Large trendy porcelain tile and black floor laundry room photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, a stacked washer/dryer, white countertops, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops and white walls

This young family needed to be able to open up their home to allow for the way they live. I removed the wall between the kitchen and dining area in order to create an open floor plan. Small cutouts were also made on each side of the range wall to allow the cook to interact with the family room in the lower level of the home. The space used to be a small kitchen area with eat in space. By removing the eating area and building in a large island table, I was able to almost double the cabinet storage. The sink was relocated to under a new centered window. A large step in pantry was also able to be added for more storage.

Example of a tuscan dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Seattle with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace

Our client desired a functional, tasteful, and improved environment to compliment their home. The overall goal was to create a landscape that was subtle and not overdone. The client was highly focused on their deck environment that would span across the rear of the house with an area for a Jacuzzi as well. A portion of the deck has a screened in porch due to the naturally buggy environment since the home is situated in the woods and a low area. A mosquito repellent injection system was incorporated into the irrigation system to help with the bug issue. We improved circulation of the driveway, increased the overall curb appeal of the entrance of the home, and created a scaled and proportional outdoor living environment for the clients to enjoy. The client has religious guidelines that needed to be adhered to with the overall function and design of the landscape, which included an arbor over the deck to support a Sukkah and a Green Egg smoker to cook Kosher foods. Two columns were added at the driveway entrance with lights to help define their driveway entrance since it's the end of a long pipe-stem. New light fixtures were also added to the rear of the house. Our client desired multiple amenities with a limited budget, so everything had to be value engineered through the design and construction process. There is heavy deer pressure on the site, a mosquito issue, low site elevations, flat topography, poor soil, and overall poor drainage of the site. The original driveway was not sized appropriately and the front porch had structural issues, as well as leaked water onto the landing below. The septic tank was also situated close to the rear of the house and had to be contemplated during the design process. Photography: Morgan Howarth. Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen, Surrounds Inc.

Transitional master gray tile white floor bathroom photo in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Large transitional master porcelain tile and brown floor bathroom photo in Detroit with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Large urban detached garage photo in New York

Farmhouse u-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen photo in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Thankfully this Northeast home had room for its kitchen to grow. The 9 foot by 8 foot kitchen had an adjacent, 6 foot by 11 foot office space which could be given up so the kitchen could expand into it. With this all the plumbing fixtures and appliances got rearranged, larger windows were installed and a glass exterior door was added along with a little deck. The new kitchen is almost double in size, comfortably accommodating cooks, guests and a cat. Plus an adjacent, secondary stairway was taken out so a half bathroom could go in its place. Along with a new pantry, well-made Crystal Cabinets span the kitchen to offer more storage than some know what to do with. Durable new Silestone quartz and butcher block countertops make for great working surfaces. Thoughtful plays on colors bring a sense of balance, calm, and light. Intentional selections made to make the kitchen fit with the home include; new hard wood flooring same size and species as existing, dark hardware, shaker style cabinetry and subway tile. To mix in a pop of local, colorful flare locally made Clay Squared tile is showcased above the range. Overall the remodeled kitchen allows for a whole new way of life that is being much enjoyed!

The minimal kitchen features a breakfast bar. Photo: Jim Bartsch
Example of a large mid-century modern porcelain tile and beige floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, paneled appliances and a peninsula

Photographer: William J. Hebert • The best of both traditional and transitional design meet in this residence distinguished by its rustic yet luxurious feel. Carefully positioned on a site blessed with spacious surrounding acreage, the home was carefully positioned on a tree-filled hilltop and tailored to fit the natural contours of the land. The house sits on the crest of the peak, which allows it to spotlight and enjoy the best vistas of the valley and pond below. Inside, the home’s welcoming style continues, featuring a Midwestern take on perennially popular Western style and rooms that were also situated to take full advantage of the site. From the central foyer that leads into a large living room with a fireplace, the home manages to have an open and functional floor plan while still feeling warm and intimate enough for smaller gatherings and family living. The extensive use of wood and timbering throughout brings that sense of the outdoors inside, with an open floor plan, including a kitchen that spans the length of the house and an overall level of craftsmanship and details uncommon in today’s architecture. •

Photo by Brian Flaherty
Living room - living room idea in San Francisco

This kitchen was in desperate need of a makeover. (see the original space at the end) There was a truly odd peninsula that blocked the cook from access to the refrigerator behind it. The span was only 33" which made working in the area almost impossible. The peninsula was also the weekly dining area, but did not function well. This makeovers is truly one of my favoirites as it shows what good design can do for a space!

