A shelfie filled with some of Isha's favourite things.
Kids' room - contemporary kids' room idea in Other

After many years of having no outdoor living space and dealing with overgrown plants and trees the owner’s decided it was time to revitalize their backyard. They knew they wanted a large sitting area with a wood burning fireplace, room for outdoor dining and a place for the grill. A connecting walk would be needed to get guests from the driveway to the outdoor space. Last but not least, the owners wanted the ability to and a reason for stepping out of their unusable patio doors. The designers decided from the start the fireplace would be the prominent feature and focal point for the entire project. A large fireplace accented with sitting walls and arbors was positioned to anchor the corner of the patio. Stone was chosen to set the fireplace apart as its own element. Brick was used for the sitting walls and brick accents were added to the fireplace to tie into the house. An inlaid herringbone brick detail was incorporated above the stone mantle to simulate artwork which is typically found above indoor fireplaces. Flagstone was used for the wall caps and hearth to match the patio and thicker flagstone tread stock was used for the mantle and top. The arbors were added to visually balance the pergolas at the opposite side of the patio. For the patio the designers created a series of offset spaces to help subtly divide the space into two areas, sitting and dining. Two large existing trees also help dictate the shape of the patio. Cut flagstone was chosen for the surface bordered by a double soldier edge of brick. The brick edging also surrounds a decorative gravel area topped with an urn fountain which provides a secondary focal point and the sound of water. Large flagstone treads were used for the steps leading to the previously unused patio doors. Opposite the fireplace a short walk leads to a square transition area with a statue chosen by the owner. The statue provides a strong focal point when entering from the driveway. A longer walk leads from this space along the house to the driveway. The pergolas and arbors were designed by the landscape designer as part of this project but were ultimately contracted separately by the owner. The larger square pergola was intended as an area for a bench or two separate from the main patio. The longer pergola was added later in the design phase to help provide shade to the interior of the house. The arbors at the fireplace were added to balance out the wood elements at the opposite side while adding additional architectural interest to the fireplace. While this project was predominantly hardscaping, planting and lighting were also incorporated into the design. Several large existing trees were retained and serious of smaller understory trees were added to help enclose the space. The designer’s took advantage of the large trees to place down lights on the branches to achieve a moonlight effect at night. Additional lighting was used on the pergola, to accent focal points, to up light the smaller trees and around the patio. Massed planting of Japanese forest grass provides bold foliage color for the shady garden. A mulch path leads off behind the fireplace to another garden and a secluded area ideal for a bench or small table and chairs. Additional plantings were added along the rear property line to screen and unsightly fence. This project has obviously completely changed the way the owners use their backyard. They now have a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors with the use of the patio doors. The large patio allows for entertaining small gatherings outdoors for the first time. The fireplace has definitely become the primary gathering place for family and friends.

Property Marketed by Hudson Place Realty - Style meets substance in this circa 1875 townhouse. Completely renovated & restored in a contemporary, yet warm & welcoming style, 295 Pavonia Avenue is the ultimate home for the 21st century urban family. Set on a 25’ wide lot, this Hamilton Park home offers an ideal open floor plan, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a private outdoor oasis. With 3,600 sq. ft. of living space, the owner’s triplex showcases a unique formal dining rotunda, living room with exposed brick and built in entertainment center, powder room and office nook. The upper bedroom floors feature a master suite separate sitting area, large walk-in closet with custom built-ins, a dream bath with an over-sized soaking tub, double vanity, separate shower and water closet. The top floor is its own private retreat complete with bedroom, full bath & large sitting room. Tailor-made for the cooking enthusiast, the chef’s kitchen features a top notch appliance package with 48” Viking refrigerator, Kuppersbusch induction cooktop, built-in double wall oven and Bosch dishwasher, Dacor espresso maker, Viking wine refrigerator, Italian Zebra marble counters and walk-in pantry. A breakfast nook leads out to the large deck and yard for seamless indoor/outdoor entertaining. Other building features include; a handsome façade with distinctive mansard roof, hardwood floors, Lutron lighting, home automation/sound system, 2 zone CAC, 3 zone radiant heat & tremendous storage, A garden level office and large one bedroom apartment with private entrances, round out this spectacular home.

