The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

Example of a trendy bedroom design in Miami

The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

Transitional dining room photo in San Francisco

The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

This loft was a gut renovation of a two-bedroom loft in a landmark building in the heart of Soho, NYC. Each floor of this building, which had been used to process molasses until in the 1890s, was sloped toward a large central drain designed to evacuate waste. To remedy this issue, we elevated and leveled the floors throughout the apartment. All new plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and rift white oak flooring were installed. Architecture & Interiors: DHD Contractor: Aries Builders www.ariesbuildersnyc.com Photography: Rinze van Brug www.rinze.com

Our client from Little Falls, New Jersey was planning to remodel their kitchen from the early 2000s for quite some time. Earthy, dark granite countertops and dark wood cabinets created an ambiance that was warm and suitable for a family but looked outdated. Our client was looking not only to simply refresh its look but gut out the old cabinets along with countertops, replace them with new ones, and improve the working flow in the kitchen. Time flies by, kids grow up, routines and habits change, and a functional family kitchen needs to follow all this and fulfill both the practical and aesthetic needs of the homeowners. This new and improved white kitchen in Little Falls, New Jersey does just that, and we’re happy we were a part of the process.

Mid-sized minimalist home design photo in Toronto

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional backyard concrete paver and wood fence landscaping in Los Angeles with a fire pit.

The clients bought a new construction house in Bay Head, NJ with an architectural style that was very traditional and quite formal, not beachy. For our design process I created the story that the house was owned by a successful ship captain who had traveled the world and brought back furniture and artifacts for his home. The furniture choices were mainly based on English style pieces and then we incorporated a lot of accessories from Asia and Africa. The only nod we really made to “beachy” style was to do some art with beach scenes and/or bathing beauties (original painting in the study) (vintage series of black and white photos of 1940’s bathing scenes, not shown) ,the pillow fabric in the family room has pictures of fish on it , the wallpaper in the study is actually sand dollars and we did a seagull wallpaper in the downstairs bath (not shown).

This is where our finishing skills shine (quite literally). A small defect in the paint usually won't show up, except in this type of scenario. We have a ceiling light shining directly on to the upper cabinet doors. From pretty much every angle in the kitchen you can see the direct light. This will show any defect in the finishing process. And once you see it, you can't unsee it. So if you cheap out on finishing you will see it here. We aren't the cheapest, but our work is quality.

As this family was moving to Dallas, they needed the guidance of a designer to provide finishing touches to the building process as well as someone to fully furnish their new home. Their desire was to have a new start in an updated transitional and slightly modern style, quite different from their previous home’s modern farmhouse décor. We brought in clean lines, warm textures and an abundance of neutrals to keep a light and airy feel throughout most of the home, reserving some moody tones for the study and a little drama in the guest bath. This home’s new, elevated aesthetic is a perfect balance of beauty, function, light and elegance. It just flows with feelings of comfort and ease!

As part of an overall renovation of an old farmhouse the bathrooms are always a little more di cult to plan. In this case our client wanted to create a real “masculine” overall feel but with enough class to make it comfortable for a woman. Bold forms and solid lines needed to be o set by subtle softness in the design. THE RESULTS The overall bathroom is both handsome and bold. We custom built the walnut vanity from wall to wall of the existing space. We used wall mounted faucets with just a bit of a rounded profile to soften the square edges of the soapstone tops and walnut mirror. The shower is a combination of very bold blackened steel framed glass around a clean white subway tile background. The black and white theme is quite typical in this period home. Our client was an active participant in the overall design process and was thrilled with the result. This bathroom is a total remake of a small bathroom that existed in an old stone farmhouse in which the whole house was totally renovated. As this was a bachelor pad of sorts there was a real desire to blend bold forms and dark colors with a touch of class and sophistication. Bold walnut vanity with soft baskets for storage blended perfectly with black metal shower frame and clean white subway tile. A very cozy modern bath with a charming old world feel.

A video tour of this beautiful home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbfy9PYTsBQ Bright inviting Kitchen great room Paul Grdina

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography; Interior Design: Kristin Try Interiors; Builder: Harry Braswell, Inc.
Beach style kitchen photo in DC Metro

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design