Kitchen Is Where the Hearth Is Location: Edina, MN, USA With her only daughter off to college, this busy executive decided it was time to remodel her kitchen to suit her love for baking, cooking and hosting holidays for her large family. The homeowner’s wish list included white cabinetry, an island, plenty of storage, a gas insert for the fireplace and a special place for her collection of teacups. The fireplace and the large bank of windows in the existing footprint were a challenge to designing a cohesive plan. But by moving the doorway to the mudroom closer to the sink wall, a dedicated cooking zone was created for the convection oven, steam oven and a gas rangetop. This wall became the anchor for the island, topped with Carrara marble, an ideal surface for rolling out pie dough and making cookies. Blue, the homeowner’s favorite color was chosen for the island color with a black glaze to give it warmth. It sets off the marble and coordinates with the soapstone on the perimeter, a low maintenance option. The whimsical island stools from Hickory Chair invite friends to stay a while. The wood-burning fireplace was replaced with gas to make it more useable and the brick was covered with a marble slab to create a clean, transitional feel. The paneled accent wall detail uses the same inside step profile of the cabinetry doors and is painted in Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray to match the walls but with a slightly higher sheen. It separates the kitchen dining space from the kitchen work area giving it a feeling of friendly formality. The hutch adds more kitchen storage and shows off the homeowner’s collection of colorful teacups with a contrasting painted interior in Benjamin Moore Yarmouth Blue. The Urban Electric black lantern over the kitchen table also has a painted interior of Yarmouth Blue. This dining space with fun bits of drama ties in with the swooping white hood and Carrara marble wall tiles on the opposite side of the kitchen space. The result is an organized cook’s kitchen that transitions gracefully to entertaining. Liz Schupanitz Designs Photographed by: Andrea Rugg

The attic space was transformed from a cold storage area of 700 SF to useable space with closed mechanical room and 'stage' area for kids. Structural collar ties were wrapped and stained to match the rustic hand-scraped hardwood floors. LED uplighting on beams adds great daylight effects. Short hallways lead to the dormer windows, required to meet the daylight code for the space. An additional steel metal 'hatch' ships ladder in the floor as a second code-required egress is a fun alternate exit for the kids, dropping into a closet below. The main staircase entrance is concealed with a secret bookcase door. The space is heated with a Mitsubishi attic wall heater, which sufficiently heats the space in Wisconsin winters. One Room at a Time, Inc.

Our customer came to us with a bit of an issue.. a small backyard and big dreams. Guess what? Clear Tech took on the challenge and created a space that was enjoyable. We started from grass and turned the space into a relaxing pool area. We completed the look with outdoor furniture that brought the whole project together. Our customer is so excited to enjoy their new and useable outdoor living space.

Extensive stack stone walls reclaim a steep slope and made for a visually appealing area that becomes very useable. Photo: The Ardent Gardener Landscape

Drop-in bathtub - mid-sized transitional master gray tile and cement tile ceramic tile and white floor drop-in bathtub idea in Other with a one-piece toilet, open cabinets, gray walls, a console sink and solid surface countertops

The fireplace wall had been unfinished for years. After a leak they had a hard time deciding what to do with the space. Finn personally built a steel floating box around the fireplace and reframed the wall so that it could be better utilized for art or as a media wall. Simple materials and thoughtful design reinvent a space. Rather than spending a lot of money to clad a whole wall, some drywall, steel and concrete made the space unique and fresh and truly useable space. The fireplace was also brought up to code, a previous leak and repair had left the fireplace without adequate fireblocking and the unfinished harth made it unsafe for children to be around. isARK Studio

Three generous benchtops deliver ample useable space. The custom-laminated bamboo tops provides warmth and a distinctive grain, while the triple-panel rhythm and furniture-style island and dresser add a subtle French flavour. Photographer: Tony Gatman Auckland, New Zealand.

