theatre ambience. Just add popcorn and you are good to go. In this remodel the existing media room was attached to the home via a new vestibule and stairway. The entire room was resurfaced and revamped. We added thick wool carpeting for better acoustics, repainted top to bottom, added beautifully hand-carved custom wooden barn doors as well as a wet bar in the back of the room. A full wall of mosaic glass tile in the back of the media room is lit by LED tape lighting which is built-into the custom wood shelves. Warm tones of olive green, oranges, browns and golds as well as custom-built tables and barstools make this room feel like a “man-cave”. A custom designed bar height table that sits behind the sectional was commissioned to match the new barn doors. This bar table adds extra seating to the room. Adjacent the movie screen, a custom fabric panel was constructed and hides the media tower and cables. It matches the blackout Roman shades, which keep out light and nearly disappear into the wall. Photography by Erika Bierman

Single Bowl 14" x 18" Undermount Bar Sink is Canadian designed and meets the highest plumbing standards for North America. This singe bowl undermount sink has drains towards the rear, for better utilization of the space under the sink cabinet. Also, the sink basin has X-pattern drain grooves for optimal drainage. Handmade from surgical grade SUS 304 stainless steel 18 gauge, with an optimized 18pct chromium and 10pct nickel content, this sink is superbly crafted to provide excellent strength and hardness. The specially chosen satin finish will hide water spots and maintain a uniform patina finish as the sink ages. All welds and corners are perfectly blended through an automated machine buffing system, and carefully hand polished, for a luxurious finish. This undermount bar sink has an elegant and smooth to touch 0.4" radius in the corners for easy cleaning, it also gives it a bold look. This stainless steel sink also features a noise undercoating sprayed over extra thick rubber pads to create a noticeably lower-tone and overall a very quiet sink. This undercoating also helps prevent water condensation. Specifically designed for the busy parent and young professional in mind, the deep design not only accommodates pots and pans easily, but it also hides dirty dishes in the sink basin and under the countertop line. This single bowl undermount bar sink comes with one perfect fir bottom grid, to protect the sink from dents and scratches and a stainless steel luxury basket drain strainer, which is deeper and much more functional for catching food scraps than the regular strainers. Also included with the sink is the cutting template and mounting brackets. Trusted by architects and builders for upscale projects and modern makeovers, this undermount single bowl stainless steel bar sink is what you have been looking for.

This house features a large upper / lower living area with 3 bedrooms and a den plus a 2 bedroom rental suite. The main house has a large master bathroom, which includes a soaker tub, walk-in shower and a separate makeup vanity area. There is a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom. The kitchen is an open concept to the living room and dining area. There is a nice size pantry off the kitchen and also a powder room to accommodate visitors. There is a gas fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantle with a beautiful chevron pattern tile. The front balcony is a good size for an outdoor space. There is also a rear patio with privacy backing on to a forested area. The den is located just off the front entryway with a powder room close by, which would be perfect for a home office. The front and rear landscape has been kept as natural as possible with river rock beds, and a variety of low maintenance plants with irrigation. The exterior of the house is a very modern style with cool colours to blend with the rock surrounding the property.

This young Albany couple inherited their grandfathers house, with all of its unchanged 1960’s charm. In other words, everything had to be updated! The first step was the kitchen, which had Formica on every surface. Working with project manager Anthony and designer Justina they came up with this great new look. The vinyl tile flooring is now rustic wood. Bennett carpenters created custom shelves and ceiling beams to match the new flooring. This project included relocating the laundry from the basement to the first floor. It’s in the foyer behind the barn door in the kitchen. At the rear of the home was a large family room, but it had a low ceiling and few windows making it dark an uninviting. Bennett removed the roof and built a new higher cathedral ceiling with large windows that look out onto the pool and woods. Now the room, which is just off the kitchen is light and open. Today it’s a great room for entertaining and someday it could be a perfect playroom for kids. Bennett installed craftsman trim (wide baseboards, casings and crown molding) throughout the project. Once they had Bennett in their house and they could see the quality of the work, it made sense to just keep going. The next project was to remodel both bathrooms. The master bath was enlarged to accommodate a bigger shower by taking space from a hall closet. All new plumbing and electric, fixtures, vanities, lighting, fans, and tile were included in the work.

