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Experience tranquility with our latest bathroom remodel project, a perfect blend of elegance and modernity designed to offer a peaceful retreat from the everyday hustle. This remodel highlights our meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality, transforming a traditional bathroom into a serene sanctuary that perfectly balances style and functionality.
Key Features:
Stylish Soaker Tub: Centerpiece white freestanding bathtub ideal for relaxation.
Elegant Vanity Area: Sleek black cabinets paired with a marble countertop provide ample storage and sophisticated style.
Luxurious Shower Space: State-of-the-art shower with multiple jets and a frameless glass enclosure, offering a spa-like experience.
Distinctive Tile Work: Eye-catching black and white patterned floor tiles set a stylish yet timeless tone.
Modern Fixtures: High-end fixtures in matte black finish, ensuring durability and adding a touch of modern elegance.
Natural Light: Large window providing abundant natural light and a view of the outdoors.
LED Lighting: Strategically placed LED lights that enhance the mood and functionality of the space.
Decorative Mirrors: Unique geometric mirrors that add depth and interest to the room.
Storage Solutions: Thoughtfully designed storage options that keep essentials neatly organized.
Greenery Integration: Placement of plants to add a natural element and enhance air quality.
This remodel not only maximizes comfort and visual appeal but also increases the overall value of the home, making it a wise investment for homeowners looking for both luxury and functionality.

The original Globe Electric Designer Series 6-ft 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip with 2 USB Ports and a Circuit Breaker Switch was specifically designed to eliminate the unsightly traditional power bar and replace it with one you'll want to show off! The added convenience of the handy space saver right angle plug allows your furniture to sit flush to the wall - creating more space without bent wires. A 6-foot fabric covered cord gives you the added convenience of increased range from power outlets. The six grounded outlets are perfect to use with small appliances and electronics such as lamps, computers, printers, and home theatre systems. The 3.1A combined USB ports ensure a fast charge for your devices. Compatible with smartphones (Android, iPhone), tablets (iPad, Android, Surface), eReaders (Kindle, Kindle Fire), cameras and more. Surge protected to 1200 joules, you can rest assured that your small electronics are safe while plugged in. Plus, the handy circuit breaker switch allows you to easily save power consumption and turn off all electronics with the flick of a switch. Recommended for indoor use. Patent pending.

The original Globe Electric Designer Series 6-ft 3-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip with 2 USB Ports was specifically designed to eliminate the unsightly traditional power bar and replace it with one you’ll want to show off! The added convenience of the handy space saver right angle plug allows your furniture to sit flush to the wall - creating more space without bent wires. A 6-foot fabric covered cord gives you the added convenience of increased range from power outlets. The three grounded outlets are perfect to use with small appliances and electronics such as lamps, computers, printers, and home theatre systems. The 2.4A combined USB ports ensure a fast charge for your devices. Compatible with smartphones (Android, iPhone), tablets (iPad, Android, Surface), eReaders (Kindle, Kindle Fire), cameras and more. Surge protected to 300 joules, you can rest assured that your small electronics are safe while plugged in. Recommended for indoor use. Patent pending.
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The original Globe Electric Designer Series 6-ft 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip with 2 USB Ports and a Circuit Breaker Switch was specifically designed to eliminate the unsightly traditional power bar and replace it with one you'll want to show off! The added convenience of the handy space saver right angle plug allows your furniture to sit flush to the wall - creating more space without bent wires. A 6-foot fabric covered cord gives you the added convenience of increased range from power outlets. The six grounded outlets are perfect to use with small appliances and electronics such as lamps, computers, printers, and home theatre systems. The 3.1A combined USB ports ensure a fast charge for your devices. Compatible with smartphones (Android, iPhone), tablets (iPad, Android, Surface), eReaders (Kindle, Kindle Fire), cameras and more. Surge protected to 1200 joules, you can rest assured that your small electronics are safe while plugged in. Plus, the handy circuit breaker switch allows you to easily save power consumption and turn off all electronics with the flick of a switch. Recommended for indoor use. Patent pending.

