Bathroom - traditional bathroom idea in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and white walls

The only thing that stayed was the sink placement and the dining room location. Clarissa and her team took out the wall opposite the sink to allow for an open floorplan leading into the adjacent living room. She got rid of the breakfast nook and capitalized on the space to allow for more pantry area.

Eat-in kitchen - large transitional u-shaped ceramic tile and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Toronto with white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and quartz countertops

This 80's style Mediterranean Revival house was modernized to fit the needs of a bustling family. The home was updated from a choppy and enclosed layout to an open concept, creating connectivity for the whole family. A combination of modern styles and cozy elements makes the space feel open and inviting. Photos By: Paul Vu

1950s open concept living room photo in San Francisco with gray walls

Inspiration for a large farmhouse open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Boise with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Down-to-studs remodel and second floor addition. The original house was a simple plain ranch house with a layout that didn’t function well for the family. We changed the house to a contemporary Mediterranean with an eclectic mix of details. Space was limited by City Planning requirements so an important aspect of the design was to optimize every bit of space, both inside and outside. The living space extends out to functional places in the back and front yards: a private shaded back yard and a sunny seating area in the front yard off the kitchen where neighbors can easily mingle with the family. A Japanese bath off the master bedroom upstairs overlooks a private roof deck which is screened from neighbors’ views by a trellis with plants growing from planter boxes and with lanterns hanging from a trellis above. Photography by Kurt Manley. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/modern-mediterranean/

With the new LG Twin Wash™, your delicates and regulars can live peacefully separate but washed at the same time. With the ability to do two loads of laundry at the same time, life’s good.

Michelle Peek Photography
Mid-sized trendy master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and white floor alcove shower photo in Toronto with white walls, quartz countertops and a hinged shower door

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Bruce Damonte
Inspiration for a large rustic open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in San Francisco with a corner fireplace and a stone fireplace

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless slate floor and gray floor mudroom remodel in Orange County with gray walls

David Patterson
Mountain style galley dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Denver with recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, black backsplash, black appliances and two islands

Inspiration for a coastal medium tone wood floor family room remodel in Boston

Beautiful outdoor kitchen with Custom Granite Surround Big Green Egg, Granite Countertops, Bamboo Accents, Cedar Decking, Kitchen Aid Grill and Cedar Pergola Overhang by East Cobb Contractor, Atlanta Curb Appeal

Walk-in shower - large contemporary master white tile and matchstick tile limestone floor and beige floor walk-in shower idea in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, an integrated sink, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet and white walls

John Granen
Example of a trendy backyard deck container garden design in Seattle with no cover

John Ellis for Country Living
Inspiration for a huge cottage galley light wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This remodel created one grand space out of three separate rooms. The home is a traditional raised ranch, and we doubled the kitchen counter and cabinet space without increasing the foot print by removing the surrounding walls.