Whilst the adults socialize in the large open living space, the kids can enjoy some Minecraft or movies in the family room. Selecting suitable furniture was straightforward to fit the brief based on a family space for storage, relaxing, and comfort. With the high mono pitch ceiling space, a larger decorative pendant was used, which was adjusted so it has prime vision lines from the top of the driveway.

The balance of form and function is the hallmark of modern design. This staircase is a perfect example of that elegant simplicity. The dark-stained treads, newels, and smooth wood handrail create a rich foundation, while the parallel horizontal stainless steel rods add a sleek touch. With a beautiful overlook from the second floor, the staircase serves as a stunning focal point for the home. However, it's the interplay between the dark wood and gleaming steel elements that truly sets this project apart, demonstrating how material contrast can elevate a straightforward design into something memorable. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

A custom pool mosaic turns a beautiful pool into a truly personal one. AquaBlu Mosaics offers one of the widest selections of ready-to-install pool mosaics online, including sea turtles, dolphins, mermaids, sharks, reef scenes, mandalas, medallions, and more. Each mosaic is crafted from glass tile and arrives pre-mounted for straightforward installation. We also offer fully custom mosaic design for homeowners and builders who want something one of a kind. Whether it's a single accent piece on the pool floor or a full scene built into the steps, we can make it happen. Ships nationwide, custom orders welcome. Start your mosaic at aquablumosaics.com.

This fixture is a great way to make a bold yet simple statement. Globe size changes the look: choose the 12" for a schoolhouse approach, the 14" for a versatile style, or the 18" to create a focal point that looks anything but basic. The Hood is based on several fixtures made between 1910 and 1920 by the F.W. Wakefield Brass Company of Vermilion, Ohio. They were straightforward, functional designs meant to produce maximum light output with minimum fuss. With the Hood, its clean lines make it feel contemporary. Not bad for a centenarian!

Straightforward as the IKEA kitchen remodeling project was, there was a wide range of potentially challenging details. The original kitchen configuration offered very little of the style and functionality they desired. Todd and his wife wanted a very modern design for their new kitchen space with lots of openness. They also wanted the addition of a dining area. To achieve all this, they “blew out a wall” to open the kitchen to the living area. This opening made way for a peninsula. Also, they built onto the house in order to incorporate a dining area with kitchen.

Custom console in white onyx and lacquer. (Art - ELLSWORTH KELLY's 'Violet')
Dining room - modern dining room idea in New York

For our full gut renovation of this Manhattan loft penthouse, we partnered with architecture firm Todd Zwigard Architects. Many of our clients know us as experts in the full design-build approach, where we handle every aspect of the project. But in this case, architectural plans were already drawn, the full schedule was finished, and our clients needed a partner to execute on the architectural plans – enter Gallery. Construction management is as vital to a project as the design phase, so we’re happy to offer our expertise in this type of scenario. A DIFFERENT APPROACH Construction and design are often the face of most renovations, but the planning and follow-through are naturally just as necessary to make it all come together. The project itself was a fairly straightforward gut renovation of the loft. Everything was included: new floors, a new kitchen, new bathrooms, new lighting. Our task was to manage every aspect of the construction, ensuring that the planning work of Todd Zwigard Architects was executed to the exact vision imagined for this Manhattan loft renovation. CONTEMPORARY GOES ECLECTIC Although we didn’t contribute to the aesthetic of the interior design in this project, we did carry out the plans that brought it life. The tone was very modern, with some eclectic touches. The kitchen, featuring an island with a baby blue lacquered finish, blends contemporary clean lines into an industrial-tinged, almost futuristic aesthetic. Reclaimed wooden doors and art pieces collected throughout the years are an ode to the client's travels, an artistic touch from Todd Zwigard Architects. LET’S TALK Quality of work is of course important, but there are several components of construction management that are equally vital: communication; processes that make sure you're able to adhere to schedules; protocols with both safety and communication. You might say this is the nerding out of the construction process. It’s not often the face of a project, but it’s absolutely massive in terms of carrying out a successful renovation, whether it’s a penthouse loft in Manhattan, a condo in Prospect Heights, or a kitchen in a Brooklyn brownstone. Quality construction management is probably one of the biggest ways to separate professional contractors from those who aren’t. ART FROM CHAOS This was such a large project, so our ability to procure and source all the finishes and fixtures was hugely important to our clients. The sheer number of floors, tiles, and plumbing fixtures alone that need to be ordered, in addition to everything else, plus figuring out lead times, shipments, deliveries, and inspections. It can quickly become chaotic, but there’s an art to the planning and organization, and we’ve mastered it. The larger a project is, the more likely that havoc will rear its head. The antidote is not only really proper planning and construction management, as we achieved in this Manhattan loft penthouse renovation, but also a great working relationship with everyone else involved in the project: contractors, architect, and clients alike. GET IN TOUCH Is a loft renovation in New York in your future? We’re experts in renovating New York homes, from apartment combinations in managed buildings to kitchens and bathrooms in co-ops and condos to gut renovations of historic spaces and landmark renovations. ‍ Contact us to learn more about our approach as a design-and-build firm, where all aspects of your project are handled under the same roof. In addition to construction management, you’ll get our in-house architect in-house and the added renovation benefits of experts in design, material selection, and paperwork.