The Globe Electric Designer Series 3-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip with four 4.8A combined USB ports brings you additional outlets to provide required electricity combined with added USB ports to charge your hand-held devices. Being surge protected for up to 450 joules, it is the perfect cord to use with small appliances and electronics such as lamps, computers, computer screens, printers, smartphones, tablets, and home theatre systems. The 6-foot fabric-covered power cord gives you the added convenience of increased range from power outlets while the small compact size lets you use the power strip anywhere you want. A reset button allows you to easily reset the power strip after an energy surge so you can continue using your connected equipment. Comes with a manufacturer’s limited warranty protecting up to $100,000 on connected equipment. Recommended for indoor use.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit.
Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable.
The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside.
Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune.
The clients' needs and desires were:
➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups
➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas
➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework
➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme
➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage
➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave
➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook
Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by:
➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion
➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage.
➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners.
➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals.
The project is enhanced functionally by:
➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island
➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table.
➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers
➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen
➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room.
➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage.
➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware.
➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards.
The project is enhanced aesthetically by:
➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling
➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven
➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island
➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches
➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors.
➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space.
➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches.
Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC:
➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band.
➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging.
➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash.
Design obstacles to overcome:
➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel.
➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits
➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components.
Evidence of superior craftsmanship:
➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal
➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen
➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look
➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space
➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Miele Ranges at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone 818.880.0011 Fax 818.880.0411
12050 Ventura Blvd.,Studio City, CA 91604
Phone 818.755.1111 Fax 818.755.9111
www.uakc.com
Miele focuses on delivering precise, reliable, gourmet cooking results – compromise is simply not an option when it comes to performance. Miele ranges offering different size configurations (30", 36" and 48") and power configurations (dual fuel, gas, electric and induction). All aligning perfectly with Miele Generation 6000 built-in appliances in terms of design, function and user interface.
Key Features of Miele ranges:
M Touch
Miele's new M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection. Whether choosing an automatic Chicken program or calling up one of your Favorites, the screen with provide a pleasing visual with easy to read touch controls.
M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System
The M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System enables each of the burners on a Miele Range or Rangetop to both simmer and sear. Regular burners reaching up to 19,000 BTUs and the True Simmer burner reaching a maximum of 12,000 BTU, offers a wide range of precision temperatures for any recipe.
Moisture Plus
Increasing the humidity in the oven optimizes the cooking of a variety of foods: soft bread with a shiny, appetizing crust; dinner rolls and croissants as if from the local baker; succulent, tender meat with a nicely browned crust, perfect casseroles, delicious pastries and so much more.
MasterChef and MasterChef Plus
Both found in the Gourmet Center, MasterChef allows you to choose from over 100 easy-to-use programs for items such as baked goods, pizza, turkey and much more making preparation a breeze. Miele will deliver menu options that guide you step by step to the desired oven mode and temperature to create the perfect dish. MasterChef Plus Programs feature 15 Automatic bread programs bake as if from a bakery, guiding you to the correct mode, temperature, time and integration of Moisture Plus to create the perfect bread.
Wireless Roast Probe
Enjoy individualized and accurate roasting of meat, fish and poultry with the wireless roast probe, which measures the core temperature and displays the time remaining. No need to monitor the cooking process. Easy to use - and great for poultry, fish and roasts.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Hope Restoration & General Contracting
Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

