It’s important to make sure that all trees on your property are healthy and in good condition. This means hiring professional tree trimming services to maintain your trees yearly in order to keep them looking beautiful and healthy. In late winter or early spring is the best time to trim your trees. Doing so will help to improve the new growth that happens later in the spring. But fruit bearing trees and damaged trees can benefit from careful pruning in the summer. It takes an expert to skillfully trim trees during the summer without damaging them or causing harm and our team at Five Star Tree Services is just a call away to help you with your tree trimming needs! Why Trim Your Trees? By trimming your trees annually, this will not only open up your landscaping, which allows more sunlight to get to your property, but there are many other benefits. These can include: -Keep Trees Healthy and Promote Growth When you trim your trees in the spring, before they start producing buds, this helps to stimulate more new growth, which helps to keep trees in excellent condition. This can be especially important for saplings as it encourages them to fill out nicely and in a controlled and structurally sound way. If you are not maintaining your trees properly, they can become too dense, which causes a bunch of problems. One being that it restricts the amount of sunlight getting to all the leaves and it reduces the amount of nutrient circulation needed to support the tree. Professional tree pruning properly aids in tree growth and its overall aesthetic. Cutting off unneeded or unwanted branches allows other parts of the tree to grow easier. Ridding the tree of these extra branches also stimulates more leaf and fruit production. -Increased Safety Your landscape is affected when you neglect to take care of your trees, along with everything else on your property. If you have any dead trees remaining on your property, not only are you putting yourself at risk of injury, but you are putting your family, neighbours, pedestrians, and guests at risk as well. Dead or damaged branches can also be a hazard as they could fall at any time and impact with anyone standing too close to it, or it can fall on your house, which is another issue altogether, if it causes damage. Luckily, you are able to avoid all of this by simply having regular trimmings that will keep your trees healthy. You also need to make sure that all branches close to power lines are cut. This especially, should only be done by a trained professional in order to avoid potential electrocution. -Increase Production of Fruit If you are lucky enough to have a fruit bearing tree, it is especially important to have it professionally trimmed before and after it fruits. Doing so helps to improve its overall health and ability to bear fruit by getting rid of unhealthy branches. New fruit also develops and spurs for bearing fruit for the following year. -Manage Spreading Diseases Tree branches that are damaged tend to be prone to diseases which are able to spread to other plants and trees in your yard. Branches that are dead also have the potential to easily fall with any wind and especially during a storm. Severely damaged branches can even fall without reason. When you get your trees trimmed and pruned regularly, this prevents these things from happening. It also prevents spreading disease to other trees. Any disease branches should especially be trimmed if they are close to where kids play, people walk, or by doors. -Increase the Value of Your Property and Overall Appearance Continuous maintenance and trilling will improve the aesthetic of your property. It controls clutter and opens up the space of the landscaping. Meaning that the curbside appeal to your property increases. This is especially important if you are planning to sell your house, which will actually raise the value of your property. The first step in enhancing the appearance of your property is properly taking care of your trees. The first thing people see when they pull up to or go past your house is the trees. By simply pruning your trees you can make a good impression on potential buyers and your neighbours as well. -Safeguarding Your Property Owning a house is the biggest investment you will probably ever make. Making the effort to maintain and increase its value by keeping it in good condition should be your first priority. By trimming your trees regularly, you will be protecting your investment. Not to mention this also allows you to enjoy a nicely manicured property. Why Professionals Are Essential Professionals help to improve the health and overall condition of your trees. Trying to trim or prune your trees when you don’t know how can be detrimental. This is why hiring a professional, who has the right knowledge and tools, is better than trying to do it yourself. -Cost-Effective Think of it as a short-term expense for a long-term return on your investment. Allowing professional arborists to do your tree maintenance can potentially help to negate the costs of injuries attained from DIY home improvements related to trees, replacements and repairs. -Skilled and Experienced Real tools required for trimming a tree need to be handled properly and by the appropriate people. If a regular person were to try and use these tools, the end result could be injury and property damage. This is especially true for any trimming required around power lines. All professionals will have the right experience and skills required to wield these tools in a safe way. This minimizes the likelihood of hazards, injuries, and life-threatening incidents. -Proper Tools Heavy-duty chainsaws, ladders, and protective gear are all needed to safely and properly trim a tree. When you hire a professional, they have all the required tools and more. Meaning that you won’t have to go out and buy these tools yourself. As a professional, they also make sure that their tools are reliable and well-maintained in order to efficiently get the job done well. -Insured Professionals are also always insured with liability insurance when doing jobs to cover any damages or injuries attained while working. They are able to also provide a guarantee for the safety of your property and belongings while they are doing a job for you. How Five Star Tree Services Can Help Although trimming your tree might seem like an easy job, it’s always best to trust the professionals. Proper execution of the task requires the right skills, experience, and knowledge. Our team at Five Star Tree Services have all of this and more! Give us a call at (416) 990-3355 to enlist us for all your Toronto Tree Trimming needs!

