Kelsey McDaniel from Reico Kitchen and Bath in Richmond, VA, collaborated with Lyerly Builders to design a transitional-inspired kitchen featuring Green Forest cabinetry. The kitchen includes Green Forest cabinets in the Park Place door style, with a White finish for the perimeter and a Speciale Grey finish for the island, complemented by LG Viatera Roccco quartz countertops. The kitchen also includes Top Knobs Amwell Honey Bronze hardware and KitchenAid appliances. The client shared their thoughts: “Two primary reasons our project was successful were the great array of choices in Reico’s showroom and Kelsey. The whole experience was not stressful. The cabinets and countertops are beautiful.” Kelsey noted, “The clients came to me with a clear vision, and together we turned that vision into reality during their new build. This large-scale project was a joy to work on with such wonderful clients. The house features a mix of neutral colors—whites, grays, blues, and pops of gold—that tie it all together. They chose a look-alike Carrara marble quartz and stainless-steel KitchenAid appliances to accent the kitchen area.” “This project is the highlight of my portfolio, and it was an absolute pleasure to be part of their experience!” Photos courtesy of Regarday, LLC

Kathy Moore from Reico Kitchen & Bath in King of Prussia, PA, worked with Belfry Construction to design a transitional kitchen featuring Merillat Autograph cabinets. The perimeter cabinets are in the Bayard door style with a Warm White finish, while the island has an Evergreen finish, paired with Q4076 Verde Peake countertops. The remodel also includes Daltile 3x12 Aloe Rectangle and 1x6 Drift Straight Joint backsplash tiles, along with Frigidaire appliances. The client said, “We love the extra counter space, storage, and modern look. Kathy was key to the project’s success because she considered every detail in the design. Her top suggestion was the utensil storage cabinet. Our favorite feature is the drawer microwave, which makes the area more user-friendly. We also moved the basement door to the dining room to add a corner cabinet and create a larger work area.” Kathy shared, “The kitchen needed more storage and better functionality. The biggest challenge was designing within the existing space since it was original and the clients had specific tastes. Moving the door allowed for more cabinets. I enjoyed working with the clients to pick all the options. The communication was excellent — they were excited, and we worked well as a team.” Photos courtesy of Dan Williams Photography.

Daniel Altmann of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Bethesda, MD designed a transitional inspired kitchen featuring Ultracraft cabinetry. The cabinets are in the Layfette door style in Maple with an Artic White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island, peninsula and wet bar in a Pepper finish. The clients shared their satisfaction with the remodel: “Picking the cabinets and the color was challenging. Daniel at Reico spent a lot of time helping us narrow our choices and provided valuable insight through pictures of other remodels. Him coming out to our house to measure provided peace of mind that we were selecting the right size and type of cabinets to make our project a success.” The clients added, “We particularly enjoy our new island and the additional cabinet space it provides. We now spend much more time in our kitchen and family room and love entertaining our family and friends. We really like the custom phone charging drawer and mixer stand cabinet.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Designed by Bryon Berrier of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Timonium, MD, this two-finish transitional styled kitchen remodel features Greenfield cabinetry. The kitchen cabinets combine the Hancock A door style in paint grade wood with a painted Surfside finish on the perimeter cabinets with the Hancock J door style in Cherry with a Java-stained finish for the kitchen island cabinets and range hood. Appliances, tile and Taj Mahal granite countertop were provided by others. The client highlighted that the kitchen remodel enhanced “the functionality, overall cohesiveness, and accessibility through features like full-extension drawers and pull-out drawers in pantries and cabinets, as well as improved aesthetics. We also achieved increased storage within the same space by customizing shallower pantries, enlarging the island, and using floor-to-ceiling cabinets.” “Bryon played a significant role in the process, offering suggestions on crown molding, cabinet selection, and assisting with hardware and sink choices. His responsiveness to any issues was highly appreciated, and all custom requests were successfully integrated into the design.” According to Bryon, the clients were amazing to work with. “They had a good idea of the space they wanted to create but were also receptive to new ideas based on my experience.” Photos courtesy of Dan Williams Photography.

Daniel Altmann of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Bethesda, MD designed a transitional inspired kitchen featuring Ultracraft cabinetry. The cabinets are in the Layfette door style in Maple with an Artic White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island, peninsula and wet bar in a Pepper finish. The clients shared their satisfaction with the remodel: “Picking the cabinets and the color was challenging. Daniel at Reico spent a lot of time helping us narrow our choices and provided valuable insight through pictures of other remodels. Him coming out to our house to measure provided peace of mind that we were selecting the right size and type of cabinets to make our project a success.” The clients added, “We particularly enjoy our new island and the additional cabinet space it provides. We now spend much more time in our kitchen and family room and love entertaining our family and friends. We really like the custom phone charging drawer and mixer stand cabinet.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Kathy Moore from Reico Kitchen & Bath in King of Prussia, PA, worked with Belfry Construction to design a transitional kitchen featuring Merillat Autograph cabinets. The perimeter cabinets are in the Bayard door style with a Warm White finish, while the island has an Evergreen finish, paired with Q4076 Verde Peake countertops. The remodel also includes Daltile 3x12 Aloe Rectangle and 1x6 Drift Straight Joint backsplash tiles, along with Frigidaire appliances. The client said, “We love the extra counter space, storage, and modern look. Kathy was key to the project’s success because she considered every detail in the design. Her top suggestion was the utensil storage cabinet. Our favorite feature is the drawer microwave, which makes the area more user-friendly. We also moved the basement door to the dining room to add a corner cabinet and create a larger work area.” Kathy shared, “The kitchen needed more storage and better functionality. The biggest challenge was designing within the existing space since it was original and the clients had specific tastes. Moving the door allowed for more cabinets. I enjoyed working with the clients to pick all the options. The communication was excellent — they were excited, and we worked well as a team.” Photos courtesy of Dan Williams Photography.

