The dining section of the kitchen peninsula shields the prep area from view. New custom built-in pantries in the adjoining hallway add important storage space, and LED-lit display areas offer places to display collections, adding interest and color. The dramatic dark gray color of the hallway and pantries differentiate them from the kitchen, and the large-scale artwork adds color and movement. Photography Lauren Hagerstrom

Sarah Shields Photography
Large arts and crafts walk-out light wood floor basement photo in Indianapolis with white walls and a standard fireplace

Nearly two decades ago now, Susan and her husband put a letter in the mailbox of this eastside home: "If you have any interest in selling, please reach out." But really, who would give up a Flansburgh House? Fast forward to 2020, when the house went on the market! By then it was clear that three children and a busy home design studio couldn't be crammed into this efficient footprint. But what's second best to moving into your dream home? Being asked to redesign the functional core for the family that was. In this classic Flansburgh layout, all the rooms align tidily in a square around a central hall and open air atrium. As such, all the spaces are both connected to one another and also private; and all allow for visual access to the outdoors in two directions—toward the atrium and toward the exterior. All except, in this case, the utilitarian galley kitchen. That space, oft-relegated to second class in midcentury architecture, got the shaft, with narrow doorways on two ends and no good visual access to the atrium or the outside. Who spends time in the kitchen anyway? As is often the case with even the very best midcentury architecture, the kitchen at the Flansburgh House needed to be modernized; appliances and cabinetry have come a long way since 1970, but our culture has evolved too, becoming more casual and open in ways we at SYH believe are here to stay. People (gasp!) do spend time—lots of time!—in their kitchens! Nonetheless, our goal was to make this kitchen look as if it had been designed this way by Earl Flansburgh himself. The house came to us full of bold, bright color. We edited out some of it (along with the walls it was on) but kept and built upon the stunning red, orange and yellow closet doors in the family room adjacent to the kitchen. That pop was balanced by a few colorful midcentury pieces that our clients already owned, and the stunning light and verdant green coming in from both the atrium and the perimeter of the house, not to mention the many skylights. Thus, the rest of the space just needed to quiet down and be a beautiful, if neutral, foil. White terrazzo tile grounds custom plywood and black cabinetry, offset by a half wall that offers both camouflage for the cooking mess and also storage below, hidden behind seamless oak tambour. Contractor: Rusty Peterson Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Photographer: Sarah Shields

The goal of this project was to replace a small single-story seasonal family cottage with a year-round home that takes advantage of the views and topography of this lakefront site while providing privacy for the occupants. The program called for a large open living area, a master suite, study, a small home gym and five additional bedrooms. The style was to be distinctly contemporary. The house is shielded from the street by the placement of the garage and by limiting the amount of window area facing the road. The main entry is recessed and glazed with frosted glass for privacy. Due to the narrowness of the site and the proximity of the neighboring houses, the windows on the sides of the house were also limited and mostly high up on the walls. The limited fenestration on the front and sides is made up for by the full wall of glass on the lake side, facing north. The house is anchored by an exposed masonry foundation. This masonry also cuts through the center of the house on the fireplace chimney to separate the public and private spaces on the first floor, becoming a primary material on the interior. The house is clad with three different siding material: horizontal longboard siding, vertical ribbed steel siding and cement board panels installed as a rain screen. The standing seam metal-clad roof rises from a low point at the street elevation to a height of 24 feet at the lakefront to capture the views and the north light. The house is organized into two levels and is entered on the upper level. This level contains the main living spaces, the master suite and the study. The angled stair railing guides visitors into the main living area. The kitchen, dining area and living area are each distinct areas within one large space. This space is visually connected to the outside by the soaring ceilings and large fireplace mass that penetrate the exterior wall. The lower level contains the children’s and guest bedrooms, a secondary living space and the home gym.

Von Tobel designer, Ron Nowobielski, had the pleasure of working on this beautiful beach house in Porter, Indiana. The deck features green treated deck framing, decking by Moisture Shield Elevate Collection in Lake Fog, and Regal Railing in black with glass and pickets. He used RB&B 4” OC paneling for the hot tub and front wall, and trimmed the hot tub in cedar. Does your deck need a refresh? Schedule a FREE design consultation today!

The goal of this project was to replace a small single-story seasonal family cottage with a year-round home that takes advantage of the views and topography of this lakefront site while providing privacy for the occupants. The program called for a large open living area, a master suite, study, a small home gym and five additional bedrooms. The style was to be distinctly contemporary. The house is shielded from the street by the placement of the garage and by limiting the amount of window area facing the road. The main entry is recessed and glazed with frosted glass for privacy. Due to the narrowness of the site and the proximity of the neighboring houses, the windows on the sides of the house were also limited and mostly high up on the walls. The limited fenestration on the front and sides is made up for by the full wall of glass on the lake side, facing north. The house is anchored by an exposed masonry foundation. This masonry also cuts through the center of the house on the fireplace chimney to separate the public and private spaces on the first floor, becoming a primary material on the interior. The house is clad with three different siding material: horizontal longboard siding, vertical ribbed steel siding and cement board panels installed as a rain screen. The standing seam metal-clad roof rises from a low point at the street elevation to a height of 24 feet at the lakefront to capture the views and the north light. The house is organized into two levels and is entered on the upper level. This level contains the main living spaces, the master suite and the study. The angled stair railing guides visitors into the main living area. The kitchen, dining area and living area are each distinct areas within one large space. This space is visually connected to the outside by the soaring ceilings and large fireplace mass that penetrate the exterior wall. The lower level contains the children’s and guest bedrooms, a secondary living space and the home gym.

