Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Phoenix

Inspiration for a farmhouse gray floor laundry room remodel in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white countertops

Richard Leo Johnson
Example of a cottage bathroom design in Atlanta with a vessel sink

Large mid-century modern medium tone wood floor great room photo in Los Angeles with white walls

This beautiful French Provincial home is set on 10 acres, nestled perfectly in the oak trees. The original home was built in 1974 and had two large additions added; a great room in 1990 and a main floor master suite in 2001. This was my dream project: a full gut renovation of the entire 4,300 square foot home! I contracted the project myself, and we finished the interior remodel in just six months. The exterior received complete attention as well. The 1970s mottled brown brick went white to completely transform the look from dated to classic French. Inside, walls were removed and doorways widened to create an open floor plan that functions so well for everyday living as well as entertaining. The white walls and white trim make everything new, fresh and bright. It is so rewarding to see something old transformed into something new, more beautiful and more functional.

The building is comprised of three volumes, supported by a heavy timber frame, and set upon a terraced ground plane that closely follows the existing topography. Linking the volumes, the circulation path is highlighted by large cuts in the skin of the building. These cuts are infilled with a wood framed curtainwall of glass offset from the syncopated structural grid. Eric Reinholdt - Project Architect/Lead Designer with Elliott, Elliott, Norelius Architecture Photo: Brian Vanden Brink

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Once a galley kitchen with a garage door at the end of it, MOTIF reconfigured the layout and moved the garage door, removed a wall and opened the kitchen to the adjacent living space, The couple who lives in this cottage-like home has a great place to cook and entertain friends. These very social homeowners can now host parties and entertain their friends and family well with the newly designed layout. A love for cooking inspired the design of the wall above the range. The cabinets were built by hand by the previous owner who was a professional carpenter. In the interest of honoring his life, we kept the boxes and reconfigured the layout while adding some new custom touches that look like they were always there.

Eat-in kitchen - large traditional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Miami with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, marble backsplash and two islands

