This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

Stunning horizontal double sided fireplace featuring Sierra Ridge Roman Castle from Pangaea® Natural Stone. This is a weathered European style stone that combines yesterday’s elegance with today’s sophistication. Roman Castle from Pangaea® Natural Stone features both a natural weathered and split face with a weathered-edge finish. Click to learn more about this stone and how to find a dealer near you: https://www.allthingsstone.com/us-en/product-types/natural-stone-veneer/pangaea-natural-stone/roman-castle/

Kitchen - contemporary kitchen idea in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances

Inspiration for a transitional dark wood floor bedroom remodel in New York with beige walls

Crisp white transitional white kitchen designed for serious cooks.
Open concept kitchen - large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Example of a large minimalist l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Charleston with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances and white countertops

Wolf 48" wide double oven range with Wolf Professional Hood. Prep sink in corner of island
Example of a large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Living room - transitional enclosed carpeted and gray floor living room idea in New York with beige walls and a wall-mounted tv

John Jackovich-Grande Custom Homes
Inspiration for a transitional formal light wood floor living room remodel in Charlotte with gray walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

This transitional bright south Tulsa kitchen features two islands. The first is the homeowner's cooking centric island housing an induction cooktop below a stainless professional vent hood, the super-functional Galley Workstation with plenty of base cabinet storage below, round seating area on one side with a waterfall edge counter on the other. The second smaller island features glass front base cabinets for storing plates and glassware on one side and bar sink, under-counter beverage refrigerator and base storage on the other. The natural wood flooring offsets the bright cabinets perfectly. The professional stainless steel appliances housed in both tall storage and base storage (which include but are not limited to a Sub-Zero side-by-side freezer and refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher on one side of the clean-up sink with Bosch under-counter drawer microwave joining the Bosch double ovens on the other). The combination of tall pantry storage, standard wall cabinets and glass front counter-top height cabinets add the perfect extra storage touch to a kitchen already loaded with storage options. The layout of this kitchen is both functional and beautiful. With the super cool Beatles artwork on the walls, we simply had to call this kitchen we designed, 'Beautiful Rock Star'!

Natural stone dimensional tile and river rock media transform an uninspiring double-sided gas fireplace. Removing the original French doors on either side of the fireplace allows the new ventless fireplace to command center stage, creating a large fluid space connecting the elegant breakfast room and bonus family room

Inspiration for a transitional dark wood floor living room remodel in New York with beige walls