The main floor powder room is crafted with a trunk of a dogwood tree, the state tree of North Carolina, and holds an amber glass bowl. The faux finish on the walls is specifically designed to look like peeling wood bark but is impervious to any damage and can even be used outside. Photo taken by Mitchell Kearney (www.mitchellkearney.com). Photos owned by Durham Designs & Consulting, LLC.

The Chaos Authority custom designs and produces unique storage solutions specific to your spaces and storage needs. You choose your very own color schemes and finishes. We love to collaborate with interior designers and are happy to ship our solutions throughout the United States. (Photos by The Chaos Authority, LLC.)

This Milford French country home’s 2,500 sq. ft. basement transformation is just as extraordinary as it is warm and inviting. The M.J. Whelan design team, along with our clients, left no details out. This luxury basement is a beautiful blend of modern and rustic materials. A unique tray ceiling with a hardwood inset defines the space of the full bar. Brookhaven maple custom cabinets with a dark bistro finish and Cambria quartz countertops were used along with state of the art appliances. A brick backsplash and vintage pendant lights with new LED Edison bulbs add beautiful drama. The entertainment area features a custom built-in entertainment center designed specifically to our client’s wishes. It houses a large flat screen TV, lots of storage, display shelves and speakers hidden by speaker fabric. LED accent lighting was strategically installed to highlight this beautiful space. The entertaining area is open to the billiards room, featuring a another beautiful brick accent wall with a direct vent fireplace. The old ugly steel columns were beautifully disguised with raised panel moldings and were used to create and define the different spaces, even a hallway. The exercise room and game space are open to each other and features glass all around to keep it open to the rest of the lower level. Another brick accent wall was used in the game area with hardwood flooring while the exercise room has rubber flooring. The design also includes a rear foyer coming in from the back yard with cubbies and a custom barn door to separate that entry. A playroom and a dining area were also included in this fabulous luxurious family retreat. Stunning Provenza engineered hardwood in a weathered wire brushed combined with textured Fabrica carpet was used throughout most of the basement floor which is heated hydronically. Tile was used in the entry and the new bathroom. The details are endless! Our client’s selections of beautiful furnishings complete this luxurious finished basement. Photography by Jeff Garland Photography

Set in a downtown Kirkland neighborhood, the 1st Street project captures the best of suburban living. The open floor plan brings kitchen, dining, and living space within reach, and rich wood beams, shiplap, and stone accents add timeless texture with a modern twist. Four bedrooms and a sprawling daylight basement create distinct spaces for family life, and the finished covered patio invites residents to breathe in the best of Pacific Northwest summers.

A kitchen with your own taste. The kitchen is the most important part of the home. Let us design a custom kitchen that you will fall in love with every day, using attractive shapes, unusual textures, and the greatest quality in the market. Our designs reflect comfort, functionality and versatility. Compose Decor Team understand that each project is unique and customized to the customer’s specific tastes. Architects, builders, designers, real states agents, and homeowners trust us to bring their concepts to life, on time and within budget. Bring us your ideas and dreams and we’ll turn it into reality. This project was in partnership with ID design for all and MAST GENERAL CONSTRUCTION.

This 12,000 sq. ft. mixed-use facility features a state-of-the-art fitness center on the ground floor and luxury multifamily units on the second floor. Taking inspiration from both charming historic cottages and modern community clubhouses, the building was designed to specifically to complement the surrounding golf-cart friendly community, which also features luxury cottages and designer homes. The building is filled with architectural character, with features such as balconies, white trim, and stone-adorned walls creating a charming façade. The interior floorplan was designed to maximize functionality and space, providing the community with a premiere fitness facility and upscale homes.

The Chaos Authority custom designs and produces unique storage solutions specific to your spaces and storage needs. You choose your very own color schemes and finishes. We love to collaborate with interior designers and are happy to ship our solutions throughout the United States. These photos were taken by The Chaos Authority, LLC.

This 12,000 sq. ft. mixed-use facility features a state-of-the-art fitness center on the ground floor and luxury multifamily units on the second floor. Taking inspiration from both charming historic cottages and modern community clubhouses, the building was designed to specifically to complement the surrounding golf-cart friendly community, which also features luxury cottages and designer homes. The building is filled with architectural character, with features such as balconies, white trim, and stone-adorned walls creating a charming façade. The interior floorplan was designed to maximize functionality and space, providing the community with a premiere fitness facility and upscale homes.

