Search results for "Poor functionality" in Home Design Ideas

The old, outdated kitchen from the 40's had poor flow and was no longer to code. The remodeled kitchen has better flow and function just by switching the fridge and stove. The new wood cabinets fit better with the colors and style of the updated house, as is the flooring.

These homeowners were ready to completely transform their master bathroom. The existing space felt cramped and outdated, with an impractical linen closet, a small vanity, poor lighting, a bulky tub, and a shower that had seen better days. Their vision was clear—they wanted a warm, inviting, spa-inspired retreat with natural elements, rich textures, and a unique wood feature wall, rather than the all-white look that has become so common.
The finished design brings that vision to life through a beautiful blend of color, texture, and thoughtful details. A stunning cherry vanity and counter stack, topped with luxurious quartzite countertops, create warmth and elegance. The feature wall, finished in 1" x 3" Articulo tile, adds depth and visual interest, while large-format floor tiles provide a clean, modern foundation.
The curbless shower features coordinating hex tile flooring and niches, complemented by porcelain slab walls and glass panels that create an open, airy feel. A spacious freestanding tub offers the perfect place to relax and unwind. To maximize functionality, the doorway was relocated to accommodate a larger vanity, and custom barn and closet doors were added to enhance the room's character.
Programmable lighting tailored to the homeowners' lifestyle, along with a custom wood feature wall designed to showcase decorative plants, transformed a once-empty wall into a stunning focal point. What was once a dreaded space is now a beautiful spa-like retreat and one of the homeowners' favorite rooms in the house.

Previously renovated with a two-story addition in the 80’s, the home’s square footage had been increased, but the current homeowners struggled to integrate the old with the new.
An oversized fireplace and awkward jogged walls added to the challenges on the main floor, along with dated finishes. While on the second floor, a poorly configured layout was not functional for this expanding family.
From the front entrance, we can see the fireplace was removed between the living room and dining rooms, creating greater sight lines and allowing for more traditional archways between rooms.
At the back of the home, we created a new mudroom area, and updated the kitchen with custom two-tone millwork, countertops and finishes. These main floor changes work together to create a home more reflective of the homeowners’ tastes.
On the second floor, the master suite was relocated and now features a beautiful custom ensuite, walk-in closet and convenient adjacency to the new laundry room.
Gordon King Photography
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The owners of this incredible home in Lake Sammamish, Washington, had been discouraged by the work done by a previous artificial turf company at their home—a low quality product was installed poorly and therefore didn’t function as it should. Their faith in the artificial turf industry was restored when ForeverLawn Bellevue stepped in to remove and correct the issues that the previous company had created. ForeverLawn transformed a disaster into the homeowners’ dream yard. This wonderfully executed installation included over 4,000 square feet of DuPont™ ForeverLawn® Select HD and a unique backyard putting green surfaced with EZ Putt, a variation of GolfGreens™ ideal for fun, family-focused putting greens that requires little maintenance and will provide endless entertainment.

Before Photo | existing patio was sloped poorly and too small for functional use as dining area | Photo by Michele Kruegel
Inspiration for a small timeless backyard decomposed granite patio remodel in Chicago
Inspiration for a small timeless backyard decomposed granite patio remodel in Chicago

This project was designed for a young newlywed couple and was a wedding gift from their parents. It was their first home, but certainly not their permanent residence, so we had to design a functional and beautiful space while keeping costs down. At Evergreen, we know that saving money doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, and there’s a big difference between affordable construction and poor-quality construction. We designed a house with everything necessary: a complete open-plan kitchen, a spacious and bright living room, two comfortable and light-filled bedrooms (not very large), and a bathroom with space for a washing machine. Externally, the house blended seamlessly with the main house, respecting its style and color palette. The final result speaks for itself; we enjoyed building it from scratch and considering every detail.

