Island style blue exterior home photo in Miami with a hip roof

Randy Colwell
Small mountain style 3/4 beige tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile freestanding bathtub photo with a vessel sink, medium tone wood cabinets, beige walls, open cabinets and granite countertops

Inspiro 8
Inspiration for a bedroom rustic gender-neutral dark wood floor and brown floor kids' bedroom remodel with gray walls

Modern two-story mixed siding flat roof idea in San Francisco

Rob Karosis
Freestanding bathtub - coastal master gray tile and subway tile medium tone wood floor freestanding bathtub idea in Portland Maine with a vessel sink, dark wood cabinets and green walls

Beautiful contemporary dining room in black and grey.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary white floor dining room remodel in Miami with gray walls and no fireplace

Example of a mid-sized mountain style backyard stone patio design in Cleveland with no cover and a fire pit

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with tile countertops

Lucas Allen
Tuscan enclosed family room library photo in Jacksonville with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Situated on the shore of newfound lake in central new hampshire, this outdoor retreat looks west over the spring fed waters toward the mountains beyond. Our design intent was to provide the homeowners with a viewing perspective that captured the feel of lakefront living. The fire pit terrace, situated on a plane aligned with the home’s main floor, uses native granite from a nearby quarry to create a refined campfire retreat. This carefully calculated elevation makes the upper plateau appear to jut out into the lake. A quick walk down a grass path with granite lawn treads brings us to a private beach for lounging and water access. Transitioning from refined to rustic successfully makes the landscape feel cohesive and inviting.

Example of a large transitional freestanding desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room design in Columbus with beige walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a transitional laundry room remodel in Dallas

All photos by Linda Oyama Bryan. Home restoration by Von Dreele-Freerksen Construction
Mid-sized arts and crafts backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Chicago with a pergola

Transitional kitchen and family room remodel by Delphinium Design in Charlotte, NC features open large greige sectional couch with custom pillows, navy blue ottoman, marble fireplace with white fireplace mantel, built in shelving units and bench with plenty of hidden storage, brown swivel chairs, light wood media table, custom green window treatments and dark hardwoods

Brady Architectural Photography
Example of a large trendy multicolored two-story mixed siding flat roof design in San Diego

Design ideas for a large craftsman partial sun front yard stone garden path in New York for spring.

Inspiration for a coastal single-wall light wood floor wet bar remodel in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and blue backsplash

In Southern California there are pockets of darling cottages built in the early 20th century that we like to call jewelry boxes. They are quaint, full of charm and usually a bit cramped. Our clients have a growing family and needed a modern, functional home. They opted for a renovation that directly addressed their concerns. When we first saw this 2,170 square-foot 3-bedroom beach cottage, the front door opened directly into a staircase and a dead-end hallway. The kitchen was cramped, the living room was claustrophobic and everything felt dark and dated. The big picture items included pitching the living room ceiling to create space and taking down a kitchen wall. We added a French oven and luxury range that the wife had always dreamed about, a custom vent hood, and custom-paneled appliances. We added a downstairs half-bath for guests (entirely designed around its whimsical wallpaper) and converted one of the existing bathrooms into a Jack-and-Jill, connecting the kids’ bedrooms, with double sinks and a closed-off toilet and shower for privacy. In the bathrooms, we added white marble floors and wainscoting. We created storage throughout the home with custom-cabinets, new closets and built-ins, such as bookcases, desks and shelving. White Sands Design/Build furnished the entire cottage mostly with commissioned pieces, including a custom dining table and upholstered chairs. We updated light fixtures and added brass hardware throughout, to create a vintage, bo-ho vibe. The best thing about this cottage is the charming backyard accessory dwelling unit (ADU), designed in the same style as the larger structure. In order to keep the ADU it was necessary to renovate less than 50% of the main home, which took some serious strategy, otherwise the non-conforming ADU would need to be torn out. We renovated the bathroom with white walls and pine flooring, transforming it into a get-away that will grow with the girls.

Photo of a North Dallas kitchen after the family room wall was completely removed. The result is a game-changing complete transformation into "Todays lifestyle." Removing walls partially or totally is in demand due to the changes in our modern architecture and quickly demonstrates how far your home can escape the 70's, 80's and 90's. Design and construction by USI. **See before images @ www.usiremodeling.com