Rebecca Toh
Example of an urban dining room design in Singapore

The new cupola washes the Great Room billiards table in natural light. Robert Benson Photography
Example of a huge cottage dark wood floor game room design in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Our clients wanted to replace an existing suburban home with a modern house at the same Lexington address where they had lived for years. The structure the clients envisioned would complement their lives and integrate the interior of the home with the natural environment of their generous property. The sleek, angular home is still a respectful neighbor, especially in the evening, when warm light emanates from the expansive transparencies used to open the house to its surroundings. The home re-envisions the suburban neighborhood in which it stands, balancing relationship to the neighborhood with an updated aesthetic. The floor plan is arranged in a “T” shape which includes a two-story wing consisting of individual studies and bedrooms and a single-story common area. The two-story section is arranged with great fluidity between interior and exterior spaces and features generous exterior balconies. A staircase beautifully encased in glass stands as the linchpin between the two areas. The spacious, single-story common area extends from the stairwell and includes a living room and kitchen. A recessed wooden ceiling defines the living room area within the open plan space. Separating common from private spaces has served our clients well. As luck would have it, construction on the house was just finishing up as we entered the Covid lockdown of 2020. Since the studies in the two-story wing were physically and acoustically separate, zoom calls for work could carry on uninterrupted while life happened in the kitchen and living room spaces. The expansive panes of glass, outdoor balconies, and a broad deck along the living room provided our clients with a structured sense of continuity in their lives without compromising their commitment to aesthetically smart and beautiful design.

A cozy home theater for movie nights and relaxing fireplace lounge space are perfect places to spend time with family and friends.
Example of a mid-sized transitional carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Minneapolis with beige walls

http://www.phxindia.in/
Inspiration for a contemporary drought-tolerant and full sun backyard landscaping in Ahmedabad.

Mark Lohman
Trendy light wood floor kitchen photo in Santa Barbara with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, glass sheet backsplash and an island

Nader Essa Photography
Large minimalist master gray tile slate floor bathroom photo in San Diego with white walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master green tile white floor and double-sink bathroom remodel in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, an undermount sink and a freestanding vanity

Designed with an open floor plan and layered outdoor spaces, the Onaway is a perfect cottage for narrow lakefront lots. The exterior features elements from both the Shingle and Craftsman architectural movements, creating a warm cottage feel. An open main level skillfully disguises this narrow home by using furniture arrangements and low built-ins to define each spaces’ perimeter. Every room has a view to each other as well as a view of the lake. The cottage feel of this home’s exterior is carried inside with a neutral, crisp white, and blue nautical themed palette. The kitchen features natural wood cabinetry and a long island capped by a pub height table with chairs. Above the garage, and separate from the main house, is a series of spaces for plenty of guests to spend the night. The symmetrical bunk room features custom staircases to the top bunks with drawers built in. The best views of the lakefront are found on the master bedrooms private deck, to the rear of the main house. The open floor plan continues downstairs with two large gathering spaces opening up to an outdoor covered patio complete with custom grill pit.

Empire Contracting 707.884.9789 Photos By: Sea Ranch Images www.searanchimages.com 707.653.6866
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Trendy bedroom photo in New York

Custom Built ins create a media and desk area for two. Magnetic wallpaper at the desk area adds purpose and flexible display opportunities. The green Eames chairs add character and plays with colorful rug.