This house features a large upper / lower living area with 3 bedrooms and a den plus a 2 bedroom rental suite. The main house has a large master bathroom, which includes a soaker tub, walk-in shower and a separate makeup vanity area. There is a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom. The kitchen is an open concept to the living room and dining area. There is a nice size pantry off the kitchen and also a powder room to accommodate visitors. There is a gas fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantle with a beautiful chevron pattern tile. The front balcony is a good size for an outdoor space. There is also a rear patio with privacy backing on to a forested area. The den is located just off the front entryway with a powder room close by, which would be perfect for a home office. The front and rear landscape has been kept as natural as possible with river rock beds, and a variety of low maintenance plants with irrigation. The exterior of the house is a very modern style with cool colours to blend with the rock surrounding the property.

This house features a large upper / lower living area with 3 bedrooms and a den plus a 2 bedroom rental suite. The main house has a large master bathroom, which includes a soaker tub, walk-in shower and a separate makeup vanity area. There is a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom. The kitchen is an open concept to the living room and dining area. There is a nice size pantry off the kitchen and also a powder room to accommodate visitors. There is a gas fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantle with a beautiful chevron pattern tile. The front balcony is a good size for an outdoor space. There is also a rear patio with privacy backing on to a forested area. The den is located just off the front entryway with a powder room close by, which would be perfect for a home office. The front and rear landscape has been kept as natural as possible with river rock beds, and a variety of low maintenance plants with irrigation. The exterior of the house is a very modern style with cool colours to blend with the rock surrounding the property.

Nestled at the end of a long flag lot driveway in Amagansett, NY, a young couple purchased the property with intentions to construct a second home for their growing family. A home that would not only be comfortable for the immediate family but also serve and grow on busy summer weekends to accommodate extended family, friends, children and guests. The tight lot along with the sizable program culminated in the building envelope being pushed to every limit, restriction and regulation one could imagine. The resulting architecture possesses a traditional Hamptons cottage exterior juxtaposed with modern elements that help break up the single mass. Centered on the entry façade is a large double story window that shrouds the floating switchback staircase on the interior. A bluestone patio wraps three sides of the home, which, in the rear, leads to a small in ground pool with a frameless glass railing. In the interior, custom white washed white oak floors run throughout the home as well as on the floating central staircase. For a more modern style of living, the open living, kitchen and dining area serve as one large entertaining space. In an area surrounded by sprawling Mcmansions, this tightly knit home functions more similar to that of a large NYC apartment by serving the perfect balance between maximized form with the right amount of function given the strict parameters. Large glass sliders open the living and dining rooms to the backyard patio and pool creating harmony between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Shaker style cabinets in the kitchen pair with a more contemporary staircase softened by the warmer wood tones of the vertical slats that surround it.

The Aerius - Modern Craftsman in Ridgefield Washington by Cascade West Development Inc. Upon opening the 8ft tall door and entering the foyer an immediate display of light, color and energy is presented to us in the form of 13ft coffered ceilings, abundant natural lighting and an ornate glass chandelier. Beckoning across the hall an entrance to the Great Room is beset by the Master Suite, the Den, a central stairway to the Upper Level and a passageway to the 4-bay Garage and Guest Bedroom with attached bath. Advancement to the Great Room reveals massive, built-in vertical storage, a vast area for all manner of social interactions and a bountiful showcase of the forest scenery that allows the natural splendor of the outside in. The sleek corner-kitchen is composed with elevated countertops. These additional 4in create the perfect fit for our larger-than-life homeowner and make stooping and drooping a distant memory. The comfortable kitchen creates no spatial divide and easily transitions to the sun-drenched dining nook, complete with overhead coffered-beam ceiling. This trifecta of function, form and flow accommodates all shapes and sizes and allows any number of events to be hosted here. On the rare occasion more room is needed, the sliding glass doors can be opened allowing an out-pour of activity. Almost doubling the square-footage and extending the Great Room into the arboreous locale is sure to guarantee long nights out under the stars. Cascade West Facebook: https://goo.gl/MCD2U1 Cascade West Website: https://goo.gl/XHm7Un These photos, like many of ours, were taken by the good people of ExposioHDR - Portland, Or Exposio Facebook: https://goo.gl/SpSvyo Exposio Website: https://goo.gl/Cbm8Ya

