This stunning traditional home was transfered into a modern classic with a fully-automated upgrade. The original home had some technology and its makeover included every corner. A full sized bowling alley, 16 person theater, 5-screen sports viewing room, wine cellar, and more are what transformed this home into a modern gem.

A family of four with two young girls and cats needed a brand new master bath to accommodate a family member with MS. They tasked us with creating a luxurious master bath in a modern rustic style that was ADA-accessible and could accommodate the client's walker and wheelchair in the future. Their key issues were that the shower was relatively small, with a curb the client had to step over. They also had a large jacuzzi tub with a tub deck built around it, but the couple never used it. The main bathroom only had one vanity with minimal counter space available, and the dated finishes and materials looked tired - so they were more than ready for a beautiful transformation. To create an ADA-accessible main bath, we relocated the shower to an interior corner, allowing for the addition of a larger ADA-accessible shower with zero entry and a bench the client could easily transfer onto for bathing. The arrangement of this space would also allow for a walker and wheelchair to easily move through the walkways for access to the shower. We moved the toilet to where the shower had been located originally with ADA accessibility features and installed luxurious double vanities along the entire vanity wall, with a modern linen tower cabinet for added storage. Since the client loved the modern rustic aesthetic, we incorporated their chosen style with elements like the Calacatta porcelain tile, cabinet hardware, mason jar lights, and wood-framed mirrors.

Walk in closet organizer in a coco finish with premier flat panel cabinet doors and shelves.
Walk-in closet - traditional gender-neutral carpeted walk-in closet idea in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets and medium tone wood cabinets

To accommodate mobility shifts I redesigned my Berkeley garden with ramp, continuous pathways, raised seating, destination gathering/contemplating "rooms." All paths are built "one neighbor at a time" from nearby construction projects where the contractors willingly saved themselves landfill expenses and donated the urbanite, pavers and bricks to my team to repurpose. All spaces are safe, inviting and offer easy transfers. Plants are climate appropriate, beneficial to wildlife, beautiful.

These clients enjoy cooking and entertaining, so their vision was to open and connect three separate rooms—the kitchen, sitting, and formal dining rooms—to create a single open and modern space where everyone could engage and participate in the activities. Opening these spaces required complex structural engineering. The wall removals required supporting the loads from the second floor and meeting the engineering requirements for shear wall and lateral support. These beams and their connections to the posts they sit on were a challenge to install because of the complex nature of the home's original framed. All these loads had to be carried through the finished basement below and rest on new footings below the basement floor. The center kitchen island was expansive, with a single slab countertop that would provide both workspace and counter seating. This slab, at 64x120 and 789 lbs., required careful planning for on-site labor, transfer routing, and precision installation. Natural daylight now floods the space from all directions. Recessed can lighting runs throughout the space, all on dimmers for maximum control of ambiance. The Better Builders design team guided the selection of hardwoods, staircase details, cabinetry, countertops, tile, and color. The muted palette and clean lines work well with our couple’s eclectic furnishings and artworks. Now, traffic and activities flow better, and every inch of the previously divided space is utilized and enjoyed. The outcome is exactly as our homeowners envisioned…and as we intended.

Building materials are one of the primary sources of indoor air contaminants that negatively affect the health of our living spaces The EcoCraft team has meticulously selected building materials that are healthy, recyclable, and free of harmful contaminants thereby improving the health of our homes. Consistent temperatures between floors, rooms, and surfaces play a critical role in how humans experience true comfort. Consider also, quiet spaces free of outside ambient noise have been proven to improve sleep, focus, and productivity. Our extra thick walls and energy star windows reduce sound transfer between the interior and exterior spaces, while our state of the art mechanical systems run quietly to provide an experience you can feel, but can barely hear. Call 1-800-274-6198 to start custom designing your dream luxury home today.

This wire wedge drain design is our preferred choice as it ensures no water can ever escape the shower including soap suds which can transfer with other drain designs.

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom remodel in Philadelphia

The outdoor condenser unit is a key component of the mini-split HVAC system, engineered for efficient and reliable performance. Designed for quiet operation, it transfers heat effectively to maintain indoor comfort in all seasons.

The existing kitchen did not allow good circulation between the family room and kitchen. The pass-through window to the family room was made into a wider walk-through opening to allow easy entry into the kitchen and circulation around the new island. Gourmet cooking is important to the client, along with safety and aesthetics. An induction cooktop was selected for a clean look and safe operation while a wall oven was built into the cabinet below to allow east transfer of pans into the oven for finishing.