This 12,000 sq. ft. mixed-use facility features a state-of-the-art fitness center on the ground floor and luxury multifamily units on the second floor. Taking inspiration from both charming historic cottages and modern community clubhouses, the building was designed to specifically to complement the surrounding golf-cart friendly community, which also features luxury cottages and designer homes. The building is filled with architectural character, with features such as balconies, white trim, and stone-adorned walls creating a charming façade. The interior floorplan was designed to maximize functionality and space, providing the community with a premiere fitness facility and upscale homes.

The Chaos Authority custom designs and produces unique storage solutions specific to your spaces and storage needs. You choose your very own color schemes and finishes. We love to collaborate with interior designers and are happy to ship our solutions throughout the United States. (Photos by The Chaos Authority, LLC.)

The Chaos Authority custom designs and produces unique storage solutions specific to your spaces and storage needs. You choose your very own color schemes and finishes. We love to collaborate with interior designers and are happy to ship our solutions throughout the United States. (Photos by The Chaos Authority, LLC.)

It's known as the PISA/TIMSS voyaging convoy. Every time worldwide tests results are discharged with association tables indicating champs and failures a gaggle of scientists, scholastics and grouped kindred explorers plummet on the most astounding performing nation or instruction framework to break down and write about "world's best practice". The objective continues evolving One issue with thusly of deduction is that nobody framework reliably beats the rest. In light of the 1995 and 1999 TIMSS (Trends in International Math and Science Study) results, Asian instruction frameworks in Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan overwhelmed. Accordingly, the emphasis was immovably on recognizing the reasons the Asian tigers were performing so well. In the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) 2000 results, Finland positioned first in education, fourth in arithmetic and third in science. Finland became the overwhelming focus and specialists and scholastics ran to Helsinki to find the reasons Finnish understudies performed at or close to the highest point of the table. By 2012, at the end of the day, an alternate training framework turned into the focal point of consideration. Finland descended the PISA rankings as another champ, Shanghai, rose as first in arithmetic, science and perusing. Apples aren't being contrasted with apples A second issue when making correlations is that the spots we've recognized as examples of overcoming adversity are distinctive to Australia. City-states like Singapore and instruction frameworks in profoundly performing spots like Hong Kong and Shanghai have remarkable qualities that separate them from nations like Australia, England and the USA. Contrasts in topography, the quantities of understudies and schools, the understudy cosmetics (as far as dialect, society and financial profile) and how schools, including educational modules and appraisal, are organized and oversaw significantly affect results. Singapore, when contrasted with Australia, is little topographically, more homogenous as far as dialect and culture and utilizes instructive practices that have long been out of support in Australia. These incorporate gushing kids in view of their abilities, and high-chance, focused tests and examinations. As noted in a paper titled How not to prevail upon PISA information: an unexpected examination, there are additionally social components clarifying solid execution that are troublesome, if not unimaginable, to exchange starting with one instruction framework then onto the next. Evident cases incorporate the effect of Confucian qualities and morals that stretch appreciation for power (particularly instructors), the conviction that achievement is conceivable with inspiration, fixation and diligent work, and the thought that training is focal if one is to accomplish a superior life. Confounding circumstances and end results Befuddling what has driven these nations to achievement speaks to the third trouble in expecting that what seems to prompt accomplishment in one nation can without much of a stretch be exchanged to another. To expect that everything we need to do in Australia to enhance test outcomes is to lessen the impact of the Australian Education Union, while being appealing to some, is both undemocratic and blameworthy of accepting circumstances and end results. There are a few advantages of abroad correlations PISA and TIMSS tests have been held for a long time. Thus, there is a decent arrangement of examination recognizing the attributes of more grounded performing instruction frameworks from which states and domains can learn. The early ethnographic work recording Japanese and American classes nitty gritty in Harvard distribution The Teaching Gap uncovers how the lessons in Asian classrooms are more unequivocal, obviously organized and sound and there is a desire that all understudies, with the essential offer and applications, some assistance with canning succeed. A later distribution by the Grattan Institute, Catching up: gaining from the best educational systems in East Asia, likewise distinguishes imperative lessons from fruitful Asian instruction frameworks. Positive variables incorporate giving instructors more opportunity to work cooperatively and to tutor each other, guaranteeing that educator training, course readings and the educational modules are commonly steady and concentrate on enhancing classroom rehearse. It ought to additionally be noticed that while Australian understudies don't perform in the top level in PISA and TIMSS tests, there is some reason for festivity. Understudies in the Australian Capital Territory perform well over the Australian normal and frequently coordinate the execution of top-performing abroad instruction frameworks. As far as lifting the execution of understudies from distraught foundations it is additionally critical to take note of that Catholic schools, in light of an investigation of the 2009 PISA results completed by the Australian Council for Educational Research, accomplish a value rating surpassing that of Finland. About the Author: Amy Parker writes too many academic papers for people who have troubles with it. She always gives needed advices, shows the examples of the papers and helps with writing at http://papersnetwork.net