When our client came to us, she was stumped with how to turn her small living room into a cozy, useable family room. The living room and dining room blended together in a long and skinny open concept floor plan. It was difficult for our client to find furniture that fit the space well. It also left an awkward space between the living and dining areas that she didn’t know what to do with. She also needed help reimagining her office, which is situated right off the entry. She needed an eye-catching yet functional space to work from home. In the living room, we reimagined the fireplace surround and added built-ins so she and her family could store their large record collection, games, and books. We did a custom sofa to ensure it fits the space and maximized the seating. We added texture and pattern through accessories and balanced the sofa with two warm leather chairs. We updated the dining room furniture and added a little seating area to help connect the spaces. Now there is a permanent home for their record player and a cozy spot to curl up in when listening to music. For the office, we decided to add a pop of color, so it contrasted well with the neutral living space. The office also needed built-ins for our client’s large cookbook collection and a desk where she and her sons could rotate between work, homework, and computer games. We decided to add a bench seat to maximize space below the window and a lounge chair for additional seating.

The family of this contempory colonial home could only see their backyard for a very limited time of year from their large screened porch. The room let in too much pollen, dirt, cold air, rain, ice, heat and insects to enjoy. Using Four Seasons Sunrooms customized Walls Under System, our expert crew was able to precisely and easily fit in the vinyl sliding windows with Conserva-Glass Select that have a lifetime warranty. All the windows slide open and come with the exclusive Invisi-Sreens. The floor was structurally reinforced and icynene spray foam was added beneath the floor and in the ceiling for maximum energy efficiency. The back wall was blue boarded and plastered for a smooth painted finish and a prefinished wood floor completed the look for an elegant full useable space. And, when they are not using the space as an open breezy screen porch, the High performance heat pump heating and cooling system quietly and quickly makes the new space perfectly cozy in winter and cool in summer. Sure to be their new favorite room in the house!

This home was in need of a indoor outdoor entertaining space that would compliment the residents desire for clean lines and crisp architectural elements. By adding a lounging area with fire pit, water feature, outdoor kitchen and dinning spaces all atop modern pavers we were able to greatly increase the useable space while providing the polished look the client longed for.

Free ebook, CREATING THE IDEAL KITCHEN Download now → http://bit.ly/idealkitchen After having remodeled their kitchen, and two other baths in the home, the master bathroom was the last on the list of rooms to update for this couple. The existing bath had a small sink area with his and hers sinks and then a pocket door into the main bath which housed the tub, shower and commode. The main problem was the outdated look of the space, which was rather dark and dreary, and the giant unused whirlpool tub which took up more than its fair share of the footprint. To brighten the space, we used a pallet of soft gray porcelain tile on the floor and ceramic subway tiles on the walls. Carrera marble and nickel plumbing brighten the room and help amplify the sunlight streaming in through the existing skylight and vaulted ceiling. We first placed the new freestanding tub on an angle near the window so that users can take advantage of the view and light while soaking in the tub. A new, much larger shower takes up the other corner and delivers some symmetry to the room and is now a luxurious, useable and comfortable size. The commode was relocated to the right of the new shower, so it is visually tucked away. The existing opening between the sink area and the main area was widened and the door removed so that the homeowners can enjoy the light from the larger room while using the sinks each morning. A step up into the tub/shower area provides additional interest and was a happy accident and solution required to accommodate running the plumbing through the existing floor joists. Because the existing room felt quite contemporary with the vaulted ceiling, we added a run of crown molding around the top and a chair rail to the top of the tile to provide some traditional touches to the room. We think this space is lovely, relaxing and serene and are so honored to have been chosen by these wonderful homeowners to help provide them with a relaxing master bath sanctuary! Designer: Susan Klimala Assistant Designer: Keri Rogers

Contemporary railing and wall niches
Home design - contemporary home design idea in Columbus

This home was in need of a indoor outdoor entertaining space that would compliment the residents desire for clean lines and crisp architectural elements. By adding a lounging area with fire pit, water feature, outdoor kitchen and dinning spaces all atop modern pavers we were able to greatly increase the useable space while providing the polished look the client longed for.

A white painted wood walk-in closet featuring dazzling built-in displays highlights jewelry, handbags, and shoes with a glass island countertop, custom velvet-lined trays, and LED accents. Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry utilizes every square inch of useable wall space in style.

