This condo community in Miami Lakes hired me to design a low-maintenance Mediterranean-inspired revision to their existing landscape. The finished concept is an asymmetrical, gardenesque landscape featuring lots of classic Mediterranean xeric plants such as agave, furcraea and society garlic, all of which are drought tolerant and also tolerate the varying shade & shadow conditions that exist in the entrance. I chose lots of whites, pale pinks, blues and silvers to evoke the essence of Mediterranean style gardens. Using fine-textured grasses and flowers to soften the bold architecture makes the entrance much more soft and inviting. Two seating areas near the main driveway were underused due to lack of shade and color; these problems were solved by installing silver buttonwood trees to give shade, and replacing high-maintenance turfgrass areas with lower maintenance beds of river rock and groundcover.

Our charge for this project was: “get rid of the 1980’s!” The existing home had very bulky proportions and badly weathered wood siding on the exterior and a lot of golden oak and carpet on the inside. For a home with a large floor area, some spaces were very tight. It had a very cramped kitchen and dining room and no coat closet in the entryway. These problems were solved by pushing out the entryway and the dining room and opening up the kitchen. The breakfast room was absorbed into the kitchen space, an island was added for casual eating and the entry from the garage now comes into the new entryway.

Job Name: Culver City Accessible Residence Contractor: Glynn Design Build Dealer: Taylor Brothers CS Products used: Cavity Sliders Full-Height Ceiling Mount tracks, M8 500lb carriage system, and CL400 ADA locks. What was the problem we solved: Cavity Sliders pocket door track systems and ADA compliant door locks offer space saving options which provide easy wheel chair access and maneuverability. Comments: Our Full-Height Ceiling Mount Track and new CL400 ADA locks with custom color indicators were used to achieve the sleek contemporary style desired by the home owner.

Imagine the Owners’ anguish when they came home one evening during the construction, only to discover that the over exuberant demolition contractor had broken out a large chunk of the marble countertop. Fortunately, the damage was inflicted onto an area beneath which was a void where a radiator had been removed. The problem was solved by having the damage cut out in a curving, symmetrical shape, and a new stone countertop installed a few inches below, creating a make-up area beneath the mirror, between the windows.

Job Name: Culver City Accessible Residence Contractor: Glynn Design Build Dealer: Taylor Brothers CS Products used: Cavity Sliders Full-Height Ceiling Mount tracks, M8 500lb carriage system, and CL400 ADA locks. What was the problem we solved: Cavity Sliders pocket door track systems and ADA compliant door locks offer space saving options which provide easy wheel chair access and maneuverability. Comments: Our Full-Height Ceiling Mount Track and new CL400 ADA locks with custom color indicators were used to achieve the sleek contemporary style desired by the home owner.

When we were first contacted about doing the addition, our client’s main objective was to add a master suite with sleek design and plenty of storage. Throughout the process the design was refined to include a dramatic two story vaulted great room that floods the home with natural light.This project is a great example of how to incorporate Contemporary Design in a traditional home. Many complex problems were solved, and the end result yielded a beautiful contemporary home that blends into its traditional neighborhood.

The existing two story residence was built in 1937 and has a footprint of approximately 2,850 sq. ft. While much of the plan at both levels remained in its original “formal” layout with spacious rooms, the home did not meet the current day needs for this modern family. The lack of an “informal” family-room, no space to accommodate overnight guests, only a small powder room tucked under the main stair at the ground floor, and barely enough room for one car in the garage, not to mention the lack of storage space were the problems to solve. After investigating numerous options the decision was made to introduce a new two story addition with maid’s quarters, a new laundry room, and a three car garage with plenty of additional storage space at the first floor, and a two bedroom guest suite with a kitchenette and living quarters at the second floor. Together with a small addition, this move delivered over 600 sq. ft in the main structure for a new family room with game tables and a full bathroom for guests which also serves as a cabana for the pool area. The design of the additions, including the introduction of new fenestration to capitalize on daylight and views was sensitive to the original architecture and unanimously approved by the Historic Preservation Board of West Palm Beach.

The existing two story residence was built in 1937 and has a footprint of approximately 2,850 sq. ft. While much of the plan at both levels remained in its original “formal” layout with spacious rooms, the home did not meet the current day needs for this modern family. The lack of an “informal” family-room, no space to accommodate overnight guests, only a small powder room tucked under the main stair at the ground floor, and barely enough room for one car in the garage, not to mention the lack of storage space were the problems to solve. After investigating numerous options the decision was made to introduce a new two story addition with maid’s quarters, a new laundry room, and a three car garage with plenty of additional storage space at the first floor, and a two bedroom guest suite with a kitchenette and living quarters at the second floor. Together with a small addition, this move delivered over 600 sq. ft in the main structure for a new family room with game tables and a full bathroom for guests which also serves as a cabana for the pool area. The design of the additions, including the introduction of new fenestration to capitalize on daylight and views was sensitive to the original architecture and unanimously approved by the Historic Preservation Board of West Palm Beach.

