A new bathroom was designed using the same space, and allowing for a large curbless shower, two generous sink vanities and a large storage cabinet. An unused soaking tub was removed to make space for the new layout. One of the top priorities was to make this bathroom feel more open and bright. A bank of mirrored medicine cabinets above the sink vanity fills the wall, with wall sconces above, which along with can lights overhead and toe-kick lighting below ensure the room is well lit from every angle.

Cramped kitchen be gone! That was the project motto and top priority. The goal was to transform the current layout from multiple smaller spaces into a connected whole that would activate the main level for our clients, a young family of four. The biggest obstacle was the wall dividing the kitchen and the dining room. Removing this wall was central to opening up and integrating the main living spaces, but the existing ductwork that ran right through the center of the wall posed a design challenge, er design opportunity. The resulting design solution features a central pantry that captures the ductwork and provides valuable storage- especially when compared to the original kitchen's 18" wide pantry cabinet. The pantry also anchors the kitchen island and serves as a visual separation of space between the kitchen and homework area. Through our design development process, we learned the formal living room was of no service to their lifestyle and therefore space they rarely spent time in. With that in mind, we proposed to eliminate the unused living room and make it the new dining room. Relocating the dining room to this space inherently felt right given the soaring ceiling and ample room for holiday dinners and celebrations. The new dining room was spacious enough for us to incorporate a conversational seating area in the warm, south-facing window alcove. Now what to do with the old dining room?! To answer that question we took inspiration from our clients' shared profession in education and developed a craft area/homework station for both of their boys. The semi-custom cabinetry of the desk area carries over to the adjacent wall and forms window bench base with storage that we topped with butcher block for a touch of warmth. While the boys are young, the bench drawers are the perfect place for a stash of toys close to the kitchen. The kitchen begins just beyond the window seat with their refrigerator enclosure. Opposite the refrigerator is the new pantry with twenty linear feet of shelving and space for brooms and a stick vacuum. Extending from the backside of the pantry the kitchen island design incorporates counter seating on the family room side and a cabinetry configuration on the kitchen side with drawer storage, a trashcan center, farmhouse sink, and dishwasher. We took careful time in design and execution to align the range and sink because while it might seem like a small detail, it plays an important role in supporting the symmetrical configuration of the back wall of the kitchen. The rear wall design utilizes an appliance garage mirrors the visual impact of the refrigerator enclosure and helps keep the now open kitchen tidy. Between the appliance garage and refrigerator enclosure is the cooking zone with 30" of cabinetry and work surface on either side of the range, a chimney style vent hood, and a bold graphic tile backsplash. The backsplash is just one of many personal touches we added to the space to reflect our client's modern eclectic style and love of color. Swooping lines of the mid-mod style barstools compliment the pendants and backsplash pattern. A pop of vibrant green on the frame of the pantry door adds a fresh wash of color to an otherwise neutral space. The big show stopper is the custom charcoal gray and copper chevron wall installation in the dining room. This was an idea our clients softly suggested, and we excitedly embraced the opportunity. It is also a kickass solution to the head-scratching design dilemma of how to fill a large and lofty wall. We are so grateful to bring this design to life for our clients and now dear friends.

BEFORE: Opening up a once congested kitchen space allowed our client to host all the family events, neighborhood socials, and even the grand kids! Installing some sizable LVLs and relocating the pantry to an unused hall space behind the range made this the most beautiful and open great room of them all!

This master bath transformation was just what our client needed. The unused corner jetted deck tub and small vanity area needed a transformation. Our clients wish list included a large shower with a seat and more storage. We removed the tub completely and added a large shower with handheld spray and a seat that folds up when not in use. To maximize storage with separated the vanities to his and hers with a taller cabinet, for towel storage, to offer privacy for the toilet area. The clients want a space that had a contemporary feel which includes flat panel doors in Quarter sawn white oak, with a contrasting quartz countertop in a soapstone look. The medicine cabinets were the special touch with the lift system and interior lighting.

camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

This project started out as a refresh of the entire main floor with mostly painting and minor changes like countertops and making the island counter top single height until we suggested that an unused office near the back door could be converted to a mudroom and pantry.

