This beautiful 1881 Alameda Victorian cottage, wonderfully embodying the Transitional Gothic-Eastlake era, had most of its original features intact. Our clients, one of whom is a painter, wanted to preserve the beauty of the historic home while modernizing its flow and function. From several small rooms, we created a bright, open artist’s studio. We dug out the basement for a large workshop, extending a new run of stair in keeping with the existing original staircase. While keeping the bones of the house intact, we combined small spaces into large rooms, closed off doorways that were in awkward places, removed unused chimneys, changed the circulation through the house for ease and good sightlines, and made new high doorways that work gracefully with the eleven foot high ceilings. We removed inconsistent picture railings to give wall space for the clients’ art collection and to enhance the height of the rooms. From a poorly laid out kitchen and adjunct utility rooms, we made a large kitchen and family room with nine-foot-high glass doors to a new large deck. A tall wood screen at one end of the deck, fire pit, and seating give the sense of an outdoor room, overlooking the owners’ intensively planted garden. A previous mismatched addition at the side of the house was removed and a cozy outdoor living space made where morning light is received. The original house was segmented into small spaces; the new open design lends itself to the clients’ lifestyle of entertaining groups of people, working from home, and enjoying indoor-outdoor living. Photography by Kurt Manley. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/artists-victorian/

This once unused bonus room was transformed into a wonderful new bedroom for a boy with lots of room to grow, play and have sleepovers. We took advantage of the attic space either side of the room by recessing the TV / storage area and also on the opposite side with the double desk unit. The room was separated by the sets of drawers that have custom headboards at the back of them, this helping with the great length of this room. Custom bookcase shelving was made for the window wall to also create not only depth but display as well. The clients as well as their son are enjoying the room!

An unfinished, unused space is now a favorite spot! A gym, pool table gaming area and a counter for sitting at while playing pool. Custom recessed niches were built to handle the slim weights and accessories. Focal point for this space is the custom moto gear closet and helmet niche! Diamond plate back wall, LED lights and glass doors are the WOW when you enter!

The homeowner's margarita machine was the catalyst for this home addition. What was an unused Atrium was enclosed to create this one-of-a-kind room for their wine, beverages, and collectibles.

This study nook beside the bed was once a strangely curved area that made it difficult to define and therefore went unused and cluttered for years. Now, the space is a dedicated work station and place to organize reading materials.

This primary bath was completely reimagined to better suit our clients’ lifestyle. The original space had a tiny shower, an unused tub, and a layout that wasn’t working. We transformed it with a larger, more comfortable shower, a bold pop of color in the tile, and a layout that feels practical yet stylish. The result is a fresh, functional space that our clients truly love.

Magnificent Basement Remodel in Chantilly VA that includes a movie theater, wine cellar, full bar, exercise room, full bedroom and bath, a powder room, and a big gaming and entertainment space. Now family has a big bar space with mahogany cabinetry, large-scale porcelain tile with a ledgestone wrapping , lots of space for bar seating, lots of glass cabinets for liquor and china display and magnificent lighting. The Guest bedroom suite with a bathroom has linear tiles and vertical glass tile accents that spruced up this bathroom. Gaming and conversation area with built-ins and wainscoting, give an upscale look to this magnificent basement. Also built just outside of exercise room, is a new powder room area. We used new custom beveled glass doors and interior doors. A 6’x8’ wine cellar was built with a custom glass door just few steps away from this stunning bar space. Behind the staircase we have implement a full equipped movie theater room furnished with state of art AV system, surround sound, big screen and a lot more. Our biggest goal for this space was to carefully ( yet softly) coordinate all color schemes to achieve a very airy, open and welcoming entertainment space. By creating two tray ceilings and recess lighting we have uplifted the unused corner of this basement. This has become the jewel of the neighborhood”, she said.

