Many recent renovations had already taken place at this phenomenal old Tudor home. The kitchen redo was saved for last. Our mission, imposed by our client, was to create a jaw-dropping, ultra-functional space for family and friends to gather in for years to come. Naturally, the new kitchen would have to reflect the style of the home seamlessly. One challenge was to incorporate very large professional style appliances into the space while keeping the feel of a stately, yet warm home. Custom wood panels were designed for the refrigerator units to give a furniture feel. A copper hood was designed to bring in an old world element. Wood panels were applied to all other appliances – two dishwashers, a wine refrigerator, and a beverage refrigerator. An iron I-beam that separated the original kitchen from the butler’s pantry and back entry was covered in wood with chamfers to match the other ceiling beams in the home by a local woodworker. Due to the age of the home, the outside walls are concrete block. This necessitated chiseling troughs into the concrete for electrical wiring. Ceilings were studded randomly, so finding openings for recessed lighting was hit or miss. A large cluster of wiring and plumbing to the second floor had to be hidden behind cabinetry to the left of and above the refrigerators. HVAC wasn’t straight forward either. Toe kick heaters from the old kitchen had to be replaced with other sources. A propane tank had to be added to fuel the large dual fuel, double oven range. The homeowner wanted to add a walk-in pantry for extra storage, so space was taken from an existing exterior space. This created the need for extra insulation, supplemental heat and added lighting. Needless to say, mechanicals were a big challenge. Natural stone was added in backsplash areas to the ceiling to mimic the rectangular stone on the exterior of the home. Wood panels fill the backsplash areas under wall cabinets. Large chandeliers light the space. Open shelves at the wet bar/prep area offer convenient storage for grab and go service items. A built-in pantry with antique mirrored mullion doors hides a microwave, several other small appliances as well as dishes and food items. This pantry was tucked into an alcove for an added architectural element. Herringbone wood floors are classic and timeless. Wrought iron hardware and shelf brackets fit right in. Large Barley twist legs ground the island giving a nod to the Tudor style. Mission accomplished. Matt Villano Photography

Many recent renovations had already taken place at this phenomenal old Tudor home. The kitchen redo was saved for last. Our mission, imposed by our client, was to create a jaw-dropping, ultra-functional space for family and friends to gather in for years to come. Naturally, the new kitchen would have to reflect the style of the home seamlessly. One challenge was to incorporate very large professional style appliances into the space while keeping the feel of a stately, yet warm home. Custom wood panels were designed for the refrigerator units to give a furniture feel. A copper hood was designed to bring in an old world element. Wood panels were applied to all other appliances – two dishwashers, a wine refrigerator, and a beverage refrigerator. An iron I-beam that separated the original kitchen from the butler’s pantry and back entry was covered in wood with chamfers to match the other ceiling beams in the home by a local woodworker. Due to the age of the home, the outside walls are concrete block. This necessitated chiseling troughs into the concrete for electrical wiring. Ceilings were studded randomly, so finding openings for recessed lighting was hit or miss. A large cluster of wiring and plumbing to the second floor had to be hidden behind cabinetry to the left of and above the refrigerators. HVAC wasn’t straight forward either. Toe kick heaters from the old kitchen had to be replaced with other sources. A propane tank had to be added to fuel the large dual fuel, double oven range. The homeowner wanted to add a walk-in pantry for extra storage, so space was taken from an existing exterior space. This created the need for extra insulation, supplemental heat and added lighting. Needless to say, mechanicals were a big challenge. Natural stone was added in backsplash areas to the ceiling to mimic the rectangular stone on the exterior of the home. Wood panels fill the backsplash areas under wall cabinets. Large chandeliers light the space. Open shelves at the wet bar/prep area offer convenient storage for grab and go service items. A built-in pantry with antique mirrored mullion doors hides a microwave, several other small appliances as well as dishes and food items. This pantry was tucked into an alcove for an added architectural element. Herringbone wood floors are classic and timeless. Wrought iron hardware and shelf brackets fit right in. Large Barley twist legs ground the island giving a nod to the Tudor style. Mission accomplished. Matt Villano Photography