A family that spends a lot of time in and around their beautiful saltwater pool, did not have a place in their home that provided them a visual or physical connection. They also lacked any storage for all their pool “stuff”. With small children and a love for entertaining, they needed a room that served and supported their watery lifestyle. We took over an empty and unused notch along the back of the house adjacent to the pool patio to create a new bright and airy pool house. The new out building attempts to unify 4 areas; an existing deck, an upper master bedroom balcony, a lower lawn, and the pool itself, and provide the missing storage. By locating the pool house at the juxtaposition of these areas, the new room was able to provide a new expanded rooftop balcony for the master, anchor and define the dining and barbeque deck, extend and connect to the pool and patio, and create a new access to integrate the lower lawn – and carve out the much needed storage for the variety of pool toys and equipment. The building itself is 400 sf with bath, laundry, storage, mechanical, kitchen, and living. A single new secure connection is made into the house through the existing mudroom. Clad with crisply detailed ship lap cedar, it draws on the existing material palate of the house and nods to the boat aesthetic in expression and efficiency. With pocketing glass walls the pool house is both the utility building needed, and an expansion of the vibrant pool scene itself, inside and outside, along the poolside. Photographer: Brandon Stengelwww.farmkidstudios.com Location: Edina, MN Completed: 2013 Project Team: Ben Awes AIA, Principal-In-Charge Bob Ganser AIA Christian Dean AIA Nate Dodge

This couple wanted to create a media room out of an unused 600 square foot space. We created built-ins on opposite sides of the room for balance — a bar on one side and a large TV wall on the other. It was important to have extra seating and an eating area so we incorporated both using a live edge slab at bar height positioned behind the sectional and facing the 80″ television. We were also asked to freshen up the great room, entrance and kitchen table. We really enjoyed capitalizing on their love of sea and boats! Photographer - Susan Miller

In this home addition construction project, we converted an unused deck into a space that is more functional and practical. This room addition which includes its own bathroom now stands on what was previously an empty deck on the main floor. The room features water-resistant vinyl flooring while the bathroom’s highlight is the beautiful shower tilework made of dark grey ShadeLines tiles from the Sant’Agostino Shadebox collection.

Kordsmeier Remodeling This shower is now ready for use
Example of a minimalist bathroom design in Little Rock

This was a full gut renovation of the entire house. A new staircase into the attic was added and we created a unique attic room in a previously unusable space. The new spacious, bright room was designed as a large playroom and doubles as a guest room. Although this house was sold to new owners after our full renovation project, the new owners of this house were so happy with the quality of our work they chose to hire us for a new project as well!

The owners of this lovely log cabin home requested an update to their existing unused and unsafe deck. Their vision was to create a "beer garden" atmosphere where they could sit and enjoy the natural views. An old lumber deck and railings were removed and replaced with Trex composite decking and aluminum railing. A gorgeous cedar pergola brings a rustic yet refined feel to the deck.

The mission: turn an unused back patio into a space where mom and dad and kids can all play and enjoy being together. Dad is an avid video gamer, mom and dad love to play board games with friends and family, and the kids love to draw and play. After the patio received a new enclosure and ceiling with recessed LED lights, my solution was to divide this long space into two zones, one for adults and one for kids, but unified with a sky blue and soothing green color palette and coordinating rugs. To the right we have a comfortable sofa with poufs gathered around a specialty cocktail table that turns into a gaming table featuring a recessed well which corrals boards, game pieces, and dice (and a handy grooved lip for propping up game cards), and also has a hidden pop-up monitor that connects to game consoles or streams films/television. I designed a shelving system to wrap around the back of a brick fireplace that includes narrow upper shelving to store board games, and plenty of other spots for fun things like working robotic models of R2D2 and BB8! Over in the kids’ zone, a handy storage system with blue doors, a modular play table in a dark blue grey, and a sweet little tee pee lined with fur throws for playing, hiding, or napping gives this half of the room an organized way for kids to express themselves. Magnetic art holders on the wall display an ever-changing gallery of finger paintings and school crafts. This back patio is now a fun room sunroom where the whole family can play!

camilleriparismode projects and design team were approached to rethink a previously unused double height room in a wonderful villa. the lower part of the room was planned as a sitting and dining area, the sub level above as a tv den and games room. as the occupants enjoy their time together as a family, as well as their shared love of books, a floor-to-ceiling library was an ideal way of using and linking the large volume. the large library covers one wall of the room spilling into the den area above. it is given a sense of movement by the differing sizes of the verticals and shelves, broken up by randomly placed closed cupboards. the floating marble fireplace at the base of the library unit helps achieve a feeling of lightness despite it being a complex structure, while offering a cosy atmosphere to the family area below. the split-level den is reached via a solid oak staircase, below which is a custom made wine room. the staircase is concealed from the dining area by a high wall, painted in a bold colour on which a collection of paintings is displayed. photos by: brian grech

