Southwest kitchen photo in Albuquerque

Elegant, yet functional laundry room off the kitchen. Hidden away behind sliding doors, this laundry space opens to double as a butler's pantry during preparations and service for entertaining guests.

This old-world kitchen is perfect for entertaining or cooking a fabulous meal. Key elements include custom made cabinets, French limestone floors, open beamed ceilings and mountain views. A 200 year-old, sand cast, iron fireback plate was selected and shipped by the owner from France, and is installed above the stove. The appliances are faced with wood veneer to blend with the cabinets. The white oak butcher block on the island creates more surface area for food preparation. Photographer: Jim Bartsch

We brought the kitchen up to date with modern appliances while maintaining a timeless and tasteful tone in a relatively tiny space. What used to be a maid’s kitchen with a butler’s pantry and a sunporch now houses a wide open food preparation area and island, a large refrigerator, and six-burner range. White quartzite countertops, Wolf 6-burner range, walnut shelving, herringbone wood floors, barstools from McGuire. Photo credit: Eric Rorer

Example of a beach style family room design in Charleston

Inspiration for a modern kitchen remodel in Orange County

Awarded "Best Smart Home of the Year" by EH. Spire outfitted this beautiful Michigan home with the best in high quality luxury technology. The homeowners enjoy the complete control of their home, from lighting and shading to entertainment and security, through the Savant Control System. Homeowners and guests can easily create “scenes” to manage their days and social gatherings. Lutron shades help maintain light, climate and privacy to balance the inside and outside views. Outdoor entertaining is easy with the Sonance Landscape Audio System, Lutron light controls for pools and fountains and Savant control of outdoor fire pits. The fully managed Whyreboot network allows for uninterrupted system control. To maintain security, Holovision doors and gates are equipped with Doorbird system to notify residents of visitors and to give control to open and close doors and gates. Music lovers can enjoy the highest level in audio from Meridian 7200 speakers in the lower level, as well as, Sonance in wall and in ceiling speakers throughout the home. In order for the homeowners to enjoy different music and entertainment in various rooms, 14 zones of video and 26 zones of audio were necessary. Spire added many special touches to this amazing home. The master bathroom boasts a MirrorTV so owners can enjoy some entertainment while preparing for the day. A floor lift in the kitchen and dining room allows for entertainment, but can be tucked away when distractions are not wanted. A floor lift in the bedroom makes watching TV convenient, but can be put away when not in use. A fingerprint lock was placed at the bar for peace of mind. Spire’s expertise and commitment to detail were key to the intricate design concepts throughout the home. Spire worked closely with design teams to ensure under cabinet lighting was just right.

Photography by Jim Tetro This house, built in the 1960s, sits southfacing on a terrific wooded lot in Bethesda, Maryland. The owners desire a whole-house renovation which would improve the general building fabric and systems, and extend the sense of living out of doors in all seasons. The original sixties-modern character is preserved and the renovation extends the design forward into a contemporary, modern approach. Connections to and through the site are enhanced through the creation of new larger window and door openings. Screened porches and decks perch above the sloped and wooded site. The new kitchen and bathrooms allow for opportunities to feel out-of -doors while preparing, cooking, dining, and bathing. Smart passive strategies guide the environmental choices for this project, including envelope improvements, updated mechanical systems, and on-site stormwater management.

Eat-in kitchen - small contemporary u-shaped brown floor and dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island, gray countertops, dark wood cabinets and mosaic tile backsplash

