St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles Favorite Spaces award. Taking out the door and opening up the wall leading to the lower level gave the illusion of much more space without changing the footprint. The lack of upper cabinets also visually expands the space. Photo by Sarah Carmody

This 1950s 6’x8’ bathroom was reimagined to match the vision of a young professional couple seeking a sleek, luxurious design. Better Builders transformed the cramped space by removing the tub and installing a curbless shower with a linear drain and glass wall, creating an open and airy feel. To visually expand the room, smokey gray tile was installed throughout, paired with striking blue granite slab accents inspired by the homeowners’ travels. Creative storage solutions included a floating teak shelf that extends seamlessly across the back wall and a compact vanity replacing the pedestal sink for added counter space. Modern fixtures, including a Bluetooth-enabled Robern lighted medicine cabinet, completed the transformation, delivering both style and functionality. Thoughtful design choices and innovative space planning solutions maximized every inch of this small bathroom, bringing the client’s vision to life.

The condo originally had a large den next to the kitchen. and by removing the den we were able to create an open floor concept that visually expanded the space tremendously!

This classic Portland bungalow in the highly desirable Irvington neighborhood has been in the family for generations and lovingly cared for and updated throughout the years. It was now the main floor’s primary bathroom that needed to be addressed. A tight footprint made for some space planning challenges, but what we love so much about this project is that it demonstrates that so much can be done with a small space! Designing a shallower than typical vanity allowed us to extend the cabinetry and countertop as far as the door swing into the room would allow, adding much needed storage to the room. A narrow undermount sink combined with wall mount faucet ensures the vanity remains extremely functional. A tower cabinet at the end frames the sink and mirror, bringing an appreciated moment of symmetry while providing space for electric bathroom products and so much more. Where a two sided tub/shower once lived, now a walk in shower framed in glass makes the space feel, and live, significantly larger than its modest square footage. The use of glass on only the long side, and pony wall with glass above on the short end, visually expands the space allowing the eye to move freely around the room while still providing privacy at the toilet. Marmoleum flooring makes for easy cleaning while mosaic tile on the shower floor ensures traction in the wet environment. A classic penny tile accent around the shower walls, combined with the tile wainscot around the room speak to the classic architecture of the home. The bright and fresh palette is at once lively and calming, youthful and sophisticated, current and timeless!

A thoughtfully designed kids’ bathroom built for everyday life, where functionality meets timeless style. A convenient handheld shower makes bath time easier for parents while giving kids flexibility as they grow. The large bathtub offers plenty of space for comfort, making daily routines simple and enjoyable. Soft, calming colors were intentionally selected to create a peaceful environment that feels clean, bright, and welcoming. To elevate both design and practicality, large-format tiles were used to minimize grout lines, making maintenance easier while visually expanding the room and helping the space feel larger and more open.

This classic Portland bungalow in the highly desirable Irvington neighborhood has been in the family for generations and lovingly cared for and updated throughout the years. It was now the main floor’s primary bathroom that needed to be addressed. A tight footprint made for some space planning challenges, but what we love so much about this project is that it demonstrates that so much can be done with a small space! Designing a shallower than typical vanity allowed us to extend the cabinetry and countertop as far as the door swing into the room would allow, adding much needed storage to the room. A narrow undermount sink combined with wall mount faucet ensures the vanity remains extremely functional. A tower cabinet at the end frames the sink and mirror, bringing an appreciated moment of symmetry while providing space for electric bathroom products and so much more. Where a two sided tub/shower once lived, now a walk in shower framed in glass makes the space feel, and live, significantly larger than its modest square footage. The use of glass on only the long side, and pony wall with glass above on the short end, visually expands the space allowing the eye to move freely around the room while still providing privacy at the toilet. Marmoleum flooring makes for easy cleaning while mosaic tile on the shower floor ensures traction in the wet environment. A classic penny tile accent around the shower walls, combined with the tile wainscot around the room speak to the classic architecture of the home. The bright and fresh palette is at once lively and calming, youthful and sophisticated, current and timeless!

