Large game room with mesquite bar top, swivel bar stools, quad TV, custom cabinets hand carved with bronze insets, game table, custom carpet, lighted liquor display, venetian plaster walls, custom furniture. Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/

Michael Hsu
Entry hall - large contemporary concrete floor entry hall idea in Austin with white walls

The luxurious master bathroom features streaming music and television in addition to lighting and temperature control.
Inspiration for a large contemporary master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bathroom remodel in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, an undermount tub, an undermount sink and gray walls

CAMBRIA QUARTZ - BERWYN, OLIMPIA TILE, AND POSEIDON BACKSPLASH

This 10x10 shed can easily be customized with a wide variety of high quality accessories that will not only protect your investment, it will make your daily tasks much easier. For extra light inside your storage shed, add a large window. If you plan on storing items that emit chemical vapors such as gasoline, get a wall vent, ridge vent or venting skylight for more air circulation. We're your one stop shop for high quality 10x10 sheds and accessories.

Large minimalist front door photo in San Diego with a black front door

2013 Fort Worth Dream Home Built by AG Builders, Featured in Fort Worth Magazine and Electronics design/installation performed by H. Customs Audio Video. This patio features a 46" Samsung LED, Episode In-Ceiling Speakers, and Wirepath Surveillance Cameras. All electronics are concealed in a media room rack. Entire home is Control4 automated. For more information please contact H. Customs.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Inspiration for a contemporary bedroom remodel in Miami with white walls

Home office for two that doubles as a craft room. Solid surface (quartz) tops. White shaker style thermofoil cabinets with aluminum glass door accents.

Photo by Mike Buck
Mountain style formal and open concept light wood floor living room photo in Grand Rapids

Mid-sized minimalist master light wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Orange County with gray walls and no fireplace

A video tour of this beautiful home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbfy9PYTsBQ Paul Grdina

WATCH the time lapse video of this kitchen remodel: https://youtu.be/caemXXlauLU   Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This Glen Ellyn homeowner came to us, frustrated with the layout and size of their current kitchen, looking for help generating ideas for how to maximize functionality within the constraints of the space. After visiting with them and seeing the home’s layout, I realized that looking at the bigger picture of how they used the entire first floor might bring us some dramatic solutions. We ended up flipping the kitchen and family room and taking down the wall separating the two creating one big open floor plan for the family to enjoy. There is still a visual separation between the rooms because of their different lengths and the overall space now relates nicely to the dining room which was also opened up to both rooms. The new kitchen is an L-shaped space that is no longer cramped and small and is truly a cook’s dream. The fridge is on one end, a large cooktop and sink are located along the main perimeter and double ovens located at the end of the “L” complete the layout. Ample work surface along the perimeter and on the large island makes entertaining a breeze. An existing door to the patio remains, floods the room with light and provides easy access to the existing outdoor deck for entertaining and grilling. White cabinetry with quartz countertops, Carrera marble backsplash tile and a contrasting gray island give the space a clean and modern feel. The gray pendant lights and stainless appliances bring a slight industrial feel to the space letting you know that some serious cooking will take place here. Once we had their Dream Kitchen design completed, the homeowners decided to tackle another project at the same time. We made plans to create a master suite upstairs by combining two existing bedrooms into a larger bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet. The existing spaces were not overly large so getting everything on the wish list into the design was a challenge. In the end, we came up with a design that works. The two bedrooms were adjoined, one wall moved back slightly to make for a slightly larger bedroom, and the remaining space was allotted to the new bathroom and a walk in closet. The bathroom consists of a double vanity and a large shower with a barn door shower door. A skylight brings light into the space and helps make it feel larger and more open. The new walk-in closet is accessible through the bathroom, and we even managed to fit in a small entry vestibule that houses some additional storage and makes a nice transition from the hallway. A white vanity, Carrera tops and gray floor tile make for a serene space that feels just right for this home. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Mike Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic built-in desk concrete floor and gray floor study room remodel in San Francisco with brown walls and no fireplace

The clients shared with us an inspiration picture of a white marble bathroom with clean lines and elegant feel. Their current master bathroom was far from elegant. With a somewhat limited budget, the goal was to create a walk-in shower, additional storage and elegant feel without having to change much of the footprint. To have the look of a marble bath without the high price tag we used on the floor and walls a durable porcelain tile with a realistic Carrara marble look makes this upscale bathroom a breeze to maintain. It also compliments the real Carrara marble countertop perfectly. A vanity with dual sinks was installed. On each side of the vanity is ample cabinet and drawer storage. This bathroom utilized all the storage space possible, while still having an open feel and flow. This master bath now has clean lines, delicate fixtures and the look of high end materials without the high end price-tag. The result is an elegant bathroom that they enjoy spending time and relaxing in.

Create the ultimate lifestyle of comfort and convenience throughout your entire home with automation and smart home technology. Eliminate the need to walk from room to room to adjust shades, lights, temperature, and enjoy music and video in any room you want it to be. When you leave for work in the morning, press the “Away” button to turn off all the lights, lock doors, arm the security system, set the temperature, lower shades, and power down non-essential devices. Entertain with ease not having to run around the home to set lights, shades and music to create the perfect ambiance. Whether from an easy-to-use touch screen, remote, customized keypad or mobile device, total smart control of your entire house is always at your fingertips.

Living room - contemporary formal light wood floor and brown floor living room idea in Toronto with orange walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Example of a mid-sized transitional family room design in Tampa