The dining alcove encircles the custom 72" diameter wood table. The tray ceiling, wainscoting and rich crown moldings add classical details. The banquette provides warm additional seating and the custom chandelier finishes the space luxuriously.

Example of a transitional master beige tile and white tile beige floor and double-sink alcove shower design in Oklahoma City with recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, gray countertops and a built-in vanity

Freestanding bathtub - large southwestern master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and gray floor freestanding bathtub idea in Phoenix with flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white walls, dark wood cabinets, white countertops, a one-piece toilet and an integrated sink

This McLean family had recently built a family room addition and wanted to create an open concept kitchen to connect all the spaces. Schroeder Design/Build created a new kitchen, adjacent banquette seating area with storage and a screened porch. Now anyone in the kitchen can be a part of what's happening in the family room. An island with seating provides additional seating for nights of entertaining.

How do you expand an L shaped Eichler with the challenge of extending a long dark entry? Klopf Architecture's solution, to design a light filled atrium in the hallway to open up the bedroom expansion with green plants, sky lights and a glass wall. Not to mention the thoughtfulness of a blind door with wood siding similar to the rest of the home. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Geoff Campen, Jeffrey Prose, and Angela Todorova Contractor: William Lowe Construction Photography ©2013 Mariko Reed Location: Palo Alto, CA Year completed: 2013

Tricia Shay Photography
Example of a large trendy courtyard concrete patio design in Milwaukee with no cover

Circle Ten Media
Trendy light wood floor living room photo in Miami with gray walls

Here we transformed a guest bedroom into a home office. By adding two sets of double doors we hid the washer, dryer & all miscellaneous office equipment. Using the clients' existing artwork as a basis for our palette, we incorporated color into the room by painting the doors this lush green. Holland Photography - Cory Holland - HollandPhotography.biz

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz Interior Design: Jen Going Interiors http://jengoinginteriors.com/

Photo: Karen Melvin
Example of a classic kitchen design in Minneapolis with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets and marble countertops

Tom Holdsworth Photography Our clients wanted to create a room that would bring them closer to the outdoors; a room filled with natural lighting; and a venue to spotlight a modern fireplace. Early in the design process, our clients wanted to replace their existing, outdated, and rundown screen porch, but instead decided to build an all-season sun room. The space was intended as a quiet place to read, relax, and enjoy the view. The sunroom addition extends from the existing house and is nestled into its heavily wooded surroundings. The roof of the new structure reaches toward the sky, enabling additional light and views. The floor-to-ceiling magnum double-hung windows with transoms, occupy the rear and side-walls. The original brick, on the fourth wall remains exposed; and provides a perfect complement to the French doors that open to the dining room and create an optimum configuration for cross-ventilation. To continue the design philosophy for this addition place seamlessly merged natural finishes from the interior to the exterior. The Brazilian black slate, on the sunroom floor, extends to the outdoor terrace; and the stained tongue and groove, installed on the ceiling, continues through to the exterior soffit. The room's main attraction is the suspended metal fireplace; an authentic wood-burning heat source. Its shape is a modern orb with a commanding presence. Positioned at the center of the room, toward the rear, the orb adds to the majestic interior-exterior experience. This is the client's third project with place architecture: design. Each endeavor has been a wonderful collaboration to successfully bring this 1960s ranch-house into twenty-first century living.

Built in the 1960’s, this 1,566 sq. ft. single story home needed updating and visual interests. The clients love to entertain and wanted to create a welcoming, fun atmosphere. Their wish lists were to have an enclosed courtyard to utilize the outdoor space, an open floor plan providing a bigger kitchen and better flow, and to incorporate a mid-century modern style. The goal of this project was to create an open floor plan that would allow for better flow and function, thereby providing a more usable workspace and room for entertaining. We also incorporate the mid-century modern feel throughout the entire home from the inside to the out, bringing elements of design to all the spaces resulting in a completely uniform home. Opening-up the space and removing any visual barriers resulted in the interior and exterior spaces appearing much larger. This allowed a much better flow into the space, and a flood of natural sunlight from the windows into the living area. We were able to enclose the outside front space with a rock wall and a gate providing additional square footage and a private outdoor living space. We also introduced materials such as IPE wood, stacked stone, and metal to incorporate into the exterior which created a warm, aesthetically pleasing, and mid-century modern courtyard.

Example of a large transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Philadelphia with white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, a farmhouse sink and shaker cabinets

Photography: Megan Chaffin
Transitional dark wood floor and brown floor laundry room photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, beige walls and beige countertops

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

Ronnie Bruce Photography Bellweather Construction, LLC is a trained and certified remodeling and home improvement general contractor that specializes in period-appropriate renovations and energy efficiency improvements. Bellweather's managing partner, William Giesey, has over 20 years of experience providing construction management and design services for high-quality home renovations in Philadelphia and its Main Line suburbs. Will is a BPI-certified building analyst, NARI-certified kitchen and bath remodeler, and active member of his local NARI chapter. He is the acting chairman of a local historical commission and has participated in award-winning restoration and historic preservation projects. His work has been showcased on home tours and featured in magazines.

Kyle Caldwell
Small elegant medium tone wood floor enclosed dining room photo in Boston with green walls and no fireplace

Contemporary one-wall kitchen with large cooktop and dining island. © Cindy Apple Photography
Inspiration for a transitional galley dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Seattle with an undermount sink, white cabinets, soapstone countertops, black backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, black countertops and shaker cabinets

Tom Zikas Photography
Large mountain style master ceramic tile and brown tile slate floor alcove shower photo in Sacramento with a vessel sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and white walls