AirField installed an AirPave grass fire lane for their porous flexible paving at Baptist Trinity Residential Hospice, creating a beautiful, functional, ecological friendly solution to facility access.
An installation of an AirField Systems grass fire lane at Baptist Trinity Residential Hospice brings green building benefits and incredible strength to a beautiful new facility. A time lapse photo series highlight the installation process of the 6,747 PSI sand filled 100% recycled geocell technology, providing the strength of asphalt and concrete while relieving some of the burden of costly storm sewers and drainage.
This new installation highlights the benefits of paving with grass, as well as the comparative ease of installation. Concrete and asphalt surfaces occupy twice the area of buildings and are the most detrimental to clean water. Concrete and asphalt surfaces dominate the landscape of our urban environments and prevent rainwater from being filtered naturally. They send harmful polluted water straight into our streams, rivers and lakes. In urban America, concrete and asphalt pavements produce two thirds of our excess water runoff. They are responsible for significant hydrocarbon pollutants on our ground and in our water, causing ground water decline, and resulting in local water shortages. These concrete and asphalt surfaces also create huge increases in temperature known as the urban “heat island effect”.
The pollution caused by impervious surfaces deteriorate the quality of our storm water runoff and create large overflows that our storm sewer systems cannot handle. It is also important to realize that the urban forest force is drastically diminishing, causing CO2 levels to rise, which in turn causes global warming. With all the negative influences of impervious pavements now is the time to turn our attention to alternatives for the benefit of the environment.
From fire lanes, overflow, and event parking, to temporary and stadium parking, reinforced grass parking systems deliver the same strength and durability of asphalt and concrete without the negative affects mentioned above. These incredibly strong geocells reinforce grass parking, prevent rutting from traffic, protect turf roots, and promote beautiful grass. Reinforced grass parking structures, also know as grass pavements, enhance the environment by naturally filtering auto and truck liquids such as oil drippings, antifreeze overflows and many other leaks and spills. They also help with air pollutants after they have been knocked to the ground by rainwater and greatly reduce hot surface temperatures thus fighting global warming and the “heat island effect”. Grass pavements allow our groundwater to be naturally replenished, the roots of trees to breathe, and they help our streams and rivers flow cleanly in dry hot summers. A large part of the solution to urban environmental problems is under our feet. By paying appropriate attention to the everyday materials on which we walk and drive, we can replenish renewable resources, restore the natural regenerative processes, and produce a cleaner, healthier, safer, more sustainable world in which we must live. Porous pavements are potentially the most important development in urban watersheds since the invention of storm sewers. By routing rainwater directly into the earth as nature intended, the need for costly storm water structures can be drastically reduced.
Reinforced grass parking has built in permeable spaces through which water and air can pass. Although some porous paving materials are nearly indistinguishable from nonporous materials in construction and superficial appearance, their environmental effects are qualitatively exponential. They allow air, water and heat to dissipate into the environment naturally helping to save the planet.
AirField reinforced grass parking provides beauty and comfort, and with the unbeatable price and performance of AirDrain you can’t go wrong. AirDrain is the reinforced grass pave system the industry has trusted for years !!!
Airfield Systems, LLC 8028 North May Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-359-3775
Installer – GREENPRO Landscapes Kevin James 9847 Stewart Rd Arlington, TN 38002

A lakeside home with limited outdoor space was in dire need of an innovative solution to transform this extremely dated backyard into an entertaining destination. The design solution incorporated an infinity edge pool, automated fire pit, outdoor kitchen, cabana, sun deck, and state of the art technology. The design was presented in 3-D to help the clients fully understand the creative use of space and elevation. The pool structure was literally cut in half to be prepared to increase the size and add an infinity edge. Due to the expansive soils and the new pool structure being built within 30” of the water’s edge, advanced construction techniques for stabilization were incorporated. The soil was chemically injected to control expansive movement and tight access concrete piers combined with helical anchors were installed to shore the new pool structure and infinity edge basin. In addition, the new decks were built over the water with many helical anchors installed in the water and drilled to over 30 kips per pier. The decks were designed to hold parking structure weight, not just a family entertaining. In addition, again due to the expansive soils and extreme slope the new deck, built from the latest technology decking supplied by Trex, was constructed on more than 50 concrete piers. The entire backyard incorporates the latest technology and can all be controlled via the home owner’s smart phone or computer. A few of the Amenities include; fully automated fire pit, multiple color changing LED lights in the pool and basin, under water speakers, full surround A/V system, deck accent lighting, step lights, cabana lighting and accents, water features, and more. This project was a true technical achievement implementing advanced engineering and the final result is a magnificent luxury outdoor living environment!
Photography: Daniel Driensky

Miele Ranges at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone 818.880.0011 Fax 818.880.0411
12050 Ventura Blvd.,Studio City, CA 91604
Phone 818.755.1111 Fax 818.755.9111
www.uakc.com
Miele focuses on delivering precise, reliable, gourmet cooking results – compromise is simply not an option when it comes to performance. Miele ranges offering different size configurations (30", 36" and 48") and power configurations (dual fuel, gas, electric and induction). All aligning perfectly with Miele Generation 6000 built-in appliances in terms of design, function and user interface.
Key Features of Miele ranges:
M Touch
Miele's new M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection. Whether choosing an automatic Chicken program or calling up one of your Favorites, the screen with provide a pleasing visual with easy to read touch controls.
M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System
The M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System enables each of the burners on a Miele Range or Rangetop to both simmer and sear. Regular burners reaching up to 19,000 BTUs and the True Simmer burner reaching a maximum of 12,000 BTU, offers a wide range of precision temperatures for any recipe.
Moisture Plus
Increasing the humidity in the oven optimizes the cooking of a variety of foods: soft bread with a shiny, appetizing crust; dinner rolls and croissants as if from the local baker; succulent, tender meat with a nicely browned crust, perfect casseroles, delicious pastries and so much more.
MasterChef and MasterChef Plus
Both found in the Gourmet Center, MasterChef allows you to choose from over 100 easy-to-use programs for items such as baked goods, pizza, turkey and much more making preparation a breeze. Miele will deliver menu options that guide you step by step to the desired oven mode and temperature to create the perfect dish. MasterChef Plus Programs feature 15 Automatic bread programs bake as if from a bakery, guiding you to the correct mode, temperature, time and integration of Moisture Plus to create the perfect bread.
Wireless Roast Probe
Enjoy individualized and accurate roasting of meat, fish and poultry with the wireless roast probe, which measures the core temperature and displays the time remaining. No need to monitor the cooking process. Easy to use - and great for poultry, fish and roasts.

