Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets and black cabinets

Utility closets are most commonly used to house your practical day-to-day appliances and supplies. Featured in a prefinished maple and white painted oak, this layout is a perfect blend of style and function. transFORM’s bifold hinge decorative doors, fold at the center, taking up less room when opened than conventional style doors. Thanks to a generous amount of shelving, this tall and slim unit allows you to store everyday household items in a smart and organized way. Top shelves provide enough depth to hold your extra towels and bulkier linens. Cleaning supplies are easy to locate and arrange with our pull-out trays. Our sliding chrome basket not only matches the cabinet’s finishes but also serves as a convenient place to store your dirty dusting cloths until laundry day. The space is maximized with smart storage features like an Elite Broom Hook, which is designed to keep long-handled items upright and out of the way. An organized utility closet is essential to keeping things in order during your day-to-day chores. transFORM’s custom closets can provide you with an efficient layout that places everything you need within reach. Photography by Ken Stabile

Designed By: Richard Bustos Photos By: Jeri Koegel Ron and Kathy Chaisson have lived in many homes throughout Orange County, including three homes on the Balboa Peninsula and one at Pelican Crest. But when the “kind of retired” couple, as they describe their current status, decided to finally build their ultimate dream house in the flower streets of Corona del Mar, they opted not to skimp on the amenities. “We wanted this house to have the features of a resort,” says Ron. “So we designed it to have a pool on the roof, five patios, a spa, a gym, water walls in the courtyard, fire-pits and steam showers.” To bring that five-star level of luxury to their newly constructed home, the couple enlisted Orange County’s top talent, including our very own rock star design consultant Richard Bustos, who worked alongside interior designer Trish Steel and Patterson Custom Homes as well as Brandon Architects. Together the team created a 4,500 square-foot, five-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bathroom contemporary house where R&R get top billing in almost every room. Two stories tall and with lots of open spaces, it manages to feel spacious despite its narrow location. And from its third floor patio, it boasts panoramic ocean views. “Overall we wanted this to be contemporary, but we also wanted it to feel warm,” says Ron. Key to creating that look was Richard, who selected the primary pieces from our extensive portfolio of top-quality furnishings. Richard also focused on clean lines and neutral colors to achieve the couple’s modern aesthetic, while allowing both the home’s gorgeous views and Kathy’s art to take center stage. As for that mahogany-lined elevator? “It’s a requirement,” states Ron. “With three levels, and lots of entertaining, we need that elevator for keeping the bar stocked up at the cabana, and for our big barbecue parties.” He adds, “my wife wears high heels a lot of the time, so riding the elevator instead of taking the stairs makes life that much better for her.”

The water feature is 24” deep 500 s.f. and filled with 6” of Black Mexican beach pebbles. Multiple Techobloc Raffinato planters each equipped with drip irrigation. Plantings were installed by our client. Six sheer descent waterfalls and multi-colored underwater lights are controlled from the clients mobile phone or iPad. All the paving is a Turkish Travertine with a connecting floating bridge that leads to a more private sunken patio/pavilion area, where one can sit and enjoy the tranquil sound of sheer descent waterfalls. The addition of the contemporary sculpture and a bubbling granite boulder completes this backyard transformation!

The Watermill House is a beautiful example of a classic Hamptons wood shingle style home. The design and renovation would maintain the character of the exterior while transforming the interiors to create an open and airy getaway for a busy and active family. The house comfortably sits within its one acre lot surrounded by tall hedges, old growth trees, and beautiful hydrangeas. The landscape influenced the design approach of the main floor interiors. Walls were removed and the kitchen was relocated to the front of the house to create an open plan for better flow and views to both the front and rear yards. The kitchen was designed to be both practical and beautiful. The u-shape design features modern appliances, white cabinetry and Corian countertops, and is anchored by a beautiful island with a knife-edge marble countertop. The island and the dining room table create a strong axis to the living room at the rear of the house. To further strengthen the connection to the outdoor decks and pool area of the rear yard, a full height sliding glass window system was installed. The clean lines and modern profiles of the window frames create unobstructed views and virtually remove the barrier between the interior and exterior spaces. The open plan allowed a new sitting area to be created between the dining room and stair. A screen, comprised of vertical fins, allows for a degree of openness, while creating enough separation to make the sitting area feel comfortable and nestled in its own area. The stair at the entry of the house was redesigned to match the new elegant and sophisticated spaces connected to it. New treads were installed to articulate and contrast the soft palette of finishes of the floors, walls, and ceilings. The new metal and glass handrail was intended to reduce visual noise and create subtle reflections of light. Photo by Guillaume Gaudet

