An open 2 story foyer also serves as a laundry space for a family of 5. Previously the machines were hidden behind bifold doors along with a utility sink. The new space is completely open to the foyer and the stackable machines are hidden behind flipper pocket doors so they can be tucked away when not in use. An extra deep countertop allow for plenty of space while folding and sorting laundry. A small deep sink offers opportunities for soaking the wash, as well as a makeshift wet bar during social events. Modern slab doors of solid Sapele with a natural stain showcases the inherent honey ribbons with matching vertical panels. Lift up doors and pull out towel racks provide plenty of useful storage in this newly invigorated space.

Virtual Vista Photography
Dedicated laundry room - small transitional vinyl floor dedicated laundry room idea in Philadelphia with an utility sink, gray walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Vertical fence hiding air conditioners and other utilities
Patio container garden - small modern concrete paver patio container garden idea in New York

2010 NATIONAL NARI REGIONAL AWARD WINNER Project Scope The owners of this 7,000 square foot colonial in Oakton, Virginia, were seeking a multi-level Mediterranean-style indoor/outdoor living space off the back of their home. They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes for a design solution that would include a stone patio, a second-story deck, a screened-in porch and linking staircases. While the structure was designed primarily for family dining and entertaining, it also had to accommodate periodic social gatherings of one hundred guests or more. To meet these needs, the project would include a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, several serving counters with permanent refrigeration, and well-delineated socializing and dining zones. The existing home’s setting offered several impressive assets the new outdoor living area was designed to exploit. The sprawling acreage features old stand trees, wooded paths and a private lake. Beautifully landscaped, it unfolds as an idyllic panorama that naturally draws people to the outdoors. Challenges Since the rear elevation was situated on a slope that drops away from the house, the Michael Nash team had to raise the grade two feet within in a 2,000 square foot area extending out from the back of the house. Infrastructure plans also called for a sophisticated drainage system that had to accommodate a whole series of water “runoff” considerations to be integrated into the decking itself. Excavation included constructing retaining walls to bolster the elevated grade—which also had to support a concrete slab, the primary foundation for the entire complex. Solutions The ground level decking consists of a 2,000 square foot flagstone patio level with the home’s lower level doors. There is a decorative water fountain mid-patio—an ornate collectible acquired in Florida. Food preparation is concentrated within a specially designed semi-circular wall that creates an “outdoor kitchen” equipped with a 60” Viking barbecue grill, a prep sink, a warming drawer, refrigerator and appropriate storage. There is a granite surfaced dining counter with seating for eight. Wrought iron railing and approximately 20 decorative columns (some encasing steel vertical supports) are incorporated into the design scheme. Many of the columns house accent lights. The top level—supported by horizontal steel beams– is a 2,500 square foot deck constructed entirely of Trex decking. The open air decking is, again, directly accessible from rooms on the second level of the house including the kitchen, sunroom and family room. The platform’s most prominent feature is a U-shaped “kitchenette” with cedar shake shingle roofing. Like its counterpart one level below, the facility is equipped with grill, refrigerator and stainless steel cabinetry. One portion of the deck has been allocated for a 16’ x 16’ octagonal screened-in porch crowned by a pair of 2’ x 4’ skylights. The porch can be accessed from the home’s conservatory via a set of French doors. With its mosaic tile flooring, stained cedar panel ceiling and honed granite counters, the interior is elegant and calming. Hand-painted stenciling and a wall-mounted water feature provide distinctive detailing. Finally, the design introduced elements to highlight and reinforce an awareness of the lovely bucolic setting. Fountains and water features combined with textured surfaces and mosaic tiling and backsplashes to present a villa-like ambiance well-suited to the Virginia countryside.

Timeless, Tailored & Completely Livable — Primary Suite, Foyer & Whole-Home Interior Design | Raleigh, NC This project is a study in how to make a home feel both elevated and deeply personal. Warm tones, natural wood, thoughtful layering of pattern and texture, and fixture choices that feel curated rather than catalog — every room earns its place. The foyer makes an immediate impression. Herringbone hardwood floors set a classic tone underfoot, while gray grasscloth wallpaper adds warmth and texture to the walls. A brass cage lantern flush mount and wainscoting complete the entry, making it feel finished without being fussy. It's the kind of space that makes guests pause. The primary bedroom is the project's centerpiece. A brass spindle bed frame anchors the room with quiet drama, flanked by walnut nightstands with brass legs and topped with a pair of extraordinarily custom lighting moments — multi-rod pendant chandeliers in brass and glass that hang from ceiling canopies, functioning as both bedside task lighting and sculptural focal points. Soft blue-gray custom drapery in a tonal dash-dot pattern hangs floor to ceiling on brass rods, layered over woven shades for light control and warmth. A pair of oatmeal linen swivel chairs with a marble-topped brass side table creates a proper sitting area at the foot of the bed. Floral accent pillows in terracotta and rust, an orange bolster, and a geometric cream and blue area rug give the neutral palette its energy. A modern minimalist white ceiling fan balances the traditional bones of the room beautifully. The primary bathroom is a full gut renovation executed at the highest level. Warm walnut cabinetry with raised panel detailing runs the full length of a double vanity, topped with white quartz and finished with polished nickel hardware and fixtures throughout. A heated towel warmer, large format Calacatta-look marble tile floors, individual rounded-rectangle nickel-framed mirrors, and nickel sconces round out the vanity wall. The shower is nothing short of a spa experience — floor-to-ceiling Calacatta marble tile in large format, a ceiling-mounted rain head, wall-mounted traditional shower head, hand shower on a slide bar, linear drain, floating bench seat, and grab bars integrated so seamlessly they feel designed rather than added. A second bathroom receives the same care: dark walnut cabinetry, white quartz, polished nickel fixtures, a custom patterned Roman shade, and a cylindrical glass sconce with brass accent. The walk-in pantry was designed with the same intentionality as every other room — white cabinetry, open upper shelving, a dedicated wine rack with both vertical and horizontal bottle storage, a second refrigerator, and dramatic swirling granite countertops that make even the utility spaces feel considered.

This modern farmhouse exterior features vertical board and batten siding in crisp white, contrasted by black-framed French doors and matte black wall sconces. The poured concrete patio offers a clean, low-maintenance surface ideal for outdoor gatherings, while pre-installed utilities provide future-ready options for landscaping or outdoor seating.

An original 1930’s English Tudor with only 2 bedrooms and 1 bath spanning about 1730 sq.ft. was purchased by a family with 2 amazing young kids, we saw the potential of this property to become a wonderful nest for the family to grow. The plan was to reach a 2550 sq. ft. home with 4 bedroom and 4 baths spanning over 2 stories. With continuation of the exiting architectural style of the existing home. A large 1000sq. ft. addition was constructed at the back portion of the house to include the expended master bedroom and a second-floor guest suite with a large observation balcony overlooking the mountains of Angeles Forest. An L shape staircase leading to the upstairs creates a moment of modern art with an all white walls and ceilings of this vaulted space act as a picture frame for a tall window facing the northern mountains almost as a live landscape painting that changes throughout the different times of day. Tall high sloped roof created an amazing, vaulted space in the guest suite with 4 uniquely designed windows extruding out with separate gable roof above. The downstairs bedroom boasts 9’ ceilings, extremely tall windows to enjoy the greenery of the backyard, vertical wood paneling on the walls add a warmth that is not seen very often in today’s new build. The master bathroom has a showcase 42sq. walk-in shower with its own private south facing window to illuminate the space with natural morning light. A larger format wood siding was using for the vanity backsplash wall and a private water closet for privacy. In the interior reconfiguration and remodel portion of the project the area serving as a family room was transformed to an additional bedroom with a private bath, a laundry room and hallway. The old bathroom was divided with a wall and a pocket door into a powder room the leads to a tub room. The biggest change was the kitchen area, as befitting to the 1930’s the dining room, kitchen, utility room and laundry room were all compartmentalized and enclosed. We eliminated all these partitions and walls to create a large open kitchen area that is completely open to the vaulted dining room. This way the natural light the washes the kitchen in the morning and the rays of sun that hit the dining room in the afternoon can be shared by the two areas. The opening to the living room remained only at 8’ to keep a division of space.

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

This traditional home makes a grand impression with accents of stone, metal, and vertical siding. The foyer opens directly to the dining room and the stunning kitchen island is within sight. A fireplace and coffered ceiling create a cozy environment for the great room and a rear porch and a screened porch with a fireplace take living outdoors. The master suite is a true retreat with an opulent bathroom and a walk-in closet divided for couples or seasonally. The bedroom/study enjoys an adjacent bathroom and the utility room is nearby. Upstairs, two bedrooms have walk-in closets and share a full bathroom. A bonus room is available for entertainment or a future expansion.

The Percy offers comfortable living in a compact two-story farmhouse plan. The facade is modern with a mix of vertical and horizontal siding. Multiple gables and a metal accent roof create interest for this narrow design. The first floor includes a two-story great room with fireplace and built-in bookshelves. The chef-inspired kitchen offers a spacious island that overlooks the living spaces, a walk-in pantry, and an adjacent dining room. The master suite invites relaxation with a thoughtful master bathroom and a walk-in closet illuminated with natural light. The garage enters the home through a mud room and the utility room, powder room and multiple storage closets offer organization and convenience. The second floor is open to the foyer below and a gallery hall provides display space for books and art. Two large bedrooms share a full bathroom and a bonus room offers space for a future expansion, home theater or game room.

