When this client first reached out, her family had recently purchased a 1929 Tudor in Seattle and required bringing the vision she had for their front room to life. Her love of moody jewel tones and warm velvets made designing this space, later nicknamed “The Parlor,” so fun. It’s not often you see this style in the PNW, and we jumped at the chance to think outside the box. This home already had so much character, and it was essential to keep those details intact while also reinventing the space. We created a cozy yet moody vibe by painting all the walls and trims a deep teal blue. The vintage-inspired floral wallpaper bridged the gap between old and new. It wasn’t long after the parlor wrapped that our client came back wanting to rethink her entire kitchen situation. When our client purchased the home, there was a galley kitchen behind the parlor and beyond that was a post-build addition used as a dining and TV room. We decided the best use of space was to move the kitchen to where the dining and TV room lived and create the old galley kitchen into a “passthrough” space where the new TV area would be. It was only fitting to continue the bold use of color through these spaces – but this time, contrast with white walls to keep things light and bright. Add a show-stopping Lacanche range, rustic wood accents, and voila! A kitchen fit for a full-time mom who loves to cook, bake, and entertain!

Mark Pinkerton - vi360 Photography
Mid-sized mountain style single-wall medium tone wood floor and brown floor home bar photo in San Francisco with gray cabinets, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash and white countertops

A simple, low cost bathroom remodel that retained some of the Before elements.
Inspiration for a small modern master gray tile and porcelain tile bathroom remodel in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops and white walls

A traditional home in the Claremont Hills of Berkeley is enlarged and fully renovated to fit the lives of a young couple and their growing family. The existing partial upper floor was fully expanded to create three additional bedrooms, a hall bath, laundry room and updated master suite, with the intention that the expanded house volume harmoniously integrates with the architectural character of the existing home. A new central staircase brings in a tremendous amount of daylight to the heart of the ground floor while also providing a strong visual connection between the floors. The new stair includes access to an expanded basement level with storage and recreation spaces for the family. Main level spaces were also extensively upgraded with the help of noted San Francisco interior designer Grant K. Gibson. Photos by Kathryn MacDonald.

Master Bedroom in rustic, yet elegant home. Ceiling is reclaimed barn wood Photo:Thistlewood Farms
Elegant bedroom photo in Nashville

Inspiration for a mid-sized shabby-chic style open concept medium tone wood floor family room remodel in Los Angeles with white walls

Photo: Rachel Loewen © 2019 Houzz
Transitional deck photo in Chicago

photos: Kyle Born
Example of a large eclectic enclosed light wood floor and brown floor living room design in New York with a bar, blue walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. 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

Mid-sized minimalist bathroom photo in San Francisco

Mid-sized transitional concrete front porch idea in Atlanta with a roof extension

Photo: Sarah Seung McFarland © 2017 Houzz
Example of an eclectic bedroom design in New York

Inspiration for a contemporary marble floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and no island

Beach style family room photo in Boston

photo cred: tessa neustadt
Living room - large coastal open concept light wood floor living room idea in Los Angeles with white walls, no tv and no fireplace

Taking this outdated and loud space and transforming it in to a serene retreat with pull-out cabinets and a refreshing palette. Dive into this beach-style bathroom transformation where calm meets chic! The corner shower has made way for a spacious design, and those dated green vanities? Swapped for a timelessly elegant vanity, custom cabinetry, and a square tile that raps around this stunning refresh for our wonderful client. Photo by Christian Morales

Reka Ivany Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master white tile and subway tile porcelain tile and gray floor walk-in shower remodel in Vancouver with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops and a hinged shower door

Our clients were ready to take their 20+ year old home and give the design a refresh, and make their space a lot more functional for their needs. The areas in their first floor they wanted to improve were the kitchen, mudroom and pantry, dining room, living room, stairway and powder room. They wanted their space to match their fun mid-century modern style. Our design team and our clients dreamed up a plan that not only solves all of the functional issues they were dealing with, it’s also a stunning and unique space. We removed the wall in between the kitchen and dining room. We created a center island that extends and lowers to include an eat-in area. The cabinetry plan in the kitchen changed to suit their needs. We re-did the flooring throughout the first floor and installed a new fireplace. The existing laundry room got moved to the basement, making way for a mudroom and pantry space. We installed a new railing on the staircase and an art niche in the living room. The powder room got a refresh with statement wallpaper and vanity.