Kathy Moore from Reico Kitchen & Bath in King of Prussia, PA, worked with Belfry Construction to design a transitional kitchen featuring Merillat Autograph cabinets. The perimeter cabinets are in the Bayard door style with a Warm White finish, while the island has an Evergreen finish, paired with Q4076 Verde Peake countertops. The remodel also includes Daltile 3x12 Aloe Rectangle and 1x6 Drift Straight Joint backsplash tiles, along with Frigidaire appliances. The client said, “We love the extra counter space, storage, and modern look. Kathy was key to the project’s success because she considered every detail in the design. Her top suggestion was the utensil storage cabinet. Our favorite feature is the drawer microwave, which makes the area more user-friendly. We also moved the basement door to the dining room to add a corner cabinet and create a larger work area.” Kathy shared, “The kitchen needed more storage and better functionality. The biggest challenge was designing within the existing space since it was original and the clients had specific tastes. Moving the door allowed for more cabinets. I enjoyed working with the clients to pick all the options. The communication was excellent — they were excited, and we worked well as a team.” Photos courtesy of Dan Williams Photography.

Daniel Altmann of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Bethesda, MD designed a transitional inspired kitchen featuring Ultracraft cabinetry. The cabinets are in the Layfette door style in Maple with an Artic White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island, peninsula and wet bar in a Pepper finish. The clients shared their satisfaction with the remodel: “Picking the cabinets and the color was challenging. Daniel at Reico spent a lot of time helping us narrow our choices and provided valuable insight through pictures of other remodels. Him coming out to our house to measure provided peace of mind that we were selecting the right size and type of cabinets to make our project a success.” The clients added, “We particularly enjoy our new island and the additional cabinet space it provides. We now spend much more time in our kitchen and family room and love entertaining our family and friends. We really like the custom phone charging drawer and mixer stand cabinet.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Designed by Bryon Berrier of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Timonium, MD, this two-finish transitional styled kitchen remodel features Greenfield cabinetry. The kitchen cabinets combine the Hancock A door style in paint grade wood with a painted Surfside finish on the perimeter cabinets with the Hancock J door style in Cherry with a Java-stained finish for the kitchen island cabinets and range hood. Appliances, tile and Taj Mahal granite countertop were provided by others. The client highlighted that the kitchen remodel enhanced “the functionality, overall cohesiveness, and accessibility through features like full-extension drawers and pull-out drawers in pantries and cabinets, as well as improved aesthetics. We also achieved increased storage within the same space by customizing shallower pantries, enlarging the island, and using floor-to-ceiling cabinets.” “Bryon played a significant role in the process, offering suggestions on crown molding, cabinet selection, and assisting with hardware and sink choices. His responsiveness to any issues was highly appreciated, and all custom requests were successfully integrated into the design.” According to Bryon, the clients were amazing to work with. “They had a good idea of the space they wanted to create but were also receptive to new ideas based on my experience.” Photos courtesy of Dan Williams Photography.

Daniel Altmann of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Bethesda, MD designed a transitional inspired kitchen featuring Ultracraft cabinetry. The cabinets are in the Layfette door style in Maple with an Artic White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island, peninsula and wet bar in a Pepper finish. The clients shared their satisfaction with the remodel: “Picking the cabinets and the color was challenging. Daniel at Reico spent a lot of time helping us narrow our choices and provided valuable insight through pictures of other remodels. Him coming out to our house to measure provided peace of mind that we were selecting the right size and type of cabinets to make our project a success.” The clients added, “We particularly enjoy our new island and the additional cabinet space it provides. We now spend much more time in our kitchen and family room and love entertaining our family and friends. We really like the custom phone charging drawer and mixer stand cabinet.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images.

Staging an occupied home demands you think outside the box! In this case, the homeowner had already installed the vibrant pink chalkboard. By "shopping" their daughter's closet the two handbags became instant art. Poof! Bobbie McGrath / Successful Staging

Successful living spaces turn on the right mix of comfort components with ample seating topping the list. Versatile modular sating adapts to varying arrangements and can maximize floor space. Consider family-living spaces your canvas, a chance to artfully express your clan's personality, and showcase favorite pursuits.

The secret to designing a successful space is not to focus on the latest design trend nor what the designer happens to love in the moment but rather what are the tastes of those living in the home.? What is the architectural style of the home? In this project the style of the home is a traditional rancher but the clients' taste leans toward a more contemporary, transitional style. He especially preferred a more modern vibe while she liked feminine, sparkly elements. In this primary bedroom, simple dark nightstands with flat drawer fronts complement the contemporary concrete floors while a vertical headboard was upholstered in vinyl fabric containing a light metallic sheen. Metallic threads & a contemporary floral fabric were selected for relaxed, informal working drapes. A wonderful mix of masculine & feminine successfully unites in a transitional style bedroom.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

It's possible to have 3 successful flooring transitions in close proximity. The mixing of carpet, wood-look and stone-look flooring in harmonious colours is what makes this a good example. Photo: Deidre Kitsch

This project we recently completed in Manhattan Beach had an original floor plan with a dark, closed off kitchen. The homeowners' desire to open up the space by removing the common wall between the dining room and kitchen came with a structural challenge; we had to keep a support beam. Our Great Room feel was successful by removing the wall, but leaving just the post which we wrapped with walnut panels to match their new cabinetry. Our team also removed a section of the mirrored wall, turning it into a beautifully framed mirror piece to finish off the family's new Great Room.