The Kiguchi family moved into their Austin, Texas home in 1994. Built in the 1980’s as part of a neighborhood development, they happily raised their family here but longed for something more contemporary. Once they became empty nesters, they decided it was time for a major remodel. After spending many years visiting Austin AIA Home Tours that highlight contemporary residential architecture, they had a lot of ideas and in 2013 were ready to interview architects and get their renovation underway. The project turned into a major remodel due to an unstable foundation. Architects Ben Arbib and Ed Hughey, of Arbib Hughey Design were hired to solve the structural issue and look for inspiration in the bones of the house, which sat on top of a hillside and was surrounded by great views. Unfortunately, with the old floor plan, the beautiful views were hidden by small windows that were poorly placed. In order to bring more natural light into the house the window sizes and configurations had to be addressed, all while keeping in mind the homeowners desire for a modern look and feel. To achieve a more contemporary and sophisticated front of house, a new entry was designed that included removing a two-story bay window and porch. The entrance of the home also became more integrated with the landscape creating a template for new foliage to be planted. Older exterior materials were updated to incorporate a more muted palette of colors with a metal roof, dark grey siding in the back and white stucco in the front. Deep eaves were added over many of the new large windows for clean lines and sun protection. “Inside it was about opening up the floor plan, expanding the views throughout the house, and updating the material palette to get a modern look that was also warm and inviting,” said Ben from Arbib Hughey Design. “Prior to the remodel, the house had the typical separation of rooms. We removed the walls between them and changed all of the windows to Milgard Thermally Improved Aluminum to connect the inside with the outside. No matter where you are you get nice views and natural light.” The architects wanted to create some drama, which they accomplished with the window placement and opening up the interior floor plan to an open concept approach. Cabinetry was used to help delineate intimate spaces. To add warmth to an all-white living room, white-washed oak wood floors were installed and pine planks were used around the fireplace. The large windows served as artwork bringing the color of nature into the space. An octagon shaped, elevated dining room, (named “the turret”), had a big impact on the design of the house. They architects rounded the corners and added larger window openings overlooking a new sunken garden. The great room was also softened by rounding out the corners and that circular theme continued throughout the house, being picked up in skylight wells and kitchen cabinetry. A staircase leading to a catwalk was added and the result was a two-story window wall that flooded the home with natural light. When asked why Milgard® Thermally Improved Aluminum windows were selected, the architectural team listed many reasons: 1) Aesthetics: “We liked the slim profiles and narrow sightlines. The window frames never get in the way of the view and that was important to us. They also have a very contemporary look that went well with our design.” 2) Options: “We liked that we could get large sliding doors that matched the windows, giving us a very cohesive look and feel throughout the project.” 3) Cost Effective: “Milgard windows are affordable. You get a good product at a good price.” 4) Custom Sizes: “Milgard windows are customizable, which allowed us to get the right window for each location.” Ready to take on your own traditional to modern home remodeling project? Arbib Hughey Design advises, “Work with a good architect. That means picking a team that is creative, communicative, listens well and is responsive. We think it’s important for an architect to listen to their clients and give them something they want, not something the architect thinks they should have. At the same time you want an architect who is willing and able to think outside the box and offer up design options that you may not have considered. Design is about a lot of back and forth, trying out ideas, getting feedback and trying again.” The home was completely transformed into a unique, contemporary house perfectly integrated with its site. Internally the home has a natural flow for the occupants and externally it is integrated with the surroundings taking advantage of great natural light. As a side note, it was highly praised as part of the Austin AIA homes tour.

Blue Dog Residence by smitharc architects Photo © Keith Isaacs
Inspiration for a modern light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Raleigh with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, an island and gray countertops

Best of Houzz 2015 for Design
This is an example of a craftsman tile front porch design in Austin with a roof extension.

Example of a transitional girl dark wood floor and brown floor kids' room design in Salt Lake City with multicolored walls

Inquire About Our Design Services When we first started talking in the spring of 2015, I was impressed. She was witty, realistic, and understood that as much as she loves my shows on HGTV, design does not does not happen in 43 minutes! She told me about her space, and how she felt that her bedroom seemed “blah” to her. She had no retreat. Molly desperately longed for a place that she could spend time in, read in, play in and above all, relax in. What we did: Many people are terrified of hiring a designer. Rightfully so, they are investing a pretty penny in their homes. They want to make sure that everything, down to the last floral arrangement, is to their liking, because they will have to live it (and pay for it). Unfortunately, a client can unintentionally stifle a designer’s creativity through micro-management. This can produce lackluster results and ultimately cause more time (and money) to be spent on a project than is really necessary. With Molly, that was never an issue. Before she even showed me the room in question, she said that I could have full creative license to do what I needed to do to her bedroom. SAY WHAAH!? With Molly giving me complete creative freedom, I planned everything out and got down to business. The result: Bite-your-bottom-lip sexy. I don’t get jealous of too many of my clients’ spaces, but this one still takes my breath away every time I look at the pics! The craziest part was that by adding more furniture, it actually made the space feel larger. Molly and her husband Patrick loved the finished space, and promised me I will be back to finish the rest of the house! Here’s the highlights of the rest of the project: I came up with a space plan with three options. Next, we reviewed mood boards and fabric schemes that would work for both Molly and her hubby Patrick. We started with the bed. My goal was to add edge to its otherwise traditional style. We decided to spice things up by painting the trim work in the room black. We built in layers of lighting with dimmers. In a bedroom everything should be on dimmers, right? Right. We designed and customized bedding, chairs and window treatments. Together with Molly, we selected the most perfect wallpaper. This geometric “grasscloth” adds so much depth and dimension that was just missing before. What I love: That light fixture. I mean it is really, really amazing in person. The porcupine mirror. This thing came packaged like it was the hope diamond, and everyone was terrified to handle it. But it really became a highlight of the room.

Photo: Lucy Call © 2013 Houzz
Home office - contemporary built-in desk home office idea in Salt Lake City

A bright, industrial chic kitchen. Accented with wood beam, white brick walls. The Lisboa patchwork hexatile highlighted the backsplash. Frosted glass horizontal upper cabinets added a modern touch.