studiⓞbuell, Photography
Example of a mid-century modern exterior home design in Nashville

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen remodel in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, soapstone countertops, beige backsplash, terra-cotta backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and black countertops

Living room - coastal medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wall paneling living room idea in Miami with blue walls

MAN CAVE SPEED BUMP Problem: Customer wants to create a Man Cave, but as snow melts off of cars in the adjoining heated garage, uneven floors allow water to seep into the room. Solution: We stop the water seepage by creating a concrete bump, like you see in parking lots or streets, between the rooms. This stopped the water from draining into his man cave and is strong enough to drive over if needed. Painted safety yellow to avoid tripping, his new man cave now stays clean and dry.

Designer: Heidi Sowatskyand The SWAT Design Team for Decorating Den Interiors, Photographer: Anne Matheis
Doorless shower - contemporary gray tile and stone tile slate floor doorless shower idea in St Louis with white cabinets, quartz countertops, purple walls and recessed-panel cabinets

As the saying goes, “It’s what inside that counts.” But sometimes, what’s on the outside is just as important… especially the exterior of your house. Homeowners planning renovations often spend most of their time focusing on their interior space. There are countless design decisions to be made – from kitchen cabinets and countertops to bathroom tile and plumbing, paint colors and wall coverings to carpets and other flooring options. But to really boost your “curb appeal,” it’s important to remember your home’s exterior. Two years ago, we were connected with bloggers Kelly and Mitch Larkin, founders of Kelly in the City. “Kelly in the City is a blog where we document our lives from family to friends, New York to Chicago, fashion, traveling…and our miniature dachshund, Noodle,” Mitch described. “Our dream has always been to have a little home in a big city and we pulled it off! We bought the tiniest half a house in Lincoln Park, Chicago… but man was it ugly! We’ve been working since move in day to bring it up to speed.” Back in 2016, Paintzen helped Mitch and Kelly with the master bedroom of their new home, adding some color to brighten up the space. Two years later, the Larkins (who are now a family of three with the addition of their adorable daughter, Emma!) were tackling a different project – their exterior trim, doors, and railings. “After all the hard work, expense, and trips to Home Depot to make the inside of our place water tight and up to snuff, we had a surprising revelation on a family walk this past year: ‘Woah. The outside of our house is really ugly.’” Mitch shared on the blog, describing the moment they realized the exterior of their house needed some TLC. “But as you might imagine, life with a toddler at home leaves little time for painting.” The Larkins’ townhouse railings were previously painted a dark teal color – the aesthetic felt a bit dated to them. And after all the hard work spent updating the interior, Kelly and Mitch wanted their house to be perfect, inside and out. Paintzen was thrilled to help “turn everything from ‘1960s ugh’ to ‘timeless’.” They chose a glossy black paint for their front door and to replace the dark teal railings, and a soft white for window trim and front door frames. The final result was classically beautiful. Mitch shared, “Things went amazingly well with the exterior project, too. [Paintzen] worked on the house for three days, but it was as if they weren’t even here! They tried SO hard not to interrupt our day-to-day lives, yet did an absolutely perfect job. My wife is a tough lady to please, and Kelly loved the result.” “Thank god for Paintzen! Thanks to their hard work and incredible craftsmanship our place is ready for prime time. We can even have friends over during the day now!”

One of the most impressive parts of the kitchen is that Adam installed it himself – even though he admits that initially the idea was daunting. “When we found that IKEA cabinets might be a fit for our project, we took a trip to our closest IKEA to look at their cabinets. We found the choices both amazing and overwhelming,” he says.“We also felt that we could not renovate our kitchen by just using the IKEA design tool.We were looking to get some help on optimizing the space. A Google search brought IKD up as the option that best fit what our needs were – so we started working with IKD.” Calling the design process with IKD “a breeze” Adam decided to take the next several months to research how to install the kitchen. “We visited IKEA again to better understand how the cabinets were put together. I’m glad that I really focused on the IKEA kitchen installation guide at the beginning of the installation to help get my rails installed properly and to really speed up putting the cabinets onto the wall,” he adds. He also points out that he got lucky as the BODBYN cabinet fronts were on sale when he was ready to purchase – making the cabinetry a cost effective choice as well. He concludes: “We were really attracted to that fact that we could reduce our kitchen’s cost by installing it ourselves. Doing this required watching a number of YouTube videos and reading numerous articles on how to do it as well as having smaller scale home improvement projects to have the skillset necessary to do the work.”