This small space was once the main parking area for this cottage lakeside home and was radically transformed into an intimate and inviting courtyard. Defined by a hand stacked fieldstone wall, granite stepping stones lead from the entrance of the garden and gradually wind their way over a stream bed and lead to the porch that borders the garden. Although set in a cold weather climate, the client requested that the garden be developed to have a lush tropical feeling yet remain consistent with the general surroundings. This was achieved by using a mixture of large leafed perennials such as Ligularia, Hosta and Petasites (Butterbur) ,along with various groundcovers and other perennials including Ferns, Iris and Japanese Forest Grass. The central feature of the garden is a naturalized meandering stream and pond filled with Koi. The use of water in the garden thematically ties the house and courtyard to the homes’ surrounding, an adjacent lake, and adds movement and tranquil sound to the space. Stepping stones appear to float across the surface of the water allowing the visitor another way to enjoy the space. Scale is essential with even the smallest detail needing to be well executed within such limited space. Photos by: George Dzahristos

Plant combination of Asparagus Foxtail Fern and Dianella tasmanica variegata along with succulents and FX Luminaire low-voltage pathway lighting. The front areas of this landscape in Bel Marin Keys, Novato, were transformed from a tired, water thirsty-lawn into a contemporary setting with dramatic concrete pavers leading to the home's entrance. A variety of low-water plants for sun and part shade complete this project front yard transformation. Installed in February 2014. More plant updates early 2015. The back areas of this transformation is featured in a separate project: Modern Water-Side Landscape Remodel http://www.houzz.com/projects/456093/Modern-Water-Side-Landscape-Remodel---Lawn-Replaced--Novato--CA

A freestanding tub anchored by art on one wall and a cabinet with storage and display shelves on the other end has a wonderful view of the back patio and distant views.

Small backyard stone patio fountain photo in DC Metro with no cover

Gordon Beall photographer
Inspiration for a timeless enclosed medium tone wood floor family room remodel in DC Metro with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace, blue walls and no tv

AFTER - Randy Angell, Designer Updated pool and spa with outdoor fireplace and awning addition
Inspiration for a timeless custom-shaped pool remodel in Dallas

Home was my personal residence and was original 1954 Hollywood hills home. Entire home was transformed into a redwood/modern with all appointments. This included the exterior hardscape and landscape.

Garden and hardscape Transformed
Patio fountain - huge mediterranean backyard stone patio fountain idea in Santa Barbara with no cover

Example of a master gray tile and subway tile gray floor bathroom design in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and gray countertops

The Watermill House is a beautiful example of a classic Hamptons wood shingle style home. The design and renovation would maintain the character of the exterior while transforming the interiors to create an open and airy getaway for a busy and active family. The house comfortably sits within its one acre lot surrounded by tall hedges, old growth trees, and beautiful hydrangeas. The landscape influenced the design approach of the main floor interiors. Walls were removed and the kitchen was relocated to the front of the house to create an open plan for better flow and views to both the front and rear yards. The kitchen was designed to be both practical and beautiful. The u-shape design features modern appliances, white cabinetry and Corian countertops, and is anchored by a beautiful island with a knife-edge marble countertop. The island and the dining room table create a strong axis to the living room at the rear of the house. To further strengthen the connection to the outdoor decks and pool area of the rear yard, a full height sliding glass window system was installed. The clean lines and modern profiles of the window frames create unobstructed views and virtually remove the barrier between the interior and exterior spaces. The open plan allowed a new sitting area to be created between the dining room and stair. A screen, comprised of vertical fins, allows for a degree of openness, while creating enough separation to make the sitting area feel comfortable and nestled in its own area. The stair at the entry of the house was redesigned to match the new elegant and sophisticated spaces connected to it. New treads were installed to articulate and contrast the soft palette of finishes of the floors, walls, and ceilings. The new metal and glass handrail was intended to reduce visual noise and create subtle reflections of light. Photo by Guillaume Gaudet

www.fuentesdesign.com, www.danecronin.com
Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom remodel in Denver with concrete countertops

Our clients on this project were inspired by their travels to Asia and wanted to mimic this aesthetic at their DC property. We designed a water feature that effectively masks adjacent traffic noise and maintains a small footprint.

Frank de Biasi Interiors
Example of a large mountain style master beige tile and marble tile marble floor bathroom design in Denver with an undermount sink, open cabinets, marble countertops and beige walls

Using the existing shell, we were able to transform the look and feel of the pool and its surroundings. Poured concrete, Trex decks, planters, and a fly-over bridge create an engaging space with intentional poolside social areas. Linda Oyama Bryan Photography