This client’s vision for their kitchen/hearth room remodel was to create a harmonious space for gathering and socializing with family and friends. Without the before and after photos, you would scarcely believe this was the same home.
This huge home renovation perfectly illustrates that Dimensions In Wood’s expert team can handle every aspect of your remodeling project. Plumbing, flooring, electrical wiring, custom cabinets, structural engineering, appliances, windows, interior and exterior doors, entertainment and more. Contact us today to discuss Translating Your Visions into Reality
The client was interested in new appliance technology, cabinetry to the ceiling, and an Island large enough to seat 3. They also wanted a built-in breakfast nook, improved pantry space, more functional storage on either side of their fireplace, and a built-in appearance for the TV above the mantel. The original built-in desk was not used, and they preferred for that space to serve as a small bar area with refrigeration and a place to store their printer. We designed several plans for the space before selecting the final layout.
The new design required the removal of the soffit over the old sink, as well as a small wall beside the old refrigerator. The wall beside the stairwell had to be shortened 13 inches and a new beam installed to carry the load of the home’s 2nd story to gain enough space for the large central island. The existing closet pantry walls were also reconfigured as per the new plan.
This serves as a great reminder that Dimensions In Wood is much more than just custom cabinets.
Central to the entire custom kitchen is an 8-foot Walnut island. The huge island, which comfortably seats three, is topped with Essenza Blue quartzite. The stone’s natural striations are beautiful. Quartzite is harder than granite, and less likely to stain than other stones because of its density. The couple had to look through multiple slabs to find a piece they LOVED. The island’s custom Walnut cabinetry, built to resemble a piece of custom furniture, was stained Bronzed Walnut by Sherwin Williams.
The 4-foot Galley Workstation in the island, handles all the kitchen’s prep, serving, and cleanup needs. The Galley’s culinary tools include an upper tier cutting board, upper tier drying rack, 2 lower tier platforms, 11″ colander with non-slip handles, and 11” mixing bowl with lid and non-slip bottom. Learn more about the amazing Galley Workstation here. A Waterstone gantry faucet in a pewter finish combines a pull-down sprayer for maximum mobility and a articulated swivel spout. A water tap with reverse osmosis filter provides the highest quality drinking water. To keep a clean and sleek counter we installed a raised air switch for the garbage disposal and integrated soap dispenser. The island also houses the Thermador Sapphire 7-Program Dishwasher with a hidden touch control panel and a custom Walnut wood front. The cabinetry under the Galley Workstation features a trash roll out, as well as storage for the culinary tools.
Shortening the stairwell wall, and reframing around the stairs, which included shortening the handrail, also made room for a bi-fold door walk-in pantry with extra roll out storage and space for a small microwave. Above the panty doors is a remote controlled, electric motor powered, lift up cabinet door which hides a flat screen TV, used while the family is cooking.
To the right of the walk-in pantry is cold food storage. The Thermador, 30-inch Freedom Collection refrigerator and 24-inch built-in freezer column with internal ice maker are covered with matching cabinetry fronts. An open display space was designed above the units, creating an aesthetically beautiful wall. To the right of the refrigerator & freezer columns is a tall cabinet designed for the built-in Thermador steam and convection oven. The convention steam oven is a relatively new technology for homes, but its versatility and food quality is amazing. To the right of this is a pull-out appliance pantry which provides easy access and storage for a stand mixer, blender, and any other appliance you do not want to clutter the counter.
The most visible wall of the kitchen features the 36-inch Thermador Professional Series Harmony Gas Range with Griddle. Between the range and custom designed wood hood, a framed mosaic tile accent in the backsplash, creates a focal point. To clear the air, the Professional Series Thermador 42-inch ventilation insert provides excellent exhaust capabilities, as well as providing multi-level, vivid LED lights for beautiful illumination.
The wall cabinetry symmetrically flanks the custom hood, utilizing deeper wall cabinetry on each end, allowing for storage of oversized dishware. The base cabinetry on this wall is made up of drawers, except for the corner, which is a Kesseböhmer LeMans II. This specially designed shelf system allows ease of access in underutilized blind corners. The dual action articulation system with soft close mechanism ensures a smooth open and close.
Rounding the corner to the outside wall, the base cabinetry was built to a narrower depth, providing additional space for the island, as well as easier access to the new larger pass-thru window which serves the screen porch. The client selected Black Vermont granite countertops with an ogee edge to contrast the Linen White painted cabinetry.
The door to the screen porch was replaced with a Marvin Exterior Door with a raised panel at the bottom of the 3⁄4 glass door.
Marvin Windows replaced the other windows in the space increasing the energy efficiency and value of the home. To establish the breakfast nook, a bench with drawers and an upholstered seat was built into the bay area of the room.
Custom bookshelves were built with open shelves, cabinet doors, and drawers on either side of the fireplace. A new stone hearth and fireplace surround were installed. Above the existing mantel we built a recessed space for the flat screen television hiding all wiring inside the walls for a completely clean look.
The space that was once a desk was transformed into a bar area. The glass shelves and glass cabinet front liquor cabinet stand out. But this bar area has hidden secrets. Tucked beneath the black granite is a Thermador under-counter double drawer refrigerator with matching wood front panels. They blend in perfectly with the cabinets. A wireless printer is easily accessed on a slide out drawer. Plus, what looks like merely wooden panels on the wall are concealing recessed storage for more bottles and glasses!
Overhead recessed lighting and speaker system provide illumination and entertainment through the entire space.
This luxury home had original, solid oak flooring through most of the first floor which the homeowner obviously wanted to keep but were in desperate need of repair and refinishing. Our master craftsmen wove in new wood flooring to match the old where needed, particularly where walls had been changed and where the floor was damaged. We sanded the floors, smoothing away years of wear and tear. The entire wood floor was then uniformly stained, making it impossible to differentiate where any repairs were made.
If this renovation has inspired you, then contact us today! There is no limit to our Dimensions.

