This project was a commissioned, custom design and built of a walnut and steel kitchen table for a client in Fairway Kansas in the Kansas City area. Table dimensions are 75" Long x 43" Wide x 30"H (walnut top is 1 1/2" Thick). This custom commissioned 1 1/2" thick walnut table was years in the making. This is a little misleading, as it really only took around eight weeks to fabricate the walnut table top and black painted steel base. However, the six 1 1/2" planks of walnut wood were reclaimed from two different storage areas that had been aging the wood for twenty-five and thirty-five years respectively. This aging allows for the chocolate color of the wood to really emerge. The custom designed and fabricated steel base is painted a flat black to match chairs and other accents.

This custom commissioned 1 1/2" thick walnut table was years in the making. This is a little misleading, as it really only took around eight weeks to fabricate the walnut table top and black painted steel base. However, the six 1 1/2" planks of walnut wood were reclaimed from two different garages that had been aging the wood for twenty-five and thirty-five years respectively. This aging allows for the chocolate color of the wood to really emerge.

After returning from a winter trip to discover his house had been flooded by a burst second-floor pipe, this homeowner was ready to address the renovations and additions that he had been pondering for about a decade. It was important to him to respect the original character of the c. +/- 1910 two-bedroom small home that had been in his family for years, while re-imagining the kitchen and flow. In response, KHS proposed a one-story addition, recalling an enclosed porch, which springs from the front roof line and then wraps the house to the north. An informal front dining space, complete with built-in banquette, occupies the east end of the addition behind large double-hung windows sized to match those on the original house, and a new kitchen occupies the west end of the addition behind smaller casement windows at counter height. New French doors to the rear allow the owner greater access to an outdoor room edged by the house to the east, the existing one-car garage to the south, and a rear rock wall to the west. Much of the lot to the north was left open for the owner’s annual summer volley ball party. The first-floor was then reconfigured, capturing additional interior space from a recessed porch on the rear, to create a rear mudroom entrance hall, full bath, and den, which could someday function as a third bedroom if needed. Upstairs, a rear shed dormer was extended to the north and east so that head room could be increased, rendering more of the owner’s office/second bedroom usable. Windows and doors were relocated as necessary to better serve the new plan and to capture more daylight. Having expanded from its original 1100 square feet to approximately 1700 square feet, it’s still a small, sweet house – only freshly updated, and with a hint of porchiness. Photos by Katie Hutchison

Two bookcase/display cabinets and a corner china cabinet with concealed LED lighting. The tops, adjustable wood shelves, cabinet bottoms, and the door frame are made of solid Honduran mahogany reclaimed from the homeowner's mother's dining table, adding a respectful heirloom aspect to the project. The laser engraved star pattern on the top borders was designed to complement a beautiful hand-stenciled design on a console cabinet in the adjacent room. The bases were made with an Asian-influenced design to reflect the style of many other items in the home from the homeowner's years of working in Asia. The top surfaces and the solid mahogany bases were stained ebony to coordinate with the dining table and to provide a color break between the floor and the cabinets. All the other mahogany is simply clear coated to highlight the beautiful color and iridescence of mahogany. The tops and front and side borders were assembled using lock miter construction. We extend special thanks and recognition to Trefoil Laser Services, Inc. of Greensboro, NC (www.trefoillaser.com) for the beautiful and precise laser engraving on the top borders.

Two bookcase/display cabinets and a corner china cabinet with concealed LED lighting. The tops, adjustable wood shelves, cabinet bottoms, and the door frame are made of solid Honduran mahogany reclaimed from the homeowner's mother's dining table, adding a respectful heirloom aspect to the project. The laser engraved star pattern on the top borders was designed to complement a beautiful hand-stenciled design on a console cabinet in the adjacent room. The bases were made with an Asian-influenced design to reflect the style of many other items in the home from the homeowner's years of working in Asia. The top surfaces and the solid mahogany bases were stained ebony to coordinate with the dining table and to provide a color break between the floor and the cabinets. All the other mahogany is simply clear coated to highlight the beautiful color and iridescence of mahogany. The tops and front and side borders were assembled using lock miter construction. We extend special thanks and recognition to Trefoil Laser Services, Inc. of Greensboro, NC (www.trefoillaser.com) for the beautiful and precise laser engraving on the top borders.

This project was a commissioned, custom design and built of a walnut and steel kitchen table for a client in Fairway Kansas in the Kansas City area. Table dimensions are 75" Long x 43" Wide x 30"H (walnut top is 1 1/2" Thick). This custom commissioned 1 1/2" thick walnut table was years in the making. This is a little misleading, as it really only took around eight weeks to fabricate the walnut table top and black painted steel base. However, the six 1 1/2" planks of walnut wood were reclaimed from two different storage areas that had been aging the wood for twenty-five and thirty-five years respectively. This aging allows for the chocolate color of the wood to really emerge. The custom designed and fabricated steel base is painted a flat black to match chairs and other accents.

