Bill Taylor Photography
Family room - large traditional open concept medium tone wood floor family room idea in Philadelphia with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

Our tiny home in motion – nearly every feature shown is made possible by plastics, including the vinyl plastic siding and trim, vinyl plastic window frames, engineered plastic solar shingles and the tough polycarbonate plastic skylight. All these features help make the house more efficient, weather resistant and help reduce required maintenance.

Learn seed starting basics and get a jump start on growing the flower garden of your dreams. In this striking guide you will find everything you need to grow, harvest, and arrange stunning seasonal blooms. With equal parts instruction and inspiration, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden welcomes you into Erin Benzakein’s abundant, bloom-filled world, and is a feast for every flower lover’s eyes and soul. Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden. Written by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. Photos by Michèle M. Waite. Published by Chronicle Books.

Clean, streamlined geometry added to garden for modern, harmonious appeal with black granite stepping stones, surrounded by hand-placed black glossy, smooth chineese pebbles

Inspiration for a contemporary freestanding bathtub remodel in Calgary with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and gray walls

Architect of Record: David Burton, Photographer: Jenny Pfeiffer
Inspiration for an eclectic medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, cement tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and two islands

Example of a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor enclosed dining room design in Denver with beige walls and no fireplace

Family room - traditional family room idea in Charlotte

Inspiration for a timeless patio remodel in Richmond

Large elegant gray tile and porcelain tile bathroom photo in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and marble countertops

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

The tile design craftsmen at Mediterranea have leveraged 21st century technology to create the Boardwalk series -- a product that evokes the classic seaside destinations to which Americans have aspired for over 100 years. Painstakingly designed to emulate the weathered hardwood planks found in some of America’s most unique architectural destinations, Boardwalk features fully rectified tiles in a full 48” length – a size never before manufactured in the USA, offering amazing graphics and limitless design possibilities. Ever since the construction of the famous promenade in Atlantic City in 1870, the Boardwalk has a time-honored place in American lore as an exclusive seaside destination. Mediterranea honors this tradition in four classic colors, named after America’s most distinctive Boardwalks – Atlantic City (Ash), Coney Island (Walnut), Myrtle Beach (Whitewash) and Venice Beach (Amber). Using its exclusive Dynamic HD Imaging™ technology, Mediterranea takes ink-jet design to an entirely new level in the Boardwalk series – bringing the charm of these unique destinations to life for the first time in a manufactured and fully rectified product. Boardwalk is offered in 8” x 48” and 6” x 24” sizes, complete with 3” x 24” bullnose trim pieces. Mediterranea’s Boardwalk collection perfectly evokes the unique spirit of America’s exclusive seaside resorts, premium residences and commercial destinations. Take a walk on Boardwalk - manufactured exclusively by Mediterranea.

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2018 Houzz https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/108513781/list/bold-and-daring-designs-at-the-2018-kips-bay-decorator-show-house

Bill Taylor Photography
Inspiration for a large timeless master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Philadelphia with gray walls

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This barn home is modeled after an existing Nebraska barn in Lancaster County. Heating is by passive solar design, supplemented by a geothermal radiant floor system which is located under the wood floors in the hall. The railings are made from goat fencing and walls are tongue and groove pine. Photo Credits: Jackson Studios

Plastics Make It Possible
Example of a classic home design design in Denver

Pull out knife block makes use of a small space while keep essential cooking tools close at hand. ~ Brian DalBalcon Photography
Kitchen - mid-sized transitional kitchen idea in Seattle

Krista Jahnke
Example of a trendy gender-neutral porcelain tile and brown floor reach-in closet design in Vancouver with flat-panel cabinets and medium tone wood cabinets

Beach style open concept family room photo in Orlando with blue walls