The Chaos Authority custom designs and produces unique storage solutions specific to your spaces and storage needs. You choose your very own color schemes and finishes. We love to collaborate with interior designers and are happy to ship our solutions throughout the United States. (Photos by The Chaos Authority, LLC.)

The sleek design allows you to move around the kitchen without protruding catching handles. The doors and drawers incorporate state of the art technology allowing for simple tap or push on the surface for the cabinetry to open. This is especially useful when your hands have food on them when you’re cooking as you are able to use your knee or thigh to activate doors to open. Even refrigerator and freezer have a fully integrated hidden custom pull handle that looks like a vertical reveal – this allows for good grip to pull the heavy doors with suction, and the white acrylic panels are very easy to keep clean. Positions of two sinks on the island were specifically placed in the locations to facilitate the steps in food preparation - having them both on a single working surface makes it easier to work between them without dropping food or dripping water on the floors while preparing for cooking. Island incorporates a tall counter to sit at for a quick bite or just to stand around with you friends as you are preparing a meal. . This island truly is the heart of the kitchen and the heart of this home. Photography: Craig Denis

A kitchen with your own taste. The kitchen is the most important part of the home. Let us design a custom kitchen that you will fall in love with every day, using attractive shapes, unusual textures, and the greatest quality in the market. Our designs reflect comfort, functionality and versatility. Compose Decor Team understand that each project is unique and customized to the customer’s specific tastes. Architects, builders, designers, real states agents, and homeowners trust us to bring their concepts to life, on time and within budget. Bring us your ideas and dreams and we’ll turn it into reality.

These modern ladder back dining chairs create drama through the use of repetition. The frames, made of alder, were merely finished with a clear matte sealer which provides a striking contrast to the fabric. At the top of the frames the slats give a glimpse at the stunning green velvet peaking through, and below the seat the slats continue on without the fabric behind to avoid the chair becoming visually cumbersome and heavy. For practicality’s sake, the plush velvet fabric on the seats and backs was treated to help any potential spills bead up and wipe away for this growing family. In addition, the designer worked at length with the fabricator and homeowner to ensure the height, pitch of the back and seat fill were comfortable and tailored specifically to them. While the chairs have a stately sense about them, they are quite at home in this cozy family environment.

Grace Laird Photography
Family room - transitional family room idea in Houston

Photo by: Shawn St. Peter Photography - What designer could pass on the opportunity to buy a floating home like the one featured in the movie Sleepless in Seattle? Well, not this one! When I purchased this floating home from my aunt and uncle, I didn’t know about floats and stringers and other issues specific to floating homes. Nor had I really thought about the hassle of an out of state remodel. Believing that I was up for the challenge, I grabbed my water wings, sketchpad, and measuring tape and jumped right in! If you’ve ever thought of buying a floating home, I’ve already tripped over some of the hurdles you will face. So hop on board - hopefully you will enjoy the ride. I have shared my story of this floating home remodel and accidental flip in my eBook "Sleepless in Portland." Just subscribe to our monthly design newsletter and you will be sent a link to view all the photos and stories in my eBook. http://www.designvisionstudio.com/contact.html

Graham Sofa by American Leather | Available in leather, fabric, and Ultrasuede | Specification on uniqueinteriors.com | Call store for pricing | At the Unique Interiors furniture store showroom, clients from Philadelphia, South Jersey, Central Jersey, North Jersey, New York and beyond, can browse more than 60 modern and contemporary furniture vignettes spread across 13,000 square feet. Each setting showcases the quality, comfort, durability and styling of the best names in sofas, chairs, sectionals, sleeper beds, dining sets, bar tables, bedrooms, home office pieces, stools, occasional tables, ottomans, rugs, flooring window treatments, and so much more. If you can’t visit us, please remember that we ship to any destination in the United States.