Eclectic l-shaped concrete floor and gray floor open concept kitchen photo in Brisbane with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, stainless steel countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

Inspiration for a farmhouse front porch remodel in DC Metro with decking and a roof extension

Photography by Suzy Poling
Example of a classic backyard patio design in Charlotte with a pergola

Example of a large farmhouse medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Nashville with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and a tv stand

Meet Meridith: a super-mom who’s as busy as she is badass  — and easily my favorite overachiever. She slays her office job and comes home to an equally high-octane family life. We share a love for city living with farmhouse aspirations. There’s a vegetable garden in the backyard, a black cat, and a floppy eared rabbit named Rocky. There has been a mobile chicken coop and a colony of bees in the backyard. At one point they even had a pregnant hedgehog on their hands! Between gardening, entertaining, and helping with homework, Meridith has zero time for interior design. Spending several days a week in New York for work, she has limited amount of time at home with her family. My goal was to let her make the most of it by taking her design projects off her to do list and let her get back to her family (and rabbit). I wanted her to spend her weekends at her son's baseball games, not shopping for sofas. That’s my cue! Meridith is wonderful. She is one of the kindest people I know. We had so much fun, it doesn’t seem fair to call this “work”. She is loving, and smart, and funny. She’s one of those girlfriends everyone wants to call their own best friend. I wanted her house to reflect that: to feel cozy and inviting, and encourage guests to stay a while. Meridith is not your average beige person, and she has excellent taste. Plus, she was totally hands-on with design choices. It was a true collaboration. We played up her quirky side and built usable, inspiring spaces one lightbulb moment at a time. I took her love for color (sacré blue!) and immediately started creating a plan for her space and thinking about her design wish list. I set out hunting for vibrant hues and intriguing patterns that spoke to her color palette and taste for pattern. I focused on creating the right vibe in each space: a bit of drama in the dining room, a bit more refined and quiet atmosphere for the living room, and a neutral zen tone in their master bedroom. Her stuff. My eye. Meridith’s impeccable taste comes through in her art collection. The perfect placement of her beautiful paintings served as the design model for color and mood. We had a bit of a chair graveyard on our hands, but we worked with some key pieces of her existing furniture and incorporated other traditional pieces, which struck a pleasant balance. French chairs, Asian-influenced footstools, turned legs, gilded finishes, glass hurricanes – a wonderful mash-up of traditional and contemporary. Some special touches were custom-made (the marble backsplash in the powder room, the kitchen banquette) and others were happy accidents (a wallpaper we spotted via Pinterest). They all came together in a design aesthetic that feels warm, inviting, and vibrant — just like Meridith! We built her space based on function. We asked ourselves, “how will her family use each room on any given day?” Meridith throws legendary dinner parties, so we needed curated seating arrangements that could easily switch from family meals to elegant entertaining. We sought a cozy eat-in kitchen and decongested entryways that still made a statement. Above all, we wanted Meredith’s style and panache to shine through every detail. From the pendant in the entryway, to a wild use of pattern in her dining room drapery, Meredith’s space was a total win. See more of our work at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, share what's on your plate with us at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

This kitchen was designed for a client who has a passion for cooking and baking, and spends a lot of time there. The original kitchen had a wall at the end of the left cabinets, separating it from an unused music room. After demoing the wall, the kitchen was expanded into this space and the dining room was moved into the new open plan kitchen. Two small spaced windows were turned into a new double window above a wide farmhouse sink, flooding the kitchen with light. Simple, modern pendants over islands, plus recessed and under cabinet lighting provide ample lighting. To achieve a clean, timeless look we paired white shaker style cabinets with a pop of the “new neutral”, blue, on two islands. The island closest to the stove and sink is the main workstation, with plenty of storage on one side and an overhang with seating (for hanging out while cooking or just eating) on the other. Thoughtfully designed features include a vertical cabinet to store sheet pans, and a mixer installed inside the cabinet that swings up when the door is opened - no lifting or bending required. The second island is also multi-use - serving as a versatile work space as well. Additional unique features include lit upper cabinets, and (one of our favorites) to the right of the range wall, under drawers, is a built-in step stool that can be pulled out to assist with reaching higher shelves. This kitchen went through a remarkable transformation to become highly functional, bright, beautiful and perfect for our client!

Mid-sized transitional backyard second story privacy and mixed material railing deck photo in Minneapolis with a pergola

Photo: Caroline Sharpnack © 2018 Houzz
Eclectic dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Nashville with white walls

Eat-in kitchen - large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, black appliances, a peninsula and beige countertops

Aaron Leitz Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary open concept living room remodel in Seattle

Bedroom - scandinavian light wood floor and beige floor bedroom idea in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Virginia Macdonald
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless enclosed and formal carpeted and beige floor living room remodel in Toronto with beige walls

Inspiration for a large coastal master ceramic tile and gray floor bathroom remodel in Los Angeles with white walls and a hinged shower door

Inspiration for a contemporary gray floor dining room remodel in Houston with gray walls

Photo: Sarah Parisi Dowlin © 2018 Houzz
Inspiration for a mid-century modern u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Cincinnati with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Our clients, a couple with four children, wanted to update their 1952 home with a mid-century feel, focusing on the main floor. The renovation emphasized enhancing finishes, optimizing storage, and maximizing seating in the dining and living areas. The entryway was designed to be inviting and practical, while the living room featured a statement sectional and a stunning terrazzo fireplace. The kitchen and dining area were transformed to be both functional and elegant, with playful touches like “Drunk Monkeys” wallpaper in the powder room.

This Leopard Print Powder Room is a statement space for guests to enjoy. Gone are the boring blank powder rooms of the past and now guests can emersed in exotic spaces

Example of a minimalist bedroom design in San Francisco

We created a home that reflected the architecture and design of the Texas Hill Country through the lens of the client's personal style right here in Kansas City.