Our showcase models are professionally staged. Please contact Ambiance at Home for information on furniture - 952.440.6757.
Dining room photo in Minneapolis

Augie Salbosa
Example of an island style kitchen pantry design in Hawaii with an integrated sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, blue backsplash, glass tile backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Kristen Lazorchak
Inspiration for a small industrial painted wood floor bedroom remodel in Boston with beige walls

Carrara marble walls and flooring paired with unlacquered brass fixtures from Newport Brass exude luxury in this hotel-inspired master bathroom. Photo credit: Perko Photography

Photo Credit: Andrew Beasley
Bedroom - contemporary bedroom idea in London

Klopf Architecture, Arterra Landscape Architects and Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Designed and built a new warm, modern, Eichler-inspired, open, indoor-outdoor home on a deeper-than-usual San Mateo Highlands property where an original Eichler house had burned to the ground. The owners wanted multi-generational living and larger spaces than the original home offered, but all parties agreed that the house should respect the neighborhood and blend in stylistically with the other Eichlers. At first the Klopf team considered re-using what little was left of the original home and expanding on it. But after discussions with the owner and builder, all parties agreed that the last few remaining elements of the house were not practical to re-use, so Klopf Architecture designed a new home that pushes the Eichler approach in new directions. One disadvantage of Eichler production homes is that the house designs were not optimized for each specific lot. A new custom home offered the team a chance to start over. In this case, a longer house that opens up sideways to the south fit the lot better than the original square-ish house that used to open to the rear (west). Accordingly, the Klopf team designed an L-shaped “bar” house with a large glass wall with large sliding glass doors that faces sideways instead of to the rear like a typical Eichler. This glass wall opens to a pool and landscaped yard designed by Arterra Landscape Architects. Driving by the house, one might assume at first glance it is an Eichler because of the horizontality, the overhanging flat roof eaves, the dark gray vertical siding, and orange solid panel front door, but the house is designed for the 21st Century and is not meant to be a “Likeler.” You won't see any posts and beams in this home. Instead, the ceiling decking is a western red cedar that covers over all the beams. Like Eichlers, this cedar runs continuously from inside to out, enhancing the indoor / outdoor feeling of the house, but unlike Eichlers it conceals a cavity for lighting, wiring, and insulation. Ceilings are higher, rooms are larger and more open, the master bathroom is light-filled and more generous, with a separate tub and shower and a separate toilet compartment, and there is plenty of storage. The garage even easily fits two of today's vehicles with room to spare. A massive 49-foot by 12-foot wall of glass and the continuity of materials from inside to outside enhance the inside-outside living concept, so the owners and their guests can flow freely from house to pool deck to BBQ to pool and back. During construction in the rough framing stage, Klopf thought the front of the house appeared too tall even though the house had looked right in the design renderings (probably because the house is uphill from the street). So Klopf Architecture paid the framer to change the roofline from how we had designed it to be lower along the front, allowing the home to blend in better with the neighborhood. One project goal was for people driving up the street to pass the home without immediately noticing there is an "imposter" on this lot, and making that change was essential to achieve that goal. This 2,606 square foot, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom Eichler-inspired new house is located in San Mateo in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Klara Kevane Landscape Architect: Arterra Landscape Architects Contractor: Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Photography ©2016 Mariko Reed Location: San Mateo, CA Year completed: 2016

New and separate entrance added to the basement. Photo: Pete Eckert
Transitional exterior home idea in Portland

Entry at Four Seasons Penthouse condo. Handcrafted Chateau patterned oak flooring. Bronze and walnut floating bookshelf by Cravotta Interiors separating entry from the lounge. Antique Austrian chairs. Vintage treasures from around the world. Antique Italian forged iron and glass lighting. Hand-painted silk ceiling by Fromental.

Kitchen - craftsman medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, quartz countertops and an island

Peter Rymwid Photography My young professional clients loved everything about their townhouse on the Hudson except for the cramped, dark, uninviting kitchen. During their frequent dinner parties they were always separated from their guests. Light which filled the rest of the living area never made it into the kitchen. Their most important request in this remodel was to create a bright, contemporary, light filled kitchen where their cooking would take center stage. We started by removing a large portion of the wall separating the kitchen and dining area. This integrated the kitchen into the living space and allowed interaction between cook and guests. Next we removed a side wall to gain more cabinet and countertop space. Existing drop ceilings were removed giving extra height in the wall cabinets. A raised waterfall end eating counter keeps the visual line clean and provides ample counter space for dining or wine tasting. Bright white painted cabinets with recessed panels and a crisp white quartz counter create a bright contemporary space. Blue white and taupe subway tiles made from recycled glass add a feel of waves to the back splash. A coordinating blue paint adds to the beachy vibe of the room. Shiny easy to clean stainless appliances are both functional and attractive especially as they are seen from the entire living area. The new engineered wood flooring was continued up the wall under the eating counter. The material provides a more durable surface than painted sheet rock. Recessed LED ceiling lights and under cabinet lights provide all the task lighting needed to prepare meals while using very little energy. Instead of installing any hanging fixtures which might block the open feeling, smaller can LED lights were installed over the raised counter.