This beautiful 1881 Alameda Victorian cottage, wonderfully embodying the Transitional Gothic-Eastlake era, had most of its original features intact. Our clients, one of whom is a painter, wanted to preserve the beauty of the historic home while modernizing its flow and function.
From several small rooms, we created a bright, open artist’s studio. We dug out the basement for a large workshop, extending a new run of stair in keeping with the existing original staircase. While keeping the bones of the house intact, we combined small spaces into large rooms, closed off doorways that were in awkward places, removed unused chimneys, changed the circulation through the house for ease and good sightlines, and made new high doorways that work gracefully with the eleven foot high ceilings. We removed inconsistent picture railings to give wall space for the clients’ art collection and to enhance the height of the rooms. From a poorly laid out kitchen and adjunct utility rooms, we made a large kitchen and family room with nine-foot-high glass doors to a new large deck. A tall wood screen at one end of the deck, fire pit, and seating give the sense of an outdoor room, overlooking the owners’ intensively planted garden. A previous mismatched addition at the side of the house was removed and a cozy outdoor living space made where morning light is received. The original house was segmented into small spaces; the new open design lends itself to the clients’ lifestyle of entertaining groups of people, working from home, and enjoying indoor-outdoor living.
Photography by Kurt Manley.
https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/artists-victorian/

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Columbus, OH
Structural Remodeling
Franklin County's Heavy Timber Specialists | Best of Houzz 2020!

When the homeowners decided to move from San Francisco to the Central Coast, they were looking for a more relaxed lifestyle, a unique place to call their own, and an environment conducive to raising their young children. They found it all in San Luis Obispo. They had owned a house here in SLO for several years that they had used as a rental. As the homeowners own and run a contracting business and relocation was not impossible, they decided to move their business and make this SLO rental into their dream home.
As a rental, the house was in a bare-bones condition. The kitchen had old white cabinets, boring white tile counters, and a horrendous vinyl tile floor. Not only was the kitchen out-of-date and old-fashioned, it was also pretty worn out. The tiles were cracking and the grout was stained, the cabinet doors were sagging, and the appliances were conflicting (ie: you could not open the stove and dishwasher at the same time).
To top it all off, the kitchen was just too small for the custom home the homeowners wanted to create.
Thus enters San Luis Kitchen. At the beginning of their quest to remodel, the homeowners visited San Luis Kitchen’s showroom and fell in love with our Tuscan Grotto display. They sat down with our designers and together we worked out the scope of the project, the budget for cabinetry and how that fit into their overall budget, and then we worked on the new design for the home starting with the kitchen.
As the homeowners felt the kitchen was cramped, it was decided to expand by moving the window wall out onto the existing porch. Besides the extra space gained, moving the wall brought the kitchen window out from under the porch roof – increasing the natural light available in the space. (It really helps when the homeowner both understands building and can do his own contracting and construction.) A new arched window and stone clad wall now highlights the end of the kitchen. As we gained wall space, we were able to move the range and add a plaster hood, creating a focal nice focal point for the kitchen.
The other long wall now houses a Sub-Zero refrigerator and lots of counter workspace. Then we completed the kitchen by adding a wrap-around wet bar extending into the old dining space. We included a pull-out pantry unit with open shelves above it, wine cubbies, a cabinet for glassware recessed into the wall, under-counter refrigerator drawers, sink base and trash cabinet, along with a decorative bookcase cabinet and bar seating. Lots of function in this corner of the kitchen; a bar for entertaining and a snack station for the kids.
After the kitchen design was finalized and ordered, the homeowners turned their attention to the rest of the house. They asked San Luis Kitchen to help with their master suite, a guest bath, their home control center (essentially a deck tucked under the main staircase) and finally their laundry room. Here are the photos:
I wish I could show you the rest of the house. The homeowners took a poor rental house and turned it into a showpiece! They added custom concrete floors, unique fiber optic lighting, large picture windows, and much more. There is now an outdoor kitchen complete with pizza oven, an outdoor shower and exquisite garden. They added a dedicated dog run to the side yard for their pooches and a rooftop deck at the very peak. Such a fun house.
Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry, Barcelona

The client's basement was a poorly-finished strange place; was cluttered and not functional as an entertainment space. We updated to a club-like atmosphere to include a state of the art entertainment area, poker/card table, unique curved bar area, karaoke and dance floor area with a disco ball to provide reflecting fractals above to pull the focus to the center of the area to tell everyone; this is where the action is!

