David Fell Photography
Example of a mid-sized transitional master beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile bathroom design in Boston with an undermount sink, furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, a one-piece toilet and beige walls

Kitchen pantry - large country u-shaped kitchen pantry idea in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

Scott Amundson
Example of a beach style master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom design in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet and an undermount sink

It’s no surprise these Hanover clients reached out to Cathy and Ed of Renovisions for design and build services as they wanted a local professional bath specialist to turn their plain builder-grade bath into a luxurious handicapped accessible master bath. Renovisions had safety and universal design in mind while creating this customized two-person super shower and well-appointed master bath so their clients could escape to a special place to relax and energize their senses while also helping to conserve time and water as it is used simultaneously by them. This completely water proofed spacious 4’x8’ walk-in curb-less shower with lineal drain system and larger format porcelain tiles was a must have for our senior client –with larger tiles there are less grout lines, easier to clean and easier to maneuver using a walker to enter and exit the master bath. Renovisions collaborated with their clients to design a spa-like bath with several amenities and added conveniences with safety considerations. The bench seat that spans the width of the wall was a great addition to the shower. It’s a comfortable place to sit down and stretch out and also to keep warm as electric mesh warming materials were used along with a programmable thermostat to keep these homeowners toasty and cozy! Careful attention to all of the details in this master suite created a peaceful and elegant environment that, simply put, feels divine. Adding details such as the warming towel rack, mosaic tiled shower niche, shiny polished chrome decorative safety grab bars that also serve as towel racks and a towel rack inside the shower area added a measure of style. A stately framed mirror over the pedestal sink matches the warm white painted finish of the linen storage cabinetry that provides functionality and good looks to this space. Pull-down safety grab bars on either side of the comfort height high-efficiency toilet was essential to keep safety as a top priority. Water, water everywhere for this well deserving couple – multiple shower heads enhances the bathing experience for our client with mobility issues as 54 soft sprays from each wall jet provide a soothing and cleansing effect – a great choice because they do not require gripping and manipulating handles yet provide a sleek look with easy cleaning. The thermostatic valve maintains desired water temperature and volume controls allows the bather to utilize the adjustable hand-held shower on a slide-bar- an ideal fixture to shower and spray down shower area when done. A beautiful, frameless clear glass enclosure maintains a clean, open look without taking away from the stunning and richly grained marble-look tiles and decorative elements inside the shower. In addition to its therapeutic value, this shower is truly a design focal point of the master bath with striking tile work, beautiful chrome fixtures including several safety grab bars adding aesthetic value as well as safety benefits.

Matt Kocourek
Mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Kansas City with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, metallic backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Custom steel & glass partitions/ wall/ room divider / home space with tempered and blackened patina finish, photo by Lindsay Feldman
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern dark wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in New York

In this very compact guest/powder room bath (51 sq. ft), a Calacatta gold marble countertop, backsplash, shower threshold, shower niche and wall caps are seamlessly combined with a Calacatta gold porcelain wall and shower pan tile for the shower and vanity. A 12" round undermount Bates & Bates Donna sink was paired with an off-set single lever Grohe Allure faucet. A wall hung Lyptus sink base with Schaub Italian Design Mosaic cabinet pulls is complimented by a matching custom medicine cabinet which is recessed into the wall with the appearance of a simple mirror frame. Hinged LED vertical lights are mounted on the medicine cabinet frame, allowing the user to angle the lights in for perfect grooming illumination. Project includes a round bowl Toto Entrada toilet and Vallsan decorative hardware. Photo A Kitchen That Works LLC

zig zag stairs, simple lines, modern patterns.The minimalist design of the folded stair increases the sense of space whilst becoming a focal point within a room. designed by Valentin Oflidis and vvw studio

Gail Owens
Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen remodel in San Diego with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

