Up the ante of your bachelor's retreat (and alternative rooms) aesthetic by adding a meticulously stylised cornice boards. The cornice boards in this house includes (2) different materials, an upholstered wood top molding and absolutely symmetrical handicraft on the curtains. Also, the (4) animal skin wing-backed chairs square measure superbly adorned with nail-heads that are carried throughout the design. This bachelor retreat features a stunning pendant and hand-tufted ottoman table. This house is warm and welcoming and perfect for intimate conversations amongst family and friends for years to come. Please take note - when using cornices, one should decide what proportion return is required. Return is the distance your material hangs away from the wall. Yes, this additionally affects the proportion. Usually, return is 3½ inches. However, larger or taller windows might need a deeper return to avoid the fabric from getting squashed against the wall. An example of a mid-sized transitional formal dining area in Houston, Texas with dark hardwood floors, more, however totally different, large damask wallpaper on the ceiling, (6) custom upholstered striped fabric, scroll back chairs surrounding a gorgeous, glass top dining table, chandelier, artwork and foliage pull this area along for a really elegant, yet masculine space. As for the guest chambers, we carried the inspiration from the bachelor retreat into the space and fabricated (2) more upholstered cornices and custom window treatments, bedding, pillows, upholstered (with nail-heads used in the dining area chairs) headboard, giant damask wallpaper and brown paint. Styling tips: (A) Use nail-heads on furnishings within the alternative rooms to display a reoccurring motif among the house. (B) Use a similar material from one amongst your upholstered furnishing items on the cornice board for visual uniformity. Photo by: Kenny Fenton

After building their first home this Bloomfield couple didn't have any immediate plans on building another until they saw this perfect property for sale. It didn't take them long to make the decision on purchasing it and moving forward with another building project. With the wife working from home it allowed them to become the general contractor for this project. It was a lot of work and a lot of decision making but they are absolutely in love with their new home. It is a dream come true for them and I am happy they chose me and Dillman & Upton to help them make it a reality. Cabinetry: Mid Continent, Allen door, Maple, White paint Kate Benjamin

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2013 Houzz
Deck - eclectic deck idea in Tampa

This fully landscaped yard shows the potential in an outdoor space! Natural stone pavers are set in parchment pebble for the main walkway. The path to the garden bench is natural stone pavers set into DG. A mix of black and rosa Mexican beach pebbles offset the boulder centerpiece, and drought-tolerant plants bring color and life to the garden.

Example of a mid-sized trendy light wood floor kitchen design in Seattle with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a trendy kitchen design in Chicago

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Boston.

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Exterior view of a mid century modern inspired home in Nashville, Tennessee featuring a courtyard with exposed concrete block and clerestory windows.
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Trendy medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and gray countertops

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It was also important for the white IKEA kitchen to have plenty of storage. “This is a dining room/kitchen combination room, so we wanted to make sure there was ample room for both dining and cooking activities,” he says. Therefore, featured throughout the kitchen in both the upper and base cabinetry is IKEA VEDDINGE cabinetry in white along with IKEA MAXIMERA drawers and IKEA UTRUSTA door fronts. Combined with the stainless steel appliances, this creates a light yet warm feel; especially when set against the IKEA KASKER countertops in custom light gray with sleek concrete effect. From a functional standpoint, there is enormous storage potential throughout. There is storage above the refrigerator and along the upper perimeter to the electric range and accompanying range hood, and then on the opposite side as well. There is even a small, three-drawer base cabinet on the opposite side of the stainless steel refrigerator. One standout element of the space is a clever IKEA “hack” using IKEA cabinetry retrofitted to conceal a washer-dryer combo set. Justin notes this was originally the biggest obstacle of the kitchen design. He explains: “We thought a washer/dryer was essential to the space, but we were really struggling with where exactly to put it and how to conceal it so that you weren’t staring at your laundry while eating breakfast.” In addition, the type of cabinet needed was not a cabinet that IKEA standardly offers, so IKD came up with an IKEA hack that was both functional and stylish. Specifically, the 80”(H) IKEA VEDDINGE cabinetry allows the washer-dryer to seamlessly blend into the layout; which maximizes the kitchen space. Justin concludes: “We chose IKEA because IKEA’s price point is unbeatable for the quality. We liked that IKEA offered versatility and ease and we really liked that there is a whole industry of professionals that only deal with IKEA products. So they know precisely how to design for IKEA cabinets and build IKEA cabinets, etc.” Having experienced the IKEA design and installation process, Justin shares some advice with other IKEA customers. “I would recommend that folks not try to do everything themselves, such as design, demo, shop and build. Designing a kitchen is a lot of work. If you can afford it: seek assistance,” he says. “We would also recommend using experienced installers who know IKEA cabinets in and out and can help with the details of your kitchen that make it look polished and complete. They also save time.” To that end, since it was a rental their timeline for the IKEA kitchen to be completed was very tight. “Our IKEA kitchen wasn’t a project we wanted stretched over six months. We wanted the whole project finished in several weeks [and we accomplished it],” he concludes.