A bachelor’s master bathroom sustained a debilitating leak, requiring the entire bathroom to be demolished. The homeowner took this as an opportunity to fully remodel, rather than simply replace the elements. Omega Cabinets in Walnut Pumice echo the cabinets in his kitchen, which was remodeled concurrently. An extra thick, black countertop makes a strong statement, coordinating with the shower bench and the free standing tub, which are also black. The frameless shower reveals a porcelain tile backsplash that extends across the entire wall, past the shower. The finished product was clean, contemporary and masculine, reflecting the client’s aesthetic preferences. The guest bath upstairs is organic, simple and understated.

Kitchen remodeling project where the homeowners elected to upgrade their kitchen to a more contemporary look by installing new custom cabinets. For this project it was crucial to find more working space in such a limited kitchen size. To accommodate this, we designed a full Naxo extension table for them. This practical system consists of a tabletop peninsula that fits in the space normally provided by the drawer. Simply open the front panel to deploy the extension table. For the cabinets, the homeowners went with an Elegante door in white supermat by Northern Contours. We then installed a new quartz countertop and backsplash both done in Carrara extra. To complete the new look a new subzero fridge, Wolf induction cooktop, microwave drawer and oven were installed.

There are so many components of this space that show functionality and glamour. We kept the bright white theme throughout this custom home and extended the shiplap and white high-end materials into the bathroom. One of our favorite pieces that really captured the look included a Victoria + Albert free standing tub. Working with Krystine Edwards on the interior design, the homeowners chose oversized lanterns over the vanities, which were purchased from a local lighting store – Carolina Lanterns. And, the Moroccan style mirrors added just the extra touch of charm. Now, let’s talk about the oversized walk-in, frameless glass shower. It is simply breathtaking. We used Bianca Carerra marble, arabesque tile and penny round tiles on the floor. With three shower heads, there’s the option to set the temperature to each person’s liking. Once the valves are set you never have to change it again; you simply turn on the water! This classic white look will stand the test of time, and the glamorous selections make it one of the most beautiful master bathrooms we’ve constructed. Drone photography by Nick Holzworth

This kitchen went from dated and dull to contemporary and sophisticated. Every inch of this kitchen had a plan from the coffee/wine bar with a beverage cooler to the office nook. The island grounds the space with its warm rich earth tone while providing extra seating and an extra element with the two-tier look. The open floor plan of this home really helps bring the kitchen, dining room, and adjacent living room to be a stunning space to live and entertain. Cabinetry: St. Martin-Ridgewood- Perimeter-Simply White, Island-Black Walnut Hardware: Jeffrey Alexander-Ella-Satin Nickel Countertop: Granite-Bianco Antico Sink: Blanco-Silgranit-White Farm Sink Backsplash: Main Tile-Glass Snow Amalfi, Accent-Australia Canberra Stria Photography by: KeepsakeDesign

For this vacation home, a complete gut job was needed in order to fit the lifestyle and needs of this young family of four and their guests. The narrow floor plan created unique challenges, but we maximized its full potential. The result was a warm but modern design with plenty of storage and seating. One of the biggest challenges was making sure everyone had a place to sit in the kitchen. The space between the kitchen and staircase was limiting, but with sleek modern chairs that tuck away, we were able to allow for traffic patterns and seat all of the children. To accommodate any vacation extras, an extra wide space near the kitchen and bathroom was transformed into additional shelving. We installed floor-to-ceiling cabinets that offer plenty of space for everyone’s belongings. A clean design was a must, so we opted for a more modern look. We used Benjamin Moore's "Simply White" as the foundation, putting it on the walls and cabinets, and coordinating the countertops and backsplash. To make the home more welcoming, we used natural wood on the island and floating shelves. The wood was coordinated with the floor, creating a cohesive interior. Project designed by Star Valley, Wyoming interior design firm Tawna Allred Interiors. They also serve Alpine, Auburn, Bedford, Etna, Freedom, Freedom, Grover, Thayne, Turnerville, Swan Valley, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming

There are so many components of this space that show functionality and glamour. We kept the bright white theme throughout this custom home and extended the shiplap and white high-end materials into the bathroom. One of our favorite pieces that really captured the look included a Victoria + Albert free standing tub. Working with Krystine Edwards on the interior design, the homeowners chose oversized lanterns over the vanities, which were purchased from a local lighting store – Carolina Lanterns. And, the Moroccan style mirrors added just the extra touch of charm. Now, let’s talk about the oversized walk-in, frameless glass shower. It is simply breathtaking. We used Bianca Carerra marble, arabesque tile and penny round tiles on the floor. With three shower heads, there’s the option to set the temperature to each person’s liking. Once the valves are set you never have to change it again; you simply turn on the water! This classic white look will stand the test of time, and the glamorous selections make it one of the most beautiful master bathrooms we’ve constructed. Drone photography by Nick Holzworth

Kitchen remodeling project where the homeowners elected to upgrade their kitchen to a more contemporary look by installing new custom cabinets. For this project it was crucial to find more working space in such a limited kitchen size. To accommodate this, we designed a full Naxo extension table for them. This practical system consists of a tabletop peninsula that fits in the space normally provided by the drawer. Simply open the front panel to deploy the extension table. For the cabinets, the homeowners went with an Elegante door in white supermat by Northern Contours. We then installed a new quartz countertop and backsplash both done in Carrara extra. To complete the new look a new subzero fridge, Wolf induction cooktop, microwave drawer and oven were installed.

Reference: BB504-US Model: LOTUS SHADOW Color: pure black Shape: rectangular Finish: finely bush hammered honed-matte inside US Dimensions: 23-2/3" x 15-2/3" x 4-1/3" EU Dimensions: 60 x 40 x 11cm US Drain size: 1-1/2"" Weight: 53 lbs - 24 Kgs Material: Shanxi pure black granite grade A Our LOTUS SHADOW model is a rectangular single vessel sink stone - 23-2/3" x 15-2/3" x 4-1/3" made in genuine interior decoration trendy pure black granite. The "Exceptional" cut in the block without any comparison with plastic and other chemical resin market often unaffordable. You will definitely not let anyone feel indifferent with this 100% natural stone unique in the US and exclusively available on Living'ROC.net. The outstanding opportunity to make your world unique! Add great value to your home by installing LivingRoc Creations and tell your stone story through the years of conception. Could you imagine one day installing a single vessel sink made from pure shanxi black granite, sought after by specialists around the world. We put the extra into the extraordinary by using this noble material. It is a superb design vanity vessel sink with beautiful, pure and elegant lines. LOTUS SHADOW will add class to your bathroom. Our talented masons work shows LOTUS SHADOW perfect curves, its Asian-style look and the quality of handcrafted work. LOTUS SHADOW generous perfect proportion will bring you great comfort. It is double waterproofed so the maintenance is easy. We have selected only the most beautiful stones for an exceptional quality. This vessel sink is ready to use, sitting on a vanity counter top and Highly resistant to chipping and scratching, Withstands hot temperatures, Tolerant to very high temperature changes. All exposed parts of the stone have been double waterproofed. if you wish to standardize your project, you can choose among a wide range of black shower bases in black granite or black mongolia basalt (very similar color) carved from the same material (similar tones and finishes) as for example black granite models Spacium Shadow, Palaos Shadow, Quasar Shadow or Dalaos Shadow and mongolia black models Serena Black, Corail Black Our creation is delivered without an overflow drain (not included) - every US drains models you can find on the market will fit perfectly on Living'ROC vessel sink. This model is ready to use over the countertop.

