Search results for "Sharpening problem solving" in Home Design Ideas

This homeowner was tired of Texas heat and thunderstorms pushing them indoors. They solved the problem by adding a Polygal covered pergola.
Large backyard patio photo in Austin with a pergola
Large backyard patio photo in Austin with a pergola

A gracious entry way was designed to highlight the front door, solve a water problem by building a low retaining wall, and create opportunities for perennial beds. Photo by Manning Design

Running out of space in your home? Having a multipurpose room solves the problem! This room allows you to have an organized work space and a large walk in-closet. The key thing is to know what you need to satify both so you plan it out. So here is a "Cloffice"
Find the right local pro for your project

A solar screen shade in Freedom PA. Exterior Solar Shades are solving the problem of sun glare and heat build up in the outside porch.
Concrete screened-in side porch idea in Other with an awning
Concrete screened-in side porch idea in Other with an awning

This cozy ocean-side condo kitchen was dated and crowded when more than one person was in the kitchen. We solved this problem by moving the refrigerator out of the middle of the kitchen to where the pantry closet had been. Replacing the pantry closet with a floor to ceiling pantry cabinet freed up floor space and allowed for additional countertop space. Now the couple can move around together in the kitchen. The new cabinets were done in a maple Portland door done in white from our Kitchen Solvers Classic Collection line. Next, we added a new white quartz countertop and a beach glass flowing backsplash. Our clients’ love for the beach and ocean is reflected in the lighter colored cabinets, countertop, and backsplash. The new layout, storage solutions and all new appliances made this small kitchen a big success.

Designed by Akram Aljahmi of Reico Kitchen & Bath in King of Prussia, PA in collaboration with Property Remodeling Group, this transitional inspired kitchen design features white and grey finishes complemented by a bold splash of blue tile.
The kitchen design features Merillat Classic kitchen cabinets in Portrait door style with 5 piece drawer head in 2 finishes. The wall cabinets features a painted white Cotton finish and the base cabinets feature a painted grey Graphite finish. Kitchen countertops are engineered quartz in the color Carrera Marmi from Q by MSI. The kitchen also features a stunning blue herringbone tile back splash with 3x10 tiles.
According to the client, "Akram solved a fundamental function problem that I could not see a solution for. His re-imagining of how the main floor of our home could function was a dramatic shift that I can't wait to experience as part of day-to-day life. Really appreciate his space plan and layout, as well as his support selecting finishes. Akram and team were great to work with!".
Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

This hillside home in Piedmont, CA was remodeled to change the style from a 1940's rancher with eight foot ceilings and dark interiors, into a modern geometric composition with vast white interiors for casual living and generous daylighting for displaying the artist-owner's works.
In a city known for rigorous and difficult design review, an addition, two variances, and a full stylistic change were unanimously approved on the first round. All sloped roofs and attics were eliminated and replaced by a series of stacked and overlapping flat roofs. This made the house taller on the inside and shorter on the outside, which helped earn design review cooperation in the community. Windows were concentrated toward the rear yard views or moved up high on the side walls for daylight and privacy, benefitting the owners as well as the neighbors.
At the start, the owner husband was so enthusiastic and engaged in transforming his house into something modern that he presented the architect with a scaled foamcore model, rather than the usual magazine clippings and wish list. He participated in the design decisions throughout the process. The owner wife is the artist who did all the artwork in the house. She had been craving a display space with large walls and good natural light. Both of them loved the location and great views.
The project was an opportunity to transform the style of an older traditional home into a modern one, while solving numerous problems. By rebuilding the 1800 ft2 top of the 3-story home it was possible to change the style of the whole building, since the lower floors were a neutral base, and also to change the lifestyle of the owners, who wanted to move their master suite upstairs and live primarily on the top floor as empty nesters.
Going into the project, the architect knew there were multiple encroachments into the setbacks and potential privacy issues with close by neighbors. He approached this as a complex puzzle made up of architectural and political pieces which all had to fit together elegantly. It took many careful moves, small and large, to arrive at a serene and cohesive result that tied old and new together seamlessly.
The design-build contractor worked closely with the owners and handled all of the construction phase documents and design adjustments, adding ideas of their own to make the project really sing.
The project was a collaboration in three acts. The owner had a strong design concept from the start. The architect developed it into a realistic project and garnered the design approvals. Then the contractor executed brilliantly

More clothes than drawer space? Not with this dresser! Tired of drawers that only partially extend out making it difficult to see that shirt that is stuck at the very back of the drawer? We have solved that problem with fully extending drawers that allows access to every piece you have stuffed in there! Add the warm colors and interesting textures of the various barnwood pieces on this dresser and you have a one of a kind piece that you will be proud to own. As a part of our Barnwood Collection, each piece is painstakingly made by one of our skilled artisans.
Product Details
Roomy drawers with flush front faces
Strong, full extension steel ball bearing glides allow the each drawer to carry up to 100 pounds in weight
Offered in 4, 8 and 10 drawer configurations as well as custom designs
Four sided, solid pine drawer boxes to which the face is attached
Constructed from reclaimed wood
Hand rubbed stain
Ships fully Assembled
Made in USA
Approximate Dimensions
65" wide by 20" deep and 35" high