Just like in the french louvered door we have added a semi-gloss black iron window frame over tempered clear glass. One of the benefits of a reclaimed wood garage door is that the aged wood comes from old trees that provide longer wider boards. As shown in this project the long wide planks make this modern garage door fit nicely with this Newport Modern house. There are several benefits of using reclaimed timber. Because we live in a world where supply is ever shrinking as we diminish our natural resources, in addition to, over-forestation and the ever growing environmental concerns of global warming or pollutants and wood Beatles killing 15 million trees in our forests of the past decade. Using reclaimed wood helps to preserve our forests and reduces the need for cutting young trees to keep up with the growing demand for timber. The other benefit of using the old timber from barns and old structures has to do with the maturation of the tree originally. Back in the day the only cut mature trees that had reached full potential growth. This wood tends to be stringer and less likely to split or fracture. What they call virgin timber is young trees that are softer and have a greater potential to split. Using reclaimed timber give you yet one more added benefit too, the wood has been aged in an environment that allows the wood to naturally preserve and tarnish with unique characteristics. The wood in old buildings has expanded and contracted constantly over the years and has fully dried out, making it more durable and less prone to warping and splitting. Old wood also tends to have a dense grain making it more stable. Those are natural design elements that make each reclaimed door different! Not one door will be exactly the same. Since the wood has naturally preserved and tarnished then all you have to do is apply a clear coat to the door and you’re done! Thus, leaving your garage, a beautiful naturally finished garage door, that is full of rustic beauty and charm. The wood has done what the wood is going to do and colors and scars tell the 100 year plus, history. What could be more original and charming than a reclaimed wood garage door from Ziegler! You should always remember that reclaimed timber is itself, a finite resource. There are only so many old structures out there to source the wood from and eventually these too will become unavailable. In the meantime, reclaimed wood provides a valuable source of characterful material for farmhouse, traditional and rustic garage doors, and gates and shutters too! Ziegler is one of the oldest wood door manufactures in California and now body does it better than the originator of style and design. Contact one of our top designers in the industry today to start your own history with Ziegler 714-437-0870

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

This busy family wanted to update the main floor of their two-story house. They loved the area but wanted to have a fresher contemporary feel in their home. It all started with the kitchen. We redesigned this, added a big island, and changed flooring, lighting, some furnishings, and wall decor. We also added some architectural detailing in the front hallway. They got a new look without having to move! For more about Lumar Interiors, click here: https://www.lumarinteriors.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.lumarinteriors.com/portfolio/upper-thornhill-renovation-decor/

Mid-century meets modern – this project demonstrates the potential of a heritage renovation that builds upon the past. The major renovations and extension encourage a strong relationship between the landscape, as part of daily life, and cater to a large family passionate about their neighbourhood and entertaining.

The owner of this period cottage in the old market town of Tadcaster near Leeds, had what was once a beautiful Yorkshire stone floor in the kitchen. It has been a long time since it had been given a proper clean so over the years and with the Kitchen being a high traffic area the whole floor including the grout had darkened and he now wanted it refurbished in time for Christmas. I visited the property to assess what needed to be done and could see straight away that any protective sealer that was once on the floor had long since worn off. In fact, it was so consistently dirty with years of built-up grease and dirt I had to wonder if one had ever been applied. I explained what the floor needed was a really deep intensive clean and then a sealer applied to make it easy to keep clean. The problem with most tile and stone is its porosity and if left unprotected dirt easily becomes lodged into its pores making cleaning a struggle. To prove the difference that can be achieved and to allow me to work out a process on which I could base an accurate quote I ran a test clean on part of the kitchen floor. The test clean went very well, the difference was remarkable, and the cleaned section really stood out. Pleased with the potential of a clean floor they accepted my quote, and we pencilled a date in the diary. I returned on the appointed date and began by removing the kickboards from under the kitchen units to protect them from splashing. Next, I set about spaying the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, this is a purpose made tile and grout cleaner that eats into the grease and dirt so it can be removed. This product works best if you leave it for ten minutes before scrubbing in using a heavy-duty machine fitted with a heavy-duty brush. The soil released from the floor was then extracted using a wet vacuum. The Pro-Clean did a good job on the grout however it was clear something stronger was required to really get the stone clean, so I stepped up a gear and applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go using the same process as before. This is a really good product for removing deeply ingrained grease and dirt. The final step of the cleaning process was to give the stone and acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to remove old grout haze and other mineral deposits; additionally, being an acidic product, it counters the alkaline cleaning products used earlier neutralising the pH level of the floor and leaving it ready for sealing. Before sealing I like to discuss the different products available and the finishes they can provide. In this case my clients’ main concerns were that they wanted the stone to look natural and easy to maintain going forward. With this in mind, Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra was chosen, it’s a modern acrylic-based sealer that brings out the natural colours in the stone and gives a very slight smooth finish. The protection it provides will prevent dirt becoming ingrained int the pores of the stone and ensure the floor is easier to maintain. Several coats were applied, until we achieved the required finish. The deep cleaning process and fresh sealer transformed the stone floor bringing out its original beauty and my customer couldn’t believe the difference in the floor and was highly delighted. For aftercare I gave the client a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, this product is pH neutral so it will clean the floor but won’t damage the sealer. Often people use household cleaners for cleaning tiled floors, but due to the strong chemicals they contain, they can do more harm than good by slowly stripping away the protective sealer and taking the floor back to square one. Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner is reasonably priced, and the concentrated formula means a small amount goes a long way so it’s well worth using. This was a pleasurable job for me as it was good to see the floor transform from dull and lifeless to clean and showing the natural colour and beauty of the York stone, and always lovely to have another satisfied client. Simon Testa North East Yorkshire Tile Doctor