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was.
The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior.
This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters.
A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home.
The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout.
The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace.
The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit.
Photographer: Public 311 Design

Miele Ranges at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Phone 818.880.0011 Fax 818.880.0411
12050 Ventura Blvd.,Studio City, CA 91604
Phone 818.755.1111 Fax 818.755.9111
www.uakc.com
Miele focuses on delivering precise, reliable, gourmet cooking results – compromise is simply not an option when it comes to performance. Miele ranges offering different size configurations (30", 36" and 48") and power configurations (dual fuel, gas, electric and induction). All aligning perfectly with Miele Generation 6000 built-in appliances in terms of design, function and user interface.
Key Features of Miele ranges:
M Touch
Miele's new M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection. Whether choosing an automatic Chicken program or calling up one of your Favorites, the screen with provide a pleasing visual with easy to read touch controls.
M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System
The M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System enables each of the burners on a Miele Range or Rangetop to both simmer and sear. Regular burners reaching up to 19,000 BTUs and the True Simmer burner reaching a maximum of 12,000 BTU, offers a wide range of precision temperatures for any recipe.
Moisture Plus
Increasing the humidity in the oven optimizes the cooking of a variety of foods: soft bread with a shiny, appetizing crust; dinner rolls and croissants as if from the local baker; succulent, tender meat with a nicely browned crust, perfect casseroles, delicious pastries and so much more.
MasterChef and MasterChef Plus
Both found in the Gourmet Center, MasterChef allows you to choose from over 100 easy-to-use programs for items such as baked goods, pizza, turkey and much more making preparation a breeze. Miele will deliver menu options that guide you step by step to the desired oven mode and temperature to create the perfect dish. MasterChef Plus Programs feature 15 Automatic bread programs bake as if from a bakery, guiding you to the correct mode, temperature, time and integration of Moisture Plus to create the perfect bread.
Wireless Roast Probe
Enjoy individualized and accurate roasting of meat, fish and poultry with the wireless roast probe, which measures the core temperature and displays the time remaining. No need to monitor the cooking process. Easy to use - and great for poultry, fish and roasts.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Hope Restoration & General Contracting
Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours
The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents.
Early History
The earliest
St. Simons Island Village
record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini.
Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned.
Colonial History
As
Fort Frederica
early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat.
Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service.
Plantation Era
By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war.
Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton.
Between
Ebos Landing
the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing.
One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863).
Another
Retreat Plantation
large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves.
The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall.
The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church.
Civil War and Beyond
The
St. Simons Island Lighthouse
outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned.
After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations.
By
St. Simons Lumber Mills
1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross.
The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island.
Twentieth Century
The
St. Simons Island Pier and Village
opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development.
In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s.
The
St. Simons Island
outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents.
Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa.
Since
Epworth by the Sea
1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant.
Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