In this bathroom remodel we installed Medallion Cherry Onyx Providence Flat panel doors and drawers with matching recessed mirrored medicine cabinets. The cabinets are accented with Richelieu contemporary metal knobs and pulls. Two square white Kohler undermount china sinks and Moen 90 Degree single handle faucets and two handle roman tub, paper holder, towel bar, robe hook. On the countertop is Cambria Bellingham quartz. In the shower is a 75” tall TruFit Semi-Frameless Swing Door and Panel Enclosure in Chrome with 3/8” glass. Florim Ethos Grey 12 x 24 porcelain tile is installed on the bathroom floor and shower walls with Stainless steel twilight Bliss Mist linear accent tile. On the shower floor is 2” x 2” Ethos Grey hexagon mosaic tile. With a 2” x 28” niche with shelf for storage. On the floor is 5” solid oak hand scraped wood flooring. In the bedroom we installed Kraus Dark Gunstock Maderia hardwood flooring.

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized contemporary u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, soapstone countertops, black backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Clear glass swinging shower door with back to back tubular pull handles.
Bathroom - transitional gray tile gray floor bathroom idea in DC Metro with gray walls and a hinged shower door

The exterior of this townhome is sheathed in sheet metal to give it an industrial vibe. This called for the same approach for the interior. The intimate kitchen was gutted to replace it with industrial, hardworking appliances. An European style refrigerator was installed that was taller but a thinner profile to take up less room and the molding was made wider so that the door could swing open without hitting the wall as it was in the old appliance. An industrial farmhouse sink was selected for its look and function, and the chef pull-down sprayer kitchen faucet gave the kitchen added character.

Designed by Reico Kitchen & Bath in Newark, DE this contemporary kitchen design features kitchen cabinets from Ultracraft Cabinetry in the Rockford door style in 2 finishes. The perimeter features a Modern Gray Nickel Linen finish, with Calcutta Vicenza engineered quartz countertops by Q. The kitchen island features a Arctic White Low Sheen finish, with Princess of Verona quartz countertops by Q. Kitchen appliances are from KitchenAid. Photos courtesy of Kylene Cleaver.

So to begin, we start with an existing kitchen that is outdated and just too neutral for the homeowners. They wanted unity and drama in their space, not mundane confusion! Mismatched appliances – white refrigerator, stainless range, black dishwasher – give a disjointed and unplanned vibe to the room and are crammed together in less than half of the available kitchen space. The beautiful wood floor extends throughout the house, but in the kitchen it falls flat – as the medium gold cabinets and almond tile counters provide no contrast and no interest. A bank of floor to ceiling cabinets separates the dining area from the kitchen, confining the space in both rooms. Note the massive blank end of the cabinets – in desperation to reduce the scale of this monolith, the homeowners decorated it with a clock and small nick-knacks, but it didn’t help. This is not a welcoming entrance to the kitchen. On the dining side, there is a hutch (with mirrored back), which ostensibly could serve as a buffet, however it is inconvenient to the prep area of the kitchen as it is tucked behind the tall pantry cabinets. And on the opposite wall is a separate wet bar which could serve more conveniently with a more unified kitchen and dining space. You would think that the large pantry cabinets would be a plus in a kitchen, however their placement and the deep fixed shelves belie any positive contribution. The looming wall of cabinetry confines the space and is a claustrophobe’s nightmare. Then note the clutter and chaos of storing small food items (normally most of your daily supplies don’t come in giant bulk quantities and sizes) on deep fixed shelves. Nothing really fits and canned goods become lost behind cereal boxes while baking supplies are piled on top of the snacks! The decision to remodel – the lady of the house wanted her kitchen to reflect the couples’ modern lifestyle. They are passionate people who love to entertain their friends and family – they need an open and accessible space that is both dramatic in bearing and easy to use on a daily basis. San Luis Kitchen began design by helping the homeowners choose a style and color scheme for their kitchen. The decision was made – a slab style cabinet door in a “Dark Lager” stain on maple wood. Because the homeowners did not want handles on their cabinets, we used a face frame cabinet construction to allow for “finger-pull” opening of the doors and drawers. The face frame is colored black as a contrast to the doors for a bold finish. Dark gray engineered-quartz counters and full height backsplash complete the picture. Kitchen layout and design is next. The sink remains at the corner window with the dishwasher moved to the left wall – giving space for a 36” range-top and dramatic 42” rectilinear hood. The refrigerator remains in place but is replaced with a black model. The cabinet above it is now 24” deep for a custom look and a built-in microwave/oven combo are placed to the right. Simple-line contemporary trim and uniform black and stainless modern appliances reinforce the linear aesthetic created by the doorstyle and face frame detailing. In place of the pantry, San Luis Kitchen designed a true buffet – accessible from both kitchen and dining sides. The storage needs are met by upper cabinets, base corner swing-out shelves and drawers, and a tall (adjustable) roll-out shelf unit on the dining side. We added an end wall (with niches) and extended the cabinetry and counter beyond as a welcome to the kitchen. In the dining room glass doors for display items grace the buffet. The wet bar is now visually and functionally joined to the kitchen – matching cabinetry and the more open overall plan tie everything together as a whole. Now in their new kitchen, the homeowners can prepare, serve, and enjoy a meal with their guests. The mosaic glass backsplash used at the bar adds pizzazz for fun gatherings and an evening’s entertainment. Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry: Brookhaven's Fairfield

In this bathroom remodel we installed Medallion Cherry Onyx Providence Flat panel doors and drawers with matching recessed mirrored medicine cabinets. The cabinets are accented with Richelieu contemporary metal knobs and pulls. Two square white Kohler undermount china sinks and Moen 90 Degree single handle faucets and two handle roman tub, paper holder, towel bar, robe hook. On the countertop is Cambria Bellingham quartz. In the shower is a 75” tall TruFit Semi-Frameless Swing Door and Panel Enclosure in Chrome with 3/8” glass. Florim Ethos Grey 12 x 24 porcelain tile is installed on the bathroom floor and shower walls with Stainless steel twilight Bliss Mist linear accent tile. On the shower floor is 2” x 2” Ethos Grey hexagon mosaic tile. With a 2” x 28” niche with shelf for storage. On the floor is 5” solid oak hand scraped wood flooring. In the bedroom we installed Kraus Dark Gunstock Maderia hardwood flooring.

zig zag stairs, simple lines, modern patterns.The minimalist design of the folded stair increases the sense of space whilst becoming a focal point within a room. designed by Valentin Oflidis and vvw studio

Frameless 3/8" tempered glass steam shower with door that swings in and out. Fixed panel sits to the left of the door. There is also a return panel on the buttress wall on the left side. Customer chose a Ladder pull handle in Brush Nickel finish. Photo ©Clinton Glass Company, Knoxville, TN.