Steve Hall
Sunroom photo in Other

This airy living room was conceived around the homeowners love of art and nature. A palette derived from sea and sand, natural elements were brought in both literally and figuratively. Warm wood and earthen accents are countered by sleek, modern accent chairs. The embroidered linen draperies draw the eye up and serve as a dramatic backdrop to the serene conversation area. Oversized mirrors transfer the ambient light throughout the room. The centerpiece of the room is a silk and copper aerial sculpture by artist Jan R. Carson (www.janrcarson.com) that is accented by a halogen spotlight. The lighting casts an ever-changing shadow, creating life and whimsy to the room. The homeowners have even been known to move the furniture back, spotlight the mobile, and use the room as a salsa dance floor! A reclaimed hand-carved door was repurposed as a coffee table. Modern elements such as the lucite "Ghost" chair, the Gus rocker, and impressionist original oil painting balance out the rustic elements of the room. Julie Austin Photography

Nestled in the heart of St. Louis’ historic Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood, this 1911 Craftsman-style home recently received a thoughtful kitchen renovation that honors its heritage while embracing modern functionality. The original home boasts intricate woodwork, which inspired the warm wood-stained cabinetry. The new cabinets beautifully coordinate with the home’s historic charm, offering an updated look that still feels rooted in the past. Zellige tile, with its handmade texture and slight imperfections, lines the backsplash, adding depth and character that blend effortlessly with the craftsmanship of the home. Art deco inlay tiles bring in a touch of vintage charm, tying the space together with an elegant nod to early 20th-century design. Functionality meets form in the kitchen’s layout: drawers and pull-outs enhance organization, while a raised oven simplifies cooking and food transfer. A hidden appliance garage and mixer riser keep countertops clean without sacrificing accessibility. The result is a kitchen that doesn’t just serve today’s needs—it tells a story, preserving the soul of the home while bringing it beautifully into the present.

This project included more than 200 square feet of concrete countertop, corbels, a footrest and a dual basin concrete sink. The pieces were all cast in black concrete with an egg and dart edge. Small decorative stones and large geodes were used as an aggregate adding many bright colors to the space in the daylight. At night the project comes to life with fiberoptics backlighting all of the translucent stones that were cast into the piece. The project brought with it many challenges, such as determining the best way to transfer light from the cable to the stones, the overall size of the pieces and the shapes created by the existing structure. The completed project really shines and has been the WOW factor for the homeowner and his many guests.

Tuftex carpet is crafted with high-quality, sustainable materials to help create seamless lines and timeless designs. Over their 40-year history of selling top quality floor coverings, Sarmazian Bros. Ltd.'s reputation for high caliber products and service is continually being enhanced by the testimonials of its customers. As a family-owned business, the Sarmazian brothers and their staff pride themselves on the ability to provide the best end-to-end purchasing experience in the market. New flooring is the foundation of personal expression in any home; at the same time, it is one of the most costly investments. This is why Sarmazian's takes the extra time to supply the expert knowledge, exceptional pricing, and professional installation enabling to transfer optimum satisfaction to the customer. Sarmazian's award-winning showrooms allow the imagination to go wild. The spacious design and interactive layouts let customers browse, touch, and feel the extensive selection of merchandise in a friendly relaxed atmosphere. Because Sarmazian Bros. deals directly with the manufacturers and installers we offer quicker service, better support, and pass on the savings directly to you, the customer.

Skylights were incorporated to take advantage of natural light during the daylight hours. The textures of the stone, tile, wood and grass cloth along with the pillows, fabrics, trims, and accents creates an interesting backdrop for the lighting, art and furnishings. To allow the closet and bathroom some privacy without feeling cut off, custom doors with bamboo infused 3M panels of acrylic were used for texture, interest and light transference.

Brick can absorb moisture and transfer it indoors and causing the paint on your walls to peel and wood molding to shrink. For this reason, it’s important to keep gutters clog-free on brick homes. That's why our client, Michael, opted to have our craftsmen install LeafGuard® Brand Gutters on his property.

Artistic doors in finished sand and cast glass; doors with engraved designs in polished polyester lacquer or matte finish. 25° by Arnaudo, Costellazioni and Casa Zen are signature collections by Gianni Arnaudo and Elio Garis offered by Bertolotto. 25° by Arnaudo is inspired by the theme of nature. The designs in the Casa Zen collection are sculpted sand and cast glass inspired by Zen philosophy. Costellazioni draws its inspiration from the heavens, featuring geometric designs engraved by pantograph directly on the door leaf. The "Individual Project" allows customers to select the design that will be transferred flawlessly onto their door.

Challenge: Our clients wanted to modernize the look of their 1997 home, and update all electrical and plumbing infrastructure. Structural issues were apparent at the onset of the project with missing bearing points and beams that should have been incorporated into the original build. Solution: The work started with a complete strip out of the interior. Existing finishes, appliances, kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, electrical, plumbing, doors and frames, heating systems, all trim, drywall, insulation and vapour barrier we all removed. This left a bare wood frame shell which required some tricky structural changes to open up the interior necessitating load transfer modifications and additional foundations. The main stair was widened to create a luxurious ascent to the master bedroom overlooking the golf course. All bathrooms were fully replaced with a new kitchen designed to be open to the dining room and living room. The new interior finishes, and the essential design thereof, came together smoothly with all trades meeting agreed time frames and prices. We had a great time working with the client throughout the project. Communication was strong during the course of construction which resulted in a renovation that exceeded the client’s criteria and that also met our exacting level of quality.