We also repositioned and repurposed an existing wall that divided the kitchen from the living room and entry area. As you can see in the photo above, for aesthetic reasons, we also extended the back kitchen wall all the way to the vaulted ceiling. We also changed the location of the refrigerator with its own built-in custom cabinet. The new microwave also got its own custom cabinet treatment. With dog lovers, you always want to remember the pets in your design.

DULL BEDROOM TRANSFORMED TO THE ULTIMATE IN BAR/WINE RETREAT! This unused bedroom was positioned off a hall close to the breakfast area. KB Design enclosed an existing hall, converted a closet space and removed a Hollywood bath vanity area to reposition entry and create a cozy bar as you walk into this fabulous wine room. Beams were added along with brick accents and custom designed storage to meet every need for the client's extensive collection of wines, champagnes and cigars. Special consideration was given to the arched entrance and the lighting throughout to create the ultimate atmosphere for this wine room!

Staged by AccentPositives Home Staging Photos by Jared Tafua Platinum HD working with and repositioning existing bedroom furniture
Large transitional master laminate floor and gray floor bedroom photo in Orange County with gray walls

A leather swivel barrel chairs with cowhide accents offers a unique fusion of sophistication and rustic flair. The swivel feature enhances versatility, allowing for effortless repositioning to suit various seating arrangements. The barrel design provides enveloping comfort, while the cowhide accents add a touch of natural charm and individuality. Perfect for adding a statement piece to any room, this chair blends luxury and ruggedness seamlessly, making it a stylish and functional addition to your home.

Set on a narrow hillside lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay in Point Richmond, California, Bay Heirloom is a Mid-Century Modern family home restored, modernized and adapted for contemporary living. Oriented south-southwest toward the Marin Headlands, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the residence captures shifting Bay light throughout the day, from fog-muted mornings to vivid, glowing sunsets. The home was built by Karlyn Neel’s grandfather, the owner of the construction company Flo-Crete, one of the Bay Area’s early concrete pumping firms. Flo-Crete completed the foundation and structural concrete work, with family photographs documenting the original cinderblock walls and pours. The firm also contributed to major regional infrastructure projects, including the Transbay BART tube and Candlestick Park, situating the house within a broader legacy of Bay Area construction. Growing up, Neel spent considerable time in the home, developing an early appreciation for mid-century modern principles. Instead of parting with this family heirloom, she purchased the home from her grandfather’s estate. While her grandfather continued to live in the Point Richmond house, Neel purchased a Mid-Century Modern residence in Palm Desert. In contrast to the Bay Area’s cool temperatures, salt air, and persistent winds, the desert home is shaped by heat and sun and requires a different material response. A substantial renovation she led there emphasized thermal performance, filtered light, and restrained detailing. The experience later informed the restoration of her Bay Area family home. What began as a modest Mid-Century Modern update expanded when decades of exposure to marine conditions revealed leaks and significant structural and seismic deficiencies. Neel was determined to honor her grandfather’s perseverance and without hesitation pivoted to a much more intensive project. Addressing these challenges required close coordination between Neel, Klopf Architecture and Kasten Builders, with architectural restraint and construction precision guiding each intervention. Rather than alter the home’s defining features, the project focused on reinforcing the structure from within. Discreet beams were embedded along the rear facade and in an upstairs wall, strengthening the building while maximizing the wall of glass facing the Bay and opening the wall between the kitchen and the living space. These structural interventions allowed the space to open fully to the Bay without visual interruption, with the kitchen repositioned as the social and functional core of an open, continuous living space. The building envelope was updated using weather- and corrosion-resistant materials appropriate to the marine environment. The house unfolds vertically from the street, beginning with a modest garage level and workshop, with the main living spaces located below. Original slate flooring at the entry was preserved, along with select furnishings and artwork collected by Neel’s grandfather, anchoring the restored interior in its past. A restrained palette of black accents and pale, natural finishes replaces darker wood tones, reinforcing openness and calm. A naturally illuminated stair connects to the lowest level, where a former basement was transformed into a guest suite and family room opening onto a deck. From there, steps lead directly to a small concrete boat ramp at the water’s edge. Throughout the project, decisions were guided by continuity rather than transformation for its own sake. Lessons drawn from both desert and coastal climates informed a material strategy rooted in performance and restraint. Bay Heirloom stands as a measured evolution of a family house, structurally renewed and carefully modernized, grounded in the discipline and care that first shaped it. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova and Fernanda Bernardes Landscape Architect: Huettl Landscape Architecture General Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022 Location: Point Richmond, CA

