For more information, call Tom Martin & Son at (843) 559-3823 or visit tommartinandson.com. Photograph by Patrick Brickman of Charleston Home + Design magazine.

Garden Ponds, Fish Ponds, Koi Ponds, Monroe County, Rochester NY. Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls, we install ponds, water features and low maintenance water gardens. Renovation, Repair and maintenance are our specialties. Check out our website http://www.acornponds.com and give us a call 585.442.6373. Contact us now 585-442-63373 or click here: http://www.acornponds.com/ponds.html Small #fishpond with crystal clear water, #waterfalls, pond plants, #LED lighting, pond filtration, fish cave created for a family in #Webster,NY. Here is what they had to say: I am retired and went to live with my son and daughter-in-law. After I sold my house, I missed the homemade pond that I had at my house. My son & daughter-in-law said I could put in a pond as long as it was done professionally. I researched pond builders and settled on Acorn. They seemed the most professional and knew a great deal about ponds. My pond and waterfall were installed in a timely manner. The workers worked quickly, quietly and efficiently. Tom had suggested a different spot than the one we thought of. He made a lot of sense and we built the pond close to my entrance. The workers were done in three days and picked up after themselves and did not leave any messes for us. Acorn was very helpful in suggested where to put the electricity. The entire family is enjoying the pond! The waterfall is very calming. The kids and I have enjoyed stocking and feeding the fish. The grandkids show their friends the pond. The pond has attracted a tiny frog which has stayed with us. Also, birds have come. I especially enjoyed a yellow finch which has come to drink from my feeder and also drank from the waterfalls. I know we will enjoy this pond for many years to come. Linda W. — in Webster, NY.

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Design: Rauscher & Associates | Staging: Ambiance at Home | Landscaping: GT Landscapes | Photography: Landmark Photography

A new client called on Sumple & Son to help design and construct their new master bathroom. Once the design was completed and we got to work. Sumple & Son finished the project on time and on budget. Our client could not have been happier.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

For more information, call Tom Martin & Son at (843) 559-3823 or visit tommartinandson.com. Photograph by Patrick Brickman of Charleston Home + Design magazine.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Denver

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

Designer: Allen Construction General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
1960s one-story glass exterior home idea in Los Angeles

Another GC called in SWS Remodeling & Construction to re roof this beautiful sprawling home in Middlebury CT.

ASID 2018 DESIGN OVATION SINGLE SPACE DEDICATED FUNCTION/ SECOND PLACE. The clients requested professional assistance transforming this small, jumbled room with lots of angles into an efficient home office and occasional guest bedroom for visiting family. Maintaining the existing stained wood moldings was requested and the final vision was to reflect their Nigerian heritage in a dramatic and tasteful fashion. Photo by Michael Hunter

photography by Rob Karosis
Mid-sized elegant white two-story wood exterior home photo in Portland Maine

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

The new basement is the ultimate multi-functional space. A bar, foosball table, dartboard, and glass garage door with direct access to the back provide endless entertainment for guests; a cozy seating area with a whiteboard and pop-up television is perfect for Mike's work training sessions (or relaxing!); and a small playhouse and fun zone offer endless possibilities for the family's son, James.

Inspiration for a farmhouse bedroom remodel in New York

As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards Sara and Paul Matthews call their head-turning home, located in a sweet neighborhood just up the hill from downtown Petoskey, “a very human story.” Indeed it is. Sara and her husband, Paul, have a special-needs son as well as an energetic middle-school daughter. This home has an answer for everyone. Located down the street from the school, it is ideally situated for their daughter and a self-contained apartment off the great room accommodates all their son’s needs while giving his caretakers privacy—and the family theirs. The Matthews began the building process by taking their thoughts and needs to Stephanie Baldwin and her team at Edgewater Design Group. Beyond the above considerations, they wanted their new home to be low maintenance and to stand out architecturally, “But not so much that anyone would complain that it didn’t work in our neighborhood,” says Sara. “We were thrilled that Edgewater listened to us and were able to give us a unique-looking house that is meeting all our needs.” Lombardy LLC built this handsome home with Paul working alongside the construction crew throughout the project. The low maintenance exterior is a cutting-edge blend of stacked stone, black corrugated steel, black framed windows and Douglas fir soffits—elements that add up to an organic contemporary look. The use of black steel, including interior beams and the staircase system, lend an industrial vibe that is courtesy of the Matthews’ friend Dan Mello of Trimet Industries in Traverse City. The couple first met Dan, a metal fabricator, a number of years ago, right around the time they found out that their then two-year-old son would never be able to walk. After the couple explained to Dan that they couldn’t find a solution for a child who wasn’t big enough for a wheelchair, he designed a comfortable, rolling chair that was just perfect. They still use it. The couple’s gratitude for the chair resulted in a trusting relationship with Dan, so it was natural for them to welcome his talents into their home-building process. A maple floor finished to bring out all of its color-tones envelops the room in warmth. Alder doors and trim and a Doug fir ceiling reflect that warmth. Clearstory windows and floor-to-ceiling window banks fill the space with light—and with views of the spacious grounds that will become a canvas for Paul, a retired landscaper. The couple’s vibrant art pieces play off against modernist furniture and lighting that is due to an inspired collaboration between Sara and interior designer Kelly Paulsen. “She was absolutely instrumental to the project,” Sara says. “I went through two designers before I finally found Kelly.” The open clean-lined kitchen, butler’s pantry outfitted with a beverage center and Miele coffee machine (that allows guests to wait on themselves when Sara is cooking), and an outdoor room that centers around a wood-burning fireplace, all make for easy, fabulous entertaining. A den just off the great room houses the big-screen television and Sara’s loom— making for relaxing evenings of weaving, game watching and togetherness. Tourgoers will leave understanding that this house is everything great design should be. Form following function—and solving very human issues with soul-soothing style.