Bathe your bathroom in beautiful details and luxurious design with floating vanities from Dura Supreme Cabinetry. With Dura Supreme’s floating vanity system, vanities and even linen cabinets are suspended on the wall leaving a sleek, clean look that is ideal for transitional and contemporary design themes. Floating vanities are a favorite look for small bathrooms to impart an open, airy and expansive feel. For this bath, rich bronze and copper finishes are combined for a stunning effect.
A centered sink includes convenient drawers on both sides of the sink for powder room storage, while two wall-hung linen cabinets frame the vanity to create a sleek, symmetric design. A variety of vanity console configurations are available with floating linen cabinets to maintain the style throughout the design. Floating Vanities by Dura Supreme are available in 12 different configurations (for single sink vanities, double sink vanities, or offset sinks) or individual cabinets that can be combined to create your own unique look. Any combination of Dura Supreme’s many door styles, wood species, and finishes can be selected to create a one-of-a-kind bath furniture collection.
The bathroom has evolved from its purist utilitarian roots to a more intimate and reflective sanctuary in which to relax and reconnect. A refreshing spa-like environment offers a brisk welcome at the dawning of a new day or a soothing interlude as your day concludes.
Our busy and hectic lifestyles leave us yearning for a private place where we can truly relax and indulge. With amenities that pamper the senses and design elements inspired by luxury spas, bathroom environments are being transformed from the mundane and utilitarian to the extravagant and luxurious.
Bath cabinetry from Dura Supreme offers myriad design directions to create the personal harmony and beauty that are a hallmark of the bath sanctuary. Immerse yourself in our expansive palette of finishes and wood species to discover the look that calms your senses and soothes your soul. Your Dura Supreme designer will guide you through the selections and transform your bath into a beautiful retreat.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure
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http://www.durasupreme.com/dealer-locator

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was.
The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior.
This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters.
A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home.
The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout.
The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace.
The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit.
Photographer: Public 311 Design

Brunswick Parlour transforms a Victorian cottage into a hard-working, personalised home for a family of four.
Our clients loved the character of their Brunswick terrace home, but not its inefficient floor plan and poor year-round thermal control. They didn't need more space, they just needed their space to work harder.
The front bedrooms remain largely untouched, retaining their Victorian features and only introducing new cabinetry. Meanwhile, the main bedroom’s previously pokey en suite and wardrobe have been expanded, adorned with custom cabinetry and illuminated via a generous skylight.
At the rear of the house, we reimagined the floor plan to establish shared spaces suited to the family’s lifestyle. Flanked by the dining and living rooms, the kitchen has been reoriented into a more efficient layout and features custom cabinetry that uses every available inch. In the dining room, the Swiss Army Knife of utility cabinets unfolds to reveal a laundry, more custom cabinetry, and a craft station with a retractable desk. Beautiful materiality throughout infuses the home with warmth and personality, featuring Blackbutt timber flooring and cabinetry, and selective pops of green and pink tones.
The house now works hard in a thermal sense too. Insulation and glazing were updated to best practice standard, and we’ve introduced several temperature control tools. Hydronic heating installed throughout the house is complemented by an evaporative cooling system and operable skylight.
The result is a lush, tactile home that increases the effectiveness of every existing inch to enhance daily life for our clients, proving that good design doesn’t need to add space to add value.