The Rogers is a small modern farmhouse designed for family living. A vaulted ceiling visually expands the great room, and the dining room is spacious and open for gatherings. The drop zone has a built-in seat and enjoys a sun tunnel, and a powder room is available for guests. The kitchen features an island and barn doors open to a pantry and utility room. Just steps away, a door leads to the rear porch and patio. Two bedrooms, each with a walk-in closet, share a bathroom with a dual sink vanity. The master suite is to the opposite side of the floor plan and enjoys two skylights, a massive walk-in closet, and a luxurious bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, walk-in shower, and a dual sink vanity. Find storage space in the garage and a bonus room above.

The master bathroom vanity was custom designed to fit the small space but provide ample storage. The deep drawers, center cabinet tower and the addition of a side wall medicine cabinet keeps everything organized. The full wall mirrors with surface mounted lights help to visually expand the space. At the request of the man of the house, the addition of a steam shower with a glass surround was installed with a tile surround and a Island Stone pebble floor. Construction by Custom Craft Contractors

With a meticulous arrangement that caters to every storage need, this closet design brings a touch of luxury to limited spaces. The purity of white in the design visually expands the area, while the thoughtfully integrated features provide a haven for your wardrobe. Experience the art of organization and sophistication in one harmonious package.

Shweta envisioned transforming the small guest bedroom into a serene escape. Her aim was to create a tranquil and inviting space that offered both comfort and practicality. To visually expand the room, she opted for a DIY board and batten wall treatment in a soothing green paired with off-white accents. For storage, Shweta incorporated a compact dresser, nightstands, and utilized the existing closet. A cozy reading nook, complete with a chair, was nestled by the window to make guests feel at home. Layered patterns, textures, and lighting were incorporated to enhance the room's ambiance, resulting in a peaceful retreat.

The Rogers is a small modern farmhouse designed for family living. A vaulted ceiling visually expands the great room, and the dining room is spacious and open for gatherings. The drop zone has a built-in seat and enjoys a sun tunnel, and a powder room is available for guests. The kitchen features an island and barn doors open to a pantry and utility room. Just steps away, a door leads to the rear porch and patio. Two bedrooms, each with a walk-in closet, share a bathroom with a dual sink vanity. The master suite is to the opposite side of the floor plan and enjoys two skylights, a massive walk-in closet, and a luxurious bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, walk-in shower, and a dual sink vanity. Find storage space in the garage and a bonus room above.

The design project of the studio is in white. The white version of the interior decoration allows to visually expanding the space. The dark wooden floor counterbalances the light space and favorably shades. The layout of the room is conventionally divided into functional zones. The kitchen area is presented in a combination of white and black. It looks stylish and aesthetically pleasing. Monophonic facades, made to match the walls. The color of the kitchen working wall is a deep dark color, which looks especially impressive with backlighting. The bar counter makes a conditional division between the kitchen and the living room. The main focus of the center of the composition is a round table with metal legs. Fits organically into a restrained but elegant interior. Further, in the recreation area there is an indispensable attribute - a sofa. The green sofa complements the cool white tone and adds serenity to the setting. The fragile glass coffee table enhances the lightness atmosphere. The installation of an electric fireplace is an interesting design solution. It will create an atmosphere of comfort and warm atmosphere. A niche with shelves made of drywall, serves as a decor and has a functional character. An accent wall with a photo dilutes the monochrome finish. Plants and textiles make the room cozy. A textured white brick wall highlights the entrance hall. The necessary furniture consists of a hanger, shelves and mirrors. Lighting of the space is represented by built-in lamps, there is also lighting of functional areas.

