The priorities for this master bath remodel included an increased shower area, room for a dresser/clothes storage & the introduction of some sustainable materials. A custom built-in was created to house all of the husband’s clothes and was tucked neatly into the space formerly occupied by the shower. A local fabricator created countertops using concrete and recycled glass. The big, boxy tub, a floor model bought at an extreme discount, is the focal point of the room. Many of the other lines in the room echo its geometric and modern clean lines. The end result is a crisp, clean aesthetic that feels spacious and is filled with light.

Today, almost any activity you enjoy inside your home you can bring to the outside. Depending on your budget, your outdoor room can be simple, with a stamped concrete patio, a grill and a table for dining, or more elaborate with a fully functional outdoor kitchen complete with concrete countertops for preparing and serving food, a sink and a refrigerator. You can take the concept even further by adding such amenities as a concrete pizza oven, a fireplace or fire-pit, a concrete bar-top for serving cocktails, an architectural concrete fountain, landscape lighting and concrete statuary. Cooking Something to cook with, such as a barbecue grill or wood-fired pizza oven, and countertops for food preparation and serving are key elements in a well-designed outdoor kitchen. Concrete countertops offer the advantages of weather resistance and versatility, since they can be formed into any shape you desire to suit the space. A coat of sealer will simplify cleanup by protecting your countertop from stains. Other amenities, such as concrete bar-tops and outdoor sinks with plumbing, can expand your entertainment options. Hearth Wood-burning or gas fireplaces, fire pits, chimineas and portable patio heaters extend the enjoyment of outdoor living well into the evening while creating a cozy conversation area for people to gather around. Sunset Construction and Design specializes in creating residential patio retreats, outdoor kitchens with fireplaces and luxurious outdoor living rooms. Our design-build service can turn an ordinary back yard into a natural extension of your home giving you a whole new dimension for entertaining or simply unwinding at the end of the day. If you’re interested in converting a boring back yard or starting from scratch in a new home, look us up! A great patio and outdoor living area can easily be yours. Greg, Sunset Construction & Design in Fresno, CA.

The goal was to create a space that utilized the same open shower concept but that has a completely new and different feel from the previous design while adding additional storage which was a top priority. Since this is our client’s “forever home” something that would enable them to age in place was key. Designed by Karl Utzman Photography by: James Brady

Tempaper Peel and stick. Remove or reposition. That's the beauty of Tempaper Self-Adhesive Wallpaper. In attractive styles and colors - designed by celebrities Cynthia Rowley and Genevieve Gorder, and by nature itself - Tempaper has looks that appeal to everyone. How to use Tempaper Wallpaper: peel away the backing. Press onto a smooth, primed and painted surface (a satin or semi-gloss finish is best). Simply peel to remove or reposition. Made in USA with lead-free, phthalate-free and VOC-free materials and inks. Brass Belly Self-Adhesive Wallpaper Timeless Brass Belly self-adhesive wallpaper was created by home decorator, Genevieve Gorder. It showcases waves of scalloped brass and exudes a rich, old-world vibe. Simply peel and stick; it can be easily removed and repositioned on any primed and painted wall. Create an accent wall or more without the hassles of traditional wallpaper! Brass metallic.

Extend a Halloween hello that's just as captivating to the friendly as it is to the fiendish, with our "Happy Haunting" Scene Kit. Possesses just the right levels of spookiness and style. Here's the treat: it's a complete, professionally designed look you'll enjoy for years. An eerily elegant swirl of black feathers graced by a mischievous, handpainted skeleton, our "Happy Haunting" Wreath flutters with every passing breeze. Everlasting stacked pumpkins create an eye-catching statement that's simply out of this world.

This tiny home is located on a treelined street in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver. We helped our client create a living and dining space with a beach vibe in this small front room that comfortably accommodates their growing family of four. The starting point for the decor was the client's treasured antique chaise (positioned under the large window) and the scheme grew from there. We employed a few important space saving techniques in this room... One is building seating into a corner that doubles as storage, the other is tucking a footstool, which can double as an extra seat, under the custom wood coffee table. The TV is carefully concealed in the custom millwork above the fireplace. Finally, we personalized this space by designing a family gallery wall that combines family photos and shadow boxes of treasured keepsakes. Interior Decorating by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography

maple hardwood floor, water-popped, and stained with 50% rosewood and 50% neutral stains.
Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City

This stunning Viking Fiberglass Pool is the perfect example of how you can create a natural oasis right in your own backyard! The stone decking and rock structure with a waterfall is simply exquisite. The sapphire blue water was created via the Poseidon pool model and the entertainment options are endless here! This pool was installed by Aquatic Pools in Fort Mohave, AZ.

Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen Photography by: Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard concrete paver landscaping in DC Metro.

This kitchen was designed for a open floor plan in a newly designed home. The juctapositioning of textured wood for the hood and side coffeebar pantry section, as well as BM Hale Navy Blue for hte island, with the Simply White Cabinetry, floor to ceiling, created a transitional clean look.

Indoor-Outdoor Living at its finest. This project created a space for entertainment and relaxation to be envied. With a sliding glass wall and retractable screens, the space provides convenient indoor-outdoor living in the summer. With a heaters and a cozy fireplace, this space is sure to be the pinnacle of cozy relaxation from the fall into the winter time. This living space adds a beauty and functionality to this home that is simply unmatched.

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!)

A small detail that helped create the look of a relaxing Spa was created by putting the needed bathing products in beautiful containers. Your shampoo can simply be identified by the shape of a shell and not the normal visual clutter of product advertising.

This stunning Viking Fiberglass Pool is the perfect example of how you can create a natural oasis right in your own backyard! The stone decking and rock structure with a waterfall is simply exquisite. The sapphire blue water was created via the Poseidon pool model and the entertainment options are endless here! This pool was installed by Aquatic Pools in Fort Mohave, AZ.

trying to keep the old world charm of the building while introducing new modern fixtures and design. Transparency was key to make the space appear as large as possible

Once the demolition was complete, the kitchen was open to the family room, creating the idea space for entertaining. The walls were covered in dark wood paneling, making the room feel heavy. The paneling was in good shape and added character to the room, so it was prepped and painted Benjamin Simply White. The glossy white walls and new white oak hardwood flooring dramatically brightened the space, lending a West Coast vibe. The large windows and patio doors were always a bonus, pouring natural light inside.

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Built by Exact Builders, landscape design by Shades Of Green, photos by John Sutton Photography & Philip Liang Photography.

I loved working with these clients. We simply "shopped" the items they already had to create each space. Some furniture was moved, accessories repurposed and art assigned new spaces. In the end, another Successful Staging! Bobbie McGrath/Successful Staging

Tara Dudley Designs created this amazing vanity - AKC engineered the unit for fabrication and simply amazing and the real super sized clam shell sink is awesome