We transitioned this unfinished basement to a functional space including a kitchen, workout room, lounge area, extra bathroom and music room. The homeowners opted for an exposed black ceiling and epoxy coated floor, and upgraded the stairwell with creative two-toned shiplap and a stained wood tongue and groove ceiling. This is a perfect example of using an unfinished basement to increase useable space that meets your specific needs.

A 34’ x 30’ pavilion was designed to make the outdoor space useable even during the rain or colder seasons. Two industrial, natural gas heaters were installed in the space to keep everyone warm. The pavilion is also a great place to cook and entertain.

The homeowner wanted to extend their existing patio and make it a more useable space. We needed to make the extension look like it was part of the original design. We added a 12x20 patio and covered it with a white and bronze louvered StruXure Outdoor louvered roof.

This beautiful 1950's craftsman needed a redo, inside and out. After gutting it down to it's studs, the main floor and basement were redesigned for much more useable space. Three tiny bedrooms upstairs became a large master with a double sink on suite and a guest bedroom with a beautiful new bathroom. The stairway that was in the kitchen was relocated so the kitchen became larger and much more usable. The basement went from a red and orange monstrosity to a soothing family room, bedroom and new bathroom as well as an updated laundry room and storage closet. New windows and doors, as well as an egress window was added to make it code compliant. A new roof and fireplace finished off the remodel of this cozy, colorful craftsman cottage. Photos were taken by Moore House Photos by Jett (Jett Moore Photographer).

By removing a window in the family room, the kitchen run was extended to the left AND by creating a wood - topped bench seat in the breakfast room, the cabinet run was extended to the right, as well. This allowed for much more useable space by the sink and the island was anchored by the longer run of cabinets at the sink.

Part of a major renovation that touched all corners of a 120-year-old Bloomfield home, this project is full of style and charming Victorian details. As an avid home cook, one of our client’s top priorities was maximizing storage throughout the space. To make the compact kitchen more functional, we removed a small peninsula containing the sink and dishwasher which was splitting the space in half. We also adjusted the size of the windows, bringing them above countertop height which allowed for a new “U-shaped” layout. What this room lacked in useable wall space was made up for in height — we took advantage of the generous 9-foot tall space, bringing the custom cabinetry all the way to the ceiling. Our client also opted for a slightly smaller Euro-style refrigerator, allowing for even more storage along that wall. Central to the refrigerator, eco-friendly induction range, and farmhouse style sink, a hand carved antique Spanish work table provides the perfect prep zone, complete with an adjustable high-low fluted ceramic pendant above. A few other places where form meets function: a brass hanging rail along the range wall, a custom integral drainboard in the soapstone countertop, under cabinet lighting and hidden outlets, cushioned anti-fatigue Marmoleum sheet flooring, and a show-stopping gantry style faucet in a living unlacquered brass finish.

This fresh patio was updated with a new patio with pavers, creating a useable outdoor living space. Plantings, lighting and a grean teal pathway all help circle the patio in tranquility. High five coated fencing creates a backdrop against the fencing, as well as providing a trellis in front of the spa, providing privacy as the new landscaping grows.

Our clients wanted to make better use of their first floor space but converting their large unused living room into more useable space. The sunroom is to the left framed by simply silk drapery panels. In the rear, we designed a dimple built in, painted a deep gold in the back to draw your eye in to our clients fascinating library. In front of it sits the baby grand which is played by their incredibly talented daughter. This dining area was intended for comfort. Plush wide chairs encircle the table shown at 54" but opens to 72' with leave that are stored within the table itself.

Starting with a multi-level, splintering old deck that didn’t transition well to the pool area - our goal was to great a more enjoyable and useable space where the homeowners can spend time relaxing & hosting poolside parties. We worked closely with the township to maximize the allowable impervious coverage for the property, which included reconfiguring all the landscaping to allow for more hardscaping. To say this backyard got a facelift is an understatement. Everything got some attention; from staining & sealing the concrete around the pool, tucking away the pool equipment, building an all new porch complete with gorgeous stonework & fireplace. Meeting the needs of the homeowners & surpassing their dreams is one of our favorite things, and with this design – that was exactly the case.

In 2022 Level Custom Build completed the renovation of this Douglas Drive Garage. The client had very limited space in their garage for their vehicle and tools. We expanded the rough opening of the garage entrance and installed a new garage door and finished the interior of the garage. The result was more useable space and easier access.

This Seattle couple was wanting to transform their small city parcel into a useable, kid safe garden. Terrain worked with the designers to install a low maintenance yard that provides year round color and interest. A small pottery water feature highlights a bluestone dining area that is bordered by two beautifully pruned fruit trees. The entire yard now has a stunning cohesive look and feel that continues to give an excellent return on investment. Design by Shapiro Ryan Design

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

La Habra Heights at its finest. This home has everything you can ask for in a Heights property. Useable land, pool, views and has been tastefully upgraded. This home has been completely remodeled within the last 10 years. Newer kitchen, windows, bathrooms, driveway and patio. Entertainers dream with large living areas that all flow seamlessly to the outdoor oasis. Fire pit, built in BBQ, fenced in pool with slide and lots of space for lounging around on those lazy summer days. There is also a bonus room that is not connected to the house that can be used for a game room or man cave. Easy access from Hacienda Rd. Come see this one before it's too late.

This home is unique for a builder home. The client was wanting to build a home with more useable finished space for the buyers, instead of having a unfinished basement that needs plenty of work. We took the basement out of the design and instead built up three storeys compared to the standard two storeys. The large home was designed for a separate kids space and adult space. Adding the loft on the third floor is intended for a rec room and/or living space for the kids to get away and keep the main living space on the adults and family time. Not to mention it will help de-clutter the main floor of all kids toys and equipment, so when hosting family and friends there's less maintenance to do. The loft also has an option to add a 5th bedroom and 3rd full bath if desired.

Simple bath remodel. KraftMaid Cabinetry. Doorstyle is Torrington Cherry Peppercorn Finish purchased through Home Depot. Vanity collection with custom end panel. Matching cherry peppercorn mirror frame. We also trimmed out the top of the tile with some panel molding in the same peppercorn cherry finish. Countertop is Quartz also made by KraftMaid. Color is Bramble. 8 useable drawers!

The symmetry and "useability" of the master suite was increased during this Aging In Place design and remodel. DT
Example of a mid-sized classic master porcelain tile and brown floor bedroom design in Austin with white walls and no fireplace

The artwork has a gold toned frame and combines cinamon brown with silver and grey tones. The desk area adds useable space on a large wall. Gold in the metal bowl and sphere pulls in gold/brass components that are in other areas of the home.

Longevity – Building for sustainability means considering current and future needs when designing a space. Right now the DADU needs a simple kitchenette, but the homeowners thought ahead to aging in place and designed the DADU as a multi-use space with a kitchen that will be useable by a caregiver or other on-site family.

These are the main retaining walls, also known as landscaping walls, after the work was complete. Please notice how much additional useable space the new retaining wall system added to the property.