•Architects: Aires Mateus •Location: Lisbon, Portugal •Architect: Manuel Aires Mateus •Years: 2006-20011 •Photos by: Ricardo Oliveira Alves •Stone floor: Ancient Surface A succession of everyday spaces occupied the lower floor of this restored 18th century castle on the hillside. The existing estate illustrating a period clouded by historic neglect. The restoration plan for this castle house focused on increasing its spatial value, its open space architecture and re-positioning of its windows. The garden made it possible to enhance the depth of the view over the rooftops and the Baixa river. An existing addition was rebuilt to house to conduct more private and entertainment functions. The unexpected discovery of an old and buried wellhead and cistern in the center of the house was a pleasant surprise to the architect and owners.

Complete gut for this kitchen. Repositioned and enlarged the island. Furniture like cabinetry with three color tones, white, maple, and espresso. Chevron backsplash with it's own unique layout.

The existing bathroom was remodeled by repositioning the toilet and opening up the shower area for a more spacious feel. The shower now features glass enclosures to enhance openness. New finishes include mosaic floor tiles, updated vanity, and new shower tiles, creating a fresh and modern look.

THE SETUP The original primary bathroom was characterized by a disjointed and segmented layout. The shower featured a bulky glass-block enclosure that overwhelmed the space visually. There was a considerable amount of open, unused space, and despite having a his and hers vanity, the arrangement lacked personal space for each user, as they shared the conjoined space between the sinks. The toilet was inconveniently located right by the door, with a half-wall partition meant to provide privacy but instead contributing to a cramped and unbalanced feel. Overall, the bathroom’s layout and design were fragmented, failing to make the most of the available space and lacking adequate storage solutions. Design objectives: - Reconfigure the layout to enhance functionality and flow. - Create an elegant, upscale aesthetic that is light and bright. - Incorporate specialized storage solutions for female hair care needs. - Increase overall storage capacity. - Develop a spa-like shower experience. - Provide a significant wow factor to the space. THE REMODEL Design challenges to be solved: - Repositioning the toilet to a more suitable location. - Designing hair care storage solutions without cluttering the elegant space. - Balancing an upscale, elegant design with a feminine touch in the color palette. - Increasing the brightness of the room without adding windows. - Completely replacing the existing shower to create a spa-like experience. - Planning new storage solutions without adding bulkiness or clutter to the cabinetry. THE RENEWED SPACE Design solutions: Toilet Relocation: Moved the toilet by the window, creating a better overall layout that also opened up two full walls for cabinetry and storage solutions. Specialized Vanity Storage: The left side of the left vanity is the wife’s. Open shelves facing across the vanity can be used for decorative or daily needs items. Pull-out docking drawers with power outlets and metal basins handle hot hair appliances. Bright and Elegant Color Scheme: White cabinets, countertops, floors, and shower walls keep the space bright. The just-off-white wall color with a hint of pink adds a feminine touch. Thin wainscoting with white trim offers traditional-leaning elegance. Layered Lighting Strategy: Ceiling can lights, sconces, lighted mirrors, and toe-kick lighting were installed. Natural light-rated bulbs keep the space bright and natural-feeling. Spa-Like Shower: An extra-large shower was created using the same floor tile materials for continuity. Equipped with a Kohler Anthem system with a shower head, hand-held, and four body sprays. His and Hers niches for separate body care product storage. Enhanced Storage Solutions: Added a linen cabinet within the vanity area for efficient storage of towels and bathroom essentials. This elegant bathroom feels incredibly spacious now. The color palette and lights keep the room bright and cheery. Gold fixtures, the herringbone pattern on the floor, and exquisite trim work add an elegant touch. With the husband and wife having their own vanity wall sections joined at the corner, each user truly has their own space within the space. The clients are very happy with the final result.

We transformed an A-Frame home for a couple seeking more light and openness. By removing walls and repositioning the counter, we improved headspace and flow. Track lighting, sconces, and modern appliances added brightness, while maple flooring created warmth. We also installed a window-paneled door and custom slat walls to let natural light pour in, blending the indoors with nature and making the space feel airy and welcoming.

