David Duncan Livingston
Example of a classic living room design in San Francisco

Photo by Chris Richards
Inspiration for a contemporary courtyard pool remodel in Phoenix

INT2architecture
Example of a small trendy home design design in Saint Petersburg

Originally designed by one of the most notable landscape architects in town, this once impressive project had faltered in recent years. The pool and spa still functioned well, and the client wanted to keep it intact. In addition, they wanted to keep as much of the existing landscaping as possible. The surrounding decks, walls, and steps were fair game. At first glance, one might think that our changes were simple material changes. Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the subtle, yet transformative changes that come together to update this classic pool in a tasteful, timeless manner, and improve the flow and usability of the deck areas, while softening the feel of the massive hardscape. The subtle changes begin as soon as you walk out the back door of the house. The existing decking had a lot of what we call “tweeners”; areas that are overly generous walkways, yet not large enough to house furniture. The awkwardly small bluestone patio was expanded to accommodate a generous seating area, by pushing the step-down closer to the pool. Our talented stone mason carefully married the new bluestone into the existing, resulting in an imperceptible difference between the two. As you descend the new bluestone steps to the pool level, your bare feet will be thankful for the new smooth-finished limestone colored concrete, with a hand cut pattern carefully etched into its surface. The old red brick decking was so hot that the owners could not walk around the pool in bare feet. The brick coping was also replaced with an eased edge Pennsylvania Premier Stone which matches the new step treads throughout the project. Between the house and the pool, a large raised planter was reconfigured, giving additional space to the pool deck for a shaded lounge chair area. Across the pool, a bank of rather tall painted brick retaining walls were cut down, shortened, and moved. This lessened the visual impact of the walls, which were rather overwhelming in the space, as well as opening up a new seating area, nestled under the arms of the massive pecan at the back of the property. Rather than continuing solid decking around the entire pool, the area near these walls has been transformed to large stone stepper pads set in a sea of beautiful St. Augustine lawn. This creates a visually softened area that is still suited to setting tables and chairs when the guest list calls for additional seating. The spa area is quite possibly the most dramatic change on this project. Yet more raised planter walls divided this area into awkward spaces, unsuited to proper furniture placement. The planters were removed, new stone decks, once again expertly married into the existing, opening the area to house a large dining table and new built in bbq area. The spa itself was re-imagined with the bluestone coping, and painted brick veneer. The most impressive addition though is the new handmade glazed tiles that surround the existing cast stone water feature. This water feature was almost unnoticeable against the painted brick wall, but now the dramatic arch and pop of color draw the eye to this quaint little corner of the property.

Photo: Angela Flournoy © 2013 Houzz
Trendy dining room photo in Dallas with white walls

Inspiration for a rustic dark wood floor and brown floor seated home bar remodel in Other

Drew Kelly
Freestanding bathtub - large industrial master gray tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile freestanding bathtub idea in Sacramento with white walls

Photo by Pixy for SWEETEN
Enclosed kitchen - small contemporary l-shaped light wood floor enclosed kitchen idea in New York with white cabinets, yellow backsplash, white appliances, no island and flat-panel cabinets

Truth: we like camping more than living our “real lives,” so we decided to take a stab at achieving a campsite feel in the bedroom. Full moon, bonfire, sticks, camp blankets, triangular mirrors that subtly suggest mountain peaks… you get the idea. The sticks are from bigger hikes we’ve done in Olympic National Park and Glacier National Park. Image: James Stewart

Living room with arched windows and an open concept and a built in fireplace and tv wall
Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Photo by Lucy Call
Example of a transitional light wood floor and beige floor dining room design in Salt Lake City with beige walls and no fireplace

OK - Let's take it from the top! This architectural masterpiece is a 4-story, contemporary style home located 2 blocks from the Capitol building and 2 block from Austin's famed "Sixth Street", known as the Live Music Capital of the World. This home gives the phrase "location-location-location" a whole new meaning!

This dark stained kitchen was completely transformed when we painted the upper cabinets in Sherwin Williams' 7008 "Alabaster" and the lower cabinets in Benjamin Moore's 445 "Greenwich Village". It's amazing what paint can do! Check out the "Before" photo to see the whole transformation.

Photo: Corynne Pless © 2013 Houzz http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20845382/list/Studio-Tour--From-Old-Shed-to-Sunny-Ceramics-Workshop

Mountain style screened-in porch photo in Portland Maine with decking and a roof extension

Trendy gender-neutral dressing room photo in Singapore with glass-front cabinets

On the exterior, this original 1950’s Ranch Style house was transformed to fit more closely with its Newton, MA neighborhood. The exterior rooflines were raised and the Colonial Style features enhanced the transformation. Interior rooms were opened up to create a new kitchen and Family Room access.

Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Homes Location: Boulder, Colorado, USA Interior design, space planning and architectural details converge thoughtfully in this transformative project. A 15-year old, 9,000 sf. home with generic interior finishes and odd layout needed bold, modern, fun and highly functional transformation for a large bustling family. To redefine the soul of this home, texture and light were given primary consideration. Elegant contemporary finishes, a warm color palette and dramatic lighting defined modern style throughout. A cascading chandelier by Stone Lighting in the entry makes a strong entry statement. Walls were removed to allow the kitchen/great/dining room to become a vibrant social center. A minimalist design approach is the perfect backdrop for the diverse art collection. Yet, the home is still highly functional for the entire family. We added windows, fireplaces, water features, and extended the home out to an expansive patio and yard. The cavernous beige basement became an entertaining mecca, with a glowing modern wine-room, full bar, media room, arcade, billiards room and professional gym. Bathrooms were all designed with personality and craftsmanship, featuring unique tiles, floating wood vanities and striking lighting. This project was a 50/50 collaboration between Rodwin Architecture and Kimball Modern

This VIP Design Day project transformed two key spaces in a DC-area home — a dining room and powder room — into rooms that feel both curated and livable. The dining room balances warm walnut tones, mixed seating, and bold artwork against moody gray walls and classic wainscoting, creating a space that's elegant without being precious. The powder room makes a strong first impression with floor-to-ceiling botanical wallpaper, a navy reeded vanity, Calacatta marble countertop, and antique brass fixtures layered with vintage equestrian art. Margaret Carroll Interiors specializes in architecture-informed interior design for homes in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Every project integrates spatial thinking with intentional material selection — the result is interiors that look professionally designed and feel deeply personal. This project is an example of our VIP Design Day service, a focused one-day design experience for homeowners ready to elevate specific rooms quickly and decisively. Services: Residential Interior Design · VIP Design Day · Space Planning · Furniture Selection · Art Curation Location: Washington DC Metro Area · Maryland · Virginia · DMV