This traditional home makes a grand impression with accents of stone, metal, and vertical siding. The foyer opens directly to the dining room and the stunning kitchen island is within sight. A fireplace and coffered ceiling create a cozy environment for the great room and a rear porch and a screened porch with a fireplace take living outdoors. The master suite is a true retreat with an opulent bathroom and a walk-in closet divided for couples or seasonally. The bedroom/study enjoys an adjacent bathroom and the utility room is nearby. Upstairs, two bedrooms have walk-in closets and share a full bathroom. A bonus room is available for entertainment or a future expansion.

This kitchen remodel in Minneapolis neighborhood, nestled in a quiet pocket of mid-century homes near the river trails, embraces its compact footprint with smart, space-efficient design. Rather than default to an open-concept layout, the kitchen remains enclosed - enhanced by a custom operable vertical shutter that allows the kitchen to be closed off for focused cooking or opened to share light and conversation. Warm flush wood panels on the living room side blend seamlessly with the home’s original character. Reconfigured window openings with H windows establish sightlines from the front door to the backyard, framing a shared community garden beyond and a mature pine from the kitchen space. Brown ash cabinetry, neutral quartz counters, and a handmade ceramic tile backsplash nods to the home’s mid-century character balancing utility with beauty. Double-sided reeded glass uppers filter additional natural light into the kitchen while allowing tableware access from both the kitchen and dining room. New wood floors tie it all together, uniting the main level and reinforcing the feeling that this home, while modest in scale, is filled with light, warmth, and purpose.

Organized to Inspire: Basement Workshop with Industrial Flair This highly functional basement workshop proves that style and storage can go hand in hand. Outfitted with industrial-style open shelving, a stainless steel utility sink, and a vintage yellow tool chest, this workspace was designed for productivity. The custom pegboards and magnetic tool holders offer clever vertical storage, while the sturdy, sticker-clad workbench stands ready for projects big and small. Epoxy floors, open ceilings, and brilliant lighting round out the space, making it as efficient as it is inspiring. Whether you're a weekend DIYer or a seasoned maker, this is a workshop that works hard and looks great doing it.

Timeless, Tailored & Completely Livable — Primary Suite, Foyer & Whole-Home Interior Design | Raleigh, NC This project is a study in how to make a home feel both elevated and deeply personal. Warm tones, natural wood, thoughtful layering of pattern and texture, and fixture choices that feel curated rather than catalog — every room earns its place. The foyer makes an immediate impression. Herringbone hardwood floors set a classic tone underfoot, while gray grasscloth wallpaper adds warmth and texture to the walls. A brass cage lantern flush mount and wainscoting complete the entry, making it feel finished without being fussy. It's the kind of space that makes guests pause. The primary bedroom is the project's centerpiece. A brass spindle bed frame anchors the room with quiet drama, flanked by walnut nightstands with brass legs and topped with a pair of extraordinarily custom lighting moments — multi-rod pendant chandeliers in brass and glass that hang from ceiling canopies, functioning as both bedside task lighting and sculptural focal points. Soft blue-gray custom drapery in a tonal dash-dot pattern hangs floor to ceiling on brass rods, layered over woven shades for light control and warmth. A pair of oatmeal linen swivel chairs with a marble-topped brass side table creates a proper sitting area at the foot of the bed. Floral accent pillows in terracotta and rust, an orange bolster, and a geometric cream and blue area rug give the neutral palette its energy. A modern minimalist white ceiling fan balances the traditional bones of the room beautifully. The primary bathroom is a full gut renovation executed at the highest level. Warm walnut cabinetry with raised panel detailing runs the full length of a double vanity, topped with white quartz and finished with polished nickel hardware and fixtures throughout. A heated towel warmer, large format Calacatta-look marble tile floors, individual rounded-rectangle nickel-framed mirrors, and nickel sconces round out the vanity wall. The shower is nothing short of a spa experience — floor-to-ceiling Calacatta marble tile in large format, a ceiling-mounted rain head, wall-mounted traditional shower head, hand shower on a slide bar, linear drain, floating bench seat, and grab bars integrated so seamlessly they feel designed rather than added. A second bathroom receives the same care: dark walnut cabinetry, white quartz, polished nickel fixtures, a custom patterned Roman shade, and a cylindrical glass sconce with brass accent. The walk-in pantry was designed with the same intentionality as every other room — white cabinetry, open upper shelving, a dedicated wine rack with both vertical and horizontal bottle storage, a second refrigerator, and dramatic swirling granite countertops that make even the utility spaces feel considered.

