These elegant twin curved staircases transform the foyer into an impressive architectural statement. Rising symmetrically on either side of the entrance, they frame a curved balcony above, creating grandeur from the moment you enter. Both staircases feature rich oak treads and stringers paired with classic black wrought-iron balusters. Custom handrail components ensure smooth, seamless transitions through every curve. Careful collaboration and precise templating during the framing phase guaranteed a perfect fit along the curved walls, proving that exceptional results require both planning and precision. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

What surprises people most when entering and walking on the glowing white surface in this particular Private Residence (Williamsburg, VA) is when they find out they are walking on a sea of glass! Yes, GLASS! Not marble, not granite, but GLASS! Nathan Allan has created a very fresh, unique flooring surface, which is smooth to touch on the majority of the glass surface, yet has an almost invisible safety finish permanently embedded in the glass surface. THE GLASS Nathan Allan’s Glass Flooring incorporates features which are visually stunning, while also providing a safety finish which provides comfort to everyone walking on the glass. Our Sandstone texture is forged into the bottom surface of the glass, while our exclusive Glass Sandpaper safety finish is fused onto the walking surface. To enhance all features, we added a bright, sparkling, White Metallic color finish throughout each flooring panel. SPECIFICATIONS Each Glass Flooring panel is produced in 1/2″ (12mm) thick, Low Iron, tempered safety glass. Tempered glass provides added strength, insuring that the Glass Flooring can accept a heavy load. Panels vary in size and dimension, with most panels measured at a block size of 5’0 x 6’0 (1500mm x 1800mm). Perimeter Edge panels were carved and shaped to fit tightly against the curved walls. Glass Sandpaper, ASTM tested in labs with the highest slip-coefficient safety ratings, is fused onto the walking surface, to provide a very comfortable and effective safety feature. Flooring Glass Details: 1/2″ (12mm) thick, Low iron tempered safety glass Flat Polished Edges Glass Sandpaper on walking surface Sandstone texture on bottom surface White Metallic color finish on bottom surface Panels sizes up to 5’0 x 6’0 Approximately 800 square feet of glass flooring Perimeter panels shape cut to fit Almost overshadowed by the spectacular flooring is a 1.5” thick, Heavy Glasstop, Crescent shaped, with Nathan Allan’s Rocky Mountain texture. DESIGN A White Sea of Glass flooring is the finished result of combining a light Sandstone texture on the bottom glass surface, with the added touch of a sparkling White Metallic color finish. Combined with our Glass Sandpaper safety finish, and the natural and artificial light sources, our Glass Flooring shimmers within the entire entrance space. INSTALLATION Using very important installation techniques, Nathan Allan worked hand in hand with great team of professionals: Vicki Bristow, designer, W. M. Jordan Company, GC, and Pompei Inc, glass flooring installer. Templates were produced for all perimeter edge panels, and every shaped panel. All flooring panels are secured to the substrate with special adhesives, and joints are filled with matching color sealants. “A beautiful project is always enhanced when working with quality, prestigious builders, and talented trade’s people. The tight organization and open communication by all the team members contributed greatly to a project proceeding seamlessly, with the incredible visual results to prove it.” Barry Allan – Director Photo credit: Morgan Howarth

Cambria White Cliff quartz countertops with waterfall end and 3" mitered edge. Digital templates and waterjet cutting were used to get precise radius cut at back and segmented front.

These elegant twin curved staircases transform the foyer into an impressive architectural statement. Rising symmetrically on either side of the entrance, they frame a curved balcony above, creating grandeur from the moment you enter. Both staircases feature rich oak treads and stringers paired with classic black wrought-iron balusters. Custom handrail components ensure smooth, seamless transitions through every curve. Careful collaboration and precise templating during the framing phase guaranteed a perfect fit along the curved walls, proving that exceptional results require both planning and precision. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Example of a mid-sized classic wooden curved staircase design in Detroit with painted risers

Are you hot and uncomfortable in your outdoor spaces? If so, Keystone Fabrics cordless outdoor sun shades are the perfect solution. Our shades are made from a high quality, durable PVC fabric. With up to 92% UV block, these shades keep your space cool, while lowering your energy costs, reducing blinding glare and fading of furniture. Simply roll your shades down, using the pole and hand crank system, before heat starts building up on your window, porch or patio and start enjoying your outdoor space again. An installation template and removable pole are included. These shades are available in a variety of colors and sizes.

The Ubuntu Center provides pediatric HIV testing and treatment, counseling, education, and community empowerment. The design is focused on de-stigmatization and normalization of HIV testing and treatment. It provides access to a state-of-the-art facility in a beleaguered post-apartheid community. The design is a model for sustainable development that begins with environment and extends to the preservation of life. Funded globally and operated locally, Ubuntu reflects a world defined by unprecedented global connection and the resurgence of local, community based organization. Ubuntu center brings state of the art services to vulnerable children by providing centrally located, free and accessible social services in a single facility. It comprises a multi-purpose hall for education, concerts and shelter when needed; an empowerment wing with career guidance and computer centre, and a fully equipped Pediatric HIV /TB testing and counseling clinic with 47,691 people reached through community HIV prevention outreach. Ubuntu’s organic rooftop garden, together with Ubuntu’s neighborhood gardens feed 2,245 students daily. It provides a timely and practical template for sustainability on a societal as well as an environmental level. Ubuntu has been adopted by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR), and has become a model of success for the Clinton Global initiative, the Kresge foundation, and countless individual supporters.

