Jacob Snavely Photography
Living room - small transitional formal and enclosed dark wood floor and brown floor living room idea in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace and a media wall

You can almost feel the warm ocean breeze with this nostalgic Coastal collection. Remember collecting bottle caps in the sand? Or sitting on the veranda listening to the waves pounding against the shore? We have teamed this great vintage look with the hot new look of a madras style cotton plaid to bring you one of my favorite crib sets for a little boy's nursery. This look transcends wonderfully into your toddler's room and beyond. Made in the USA by Carousel Designs.

The best kitchen showroom in your area may be closer closer than you think. The four designers there are some of the most experienced award winning kitchen designers in the Delaware Valley. They design in and sell 6 national cabinet lines. And their pricing for cabinetry is slightly less than at home centers in apples to apples comparisons. Where is this kitchen showroom and how come you don’t remember seeing it when it is so close by? It’s in your own home! Main Line Kitchen Design brings all the same samples you select from when you travel to other showrooms to your home. We make design changes on our laptops in 20-20 CAD with you present usually in the very kitchen being renovated. Understanding what designs will look like and how sample kitchen cabinets, doors, and finishes will look in your home is easy when you are standing in the very room being renovated. Design changes can be emailed to you to print out and discuss with friends and family if you choose. Best of all our design time is free since it is incorporated into the very competitive pricing of your cabinetry when you purchase a kitchen from Main Line Kitchen Design. Finally there is a kitchen business model and design team that carries the highest quality cabinetry, is experienced, convenient, and reasonably priced. Call us today and find out why we get the best reviews on the internet or Google us and check. We look forward to working with you. As our company tag line says: “The world of kitchen design is changing…” Scott Fredrick Photography

A traditional living room with a casual boathouse appeal. Soft blues and greys accent the furnishings. An antique Chinese area rug adorns the floor. Custom made cocktail table and bench with luxurious fabric sits across from the newly designed fireplace. The client’s collection of Lladro is displayed in the background in built-in cabinets lit with an LED tape lighting system. A Fiddle Back Fig tree on a Chinese stand in the corner is reflected in an antique mirror framed with gold accents on the wall. Woven grass shades in soft gray top the windows and doors and in the adjacent room, the dining room and beyond, a glimpse of the resort like pool and patio. Photography By: Grey Crawford

Photo Credit: Scott Norsworthy Architect: Wanda Ely Architect Inc
Example of a mid-sized 3/4 multicolored tile gray floor alcove shower design in Toronto with light wood cabinets, multicolored walls, a hinged shower door and glass-front cabinets

Remember the days when dining chairs were too impractical to want to sit and eat? When you sit in the Morton Dining Chair, you can take time to savor each bite of every meal. Nestle into the ergonomically-designed curvature and the foam cushion surround your body in support. The combination of an adjustable wood and metal lower structure allows you to lift and lower the chair to fit appropriately under your dining table.

Is it crazy to think about chimney repairs in the winter? It’s cold and snowy outside and the rooftops are solid white, coated with a layer of ice. A homeowner called us with a concern about her home. She reported that a small stream of water was coming down the chimney and into the firebox. To keep the water from flooding the firebox, the homeowner placed a Tupperware container to collect the water. Not a good look. Can chimney repairs in the winter be done by a certified chimney technician? Chimney Repairs in the Winter Chimney repairs can be completed in the winter, although it depends on what type of chimney repair is needed. Let’s take a quick look at the different chimney repairs in our cold winter months. Chimney Cap: If your chimney cap comes loose, or if the winter winds knocked it out of place or blew it off completely, our certified chimney technician can go up on the roof and take care of the chimney cap for you with a chimney cap replacement. Our technicians follow the guidelines for safety, especially in the winter months when roofing systems are the slipperiest. Flashing: Flashing is the connector from the roofing system to the chimney. It is the barrier that protects water from finding its way into your home. However, if the flashing becomes loose or comes away from the roof and chimney, it is open season for the rain to come directly into your home and create chaos. Chimney Crown: The chimney crown is the slab of cement that sits on top of the chimney and right below the chimney cap. Hairline cracks can form in the chimney crown allowing water, melted snow, to enter. Even the smallest hairline crack can cause the melted snow to find the weak spot on the chimney crown and make its way into your home. Remember, hairline cracks can and will grow in width and length with the freeze thaw cycles. When the melted snow freezes at night, it expands inside of the crack. If the temperatures cooperate in the daytime, it melts the snow. But remember, it doesn’t necessarily dry out inside of the crack. It can remain moist and freeze again at night. Chimney Tuckpointing: Tuckpointing the chimney can be done in the winter, but it certainly isn’t an easy process as we’re dealing with wet mortar. Cracks can create an entry point for melted snow to enter, further deteriorating the mortar. Although it is not optimal to perform chimney repairs in the winter, Superior Chimney takes precautions to ensure a safe and effective repair. Now the homeowner can get rid of the streaming water in the firebox and enjoy the rest of the winter with a warm and dry fireplace. Be sure to contact us today if you have a water leak in your fireplace. If you would like to have your chimney inspected and checked for water leaks coming this spring, contact us today to schedule it up in March. This way, you’ll be all set and not compete with others in the Spring.

Custom designed by Giuseppe Abbrancati, and built by Gappsi, this 9/11 memorial site sits in front of the Commack high school football field. Engraved pavers, all made of flamed granite, were placed along the walkway’s borders, along with benches, and a pedestal on which a part of a steel beam from the twin towers was mounted on. Synthetic grass filled in the remaining areas. This site remains present every day to remember those from the Commack Smithtown and Huntington community whose lives were affected during 9/11 tragedies.

