The Johnson-Thompson House, built c. 1750, has the distinct title as being the oldest structure in Winchester. Many alterations were made over the years to keep up with the times, but most recently it had the great fortune to get just the right family who appreciated and capitalized on its legacy. From the newly installed pine floors with cut, hand driven nails to the authentic rustic plaster walls, to the original timber frame, this 300 year old Georgian farmhouse is a masterpiece of old and new. Together with the homeowners and Cummings Architects, Windhill Builders embarked on a journey to salvage all of the best from this home and recreate what had been lost over time. To celebrate its history and the stories within, rooms and details were preserved where possible, woodwork and paint colors painstakingly matched and blended; the hall and parlor refurbished; the three run open string staircase lovingly restored; and details like an authentic front door with period hinges masterfully created. To accommodate its modern day family an addition was constructed to house a brand new, farmhouse style kitchen with an oversized island topped with reclaimed oak and a unique backsplash fashioned out of brick that was sourced from the home itself. Bathrooms were added and upgraded, including a spa-like retreat in the master bath, but include features like a claw foot tub, a niche with exposed brick and a magnificent barn door, as nods to the past. This renovation is one for the history books! Eric Roth

Photo by Marot Hartford Styling by Kelly Berg Color design by Rachel Perls
Beach style formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room photo in San Francisco with green walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and no tv

A farmhouse style was achieved in this new construction home by keeping the details clean and simple. Shaker style cabinets and square stair parts moldings set the backdrop for incorporating our clients’ love of Asian antiques. We had fun re-purposing the different pieces she already had: two were made into bathroom vanities; and the turquoise console became the star of the house, welcoming visitors as they walk through the front door.

This transitional style living space is a breath of fresh air, beginning with the open concept kitchen featuring cool white walls, bronze pendant lighting and classically elegant Calacatta Dorada Quartz countertops by Vadara. White frameless cabinets by DeWils continue the soothing, modern color palette, resulting in a kitchen that balances a rustic Spanish aesthetic with bright, modern finishes. Mission red cement tile flooring lends the space a pop of Southern California charm that flows into a stunning stairwell highlighted by terracotta tile accents that complement without overwhelming the ceiling architecture above. The bathroom is a soothing escape with relaxing white relief subway tiles offset by wooden skylights and rich accents. PROJECT DETAILS: Style: Transitional Tile/Backsplash: white relief subway Paint Colors: White Photographer: J.R. Maddox

Asher's Aviation Room, this room is ready for take off! This custom room was designed for a toddler boy with plenty of years to grow. The large airplane poster was the start of the inspiration for this fun, primary color, clean line space. Photography by David Berlekamp

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath. Joe Nowak

click here to see BEFORE photos / AFTER photos http://ayeletdesigns.com/sunnyvale17/ Photos credit to Arnona Oren Photography

This kitchen is home to two taller individuals who both use the space equally and requested a taller workspace to comfortably accommodate their needs. The island cabinets are standard 34-1/2” tall but the Iceberg countertops were installed with a 3” build-up to add height to the island. Cabinets on the long wall were designed to break up the wall of white: buffet on the end with walnut-framed glass cabinets and seashell backsplash; double refrigerators in a painted, distressed mahogany finish were pulled forward to simulate texture and depth on the wall; wide pantry cabinets with roll-out drawers sitting on the countertops flank the refrigerators. On the opposite wall, a new window box at the kitchen sink was built to add more countertop behind the sink and to let in more light, adding dimension to the room. The cabinetry in the original existing kitchen was disjointed at the dining room entrance and made the room appear much smaller than it really was. To remedy this, the entry to the dining room from the kitchen was closed up and relocated around the corner from the foyer; 2 simple, stacked columns were built to highlight the new opening. These transitional style columns and wider room openings at the family room and dining room entrances provide an open layout suitable for large groups to mingle comfortably; family room cabinetry and dining room fireplace surround matches kitchen cabinets.