In My Sister’s Garden-A Wistful Romp through a Drought Resistant Oasis "Spring is the time of the year, when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens One of the great things about growing up on a farm in the boondocks is that your tribe is your family. We five siblings were as thick as thieves as we climbed trees, worked the fields, pulled fences, drove tractors, branded cattle, and planted the spring garden. We played, we quarreled, and we dug in the dirt together. By the time May arrived, we ached to get our hands grubby in the vegetable patch. Waiting for the vegetables to sprout and be harvested taught us patience and responsibility. Of course, Mom’s beautiful flower gardens would already be abloom by this time of year getting us into constant trouble because we were forever picking bouquets not only for her, but, for teachers, 4-H leaders, and Sunday masses. As we grew into adults, our love of the earth grew as well. Following in the big shoes of my Father, my brother continued the family tradition of being a farmer and has one of the most beautiful vineyards in the county. Our Mother’s love of gardening instructed the gardens of her girls. Recently I walked with my sister Debbie through her eclectic garden. There is a saying that “you can take the girl out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the girl.” With Deb, she’s never left the land where we were born. She is a country cowgirl through and through. She’s always adorned with her cowboy hat, rodeo belt buckle, and boots! She hunts, fishes, grows her food, and would have relished being a pioneer in the 1870’s. Debbie and her husband are the ultimate recyclers and re-purposers. With their barnyard of adopted animals-pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens, even Texas long horns at one time, all the weeds and garden cuttings feed the animals and the manure is then recycled back to the garden. They collect rooftop rain runoff in used wine barrels then pipe it to a storage tank to help with summer watering. It’s never enough, but every drop helps. Their garden art includes rusted plows, wooden swings, a plethora of homemade birdhouses, multiple fountains made from found objects, wagon wheels, antlers, the cutest country chicken coop you ever did see, and a sleeping shed outfitted with a bear hide, antique fishing gear, pinecones, and found treasures of every sort. From their patio they watch the wildlife on their hillside property-deer, bobcats, raccoons, turkeys, skunks, and the occasional mountain lion. It’s a playful, restful garden setting, albeit with a watchful eye for the rattlesnakes that enjoy this oasis as well. What I love about Debbie’s garden is how it reflects her unique personality, her love of the land, and her admiration for the history of the Wild West. As we ambled around the property with her happy dogs in the lead, the songbirds sang, a bevy of butterflies delicately landed on her flowers, and the koi in the pond swam to the surface to greet me. This time together immersed in this sustainable landscape nurtured my soul and brought our childhood memories to vivid life. Although we grow the same plants, shrubs, trees, and succulents in both of our yards, our designs and esthetics are completely different. And that’s the beauty of creating a garden, making it your own special paradise where you can find peace, tranquility, and restoration in tandem with the wild kingdom. TIPS TO CREATING YOUR OWN UNIQUE PLAYGROUND ⎫ Don’t over-think it! Make lists of everything you enjoy in a garden then do it. ⎫ Be conservation conscious as well as considerate of nature. ⎫ Be creative. Think swathes, angles, circles, and flow. There is nothing more boring than a box. ⎫ The hardscape must include natural materials: rocks, gravel, barn wood, shells, or anything meaningful to you. ⎫ Instead of buying art, repurpose childhood toys, old sinks, even a commode overflowing with flowers can be comical. ⎫ Be playful. When you are going to spend time in the outdoors, you want to enjoy yourself. Allow your personality to shine. ⎫ Add surprises, secret gardens, hedged rooms, anything that will enhance the whimsical and magical element to your garden experience. ⎫ Lead to a focal point or view with meandering paths, walkways, and trails. ⎫ Invite the pollinators; bees, butterflies, and birds by providing housing, nectar flowers, protection, fountains, and ponds. ⎫ Mix it up. For a drought resistant garden, consider an array of beautiful succulents, cactus, lavender, bulbs, iris, daylily, geraniums, and other plants that will add color, texture, form, and structure, yet require little maintenance and minimal water. ⎫ A potager, pots, or area designated for edibles and herbs is a must have. There is nothing better than picking your dinner from your own property. ⎫ Benches, swings, lounge chairs, umbrellas, and places to unwind, watch the clouds, savor sunsets, and marvel at the stars make your garden your home. ` What’s so fun about our family gardening experience is the sharing that we all do in giving each other clips, snips, cuttings, bulbs, and volunteers. We grow the same specimens and as we stroll and admire our handiwork, we can’t remember who gave what to whom first. As I said farewell to my sister, she handed me a hand-painted tin filled with blooming echeveria from clippings I had given her a few years before. We shared a laugh. Little did I know this would be the last walk with my sister. She died just a few days before this article was published. She would have loved to have seen her passion in print. Debbie may you garden in the heavens. The circle of life continues. Happy Trails to you, Debbie. Until we meet again... Read more: https://www.lam orindaweekly.com/archive/issue1006/Digging-Deep-with-Cynthia-Brian.html Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/doc/313702488/My-Sister-s-Garden-Digging-Deep-With-Cynthia-Brian Radio Broadcast: http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/92459/porn-alarm-effective-apologies-in-my-sisters-garden Press Pass: http://vapresspass.com/2016/05/24/in-my-sisters-garden-a-wistful-romp-through-a-drought-resistant-oasis-by-cynthia-brian/ ©2016 Cynthia Brian The Goddess Gardener Starstyle® Productions, llc Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com www.GoddessGardener.com 925-377-STAR Tune into Cynthia’s Radio show at www.StarStyleRadio.com I am available as a speaker, designer, and consultant. Keywords: Debbie’s garden my sister’s garden, a cowboy western garden, drought resistant plants, cynthia brian, lamorinda weekly, starstyle, goddess gardener.