The existing two story residence was built in 1937 and has a footprint of approximately 2,850 sq. ft. While much of the plan at both levels remained in its original “formal” layout with spacious rooms, the home did not meet the current day needs for this modern family. The lack of an “informal” family-room, no space to accommodate overnight guests, only a small powder room tucked under the main stair at the ground floor, and barely enough room for one car in the garage, not to mention the lack of storage space were the problems to solve. After investigating numerous options the decision was made to introduce a new two story addition with maid’s quarters, a new laundry room, and a three car garage with plenty of additional storage space at the first floor, and a two bedroom guest suite with a kitchenette and living quarters at the second floor. Together with a small addition, this move delivered over 600 sq. ft in the main structure for a new family room with game tables and a full bathroom for guests which also serves as a cabana for the pool area. The design of the additions, including the introduction of new fenestration to capitalize on daylight and views was sensitive to the original architecture and unanimously approved by the Historic Preservation Board of West Palm Beach.

From builder standard to designer upgrade. A recent project of ours in Harrison NY had us taking an adequate builder designed kitchen to something much more special. The original layout led to traffic jams while entertaining and valuable storage was lost due to the fact that the cabinets did not go to the ceiling. The new design moves the refrigerator out of the traffic pattern that often lead to gridlock in previous years as well as providing ample storage for trays and baking sheets in the slim pantry. Grillwork doors allow for airflow from the air-conditioning vents, while still allowing for cabinets to the ceiling. A professional grade range replaces the old smaller model, with a heavy-duty hood to assure complete ventilation no matter what the cook creates. The microwave moves farther down the work triangle to assure that the heating of a cup of coffee or bag of popcorn need never interfere with the chef again. Equally of value is the island mini-frig not just to chill the occasional bottle of wine, but to keep the kids sodas out the main refrigerator. And then there is the desk/ command central area. The formerly blank wall where no piece of furniture seemed to fit, because of the radiator, has become an efficient home office. With room for two people to work, grown-ups can search Food Network for recipes while the kids do their homework – problem area solved!

Photo by Anice Hoachlander
Example of a trendy bathroom design in DC Metro

Kerry Burt & Associates Location: Irving, TX, USA This patio and river rock stream helped solve drainage problem. The stream begins with a circular fountain spilling into the stream. The patio is stained concrete with an Oklahoma flagstone border. A bi-level cedar arbor ads shade and a sense of scale to the patio.

A rustic & careworn gazebo is resurrected as an outdoor cooking, dining & living space. At 1,000' above the waters of the San Juan Islands, the views are amazing but the winds are almost constant. Sliding wood panels in the windward direction solve that problem while offering views of Canada's Gulf Islands through the diamond-shaped windows. Rustic knee braces stabilize the structure. Madrona wood branches gleaned from the property are fashioned into custom handles on the barn wood cabinetry. photo by Rachel Olsson Photography

Photo by Anice Hoachlander
Example of a trendy bathroom design in DC Metro

• Before - 2,300 square feet • After – 3,800 square feet • Remodel of a 1930’s vacation cabin on a steep, lakeside lot • Asian-influenced Arts and Crafts style architecture compliments the owner’s art and furniture collection • A harmonious design blending stained wood, rich stone and natural fibers • The creation of an upper floor solved access problems while adding space for a grand entry, office and media room • The new staircase, with its Japanese tansu-style cabinet and widened lower sculpture display steps, forms a partitioning wall for the two-story library

• Before - 2,300 square feet • After – 3,800 square feet • Remodel of a 1930’s vacation cabin on a steep, lakeside lot • Asian-influenced Arts and Crafts style architecture compliments the owner’s art and furniture collection • A harmonious design blending stained wood, rich stone and natural fibers • The creation of an upper floor solved access problems while adding space for a grand entry, office and media room • The new staircase, with its Japanese tansu-style cabinet and widened lower sculpture display steps, forms a partitioning wall for the two-story library

MELA is available in the WHITE, LIGHT OAK, LIGHT WALNUT, BROWN, EGGPLANT, GREY OAK, RED, LARIX, BUTTER, COFFEE and CREAM versions. A young kitchen in performing, suitable even for the most demanding clientele for it was created to solve any problems in use and composition. There are various functional wall hung Accessories and internal equipment. A wide range of tables and chairs is also available to personalised your own kitchen.

A crisp and consistent color scheme and composition creates an airy, unified mood throughout the diminutive 13' x 13' living room. Dark hardwood floors add warmth and contrast. We added thick moldings to architecturally enhance the house. Gauzy cotton Roman shades dress new hurricane-proof windows and coax additional natural light into the home. Because of their versatility, pairs of furniture instead of single larger pieces are used throughout the home. This helps solve the space problem because these smaller pieces can be moved and stored easily.

Kids bedroom ideas - dark vertical blinds are a good way to inexpensively solve your kids bedroom window problem. They can let in light or keep it out and provide beauty and function to the design of the room. These blue vertical blinds are easy to clean, durable and functional. Lafayette Interior Fashions Allure Visionaries Transitional shades come in a wide range of vinyl and fabric styles, plus colors, textures and privacy levels for most home decorating ideas. This bedroom decor uses vertical blinds for light control and room darkening, and look great with the overall design. Windows Dressed Up in Denver is also is your store for custom curtains, drapes, valances, custom roman shades, valances and cornices. We also make custom bedding - comforters, duvet covers, throw pillows, bolsters and upholstered headboards. Custom curtain rods & drapery hardware too. Home decorators dream store! Lafayette Interior Fashions blue vertical blinds - bedroom design and ideas picture.