German Embassy in Pristina - Kosovo, contracted the architecture office “Ferizi + Ferizi Architects” to plan and implement an Annex Office building for their purposes. As detached part of this building is designed the waiting area, as alone standing structure.
This Office Building is constructed by assembling of Eight used office containers that were delivered on trucks and set up after only a few hours on the basis of the LEGO principle, according to the planning on strip foundations.
By removing the flexible exterior wall panels, a large room of 115 m² was created, with the counter wall as a room partition between two office spaces, each with seven workstations as well as three counters for agents on one side and a room for visitors on the other side.
With this system, room solutions can be easily implemented in all dimensions.
The container, seen as a geometric shape, is a simple, octagonal, solid box.
The standardized perfection of its dimensions is striking: 2.44 meters wide, 2.59 meters high and 6.06 meters or 12.19 meters long.
Since its introduction in 1956 by the American transport entrepreneur Malcom McLean, the container has become a standardized transport module worldwide, whether on ships, trucks or construction sites.
The shipping containers have additionally revolutionized the transport industry, pushed the globalization noticeably, and thus directly or indirectly influenced all our lives.
But after only a few years, when the first overseas containers wore out, many engineers recognized the positive properties of used shipping containers for building houses, especially since they are robust, flexible, multifunctional and second-hand relatively inexpensive to purchase. The time has long passed by to treat containers exclusively as transport objects.
As a "measure of all things", containers can hardly be ignored in construction.
Their use is no longer limited to temporary use since school containers, information containers, office containers or entire residential buildings are now part of our everyday life in the construction industry.
However, current examples of the container architecture prove that even the most demanding solutions for container building are feasible. For their specific aesthetic and spatial qualities, containers also serve as design parameters for the development of new forms of architecture and urbanity.
The office building as an extension of the visa section, characterized by modern materials and contemporary aesthetics has been designed and built mainly as a low-energy building.
Extensive insulation to achieve a comfortable and sustainable constant temperature in the interior, high window quality and low energy consumption make the building energy-efficient.
The sophisticated lighting technology, networks, heating systems and air-conditioning systems are also components of this equipment.
It creates an overall harmonic picture and guarantees the highest standard in sustainable construction, taking into consideration the fact that environmentally friendly recycling and reutilization have become an increasingly important issue in our society.
West and East side of the wooden facade is compact and has few openings, while the southern facade is completely open with lot of glass. Its spatial openness ensures a transparent, friendly work environment, which allows a lot of light into the space.
This openness allows an uninterrupted, pleasant and close-to-nature view from interior spaces into the beautiful garden. During the installation of sophisticated light sources in the garden, emphasis was not only put on functionality and security, but also on the beauty of the garden shown through the illumination in the evening.
Large, horizontal white “brisole” serve as external sun protection systems, mounted on the canopies of the entrance areas of the modular construction and the enclosure, adeptly cast shade on these areas and at the same time shape the entire architectural language.
While on one hand, the two quadratic ledges suspended in the air, are docked with steel stairs and match the wooden façade, lead the staff to their office space, the artful modern interior, on the other hand, perfectly unites the functionality, innovative technology, culture and positive effects on the employees' efficiency and wellbeing.
A lot of white, interjected by warm wooden and colored accents, determines the ambience.
In the case of the lighting solution, the mainly linear ceiling lighting is used as the overlapping design element both for the offices of the visa section as well as for the counters and the waiting area for the visitors.
They underline the puristic design in order to create a pleasant light for a desired general illumination and ensure optimal light conditions without causing disturbing reflections on the computer screens.
In addition, precisely positioned pendant luminaires are installed at the workstations, which ensure pleasant room brightness.
In the entrance area, the harmonic and uniform lighting effect from the ground highlights the integration of photography and architecture.
Photographs of landscapes, people, places, expressing unforgettable, impressive moments and memories have been lovingly engraved on 8 x 8cm square oak blocks.
The idea of an effective, impressive environment that stimulates and inspires the work was the premiss on which the whole design concept was based. Consequently, the modular construction was no longer viewed through its history of utilization and scars, but rather as a structure of work ambiance, art and elegance.
FERIZI + FERIZI Architects
Photo: Arben Llapashtica