These elegant twin curved staircases transform the foyer into an impressive architectural statement. Rising symmetrically on either side of the entrance, they frame a curved balcony above, creating grandeur from the moment you enter. Both staircases feature rich oak treads and stringers paired with classic black wrought-iron balusters. Custom handrail components ensure smooth, seamless transitions through every curve. Careful collaboration and precise templating during the framing phase guaranteed a perfect fit along the curved walls, proving that exceptional results require both planning and precision. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Contractor John Girata Granite fabricated and installed by Premier Granite, Carnegie PA Shower enclosure with 3/8" tempered glass templated and installed by Capri Glass, Coraopolis, PA Tile from The Tile Shop, Wexford, PA with Arianne Eichner

The homeowner wanted something different, out of the ordinary, as an entertainment center and bar combination that would add an unusual dimension to watching TV. It had to be in character with the rest of the residence, tastefully designed and executed to deliver the maximum effect. A two-piece combination bar and seating, coupled with a fireplace and large screen TV was designed. A system was designed and custom built cabinet consisting of a radius front entertainment center houses a large flat screen TV and enclosed stereo speakers on the top level, and a gas log fireplace below. A custom built see-through bar sports a matching radius front, plenty of storage, and room for three to eat, drink, and enjoy the warmth of the fireplace without missing any of the action on the TV. For even greater functionality, the TV is also viewable through the large opening in the bar while meals or snacks are prepared from the kitchen. Traffic flow is unique: access and egress between the bar front and TV can happen with ease around both sides of the bar, and the opening in the back of the bar provides for service both from and to the kitchen area. Because of the free and easy movement about the space, adequate lighting, and lack of combustibles at or on the fireplace, safety, as well as an ample use of space, are both achieved. Both pieces are custom fabricated from start to finish, and match each other identically in all respects. Both are constructed of clear cherry finish with a clear satin lacquer. Both enjoy chrome accents strips and custom crafted, glass cabinet doors with matching radii, and both are tastefully lit with accenting puck lights. The design and fabrication for both units shared issues in common as well as individually. The entertainment center was fabricated in the shop in three units and then assembled onsite. The opening for the flat screen TV had to be carefully considered as it too had a radius and therefore had to be designed so that the TV would fit. The entire bar system, except the countertop, had to be fabricated onsite due to the structural columns on either side between which the curved lower cabinets would rest. Then the countertop template was prepared, fabricated elsewhere, returned and installed. After the countertop was in place, the cabinetmaker had to wrap the two columns on either side as well as the overhead beam while making sure the joints at the columns and header maintained alignment. A complement of matching radii cabinet doors had to be constructed for both units. Radius glass inserts had to be ordered with precise dimensions to assure a perfect fit to openings with tight tolerances. Any mistake would have been expensive to correct. Because of the abundance of natural light into the space, the finishes had to be dead-on, otherwise every flaw would show. The custom walnut inlays were fabricated out of square stock, which protruded above the radius in each door. A jig matching the radius had to be designed and fabricated, then a router used to trim excess material and then sanded and finished. Solving the multitude of challenges associated with the project was one of the parts that made the project fun and interesting. The homeowners now can entertain every night.

Two separate shutter frames meeting at an inside corner above a freestanding tub. The sill caps are mitred so the moulding line carries around the corner unbroken — that's a templating job, not a stock size. Hidden tilt keeps the panels clean with no rod down the middle. Real hardwood, built in our Palm City factory.

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©

This exceptional Burien, Washington kitchen project highlights the dramatic elegance of Meta Black Marinace quartzite, a natural stone known for its bold patterns, rich depth, and unique character. Fabricated and installed by Absolute GM, the custom countertops and kitchen island were designed to showcase the stone’s natural beauty while creating a refined, high-end interior. Careful slab selection, digital templating, and precision fabrication were essential to maintain pattern flow and visual balance across the surfaces. The final installation delivers clean lines, seamless transitions, and a custom architectural finish that enhances both the functionality and aesthetic value of the kitchen. Absolute GM provides expert countertop fabrication and installation services throughout the Seattle area, specializing in quartzite, marble, granite, quartz, porcelain, and premium architectural surfaces.