This condo in the Town N' Country area of Tampa needed some updating. The wall separating the dining room from the kitchen left two cramped spaces that were far from ideal. Working with the customer to achieve her dream look, we took down the kitchen walls and raised the soffit area. This gave the homeowner one large functional space and a ceiling that is now one height throughout the home. We replaced the old white cabinets with a lovely stained birch cabinet from Merillat. We added an island, some pantry space, and finished the kitchen flooring with a French-pattern travertine. The countertops are Giallo Ornamental and the backsplash is a 3" x 6" tumbled travertine. The old fluorescent light fixture was replaced with new LED recessed cans. We were also able to create a nice bar area to accentuate the dining room.

-Created open plan -Removed wall separating Kitchen and Breakfast area from Living Areas -Combined former Laundry room and Den into new Great Room and Office. -Demolished Kitchen and incorporated a large island at Kitchen for food prep and seating, incorporating contemporary flush cabinetry in gray tones, accentuated with white quartz tops and tumbled marble feature wall/backsplash -Constructed new Laundry/Mudroom by expanding footprint in to existing Carport -Incorporated built-in shelving for display of ceramic dishware at Kitchen

Tuscan bathroom photo in Tampa with a two-piece toilet

The backsplash in this kitchen is gorgeous and draws the eye to the stovetop s a focal point; after all, this is where all the action takes place. Backsplash is tumbled Emperador Italian marble, installed in two different patterns: lower pattern is a 2 x 4 subway pattern, separated by a small “pencil” and above is a diamond pattern 1 x 1 mosaic stone turned in a 45° angle.

A video tour of this beautiful home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbfy9PYTsBQ Paul Grdina

This couple moved to Plano to be closer to their kids and grandchildren. When they purchased the home, they knew that the kitchen would have to be improved as they love to cook and gather as a family. The storage and prep space was not working for them and the old stove had to go! They loved the gas range that they had in their previous home and wanted to have that range again. We began this remodel by removing a wall in the butlers pantry to create a more open space. We tore out the old cabinets and soffit and replaced them with cherry Kraftmaid cabinets all the way to the ceiling. The cabinets were designed to house tons of deep drawers for ease of access and storage. We combined the once separated laundry and utility office space into one large laundry area with storage galore. Their new kitchen and laundry space is now super functional and blends with the adjacent family room. Photography by Versatile Imaging (Lauren Brown)

Shiloh oak cabinetry with russet stain and van dyke glaze, Cambria Berkley quartz with waterfall edge, Kohler verticyl rectangle sink in Dune, Kohler Kelston faucet in chrome, biscuit subway tile shower with tumbled stone mosaic niches.

StarMark maple cabinetry with marshmallow cream finish, Silestone Quasar with ogee flat edge, tumbled stone backsplash, vinyl plank flooring, grey walls, KitchenAid appliances, Dacor cooktop, Vent-a-hood, and wine fridge, Kohler apron front sink and Parq faucet.

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

At 3,900 square feet, this Lake Ida home sits on a pristine cul-de-sac just steps away from Delray Beach’s downtown shops, restaurants and beach. This contemporary island-blue residence has all the features of an authentic Bermuda home with the web balcony railings, gable roof with white cement tiles and authentic outlookers. The relaxed, open plan offers five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, separate guest house, coffered ceilings, pool patio and vast covered loggia with rarely-seen adjoining guest house above the garage. Grey walls beautifully contrast the walnut engineered hardwood floors of the great room, a shared living-kitchen-dining space. The gourmet kitchen is clean-lined in stainless and granite with center island, gas cooktop, Shaker-style cabinetry and vintage-like Restoration Hardware Keynes Prism pendants. The second-floor master wing features his-and-her wardrobes and a stone bathroom with built-in under-mount soaking tub and walk-in shower. Two other bedrooms reside here, adjoined by a classic Jack-and-Jill bathroom. The guest retreat above the garage features vaulted ceilings, a breakfast bar and private bathroom. Little Wood is a luxury home custom built with innovative lifestyle design, unprecedented construction details and a level of precision synonymous with Marc Julien Homes’ standard of commitment to perfection.