This Greek Revival row house in Boerum Hill was previously owned by a local architect who renovated it several times, including the addition of a two-story steel and glass extension at the rear. The new owners came to us seeking to restore the house and its original formality, while adapting it to the modern needs of a family of five. The detailing of the 25 x 36 foot structure had been lost and required some sleuthing into the history of Greek Revival style in historic Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition to completely re-framing the interior, the house also required a new south-facing brick façade due to significant deterioration. The modern extension was replaced with a more traditionally detailed wood and copper- clad bay, still open to natural light and the garden view without sacrificing comfort. The kitchen was relocated from the first floor to the garden level with an adjacent formal dining room. Both rooms were enlarged from their previous iterations to accommodate weekly dinners with extended family. The kitchen includes a home office and breakfast nook that doubles as a homework station. The cellar level was further excavated to accommodate finished storage space and a playroom where activity can be monitored from the kitchen workspaces. The parlor floor is now reserved for entertaining. New pocket doors can be closed to separate the formal front parlor from the more relaxed back portion, where the family plays games or watches TV together. At the end of the hall, a powder room with brass details, and a luxe bar with antique mirrored backsplash and stone tile flooring, leads to the deck and direct garden access. Because of the property width, the house is able to provide ample space for the interior program within a shorter footprint. This allows the garden to remain expansive, with a small lawn for play, an outdoor food preparation area with a cast-in-place concrete bench, and a place for entertaining towards the rear. The newly designed landscaping will continue to develop, further enhancing the yard’s feeling of escape, and filling-in the views from the kitchen and back parlor above. A less visible, but equally as conscious, addition is a rooftop PV solar array that provides nearly 100% of the daily electrical usage, with the exception of the AC system on hot summer days. The well-appointed interiors connect the traditional backdrop of the home to a youthful take on classic design and functionality. The materials are elegant without being precious, accommodating a young, growing family. Unique colors and patterns provide a feeling of luxury while inviting inhabitants and guests to relax and enjoy this classic Brooklyn brownstone. This project won runner-up in the architecture category for the 2017 NYC&G Innovation in Design Awards and was featured in The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. Photography by Francis Dzikowski / OTTO

Inspiration for a transitional backyard stone patio kitchen remodel in Houston with a gazebo

Staircase - 1950s floating open and cable railing staircase idea in Orange County

The home’s open-concept layout integrates the great room, dining room and kitchen, providing a connected experience.
Inspiration for a large coastal formal and open concept dark wood floor, brown floor, exposed beam and shiplap wall living room remodel in DC Metro with white walls

In this total gut and reconfiguration of the kitchen and adjacent spaces, a seamless marriage of farmhouse aesthetic with materials that are already in the home create a space that integrates with the feeling of the original home. Significant changes to the layout and removal of walls has created an open concept living, larger kitchen area, and an organized and functional kitchen space. New French doors connect to the outdoors and introduce more light into the space, as well as increased recessed and accent lighting assist in generating a light-filled home. The new layout provides an open, inviting entertaining space where children can play in the den while meals are prepared on the oversized island.

Private home office with blue accent wall and window with lots of natural light.
Home office - small coastal built-in desk brown floor home office idea in Charlotte with blue walls

Brittany M. Powell
Alcove shower - mid-sized contemporary 3/4 beige tile alcove shower idea in San Francisco with a wall-mount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and white walls

The Clients contacted Cecil Baker + Partners to reconfigure and remodel the top floor of a prominent Philadelphia high-rise into an urban pied-a-terre. The forty-five story apartment building, overlooking Washington Square Park and its surrounding neighborhoods, provided a modern shell for this truly contemporary renovation. Originally configured as three penthouse units, the 8,700 sf interior, as well as 2,500 square feet of terrace space, was to become a single residence with sweeping views of the city in all directions. The Client’s mission was to create a city home for collecting and displaying contemporary glass crafts. Their stated desire was to cast an urban home that was, in itself, a gallery. While they enjoy a very vital family life, this home was targeted to their urban activities - entertainment being a central element. The living areas are designed to be open and to flow into each other, with pockets of secondary functions. At large social events, guests feel free to access all areas of the penthouse, including the master bedroom suite. A main gallery was created in order to house unique, travelling art shows. Stemming from their desire to entertain, the penthouse was built around the need for elaborate food preparation. Cooking would be visible from several entertainment areas with a “show” kitchen, provided for their renowned chef. Secondary preparation and cleaning facilities were tucked away. The architects crafted a distinctive residence that is framed around the gallery experience, while also incorporating softer residential moments. Cecil Baker + Partners embraced every element of the new penthouse design beyond those normally associated with an architect’s sphere, from all material selections, furniture selections, furniture design, and art placement. Barry Halkin and Todd Mason Photography

An existing 70’s brick home nestled streets away from the beach, is in dire need of a transformation. The existing home had the bones to accommodate a substantial renovation, some modifications to the layout, adding an extension and exaggerating the existing raked ceilings in the main living area impacts the new home. The home itself is a relatively disjointed 70’s home, so cleaver planning was imperative to make the most of the interior space. Large open plan living areas with adjoining outdoor entertaining was important. The owners are a young family who enjoy family and entertaining so interaction with the outdoor alfresco was essential not only for quality of living but to appear as a continuation of the main living area to increase the zone visually. My client’s fresh approach; introduction of modern materials with a hint of Scandinavian and industrial, an improved working area and a functional space for cooking and preparing meals.

David Patterson
Example of a country l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen design in Denver with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white appliances and an island