Photographer: William J. Hebert • The best of both traditional and transitional design meet in this residence distinguished by its rustic yet luxurious feel. Carefully positioned on a site blessed with spacious surrounding acreage, the home was carefully positioned on a tree-filled hilltop and tailored to fit the natural contours of the land. The house sits on the crest of the peak, which allows it to spotlight and enjoy the best vistas of the valley and pond below. Inside, the home’s welcoming style continues, featuring a Midwestern take on perennially popular Western style and rooms that were also situated to take full advantage of the site. From the central foyer that leads into a large living room with a fireplace, the home manages to have an open and functional floor plan while still feeling warm and intimate enough for smaller gatherings and family living. The extensive use of wood and timbering throughout brings that sense of the outdoors inside, with an open floor plan, including a kitchen that spans the length of the house and an overall level of craftsmanship and details uncommon in today’s architecture. •

Elegant l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Charlotte with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Our client desired a functional, tasteful, and improved environment to compliment their home. The overall goal was to create a landscape that was subtle and not overdone. The client was highly focused on their deck environment that would span across the rear of the house with an area for a Jacuzzi as well. A portion of the deck has a screened in porch due to the naturally buggy environment since the home is situated in the woods and a low area. A mosquito repellent injection system was incorporated into the irrigation system to help with the bug issue. We improved circulation of the driveway, increased the overall curb appeal of the entrance of the home, and created a scaled and proportional outdoor living environment for the clients to enjoy. The client has religious guidelines that needed to be adhered to with the overall function and design of the landscape, which included an arbor over the deck to support a Sukkah and a Green Egg smoker to cook Kosher foods. Two columns were added at the driveway entrance with lights to help define their driveway entrance since it's the end of a long pipe-stem. New light fixtures were also added to the rear of the house. Our client desired multiple amenities with a limited budget, so everything had to be value engineered through the design and construction process. There is heavy deer pressure on the site, a mosquito issue, low site elevations, flat topography, poor soil, and overall poor drainage of the site. The original driveway was not sized appropriately and the front porch had structural issues, as well as leaked water onto the landing below. The septic tank was also situated close to the rear of the house and had to be contemplated during the design process. Photography: Morgan Howarth. Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen, Surrounds Inc.

Example of a cottage l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Inspiration for a contemporary master gray tile gray floor bathroom remodel in Hawaii with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink and black countertops

Our client desired a functional, tasteful, and improved environment to compliment their home. The overall goal was to create a landscape that was subtle and not overdone. The client was highly focused on their deck environment that would span across the rear of the house with an area for a Jacuzzi as well. A portion of the deck has a screened in porch due to the naturally buggy environment since the home is situated in the woods and a low area. A mosquito repellent injection system was incorporated into the irrigation system to help with the bug issue. We improved circulation of the driveway, increased the overall curb appeal of the entrance of the home, and created a scaled and proportional outdoor living environment for the clients to enjoy. The client has religious guidelines that needed to be adhered to with the overall function and design of the landscape, which included an arbor over the deck to support a Sukkah and a Green Egg smoker to cook Kosher foods. Two columns were added at the driveway entrance with lights to help define their driveway entrance since it's the end of a long pipe-stem. New light fixtures were also added to the rear of the house. Our client desired multiple amenities with a limited budget, so everything had to be value engineered through the design and construction process. There is heavy deer pressure on the site, a mosquito issue, low site elevations, flat topography, poor soil, and overall poor drainage of the site. The original driveway was not sized appropriately and the front porch had structural issues, as well as leaked water onto the landing below. The septic tank was also situated close to the rear of the house and had to be contemplated during the design process. Photography: Morgan Howarth. Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen, Surrounds Inc.