Jennifer and Dan have lived in their Deer Park Illinois home for 15 years, slowly making minor fixes like painting and decorating; but they had a new plan for their kitchen the entire time. An awkwardly placed garage door, and an island cooktop with a terrible downdraft made a full-scale kitchen remodel an absolute must. Jennifer had many ideas in mind and wanted to work with a company that could provide high-end work, while partnering with a designer that would tailor the kitchen to her ideas. She was intrigued by the phrase “Common Sense Remodeling” in Advance Design’s feature she discovered while perusing an issue of the community’s Quintessential Barrington Magazine. Doing further research on the company’s website, as she looked through project profiles and read about Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy, she promptly scheduled an appointment to see if the people and ideas she read about were truly who they said they were. The more she read, the more she knew that the “Common Sense” approach to remodeling they described was exactly the type of company she was looking for. The partnership was sealed after an initial consultation with Owner Todd Jurs and Project Designer Michelle Lecinski. They displayed a combination of friendliness, professionalism and respect that was unmatched by any of the other companies Jennifer talked to. She knew that with Advance Design, she would be able to retain the vision that she had in mind with high-quality craftsmanship. “I reached out to Advance Design because of the ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ tagline,” Jennifer said. “That’s what lingered for me”. “Advance Design was the most respectful- of the house and of my design ideas, and the most professional of the handful of companies that looked at my project”. Soon after the meeting Jennifer began working with Michelle on the project design. They quickly developed chemistry. Jennifer loved how Michelle researched and located every detail that Jennifer wanted for the kitchen. Between the two of them, every concept and idea was worked through and perfected. “Jennifer had definite ideas about what she wanted the new kitchen to look like, she just didn’t know how to bring it all together. We worked together really well to make her ideas into the practical reality necessary for a well-functioning kitchen, with the look and feel that she had envisioned”, says Michelle. “Michelle was wonderful in using the CAD system she would show me new drawings every time we changed the layout while working through the design,” Jennifer said. “She was a really wonderful partner in execution, she made sure everything happened quickly and easily.” The finished design drew out elements of Jennifer’s style and personality. The pair call the look “sophisticated farmhouse” to describe the kitchen renovation to family and friends. The result was a beautifully crafted, authentic-feeling space that satisfied Jennifer’s dreams 15 years in the making. The whole project consisted of a kitchen remodel, mudroom upgrade with powder room, and garage entry relocation. “The projects I personally like the best, are the ones that put the client’s dreams on display,” Project Designer Michelle said. “And this is one of those projects.” The main focal point of the kitchen is custom zinc and brass ventilation hood with a vintage sheen, which was hand made to order by a small company in Indiana named Vogler Metalworking. “It’s like sculpture, a true work of art”, says Jennifer. Your eye is immediately drawn towards this elegant yet practical hood that eliminated the home’s downdraft problem and added a striking conversation piece at the same time. The carpenters had to use special gloves when transporting and installing it, so they didn’t smudge it with fingerprints. The beautiful hood centers proudly over the stunning black enamel and brass LaCornue Range. “I had a friend who had a LaCornue range and after learning how easy it was to cook perfect meals, I was convinced I wanted to have one”, says Jennifer. This unique, breathtaking combination anchors the entire kitchen and is apparent immediately as you walk into the great room the surrounds the space. DuraSupreme Crestwood cabinets with a Kendall Panel add function and sophistication. A custom gray paint color paired with a storm blue was developed so that the new kitchen looked like it belonged to the existing space. Unlacquered brass faucets and hardware were important to Jennifer because she wanted the living finishes to age over time. Remarkable brass diamond mesh cabinet door inserts imported from the UK continue to add this one-of-a-kind kitchen renovation; giving it a “you won’t see this everywhere” quality. The use of old railcar flooring for the coffee bar countertop and reclaimed oak for the open shelving gives an authenticity to the space uncommon in kitchens today. Jennifer and Michelle fell in love with the Limestone Grey Stone while they were investigating unique island countertop ideas. They liked the fact that the limestone as a living finish will age and change over time. Calcutta Miel Quartz countertops made for an excellent pairing around the perimeter, as it’s durable and perfect for cooking preparations. A textured white subway tile backsplash that runs to the ceiling keeps your eye moving towards the open shelving, and to the main focal point of the stunning range hood combination. “The kitchen functions beautifully, and it’s gorgeous,” beams Jennifer as she gestures with both hands while smiling ear to ear. “The most important thing was I wanted a kitchen that had a wonderful flow, cooked beautiful meals and was a great gathering place for family and friends, and this space does that perfectly! Beauty wise, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned. I felt the function part was the hardest part, and that was nailed”! Relocating the garage entry to the new mudroom was a huge priority and has finally separated the family’s arriving home functions from their kitchen. Now coats and shoes and bags have their own area for dropping once members arrive home. Matching gray DuraSupreme cabinetry helped create gorgeous, purposeful lockers for the family. A reclaimed vintage sink and custom wall paper were added to the tiny powder room to beautify the once previously only functional space. Advance Design was even able to create a custom space for their dog to sleep while the family is away. “It was unbelievable that a project of this size was completed in such a short time, and I think that’s because of the large amount of planning and preparation that went into it,” Jennifer marveled, “When we started, we were ready, and everything was prepared”. When it came to execution, Project Manager Justin Davis and his crew were quick, accessible, and organized. Projects like this kitchen are typically completed in as little as 8-10 weeks. Jennifer’s kitchen however despite the relocation of some challenging HVAC in a soffit and moving of an exterior door was completed remarkably fast in part because the team was working with an existing tile floor that ran throughout the first floor that the client really loved. “You get to know these people really well because they’re living in your house while you’re living in your house. They were so fast and really good, it didn’t take as long as even planned” reported Jennifer. “I would text Justin and he always responded almost immediately. I got to know all the guys who were working in our house and they were all wonderful people”. Details in a customized kitchen like this one require skill and care from the people who install it. “All the guys on the job were skilled at what the did. I wanted small details like little feet to look like furniture, that is where their carpentry skill came in to make these all perfect”, said Jennifer. “The tile guys were wonderful. They even let me determine how I wanted the texture with the grout to appear for a salt and pepper look; now that is a very skilled trade person making it custom”. In Jennifer’s interview, she continued to reference Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling”, so I took a minute to ask her exactly what that phrase meant to her and how it played out in her experience with her project and the Advance Design team. Here is what she said: “I was intrigued about Common Sense Remodeling and in my head that there would be clear costs and prices, great communication between the design team, the execution team and me”, said Jennifer. They did deliver on that, it was so clear about the cost breakdown, what I could expect from everyone who came to my house, and everything that we had ordered. That to me is the Common Sense”! It’s great to see a client take literally our assertion that a well-planned remodeling project is simply “Common Sense”! She anticipated each step of the way would be clear, concise, and predictable, all the while protecting the outcome due to the careful upfront planning. “Advance Design delivered on their ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ promise,” Jennifer said. “From the design team, to the execution team - everything was straight forward like I imagined. The project turned out exactly how I envisioned, I enjoyed this process and absolutely would recommend Advance Design Studio to anyone.”

