The definitive idea behind this project was to create a modest country house that was traditional in outward appearance yet minimalist from within. The harmonious scale, thick wall massing and the attention to architectural detail are reminiscent of the enduring quality and beauty of European homes built long ago. It features a custom-built Spanish Colonial- inspired house that is characterized by an L-plan, low-pitched mission clay tile roofs, exposed wood rafter tails, broad expanses of thick white-washed stucco walls with recessed-in French patio doors and casement windows; and surrounded by native California oaks, boxwood hedges, French lavender, Mexican bush sage, and rosemary that are often found in Mediterranean landscapes. An emphasis was placed on visually experiencing the weight of the exposed ceiling timbers and the thick wall massing between the light, airy spaces. A simple and elegant material palette, which consists of white plastered walls, timber beams, wide plank white oak floors, and pale travertine used for wash basins and bath tile flooring, was chosen to articulate the fine balance between clean, simple lines and Old World touches.

Example of a kitchen design in Raleigh

A spacious Tudor Revival in Lower Westchester was revamped with an open floor plan and large kitchen with breakfast area and counter seating. The leafy view on the range wall was preserved with a series of large leaded glass windows by LePage. Wire brushed quarter sawn oak cabinetry in custom stain lends the space warmth and old world character. Kitchen design and custom cabinetry by Studio Dearborn. Architect Ned Stoll, Stoll and Stoll. Pietra Cardosa limestone counters by Rye Marble and Stone. Appliances by Wolf and Subzero; range hood by Best. Cabinetry color: Benjamin Moore Brushed Aluminum. Hardware by Schaub & Company. Stools by Arteriors Home. Shell chairs with dowel base, Modernica. Photography Neil Landino.

Designed for its challenging site with spectacular, unencumbered south-facing views, Aman 22 nestles comfortably into the slope. A water-feature, fire pit, and courtyard hot tub lure residents outdoors to enjoy the villas’ natural surroundings. The division between outdoors and indoors is blurred by low-profile windows that mark the minimal division along rock walls and floors that seamlessly continue from exterior to interior. A slatted fence-like door contributes to the transparency of the entryway, further integrating built and unbuilt environments. Photo Credit: Douglas Kahn

This gorgeous home sits atop a hill overlooking Lake Washington. The original roofline was flat and uninspired. Raising the roof over the main living area created a bright and spacious contemporary layout with a nod to its mid-century roots.

Interior Design: Lucy Interior Design Architect: Kell Architects Builder: Olin Construction Photography: SPACECRAFTING
Sunroom - eclectic sunroom idea in Minneapolis

French Bistro Look. Matte black hardware. Classic subway tile up around the window and range. The top drawers on either side of the range, were made taller so that spice jars could fit. We removed the wall between the dining room and the kitchen.

Jason Schmidt
Inspiration for a contemporary drop-in bathtub remodel in New York with a wall-mount sink and white walls

Living room - contemporary light wood floor and beige floor living room idea in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace and a concrete fireplace

Because of the stunning views the house enjoys from nearly every room, the designers used walls of glass and chose to use these large collapsing Fleetwood Doors to make the kitchen and living room completely open to the backyard space. Photos by Casey Dunn

Seth Hannula
Example of a transitional dark wood floor bedroom design in Minneapolis with white walls

This kitchen is in a flat iron building, therefore it is sort of a pass through space. We decided to use the natural cherry flat panel cabinets to ground the space. On the right of the picture are windows with a curved window sill to help facilitate the movement to the next room. The sill is marble with a cherry edge (connects the cabinets). The counters are grey concrete. The faucet is Dornbracht. The backsplash and wall above the cabinets are Benjamin Moore decorators white, the wall above and to the right of the cabinets are painted an accent Ben Moore color. The accent gives the space dimension. The floor is 24" x 24" marble tile.

Inspired by European villas, the palette for this home utilizes natural earth tones, along with molded eaves, precast columns, and stone veneer. The design takes full advantage of natural valley view corridors as well as negating the line between interior and exterior living. The use of windows and French doors allows virtually every room in the residence to open up onto the spacious pool courtyard. This allows for an extension of the indoor activities to the exterior. Photos by: Zack Benson Photography

Our most recent modern farmhouse in the west Willamette Valley is what dream homes are made of. Named “Starry Night Ranch” by the homeowners, this 3 level, 4 bedroom custom home boasts of over 9,000 square feet of combined living, garage and outdoor spaces. Well versed in the custom home building process, the homeowners spent many hours partnering with both Shan Stassens of Winsome Construction and Buck Bailey Design to add in countless unique features, including a cross hatched cable rail system, a second story window that perfectly frames a view of Mt. Hood and an entryway cut-out to keep a specialty piece of furniture tucked out of the way. From whitewashed shiplap wall coverings to reclaimed wood sliding barn doors to mosaic tile and honed granite, this farmhouse-inspired space achieves a timeless appeal with both classic comfort and modern flair.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Trendy open concept gray floor living room photo in Other with white walls and a hanging fireplace

Large french country u-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, quartz countertops and glass tile backsplash

Custom thermally broken steel windows and doors for every environment. Experience the evolution! #JadaSteelWindows
Mountain style dark wood floor kitchen photo in Sacramento with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

Example of a small transitional dark wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island