The major kitchen renovation of this old country farmhouse was a task of love, one that had been planned for many years by these Barrington seasoned homeowners. After interviewing no less than five companies, the homeowners chose the design team at Advance Design Studio to make the transformation they had long planned for.
“They had an understanding of the right design for the space almost from the instant they walked in the room”, says Sharon Scott of the design team of Nicole Ryan at Todd Jurs at Advance Design Studio. “They were the only designers who laid out ideas in the first meeting at the house that we really loved”, she says. “It was obvious that they understood the house, and understood us - and from then on the decision to hire them literally made itself”.
The original kitchen had a dividing “wall” of cabinetry…that made the rather large space seem very small, and cut off the kitchen from the eating area that has a beautiful garden view completely hidden from the main kitchen. Circulation was poor, leaving family members on top of one another when entertaining family and friends.
The new kitchen design nearly doubles the kitchen size within the original space; opening it up completely and enjoying an expansive island containing a new Kohler Whitehaven Smart Divide farm sink, a dishwasher, and pull out double trash receptacle. The great new gathering space accommodates four pull out stools beckoning grandchildren and friends alike. Removing the range from the island and relocating it to create a dramatic “feature” wall, completely out of the way of guests; it is now crowned with a beautiful completely customized wood hood designed to ventilate much more efficiently than the original island range containing a limited downdraft system.
The much more efficient use of the space after removing a pantry closet made way for a fully functional “tall wall” housing a double oven and refrigerator, out of the way of guests. Removing the restrictive cabinetry wall now allowed for an expansive floor to ceiling pantry cabinet with full extension pull out shelving, and an elegant display area complete with a beautiful furniture detailed buffet.
Fitting perfectly into the farmhouse charm of the old estate, Medallion Silver Lancaster cabinetry was chosen in a soft white Maple Divinity paint finish lining the perimeter. The stunning island hints to this old home’s past with Medallion Gold’s Maple Devonshire style graced with a Carriage Black Heirloom painted finish. The rubbed off black paint finish reveals the soft wood tones beneath, mimicking furniture you’d see in your grandmother’s home that has lovingly been polished for years to reveal a soft, subtly rubbed-off sheen.
Counter tops reverse contrast with perimeter tops of black “Raven” granite possessing a subtle honed finish, and a shift to Quartz Difinity Viareggio - resembling white Carrera marble on the island. A simple herringbone detail completes the decorative range wall, and subtle porcelain subway tiles grace the backsplash throughout.
The design is finished off with crisp Thermador and Bosch stainless steel appliances, and bright brushed cup pull and handle combination hardware. A pull down Kohler Bellaria faucet makes cleanup a breeze, and soft under-cabinet LED lighting throughout makes every work surface shine softly, and highlights the cabinetry display area with grace.
One special detail was created to make the dramatic ceiling transition to a vaulted area above the breakfast nook extra special. A tongue and groove solid wood ceiling was hung above, and a subtle greenish-grey distressed paint finish was hand developed on site by the talented crew, complementing the new kitchen with a completely unique surface that appears as if it’s been there for many, many years. It’s just one standout feature in the amazing new space that is sure to be in every conversation as newcomers enjoy the newest best hangout in this old home renewed!
After 30 years of renovating homes, this now content homeowner sips a cup of tea enjoying her new garden view, and reminisces projects of past – and lastly reports their experience with Advance Design Studio culminating with their amazing new kitchen to be the most enjoyable and satisfying home experience yet.
Designer: Nicole Ryan
Photographer: Joe Nowak

