A modern kitchen with white slab front cabinets, chrome hardware and walnut flooring and accents. Industrial style globe pendant lights hang above the extra long island. Stainless steel and paneled appliances and open shelving to store dishes and other kitchenware. White subway tile and ceiling shiplap.

Inspiration for a mediterranean home design remodel in Kansas City

The main staircase and focal point of the entry leads up to the second floor landing/balcony, with glass railing, provides a great view of the two story book-matched marble ribbon fireplace and the living room below. The all white space has a soaring custom white geometric (octagonal) coffered ceiling and panel molding, black wood accents (banister) and light hardwood flooring. A beautiful glass and brass accented chandelier hangs above the entryway. Architect: Hierarchy Architecture + Design, PLLC Interior Designer: JSE Interior Designs Builder: True North Photographer: Adam Kane Macchia

Kids' room - transitional kids' room idea in Atlanta

OL + expanded this North Shore waterfront bungalow to include a new library, two sleeping porches, a third floor billiard and game room, and added a conservatory. The design is influenced by the Arts and Crafts style of the existing house. A two-story gatehouse with similar architectural details, was designed to include a garage and second floor loft-style living quarters. The late landscape architect, Dale Wagner, developed the site to create picturesque views throughout the property as well as from every room. Contractor: Fanning Builders- Jamie Fanning Millwork & Carpentry: Slim Larson Design Photographer: Peter Vanderwarker Photography

Jeffrey Freeman Photography
Example of a trendy dark wood floor living room design in Portland with gray walls

Second Floor Dormer Addition to a single family home in Chicago. 1 bedroom and 2 bathrooms were added to the second floor, making this a 3 bed/3 bath home, including a new master bedroom suite.

This was a complete interior renovation project of a client’s second home. DEANE collaborated with the client on the design of 5 bathrooms and all the built-ins in addition to the kitchen. The home had an open floor plan with wide pine, bleached flooring throughout but was a challenge because of the various ceiling heights and support beams that needed to be accommodated.The homeowner wanted to able to casually host large gatherings without worrying about maintenance or upkeep. The kitchen cabinetry, featuring chamfer style doors, is painted a pale grey, with a darker, charcoal grey selected for the center island to accent the space. All appliances are stainless steel, with the dishwasher and trash/recycling drawers faced in the same material to mimic the dishwasher. The countertops are an engineered quartz in white, while the cooktop backsplash is a white ceramic tile in a soothing herringbone pattern. The counter cabinet with its glass front for dish storage and floating shelves that anchor two corners of the room are the designer’s favorite things about the space. Photographer – Kit Noble Photography Builder – Todd Burns Building and Restoration Inc. Nantucket, MA

This exceptionally large kitchen can pull off the striking architectural details of the hood, coffered brick and beam ceiling and barrel vaulted brick butlers pantry. The juxtaposition of the modern floors and cabinetry against the old world architecture is what makes this so fantastic. The wood elements contrast against the stark white making each of them more important to the design. The gray elements in the floor, countertops seat and stool cushions all serve to balance the starkness of the wood/white contrast and soothe over the rest of the room Kitchen design by Anthony Albert Studios. Kitchen furniture and accessories by Ruth Richards photography by Robert Granoff

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This large open concept kitchen and dining space was created by removing a load bearing wall between the old kitchen and a porch area. The new porch was insulated and incorporated into the overall space. The kitchen remodel was part of a whole house remodel so new quarter sawn oak flooring, a vaulted ceiling, windows and skylights were added. A large calcutta marble topped island takes center stage. It houses a 5’ galley workstation - a sink that provides a convenient spot for prepping, serving, entertaining and clean up. A 36” induction cooktop is located directly across from the island for easy access. Two appliance garages on either side of the cooktop house small appliances that are used on a daily basis. Honeycomb tile by Ann Sacks and open shelving along the cooktop wall add an interesting focal point to the room. Antique mirrored glass faces the storage unit housing dry goods and a beverage center. “I chose details for the space that had a bit of a mid-century vibe that would work well with what was originally a 1950s ranch. Along the way a previous owner added a 2nd floor making it more of a Cape Cod style home, a few eclectic details felt appropriate”, adds Klimala. The wall opposite the cooktop houses a full size fridge, freezer, double oven, coffee machine and microwave. “There is a lot of functionality going on along that wall”, adds Klimala. A small pull out countertop below the coffee machine provides a spot for hot items coming out of the ovens. The rooms creamy cabinetry is accented by quartersawn white oak at the island and wrapped ceiling beam. The golden tones are repeated in the antique brass light fixtures. “This is the second kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to design for myself. My taste has gotten a little less traditional over the years, and although I’m still a traditionalist at heart, I had some fun with this kitchen and took some chances. The kitchen is super functional, easy to keep clean and has lots of storage to tuck things away when I’m done using them. The casual dining room is fabulous and is proving to be a great spot to linger after dinner. We love it!” Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Open second floor landing with horizontal black metal railings, wide-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and abundant natural light from an oversized window — second floor addition in Wyckoff, NJ by WA Construct.

