When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

Island style white one-story exterior home photo in Miami with a hip roof, a metal roof and a white roof

Lagoon-side property in the Bel Marin Keys, Novato, CA. Entertaining and enjoying the views were a primary design goal for this project along with replacing the lawn with CA native and low water plants and a total renovation. The project includes a large camaru deck with built-in seating. The concrete steps and pavers lead down to the water's edge. I included a sunken patio on one side and a beautiful Buddha statue on the other, surrounded by succulents and other low-water, contemporary plantings. I also used Dymondia ground cover to create a natural pathways within the garden. Photo: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design. Design Eileen Kelly

Casey Fry
Inspiration for a huge country galley concrete floor utility room remodel in Austin with blue cabinets, quartz countertops, blue walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and shaker cabinets

The pantry is accessed by two beautiful sliding barn board doors. A blend of classic style and reclaimed materials creates an organic and stylish kitchen space. Photography by Eric Roth

A bedroom and a bathroom unit are presented as separate rooms
Trendy 3/4 light wood floor alcove shower photo in Seattle with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets and black walls

Mark Lohman
Elegant u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

This is an example of a small traditional drought-tolerant and shade backyard stone garden path in New York for spring.

Paul and Roseann doing chin ups. Roseann is doing assisted. Photos by rex@straightshooter.com
Example of a classic home gym design in Cleveland

Siberian Floors - Russian White Oak, Fumed, Prime Grade, Hardwax Oil White Tint Please visit our website for more information and floor treatments!
Example of a beach style light wood floor kitchen design in Boston with subway tile backsplash and an island

Travis Wayne Baker
Inspiration for a cottage u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Austin with a farmhouse sink, green cabinets, wood countertops, stainless steel appliances and shaker cabinets

Example of a transitional l-shaped brown floor and medium tone wood floor kitchen pantry design in Raleigh with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash and white countertops

Nick Smith
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in London with decking.

Patio - contemporary backyard concrete patio idea in San Francisco with a fire pit and no cover

Bedroom - rustic carpeted and gray floor bedroom idea with gray walls

The panoramic doors provide instant indoor/outdoor living onto this gorgeous Brazilian hardwood deck that features an outdoor kitchen with concrete countertops, grill, sink, refrigerator and kegerator with a double tap.

Matthew Millman
Example of a classic tile patio design in San Francisco with a pergola

For this makeover project, the Scottsdale homeowner purchased a home that had an oddly shaped laundry room right near the front entrance. This turned out to be the perfect space in the house to convert into a custom wine cellar to hold the homeowner's 2,500-bottle collection. We transformed every inch of the 12' by 12' room into a spectacular custom wine cellar in about one and a half months. To add to the uniqueness of this project, we created one-of-a-kind wine racks made from reclaimed wine barrels and mahogany.

This spacious kitchen in Westchester County is flooded with light from huge windows on 3 sides of the kitchen plus two skylights in the vaulted ceiling. The dated kitchen was gutted and reconfigured to accommodate this large kitchen with crisp white cabinets and walls. Ship lap paneling on both walls and ceiling lends a casual-modern charm while stainless steel toe kicks, walnut accents and Pietra Cardosa limestone bring both cool and warm tones to this clean aesthetic. Kitchen design and custom cabinetry, built ins, walnut countertops and paneling by Studio Dearborn. Architect Frank Marsella. Interior design finishes by Tami Wassong Interior Design. Pietra cardosa limestone countertops and backsplash by Marble America. Appliances by Subzero; range hood insert by Best. Cabinetry color: Benjamin Moore Super White. Hardware by Top Knobs. Photography Adam Macchia.