2010 REGIONAL AWARD WINNER
Built in 2000, this center hall colonial in Fairfax Station, Virginia had a kitchen that was neither functional nor aesthetically pleasing.
First, the floor plan was poorly rationalized. The work triangle was inefficient, a large pantry took up too much floor space, and a series of railings between the kitchen and family room obstructed traffic flow.
Aesthetically, the space was dated. Dutch cabinetry, floral wallpaper and a faux Victorian chandelier all cried for an update. Additionally, the homeowners wanted to incorporate high-end appliances and other amenities like a wine cooler and steam cooker.
Overall, the owners were seeking to replace worn out-of-style kitchen with a substantially upgraded “open” facility that combines traditional and contemporary features configured to support multiple social and culinary needs.
Working with Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, they decided to implement a series of strategic revisions that would support their new use goals.
First, they removed an obstructive bearing wall between the existing kitchen and mudroom, creating a recessed niche for a new 48” gas range with custom hood. An unused desk taken out provided a spot for the new 48” two-drawer refrigerator/freezer.
A custom-designed L-shaped granite-surfaced island with bar sink, icemaker and mini-drawer refrigerator takes center stage in the space and offers seating for six. Now the chef can entertain guests while preparing the meal.
From an aesthetic point of view, the interior features are nothing less than stunning. Softly painted walls, decorative ceramic tile backsplashes and granite surfaces combine with custom made cabinets to create an elegant space. Antiqued soft-opaque cabinet facings, wood panel refrigerator door inserts, glass-facing display cabinets and a custom mantle range hood are true works of craftsmanship. Fine detail is expressed with flutes and corbels. Beauty is truly in the details of this award-winning kitchen.

A very personal project that warranted an industrial meets Florida waterway feel. The original layout was poor and drew your eye to a weird corner in the master shower. The owner wanted a tub , bidet toilet, lots of storage and tile on all walls.
We removed the double wall vanity and added a nook for the master tub which took advantage of the waterway views. We created a strong centerline with a linear skylight and mirror door on a large wall hung linen cabinet. The toilet, tub and shower are accessed thorough sliding glass shower doors hung from a steel beam. The shower valve and head and bath products are all housed in a custom built metal tower that compliments the steel beam. The result is an incredibly handsome bath that functions beautifully!