This kitchen remodel was just night and day! We moved the entrances to the space and removed the soffit to open this kitchen up. We repositioned the appliances for the perfect functional flow. It is made with maple raised panel cabinets finished in a warm medium brown finish. The updated lighting makes everything sparkle.

This thoughtful kitchen transition involved removing walls to enlarge the space, re-positioning appliances, updating cabinets, countertops, backsplash, paint, and fixtures.

This patio was part of a surprise patio makeover called Patio Flip. This patio is now fit to entertain any crowd and provide several areas to entertain. The unused side yard was turned into a beautiful dining space. This stunning outdoor kitchen also received a makeover as well and was repositioned to become more functional in the space. The outdoor lounge area provides a contemporary, casual seating area. Overall Design, Layout, Plants, Furniture and Accessories by Outdoor Space Designs and Kate Bowers Landscape Design

Every remodeling project presents its own unique challenges. This client’s original remodel vision was to replace an outdated kitchen, optimize ocean views with new decking and windows, updated the mother-in-law’s suite, and add a new loft. But all this changed one historic day when the Woolsey Fire swept through Malibu in November 2018 and leveled this neighborhood, including our remodel, which was underway. Shifting to a ground-up design-build project, the JRP team worked closely with the homeowners through every step of designing, permitting, and building their new home. As avid horse owners, the redesign inspiration started with their love of rustic farmhouses and through the design process, turned into a more refined modern farmhouse reflected in the clean lines of white batten siding, and dark bronze metal roofing. Starting from scratch, the interior spaces were repositioned to take advantage of the ocean views from all the bedrooms, kitchen, and open living spaces. The kitchen features a stacked chiseled edge granite island with cement pendant fixtures and rugged concrete-look perimeter countertops. The tongue and groove ceiling is repeated on the stove hood for a perfectly coordinated style. A herringbone tile pattern lends visual contrast to the cooking area. The generous double-section kitchen sink features side-by-side faucets. Bi-fold doors and windows provide unobstructed sweeping views of the natural mountainside and ocean views. Opening the windows creates a perfect pass-through from the kitchen to outdoor entertaining. The expansive wrap-around decking creates the ideal space to gather for conversation and outdoor dining or soak in the California sunshine and the remarkable Pacific Ocean views.

Complete gut for this kitchen. Repositioned and enlarged the island. Furniture like cabinetry with three color tones, white, maple, and espresso. Chevron backsplash with it's own unique layout.

Every remodeling project presents its own unique challenges. This client’s original remodel vision was to replace an outdated kitchen, optimize ocean views with new decking and windows, updated the mother-in-law’s suite, and add a new loft. But all this changed one historic day when the Woolsey Fire swept through Malibu in November 2018 and leveled this neighborhood, including our remodel, which was underway. Shifting to a ground-up design-build project, the JRP team worked closely with the homeowners through every step of designing, permitting, and building their new home. As avid horse owners, the redesign inspiration started with their love of rustic farmhouses and through the design process, turned into a more refined modern farmhouse reflected in the clean lines of white batten siding, and dark bronze metal roofing. Starting from scratch, the interior spaces were repositioned to take advantage of the ocean views from all the bedrooms, kitchen, and open living spaces. The kitchen features a stacked chiseled edge granite island with cement pendant fixtures and rugged concrete-look perimeter countertops. The tongue and groove ceiling is repeated on the stove hood for a perfectly coordinated style. A herringbone tile pattern lends visual contrast to the cooking area. The generous double-section kitchen sink features side-by-side faucets. Bi-fold doors and windows provide unobstructed sweeping views of the natural mountainside and ocean views. Opening the windows creates a perfect pass-through from the kitchen to outdoor entertaining. The expansive wrap-around decking creates the ideal space to gather for conversation and outdoor dining or soak in the California sunshine and the remarkable Pacific Ocean views.

This kitchen was dramatically transformed with new white cabinets that stretch to the ceiling, custom hood, sink re-positioned under the window, new longer drawer banks, glass cabinet doors and a gorgeous new barn door pantry door! Quartz counter tops with simple subway tile back splash completes the look of this serene kitchen.

A section of wall was removed to create a doorway to the remodeled laundry room and new powder room addition, a new sliding door connects the house to the sunroom addition, repositioning the pendant light allows the table to be centered on the fireplace, and a new hutch cabinet provided much needed storage