John Gruen
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless medium tone wood floor powder room remodel in New York with an undermount sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, limestone countertops and blue walls

This spacious kitchen design in Yardley is a bright, open plan space bathed in natural light from the large windows, doors, and skylights. The white perimeter cabinets from Koch and Company are complemented by handmade subway tile and MSI Surfaces Calcatta Venice quartz countertop. The white color scheme is beautifully contrasted by blue island cabinetry with a bi-level countertop and barstool seating. The island also includes a Task Lighting angled power strip, a narrow wine refrigerator, and a white Blanco Siligranit apron front sink with a Riobel Edge faucet and chrome soap dispenser. The kitchen cabinets are accented by Top Knobs Lydia style pulls in chrome. Bosch stainless appliances feature throughout the kitchen, including a microwave drawer and a Bosch stainless chimney hood. Dark hardwood flooring from Meridian brings depth to the style. The natural lighting is complemented by pendant lights from Wage Lighting, undercabinet lighting, and upper glass front cabinets with in cabinet lighting.

This master suite is the epitome is luxury. The monochromatic color scheme is in a rich taupe wall-to-wall grass cloth wallcovering, hair on hide benches, pewter finishes and embroidered draperies give this space a lustrous glow. The clients asked for a bedroom that's in the class with the best Manhattan hotel and they're absolutely thrilled with their new bedroom. Photo: Jenn Verrier

The open shelving was custom-built by Stacey’s husband to hold maximum weight. Stacey wanted to maintain some of the freedom of the door-free cabinets in the previous kitchen. The corner shelves hold items in frequent rotation so they never have a chance to get dusty.

Full kitchen and bath renovation project This repeat client retained MMI to assist with their kitchen and bath renovation project. After 30 years with the existing kitchen, it was time to overhaul it back to the studs. MMI completed all design work, including the conceptual and 3D renderings, the millwork drawings, and all related material selections. We love how the removal of the furr downs and the light color scheme created a much more open and airier space for our clients. Though the footprint stayed the same, the kitchen looks and feels twice as large as it did prior to the renovation.

“With the open-concept floor plan, this kitchen needed to have a galley layout,” Ellison says. A large island helps delineate the kitchen from the other rooms around it. These include a dining area directly behind the kitchen and a living room to the right of the dining room. This main floor also includes a small TV lounge, a powder room and a mudroom. The house sits on a slope, so this main level enjoys treehouse-like canopy views out the back. The bedrooms are on the walk-out lower level.“These homeowners liked grays and neutrals, and their style leaned contemporary,” Ellison says. “They also had a very nice art collection.” The artwork is bright and colorful, and a neutral scheme provided the perfect backdrop for it. They also liked the idea of using durable laminate finishes on the cabinetry. The laminates have the look of white oak with vertical graining. The galley cabinets are lighter and warmer, while the island has the look of white oak with a gray wash for contrast. The countertops and backsplash are polished quartzite. The quartzite adds beautiful natural veining patterns and warm tones to the room.

amy marano
Walk-in shower - small contemporary master beige tile and stone tile travertine floor walk-in shower idea in Atlanta with an undermount sink, furniture-like cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, a two-piece toilet and blue walls

A family of five, who lives in a prestigious McLean neighborhood, was looking to renovate and upgrade their 20-year-old kitchen. Goals of the renovation were to move the cooktop out of the island, install all professional-quality appliances, achieve better traffic flow and update the appearance of the space. The plan was to give a French country look to this kitchen, by carrying the overall soft and creamy color scheme of main floor furniture in the new kitchen. As such, the adjacent family room had to become a significant part of the remodel. The back wall of the kitchen is now occupied by 48” professional range under a custom wood hood. A new tower style refrigerator covered in matching wood panels is placed at the end of the run, just create more work space on both sides of the stove. The large contrasting Island in a dark chocolate finish now offers a second dishwasher, a beverage center and built in microwave. It also serves as a large buffet style counter space and accommodate up to five seats around it. The far wall of the space used to have a bare wall with a 36” fireplace in it. The goal of this renovation was to include all the surrounding walls in the design. Now the entire wall is made of custom cabinets, including display cabinetry on the upper half. The fireplace is wrapped with a matching color mantel and equipped with a big screen TV. Smart use of detailed crown and trim molding are highlights of this space and help bring the two rooms together, as does the porcelain tile floor. The attached family room provides a casual, comfortable space for guest to relax. And the entire space is perfect for family gatherings or entertaining.

This family room, kitchen and kitchen nook are all open to one large area and work together seamlessly to create the perfect solution. With the navy, gray blue, and green blue color scheme running throughout, a cream and white accent in cabinetry and furniture pop the space with extra punch.