An over-the-air (OTA) HDTV antenna. A HD television antenna was mounted (and grounded) in the second-floor attic to eliminate the unsightliness of exterior mounting. Free HDTV signals are received with crystal clarity. Also visible in the upper right of the photo is new phone, network, and video cable run as part of the structuring wiring project, connecting the structured wiring panel to a set of second floor wall jacks, carefully tacked to a roof truss to keep it off of the lower joists and eliminate the trip hazard. Project background: A whole-home re-wire. DemNET Technologies was brought in to remove and recycle old, outdated wiring, and re-wire this home with modern, high speed cable. DemNET also installed a structured wiring center and telecom rack, ran new wires to the outdoor service boxes, installed a HDTV antenna in the attic, and installed 7.1 surround sound in the family room, with a Zone 2 setup in the basement. Photo: DemNET Technologies

MAN CAVE SPEED BUMP Problem: Customer wants to create a Man Cave, but as snow melts off of cars in the adjoining heated garage, uneven floors allow water to seep into the room. Solution: We stop the water seepage by creating a concrete bump, like you see in parking lots or streets, between the rooms. This stopped the water from draining into his man cave and is strong enough to drive over if needed. Painted safety yellow to avoid tripping, his new man cave now stays clean and dry.

MAN CAVE SPEED BUMP Problem: Customer wants to create a Man Cave, but as snow melts off of cars in the adjoining heated garage, uneven floors allow water to seep into the room. Solution: We stop the water seepage by creating a concrete bump, like you see in parking lots or streets, between the rooms. This stopped the water from draining into his man cave and is strong enough to drive over if needed. Painted safety yellow to avoid tripping, his new man cave now stays clean and dry.

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

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Here’s an interesting work I recently completed on a red Quarry tiled floor at a house in the town of Abington, Northampton. In post-war Britain (more specifically in the 1940s and 1950s), many new homes were built with Quarry tiled hallways and kitchens, so quite a popular feature back then. These floors are typically quite hard wearing and therefore ideal for such high traffic areas; additionally they don’t need a great deal of maintenance but their appearance will degrade over time. In this particular house, the Quarry tiled floor had been covered with linoleum for many years, causing significant patches of visible black mould. The floor also had a loose tile (which I promptly reset to mitigate the potential tripping hazard) and splashes of paint due to a lack of precaution while the house was being renovated. Needless to say, the floor needed a lot of work. Before beginning the cleaning I made sure to vacuum up all of the loose debris from the floor. I then applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go to the tiles, left it to dwell for a short period, and then agitated the area with a black stripping pad, adding water to aid the process. This helped to break down any old and ineffectual sealer, along with the paint splashes marking the tiles, leaving a much cleaner and more refined appearance. I followed this up with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to eliminate the odd speck of cement and grout haze dating back to when the floor was first installed; Gout Clean-up has an acid base so it’s not advised to leave it on the tiles for too long, consequently as soon as I was happy it had done the job I rinsed it off with water and give the floor a thorough wash down. I used a wet-vacuum machine to extract as much water as possible and gave the floor a once over with steam cleaner which improves the evaporation of any remaining moisture by heating up the tiles. After completing the cleaning process, I left the house to allow time for the floor to dry completely. Upon my return, I conducted a damp test which showed the floor needed to dry further before sealing so I left an industrial fan in place for a couple of hours to help speed things up. Once I was satisfied that the floor was dry enough to take the sealant, I sealed the floor using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an interesting product that will not only provide durable stain protection but also improves the natural colours of the tile. While the floor required a lot of time and work to restore, I think you will agree the results were certainly worth waiting for. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

This kitchen had a fantastic head start from a previous remodel back in 2006, which opened up the space. However, our clients wanted to take it a step further. We added two structural posts to accommodate an expanded header. This change allowed us to create an inviting island that not only provides extra prep space but also offers room for six stools. The existing maple wood floors were too beautiful to replace, so we laced into them to seamlessly blend the new square footage. The entire floor was elegantly stained grey, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look throughout the space. The textured melamine wood grain laminate and painted slab doors for the cabinets added a touch of contemporary elegance. The Cambria Queensbury countertops, paired with a full-height backsplash, create a sleek and easy-to-maintain kitchen surface. A upgraded kitchen is not complete without top-notch appliances. In this project, we installed a 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator, oven, speed oven, beverage refrigerator, wine cooler, induction cooktop, and a decorative stainless hood. The cast iron farm sink found a new home in the spacious island, flanked by two dishwashers for ultimate convenience. Initially designed as a dry bar, an overseas trip inspired our clients to upgrade to a wet bar. After experiencing the joy of sparkling water in Europe, they decided to bring this feature home. The custom-built Grohe faucet was added to provide non-sparkling and sparkling water options, thanks to a carbonated canister cleverly hidden under the sink. To add a touch of warmth and continuity, we incorporated floating shelves made of cherry wood, stained to match the new dining room table. This not only ties the spaces together but also adds a unique design element to the wet bar area. A pocket door leading to the mudroom and back entry, originally added in the 2006 remodel, was kept, and a custom-built dog door made of wood and metal rods was integrated. Now, the dogs can stay in the back entry yet still be part of the family action. New windows and sliding glass doors were installed to provide breathtaking views of the lush landscape and a stunning blue stone patio with a fireplace, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. This project showcases our commitment to marrying functionality, elegance, and innovation. If you have a unique vision for your kitchen, our team at Crystal Kitchen is here to turn it into a reality. Contact us today and let’s create your dream space together!

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