Example of a large farmhouse single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in San Diego with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Inspiration for a large transitional galley brown floor and coffered ceiling enclosed kitchen remodel in Boston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

A hand-made copper chandelier, honed granite, farmhouse sink, colorful tile insert, copper range hood, and custom-built cabinets make for a gorgeous and functional kitchen. Photo by J. Sinclair

A large, less restrictive space can sometimes be a challenge to remodel as the possibilities are truly unlimited. The goal was to create a functional and warm space that still felt open, clean and utilized the large space well. Custom glass panel cabinetry with sliding doors and a central drawer bank features ample storage and even multiple standard outlets inside. Vessel sinks sit atop the custom quartz counters that compliment the stone resin free standing bath. On the back side of the central wall is a walk in, from both sides, his and hers shower. Custom tile through out ties both sides of this large bath together. The shower features multiple niches.

Ken Hayden
Inspiration for a craftsman master white tile freestanding bathtub remodel in New York with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls and an undermount sink

Techplan house interior designed by STUDIO KONDE Konrad Idaszewski Architekt, combining contemporary architecture with a warm, carefully balanced interior. Project details: https://conde.pl/portfolio/gotowy-projekt-wnetrz-domu-techplan/ . The Techplan concept belongs to the Modelowedomy collection of three individually configurable houses and is defined by a modern flat roof and an open living space connecting the lounge, dining area and kitchen. For clients looking for an interior architect in Poznań, the project demonstrates how a generous open-plan layout can remain comfortable and clearly organized. Warm oak cabinetry, soft grey upholstery, dark accents and extensive glazing create a calm and sophisticated living environment. The restrained palette gives the interior a timeless quality. Carefully placed furniture and lighting define the individual functions without closing the space into separate rooms. A large sectional sofa in light grey-beige fabric occupies the foreground. Deep seats, broad cushions and generous proportions create a relaxed lounge arrangement. Several loosely positioned cushions add texture and a casual residential feel. In front of the sofa, two round coffee tables introduce a sculptural accent. Both have smooth light-coloured tops and cylindrical bases formed from a fine vertical lattice. Their different sizes create a layered composition over the dark textured rug. Facing the seating area, a large flat-screen television stands freely in front of the glazed façade. Two tall, narrow speakers flank the screen on minimalist white bases. This freestanding arrangement keeps the media zone visually light. It also leaves the garden visible through the windows behind it. Further inside, the kitchen is integrated into a wall of warm oak-toned cabinetry. Full-height timber fronts create a strong architectural backdrop. A dark stone backsplash with expressive light veining introduces a contrasting horizontal band. Concealed LED lighting runs along its upper edge and softly illuminates the work surface. Black pendant lighting adds another dark accent above the kitchen and dining zones. The dining area sits naturally between the kitchen and living room. A rounded table and softly upholstered chairs continue the neutral palette. Their curved silhouettes contrast with the linear cabinetry. Warm timber surfaces provide visual continuity between the two functional zones. Large glazed openings extend across the side of the living area. Mature trees, lawn and a white vertical fence are visible outside. Natural daylight emphasizes the grain of the oak cabinetry and the textures of the upholstery, rug and coffee-table bases. The resulting Techplan interior combines open-plan functionality with a refined material palette and a strong connection to the garden, reflecting the residential interior design work of STUDIO KONDE in Poznań.

A rustic modern kitchen featuring custom wood cabinetry, stone accents, and sleek energy-efficient appliances, blending functionality with organic elegance in this sustainable mountain home.

Black Bike Photography
Playroom - contemporary gender-neutral light wood floor playroom idea in Denver

Built on Frank Sinatra’s estate, this custom home was designed to be a fun and relaxing weekend retreat for our clients who live full time in Orange County. As a second home and playing up the mid-century vibe ubiquitous in the desert, we departed from our clients’ more traditional style to create a modern and unique space with the feel of a boutique hotel. Classic mid-century materials were used for the architectural elements and hard surfaces of the home such as walnut flooring and cabinetry, terrazzo stone and straight set brick walls, while the furnishings are a more eclectic take on modern style. We paid homage to “Old Blue Eyes” by hanging a 6’ tall image of his mug shot in the entry.