Mountain style bathroom photo in Toronto with a one-piece toilet, green walls, an undermount sink and white countertops

Installed the CertainTeed Integrity Roofing System including Landmark lifetime shingles, CertainTeed DiamondDeck synthetic underlayment, CertainTeed WinterGuard Ice and Water Shield, CertainTeed ridge vent, CertainTeed hip and ridge cap, and F4.5 drip edge

A long, graceful approach and stone-clad retaining wall leads to a grand entry, setting the tone for this elegant modern residence. Large oak windows and high ceilings frame stunning views. The home’s generous floor plan and contemporary details include floating ceilings and custom stonework. Fine finish plaster walls provide a backdrop for a sequence of art display areas intermixed with other spaces. The indoor/outdoor relationships are with you at all times.

Sarah Shields Photography
Example of a huge transitional single-wall light wood floor open concept kitchen design in Indianapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Nearly two decades ago now, Susan and her husband put a letter in the mailbox of this eastside home: "If you have any interest in selling, please reach out." But really, who would give up a Flansburgh House? Fast forward to 2020, when the house went on the market! By then it was clear that three children and a busy home design studio couldn't be crammed into this efficient footprint. But what's second best to moving into your dream home? Being asked to redesign the functional core for the family that was. In this classic Flansburgh layout, all the rooms align tidily in a square around a central hall and open air atrium. As such, all the spaces are both connected to one another and also private; and all allow for visual access to the outdoors in two directions—toward the atrium and toward the exterior. All except, in this case, the utilitarian galley kitchen. That space, oft-relegated to second class in midcentury architecture, got the shaft, with narrow doorways on two ends and no good visual access to the atrium or the outside. Who spends time in the kitchen anyway? As is often the case with even the very best midcentury architecture, the kitchen at the Flansburgh House needed to be modernized; appliances and cabinetry have come a long way since 1970, but our culture has evolved too, becoming more casual and open in ways we at SYH believe are here to stay. People (gasp!) do spend time—lots of time!—in their kitchens! Nonetheless, our goal was to make this kitchen look as if it had been designed this way by Earl Flansburgh himself. The house came to us full of bold, bright color. We edited out some of it (along with the walls it was on) but kept and built upon the stunning red, orange and yellow closet doors in the family room adjacent to the kitchen. That pop was balanced by a few colorful midcentury pieces that our clients already owned, and the stunning light and verdant green coming in from both the atrium and the perimeter of the house, not to mention the many skylights. Thus, the rest of the space just needed to quiet down and be a beautiful, if neutral, foil. White terrazzo tile grounds custom plywood and black cabinetry, offset by a half wall that offers both camouflage for the cooking mess and also storage below, hidden behind seamless oak tambour. Contractor: Rusty Peterson Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Photographer: Sarah Shields

Harley man cave garage make over by Custom Storage Solutions designed with PVC flooring in a decorative pattern silver, black and gray color. We used corrugated metal on the walls with black baseboard and trim. Our powder coated garage storage cabinets with doors and drawers installed with a countertop. Back wall was done in brick panelling to give the space an industrial feel. Many gas, oil, and neon sign added as well as a custom made Harley Davidson bar with stainless steel footrail and epoxy top. The wall mural is 12 foot wide with a Route 66 neon sign installed into the picture itself.

Stephen Thrift
Example of a large transitional dark wood floor dining room design in Raleigh with gray walls

Kitchen/dining room combo - small traditional light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in San Francisco with beige walls

This full remodel project featured a complete redo of the existing kitchen. This room located over the kitchen was an unused spare bedroom/office space. The existing floor made it a perfect candidate for a new and much improved laundry space. Due to its location over the kitchen the plumbing could easily be added to the renovated laundry space. Designed and Planned by J. Graham of Bancroft Blue Design, the entire layout of the space was thoughtfully executed with unique blending of details, a one of a kind Coffer ceiling accent piece with integrated lighting, and a ton of features within the cabinets.

Sarah Shields Photography
Example of a huge transitional single-wall light wood floor open concept kitchen design in Indianapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This 2,500 square foot “studio” is located in a neighborhood bisected by alleys and containing charming remnants of indigenous outbuildings common to the region. The desire was to create a clean, open, contemporary interior in a building that outwardly referenced its context. The primary form of the house took shape from the long, narrow lot. On the north end, which faces an alley, a patinated clad steel structure forms a canopy for the entry. This carefully scaled “cabin”, raised above the upper level to access a glimpse of the mountains, pays homage to the many sheds lining the alley. The south end features a terrace above the garage that is an extension of the primary interior space. The masonry west wall of the building provides privacy from the adjacent lot. This functional “spine” contains program elements on both levels and is visible internally and externally. A gently curved wall provides continuity between the floors and shields a bathroom and dressing area. This wall stops short of the ceiling, allowing the uninterrupted plane of maple veneer plywood to form a canopy unifying the spaces. A.I.A. Wyoming Chapter Design Award of Honor 2004

Von Tobel designer, Ron Nowobielski, had the pleasure of working on this beautiful beach house in Porter, Indiana. The deck features green treated deck framing, decking by Moisture Shield Elevate Collection in Lake Fog, and Regal Railing in black with glass and pickets. He used RB&B 4” OC paneling for the hot tub and front wall, and trimmed the hot tub in cedar. Does your deck need a refresh? Schedule a FREE design consultation today!

A carved limestone fireplace surrounded by a mantel featuring carved heraldic shields standing across from a stately dais creates the atmosphere of an old world royal lodge. Handcrafted planks of golden oak laid straight are combined with the custom Versailles parquet in a bespoke design throughout the home. Ceiling details taking inspiration from hammer-beam roofs complete the impressiveness of this design. For more information please email us at: sales@signaturehardwoods.com