Photography: Augie Salbosa
Example of an asian medium tone wood floor bedroom design in Hawaii with orange walls

A glimpse into the office space from the living room reveals the large custom built-in painted wood filing and storage cabinet below the windows. Clerestory windows above the desk bring in additional natural light. Photo by Lincoln Barber

Shoe storage under stairway
Example of a classic wooden staircase design in New York

This brownstone, located in Harlem, consists of five stories which had been duplexed to create a two story rental unit and a 3 story home for the owners. The owner hired us to do a modern renovation of their home and rear garden. The garden was under utilized, barely visible from the interior and could only be accessed via a small steel stair at the rear of the second floor. We enlarged the owner’s home to include the rear third of the floor below which had walk out access to the garden. The additional square footage became a new family room connected to the living room and kitchen on the floor above via a double height space and a new sculptural stair. The rear facade was completely restructured to allow us to install a wall to wall two story window and door system within the new double height space creating a connection not only between the two floors but with the outside. The garden itself was terraced into two levels, the bottom level of which is directly accessed from the new family room space, the upper level accessed via a few stone clad steps. The upper level of the garden features a playful interplay of stone pavers with wood decking adjacent to a large seating area and a new planting bed. Wet bar cabinetry at the family room level is mirrored by an outside cabinetry/grill configuration as another way to visually tie inside to out. The second floor features the dining room, kitchen and living room in a large open space. Wall to wall builtins from the front to the rear transition from storage to dining display to kitchen; ending at an open shelf display with a fireplace feature in the base. The third floor serves as the children’s floor with two bedrooms and two ensuite baths. The fourth floor is a master suite with a large bedroom and a large bathroom bridged by a walnut clad hall that conceals a closet system and features a built in desk. The master bath consists of a tiled partition wall dividing the space to create a large walkthrough shower for two on one side and showcasing a free standing tub on the other. The house is full of custom modern details such as the recessed, lit handrail at the house’s main stair, floor to ceiling glass partitions separating the halls from the stairs and a whimsical builtin bench in the entry.

Ken Gutmaker
Mid-sized elegant freestanding desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in San Francisco with gray walls

Mark Heywood
Small trendy built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in Salt Lake City with white walls

This very busy family of five needed a convenient place to drop coats, shoes and bookbags near the active side entrance of their home. Creating a mudroom space was an essential part of a larger renovation project we were hired to design which included a kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, home office, laundry room, and powder room. These additional spaces, including the new mudroom, did not exist previously and were created from the home’s existing square footage. The location of the mudroom provides convenient access from the entry door and creates a roomy hallway that allows an easy transition between the family room and laundry room. This space also is used to access the back staircase leading to the second floor addition which includes a bedroom, full bath, and a second office. The color pallet features peaceful shades of blue-greys and neutrals accented with textural storage baskets. On one side of the hallway floor-to-ceiling cabinetry provides an abundance of vital closed storage, while the other side features a traditional mudroom design with coat hooks, open cubbies, shoe storage and a long bench. The cubbies above and below the bench were specifically designed to accommodate baskets to make storage accessible and tidy. The stained wood bench seat adds warmth and contrast to the blue-grey paint. The desk area at the end closest to the door provides a charging station for mobile devices and serves as a handy landing spot for mail and keys. The open area under the desktop is perfect for the dog bowls. Photo: Peter Krupenye

The original enclosed kitchen was opened up, giving the homeowner a better layout, an island for entertaining, a hidden desk/message center, and maximum storage. Interiors: Marcia Leach Design Cabinetry: Barber Cabinet Company Contractor: Andrew Thompson Construction Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com

Ipe deck with cable railing. Under deck storage and horizontal deck skirting, stainless LED deck lighting
Trendy deck photo in San Diego with no cover

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

A built-in space under the stairs provides room for storage while also concealing the server rack that runs the home's systems. Photographer: Tyler Chartier

Designed for two people working from home, this custom office combines individual workstations with a central surface for collaboration. The most distinctive feature is the large-scale photograph of Italian architecture integrated into the upper storage unit. Divided into three sections, the outer portions are mounted to a pair of sliding doors that move to reveal or conceal the shelving behind them. The artwork creates a dramatic focal point while allowing the wall to provide significantly more functional storage than is immediately visible.

After
Example of a staircase design in Boston

The space under a staircase often goes to waste. Turn that empty void (or dark storage cave) into a useful workspace by building out the area with a desk and some customized storage. Construct a perfectly functional office with built-in cabinetry and convenient open shelving to store bills and household paperwork. Save space and stay organized all under one staircase. Elegant home office in San Diego with a built-in desk. — Houzz Sand Kasl Imaging

This under stair storage was built for toy storage. The clients plans to use plastic bins in the pull outs. All hardware is soft close with under mount drawer slides and concealed hinges.

A custom built room for LEGO storage also provides a backdrop for a Media Room and a nearby bar. John Wilbanks Photography
Basement - transitional underground basement idea in Seattle with gray walls and a bar

Creating a space to entertain was the top priority in this Mukwonago kitchen remodel. The homeowners wanted seating and counter space for hosting parties and watching sports. By opening the dining room wall, we extended the kitchen area. We added an island and custom designed furniture-style bar cabinet with retractable pocket doors. A new awning window overlooks the backyard and brings in natural light. Many in-cabinet storage features keep this kitchen neat and organized. Bar Cabinet The furniture-style bar cabinet has retractable pocket doors and a drop-in quartz counter. The homeowners can entertain in style, leaving the doors open during parties. Guests can grab a glass of wine or make a cocktail right in the cabinet. Outlet Strips Outlet strips on the island and peninsula keeps the end panels of the island and peninsula clean. The outlet strips also gives them options for plugging in appliances during parties. Modern Farmhouse Design The design of this kitchen is modern farmhouse. The materials, patterns, color and texture define this space. We used shades of golds and grays in the cabinetry, backsplash and hardware. The chevron backsplash and shiplap island adds visual interest. Custom Cabinetry This kitchen features frameless custom cabinets with light rail molding. It’s designed to hide the under cabinet lighting and angled plug molding. Putting the outlets under the cabinets keeps the backsplash uninterrupted. Storage Features Efficient storage and organization was important to these homeowners. We opted for deep drawers to allow for easy access to stacks of dishes and bowls. Under the cooktop, we used custom drawer heights to meet the homeowners’ storage needs. A third drawer was added next to the spice drawer rollout. Narrow pullout cabinets on either side of the cooktop for spices and oils. The pantry rollout by the double oven rotates 90 degrees. Other Updates Staircase – We updated the staircase with a barn wood newel post and matte black balusters Fireplace – We whitewashed the fireplace and added a barn wood mantel and pilasters.

This study off the kitchen acts as a control center for the family. Kids work on computers in open spaces, not in their rooms. Green linoleum covers the desk for a durable and cleanable surface. The cabinets were custom built for the space. The chairs are from Overstock.com. photo: David Duncan Livingston

Thomas Kuoh
Mid-sized transitional built-in desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor craft room photo in San Francisco with gray walls