The extra long island has seating for all five children, whether they want to sit and watch mom cook or simply sit and have a snack after school. The grey paint used in the living area ties into the stainless steel appliances and the soapstone countertops in the kitchen. Brian Krebs

How To Choose The Perfect Bathroom Suite? Why stay with a boring, staid and un-relaxing bathroom space when you can, with a bit of thought and the right investment, go for a bathroom space that: • Is so good that it has to be called a suite • Is fitted with the latest items to make bath time relaxation time • Comes with many options so you can choose the perfect one for yourself. Bathroom suites have become rather popular these days because people are realising the many benefits offered by them. The important question then is how do you choose the right bathroom suite for yourself? Space Space is certainly one of the most important considerations for you to start with. Typically, bathroom suites have: • Shower units • Bathtubs • Faucets • Bidets • Toilets and • Sinks to name just a few. Each of these components can be right sized to make your bathroom suite spectacular. For instance, a shower bath is great for small spaces simply because it combines bathing and showering into one unit. If you have a large space for the suite then you can go in for a sprawling suite as well. You could go in for a suite even for an odd space that does not lend itself to regular designs! Ornate or simple? You can create a bathroom suite according to the décor that you love or even the décor that is in place in the rest of your home. For instance, a country style home can have a simple, rustic looking bathroom suite. An ornate sink could even work best for a traditional Victorian type of mansion. Special features It is useful for you to consider the extra features and functions that you need from the bathroom suites. For instance, a bathroom geared for mobility may come in handy if you have senior citizens or people with special needs living in the house. People also choose eco friendly bathrooms which can help them save water and power bills too. Make the time to plan It is a very good idea for you to spend a bit of extra time in planning and choosing. There are quite a few websites like Bella Bathrooms that are dedicated to bathroom suites and you should browse their images and information so you can choose the right suite. Of course it also helps to talk to their experts who will give you additional inputs when it comes to designing the right space. After all, you would not want to invest in the wrong bathroom or the wrong space to relax in!

Discover the ultimate retreat in Lake Almanor’s Peninsula Country Club, where modern comfort meets rustic charm. This cozy 3-bedroom, 5-bed cabin with a charming loft is designed for relaxation and adventure alike. Enjoy high-speed internet, air conditioning, a high-definition TV, and a cozy wood stove. Step outside to spacious porches, a private forest backdrop with no rear neighbors, and a BBQ grill for outdoor dining. Whether you’re here for boating, fishing, golfing, or simply unwinding, this is the perfect getaway for families, couples, and groups. ? Exclusive Gated Community & Prime Location Nestled inside a secure, gated community, this vacation home grants access to private beaches, boat launches, golf courses, parks, and more. Walk or take a short drive to the clubhouse, bar, restaurants, and other amenities available within the country club (please note: a nightly access fee applies). ? Ask us about special discounts! ⭐ Living & Entertainment ✔ Spacious Open-Concept Living Room – Comfortable seating, a large TV, and a pool table for fun-filled gatherings✔ Loft & Second Living Area – Additional seating, a second TV, and a dedicated workspace for remote work✔ Ultra-Fast WiFi – Stream on multiple TVs or work seamlessly in a peaceful setting ?️ Kitchen & Dining ✔ Fully Equipped Kitchen – Large island, microwave, dual sinks, oven, electric stovetop, cookware & dinnerware✔ Dining Area – A spacious table perfect for shared meals and quality time ?️ Bedroom Setup & Sleeping Arrangements ✔ Master Bedroom – California king bed, TV, full en-suite bathroom with rain shower, and walk-in closet✔ Second Bedroom – Full-sized bunk beds, perfect for kids or extra guests✔ Third Bedroom – Luxurious California king bed plus an optional queen bed✔ Additional Sleeping Options – An air mattress is available upon request, and the loft can double as an extra bedroom ⭐ Premium Amenities ✔ High-Speed Internet & Smart TVs – Stay connected or enjoy a movie night✔ Central Air Conditioning & Heating – Year-round comfort✔ Wood Stove – Cozy up on chilly nights✔ Outdoor Grill – BBQ on the porch with scenic forest views ? Outdoor Space & Activities ✔ Expansive Porches – Relax with a morning coffee or evening drink in a peaceful setting✔ Secluded Forest Views – No rear neighbors, offering ultimate privacy and tranquility✔ Close to Lake Almanor – Enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking just minutes away ? Hassle-Free Parking ✔ Spacious Driveway – Plenty of room for multiple vehicles ?️ Your Ideal Lake Almanor Getaway This stunning cabin blends modern luxury with rustic charm, ensuring a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re here for an outdoor adventure, a relaxing weekend, or a family vacation, this home is designed for unforgettable experiences. ? Availability is limited—book your Lake Almanor escape today here! https://primaluxeproperty.holidayfuture.com/listings/308166

Oval wooden gazebo - A gazebo is a perfect way to add extra space to entertain guests for dining or simply relaxing. All you need is to add some comfortable furniture and you will have an inviting place to either entertain or simply to relax with the family.

Designed for relaxation and reading. Its round, agile forms recall the dynamic, sophisticated designs of Carlo Mollino, enhanced with the expert use of materials. The combination of Pelle Frau® leather or fabric and Saddle Extra hide makes a come-back, further exalted by the elegant visible stitching. The back structure is in moulded polyurethane foam. The springing of the seasoned beech-wood consists of double-cone steel springs that are individually tied and attached to jute webbing. Mamy Blue, even in its swivel version, has its support base with 4 feet in solid wengé-stained ash wood (32) with a support fixing it to the frame in black-coated steel.. Pouf. Structure in seasoned beech and multilayer birch. The plinth resting on the ground is in multilayer birch in a black textured coat with protective plastic caps. The upholstery is exalted by contrast stitching, matching the Saddle Extra hide of the lower part with the Pelle Frau® leather or fabric used for the upper surface. Headrest. Padded in polyurethane foam and goose down. No need to be fixed into place, rather it is simply rested on the backrest, where it can be positioned at willthanks to a counterweight inserted into the lining. Pelle Frau® leather or fabric upholstery.

This center island offers additional seating for an extra person simply by adding extra counter overhang on the side of the island as well as the back of the island. The counter edging is accented with a decorative ogee profile to give the island just a little more emphasis.

BM AMHERST GRAY, BM SIMPLY WHITE TRIM , SW ONYX DOOR This custom built Modern Farmhouse is located in West Linn, OR. Custom build and design by Palisade Homes LLC. 4,600 sqft of open concept space includes an indoor basement sports court, rock climbing wall, game room with double gaming TVs and Elkay drinking fountain. Savant home system controls lighting, cable, music and more throughout the home via iPads or iPhones. 10' ceilings with sofftited two tone white oak stained and painted cabinets offer a clean transitional look. Floating shelves highlight the straight set New Yorker subway tiles. Mudroom offers dutch door, extra fridge/freezer, pantry, locker cubbies and secondary office space.

Kitchen remodeling project where the homeowners elected to upgrade their kitchen to a more contemporary look by installing new custom cabinets. For this project it was crucial to find more working space in such a limited kitchen size. To accommodate this, we designed a full Naxo extension table for them. This practical system consists of a tabletop peninsula that fits in the space normally provided by the drawer. Simply open the front panel to deploy the extension table. For the cabinets, the homeowners went with an Elegante door in white supermat by Northern Contours. We then installed a new quartz countertop and backsplash both done in Carrara extra. To complete the new look a new subzero fridge, Wolf induction cooktop, microwave drawer and oven were installed.

There are so many design elements to this kitchen, I almost don’t know where to start. Bright and airy with crisp clean white cabinets, the kitchen is open and welcoming. Still crisp but gently contrasting, the stainless steel appliance add depth amid the white. To keep this kitchen warm, natural oak covers the floors and a toasted wheat color washes the walls. And then there is the architectural elements. You know. That post and beam in the middle of the room. It’s the center of attention. When you walk into a room your eyes roam around, establishing the size and shape of the room as your feet take you forward. From the front door of this home straight ahead you encountered this wall. The dining area to the right gives you a glimpse of things to come. Where there is a dining room you will usually find a kitchen. The architecture of years gone by consistently hides the kitchen, the heart of the home, behind walls. I sympathize with my Mom, and all the other Moms, who have had to spend so much time tucked into a tight kitchen, away from the family. This wall had to go, but it was structural. We needed its support but not its bulk. So we got rid of the bulk and only the bulk. Instead of a wall we have a post and beam, offering all of the structure we need. We could have installed a huge steel beam and reconfigure the joists to upset the beam, but why? The small beam and post add an incredible architectural element. It’s turning lemons into lemon, we simply made the most of what we had. It may be functional but it’s so fantastic. It looks like we created the effect just for the drama. The original kitchen may have had a working triangle and some counter space, but it was fairly small, with each area only a step or two away. The dark cabinets made the space feel even smaller and the butcher block patterned laminate counter tops were very dated. The appliances were feeling their age as well, from a coil burner electric stove to a top freezer refrigerator. To keep this kitchen within its space, a half wall separated it from the dining area. With the wall gone we borrowed some space from the living room and extended what was a U shaped kitchen into an L. At the living room window we start our new kitchen. We kept a small part of the wall to support the other end of our decorative beam. Sandwiched between a large pantry and our new French door refrigerator, the wall disappears. With our new open floor plan a sizable island was in order. We split our cooking areas and installed a continuous grill gas cooktop into the island. A sleek island hood takes care of exhaust and adds an extra element to our architectural feature. Under the cooktop we added over-sized drawers for pots and pan storage. The frameless cabinets from New River Cabinetry are maple, painted white, with the Herndon door style. With the cooktop safely nestled into our island, we still had to add an oven. We used the space where the old range sat for a large single oven of stainless steel and glass. If it worked for one, why not two? We created a home for a microwave in the wall cabinets. It’s perfect for heating leftovers so close to the refrigerator. An important consideration for hot spots in your kitchen is landing zones. Each of our cooking areas have generous landing zones, one on each side of the cooktop and an entire counter area above or below the ovens, depending on which one you’re using. We wanted to give the sink area more room so the half wall had to come out. We moved the trash and recycle cans into a cabinet, removed the heavy soffits and kept the sink under the window. With that little bit of extra space we were able to add a larger cabinet above the dishwasher and slide it all down. This used to be where the carpeting met the vinyl floor, but all of it is gone. Long oak planks eliminate that final divide between the kitchen and the dining area, while adding visual length to the area. White wall cabinets on each side of the window reflect the sunlight for a brighter view. With all of the darker cabinetry the backsplash walls had been painted white. Even still, there was a darkness in the corners and it wasn’t very exciting. We wanted to add visual interest and reflect the new under-cabinet lighting, eliminating the shadows in this corner. With 1″x 2″ Arabescato Honed marble mosaics and those under-cabinet lights, we achieved the perfect balance. The marble has subtle swirls in gray and beige on a clean white background, but with the honed finish the light is softly reflected instead of glaring. For granite, we chose the soft gray tones of Luna Pearl. The speckles of gray and beige are a gentle contrast to the white cabinets and emulate the color of the stainless steel. Between the carpet, red half wall, dark railing and dated light fixture, the dining area felt tired. Since the kitchen lacked sufficient storage, a large utility cabinet crowded the table space without adding any decorate elements. Although it didn’t get any bigger, our dining area feels fresher and more open too. With the oak flooring joining the area to the rest of our space and the toasted wheat on the walls, the white table and chairs compliment the cabinetry while contrasting the warmer colors. We replaced the chandelier with recessed lighting and changed that railing too. With our new open floor plan, we ended up with a fairly open area in between our foyer closet and the living room window. Not one to miss an opportunity, we filled the space with a multi-functional work space. With the sunlight streaming in this bright corner works for anything this family needs. There’s plenty of space for a chair under this large desk drawer. A closed cabinet below, glass doors above and lots of open shelving let you store and or showcase your belongings. We added a lite area at the top to keep away the darker corners. The transformation is complete. This kitchen and all of its features are truly the center of attention in this home. http://www.designsbyskill.com/ http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/

There are so many design elements to this kitchen, I almost don’t know where to start. Bright and airy with crisp clean white cabinets, the kitchen is open and welcoming. Still crisp but gently contrasting, the stainless steel appliance add depth amid the white. To keep this kitchen warm, natural oak covers the floors and a toasted wheat color washes the walls. And then there is the architectural elements. You know. That post and beam in the middle of the room. It’s the center of attention. When you walk into a room your eyes roam around, establishing the size and shape of the room as your feet take you forward. From the front door of this home straight ahead you encountered this wall. The dining area to the right gives you a glimpse of things to come. Where there is a dining room you will usually find a kitchen. The architecture of years gone by consistently hides the kitchen, the heart of the home, behind walls. I sympathize with my Mom, and all the other Moms, who have had to spend so much time tucked into a tight kitchen, away from the family. This wall had to go, but it was structural. We needed its support but not its bulk. So we got rid of the bulk and only the bulk. Instead of a wall we have a post and beam, offering all of the structure we need. We could have installed a huge steel beam and reconfigure the joists to upset the beam, but why? The small beam and post add an incredible architectural element. It’s turning lemons into lemon, we simply made the most of what we had. It may be functional but it’s so fantastic. It looks like we created the effect just for the drama. The original kitchen may have had a working triangle and some counter space, but it was fairly small, with each area only a step or two away. The dark cabinets made the space feel even smaller and the butcher block patterned laminate counter tops were very dated. The appliances were feeling their age as well, from a coil burner electric stove to a top freezer refrigerator. To keep this kitchen within its space, a half wall separated it from the dining area. With the wall gone we borrowed some space from the living room and extended what was a U shaped kitchen into an L. At the living room window we start our new kitchen. We kept a small part of the wall to support the other end of our decorative beam. Sandwiched between a large pantry and our new French door refrigerator, the wall disappears. With our new open floor plan a sizable island was in order. We split our cooking areas and installed a continuous grill gas cooktop into the island. A sleek island hood takes care of exhaust and adds an extra element to our architectural feature. Under the cooktop we added over-sized drawers for pots and pan storage. The frameless cabinets from New River Cabinetry are maple, painted white, with the Herndon door style. With the cooktop safely nestled into our island, we still had to add an oven. We used the space where the old range sat for a large single oven of stainless steel and glass. If it worked for one, why not two? We created a home for a microwave in the wall cabinets. It’s perfect for heating leftovers so close to the refrigerator. An important consideration for hot spots in your kitchen is landing zones. Each of our cooking areas have generous landing zones, one on each side of the cooktop and an entire counter area above or below the ovens, depending on which one you’re using. We wanted to give the sink area more room so the half wall had to come out. We moved the trash and recycle cans into a cabinet, removed the heavy soffits and kept the sink under the window. With that little bit of extra space we were able to add a larger cabinet above the dishwasher and slide it all down. This used to be where the carpeting met the vinyl floor, but all of it is gone. Long oak planks eliminate that final divide between the kitchen and the dining area, while adding visual length to the area. White wall cabinets on each side of the window reflect the sunlight for a brighter view. With all of the darker cabinetry the backsplash walls had been painted white. Even still, there was a darkness in the corners and it wasn’t very exciting. We wanted to add visual interest and reflect the new under-cabinet lighting, eliminating the shadows in this corner. With 1″x 2″ Arabescato Honed marble mosaics and those under-cabinet lights, we achieved the perfect balance. The marble has subtle swirls in gray and beige on a clean white background, but with the honed finish the light is softly reflected instead of glaring. For granite, we chose the soft gray tones of Luna Pearl. The speckles of gray and beige are a gentle contrast to the white cabinets and emulate the color of the stainless steel. Between the carpet, red half wall, dark railing and dated light fixture, the dining area felt tired. Since the kitchen lacked sufficient storage, a large utility cabinet crowded the table space without adding any decorate elements. Although it didn’t get any bigger, our dining area feels fresher and more open too. With the oak flooring joining the area to the rest of our space and the toasted wheat on the walls, the white table and chairs compliment the cabinetry while contrasting the warmer colors. We replaced the chandelier with recessed lighting and changed that railing too. With our new open floor plan, we ended up with a fairly open area in between our foyer closet and the living room window. Not one to miss an opportunity, we filled the space with a multi-functional work space. With the sunlight streaming in this bright corner works for anything this family needs. There’s plenty of space for a chair under this large desk drawer. A closed cabinet below, glass doors above and lots of open shelving let you store and or showcase your belongings. We added a lite area at the top to keep away the darker corners. The transformation is complete. This kitchen and all of its features are truly the center of attention in this home. http://www.designsbyskill.com/ http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/