Open second floor landing with horizontal black metal railings, wide-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and abundant natural light from an oversized window — second floor addition in Wyckoff, NJ by WA Construct.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY GRAND AWARD WINNER A single family home in Oakton, VA built in late 80’ was occupied by family of four for 10 years. The owner wishes to expand the living space, finish the basement, add a sunroom/breakfast area addition, eliminate the deck and put in a screen porch. Also convert the laundry room to office/mudroom area. It took months of planning to get into the final design. We have implemented a plan that had a two story back addition (both basement level and first level). This required removing the cinder block wall of basement to add the seamless addition, and removing the entire first level back wall of kitchen to open up kitchen into sunroom. The major challenge was to re-route all duct work going to second level, add ducts for basement and first level to existing system. Then add a second HVAC system in attic for entire second level. Then change all load structure for tow story addition to side wall and new walls to have entire width opened up. The basement has gained a new bar area, a total new bathroom with shower and large vanities and all amenities, media area with gas fireplace and mantel surrounded with matching cherry bookcases and granite tops, recess lights, surround sound system, wood floor and steps, new sewer ejection system due to their difficult septic tank. The new French doors lead into back bricked patio The first floor gained this new 16’x20’ cathedral ceiling sunroom/breakfast addition surrounded with large arched windows and French slider leading into new screen porch. The kitchen lay-out gained three more feet in width. Also by removing partition wall between kitchen and existing family room. The first floor now has total open floor plan. The fireplace in existing family room was converted to gas and got marble surround and new mantel. All bulkhead and part of partition walls contained massive plumbing and electrical that needed to be relocated in order to implement the new kitchen layout. This design has much more appliances and a beautiful large furniture style island that is the focal point of this kitchen done in espresso color cherry cabinetry and contrasting light color exotic stove top lighted by two crystal chandeliers. The wrap around of cherry cabinetry in the kitchen with expended cabinetry into butler area and bookcases and bench in sunroom has given this couple lots to fill in. The entire first floor and leading stairs to second floor and part of the second floor was all covered with new 5” wide exotic Santos Mahogany wood floors and new railings. The powder room has been reconfigured to allow larger hallway and with new furniture style vanity this powder room even small than before but has better layout and space. The old Laundry room and has been converted to a 10’x15’ area of multipurpose space. On the left wall there are locker style cabinetry and bench. One the left wall built in and desk area with tones of storage space. The washer and dryer are install into a closet, away from site. A set of French doors were installed into the new back deck and screen porch. The large porcelain floors made the space look even larger and more utilitarian. Use of cherry cabinetry on deck and bookcase with recess lighting scaled up look of the space. The new kitchen, family room and sun room with the rich cherry cabinetry and darker granite top, tumbled marble backsplash and wide board mahogany floors, upper scale stainless steel appliances and furniture style distressed look darker wood Island and light granite have made this project a breathtaking one. The added side screen porch done with Trex decking and cathedral ceiling covered in beaded panel and corner gas fireplace all around covered with Ledgestone has given this family a place to retire in for all those autumn afternoons and much more. The major overhaul of this home from replacement of all existing doors and windows, flooring, crown molding and trim, stairs, entire first floor reface, new siding , new roofing, new electrical, new HVAC, entire new basement, bathroom, mud room, screen porch and lots more makes these owner proud to stay in this home for years to come.

Second-floor gallery landing from a Mediterranean estate remodel in Newport Coast. Wide plank flooring in a gray-washed finish runs the curved gallery, following the radius of the iron railing overlooking the entry below, with the pool and ocean view framed through the arched window. Double doors with arched panel detail open to the primary suite. Flooring, railing, doors, and finishes throughout by Coastline Builders Group.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Open second floor landing with horizontal black metal railings, wide-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and abundant natural light from an oversized window — second floor addition in Wyckoff, NJ by WA Construct.

Open second floor landing with horizontal black metal railings, wide-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and abundant natural light from an oversized window — second floor addition in Wyckoff, NJ by WA Construct.

Open second floor landing with horizontal black metal railings, wide-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and abundant natural light from an oversized window — second floor addition in Wyckoff, NJ by WA Construct.

A transitional kitchen that blends modern, eco-friendly stainless steel appliances and white subway tiles with a more traditional country wood floor and Shaker style custom cabinetry. Matthew Willams Photography Victoria Kirk Interiors Co-Designer