Photographs by Aaron Usher
Small mountain style u-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen photo in Providence with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, porcelain backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Though they look like wrought iron in the photo, the window and door mullions were removed and painted charcoal gray. The upper cabinets flanking the hood are actually 2 separate pieces, with display above and function storage where it's needed.

This kitchen utilizes a double raised panel door in alder wood, white appliances with a raised dishwasher area and Quartz countertops. In the dining room there are custom display hutches that match the kitchen cabinetry.

A couple retiring early to a Lake District property asked us to modernise their kitchen and utility space. They wanted to keep the areas separate, with the utility serving as their working space for laundry and for storing their walking boots after long walks in the fells. For their kitchen, they chose a handleless Keller Bronx Kitchen in Wild Oak, finished in an Ultra Matt Mist light grey colour. This was beautifully paired with 20mm quartz worktops, featuring an undermounted sink and matching splashback panels. We aimed to give the room character while maintaining a modern appeal. The clients love the new drawer systems, finding everything easily accessible. The kitchen is visually pleasing and simple to keep clean. The clean design created plenty of clear worktop space, complemented by a Quooker tap for instant boiling water, adding a touch of luxury. Modern Siemens appliances, including an inductAir vented hob, were seamlessly integrated into the layout to ensure an efficient kitchen workflow. Through the door, the utility room features matching furniture but with handled doors, prioritising practicality. It includes a stainless steel sink with a pull-down spray tap, while compact laminate worktops and splashbacks proved an excellent choice for this space. An integrated utility unit for cleaning products and laundry was a useful addition, with the washer and tumble dryer built-in to keep the room organised. A small boot unit made from the same Keller furniture was designed to sit on when putting boots on, alongside coat hooks for outdoor wear. Both rooms were finished with LVT tile-effect flooring installed by our trusted partner tradesmen. The flooring creating a seamless flow between the rooms. We also added under-wall unit LED lighting in both rooms, complementing the recently updated ceiling lights.

Many recent renovations had already taken place at this phenomenal old Tudor home. The kitchen redo was saved for last. Our mission, imposed by our client, was to create a jaw-dropping, ultra-functional space for family and friends to gather in for years to come. Naturally, the new kitchen would have to reflect the style of the home seamlessly. One challenge was to incorporate very large professional style appliances into the space while keeping the feel of a stately, yet warm home. Custom wood panels were designed for the refrigerator units to give a furniture feel. A copper hood was designed to bring in an old world element. Wood panels were applied to all other appliances – two dishwashers, a wine refrigerator, and a beverage refrigerator. An iron I-beam that separated the original kitchen from the butler’s pantry and back entry was covered in wood with chamfers to match the other ceiling beams in the home by a local woodworker. Due to the age of the home, the outside walls are concrete block. This necessitated chiseling troughs into the concrete for electrical wiring. Ceilings were studded randomly, so finding openings for recessed lighting was hit or miss. A large cluster of wiring and plumbing to the second floor had to be hidden behind cabinetry to the left of and above the refrigerators. HVAC wasn’t straight forward either. Toe kick heaters from the old kitchen had to be replaced with other sources. A propane tank had to be added to fuel the large dual fuel, double oven range. The homeowner wanted to add a walk-in pantry for extra storage, so space was taken from an existing exterior space. This created the need for extra insulation, supplemental heat and added lighting. Needless to say, mechanicals were a big challenge. Natural stone was added in backsplash areas to the ceiling to mimic the rectangular stone on the exterior of the home. Wood panels fill the backsplash areas under wall cabinets. Large chandeliers light the space. Open shelves at the wet bar/prep area offer convenient storage for grab and go service items. A built-in pantry with antique mirrored mullion doors hides a microwave, several other small appliances as well as dishes and food items. This pantry was tucked into an alcove for an added architectural element. Herringbone wood floors are classic and timeless. Wrought iron hardware and shelf brackets fit right in. Large Barley twist legs ground the island giving a nod to the Tudor style. Mission accomplished. Matt Villano Photography