AVENTURA MAGAZINE selected our client’s luxury 5000 Sf ocean front apartment in Miami Beach, to publish it in their issue and they Said:
Story by Linda Marx, Photography by Daniel Newcomb
Light & Bright
New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle.
WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER JENNIFER CORREDOR was asked to recreate a four-bedroom, six-bath condominium at The Bath Club in Miami Beach, she seized the opportunity to open the rooms and better utilize the vast ocean views.
In five months last year, the designer transformed a dark and closed 5,000-square-foot unit located on a high floor into a series of sweeping waterfront spaces and updated the well located apartment into a light and airy retreat for a sports-loving family of five.
“They come down from New York every other weekend and wanted to make their waterfront home a series of grand open spaces,” says Corrredor, of the J. Design Group in Coral Gables, a firm specializing in modern and contemporary interiors. “Since many of the rooms face the ocean, it made sense to open and lighten up the home, taking advantage of the awesome views of the sea and the bay.”
The designer used 40 x 40 all white tile throughout the apartment as a clean base. This way, her sophisticated use of color would stand out and bring the outdoors in.
The close-knit family members—two parents and three boys in college—like to do things together. But there were situations to overcome in the process of modernizing and opening the space. When Corredor was briefed on their desires, nothing seemed too daunting. The confident designer was ready to delve in. For example, she fixed an area at the front door
that was curved. “The wood was concave so I straightened it out,” she explains of a request from the clients. “It was an obstacle that I overcame as part of what I do in a redesign. I don’t consider it a difficult challenge. Improving what I see is part of the process.”
She also tackled the kitchen with gusto by demolishing a wall. The kitchen had formerly been enclosed, which was a waste of space and poor use of available waterfront ambience. To create a grand space linking the kitchen to the living room and dining room area, something had to go. Once the wall was yesterday’s news, she relocated the refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) to the other side of the room. This change was a natural functionality in the new open space. “By tearing out the wall, the family has a better view of the kitchen from the living and dining rooms,” says Corredor, who also made it easier to walk in and out of one area and into the other. “The views of the larger public space and the surrounding water are breathtaking.
Opening it up changed everything.”
They clients can now see the kitchen from the living and dining areas, and at the same time, dwell in an airy and open space instead of feeling stuck in a dark enclosed series of rooms. In fact, the high-top bar stools that Corredor selected for the kitchen can be twirled around to use for watching TV in the living room.
In keeping with the theme of moving seamlessly from one room to the other, Corredor designed a subtle wall of glass in the living room along with lots of comfortable seating. This way, all family members feel at ease while relaxing, talking, or watching sporting events on the large flat screen television. “For this room, I wanted more open space, light and a supreme airy feeling,” she says. “With the glass design making a statement, it quickly became the star of the show.”…….
….. To add texture and depth, Jennifer Corredor custom created wood doors here, and in other areas of the home. They provide a nice contrast to the open Florida tropical feel. “I added character to the openness by using exotic cherry wood,” she says. “I repeated this throughout the home and it works well.”
Known for capturing the client’s vision while adding her own innovative twists, Corredor lightened the family room, giving it a contemporary and modern edge with colorful art and matching throw pillows on the sofas. She added a large beige leather ottoman as the center coffee table in the room. This round piece was punctuated with a bold-toned flowering plant atop. It effortlessly matches the pillows and colors of the contemporary canvas.
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This beautiful 1881 Alameda Victorian cottage, wonderfully embodying the Transitional Gothic-Eastlake era, had most of its original features intact. Our clients, one of whom is a painter, wanted to preserve the beauty of the historic home while modernizing its flow and function.
From several small rooms, we created a bright, open artist’s studio. We dug out the basement for a large workshop, extending a new run of stair in keeping with the existing original staircase. While keeping the bones of the house intact, we combined small spaces into large rooms, closed off doorways that were in awkward places, removed unused chimneys, changed the circulation through the house for ease and good sightlines, and made new high doorways that work gracefully with the eleven foot high ceilings. We removed inconsistent picture railings to give wall space for the clients’ art collection and to enhance the height of the rooms. From a poorly laid out kitchen and adjunct utility rooms, we made a large kitchen and family room with nine-foot-high glass doors to a new large deck. A tall wood screen at one end of the deck, fire pit, and seating give the sense of an outdoor room, overlooking the owners’ intensively planted garden. A previous mismatched addition at the side of the house was removed and a cozy outdoor living space made where morning light is received. The original house was segmented into small spaces; the new open design lends itself to the clients’ lifestyle of entertaining groups of people, working from home, and enjoying indoor-outdoor living.
Photography by Kurt Manley.
https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/artists-victorian/

After more than 30 years in their 1990 Sammamish home, these homeowners were ready to update their primary suite. They had worked with contractors in the past and had dealt with poor workmanship, inaccurate measurements, budget overruns, and a design process that didn’t reflect what they wanted. This time, they were looking for a contractor who would listen, communicate clearly, and provide accurate pricing.
Lakeville started with a detailed preconstruction process. We reviewed the scope with the homeowners, gathered subcontractor pricing, and walked through the estimate line by line before construction began.
The primary bathroom was updated without replacing everything. The existing cabinets were in good condition, so they were refreshed. We raised the shower ceiling, replaced the original whirlpool tub, added heated tile floors, and installed a Grundfos SCALA2 booster pump to improve water pressure. Warm brushed-gold fixtures, large-format porcelain tile, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster walls, Greek Villa millwork, and Stratus Prime Acropolis quartz bring the new finishes together.
The adjoining primary closet was also remodeled with a custom storage system that includes accessory storage, a two-bag slide-out hamper, valet rod, and charging station.
Behind the walls, the project included new electrical circuits for the heated floors, smart thermostat, and booster pump. The existing bathroom presented a few challenges, including finding a specialty corner bypass shower enclosure that would fit the space.
In the primary bedroom, the existing carpet was replaced with hardwood flooring matched to the floors throughout the rest of the home.
The project was completed on time and on budget, with a finished primary suite that reflects what the homeowners wanted from the start: a comfortable, functional space and a contractor they could trust.