Custom designed by Giuseppe Abbrancati, and built by Gappsi, this 9/11 memorial site sits in front of the Commack high school football field. Engraved pavers, all made of flamed granite, were placed along the walkway’s borders, along with benches, and a pedestal on which a part of a steel beam from the twin towers was mounted on. Synthetic grass filled in the remaining areas. This site remains present every day to remember those from the Commack Smithtown and Huntington community whose lives were affected during 9/11 tragedies.

Example of a large tuscan master light wood floor bedroom design in Dallas with beige walls

Photo by Jody Dole This charming farmhouse sits atop a grassy hill overlooking a serene Connecticut River Estuary. The new design reformulated the first floor plan making it much more functional and visually exciting. It encompassed the reorganization of multiple spaces including the Mudroom, Kitchen, Dining Room, Family Room, Sun Room, Laundry, Bathroom, and Master Closet. The design also added, deleted, and relocated windows and French doors to greatly enhance exterior views, draw in more natural light, and seamlessly upgrade the articulation of exterior elevations. Improvements to the plumbing and mechanical systems were also made. The overall feeling is both sophisticated and yet very much down to earth. John R. Schroeder, AIA is a professional design firm specializing in architecture, interiors, and planning. We have over 30 years experience with projects of all types, sizes, and levels of complexity. Because we love what we do, we approach our work with enthusiasm and dedication. We are committed to the highest level of design and service on each and every project. We engage our clients in positive and rewarding collaborations. We strive to exceed expectations through our attention to detail, our understanding of the “big picture”, and our ability to effectively manage a team of design professionals, industry representatives, and building contractors. We carefully analyze budgets and project objectives to assist clients with wise fund allocation. We continually monitor and research advances in technology, materials, and construction methods, both sustainable and otherwise, to provide a responsible, well-suited, and cost effective product. Our design solutions are highly functional using both innovative and traditional approaches. Our aesthetic style is flexible and open, blending cues from client desires, building function, site context, and material properties, making each project unique, personalized, and enduring.

putneypics
Photo of a traditional landscaping in Boston.

Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in Toronto with beige walls and no fireplace

This southern style home needed a classic, all-white kitchen. Shiloh cabinetry sets this kitchen apart for its beaded inset cabinets as well as special features like a lift up cabinet for appliances that you would rather not have sit on your counter top. Stainless steel appliances compliment as well as contrast the classic clean look. This Home was designed by Toulmin Cabinetry & Design of Tuscaloosa, AL. The photography is by 205 Photography.

Sometimes, I can’t help but smile. Recently October 5 met a beautiful couple, Al and Shawn. With their two sons gone, they decided to remodel their kitchen. The house was built in 1957, with the original kitchen remaining. When I first met Shawn, she was determined, make no mistake about it. She wanted, “. . . dark cabinets with a dark floor.” End of story! Hmmm . . . I just smiled and listened. She finally asked me what I thought. I told her, “Well, I don’t really see dark cabinets with a dark floor.” Beautifully carved wooden beams supported the living room ceiling, along with a well design wrap-around comfortable bay-window seat. All of it painted white, which looked beautiful and enjoyed architectural significance. I guess after living in a house for 27 years, we tend to overlook its natural treasures. Shawn was having none of it. “Oh my god, white? Who’s going to keep it clean? No way? Dark, dark, dark!” Sometimes, you just have to let an idea sit and marinate. You might guess as to who won . . . remember, I am writing this. Shawn and Al have to be one of my favorite clients of all times. We debated, argued and even kept score. Shawn won on the countertops, Arabian Nights, I have to give her credit, and the backsplash. She did not want outlets in the Carrera Marble backsplash, which surprisingly has changed my opinion, but I won everything else. At the end of the project the score was Shawn = 2 (may be 3) and Jim = 12+ (I eventually lost count, but who’s counting anyway.) Sometimes, I can’t help but smile. Hope you do too, when you look at the pictures below.

Inspiration for a mediterranean brick floor entryway remodel in San Diego with white walls

Bedroom photo in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a large transitional master dark wood floor bedroom remodel in DC Metro with white walls

"Round Hill," created with the concept of a private, exquisite and exclusive resort, and designed for the discerning Buyer who seeks absolute privacy, security and luxurious accommodations for family, guests and staff, this just-completed resort-compound offers an extraordinary blend of amenity, location and attention to every detail. Ideally located between Napa, Yountville and downtown St. Helena, directly across from Quintessa Winery, and minutes from the finest, world-class Napa wineries, Round Hill occupies the 21+ acre hilltop that overlooks the incomparable wine­ producing region of the Napa Valley, and is within walking distance to the world famous Auberge du Soleil. An approximately 10,000 square foot main residence with two guest suites and private staff apartment, approximately 1,700-bottle wine cellar, gym, steam room and sauna, elevator, luxurious master suite with his and her baths, dressing areas and sitting room/study, and the stunning kitchen/family/great room adjacent the west-facing, sun-drenched, view-side terrace with covered outdoor kitchen and sparkling infinity pool, all embracing the unsurpassed view of the richly verdant Napa Valley. Separate two-bedroom, two en-suite-bath guest house and separate one-bedroom, one and one-half bath guest cottage. Total of seven bedrooms, nine full and three half baths and requiring five uninterrupted years of concept, design and development, this resort-estate is now offered fully furnished and accessorized. Quintessential resort living.