This is a simple addition to the back deck to create an outdoor kitchen and outdoor dining area. A fire pit by the water creates another seating area out in the lawn and gives a perfect place to watch the sun set. The steps and walls improve the access to the boat dock and solve an erosion problem.
Photographed by: Emerald Coast Real Estate Photography

Entertaining friends and family doesn't work well when rooms are small and closed off. So when our clients decided to remodel, they knew they wanted to open up the space to accommodate large gatherings. Also important were ample storage and quality appliances that would hold up to the demands of cooking creative meals several nights a week.
As is sometimes the case with remodeling, solving one problem can create another. Opening up the space involved removing a wall, which sacrificed critical square footage for cabinetry and appliances. We knew the wall needed to come down so we were challenged with making sure every available cabinet space in the kitchen was being utilized as thoughtfully and creatively as possible. A tall pantry was added next to the refrigerator to allow for storage of pots and pans, as well as food, while another pantry in the adjacent dining room housed all dishes and silverware. A small bar area was created in an unused section in the back of the home to store coffee and tea accessories and drinkware. Finally, a small island in the center of the kitchen offered the ideal location for the microwave and most-used pots and pans.
With the expanded space, smart use of storage options and top-notch appliances, our clients are enjoying working in their new kitchen and have already hosted a ravioli-making class!
Matt Villano Photography

Purchased in a very dated style, these homeowners came to us to solve their remodeling problems! We redesigned the flow of the home to reflect their family's needs and desires. Now they have a masterpiece!

The unique shape of the pool whirlpool combination was created to solve the problem of the backyard’s natural layout. The owner wanted to view the Bay from the pool but the restrictions of the lot required the pool to face the mountain terrain instead with the Bay on the right. A simple solution was to angle the whirlpool to face the stunning view of the Bay while still keeping the pool perpendicular to the trees.
Bob Young Photography

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.

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units.
330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans.
The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates.
Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality;
Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city.
To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside.
We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building.
Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique.
It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space.
All images by KURV Architecture ©

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units.
330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans.
The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates.
Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality;
Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city.
To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside.
We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building.
Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique.
It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space.
All images by KURV Architecture ©

This amazing renovation focused on solving a series of problems that a previous kitchen expansion had created. By rearranging the appliance placement, updating the cabinetry, designing all new storage solutions and maximizing the amazing outdoor views; we cured the spit personality disorder plaguing the existing kitchen. The home now has a beautifully redesigned kitchen and living space perfect for entertaining, relaxing and enjoying the outside views. Vaulted ceilings with bright skylights, reflective glass wall tiles, sleek sophisticated Cambria quartz counter tops, fingerprint-free faucet, multi-functional Prolific kitchen sink by Kohler, stainless steel appliances, creative storage solutions, all new lighting and timeless shaker cabinets by Wellborn lend to the now bright, open, vivacious and flawless function of this newly renovated galley style kitchen. White base cabinets along the outside walls contrast perfectly with the dark grey island cabinets. Linear satin nickel door and drawer pulls coordinate with the stainless steel appliances and sink. An eclectic blend of vintage and modern furnishings, artwork and rugs create a comfortable balance that feels and looks timeless. Breathtaking backyard views are artfully framed by new Pella windows and doors with integral blinds between the glass. Calm, inviting neutral tones provide the perfect backdrop for this refined design.
Photos by: Kimberly Kerl

This simple wall is not only decorative but also functional. It solves the problem of a grade change while providing a nice bed area for a specimen tree and plantings. The stone is NY Fieldstone.

The Bridger Fence is an artistic approach to solving the problem of a fencing screen. Made from a mix of Shou Sugi Ban wood, hot rolled steel and reclaimed gravel screen all designed in a Mondrian style layout this fence will turn heads. The C-Channel below the fence serves as a steel wall to hold the driveway grade above.
Please call 406-582-0711 for pricing and ordering information, or email us at sales@brandnerdesign.com.

This house needed a total make-over. My clients wanted a solution between living room and serre which added more light and storing space. Mood Interieur was hired to suggest a new floor plan and to act as a sparring partner.
The wall with ceiling high sliding doors and a cupboard over the whole lenght of the wall in the serre solved the light and storing problem.
Mood Interieur also designed the tv cupboard and wardrobe closet.
All the dark colours were replaced by fresh, white colours combined with greige. A colour which beautifully interacts with the shabby-chic Flexform sofa en the greige blue Bomat carpet. The white and wood Arco tablet tables go perfectly with the white tv-cupboard and new doors.
Furniture and curtains are suggested and delivered by Mood Interieur.
46
