The homeowners sought to create a modest, modern, lakeside cottage, nestled into a narrow lot in Tonka Bay. The site inspired a modified shotgun-style floor plan, with rooms laid out in succession from front to back. Simple and authentic materials provide a soft and inviting palette for this modern home. Wood finishes in both warm and soft grey tones complement a combination of clean white walls, blue glass tiles, steel frames, and concrete surfaces. Sustainable strategies were incorporated to provide healthy living and a net-positive-energy-use home. Onsite geothermal, solar panels, battery storage, insulation systems, and triple-pane windows combine to provide independence from frequent power outages and supply excess power to the electrical grid. Photos by Corey Gaffer

An alternate view of the stairwell shows detail of the iron railing and wood ceiling fan. An authentic street banner—featuring Cassatt's "Summertime", used to promote an exhibition of Woman Impressionists at San Francisco's Legion of Honor Art Museum.—can be seen from all angles of the upstairs hallway.

Eco-Friendly UV ink print on reclaimed wood by Parvez Taj Douglas Fir is harvested from old buildings throughout Southern California. Wood pieces are hand-selected by fine craftsmen for printing. Given the wood's age and previous use, it is likely to have irregularities such as knots, stains, or an uneven surface. These imperfections add character and patina to this fine work of art. Arrives ready to hang. Includes a certificate of authenticity. Artist signature on the front. Made in the USA.

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA Andersen 400 Windows and French Doors showcase this lovely sunroom. In another picture you can see the two sided stone fireplace. We used scissor trusses to create a cathedral ceiling.

This was the most frequently used phrase in the collaboration of 3 energies that resulted with this masterpiece "Cozy Elegance". The builder, the client, and the architect shared a common vision inspired by the spectacular lake front homesite. Elegant, refined, authentic; every space was carefully thought out to capture and exude the understated significance of blending nature with the home, while expressing the heritage of the owners’ life’s journey. It is a place that will inspire new memories for generations to come.

A unique use of a barn door by transitioning an old closet into an office desk; the rustic barn door gives the space an authentic office look when it's open...

The brief was to update a tired kitchen, which doubled as a conference room, along with a waiting room, entrance hall, stairs and first floor landing. The beautiful Georgian building retained many of its original features. The scheme highlighted these where possible, using a Farrow and Ball palette. Modern door handles were replaced with authentic brass handles, and beading was added to modern doors to help blend them with original doors still in situ. Care had to be taken to balance the period details with the needs of a modern brand.

Ema Peter
Example of a large trendy l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

The owners of a charming home in the hills west of Paso Robles recently decided to remodel their not-so-charming kitchen. Referred to San Luis Kitchen by several of their friends, the homeowners visited our showroom and soon decided we were the best people to design a kitchen fitting the style of their home. We were delighted to get to work on the project right away. When we arrived at the house, we found a small, cramped and out-dated kitchen. The ceiling was low, the cabinets old fashioned and painted a stark dead white, and the best view in the house was neglected in a seldom-used breakfast nook (sequestered behind the kitchen peninsula). This kitchen was also handicapped by white tile counters with dark grout, odd-sized and cluttered cabinets, and small ‘desk’ tacked on to the side of the oven cabinet. Due to a marked lack of counter space & inadequate storage the homeowner had resorted to keeping her small appliances on a little cart parked in the corner and the garbage was just sitting by the wall in full view of everything! On the plus side, the kitchen opened into a nice dining room and had beautiful saltillo tile floors. Mrs. Homeowner loves to entertain and often hosts dinner parties for her friends. She enjoys visiting with her guests in the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Sadly, her small kitchen really limited her interactions with her guests – she often felt left out of the mix at her own parties! This savvy homeowner dreamed big – a new kitchen that would accommodate multiple workstations, have space for guests to gather but not be in the way, and maybe a prettier transition from the kitchen to the dining (wine service area or hutch?) – while managing the remodel budget by reusing some of her major appliances and keeping (patching as needed) her existing floors. Responding to the homeowner’s stated wish list and the opportunities presented by the home's setting and existing architecture, the designers at San Luis Kitchen decided to expand the kitchen into the breakfast nook. This change allowed the work area to be reoriented to take advantage of the great view – we replaced the existing window and added another while moving the door to gain space. A second sink and set of refrigerator drawers (housing fresh fruits & veggies) were included for the convenience of this mainly vegetarian cook – her prep station. The clean-up area now boasts a farmhouse style single bowl sink – adding to the ‘cottage’ charm. We located a new gas cook-top between the two workstations for easy access from each. Also tucked in here is a pullout trash/recycle cabinet for convenience and additional drawers for storage. Running parallel to the work counter we added a long butcher-block island with easy-to-access open shelves for the avid cook and seating for friendly guests placed just right to take in the view. A counter-top garage is used to hide excess small appliances. Glass door cabinets and open shelves are now available to display the owners beautiful dishware. The microwave was placed inconspicuously on the end of the island facing the refrigerator – easy access for guests (and extraneous family members) to help themselves to drinks and snacks while staying out of the cook’s way. We also moved the pantry storage away from the dining room (putting it on the far wall and closer to the work triangle) and added a furniture-like hutch in its place allowing the more formal dining area to flow seamlessly into the up-beat work area of the kitchen. This space is now also home (opposite wall) to an under counter wine refrigerator, a liquor cabinet and pretty glass door wall cabinet for stemware storage – meeting Mr. Homeowner’s desire for a bar service area. And then the aesthetic: an old-world style country cottage theme. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to have a warm feel while still loving the look of white cabinetry. San Luis Kitchen melded country-casual knotty pine base cabinets with vintage hand-brushed creamy white wall cabinets to create the desired cottage look. We also added bead board and mullioned glass doors for charm, used an inset doorstyle on the cabinets for authenticity, and mixed stone and wood counters to create an eclectic nuance in the space. All in all, the happy homeowners now boast a charming county cottage kitchen with plenty of space for entertaining their guests while creating gourmet meals to feed them.