This eclectic space is infused with unique pieces and warm finishes combined to create a welcoming and comfortable space. We used Ikea kitchen cabinets and butcher block counter top for the bar area and built in media center. Custom wood floating shelves to match, maximize storage while maintaining clean lines and minimizing clutter. A custom bar table in the same wood tones is the perfect spot to hang out and play games. Splashes of brass and pewter in the hardware and antique accessories offset bright accents that pop against or white walls and ceiling. Grey floor tiles are an easy to clean solution warmed up by woven area rugs.

Free ebook, CREATING THE IDEAL KITCHEN Download now → http://bit.ly/idealkitchen After having remodeled their kitchen, and two other baths in the home, the master bathroom was the last on the list of rooms to update for this couple. The existing bath had a small sink area with his and hers sinks and then a pocket door into the main bath which housed the tub, shower and commode. The main problem was the outdated look of the space, which was rather dark and dreary, and the giant unused whirlpool tub which took up more than its fair share of the footprint. To brighten the space, we used a pallet of soft gray porcelain tile on the floor and ceramic subway tiles on the walls. Carrera marble and nickel plumbing brighten the room and help amplify the sunlight streaming in through the existing skylight and vaulted ceiling. We first placed the new freestanding tub on an angle near the window so that users can take advantage of the view and light while soaking in the tub. A new, much larger shower takes up the other corner and delivers some symmetry to the room and is now a luxurious, useable and comfortable size. The commode was relocated to the right of the new shower, so it is visually tucked away. The existing opening between the sink area and the main area was widened and the door removed so that the homeowners can enjoy the light from the larger room while using the sinks each morning. A step up into the tub/shower area provides additional interest and was a happy accident and solution required to accommodate running the plumbing through the existing floor joists. Because the existing room felt quite contemporary with the vaulted ceiling, we added a run of crown molding around the top and a chair rail to the top of the tile to provide some traditional touches to the room. We think this space is lovely, relaxing and serene and are so honored to have been chosen by these wonderful homeowners to help provide them with a relaxing master bath sanctuary! Designer: Susan Klimala Assistant Designer: Keri Rogers

This 1930s true California Bungalow built in Atlanta, GA was in poor but useable shape when purchased in October 2014. After many months of transformation this home now boasts 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths all did up in a vintage-inspired artdecoesque look and feel while remaining fresh and modern for today's buyer. SOLD!

This modern home, near Cedar Lake, built in 1900, was originally a corner store. A massive conversion transformed the home into a spacious, multi-level residence in the 1990’s. However, the home’s lot was unusually steep and overgrown with vegetation. In addition, there were concerns about soil erosion and water intrusion to the house. The homeowners wanted to resolve these issues and create a much more useable outdoor area for family and pets. Castle, in conjunction with Field Outdoor Spaces, designed and built a large deck area in the back yard of the home, which includes a detached screen porch and a bar & grill area under a cedar pergola. The previous, small deck was demolished and the sliding door replaced with a window. A new glass sliding door was inserted along a perpendicular wall to connect the home’s interior kitchen to the backyard oasis. The screen house doors are made from six custom screen panels, attached to a top mount, soft-close track. Inside the screen porch, a patio heater allows the family to enjoy this space much of the year. Concrete was the material chosen for the outdoor countertops, to ensure it lasts several years in Minnesota’s always-changing climate. Trex decking was used throughout, along with red cedar porch, pergola and privacy lattice detailing. The front entry of the home was also updated to include a large, open porch with access to the newly landscaped yard. Cable railings from Loftus Iron add to the contemporary style of the home, including a gate feature at the top of the front steps to contain the family pets when they’re let out into the yard. Tour this project in person, September 28 – 29, during the 2019 Castle Home Tour!

The richly stained walnut cabinet has the grain running horizontally to add a modern stria detail. All of the cabinets are pull out drawers. This allows the undercabinet area to house Costco Toilet paper with ease. I call this design "ELIMINATING THE BLACK HOLD EFFECT" that regular door style cabinets create. His & Her sink areas are well designed with organized drawers and ample lighting. Large decorative mirrors give a feeling of height and a little glamour too. We put the glitz in the mirror element as there wasn't a great location for a chandeliar in this tubless remodel. Stephani Buchman Photography