Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This young family of four came in right after closing on their house and with a new baby on the way. Our goal was to complete the project prior to baby’s arrival so this project went on the expedite track. The beautiful 1920’s era brick home sits on a hill in a very picturesque neighborhood, so we were eager to give it the kitchen it deserves. The clients’ dream kitchen included pro-style appliances, a large island with seating for five and a kitchen that feels appropriate to the home’s era but that also is fresh and modern. They explicitly stated they did not want a “cookie cutter” design, so we took that to heart. The key challenge was to fit in all of the items on their wish given the room’s constraints. We eliminated an existing breakfast area and bay window and incorporated that area into the kitchen. The bay window was bricked in, and to compensate for the loss of seating, we widened the opening between the kitchen and formal dining room for more of an open concept plan. The ceiling in the original kitchen is about a foot lower than the rest of the house, and once it was determined that it was to hide pipes and other mechanicals, we reframed a large tray over the island and left the rest of the ceiling as is. Clad in walnut planks, the tray provides an interesting feature and ties in with the custom walnut and plaster hood. The space feels modern yet appropriate to its Tudor roots. The room boasts large family friendly appliances, including a beverage center and cooktop/double oven combination. Soft white inset cabinets paired with a slate gray island provide a gentle backdrop to the multi-toned island top, a color echoed in the backsplash tile. The handmade subway tile has a textured pattern at the cooktop, and large pendant lights add more than a bit of drama to the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Mike Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Mid-sized minimalist master carpeted and gray floor bedroom photo in Detroit with gray walls

Notable design elements include: Roll and Hill Bluff City pendant. Photography: Francesco Bertocci
Small trendy dark wood floor kitchen photo in New York with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, stainless steel countertops, metallic backsplash and no island

This West Vancouver new build has all the bells and whistles any modern home could dream to have. Builder Quinton Construction did a phenomenal job creating a top-quality home. Troico was happy to complete all the cabinetry on this project. The large eat-in kitchen and spice kitchen boasts shaker cabinets from our Midtown Series collection in Troico White. The custom hood fan is a work of art and frames the kitchen well. We especially love the glass on the top row of all the ceiling-high cabinets. The bathroom vanities and mirrors were also a pleasure to build and showcase the level of detail in the home. All bathroom millwork is painted white, keeping with the tone of the home. The home’s traditional undertone shows through in the built-in benches, media room and family room cabinetry which is stained a custom espresso. This home was recently featured in Homes & Design Magazine. See the online article here: http://www.homesanddesign.ca/design/bright-white/

© David Papazian
Mid-sized trendy concrete floor kitchen/dining room combo photo in Portland with beige walls and no fireplace

Emily Minton Redfield
Bedroom - eclectic medium tone wood floor bedroom idea in Denver with gray walls

Michael J. Lee
Sunroom - mid-sized transitional ceramic tile and brown floor sunroom idea in Boston with a standard ceiling

Miro Dvorscak
Bedroom - transitional master bedroom idea in Houston

From Plain to Fabulous A great thing about building a new home is that you are starting fresh. Being a Florida decorator, many of our clients are moving from the Northern or Mid-West states. We advise them to leave their often dark, large pieces of traditional furniture behind and just bring pieces that have value to them whether sentimental or monetary. This dining room was a pleasure because it was a clean slate with large windows letting in the morning sun. The floors are hand-scraped engineered wood in Brazilian walnut which give the entire home a warm feel to counteract the stark white walls. The home owners have a large art collection and specifically chose the white paint so that the paintings can be seen at their best and moved around the home easily. The owners host many dinner parties throughout the year and wanted a table that was virtually indestructible, and that visitors didn’t have to be careful with. This long Mango wood trestle table comfortably seats between eight and ten and has an antique grey, distressed look that is similar to driftwood. We alternated turquoise and light blue dining chairs for some contrast. An outstanding centerpiece for the room is a dazzling grey chandelier with an outstanding display of brilliant graphite crystals. Hundreds of faceted crystals are suspended from ten fluted glass arms. Wall sconces in chrome with grey linen shades were added and all the lighting is on dimmers for a choice of bright or mood lighting depending on the required ambience. To control the harsh Florida sunlight that can leech color out of furnishings within weeks, we installed light grey Silhouette window shades which keep approximately 97% of harmful UV rays out but still let in light even when fully closed. Traversing draperies were installed floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall providing a spectacular color wall of cream, green, purple and turquoise. The hardware is hidden behind the crown moulding for a clean, modern look. The best part of this design story lies in the large-scale artwork. The home owner had been given the painting years ago when she lived in Philadelphia but the colors didn’t suit her Northern palette. The painting was hidden in the attic but during the move was crated and sent to Florida. After not seeing it for sixteen years she had forgotten what it looked like and when she saw the crate about to be off-loaded asked the removal crew to take it away. At the last minute she decided to look in the crate and was surprised and delighted to find the perfect artwork for her dining room! Lastly, hand-torn wallpaper was installed in a custom color in the tray ceiling. As this room is used for dinner parties, games and even casual dining we decided not to install a rug for ease of use and movement around the table. Photographer: Rolando Diaz

SHANNON LAZIC
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional gender-neutral dark wood floor kids' room remodel in Orlando with white walls

Photography: Fine Focus Photography, Tre Dunham
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary medium tone wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room remodel in Austin with black walls and no fireplace

Stephen Ironside
Example of a large mountain style black floor and concrete floor great room design in Birmingham with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Photography by www.impressia.net
Example of a large transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor seated home bar design in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash and white countertops

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Custom kitchen with Danby Marble and Pietra Cardosa Counters
Cottage u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen photo in Boston with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Beach style medium tone wood floor, brown floor and tray ceiling living room photo in New York with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

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