Aubrie Pick
Family room library - mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor family room library idea in San Francisco with white walls and a media wall

Example of an arts and crafts exterior home design in Minneapolis

Inspiration for a small coastal single-wall wet bar remodel in Jacksonville with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, beige backsplash and gray countertops

The homeowner's custom stained glass shines over a farmhouse sink. Dave Adams Photography
Kitchen pantry - small modern galley concrete floor kitchen pantry idea in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances

Inspiration for a large cottage master white tile and subway tile cement tile floor and white floor alcove shower remodel in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, multicolored walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Tim Burleson
Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary master dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom idea with gray walls and no fireplace

Bruce Damonte
Example of a mid-century modern living room design in San Francisco

“A home should reflect the people who live in it,” says Mat Cummings of Cummings Architects. In this case, the home in question is the one where he and his family live, and it reflects their warm and creative personalities perfectly. From unique windows and circular rooms with hand-painted ceiling murals to distinctive indoor balcony spaces and a stunning outdoor entertaining space that manages to feel simultaneously grand and intimate, this is a home full of special details and delightful surprises. The design marries casual sophistication with smart functionality resulting in a home that is perfectly suited to everyday living and entertaining.

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Photo: Marni Epstein-Mervis © 2018 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic exterior home remodel in Los Angeles

Example of a transitional kitchen design in New York

This 264 square foot prefab home was packaged and brought to the client’s property as just 64 flatpacked components, and assembled from start to finish in six weeks. AVAVA believes that beautiful design and a commitment to sustainability can work together with the efficiency of prefab to deliver the highest quality housing that the average citizen can afford. This project is intended as a future retirement retreat for a professional couple currently living in San Francisco. It was permitted as a residential secondary dwelling unit according to the planning code in the city of Livermore. Named Britespace, our prefab models feature a 12’x16’ window wall, and a 14’ ceiling that fills the home with natural light. The interior can be fitted with a full kitchen or simple counter and wetbar, and a full or half bath – or left open for office or guest bedroom use. The Britespace is available in 264, 352, and 480 square foot sizes, and comes in a limited number of design options for interior and exterior finishes. AVAVA Systems is a full-service prefab flatpack home provider specializing in Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) products, and delivering projects from planning and permitting through construction.

Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Austin with a farmhouse sink, white backsplash, an island, white countertops, quartzite countertops, ceramic backsplash, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and paneled appliances

Transitional master gray tile multicolored floor and double-sink freestanding bathtub photo in Chicago with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white walls, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

This builder-house was purchased by a young couple with high taste and style. In order to personalize and elevate it, each room was given special attention down to the smallest details. Inspiration was gathered from multiple European influences, especially French style. The outcome was a home that makes you never want to leave.

Photography by Blackstone Studios Decorated by Lord Design Restoration by Arciform This not so huge Master Bedroom packs so much personality and the careully cruated blend of modern, whimsy, boho and color! Rug by Christiane Millinger

Pursue serenity at home. Create your own personal sanctuary, a special place where you can experience comfort within.
Hallway - modern hallway idea