Minimalist exterior home photo in Austin

The brief was to update a tired kitchen, which doubled as a conference room, along with a waiting room, entrance hall, stairs and first floor landing. The beautiful Georgian building retained many of its original features. The scheme highlighted these where possible, using a Farrow and Ball palette. Modern door handles were replaced with authentic brass handles, and beading was added to modern doors to help blend them with original doors still in situ. Care had to be taken to balance the period details with the needs of a modern brand.

A unique use of a barn door by transitioning an old closet into an office desk; the rustic barn door gives the space an authentic office look when it's open...

A unique use of a barn door by transitioning an old closet into an office desk; the rustic barn door gives the space an authentic office look when it's open...

A unique use of a barn door by transitioning an old closet into an office desk; the rustic barn door gives the space an authentic office look when it's open...

This beautiful Spanish Colonial on the lake in Pablo Creek Reserve is nearly 4000 SF and consists of four bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms and a 'flex room' that can be used as a study or fifth bedroom. Architectural authentic, this home includes an open floor plan ideal for entertaining. An extensive lanai with summer kitchen brings the outdoors in. Ceiling treatments include coffered ceilings in the great room and dining room and barrel vaults in the kitchen and master bath. Thermador appliances, Kohler and Waterworks plumbing fixtures and wood beams bring functionality and character to the home.

design by Pulp Design Studios | http://pulpdesignstudios.com/
 This master suite renovation was completed for a couple with both a love of french antiques and their pet. Pulp incorporated key beloved pieces from the homeowners’ collection with durable fabrics and custom pillows to create a tranquil retreat. Glass tile and marble were used to transform the master bath from a dark space to a space that is serene, open and aesthetically pleasing. Finishing touches really complete the look giving it an authentic spa feel.

The alcove which had been stripped of its original Tudor paneling, was repurposed. The fireplace was exposed while the surround was clad with antique European brick from Exquisite Surfaces who also furnished the white oak flooring material. A beverage center was installed in the far corner. The beam above it was veneered with reclaimed barn wood to look authentic. A circular table and ample seating from Ironies offer an ideal spot to play cards, write or draw. Sandra Jordan provided the Alpaca used for the window treatments and accent pillows throughout. All media equipment by Bang & Olufsen.

A unique use of a barn door by transitioning an old closet into an office desk; the rustic barn door gives the space an authentic office look when it's open...

This gorgeous open floor plan has a unique and modern style thanks to the use of Authentic Durango Veracruz™ Vein-Cut floor tile supplied by the professionals at All Natural Stone in Burlingame, CA. Call Paul Rozendal at (650) 239-5200 to create your contemporary space today!