“It’s hard to believe these two sets of photos are actually the same space! The 1950s “modern” kitchen was tiny and dark, and the adjoining family room went largely unused by the family. Yet the owners love to cook and entertain, so this kitchen needed to go! Designer Fabrice Garson removed the wall between the two spaces and created one multi-purpose space: an open kitchen with abundant storage and prep space at the large range and island; a banquette for casual family meals or homework; and a separate table for dinner parties. Because they’d be losing their formal dining room, Fabrice recommended adding the coffered ceiling to lend an air of elegance to the new space. This once-gloomy cave morphed into an airy, luminous room. Pops of dark blue on the island, the banquette upholstery, and the banquette wallpaper add a fun element to temper the traditional tone of the inset cabinetry. And the mixture of stainless appliances with the brushed gold faucet, gold accents on the pendant fixtures, and the bronze crystal chandelier create an eclectic but elegant look.” (This blurb was part of Bilotta’s Blog Post written by Paulette Gambacorta) The finished space features Signature Custom Cabinetry in a mix of white paint on the perimeter and a custom navy paint on the island. All hardware is a mixed of brushed nickel knobs and cup pulls. The countertops are Ceasarstone’s Bianco Drift and the backsplash is a classic and clean white ceramic subway tile. Appliances are all by Thermador with the exception of the Best hood insert which is hidden by the custom white painted hood. The sink is an apron front by Kohler in cast iron with a white enamel finish and is accented by a brushed copper faucet and water filter. The decorative lighting adding to the elegance of the space is by EuroStyle. The custom-built banquette and coffered ceiling were both designed by Fabrice and brought to life by his long time contractor Breton Contracting. Designer: Fabrice Garson Photo Credit: After Photos by Peter Krupenye

fabulous Regina Andrew chandelier to replace the unused ceiling fan. Client's existing furniture and accessories
Elegant living room photo in New Orleans

THE SETUP Senior Designer Diana Burton’s client loved her sixties-era home – it just needed some work. The cozy galley kitchen was narrow and mostly closed off from the family room. A pass-through window served as a limited pipeline for treats and chatter. The appliances were failing, too. It was simply time for an overhaul. Design Objectives: Remove load bearing wall and open kitchen to the family room Omit large unused fireplace in family room Increase work surfaces and overall storage solutions Dedicated small countertop appliance storage Seating for 3 or 4 at island Add pantry storage Offer solution for lack of mudroom Upgrade all appliances THE REMODEL Design Challenges: Finding a location to hide structural support for new beam Reworking awkward configuration of existing walls Adding a walk-in pantry Creating mudroom storage Allowing room for large sectional in family room Design Solutions: Add a discreet column by the fridge to hide essential support Flush out wall by bath to be even with the range wall, where the new walk in pantry exists Use void space behind new wall for large appliance garage Create combination walk in pantry/mudroom by adding bench with shoe storage and hooks Maintain island depth for comfortable seating without infringing on space for the sectional THE RENEWED SPACE This cramped, dated kitchen has a new lease on life! Opening it to the family room dramatically transformed the space. Diana’s client now has plenty of storage, a big island for food prep, and an open-concept space that’s perfect for entertaining and hanging out with friends and family.

Transform your unused basement into ? An Entertainment Area ? A Work Space ? A New Bedroom ? A Storage Area ? A Home Theatre or Media Room ? A Playroom for the kids ? A Wine Cellar Duracraft Construction will assist you in bringing your ideas to reality and increasing the value of your home! Tell us about your plans, and we'll get it done!

This fully renovated 90 year home is located in downtown Charlottesville. This home was in need of some care to bring it back to its former glory. We refinished original wooden floors which were in bad condition and repaired and restored the plasterwork throughout the whole house (real plaster, not drywall)! We upgraded & repaired electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and restored the functioning of all the original double hung windows & all the door hardware in the house. In the kitchen, we restored the countertop, reconfigured the existing cabinetry to allow for dishwasher installation and a new sink. We converted the dark, unused basement into a bright, white laundry room. In the family room, we installed a new mantel over the fireplace and fully restored the fireplace. We also channelled brick work to install a TV over the fireplace. After fully renovating the interior, we then installed new screen frames, painted the whole house, installed a porch swing, restored the front porch deck, and cleared trees that were leaning over the house so the new owners could fully enjoy living in this magnificent home.