When our client came to us, she was stumped with how to turn her small living room into a cozy, useable family room. The living room and dining room blended together in a long and skinny open concept floor plan. It was difficult for our client to find furniture that fit the space well. It also left an awkward space between the living and dining areas that she didn’t know what to do with. She also needed help reimagining her office, which is situated right off the entry. She needed an eye-catching yet functional space to work from home. In the living room, we reimagined the fireplace surround and added built-ins so she and her family could store their large record collection, games, and books. We did a custom sofa to ensure it fits the space and maximized the seating. We added texture and pattern through accessories and balanced the sofa with two warm leather chairs. We updated the dining room furniture and added a little seating area to help connect the spaces. Now there is a permanent home for their record player and a cozy spot to curl up in when listening to music. For the office, we decided to add a pop of color, so it contrasted well with the neutral living space. The office also needed built-ins for our client’s large cookbook collection and a desk where she and her sons could rotate between work, homework, and computer games. We decided to add a bench seat to maximize space below the window and a lounge chair for additional seating.

Example of a beach style sunroom design in Boston with a standard ceiling

AFTER: Our design includes a new entryway gabled roof along with a combination a shake and lap siding, cultured stone, Pella craftsman style garage/entry doors and Pella 450 Series Casement windows with decorative flower boxes below.

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

Inspiration for a mediterranean exterior home remodel in San Francisco

After the transformation. A flagstone patio intermixed with stepping stones I painted to match the flagstone.
Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in Tampa

Cynthia Lynn Photography
Family room library - transitional dark wood floor and brown floor family room library idea in Chicago with black walls

Does your young one love Transformers? These bedding and room decorations will transform their room into their favorite fantasy world! We have a wide range of bedding and room decor products that will make quite an impression. Click the website button to view all items available for purchase.

This tired, unused San Francisco backyard was transformed into a modern, low-maintenance landscape with site-appropriate plantings enhanced by raised planting beds and a lead-free artificial lawn to replace the existing water-thirsty lawn. I created two separate "rooms" to break up the long narrow yard, and specified full range blue stone for the two small patio areas, connected by a curved pattern of rectangular pavers of the same natural stone. The raised concrete rectangular planting beds were incorporated to bring more movement and interest to the landscape along with gravel bed accents alongside. Some of the existing concrete remained, and was stained with a color to compliment the natural stone. These photos were taken over a three year period. Photos: © Landscape Designer, Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design.

Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian 3/4 white tile and subway tile slate floor and black floor alcove bathtub remodel in Houston with furniture-like cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and marble countertops

Drop-in bathtub - large modern master white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and white floor drop-in bathtub idea in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Tom Arban
Example of a large trendy two-story mixed siding gray patio design in Toronto

A newly purchased single family home on a quiet street in Noe Valley undergoes a significant transformation to enlarge, reconfigure and renovate it to suit the needs of the new owners. This includes a rear yard addition on three levels, to effectively double the size of the existing home. The renovation respected the understated Victorian / Edwardian detailing, while incorporating a more modern aesthetic focused on natural light and indoor-outdoor living into the new spaces. Photos by John Bedell Photography Interior Design by Stephanie Klein

Bernard Andre
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional beige one-story stucco exterior home remodel in San Francisco

Beach style home design photo in Tampa

Photos by Lori Cannava
Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard stone patio remodel in New York

Raquel Langworthy
Example of a mid-sized beach style open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor family room design in New York with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv