Home office - transitional built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor home office idea in Baltimore with white walls

For this project in Alamo, we shepherded the transition of a traditional California Ranch house into a clean modern home for our clients, empty nesters who love to entertain. Within an interior envelope of all-white walls and newly-elevated ceilings, a limited palette of materials consisting of warm oak floors and cabinetry combined with warm neutrals and soft grays, feels like a breath of fresh air and allows the greenery outside the many windows to play a leading role in the color scheme. The furnishings, including custom upholstered furnishings by Hardesty Dwyer, are comfortable and “bulletproof” to accommodate the couple’s six lively grandchildren. In the vaulted great-room, a large family table is the heart of the home. It is here that the couple regularly hosts Sunday dinners with their children and grandchildren.

Inspiration for a contemporary home gym remodel in San Francisco

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Other

Understated elegance and fine are showcased in our sumptuous upholstered platform bed frame. A classic shape with a subtle camelback makes Aria Linen Upholstered Bed Platform Beds a versatile choice. Richly upholstered in 100% Belgian linen and hand-hammered brass nails. King: 87W x 89.75D x 59.5H Queen: 71W x 90D x 59.5H Handcrafted of kiln-dried solid hardwood Accented with nailheads in antiqued brass finish Headboard, footrail and siderails are thickly padded and tightly upholstered with 100% linen Weathered oak-finished legs Available in Beige and Brown Linen Dimensions Footboard Height: 35.5"H Side Rails Height: 11¾"H Fabric Care InstructionsDust or vacuum regularly to help keep fabric looking new. Avoid direct sunlight and heat to prevent premature fading. Dab spillsimmediately with soft white cloth dampened with distilled water. Do not use tap water or detergents to clean. Do not wash or dryclean cushions or pillowcases separately as it could cause a slight variation in color. Professional in-home upholstery cleaning isrecommended.

Large trendy backyard stamped concrete patio photo in Portland with a roof extension

Trendy kitchen photo in Other

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern galley medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, no island, terrazzo countertops, white backsplash and stone tile backsplash

Get organized with a custom pantry. Great way to store microwave, Keurig coffee maker, Kitchenaide mixer, crockpot, groceries and pots.This gray painted kitchen pantry custom cabinet designed by north of Boston kitchen showroom Heartwood Kitchens. This pantry option can be seen at Heartwood's showroom on the north shore in Danvers, MA. Elaine Fredrick Photography.

©toddhaiman2014
Example of a trendy deck design in New York

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

The family who has owned this home for twenty years was ready for modern update! Concrete floors were restained and cedar walls were kept intact, but kitchen was completely updated with high end appliances and sleek cabinets, and brand new furnishings were added to showcase the couple's favorite things. Troy Grant, Epic Photo

We designed this lovely, private dining area with custom wood-slat screens and a concrete kitchen complete with seating, grilling, counters and wood storage.

When this suburban family decided to renovate their kitchen, they knew that they wanted a little more space. Advance Design worked together with the homeowner to design a kitchen that would work for a large family who loved to gather regularly and always ended up in the kitchen! So the project began with extending out an exterior wall to accommodate a larger island and more moving-around space between the island and the perimeter cabinetry. Style was important to the cook, who began collecting accessories and photos of the look she loved for months prior to the project design. She was drawn to the brightness of whites and grays, and the design accentuated this color palette brilliantly with the incorporation of a warm shade of brown woods that originated from a dining room table that was a family favorite. Classic gray and white cabinetry from Dura Supreme hits the mark creating a perfect balance between bright and subdued. Hints of gray appear in the bead board detail peeking just behind glass doors, and in the application of the handsome floating wood shelves between cabinets. White subway tile is made extra interesting with the application of dark gray grout lines causing it to be a subtle but noticeable detail worthy of attention. Suede quartz Silestone graces the countertops with a soft matte hint of color that contrasts nicely with the presence of white painted cabinetry finished smartly with the brightness of a milky white farm sink. Old melds nicely with new, as antique bronze accents are sprinkled throughout hardware and fixtures, and work together unassumingly with the sleekness of stainless steel appliances. The grace and timelessness of this sparkling new kitchen maintains the charm and character of a space that has seen generations past. And now this family will enjoy this new space for many more generations to come in the future with the help of the team at Advance Design Studio. Dura Supreme Cabinetry Photographer: Joe Nowak

Hydropool Swim Spas are the latest trend in the pool and spa industry. Hydropool has the smoothest and most powerful adjustable current stream of any swim spa on the market. You can say goodbye to the weekly maintenance that a regular pool requires, because Hyrdropool swim spas are self-cleaning. Whether you are a serious swimmer looking to train in the comfort of your backyard or the casual swimmer who wants to enjoy the relaxation of a pool, Hydropool is the ultimate swim spa, hot tub, and aquatic gym all-in-one.

Crubless shower with quartz bench and separate hand held shower + regular shower head. Large format porcelain tile with mosaic tile accent at vanity. Photography by: Jeffrey E Tryon

Family room - contemporary family room idea in New York

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

The Master bath everyone want. The space we had to work with was perfect in size to accommodate all the modern needs of today’s client. A custom made double vanity with a double center drawers unit which rise higher than the sink counter height gives a great work space for the busy couple. A custom mirror cut to size incorporates an opening for the window and sconce lights. The counter top and pony wall top is made from Quartz slab that is also present in the shower and tub wall niche as the bottom shelve. The Shower and tub wall boast a magnificent 3d polished slate tile, giving a Zen feeling as if you are in a grand spa. Each shampoo niche has a bottom shelve made out of quarts to allow more storage space. The Master shower has all the needed fixtures from the rain shower head, regular shower head and the hand held unit. The glass enclosure has a privacy strip done by sand blasting a portion of the glass walls. And don't forget the grand Jacuzzi tub having 6 regular jets, 4 back jets and 2 neck jets so you can really unwind after a hard day of work. To complete the ensemble all the walls around a tiled with 24 by 6 gray rugged cement look tiles placed in a staggered layout.