This custom home is derived from Chinese symbolism. The color red symbolizes luck, happiness and joy in the Chinese culture. The number 8 is the most prosperous number in Chinese culture. A custom 8 branch tree is showcased on an island in the pool and a red wall serves as the background for this piece of art. The home was designed in a L-shape to take advantage of the lake view from all areas of the home. The open floor plan features indoor/outdoor living with a generous lanai, three balconies and sliding glass walls that transform the home into a single indoor/outdoor space. An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to Phil Kean Design Group Designer: Phil Kean Design Group From: Winter Park, Florida

Photography by Stacy Bass. www.stacybassphotography.com
Inspiration for a small country guest medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel in New York with red walls and no fireplace

Michael Lee
Inspiration for a large timeless dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room remodel in Boston with green walls, a standard fireplace and a plaster fireplace

Michael J. Lee Photography
Inspiration for a coastal medium tone wood floor foyer remodel in Boston with gray walls

Introducing the Courtyard Collection at Sonoma, located near Ballantyne in Charlotte. These 51 single-family homes are situated with a unique twist, and are ideal for people looking for the lifestyle of a townhouse or condo, without shared walls. Lawn maintenance is included! All homes include kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel appliances, plus attached 2-car garages. Our 3 model homes are open daily! Schools are Elon Park Elementary, Community House Middle, Ardrey Kell High. The Hanna is a 2-story home which has everything you need on the first floor, including a Kitchen with an island and separate pantry, open Family/Dining room with an optional Fireplace, and the laundry room tucked away. Upstairs is a spacious Owner's Suite with large walk-in closet, double sinks, garden tub and separate large shower. You may change this to include a large tiled walk-in shower with bench seat and separate linen closet. There are also 3 secondary bedrooms with a full bath with double sinks.

Rosenberg Kolb Architects is proud to announce our renovation of a 1747 timber frame house on Nantucket Island, completed in 2011. The first historic renovation project in Nantucket to receive LEED Gold status. The project was given a Grand Award by Eco Home Magazine in July, 2011. The project included: Restructuring the foundations to align and stabilize the structure in addition to providing for a new insulated crawl space; A 260 square foot addition for a kitchen, bath, and new entry; New cedar shingles, roof shingles, and restored historic windows; The house met the strict regulations of Nantucket's Historic District. On the inside, LEED Gold certification was met through: High R-value insulation and reduced air leakage; High efficiency heating, air conditioning, plumbing fixtures, and appliances; Low-emission paints and finishes as well as a clay wall finish; Using reclaimed materials from the original house and other sites. The project has been published in: N Magazine July 2011 Eco Home Magazine July 2011 New England Home June 2011

NATIVE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Example of a mid-sized eclectic master bedroom design with red walls and no fireplace

Seth Caplan
Example of a transitional light wood floor living room library design in New York with blue walls, no fireplace and no tv

This traditional kitchen was inspired by memories of the owners farmhouse kitchen, Photos by Susan Gilmore
Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and an island

When an international client moved from Brazil to Stamford, Connecticut, they reached out to Decor Aid, and asked for our help in modernizing a recently purchased suburban home. The client felt that the house was too “cookie-cutter,” and wanted to transform their space into a highly individualized home for their energetic family of four. In addition to giving the house a more updated and modern feel, the client wanted to use the interior design as an opportunity to segment and demarcate each area of the home. They requested that the downstairs area be transformed into a media room, where the whole family could hang out together. Both of the parents work from home, and so their office spaces had to be sequestered from the rest of the house, but conceived without any disruptive design elements. And as the husband is a photographer, he wanted to put his own artwork on display. So the furniture that we sourced had to balance the more traditional elements of the house, while also feeling cohesive with the husband’s bold, graphic, contemporary style of photography. The first step in transforming this house was repainting the interior and exterior, which were originally done in outdated beige and taupe colors. To set the tone for a classically modern design scheme, we painted the exterior a charcoal grey, with a white trim, and repainted the door a crimson red. The home offices were placed in a quiet corner of the house, and outfitted with a similar color palette: grey walls, a white trim, and red accents, for a seamless transition between work space and home life. The house is situated on the edge of a Connecticut forest, with clusters of maple, birch, and hemlock trees lining the property. So we installed white window treatments, to accentuate the natural surroundings, and to highlight the angular architecture of the home. In the entryway, a bold, graphic print, and a thick-pile sheepskin rug set the tone for this modern, yet comfortable home. While the formal room was conceived with a high-contrast neutral palette and angular, contemporary furniture, the downstairs media area includes a spiral staircase, comfortable furniture, and patterned accent pillows, which creates a more relaxed atmosphere. Equipped with a television, a fully-stocked bar, and a variety of table games, the downstairs media area has something for everyone in this energetic young family.

Angie Silvy Photography
Inspiration for an eclectic boy playroom remodel with multicolored walls