This Dana Point laundry room remodel was designed to feel intentional, warm, and elevated, turning a hardworking space into one that feels fully integrated with the rest of the home. Custom walnut cabinetry adds depth and richness while providing generous concealed storage, balanced by open shelving for everyday essentials. Vertical tile brings subtle texture and contrast, keeping the space visually interesting without feeling busy. Integrated appliances allow the cabinetry to read as furniture rather than utility, helping the room feel cohesive and considered. Every detail was planned around how the homeowners use the space, from generous counter surfaces for folding to thoughtful storage that keeps daily routines streamlined and clutter out of sight. Layered lighting and patterned ceiling detail add character, proving that functional rooms can still feel tailored and inviting. The result is a laundry room that feels warm, refined, and quietly hardworking, designed to support daily life while reflecting the overall aesthetic of this Dana Point home.

Organized to Inspire: Basement Workshop with Industrial Flair This highly functional basement workshop proves that style and storage can go hand in hand. Outfitted with industrial-style open shelving, a stainless steel utility sink, and a vintage yellow tool chest, this workspace was designed for productivity. The custom pegboards and magnetic tool holders offer clever vertical storage, while the sturdy, sticker-clad workbench stands ready for projects big and small. Epoxy floors, open ceilings, and brilliant lighting round out the space, making it as efficient as it is inspiring. Whether you're a weekend DIYer or a seasoned maker, this is a workshop that works hard and looks great doing it.

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

This family of four love to entertain and having friends and family over. Their 1970 Rambler was getting cramped after their two daughters moved back and that was their cry for help. They also wanted to have two door garages added into their home. They had a very modern theme in mind for both exterior and interior of their project. The project started as excavating and clearing 7-9 feet of dirt allowing the driveway and new garage space. All utilities were relocated to clear area. Above this new garage space, there was the home for brand new dream kitchen for them. Trading their 10’x7′ galley kitchen with this 13’x30′ gourmet kitchen with 48″ stark blue professional gas range, a 5’x14′ center island equipped with prep sink, wine cooler, ice maker, microwave and lots of storage space. Front and back windows, 13′ cathedral ceiling offers lots of daylight and sparks up this beautiful kitchen. Tall Espresso cabinetry complimented with contrasting island, and breathtaking stone counter tops stands off through large opening from old home to new kitchen. The big load bearing wall and old kitchen was removed and opened up old home to new kitchen, all partition walls between kitchen, dining and living room were gone and given a total open floor plan. Replacing old carpet steps and wood rails with dark wood and cable yarn railing system bringing this home into new era. Entire first floor was now covered with wide plank exotic wood floors and a large scale porcelain tiles in kitchen floor. The entire exterior was replaced with cement board red planks siding and contrasting flat panel of grey boards bordered in with chrome trim. New front door, new Architectural shingles spruced up into 21st century home that they desired. A wide flat Mahogany with vertical glass garage doors with very modern looking exterior lights made this home stand tall in this neighborhood. We used glass backsplash tiles and pendent lights to create a upscale and very different look for this project. Furnished with ductless heating system and heated floors giving this family high level of comfort to through endless parties.

An original 1930’s English Tudor with only 2 bedrooms and 1 bath spanning about 1730 sq.ft. was purchased by a family with 2 amazing young kids, we saw the potential of this property to become a wonderful nest for the family to grow. The plan was to reach a 2550 sq. ft. home with 4 bedroom and 4 baths spanning over 2 stories. With continuation of the exiting architectural style of the existing home. A large 1000sq. ft. addition was constructed at the back portion of the house to include the expended master bedroom and a second-floor guest suite with a large observation balcony overlooking the mountains of Angeles Forest. An L shape staircase leading to the upstairs creates a moment of modern art with an all white walls and ceilings of this vaulted space act as a picture frame for a tall window facing the northern mountains almost as a live landscape painting that changes throughout the different times of day. Tall high sloped roof created an amazing, vaulted space in the guest suite with 4 uniquely designed windows extruding out with separate gable roof above. The downstairs bedroom boasts 9’ ceilings, extremely tall windows to enjoy the greenery of the backyard, vertical wood paneling on the walls add a warmth that is not seen very often in today’s new build. The master bathroom has a showcase 42sq. walk-in shower with its own private south facing window to illuminate the space with natural morning light. A larger format wood siding was using for the vanity backsplash wall and a private water closet for privacy. In the interior reconfiguration and remodel portion of the project the area serving as a family room was transformed to an additional bedroom with a private bath, a laundry room and hallway. The old bathroom was divided with a wall and a pocket door into a powder room the leads to a tub room. The biggest change was the kitchen area, as befitting to the 1930’s the dining room, kitchen, utility room and laundry room were all compartmentalized and enclosed. We eliminated all these partitions and walls to create a large open kitchen area that is completely open to the vaulted dining room. This way the natural light the washes the kitchen in the morning and the rays of sun that hit the dining room in the afternoon can be shared by the two areas. The opening to the living room remained only at 8’ to keep a division of space.