The space was unusable for family and entertaining. It was too small, with poor space planning. This complete remodel required structural wall removal, appliance relocate, floor replace and refinish. The peninsula was replaced with island for better traffic flow. The bridge at hood avoided the need for tile to the ceiling. The client was a fireman and the ladder makes him feel right at home!

The kitchen itself was a small G-shape and very closed off and had a third kind of ceiling treatment with beams. Counter overhang at the peninsula was too small and created bruised knees for guests. Lighting was poor even with the large windows in the room.
By opening up to the dining room, we rearranged the kitchen to create a much more functional L-shape design for prepping, cooking, and cleaning and incorporated a large island to accommodate three oversized stools. The space is now ideal for larger gatherings and bunko nights.

The clients found a house they loved for two reasons…location, location, location (first reason) and the exterior style was similar to a beloved childhood home. They came to LaMantia inquiring as to the possibilities for the first floor. Armed with the clients’ “wants and desires” LaMantia designers Jackie Prazak and Andy LaMantia went about redesigning most of the first floor into an open floor plan fit for the young family.
LaMantia & Prazak found the key to providing the enlarged feeling was through the poorly designed existing home addition. The additional living space was difficult to access, thus providing no useful function to the home.
Completely removing the original exterior walls of the home that blocked access into the addition was the first step in the plan. With the walls removed, the original walled-off space became a part of the home. Relocating the first floor Powder Room, revising the entry closet, removing the wall into the kitchen and resizing the Living Room all were key components to the final rebirth of the larger picture.
To finalize the new kitchen space, it was suggested to raise the Bay window unit thus allowing the relocated sink location. With all the revisions, the Kitchen now could easily accommodate a stretched out “L” layout with a large seated Island and a separate desk area.
With the final plans in place, the clients were amazed to find that within the existing walls of their newly purchased home they had gained so much extra use. And…the very last prize they gained was a dreamed of Mudroom!

Transformed Urban Oasis: Premium Artificial Turf Installation"
Set in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens, this backyard underwent a comprehensive transformation, turning a previously underutilized space into a lush, evergreen oasis. The aim was clear: to craft an outdoor environment that requires minimal maintenance, provides aesthetic pleasure, and offers functional space for various activities.
Initially, the backyard presented challenges including uneven ground, patchy grass areas, and poor soil conditions. Our team addressed these issues with precision grading and soil stabilization techniques, preparing a perfect base for the upcoming transformation.
We opted for a premium artificial turf, chosen for its realistic texture, durability, and environmental resilience. Spread across [specific square footage/size of the area], the turf exudes a natural charm that rivals the best of lawns. With its soft pile height and UV resistance, it promises year-round greenery without the hassle of watering, mowing, or fertilizing.
Details, such as the seamless integration of the turf with existing patios or garden beds, highlight our team's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence. The results are evident — a green sanctuary ready for sunbathing, children's play, or simply lounging.
Homeowners have praised the transformation, noting the newfound usability of their outdoor space, the reduction in water bills, and the numerous compliments they receive from visitors.
This project isn't just about installing artificial turf; it's about reimagining urban backyards, bringing nature closer to home, and offering sustainable and beautiful solutions for modern living.

The #LakesideLeisure Project was a comprehensive redesign of a lakefront property that transformed various challenges into stunning solutions. Initially, the property featured a small, high-maintenance cedar deck with minimal lake views, poorly placed stairs, limited flat yard space due to extensive tiered landscaping and excessive plantings, obstructed lake views, and privacy concerns from a neighboring home.
The client’s vision was clear: they wanted a large, flat yard for family activities and hosting, enhanced outdoor living spaces for dining and lounging, increased privacy from neighbors, more shaded hangout areas, improved “curb appeal” from the lake, and reduced maintenance.
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