The rooms in this charming 1920’s Burns Park home were completely compartmentalized (typical for homes built in this period). The homeowners wanted a more open space with sightlines into the dining and living spaces, and a kitchen that could accommodate more than one cook! We removed a wall and replaced it with a beautiful Butternut beam and countertop seating, a more casual eating area to supplement their dining room. Bringing this home into 2018 while paying respect to its historic neighborhood was an important part of this project. The personality, cabinetry and contemporary finishes in this kitchen better mirror this cheerful and vibrant family.

The rooms in this charming 1920’s Burns Park home were completely compartmentalized (typical for homes built in this period). The homeowners wanted a more open space with sightlines into the dining and living spaces, and a kitchen that could accommodate more than one cook! We removed a wall and replaced it with a beautiful Butternut beam and countertop seating, a more casual eating area to supplement their dining room. Bringing this home into 2018 while paying respect to its historic neighborhood was an important part of this project. The personality, cabinetry and contemporary finishes in this kitchen better mirror this cheerful and vibrant family.

This project was a commissioned, custom design and built of a walnut and steel kitchen table for a client in Fairway Kansas in the Kansas City area. Table dimensions are 75" Long x 43" Wide x 30"H (walnut top is 1 1/2" Thick). This custom commissioned 1 1/2" thick walnut table was years in the making. This is a little misleading, as it really only took around eight weeks to fabricate the walnut table top and black painted steel base. However, the six 1 1/2" planks of walnut wood were reclaimed from two different storage areas that had been aging the wood for twenty-five and thirty-five years respectively. This aging allows for the chocolate color of the wood to really emerge. The custom designed and fabricated steel base is painted a flat black to match chairs and other accents.

Built in 1925, this 15-story neo-Renaissance cooperative building is located on Fifth Avenue at East 93rd Street in Carnegie Hill. The corner penthouse unit has terraces on four sides, with views directly over Central Park and the city skyline beyond. The project involved a gut renovation inside and out, down to the building structure, to transform the existing one bedroom/two bathroom layout into a two bedroom/three bathroom configuration which was facilitated by relocating the kitchen into the center of the apartment. The new floor plan employs layers to organize space from living and lounge areas on the West side, through cooking and dining space in the heart of the layout, to sleeping quarters on the East side. A glazed entry foyer and steel clad “pod”, act as a threshold between the first two layers. All exterior glazing, windows and doors were replaced with modern units to maximize light and thermal performance. This included erecting three new glass conservatories to create additional conditioned interior space for the Living Room, Dining Room and Master Bedroom respectively. Materials for the living areas include bronzed steel, dark walnut cabinetry and travertine marble contrasted with whitewashed Oak floor boards, honed concrete tile, white painted walls and floating ceilings. The kitchen and bathrooms are formed from white satin lacquer cabinetry, marble, back-painted glass and Venetian plaster. Exterior terraces are unified with the conservatories by large format concrete paving and a continuous steel handrail at the parapet wall. Photography by www.petermurdockphoto.com

Two bookcase/display cabinets and a corner china cabinet with concealed LED lighting. The tops, adjustable wood shelves, cabinet bottoms, and the door frame are made of solid Honduran mahogany reclaimed from the homeowner's mother's dining table, adding a respectful heirloom aspect to the project. The laser engraved star pattern on the top borders was designed to complement a beautiful hand-stenciled design on a console cabinet in the adjacent room. The bases were made with an Asian-influenced design to reflect the style of many other items in the home from the homeowner's years of working in Asia. The top surfaces and the solid mahogany bases were stained ebony to coordinate with the dining table and to provide a color break between the floor and the cabinets. All the other mahogany is simply clear coated to highlight the beautiful color and iridescence of mahogany. The tops and front and side borders were assembled using lock miter construction. We extend special thanks and recognition to Trefoil Laser Services, Inc. of Greensboro, NC (www.trefoillaser.com) for the beautiful and precise laser engraving on the top borders.

We are a full service, residential design/build company specializing in large remodels and whole house renovations. Our way of doing business is dynamic, interactive and fully transparent. It's your house, and it's your money. Recognition of this fact is seen in every facet of our business because we respect our clients enough to be honest about the numbers. In exchange, they trust us to do the right thing. Pretty simple when you think about it.