This master bathroom design embodies the atmosphere of its beautiful seacoast location in the color scheme, design features, and use of coastal beach glass. The Bianco Carrera marble floor and the shower are both complemented by glassblend mosaic details and crushed glass accents. This color scheme carries through in the green tint wall color. The large double vanity includes plenty of closed storage and an open shelf for display. Photos by Susan Hagstrom

This simply elegant rug features soft natural colors and a modern, straight-edge design. Earthy sand tones and chocolate browns form the main color palette and are enhanced by soft lilacs and rich plum colors. This hand-knotted rug is made of pure wool and includes a medium-length fringe. It would look great in a casual living space or a playroom. Its hand-knotted charm shines through in its multi-colored fibers and spontaneous design. Display this rug in a space and let it add instant warmth to the room's style. Item Number: APK-10-11-108 Collection: Kilims Size: 5.42x7.83 Material: Wool Knots: Flatweave Color: Multi On sale now! 50% off.

Inspired by gorgeous girls' bedrooms done in hot pink and turquoise, one mom was frustrated that she was unable to find the sources for her favorite pin. She was determined to give her daughter's room in their new home a sophisticated "big girl" face lift. So, she took things into her own hands and went to work tracking down the items herself. With a little resourcefulness and DIY effort, she and her husband were able to create a girlie, Pinterest-worthy tween bedroom that their daughter absolutely loves!

Designer: Aaron Keller | Photographer: Sarah Utech
Living room - mid-sized transitional formal and enclosed carpeted and beige floor living room idea in Milwaukee with gray walls, no tv and no fireplace

The great room of this mountain home includes 180-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Cherry designed an art studio linked to the great room via large interior windows and sliding barn doors, which create both connectivity and the option of privacy when desired. This thoughtful design ensures Cathy can paint in solitude or remain part of the household excitement-whether her husband is relaxing in the great room or enjoying a meal at the kitchen island or dining table.

This couple came to us as newly transplanted homeowners in Sterling, MA, uprooted from Rochester, MA so they could be closer to their growing family and granddaughter. The former kitchen was a bit of a “Plain Jane”, but we transformed it into a charming, modern country farmhouse kitchen. The custom paint color on the cabinets came from a Wood-Mode sample called “Agate.” This lovely paint color is a chameleon, ranging from gray/green, to a beautiful blue hue depending on the lighting conditions. The uniqueness of this color is what caught the homeowner’s eye and it has become a customer favorite. This Sterling home is the perfect setting for such a beautiful color! As a trained chef and former restaurant owner, the husband does all the cooking in the house. Ample room was needed for prepping and serving, so he loves the long, wide peninsula. A full-height quartz backsplash behind the range and sink make for easy clean up. Very deep drawers flank both sides of the range, and the top drawer has special storage for spices. The cabinet over the refrigerator has vertical partitions for both cookie sheets, trays and pans. A tall pantry to the right of the refrigerator is equipped with heavy duty wood rollouts perfect for storing dry goods. Conveniently located to the right of the sink is a double trash cabinet. The end of the peninsula also has a 27” wide cabinet with dual rollouts storing small appliances, casserole dishes & Tupperware. The new space has plenty of room for prepping, cooking and entertaining family and guests in the adjacent dining room. Stepping outside the “white & gray” of common paints into this beautiful custom color has delighted these customers and their friends. We find it both inviting and soothing, a cool color that will be stylish for years to come! BRAND: Brighton Cabinetry DOOR STYLE: Thompson FINISH: Custom Paint Match - Wood-Mode “Agate” COUNTERTOP: “Matterhorn” Hanstone Quartz HARDWARE: Top Knobs TK824HB Pulls, TK832HB Knobs DESIGNER: Ruth Bergstrom PHOTOS: Baumgart Creative Media

Example of a mid-sized mountain style enclosed medium tone wood floor living room design in Boston with gray walls and no fireplace

Single, upwardly mobile attorney who recently became partner at his firm at a very young age. This is his first “big boy house” and after years of living college and dorm mismatched items, the client decided to work with our firm. The space was awkward occupying a top floor of a four story walk up. The floorplan was very efficient; however it lacked any sense of “wow” There was no real foyer or entry. It was very awkward as it relates to the number of stairs. The solution: a very crisp black and while color scheme with accents of masculine blues. Since the foyer lacked architecture, we brought in a very bold and statement mural which resembles an ocean wave, creating movement. The sophisticated palette continues into the master bedroom where it is done in deep shades of warm gray. With a sense of cozy yet dramatic.

This living room is an example of our love for Modern Traditional. Contemporary and classic lines with a twist. We based the overall scheme on neutrals & added a dollop of colour to bring life to the space. Asa Weinstein

This tiny home is located on a treelined street in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver. We helped our client create a living and dining space with a beach vibe in this small front room that comfortably accommodates their growing family of four. The starting point for the decor was the client's treasured antique chaise (positioned under the large window) and the scheme grew from there. We employed a few important space saving techniques in this room... One is building seating into a corner that doubles as storage, the other is tucking a footstool, which can double as an extra seat, under the custom wood coffee table. The TV is carefully concealed in the custom millwork above the fireplace. Finally, we personalized this space by designing a family gallery wall that combines family photos and shadow boxes of treasured keepsakes. Interior Decorating by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography