Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

This French country kitchen features exposed Hand Hewn Timber ceiling beams above whitewashed subway tile walls, a weathered wood hutch, and a farm table with iron stools. A dark paneled door opens to a connecting sitting room with a chandelier visible beyond, adding depth and warmth to the space. These Hand Hewn Timbers, milled from Ash, Elm, Oak, Maple, and Hemlock, are true relics of the American Midwest, salvaged from our neighboring Wisconsin. As farmers spread across the area, they built their homes and barns with whatever trees were on their property, shaping the logs by hand with axes and adzes. That process left behind unique timbers covered in the marks and dents created by the inexact hand tools, bringing one of a kind rustic character to any ceiling. Whether you are a homebuilder, a home remodeling contractor, a homeowner, or a designer planning a kitchen with authentic architectural detail, Manomin Resawn Timbers has reclaimed Hand Hewn Timbers to bring that antique charm into your space. Visit our showroom in Hugo, MN or reach out to us with a call or a message. 15152 Freeland Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038. Showroom hours Mon-Thu 8am-4:30pm, Fri 8am-4pm, nights and weekends by appointment. 651.464.1771.

Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Buju Architects was instructed to design 6 new holiday homes in the coastal village of Rhosneigr. Now four years later, construction nears completion. Consisting of a combination of 3 townhouses and 3 detached houses, each home is designed carefully to maximise sea views and sit comfortably in context. With just a short walk to the beachfront, it was quickly established early on that we wanted to take full advantage of these stunning coastal views. To achieve this, we decided to flip the floor layouts around and created an “upside-down home”. By positioning all of the bedrooms at ground level and the living spaces to the top floor meant that the amazing views could be fully appreciated from the high vaulted living spaces throughout the day. These views are also maximised by utilising large feature glazed gables each with their own spacious balconies. The feature gable on the detached houses were also carefully designed and specifically orientated at a 45-degree angle towards these views for maximum effect. A similar palette of materials was used as those of surrounding buildings and a strong design theme was created across the site. Local stone, cedar cladding and white render clad these fantastic properties. The density of development was carefully considered to allow enough space for access and amenity, whilst respecting local residents. Services: Buju Architects were appointed for RIBA Stages 1-6 as Architect and Principal Designer. From developing the concept design, through planning, tender and construction. Buju Architects coordinated the design process and managed correspondence with the local Council. “..Buju Architects produced three alternative schemes and once the preferred scheme had been chosen they very quickly produced several visualisation models which proved extremely helpful in view of the gradient and context of this development. Modelling at this early stage is often not provided and with a difficult site such as this can be vital in obtaining the correct interaction between buildings.” – Rockview Developments

Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

The open plan kitchen flows perfectly with the open plan living and dining areas at our Harold Ashwell project. We brought this once dull kitchen to life by injecting a punch of moody charcoal blue in the joinery which is offset by the freshness of the white counter tops. A very important aspect of any kitchen is a fully functional workspace and Cheryl designed a brand new island that encompasses all of that and more. The counter top has a marbled vein and waterfall sides to the floor on either side that wraps up and over the island seamlessly. Seating at the island is ideal for the children to sit at and be a part of the cooking process, as well as to have breakfast or a snack. The black kitchen stools are modern and gives a nod to the other pops of black in this open living space. The pendant lights add warmth and works well with the dining pendants that are in the same area. The touch tip integrated fridge/freezer and wine cooler forms part of the joinery and creates a seamless, stylish look. Carefully selected objet, crockery, appliances and décor makes this kitchen unique to the family who will use it. Cheryl made sure that the kitchen is strikingly beautiful and fits into the style and look of the rest of the living areas, whilst ensuring optimum functionality.

Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Building a Dream Backyard When this homeowner started the design process of a new backyard, Braen Supply was immediately there to supply all the stone materials. The home was part of a new development, so the challenge was to make the home stand out while still addressing specific areas of the existing backyard, such as the steep grade. Working With the Experts Taking the steep grade into consideration, moss rock boulders were selected to create stairs down to the lower area of the backyard where the fire pit sits. The grade of the backyard also allowed for the infinity pool, full color bluestone pattern was selected as the veneer for the back wall of the infinity pool. Braen Supply chose Tennessee gray and bluestone to create a seamless transition from the front of the house to the back of the house. Although they are two different stones, they work nicely together to complete the overall design and tone of the home. It all came together and made the perfect backyard. Materials Used: Belgium Blocks Full Color Bluestone Pattern Bluestone Caps Tennessee Gray Irregular Moss Rock Boulders Full Color Bluestone Irregular Kearney Stone Steps Granite Mosaic Veneer Completed Areas: Front Walkway & Porch Driveway Edging Backyard Walkways Pool Patio & Coping Pool Water Features Fireplace Hearth & Mantal Wading Pool Raised Hot Tub

Maggie Walker of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Frederick, MD, in collaboration with Tri State Home Improvement, designed multiple rooms for this project. This remodel included the kitchen, pantry, mudroom and laundry room, highlighting a transitional design style and featuring both Green Forest Cabinetry and Masterpiece Cabinetry. The kitchen, mudroom and laundry room feature Green Forest Cabinetry in the Park Place door style with an Espresso finish. The pantry showcases Masterpiece cabinets in the Turner door style in Maple with a Peppercorn finish. The kitchen also includes MSI Q Peppercorn White countertops, while the pantry and laundry room feature Colonial White granite countertops. Despite the challenges of being without a kitchen sink, laundry machines and undergoing the installation of new flooring, the clients expressed that the remodeling process was worthwhile, with beautiful results. “The best advice Maggie gave was to take our time. We had never done a renovation or remodel and this was massive to us. She gave us time to sit with our choice and make changes. The size is the best part of the new kitchen. We went from an extremely small area to a room for a 9’ island, mudroom pantry and laundry, all with gorgeous cabinetry,” said the clients. Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

The open plan kitchen flows perfectly with the open plan living and dining areas at our Harold Ashwell project. We brought this once dull kitchen to life by injecting a punch of moody charcoal blue in the joinery which is offset by the freshness of the white counter tops. A very important aspect of any kitchen is a fully functional workspace and Cheryl designed a brand new island that encompasses all of that and more. The counter top has a marbled vein and waterfall sides to the floor on either side that wraps up and over the island seamlessly. Seating at the island is ideal for the children to sit at and be a part of the cooking process, as well as to have breakfast or a snack. The black kitchen stools are modern and gives a nod to the other pops of black in this open living space. The pendant lights add warmth and works well with the dining pendants that are in the same area. The touch tip integrated fridge/freezer and wine cooler forms part of the joinery and creates a seamless, stylish look. Carefully selected objet, crockery, appliances and décor makes this kitchen unique to the family who will use it. Cheryl made sure that the kitchen is strikingly beautiful and fits into the style and look of the rest of the living areas, whilst ensuring optimum functionality.

Building a Dream Backyard When this homeowner started the design process of a new backyard, Braen Supply was immediately there to supply all the stone materials. The home was part of a new development, so the challenge was to make the home stand out while still addressing specific areas of the existing backyard, such as the steep grade. Working With the Experts Taking the steep grade into consideration, moss rock boulders were selected to create stairs down to the lower area of the backyard where the fire pit sits. The grade of the backyard also allowed for the infinity pool, full color bluestone pattern was selected as the veneer for the back wall of the infinity pool. Braen Supply chose Tennessee gray and bluestone to create a seamless transition from the front of the house to the back of the house. Although they are two different stones, they work nicely together to complete the overall design and tone of the home. It all came together and made the perfect backyard. Materials Used: Belgium Blocks Full Color Bluestone Pattern Bluestone Caps Tennessee Gray Irregular Moss Rock Boulders Full Color Bluestone Irregular Kearney Stone Steps Granite Mosaic Veneer Completed Areas: Front Walkway & Porch Driveway Edging Backyard Walkways Pool Patio & Coping Pool Water Features Fireplace Hearth & Mantal Wading Pool Raised Hot Tub

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The Klimala’s and their three kids are no strangers to moving, this being their fifth house in the same town over the 20-year period they have lived there. “It must be the 7-year itch, because every seven years, we seem to find ourselves antsy for a new project or a new environment. I think part of it is being a designer, I see my own taste evolve and I want my environment to reflect that. Having easy access to wonderful tradesmen and a knowledge of the process makes it that much easier”. This time, Klimala’s fell in love with a somewhat unlikely candidate. The 1950’s ranch turned cape cod was a bit of a mutt, but it’s location 5 minutes from their design studio and backing up to the high school where their kids can roll out of bed and walk to school, coupled with the charm of its location on a private road and lush landscaping made it an appealing choice for them. “The bones of the house were really charming. It was typical 1,500 square foot ranch that at some point someone added a second floor to. Its sloped roofline and dormered bedrooms gave it some charm.” With the help of architect Maureen McHugh, Klimala’s gutted and reworked the layout to make the house work for them. An open concept kitchen and dining room allows for more frequent casual family dinners and dinner parties that linger. A dingy 3-season room off the back of the original house was insulated, given a vaulted ceiling with skylights and now opens up to the kitchen. This room now houses an 8’ raw edge white oak dining table and functions as an informal dining room. “One of the challenges with these mid-century homes is the 8’ ceilings. I had to have at least one room that had a higher ceiling so that’s how we did it” states Klimala. The kitchen features a 10’ island which houses a 5’0” Galley Sink. The Galley features two faucets, and double tiered rail system to which accessories such as cutting boards and stainless steel bowls can be added for ease of cooking. Across from the large sink is an induction cooktop. “My two teen daughters and I enjoy cooking, and the Galley and induction cooktop make it so easy.” A wall of tall cabinets features a full size refrigerator, freezer, double oven and built in coffeemaker. The area on the opposite end of the kitchen features a pantry with mirrored glass doors and a beverage center below. The rest of the first floor features an entry way, a living room with views to the front yard’s lush landscaping, a family room where the family hangs out to watch TV, a back entry from the garage with a laundry room and mudroom area, one of the home’s four bedrooms and a full bath. There is a double sided fireplace between the family room and living room. The home features pops of color from the living room’s peach grass cloth to purple painted wall in the family room. “I’m definitely a traditionalist at heart but because of the home’s Midcentury roots, I wanted to incorporate some of those elements into the furniture, lighting and accessories which also ended up being really fun. We are not formal people so I wanted a house that my kids would enjoy, have their friends over and feel comfortable.” The second floor houses the master bedroom suite, two of the kids’ bedrooms and a back room nicknamed “the library” because it has turned into a quiet get away area where the girls can study or take a break from the rest of the family. The area was originally unfinished attic, and because the home was short on closet space, this Jack and Jill area off the girls’ bedrooms houses two large walk-in closets and a small sitting area with a makeup vanity. “The girls really wanted to keep the exposed brick of the fireplace that runs up the through the space, so that’s what we did, and I think they feel like they are in their own little loft space in the city when they are up there” says Klimala. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Building a Dream Backyard When this homeowner started the design process of a new backyard, Braen Supply was immediately there to supply all the stone materials. The home was part of a new development, so the challenge was to make the home stand out while still addressing specific areas of the existing backyard, such as the steep grade. Working With the Experts Taking the steep grade into consideration, moss rock boulders were selected to create stairs down to the lower area of the backyard where the fire pit sits. The grade of the backyard also allowed for the infinity pool, full color bluestone pattern was selected as the veneer for the back wall of the infinity pool. Braen Supply chose Tennessee gray and bluestone to create a seamless transition from the front of the house to the back of the house. Although they are two different stones, they work nicely together to complete the overall design and tone of the home. It all came together and made the perfect backyard. Materials Used: Belgium Blocks Full Color Bluestone Pattern Bluestone Caps Tennessee Gray Irregular Moss Rock Boulders Full Color Bluestone Irregular Kearney Stone Steps Granite Mosaic Veneer Completed Areas: Front Walkway & Porch Driveway Edging Backyard Walkways Pool Patio & Coping Pool Water Features Fireplace Hearth & Mantal Wading Pool Raised Hot Tub

Building a Dream Backyard When this homeowner started the design process of a new backyard, Braen Supply was immediately there to supply all the stone materials. The home was part of a new development, so the challenge was to make the home stand out while still addressing specific areas of the existing backyard, such as the steep grade. Working With the Experts Taking the steep grade into consideration, moss rock boulders were selected to create stairs down to the lower area of the backyard where the fire pit sits. The grade of the backyard also allowed for the infinity pool, full color bluestone pattern was selected as the veneer for the back wall of the infinity pool. Braen Supply chose Tennessee gray and bluestone to create a seamless transition from the front of the house to the back of the house. Although they are two different stones, they work nicely together to complete the overall design and tone of the home. It all came together and made the perfect backyard. Materials Used: Belgium Blocks Full Color Bluestone Pattern Bluestone Caps Tennessee Gray Irregular Moss Rock Boulders Full Color Bluestone Irregular Kearney Stone Steps Granite Mosaic Veneer Completed Areas: Front Walkway & Porch Driveway Edging Backyard Walkways Pool Patio & Coping Pool Water Features Fireplace Hearth & Mantal Wading Pool Raised Hot Tub

Located in the Houston Heights, the Waverly Residence is a modern home on an established street of two story homes boasting front porch typologies. The family’s desire for privacy resulted in a porch that rotates to internalize most of its function while still addressing the street. For this active family, yard activity and it’s visibility from within the home emerged as a priority for approaching the building’s relationship to the lot. Justifying the building mass to the Northern half of the site reinforces the scale of the design to the surrounding buildings and creates a large southern yard dedicated to play and brisket (is a Texas house a house without a barbeque?). The ground floor is clad in metal panel and a wood rainscreen that peels away from the structure to become both a fence and an entry threshold, blending the registration between the yard's privacy enclosure and the building skin. Variable width fiber-cement siding clads the second floor as a nod to the neighborhood vernacular. The pool and outdoor kitchen sit at the center of the yard, forming an island that divides the open play from private vehicular access at the alley. Shifted volumes delineate private space from the open public areas. The second floor extends over the public entryway to create a covered procession with cascading steps into the southern yard that traverses the length of the living spaces. The public program expands beyond the building enclosure to encompass the yard and living spaces. A horizontal shift in the ground floor volume produces both a private courtyard away from the lively public spaces and exterior delineation between private vehicular access and public entry. Within the open, ground floor plan, a change in elevation indicates the boundary between private and public space. Custom millwork provides ample storage for the young family. Playful patterns of enclosed storage with contrasting display boxes creates a cohesive millwork language throughout the home.

Building a Dream Backyard When this homeowner started the design process of a new backyard, Braen Supply was immediately there to supply all the stone materials. The home was part of a new development, so the challenge was to make the home stand out while still addressing specific areas of the existing backyard, such as the steep grade. Working With the Experts Taking the steep grade into consideration, moss rock boulders were selected to create stairs down to the lower area of the backyard where the fire pit sits. The grade of the backyard also allowed for the infinity pool, full color bluestone pattern was selected as the veneer for the back wall of the infinity pool. Braen Supply chose Tennessee gray and bluestone to create a seamless transition from the front of the house to the back of the house. Although they are two different stones, they work nicely together to complete the overall design and tone of the home. It all came together and made the perfect backyard. Materials Used: Belgium Blocks Full Color Bluestone Pattern Bluestone Caps Tennessee Gray Irregular Moss Rock Boulders Full Color Bluestone Irregular Kearney Stone Steps Granite Mosaic Veneer Completed Areas: Front Walkway & Porch Driveway Edging Backyard Walkways Pool Patio & Coping Pool Water Features Fireplace Hearth & Mantal Wading Pool Raised Hot Tub

This Master Suite while being spacious, was poorly planned in the beginning. Master Bathroom and Walk-in Closet were small relative to the Bedroom size. Bathroom, being a maze of turns, offered a poor traffic flow. It only had basic fixtures and was never decorated to look like a living space. Geometry of the Bedroom (long and stretched) allowed to use some of its' space to build two Walk-in Closets while the original walk-in closet space was added to adjacent Bathroom. New Master Bathroom layout has changed dramatically (walls, door, and fixtures moved). The new space was carefully planned for two people using it at once with no sacrifice to the comfort. New shower is huge. It stretches wall-to-wall and has a full length bench with granite top. Frame-less glass enclosure partially sits on the tub platform (it is a drop-in tub). Tiles on the walls and on the floor are of the same collection. Elegant, time-less, neutral - something you would enjoy for years. This selection leaves no boundaries on the decor. Beautiful open shelf vanity cabinet was actually made by the Home Owners! They both were actively involved into the process of creating their new oasis. New Master Suite has two separate Walk-in Closets. Linen closet which used to be a part of the Bathroom, is now accessible from the hallway. Master Bedroom, still big, looks stunning. It reflects taste and life style of the Home Owners and blends in with the overall style of the House. Some of the furniture in the Bedroom was also made by the Home Owners.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.