Photo: Faith Towers © 2016 Houzz
Bedroom - coastal bedroom idea in Portland Maine

Mid-sized elegant backyard concrete and custom-shaped full sun pool photo for summer in Las Vegas

Large mountain style underground laminate floor and brown floor basement photo in Denver with brown walls and no fireplace

The Estates vanity collection gives traditional bath furniture the added benefit of functionality. The Estates 31 in. Vanity in Rich Mahogany features a hidden, fully-extendable storage drawer, and features adjustable leg-levelers to allow for use on uneven floors. Also comes complete with a Black granite vanity top and undermount sink. Matching mirror available, sold separately.

Disconnected downspouts have been rerouted into these dry stream beds which flow into one another. In the Pacific Northwest where it isn't uncommon to have a rain event of 1+ inches, these Summer month beds turn into Spring and Fall water features. Photography by: Joe Hollowell

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Ryan Garvin
Inspiration for a contemporary gray tile light wood floor and beige floor powder room remodel in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray walls, an integrated sink and beige countertops

The Estates vanity collection gives traditional bath furniture the added benefit of functionality. The Estates 49 in. Vanity in Rich Mahogany features a hidden, fully-extendable storage drawer, and features adjustable leg-levelers to allow for use on uneven floors. Also comes complete with a Black granite vanity top and undermount sink. Matching mirror available, sold separately.

This back porch had nasty indoor/outdoor carpet installed for years. The underlying concrete was rough and uneven. We removed the carpet and ground and smoothed the concrete, exposing the aggregate in the concrete during the process. Adding a unique look to the floor, the customers were overjoyed!

Jaime Alvarez jaimephoto.com
Urban bedroom photo in Philadelphia

Doorless shower - small modern 3/4 ceramic tile and gray tile ceramic tile and gray floor doorless shower idea in Cincinnati with open cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a wall-mount sink and quartz countertops

Stone steps and boulders lead up to the Hot Tub and Vegetable garden above.
Inspiration for a mediterranean landscaping in Santa Barbara.

Outdated and unsafe front walkway. Brick pavers were uneven due to tree roots and poor installation. Wooden steps had deteriorated with time. We believe in reduce, reuse, repurpose. The pavers were pulled and saved on site. Tree stumps were professionally ground and removed. New materials were supplied to create save steps. LED lighting was added to increase night time safety.

Large trendy rooftop deck photo in New York with no cover

This project was completed for clients who wanted a comfortable, accessible 1ST floor bathroom for their grown daughter to use during visits to their home as well as a nicely-appointed space for any guest. Their daughter has some accessibility challenges so the bathroom was also designed with that in mind. The original space worked fairly well in some ways, but we were able to tweak a few features to make the space even easier to maneuver through. We started by making the entry to the shower flush so that there is no curb to step over. In addition, although there was an existing oversized seat in the shower, it was way too deep and not comfortable to sit on and just wasted space. We made the shower a little smaller and then provided a fold down teak seat that is slip resistant, warm and comfortable to sit on and can flip down only when needed. Thus we were able to create some additional storage by way of open shelving to the left of the shower area. The open shelving matches the wood vanity and allows a spot for the homeowners to display heirlooms as well as practical storage for things like towels and other bath necessities. We carefully measured all the existing heights and locations of countertops, toilet seat, and grab bars to make sure that we did not undo the things that were already working well. We added some additional hidden grab bars or “grabcessories” at the toilet paper holder and shower shelf for an extra layer of assurance. Large format, slip-resistant floor tile was added eliminating as many grout lines as possible making the surface less prone to tripping. We used a wood look tile as an accent on the walls, and open storage in the vanity allowing for easy access for clean towels. Bronze fixtures and frameless glass shower doors add an elegant yet homey feel that was important for the homeowner. A pivot mirror allows adjustability for different users. If you are interested in designing a bathroom featuring “Living In Place” or accessibility features, give us a call to find out more. Susan Klimala, CKBD, is a Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS) and particularly enjoys helping her clients with unique needs in the context of beautifully designed spaces. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel

Staghorn NYC designed, built, and installed this Brooklyn backyard garden with family and functionality in mind. A custom cedar fence provides privacy, and matches a custom storage bench and planter. The patio is thermal bluestone with an uneven edge into the lawn. Stepping stones lead to a new modern metal staircase into the house.

Front Facade | Brick, Stone, and Stucco | Small Acloved Front Porch | Attached Two Car Garage | Wooden Garage Doors | Brick Paver Driveway
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman beige two-story brick house exterior remodel with a shingle roof

Large minimalist u-shaped travertine floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen photo in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

A naturalized waterfall drops delightfully into a reflecting pond. The -----stone waterfall shares an uneven border of -----stone with the nearby -----paver patio. A hillside planting of colorful perennials and flowing grasses complete this convincing cascading creation.