The Roger Lee designed house from 1962 was purchased by the current homeowners in almost original condition, as the previous owners elected to defer most maintenance projects over the years. The clients were able to see beyond the dated materials and finishes, single-paned glass and uninsulated walls and they approached Klopf Architecture to help them expand and update the entire home, one the family could settle into and enjoy for years to come. It was important that the new designs were aligned with Lee's original intent not only because of the client's appreciation for mid-century modern architecture, but also because the house was deemed historical. The Stanford Real Estate Office requires a stringent design review which safeguards the integrity of the community, which Klopf Architecture was happy to oblige going into their updated designs. As with many original mid-century modern homes, the house was scaled to the 1960s lifestyle where rooms were smaller and openings to views were limited and tightly framed. The original conditions defined the direction the family of four would take in updating the house and making it comfortable for their modern lifestyle. Klopf designed a full gut remodel and major addition to bring the house into the 21st century and provide the living area needed for the client's family. The newly expanded house added just about 1,100 sf to create an airy, comfortable and family friendly house, taking full advantage of the beautiful southwestern views that extend out to the hills beyond. The enclosed garage created an additional 240 sf of covered space for long-term storage. A cracked swimming pool created an eyesore taking up a majority of the backyard landscape, so it was one of the first elements to go during the transformation. Working with Outer Space Landscape Architects, the family asked for a mix of relaxing outdoor patio spaces that eventually blend into the native landscaping, extending their views outward toward the natural greenery of the trees beyond their property. Filling in the old pool was a smart way to expand the living spaces outward. The orientation of the house was designed to enjoy the views, but the original architecture provided the first homeowners with mere glimpses of the landscape outside. Klopf was able to broaden those views, continuing and extending on the original architecture to take full advantage of the unobstructed natural views across the rear facade of the house. Small horizontal openings in the primary bedroom and office were replaced with much taller windows that now follow the angled roof line upward, extending across almost all of the facade. We worked with Western Windows, whose designs included an oblique-shaped, operable casement that allowed our design to rise with the slope. A new corner office added to the primary suite, offers a bright and functional work-from-home solution that looks out at the distant views and added natural light from the expanded window configuration that now wraps around the corner. The existing lower level was designed by Lee as a utilitarian space, serving as a wet pool room with a drain in the center of the floor, bathroom, laundry and storage areas. Without the need for a pool room, Klopf was able to convert the area into a much more comfortable and functional living space with a new family room and guest suite. The new spaces enjoy easy access to a new outdoor patio through floor to ceiling, full-width glass sliders. Continuing along the rear facade, a previously exposed deck extending from the living room and hallway provided access to the backyard through a single set of stairs leading toward the side of the house which made sense when the pool was in place. The new deck was re-envisioned as an extension of the main living room and now serves as a second outdoor living room. A new slatted pergola above provides the homeowners welcome relief from the hot afternoon sun. A second set of stairs now creates a better connection to the redesigned lower level. Klopf was able to reconfigure the spaces, extending the living room outward toward the views, where the family now claims it as the heart of the home, spending a large majority of their time outdoors. Back inside, the original wood-burning Malm fireplace was beautifully restored and a gas burner installed to comply with California's strict air standards. It now rests in front of a wall of Heath accent tiles where a dated red brick wall used to stand. A new taller window brings more light and views into the refreshed interior living room. The original glass doors opposite the fireplace were replaced by larger sliders that when fully opened, create a seamless transition to the new outdoor living area so the two spaces feel like one connected space. The original utilitarian kitchen was needlessly tucked into the far back corner and closed-off, out of sight from the living room, so the clients asked Klopf to open it up and expand the kitchen forward so it felt more connected. Today the much larger kitchen is connected to the living area where a short wall with a cutout offers a visual glimpse into the kitchen and a handy pass-through counter for serving guests. A new breakfast nook was also added to create another spot where the family can gather for casual meals. Just outside, a new built-in outdoor grill and prep area extends the kitchen outside and connects to a new outdoor dining spot nestled amongst the trees, taking advantage of the views out back. Klopf was able to expand the other two bedrooms, add a new laundry room and half-bath and convert the carport to an enclosed garage to add more storage areas which was lost when the pool house was converted to the family and guest room. To maintain a historical connection to the original designs, the exterior siding was repeated on all exterior walls, a full-height stained glass window at the front entryway restored, and an interior slatted screen element repeated outside at the exterior entry courtyard and over the new outdoor living room to create a shade trellis. The new house stands proudly and shines against it's new landscaping features, while respecting and expanding on the original intent of Roger Lee's designs epitomizing the comforts of indoor-outdoor living in Northern California. Completion year: 2020 Klopf Architecture project team: John Klopf, Klara Kevane, Noel Andrade Contractor: ORB Construction, Brendan O'Reilly Structural engineer: Sezen and Moon Landscape architect: Outer space Furnishings and decoration: Urbanism Designs Photographer: Mariko Reed

The Rogers is a small modern farmhouse designed for family living. A vaulted ceiling visually expands the great room, and the dining room is spacious and open for gatherings. The drop zone has a built-in seat and enjoys a sun tunnel, and a powder room is available for guests. The kitchen features an island and barn doors open to a pantry and utility room. Just steps away, a door leads to the rear porch and patio. Two bedrooms, each with a walk-in closet, share a bathroom with a dual sink vanity. The master suite is to the opposite side of the floor plan and enjoys two skylights, a massive walk-in closet, and a luxurious bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, walk-in shower, and a dual sink vanity. Find storage space in the garage and a bonus room above.

The design project of the studio is in white. The white version of the interior decoration allows to visually expanding the space. The dark wooden floor counterbalances the light space and favorably shades. The layout of the room is conventionally divided into functional zones. The kitchen area is presented in a combination of white and black. It looks stylish and aesthetically pleasing. Monophonic facades, made to match the walls. The color of the kitchen working wall is a deep dark color, which looks especially impressive with backlighting. The bar counter makes a conditional division between the kitchen and the living room. The main focus of the center of the composition is a round table with metal legs. Fits organically into a restrained but elegant interior. Further, in the recreation area there is an indispensable attribute - a sofa. The green sofa complements the cool white tone and adds serenity to the setting. The fragile glass coffee table enhances the lightness atmosphere. The installation of an electric fireplace is an interesting design solution. It will create an atmosphere of comfort and warm atmosphere. A niche with shelves made of drywall, serves as a decor and has a functional character. An accent wall with a photo dilutes the monochrome finish. Plants and textiles make the room cozy. A textured white brick wall highlights the entrance hall. The necessary furniture consists of a hanger, shelves and mirrors. Lighting of the space is represented by built-in lamps, there is also lighting of functional areas.

Shweta envisioned transforming the small guest bedroom into a serene escape. Her aim was to create a tranquil and inviting space that offered both comfort and practicality. To visually expand the room, she opted for a DIY board and batten wall treatment in a soothing green paired with off-white accents. For storage, Shweta incorporated a compact dresser, nightstands, and utilized the existing closet. A cozy reading nook, complete with a chair, was nestled by the window to make guests feel at home. Layered patterns, textures, and lighting were incorporated to enhance the room's ambiance, resulting in a peaceful retreat.

Visually expand the space of your bedroom with this standing mirror with white frame, designed to become the main accent piece. from modernfurniturebay.com

The kitchen was dark and dated, and we wanted to lighten and open it more to the adjacent sitting room. We were able to raise the ceiling in a portion of it as structure allowed and open the wall and peninsula connecting the two rooms, which visually expanded both rooms. The microwave had unfortunately been a focal point from the sitting area, so it was moved down to the bottom cabinets providing a clean cabinet view.

Set includes: Pre-drilled door slab. Metal invisible frame (3 pcs) made of cold-rolled galvanized steel, with connectors and screws. 3D-adjustable concealed hinges. American style or European style handle and lock (per your choice). Door model – 2102 Coating – eco-veneer Door thickness – 1 1/2" Door core – solid wood. Modern frameless design makes this door a perfect solution for stylish interiors. Thanks to the minimalist look and absence of visible trims, it visually expands the space and blends seamlessly into any room. The eco-veneer coating is durable, scratch-resistant, easy to maintain, and designed for long-lasting performance. The engineered solid wood core provides strength, stability, sound reduction, and helps preserve heat inside the room. Door can be chosen with inswing or outswing direction. Flush design is available from one side only to achieve a clean invisible frame look. The invisible frame is resistant to mechanical damage and corrosion. Extensions are available to cover a wall up to 7". Frame should be spackled and painted after installation to achieve a seamless invisible frame finish that integrates perfectly with the wall surface.