"The homeowners wanted a kitchen that reflected their personalities and cooking styles. Sophisticated but still elegant." designer Rodney Lee of York, PA. After designing a successful home office space remodel, our same client came back to us to discuss plans and possibilities for their kitchen renovation. After a few discussions with the client, we decided the overall design concept for their kitchen would be “Sophisticated Elegance.” The homeowners wanted a kitchen that reflected their personalities and their cooking styles. Sophisticated but still elegant. The space had to be extremely functional and the color scheme had to have a certain warmth that matched the rest of their home. The Medallion line has a wide range of architectural elements that helped us achieve that “Sophisticated Elegance”; curved/arched range hood, openings, valances, and corbels and trim. The “Sophistication” lies purely in the detail, the fixtures, the angles in the peninsula, and the changes in height and depth. We wanted the color scheme to be as warm as possible as it would be in a bright, elegant space. We considered two colors and ended up choosing Divinity over the White Icing. The grey tones in the marble backsplash tile kept the colors modern but warm. We used natural stone versus the more aggregated quartz to maintain the use of natural product and unpredictable patterns and natural elements. We also used a dark rich stain on walnut wood as a good break from all the bright painted finishes. Oak and walnut reflect the “heart” of Pennsylvania and was a great way to maintain the use of natural elements. The kitchen was divided into individual areas, each one focused on a particular need and/or function. My biggest challenge was transitioning the peninsula into the wet bar/hutch area while maintaining proper separation from the kitchen cabinetry and still tying it into the rest of the space. A wealth of storage solutions. •Desk Area. The client wanted a functional work area so we created a furniture look with ogee edging in the walnut, provincial toe space detail in solid walnut, and open display storage at top. The desk has plenty of storage. •Main Kitchen. We were able to open up this space by creating smart transitions and separations using custom Medallion products that cater to the clients’ lifestyle. Each piece is functional while staying true to the sophisticated elegance design throughout the home. ◦Main Cabinetry: Medallion Gold Wellington Maple Divinity Classic Paint ◦48" uppers around range area; glass eclipse mullion-arched hood design ◦Mixer lift base left of range; drawer warmer with custom panel •The main work station, or power spot, can hold up to five work stations comfortably. The cook can work within the confines of the peninsula design and access everything needed to prepare complete meals in 1-2 steps. Every cabinet has deluxe roll-out trays and/or drawers, making this kitchen fully accessible. The client wanted to be able to display and stage different pieces and concepts during holidays and gatherings. We chose to go with the more modern Mission arch above the wall oven and fridge, which complimented many of the hard angles and distinct lines used in the kitchen space. My favorite part of this kitchen remodel came about just by listening to our client talk about how much they adored their daughter’s artwork. After numerous conversations, we landed on installing an artwork wall that was designed as a conversation piece and provides the ability to install different works of art.

The layout of spaces makes efficient use of the rectangular-shaped back yard, and can easily accommodate gatherings of 20 or more without seeming crowded.

This backyard patio design is inspired by our Para patio slab. Large-scale, ultra-smooth texture and fine lines best describe the all-new Para HD. Manufactured with Techo-Bloc’s patented High Definition technology, an extremely tight surface texture with pores that are virtually invisible. The Para HD provides contemporary styling and design flexibility. Each of its three sizes are packaged and sold separately allowing your projects to reflect your personal creativity. This 60 mm product is available in a 500 mm x 250 mm, 500 mm x 500 mm and 500 mm x 750 mm. It is available in both hyper smooth and polished textures. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/slabs/para/

Inspiration for a transitional bathroom remodel in Las Vegas

This stunning custom home in Clarksburg, MD serves as both Home and Corporate Office for Ambition Custom Homes. Nestled on 5 acres in Clarksburg, Maryland, this new home features unique privacy and beautiful year round views of Little Bennett Regional Park. This spectacular, true Modern Farmhouse features large windows, natural stone and rough hewn beams throughout. Special features of this 10,000+ square foot home include an open floorplan on the first floor; a first floor Master Suite with Balcony and His/Hers Walk-in Closets and Spa Bath; a spacious gourmet kitchen with oversized butler pantry and large banquette eat in breakfast area; a large four-season screened-in porch which connects to an outdoor BBQ & Outdoor Kitchen area. The Lower Level boasts a separate entrance, reception area and offices for Ambition Custom Homes; and for the family provides ample room for entertaining, exercise and family activities including a game room, pottery room and sauna. The Second Floor Level has three en-suite Bedrooms with views overlooking the 1st Floor. Ample storage, a 4-Car Garage and separate Bike Storage & Work room complete the unique features of this custom home.

Stoffer Photography
Cottage living room photo in Grand Rapids