The existing 90 square foot galley kitchen was small and narrow, with limited storage and counterspace. By utilizing the hallway and master closet opposite, we expanded the kitchen across the hall, creating a 5’-6”x 2’-0”x 7’-0” niche for the Subzero refrigerator and under counter wine storage unit. The existing kitchen doorway was widened to unify the two spaces. Separating the tall elements from the original galley, the new design was able to provide uninterrupted counterspace and extra storage. Because of its proximity to the living area, the niche is also able to serve a dual role as an easily accessible bar with glass storage above when the client is entertaining. Modern, high-gloss cabinetry was extended to the ceiling, replacing the existing traditional millwork and capitalizing on previously unused space. An existing breakfast nook with a view of the East River, which had been one of the client’s favorite features, was awkwardly placed and provided for tight and uncomfortable seating. We rebuilt the banquettes, pushing them back for easier access and incorporating hidden storage compartments into the seats.

"Kerry Taylor was professional and courteous from our first meeting forwards. We took a long time to decide on our final design but Kerry and his design team were patient and respectful and waited until we were ready to move forward. There was never a sense of being pushed into anything we didn’t like. They listened, carefully considered our requests and delivered an awesome plan for our new bathroom. Kerry also broke down everything so that we could consider several alternatives for features and finishes and was mindful to stay within our budget. He accommodated some on-the-fly changes, after construction was underway and suggested effective solutions for any unforeseen problems that arose. Having construction done in close proximity to our master bedroom was a challenge but the excellent crew TaylorPro had on our job made it relatively painless: courteous and polite, arrived on time daily, worked hard, pretty much nonstop and cleaned up every day before leaving. If there were any delays, Kerry made sure to communicate with us quickly and was always available to talk when we had concerns or questions." This Carlsbad couple yearned for a generous master bath that included a big soaking tub, double vanity, water closet, large walk-in shower, and walk in closet. Unfortunately, their current master bathroom was only 6'x12'. Our design team went to work and came up with a solution to push the back wall into an unused 2nd floor vaulted space in the garage, and further expand the new master bath footprint into two existing closet areas. These inventive expansions made it possible for their luxurious master bath dreams to come true. Just goes to show that, with TaylorPro Design & Remodeling, fitting a square peg in a round hole could be possible! Photos by: Jon Upson

This beautiful 1881 Alameda Victorian cottage, wonderfully embodying the Transitional Gothic-Eastlake era, had most of its original features intact. Our clients, one of whom is a painter, wanted to preserve the beauty of the historic home while modernizing its flow and function. From several small rooms, we created a bright, open artist’s studio. We dug out the basement for a large workshop, extending a new run of stair in keeping with the existing original staircase. While keeping the bones of the house intact, we combined small spaces into large rooms, closed off doorways that were in awkward places, removed unused chimneys, changed the circulation through the house for ease and good sightlines, and made new high doorways that work gracefully with the eleven foot high ceilings. We removed inconsistent picture railings to give wall space for the clients’ art collection and to enhance the height of the rooms. From a poorly laid out kitchen and adjunct utility rooms, we made a large kitchen and family room with nine-foot-high glass doors to a new large deck. A tall wood screen at one end of the deck, fire pit, and seating give the sense of an outdoor room, overlooking the owners’ intensively planted garden. A previous mismatched addition at the side of the house was removed and a cozy outdoor living space made where morning light is received. The original house was segmented into small spaces; the new open design lends itself to the clients’ lifestyle of entertaining groups of people, working from home, and enjoying indoor-outdoor living. Photography by Kurt Manley. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/artists-victorian/

Kitchen in Alyssa Lane | Key Feature: A complete kitchen + living room transformation designed for a young, growing family who loved their home, but needed it to work harder and reflect their personality. The updated kitchen became the heart of the home, featuring a hidden smoothie station to keep daily essentials out of sight, plus a dedicated cocktail bar setup for entertaining. In the living room, the fireplace wall was fully reimagined by centering the previously cornered fireplace and creating a multifunctional media wall with custom furnishings and a statement chandelier. To top it off, the former formal dining room was transformed into a bar lounge with custom brass shelving, a black grasscloth backdrop, and a bold, elevated vibe perfect for hosting friends and family. Challenge: This home belonged to a young couple with two small kids and a growing business, and while they loved the house itself, the spaces didn’t support the way they actually lived. The kitchen lacked function and storage, everyday routines (like smoothie-making) created visual clutter, and cocktail entertaining essentials were being shoved into the pantry with no dedicated space. The living room also felt awkward and unfinished due to the cornered fireplace, which made it difficult to create a centered, functional media wall. On top of that, the formal dining room wasn’t being used, leaving valuable square footage underutilized and disconnected from their lifestyle and personality. Solution: We redesigned the home around how the family truly uses it day-to-day, focusing on function, personality, and elevated livability. In the kitchen, we created a modern, highly organized layout complete with a hidden smoothie station so daily supplies stay accessible but out of sight. For entertaining, we designed a dedicated bar area for Ryan, giving him a more inspired space to make cocktails without relying on pantry storage. In the living room, we centered the fireplace and fully revamped the feature wall into a multifunctional entertainment/media wall, then layered in custom furniture pieces and a statement chandelier to bring warmth and style. Finally, we converted the unused formal dining room into a bar lounge with custom brass shelving, a striking black grasscloth wall, and a sophisticated hangout space perfect for entertaining family and friends. Budget: $100k-$150k | Timeline: 4 months