A couple retiring early to a Lake District property asked us to modernise their kitchen and utility space. They wanted to keep the areas separate, with the utility serving as their working space for laundry and for storing their walking boots after long walks in the fells. For their kitchen, they chose a handleless Keller Bronx Kitchen in Wild Oak, finished in an Ultra Matt Mist light grey colour. This was beautifully paired with 20mm quartz worktops, featuring an undermounted sink and matching splashback panels. We aimed to give the room character while maintaining a modern appeal. The clients love the new drawer systems, finding everything easily accessible. The kitchen is visually pleasing and simple to keep clean. The clean design created plenty of clear worktop space, complemented by a Quooker tap for instant boiling water, adding a touch of luxury. Modern Siemens appliances, including an inductAir vented hob, were seamlessly integrated into the layout to ensure an efficient kitchen workflow. Through the door, the utility room features matching furniture but with handled doors, prioritising practicality. It includes a stainless steel sink with a pull-down spray tap, while compact laminate worktops and splashbacks proved an excellent choice for this space. An integrated utility unit for cleaning products and laundry was a useful addition, with the washer and tumble dryer built-in to keep the room organised. A small boot unit made from the same Keller furniture was designed to sit on when putting boots on, alongside coat hooks for outdoor wear. Both rooms were finished with LVT tile-effect flooring installed by our trusted partner tradesmen. The flooring creating a seamless flow between the rooms. We also added under-wall unit LED lighting in both rooms, complementing the recently updated ceiling lights.

Many recent renovations had already taken place at this phenomenal old Tudor home. The kitchen redo was saved for last. Our mission, imposed by our client, was to create a jaw-dropping, ultra-functional space for family and friends to gather in for years to come. Naturally, the new kitchen would have to reflect the style of the home seamlessly. One challenge was to incorporate very large professional style appliances into the space while keeping the feel of a stately, yet warm home. Custom wood panels were designed for the refrigerator units to give a furniture feel. A copper hood was designed to bring in an old world element. Wood panels were applied to all other appliances – two dishwashers, a wine refrigerator, and a beverage refrigerator. An iron I-beam that separated the original kitchen from the butler’s pantry and back entry was covered in wood with chamfers to match the other ceiling beams in the home by a local woodworker. Due to the age of the home, the outside walls are concrete block. This necessitated chiseling troughs into the concrete for electrical wiring. Ceilings were studded randomly, so finding openings for recessed lighting was hit or miss. A large cluster of wiring and plumbing to the second floor had to be hidden behind cabinetry to the left of and above the refrigerators. HVAC wasn’t straight forward either. Toe kick heaters from the old kitchen had to be replaced with other sources. A propane tank had to be added to fuel the large dual fuel, double oven range. The homeowner wanted to add a walk-in pantry for extra storage, so space was taken from an existing exterior space. This created the need for extra insulation, supplemental heat and added lighting. Needless to say, mechanicals were a big challenge. Natural stone was added in backsplash areas to the ceiling to mimic the rectangular stone on the exterior of the home. Wood panels fill the backsplash areas under wall cabinets. Large chandeliers light the space. Open shelves at the wet bar/prep area offer convenient storage for grab and go service items. A built-in pantry with antique mirrored mullion doors hides a microwave, several other small appliances as well as dishes and food items. This pantry was tucked into an alcove for an added architectural element. Herringbone wood floors are classic and timeless. Wrought iron hardware and shelf brackets fit right in. Large Barley twist legs ground the island giving a nod to the Tudor style. Mission accomplished. Matt Villano Photography