The objectives were: Make better use of the dining room – create a space ideal for informal gatherings Create a display space that is Marvel Spectacular-worthy Create a wow-worthy focal point that is visible as guests walk in the front door Incorporate a sink into the bar Plenty of storage Incorporate the client’s custom “barrel” secret mini bar into the design Design challenges we solved for: Make the two areas feel as one Provide enough support for the bar’s thick wood-top so that it would not need legs that would interfere with the seating area Find a way to incorporate as much bar seating as possible Make the room’s finishes flow with the rest of the house THE RENEWED SPACE Design solutions: Add open cabinets on the back bar wall with lights and display sections – this ties the bar area to the open display cabinets Back bar wall base cabinets provide lots of storage U-shaped island allows for more seating Custom shelving adjustable to accommodate a wide range of collectibles Finishes that tie into the secret barrel bar integrate nicely with the rest of the house Transforming the former dining room area into a bar with lots of display shelving gives the clients a new, functional gathering place that reflects their personal style. It feels more fun and modern, and it feels more like “them.” After all, this is their own special area in their own home and it’s a perfect place for hanging out with friends.

This young Albany couple inherited their grandfathers house, with all of its unchanged 1960’s charm. In other words, everything had to be updated! The first step was the kitchen, which had Formica on every surface. Working with project manager Anthony and designer Justina they came up with this great new look. The vinyl tile flooring is now rustic wood. Bennett carpenters created custom shelves and ceiling beams to match the new flooring. This project included relocating the laundry from the basement to the first floor. It’s in the foyer behind the barn door in the kitchen. At the rear of the home was a large family room, but it had a low ceiling and few windows making it dark an uninviting. Bennett removed the roof and built a new higher cathedral ceiling with large windows that look out onto the pool and woods. Now the room, which is just off the kitchen is light and open. Today it’s a great room for entertaining and someday it could be a perfect playroom for kids. Bennett installed craftsman trim (wide baseboards, casings and crown molding) throughout the project. Once they had Bennett in their house and they could see the quality of the work, it made sense to just keep going. The next project was to remodel both bathrooms. The master bath was enlarged to accommodate a bigger shower by taking space from a hall closet. All new plumbing and electric, fixtures, vanities, lighting, fans, and tile were included in the work.

A Spiff Midtown Kitchen & Bath Renovation A renovation as unique and extraordinary as the homeowners, this kitchen and bath remodel brings this 1969 home new life and exceptional style. Both the kitchen and bath were stripped to the bones and completely reconfigured to accommodate the homeowners’ needs. If you are wondering what a home renovation can do, take a look at these before and after photos to view this amazing transformation. Designer: Lindsey West Contractor: Johnny Spiers Photographer: Al Pursley, The Digital Studio Kitchen: Mother of Pearl quartzite perimeter countertops are complimented by an island of Azul Macaubus Quartzite paired with a rich, maple butcher block. White oak oil finished wood flooring and Ledger Stone walls are contrasted against rich blue custom cabinetry. New appliances and hardware are among the many features that work in perfect harmony to create this truly custom look. Master Bathroom: The large walk-in shower features porcelain plank wall tile, teak mosaic flooring, and comes complete with a full length soaking tub. Ledger stone walls, Mexican tile flooring, and a custom-built vanity conclude this peaceful bathroom retreat.

This house features a large upper / lower living area with 3 bedrooms and a den plus a 2 bedroom rental suite. The main house has a large master bathroom, which includes a soaker tub, walk-in shower and a separate makeup vanity area. There is a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom. The kitchen is an open concept to the living room and dining area. There is a nice size pantry off the kitchen and also a powder room to accommodate visitors. There is a gas fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantle with a beautiful chevron pattern tile. The front balcony is a good size for an outdoor space. There is also a rear patio with privacy backing on to a forested area. The den is located just off the front entryway with a powder room close by, which would be perfect for a home office. The front and rear landscape has been kept as natural as possible with river rock beds, and a variety of low maintenance plants with irrigation. The exterior of the house is a very modern style with cool colours to blend with the rock surrounding the property.