Contemporary feel of this open plan Living Room and it's views are respected by a quiet color palette and clean-lined furnishings. SDG Architecture ( http://sdgarchitecture.com) Contractor: Portola Valley Builders Photography: McNair Evans ( http://mcnairevans.com)

This kitchen features a Kohler under mount apron sink as well as a prep sink at the island from Mirabelle; Blanco faucets (Culina & Cantata respectively); the pendants above the island are from Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co Design by Mark Evans | Photography by Tommy Kile |

Deep tones of gently weathered grey and brown. A modern look that still respects the timelessness of natural wood.
Mid-sized 1950s galley vinyl floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Other with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Perched above the beautiful Delaware River in the historic village of New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania sits this magnificent custom home designed by OMNIA Group Architects. According to Partner, Brian Mann,"This riverside property required a nuanced approach so that it could at once be both a part of this eclectic village streetscape and take advantage of the spectacular waterfront setting." Further complicating the study, the lot was narrow, it resides in the floodplain and the program required the Master Suite to be on the main level. To meet these demands, OMNIA dispensed with conventional historicist styles and created an open plan blended with traditional forms punctuated by vast rows of glass windows and doors to bring in the panoramic views of Lambertville, the bridge, the wooded opposite bank and the river. Mann adds, "Because I too live along the river, I have a special respect for its ever changing beauty - and I appreciate that riverfront structures have a responsibility to enhance the views from those on the water." Hence the riverside facade is as beautiful as the street facade. A sweeping front porch integrates the entry with the vibrant pedestrian streetscape. Low garden walls enclose a beautifully landscaped courtyard defining private space without turning its back on the street. Once inside, the natural setting explodes into view across the back of each of the main living spaces. For a home with so few walls, spaces feel surprisingly intimate and well defined. The foyer is elegant and features a free flowing curved stair that rises in a turret like enclosure dotted with windows that follow the ascending stairs like a sculpture. "Using changes in ceiling height, finish materials and lighting, we were able to define spaces without boxing spaces in" says Mann adding, "the dynamic horizontality of the river is echoed along the axis of the living space; the natural movement from kitchen to dining to living rooms following the current of the river." Service elements are concentrated along the front to create a visual and noise barrier from the street and buttress a calm hall that leads to the Master Suite. The master bedroom shares the views of the river, while the bath and closet program are set up for pure luxuriating. The second floor features a common loft area with a large balcony overlooking the water. Two children's suites flank the loft - each with their own exquisitely crafted baths and closets. Continuing the balance between street and river, an open air bell-tower sits above the entry porch to bring life and light to the street. Outdoor living was part of the program from the start. A covered porch with outdoor kitchen and dining and lounge area and a fireplace brings 3-season living to the river. And a lovely curved patio lounge surrounded by grand landscaping by LDG finishes the experience. OMNIA was able to bring their design talents to the finish materials too including cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, colors and furniture

Brady Architectural Photography GETTING IT RIGHT Though the 1920s Mission Hills home was rich with Spanish Revival architectural details, a 1980s remodel did nothing to honor or even respect them. Some two decades later, the current homeowners brought in award-winning interior designers Margaret Dean and Robert Longdyke to undo the damage by designing a new kitchen that was appropriate to the era and lived well with the grandeur of the rest of the house. The clients also wanted the kitchen to be multifunctional and up-to-date. “Our first move,” Dean says, “was to reconfigure the space, which included the kitchen, a small broom closet and, in back, a guest bedroom and hallway.” She converted the closet to a passageway to the bedroom, redid the bedroom into a small sitting room with refrigerated wine room, and closed off the bedroom and exterior doors to make room for a boot-bench niche. With space planning complete, Dean and Longdyke focused on design details. “The colors were inspired from the home’s original tile and trompe l’oeil,” Dean says. “The alderwood cabinet doors with teal and yellow accents mesh perfectly with the ambience of the home. The cabinet door profile mimics the panel of the front door. “Robert Longdyke was instrumental in the selection of products, color scheme and accessories,” Dean says. “With over 45 years in the interior design field, he has accumulated a wealth of knowledge that was vital to the outcome.” Dean redesigned the existing pantry to maximize storage options and added a hutch off the breakfast nook for glassware, fine china and beverages. The hutch includes a base refrigerator with custom grillwork door panels. To keep the symmetry, the designers repeated the grillwork to face another cabinet on the opposite side of the hutch. They sealed a “small, ugly skylight” with a teal-colored soffit that adds height to the eight-foot ceiling. “This also allowed for a spectacular antique light to be hung. Design of the new round chandelier above the table was inspired by the vintage rectangular light over the island.” The tile work on the hood and backsplash reflects the colors, tone and whimsy of other areas in the home.

J. Medeiros Photos This beautiful John Boos 3" thick countertop combined with the soapstone countertop is as organic as you can get for a kitchen counter. It's true, maintenance is required for both of these counters, as well as a tolerance for the softness. With attention from the owner and a respect for the materials unique characteristics, this can be maintained to look brilliant for years to come. These counters are featured in a White, Full Overlay, Shaker Door Kitchen, including a Rangetop and Stainless Steel Farmers Sink.