photo credit Eric Rorer
Trendy beige tile powder room photo in San Francisco with a vessel sink, furniture-like cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Reclaimed heart pine for the windows and vanity. The flooring is patina face "dirty top" reclaimed heart pine.
Mountain style drop-in bathtub photo in Austin with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets and medium tone wood cabinets

Living room - contemporary open concept light wood floor living room idea in Chicago with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a mid-sized country master white tile and subway tile slate floor, gray floor, double-sink and shiplap wall bathroom design in Boston with medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Mel Carll
Living room - large craftsman open concept porcelain tile and gray floor living room idea in Los Angeles with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

By Design I WANT THAT Wednesday feature of the week . . . tired of the traditional shower entry options? Clear glass door - done. Glass block - meh. Rain or frosted glass - yawn. Here's one that might ring your bell.

Firepits, Outdoor Fireplace, Seat Wall, Concrete Paver Hardscaping, Outdoor Living Space, Outdoor Seating, Ambient Landscape Lighting
Mid-sized tuscan backyard concrete paver patio photo in Portland with a fire pit and no cover

Example of a mid-sized mountain style home bar design

Constructed of dark-stained cedar, the carport was designed to contrast with the shiny metal house. PHOTO: Ignacio Salas-Humara
Urban carport photo in Austin

Wine cellar - rustic wine cellar idea in Minneapolis with diamond bins

This lap pool maximizes the space in a Bethesda backyard with fieldstone retaining walls that offer privacy and structure. Three sheer descent waterfalls add sound and movement to the swimming pool.

Photo by Ross Anania
Inspiration for an industrial black tile and porcelain tile concrete floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Seattle with a one-piece toilet, green walls and an undermount sink

Family room - cottage family room idea in Los Angeles

Tuscan light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo photo in Atlanta with white walls

Inspiration for a large rustic master carpeted bedroom remodel in Nashville with green walls and no fireplace

Picture Perfect House
Example of a large transitional open concept dark wood floor and brown floor family room design in Chicago with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Patrick Barta
Wine cellar - large traditional concrete floor and orange floor wine cellar idea in Seattle with beige walls and storage racks

This award-winning and intimate cottage was rebuilt on the site of a deteriorating outbuilding. Doubling as a custom jewelry studio and guest retreat, the cottage’s timeless design was inspired by old National Parks rough-stone shelters that the owners had fallen in love with. A single living space boasts custom built-ins for jewelry work, a Murphy bed for overnight guests, and a stone fireplace for warmth and relaxation. A cozy loft nestles behind rustic timber trusses above. Expansive sliding glass doors open to an outdoor living terrace overlooking a serene wooded meadow. Photos by: Emily Minton Redfield