This bathroom remodel was simple, straightforward, and beautiful. This hall bath is soothing and minimalistic. The fixtures are sleek and modern, and the tile is simple and soothing.

The balance of form and function is the hallmark of modern design. This staircase is a perfect example of that elegant simplicity. The dark-stained treads, newels, and smooth wood handrail create a rich foundation, while the parallel horizontal stainless steel rods add a sleek touch. With a beautiful overlook from the second floor, the staircase serves as a stunning focal point for the home. However, it's the interplay between the dark wood and gleaming steel elements that truly sets this project apart, demonstrating how material contrast can elevate a straightforward design into something memorable. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Completed in 2015, this 4 BR, 2 1/2 bath was designed for a developer with a intolerably tight budget. Our simple solution employs a straightforward mix of flowing spaces borrowed from California great room houses with design elements found in more traditional residential design. The house is entered through a generous entry hall flanked by a formal Dining Room on one side and a Home Office/Den on the other. The far end of this Entry Hall deposits into a large Great Room and open kitchen that is this home's gathering and entertainment hub. A small alcove at the end of the kitchen allows for everyday meals while the island functions as this entire space's focal point. Completing the entertainment concept of this level is a covered porch accessed through a sliding door in the Family Room. The upper level is accessed via a stair at one end of the plan and is organized around a wide hallway that terminates in a tech space for kids. 3 generous children's bedrooms and an ample Master Suite with a view toward the Olympic Mountains complete this level. Finish selections throughout the house were purposely kept clean, light and simple. The exterior form of the house, while simple, allows for a variety of roof schemes that appeal to different price points in the marketplace. We also designed a bonus room option that can be accessed via the stair and resides over the garage.

A custom pool mosaic turns a beautiful pool into a truly personal one. AquaBlu Mosaics offers one of the widest selections of ready-to-install pool mosaics online, including sea turtles, dolphins, mermaids, sharks, reef scenes, mandalas, medallions, and more. Each mosaic is crafted from glass tile and arrives pre-mounted for straightforward installation. We also offer fully custom mosaic design for homeowners and builders who want something one of a kind. Whether it's a single accent piece on the pool floor or a full scene built into the steps, we can make it happen. Ships nationwide, custom orders welcome. Start your mosaic at aquablumosaics.com.

Photo by Jim Raycroft Our client for this project, an amateur pianist, wanted to create a music room for a nice new piano he was planning to purchase. The project scope would also include a new kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living space, but the new piano was the priority. LIFTING THE CEILING The client was moving into a row house, and hoped to accommodate occasional gatherings of musician friends for informal recitals. Because acoustics were important we asked sound engineers from Acentech to visit the site. They noted that the ideal space would have higher ceilings and would be more like a cube than the “half a cube” we were dealing with. “How can we raise the ceiling and make the space a cube?” our client asked. Designer Josy Raycroft started to explore the possibility of combining the second and third floor units by removing the front half of second floor ceiling, thereby opening up a 2-story music space in the shape of a nearly perfect cube. Thus, the project turned from a straightforward floor plan modification into a complete reimagining of the whole row house, with the client’s new Steinway D as the focal point. Josy and the client started with the piano and created the space around it. ADDRESSING EVERYDAY NEEDS For the client’s more mundane needs, Josy switched the location of the bathroom and kitchen—moving the bathroom towards the middle of the second floor where it would be convenient to the rest of the spaces, and placing the kitchen towards the back. The remainder of the third floor was transformed into bedroom and office space open to the music room below. Products and finishes coordinator Karin Mahdavi worked with the client to select understated finishes for the living spaces so that they would support the piano room without competing with it. As a result the living spaces flow seamlessly into the piano space, creating a coherent whole out of the different parts, kind of like a Schubert piano sonata.

