This project reimagines an under-used back yard in Portland, Oregon, creating an urban garden with an adjacent writer’s studio. Taking inspiration from Japanese precedents, we conceived of a paving scheme with planters, a cedar soaking tub, a fire pit, and a seven-foot-tall cedar fence. The fence is sheathed on both sides to afford greater privacy as well as ensure the neighbors enjoy a well-made fence too. Photo: Anna M Campbell: annamcampbell.com

Reverse Shed Eichler This project is part tear-down, part remodel. The original L-shaped plan allowed the living/ dining/ kitchen wing to be completely re-built while retaining the shell of the bedroom wing virtually intact. The rebuilt entertainment wing was enlarged 50% and covered with a low-slope reverse-shed roof sloping from eleven to thirteen feet. The shed roof floats on a continuous glass clerestory with eight foot transom. Cantilevered steel frames support wood roof beams with eaves of up to ten feet. An interior glass clerestory separates the kitchen and livingroom for sound control. A wall-to-wall skylight illuminates the north wall of the kitchen/family room. New additions at the back of the house add several “sliding” wall planes, where interior walls continue past full-height windows to the exterior, complimenting the typical Eichler indoor-outdoor ceiling and floor planes. The existing bedroom wing has been re-configured on the interior, changing three small bedrooms into two larger ones, and adding a guest suite in part of the original garage. A previous den addition provided the perfect spot for a large master ensuite bath and walk-in closet. Natural materials predominate, with fir ceilings, limestone veneer fireplace walls, anigre veneer cabinets, fir sliding windows and interior doors, bamboo floors, and concrete patios and walks. Landscape design by Bernard Trainor: www.bernardtrainor.com (see “Concrete Jungle” in April 2014 edition of Dwell magazine). Microsoft Media Center installation of the Year, 2008: www.cybermanor.com/ultimate_install.html (automated shades, radiant heating system, and lights, as well as security & sound).

Eve Wilson
Entryway - scandinavian entryway idea in Melbourne

85'' Sony 4K TV
Inspiration for a large contemporary formal and open concept light wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Orange County with beige walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

This client came to us with a unique challenge: create a modern design that matches her fun and funky personality but to make it as "green" and chemical free as possible. We rose to the challenge, researching the best options for sustainable, green and chemical free furnishings. The upholstery pieces are made from sustainable and chemical free materials, the dining table is made of sustainable wood with a chemical free finish. The rugs are from a fair-trade company that supports education for women in India. The client had hired a Feng Shui expert to provide her with a report which we used to design the space. The wallpaper behind the living room sofa is custom designed and custom-made. It is a map made up of hundred of small photos that the homeowner provided to us. It represents the area in her home that will bring travel and connect her to the people she loves. The large, colorful art piece in the dining area is hung in the area of the home that will bring joy around family and children. The hearts and pink/red colored wallpaper in the den will evoke love and relationships. The client has a colorful, fun personality and we wanted to infuse the design with it. A white backdrop allows all of the pinks, reds, navy blues and turquoises to pop, creating a lively, modern feeling. The textures in the floor and wall coverings and in the fabrics create a lived in, collected feeling and add a touch of bohemian chic style. The new modern cable and walnut stair banister is in keeping with the original modern feel of the row house and keeps the narrow staircase from feeling tight and closed in. This was a fun, creative and unique project for us. This particular client was one of Olamar's first clients eight years ago when we first opened our doors. At that time the house was nothing but a condemned shell that the client renovated, with our assistance. At that time we designed the kitchen, which is still in excellent condition and still looks amazing! Photographer: Greg Tinius

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design & Photo Styling | John Kraemer & Sons, Builder | Charlie and Co Design, Architect | Corey Gaffer Photography Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

A new, colorful perennial bed balances the patio. A mix of 'Summer Beauty' allium, 'Purpurkerze' astilbe, 'The Rocket' ligularia, and 'Elegans' hosta add multi-season interest and color. Westhauser Photography

Photo by Sean Litchfield
Inspiration for a transitional dark wood floor living room remodel in Boston with white walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Valerie Wilcox
Enclosed kitchen - mid-sized transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Nat Rea
Mid-sized trendy open concept ceramic tile and beige floor living room photo in Other with brown walls and no fireplace

Boxford, MA kitchen renovation designed by north of Boston kitchen design showroom Heartwood Kitchens. This kitchen includes white painted cabinetry with a glaze and dark wood island. Heartwood included a large, deep boxed out window on the window wall to brighten up the kitchen. This kitchen includes a large island with seating for 4, Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, large pantry cabinets and glass front china cabinet. Island/Tabletop items provided by Savoir Faire Home Andover, MA Oriental rugs from First Rugs in Acton, MA Photo credit: Eric Roth Photography.

This is an example of a small traditional drought-tolerant and shade backyard stone garden path in New York for spring.

Beautiful White kitchen that's offset by a vermouth blue painted island. CB2 acrylic counter stools and custom made pin striped roman shades.
Trendy eat-in kitchen photo in Charleston

This project was completed for clients who wanted a comfortable, accessible 1ST floor bathroom for their grown daughter to use during visits to their home as well as a nicely-appointed space for any guest. Their daughter has some accessibility challenges so the bathroom was also designed with that in mind. The original space worked fairly well in some ways, but we were able to tweak a few features to make the space even easier to maneuver through. We started by making the entry to the shower flush so that there is no curb to step over. In addition, although there was an existing oversized seat in the shower, it was way too deep and not comfortable to sit on and just wasted space. We made the shower a little smaller and then provided a fold down teak seat that is slip resistant, warm and comfortable to sit on and can flip down only when needed. Thus we were able to create some additional storage by way of open shelving to the left of the shower area. The open shelving matches the wood vanity and allows a spot for the homeowners to display heirlooms as well as practical storage for things like towels and other bath necessities. We carefully measured all the existing heights and locations of countertops, toilet seat, and grab bars to make sure that we did not undo the things that were already working well. We added some additional hidden grab bars or “grabcessories” at the toilet paper holder and shower shelf for an extra layer of assurance. Large format, slip-resistant floor tile was added eliminating as many grout lines as possible making the surface less prone to tripping. We used a wood look tile as an accent on the walls, and open storage in the vanity allowing for easy access for clean towels. Bronze fixtures and frameless glass shower doors add an elegant yet homey feel that was important for the homeowner. A pivot mirror allows adjustability for different users. If you are interested in designing a bathroom featuring “Living In Place” or accessibility features, give us a call to find out more. Susan Klimala, CKBD, is a Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS) and particularly enjoys helping her clients with unique needs in the context of beautifully designed spaces. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel

These clients needed a first-floor shower for their medically-compromised children, so extended the existing powder room into the adjacent mudroom to gain space for the shower. The 3/4 bath is fully accessible, and easy to clean - with a roll-in shower, wall-mounted toilet, and fully tiled floor, chair-rail and shower. The gray wall paint above the white subway tile is both contemporary and calming. Multiple shower heads and wands in the 3'x6' shower provided ample access for assisting their children in the shower. The white furniture-style vanity can be seen from the kitchen area, and ties in with the design style of the rest of the home. The bath is both beautiful and functional. We were honored and blessed to work on this project for our dear friends. Please see NoahsHope.com for additional information about this wonderful family.

Small elegant home design photo in Boston

The homeowner had custom etched and stained glass to incorporate into various parts of the home. The homeowners are cyclists, and if you look closely you can see the bicycle seat riding through a bamboo forest above the sink. Dave Adams Photography

Hannah Goering Photography
Inspiration for a large transitional front yard landscaping in Chicago for spring.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. 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