These South Shore of Boston homeowners are no different than many recent clients who show an interest in upgrading their dated and aged bathrooms. They are looking to modernize, reflecting today’s bath trends but also desire increased re-sale value with new fixtures, tile and ventilation system. Given the time we spend in our baths, it is not surprising. (A recent Houzz, survey found that 60% of people occupy their bathrooms for at least one hour per day plus 58% of people surveyed said they use their smart phone or tablet to handle a multitude of activities.)
This stunning full bath Renovision involved replacing the existing builder-grade vanity, sink and faucet with striking dark blue cabinetry featuring a bank of three deep drawers on each side of a two-door sink base. This client likes the new standard vanity height, no 34.5” which allows more storage space for cosmetic and cleaning supply items.
Silestone’s Blanco Zeus countertop clearly modernizes the look and feel of this bath and doesn’t take away from the grey wood-look planked porcelain tiled floor which is on trend. The tub/shower walls with niche for shampoos and 3”x6” white subway tiles reflect a classic, clean and fresh look. The curved shower rod provides additional room while showering and its chrome finish ties in with the new shiny fixtures.
Adding a few architectural elements definitely enhanced this bath. Renovisions re-worked the existing closet space with a custom built piece which included open shelving to store bath towels and door(s) on the bottom to accommodate laundry hamper.
This furniture-look closet along with the window, trims and plantation shutters were color matched in the same white painted finish; stylish and sensible indeed!

For this couple, planning to move back to their rambler home in Arlington after living overseas for few years, they were ready to get rid of clutter, clean up their grown-up kids’ boxes, and transform their home into their dream home for their golden years.
The old home included a box-like 8 feet x 10 feet kitchen, no family room, three small bedrooms and two back to back small bathrooms. The laundry room was located in a small dark space of the unfinished basement.
This home is located in a cul-de-sac, on an uphill lot, of a very secluded neighborhood with lots of new homes just being built around them.
The couple consulted an architectural firm in past but never were satisfied with the final plans. They approached Michael Nash Custom Kitchens hoping for fresh ideas.
The backyard and side yard are wooded and the existing structure was too close to building restriction lines. We developed design plans and applied for special permits to achieve our client’s goals.
The remodel includes a family room, sunroom, breakfast area, home office, large master bedroom suite, large walk-in closet, main level laundry room, lots of windows, front porch, back deck, and most important than all an elevator from lower to upper level given them and their close relative a necessary easier access.
The new plan added extra dimensions to this rambler on all four sides. Starting from the front, we excavated to allow a first level entrance, storage, and elevator room. Building just above it, is a 12 feet x 30 feet covered porch with a leading brick staircase. A contemporary cedar rail with horizontal stainless steel cable rail system on both the front porch and the back deck sets off this project from any others in area. A new foyer with double frosted stainless-steel door was added which contains the elevator.
The garage door was widened and a solid cedar door was installed to compliment the cedar siding.
The left side of this rambler was excavated to allow a storage off the garage and extension of one of the old bedrooms to be converted to a large master bedroom suite, master bathroom suite and walk-in closet.
We installed matching brick for a seam-less exterior look.
The entire house was furnished with new Italian imported highly custom stainless-steel windows and doors. We removed several brick and block structure walls to put doors and floor to ceiling windows.
A full walk in shower with barn style frameless glass doors, double vanities covered with selective stone, floor to ceiling porcelain tile make the master bathroom highly accessible.
The other two bedrooms were reconfigured with new closets, wider doorways, new wood floors and wider windows. Just outside of the bedroom, a new laundry room closet was a major upgrade.
A second HVAC system was added in the attic for all new areas.
The back side of the master bedroom was covered with floor to ceiling windows and a door to step into a new deck covered in trex and cable railing. This addition provides a view to wooded area of the home.
By excavating and leveling the backyard, we constructed a two story 15’x 40’ addition that provided the tall ceiling for the family room just adjacent to new deck, a breakfast area a few steps away from the remodeled kitchen. Upscale stainless-steel appliances, floor to ceiling white custom cabinetry and quartz counter top, and fun lighting improved this back section of the house with its increased lighting and available work space. Just below this addition, there is extra space for exercise and storage room. This room has a pair of sliding doors allowing more light inside.
The right elevation has a trapezoid shape addition with floor to ceiling windows and space used as a sunroom/in-home office. Wide plank wood floors were installed throughout the main level for continuity.
The hall bathroom was gutted and expanded to allow a new soaking tub and large vanity. The basement half bathroom was converted to a full bathroom, new flooring and lighting in the entire basement changed the purpose of the basement for entertainment and spending time with grandkids.
Off white and soft tone were used inside and out as the color schemes to make this rambler spacious and illuminated.
Final grade and landscaping, by adding a few trees, trimming the old cherry and walnut trees in backyard, saddling the yard, and a new concrete driveway and walkway made this home a unique and charming gem in the neighborhood.
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