Straight-forward yet elegant, vintage cast iron hook designs and salvage shelving find an easy home in spaces where character is as important as function.

Completed in 2015, this 4 BR, 2 1/2 bath was designed for a developer with a intolerably tight budget. Our simple solution employs a straightforward mix of flowing spaces borrowed from California great room houses with design elements found in more traditional residential design. The house is entered through a generous entry hall flanked by a formal Dining Room on one side and a Home Office/Den on the other. The far end of this Entry Hall deposits into a large Great Room and open kitchen that is this home's gathering and entertainment hub. A small alcove at the end of the kitchen allows for everyday meals while the island functions as this entire space's focal point. Completing the entertainment concept of this level is a covered porch accessed through a sliding door in the Family Room. The upper level is accessed via a stair at one end of the plan and is organized around a wide hallway that terminates in a tech space for kids. 3 generous children's bedrooms and an ample Master Suite with a view toward the Olympic Mountains complete this level. Finish selections throughout the house were purposely kept clean, light and simple. The exterior form of the house, while simple, allows for a variety of roof schemes that appeal to different price points in the marketplace. We also designed a bonus room option that can be accessed via the stair and resides over the garage.

Entrance. Design and photos copyright Pierce hill design, ltd. All rights reserved.
This is an example of a transitional front yard stone driveway in New York for summer.

Putting together an exceptional dining space is like planning the perfect party – the key to success is to make it feel inviting and relaxed. Displaying streamlined, straightforward design, the Dean table can serve as a future foundation for stellar celebrations. Exposed dovetail joinery translates into transparent function and beauty on the solid oak stunner, which is accompanied by our equally sleek Oliver side chairs. Airy and contemporary in appeal, they boast dapper grey fabric and frames of stainless steel.

This Sonoma County tasting room facelift uses inexpensive, “off-the-shelf” materials and straightforward design to reflect the Taft Street brand of “quality, everyday wine at a good value”. Having started in a garage, the owners wanted humble and approachable materials – so the space relies on plywood and rough framing lumber as finish materials. Concrete floors continue the industrial feel of the nearby production areas, while chalk-board black walls, gray and orange wool furnishings and cork stools make the space inviting and fun. Architecture by Tierney Conner Design Studio

Enhance your Huntington Beach home with Katz Design & Builders! We mix Huntington Beach's laid-back vibe with modern style for cool, sturdy spaces. Enjoy a straightforward process from beginning to end. Think about giving your home a fresh look that wows guests and family. Contact us to start your project. Have a great weekend! Katz Design & Builders – where style is simple and chic!

The Home The Branson’s covered porch, with its sturdy tapered columns, decorative pediment gables and large picturesque window-scape, invites you to enjoy a refreshing approach to a two-story bungalow-style home. Upon entering, The Branson features a bright and open study with a double-door closure. Moving through the foyer into the adjoined, naturally-lit great room, the well-equipped café-style kitchen and flexible dining area instantly inspires the “Live, Laugh, Love” trifecta of family togetherness. In the kitchen, the oversized eat-in island commands attention while leading your eye up to the nine-foot ceilings, around to the cozy contemporary gas fireplace and along the durable plank flooring. Up the centrally located stairwell, guests will find the “family hub” with three large secondary bedrooms, an ample sized bonus room tucked into the corner of the second level for some recreation or relaxation, and a restful primary suite complete with walk-in spa shower, walk-in closet and separate water closet all adjoined to a spacious master bedroom. In the basement, there is prime space for added bedrooms, full bathroom and an “anything” room. The Builder As a local, privately held homebuilder and community developer, Oakwood Homes pioneers new standards for livable luxury. We innovate through purposeful and efficient design, always using local materials, manufacturers and resources. We also provide an engaging yet straightforward homebuying experience that is unmatched in the industry. Our mission is simple: to create luxury homes that are accessible and personable at every budget – for homebuyers in every stage of life. The Interior Design With bright white walls as a jumping off point, accent colors of gray blue, blush and plum add in something for everyone. Dark woods ground the design and pops of metallic gold add interest and flair. Cozy soft goods and bedding soften the space making it approachable and welcoming for the whole family to grow into and enjoy together for many years.