Spectrums Indulgence quartz, manufactured right here in Latta South Carolina, went into this kitchen in Columbia, and it's the kind of stone that works quietly hard in a room people actually cook and live in. It's engineered quartz, so what you're looking at is a mix of ground quartz and resin, blended and pressed to give a background that stays consistent slab to slab. That matters more than people think when you're trying to keep a kitchen looking pulled together across a run of cabinets, an island, and a backsplash. The color reads as a soft, workable background with movement in it, enough character to give the room some depth without turning into something that fights with the cabinets or the floor. That's the appeal of a pattern like this one. It's not a plain solid, but it's not so busy that it limits what else goes in the space. Kitchens live a long time with the same countertop, and a stone that holds up visually over the years is worth choosing over something flashier that gets tiring. Quartz like this is also just practical for a working kitchen. It doesn't need sealing the way natural stone does, it resists staining from wine, oil, and citrus, and it shrugs off the daily scratches from knives and pans that would show on a softer stone. Heat is the one thing we tell people to respect, a hot pan straight off the stove can shock the resin, so a trivet is the smart habit to build. Otherwise it's about as low-maintenance a surface as you can put in a kitchen. We set the edge as eased, which is the clean, simple choice that lets the stone itself do the talking instead of the profile. Templating and fabrication on a job like this comes down to getting the seams tight and matching the pattern across the island and the runs so it reads as one continuous piece even where the slabs meet. Jobs like this are what we like doing around Columbia and the rest of the Midlands, where a kitchen remodel means getting the material, the layout, and the fit all right in a space a family's going to use every single day.

This kitchen in Irmo features MSI Calacatta Elysio, an engineered quartz with a bright white background and soft gray and gold veining moving through it, giving it plenty of movement and warmth without ever feeling flat or cold. Quartz makes sense in a kitchen like this one. It's non-porous, so there's no sealing to keep up with and no worrying about wine or lemon juice sitting on the counter too long. Engineered stone gives us a consistent pattern too, which matters when you're trying to match veining across a seam or carry the look from the perimeter counters over to an island. We template every job on site with precision equipment so the fit is tight before a single cut gets made in the shop. Fabricating a quartz top like this takes patience. Getting the veining to match at the seam in the farm sink is paramount, especially if the kitchen has an island or a stretch of counter longer than 8 or 9 feet, takes some planning up front. We look at the whole layout before we cut so the pattern flows the way it should instead of looking chopped up. Day to day, this is a surface that's built for real cooking. It resists scratches and stains well, handles daily wear without much fuss, and doesn't ask for any regular maintenance routine to keep it looking good. Hot pans still require a trivet, but for prepping, and everything else that happens in a working kitchen, it holds up. We do a lot of this kind of work across the Midlands, and Irmo kitchens like this one are a good example of why quartz keeps showing up on our schedule. It gives homeowners a bright, clean look with a practical, low-maintenance surface that fits how people actually use their kitchens.

Blue Dunes granite is a striking choice for a bathroom vanity, and this one in Columbia shows why. The stone carries a deep blue-gray base with movement that shifts from soft charcoal to cooler blue tones depending on the light in the room. It's the kind of slab that reads almost like natural stone artwork more than a countertop, which matters in a bathroom where you're standing close to it every morning and evening. Granite works well here because a vanity top takes a real beating over the years. Water sits on it, makeup and skincare products get set down and wiped up, and it needs to hold up without staining or dulling. Blue Dunes has the density and low porosity you want in that spot. Sealed properly, it resists moisture and everyday spills without much fuss, and it keeps its polish for years with basic care. Fabricating a double or single vanity top out of a stone like this means paying attention to the slab before it's ever cut. We template the vanity to the exact cabinet dimensions, then lay out the cut so the veining and color movement land where they'll actually be seen, not just where they happen to fall. With a stone that has as much personality as Blue Dunes, that layout work makes the difference between a top that looks intentional and one that looks like an afterthought. The edge on this one is eased, which keeps the look clean and doesn't fight with the stone's natural pattern. It's a small detail but it's the right call for a vanity where the visual weight should sit with the granite itself. Day to day, this top will handle exactly what a bathroom throws at it. It won't scratch from normal use, it wipes clean easily, and the color stays consistent whether the bathroom's lit by daylight or a vanity light at night. For a Columbia home, it's a solid, good-looking upgrade that fits right into the kind of work we do across the Midlands, matching the right stone to the right room and making sure it's built to last.

For a family that loves hosting large gatherings, this expansive home is a dream; boasting two unique entertaining spaces, each expanding onto outdoor-living areas, that capture its magnificent views. The sheer size of the home allows for various ‘experiences’; from a rec room perfect for hosting game day and an eat-in wine room escape on the lower-level, to a calming 2-story family greatroom on the main. Floors are connected by freestanding stairs, framing a custom cascading-pendant light, backed by a stone accent wall, and facing a 3-story waterfall. A custom metal art installation, templated from a cherished tree on the property, both brings nature inside and showcases the immense vertical volume of the house. Photography: Paul Grdina

We are showing love for this kitchen sink installation. These homeowners felt they would benefit by mounting an additional sink (Model #OUS1515-SQR) to their kitchen island! Not only did they add style, but greater functionality to their kitchen.

Absolute comfort, absolutely unique look. Convenient integrated seat. Refined ergonomic design with extra-wide armrests. Colors: White, Bone natural, Biscuit Dimension: 60 " x 60 " x 20 " FEATURES: Extra-wide armrests, ergonomic backrests and integrated seat Cushion and two 12 in. grab bars included Drop-in installation with center drain Cut-out template included Apron and tiling flange available SYSTEMS: Aerofeel Chroma therapy Combined Aerofeel/Hydromax Hydromax Hydromax with Backmax Hydromax REST Ozonator