This 70's family room had been dark and dated, before our design brought amazing new life to the room! We removed the dark brick fireplace, moved the TV to a side wall, refaced the fireplace in yummy creamy limestone ledger stone with a flush hearth, replaced the worn out carpet with amazing hickory floors, removed the dark wood paneling, and opened up unused attic space by framing in a new ceiling with stained wood beams and tongue in groove wood paneling. We also replaced a side door with large double french doors opening onto a covered patio. The room was then furnished and accessorized with furnishings from our JDV Interiors home furnishings store.

This transformation of an old garage-top patio into a luxurious covered outdoor haven was a fabulous use of space. The original rubber tile flooring of the outdoor patio had weathered badly, rendering the area unusable. We envisioned a timeless, weather-resistant space. Our clients desired a sleek, modern aesthetic with clean lines, warmth, and brightness. To complement the home's gray theme, we introduced natural textures like pine tongue-and-groove ceilings, Trex composite flooring, and a solid wood fireplace mantel.

Before our remodel, this corner of the bathroom was largely unused due to the earlier layout. We built a linen closet into the corner, complete with solid and deep shelves that will hold practically everything you could need in a very tidy way. Now this corner of the room is not only very useful, it is also quite lovely, sporting the same elegant moulding and trim as the window and entry door.

This client wanted to take their unused dining room and turn it into a useable and functional space. Consequently, GOODESIGN turned the space in to a moody lounge area.

Space remodel/reclamation at homes becomes easy, when you’ve partnered with general contractors in San Leandro like Carter Home Remodeling that have years of experience in general home remodeling in San Leandro. These guys know how to convert an unused lying odd spaces into a master bedroom or a self-sufficient family suite with all the standard rooms and fixtures. General Contractors in San Leandro for Home Remodeling in San Leandro, CA - https://www.carterhomeremodeling.com/ 94577, 94578, 94579

It’s not uncommon for the primary bedroom to be an upper floor in an older home. Such was the case with Park House and as the owners were getting older, the desire to walk up a full flight of stairs multiple times a day was starting to become undesirable. The owners wanted to find away to create a new primary bedroom suite on the main floor of the house, which would allow the upstairs rooms to be dedicated for guests. The existing home had a 2-car garage attached to the rear façade, and was fed by a large expansive concrete driveway and lawn area. Both areas were largely unused, but afforded enough space for a new addition to be added to the house, and then a separate garage structure built adjacent to it. Our team developed a couple of sketch floor plan options on how such as an addition could work alongside a separate new garage structure. One of the goals for the project was that it had to feel like it belonged with the house in that it couldn’t be jarringly modern. The result is a new rear addition that harmoniously blends in with the existing home that provides a large tranquil bedroom with a spa-like bathroom on the main floor. In addition, a new rear entry vestibule was designed as a transition point between new and old, while also providing space for an adjacent laundry room. The new addition also provided an opportunity to create an enclosed private courtyard with lush landscaping and enough space for large family gatherings.

The existing stairs were located in the old dining room on the main floor ending up on the previously unused landing on the second floor. Our goal was to maximize the cabin’s bedroom space and close in that dining area. But how would we gain access to the stairs? Simple, we reversed them! Now, they begin in the kitchen below opening up new possibilities for both accessibility and room allocation.

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.