This is an example of a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard stone formal garden in New York for summer.

This beautiful English-inspired garden features Mexican bush sage, gulf muhly grass, blackfoot daisy, moonbeam coreopsis, coneflower, and rosemary.
Inspiration for a rustic backyard gravel landscaping in Dallas.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners of this mid-century Colonial and family of four were frustrated with the layout of their existing kitchen which was a small, narrow peninsula layout but that was adjoining a large space that they could not figure out how to use. Stealing part of the unused space seemed like an easy solution, except that there was an existing transition in floor height which made that a bit tricky. The solution of bringing the floor height up to meet the height of the existing kitchen allowed us to do just that. This solution also offered some challenges. The exterior door had to be raised which resulted in some exterior rework, and the floor transition had to happen somewhere to get out to the garage, so we ended up “pushing” it towards what is now a new mudroom and powder room area. This solution allows for a small but functional and hidden mudroom area and more private powder room situation. Another challenge of the design was the very narrow space. To minimize issues with this, we moved the location of the refrigerator into the newly found space which gave us an L-shaped layout allowing for an island and even some shallow pantry storage. The windows over the kitchen sink were expanded in size and relocated to allow more light into the room. A breakfast table fits perfectly in the area adjacent to the existing French doors and there was even room for a small bar area that helps transition from inside to outside for entertaining. The confusing unused space now makes sense and provides functionality on a daily basis. To help bring some calm to this busy family, a pallet of soft neutrals was chosen -- gray glass tile with a simple metal accent strip, clear modern pendant lights and a neutral color scheme for cabinetry and countertops. For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Joe Cotitta Epic Photography joecotitta@cox.net: Builder: Eagle Luxury Property
Example of a mid-sized transitional master carpeted bedroom design in Phoenix with gray walls and no fireplace

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

For more information on elements of this design please contact Jennifer Milliken: jennymilliken@gmail.com Robert J. Schroeder Photography©2014
Walk-in shower - mid-sized craftsman master blue tile and stone tile slate floor walk-in shower idea in San Francisco with a trough sink, medium tone wood cabinets, beige walls and flat-panel cabinets

Closeup of Autumn Flame flagstone path with small cobbles between. Photo by Jan Nelson
Design ideas for a small rustic full sun front yard stone garden path in San Francisco.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This large open concept kitchen and dining space was created by removing a load bearing wall between the old kitchen and a porch area. The new porch was insulated and incorporated into the overall space. The kitchen remodel was part of a whole house remodel so new quarter sawn oak flooring, a vaulted ceiling, windows and skylights were added. A large calcutta marble topped island takes center stage. It houses a 5’ galley workstation - a sink that provides a convenient spot for prepping, serving, entertaining and clean up. A 36” induction cooktop is located directly across from the island for easy access. Two appliance garages on either side of the cooktop house small appliances that are used on a daily basis. Honeycomb tile by Ann Sacks and open shelving along the cooktop wall add an interesting focal point to the room. Antique mirrored glass faces the storage unit housing dry goods and a beverage center. “I chose details for the space that had a bit of a mid-century vibe that would work well with what was originally a 1950s ranch. Along the way a previous owner added a 2nd floor making it more of a Cape Cod style home, a few eclectic details felt appropriate”, adds Klimala. The wall opposite the cooktop houses a full size fridge, freezer, double oven, coffee machine and microwave. “There is a lot of functionality going on along that wall”, adds Klimala. A small pull out countertop below the coffee machine provides a spot for hot items coming out of the ovens. The rooms creamy cabinetry is accented by quartersawn white oak at the island and wrapped ceiling beam. The golden tones are repeated in the antique brass light fixtures. “This is the second kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to design for myself. My taste has gotten a little less traditional over the years, and although I’m still a traditionalist at heart, I had some fun with this kitchen and took some chances. The kitchen is super functional, easy to keep clean and has lots of storage to tuck things away when I’m done using them. The casual dining room is fabulous and is proving to be a great spot to linger after dinner. We love it!” Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photo of a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard concrete paver driveway in Austin for spring.

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | John Kraemer & Sons, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling
Transitional master bedroom photo in Minneapolis

Clopay Reserve Wood Collection carriage house garage doors on a detached Craftsman style garage with living space.
Huge arts and crafts detached two-car garage photo in Atlanta

Country medium tone wood floor and white floor living room photo in Atlanta with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Denver Modern with natural stone accents.
Mid-sized modern gray three-story stone flat roof idea in Denver

Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in New York

Large transitional galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, black backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

TThis space is a converted into a few programmatic needs for a busy family of four. The back door was incorporated in the design to create a connection to the backyard. The mudroom entry incorporates a built in home office, relocated powder room, built in cubicles for each family member as well as a closet. Designer: Shadi Khadivi Photography: Sébastien Barré

Brian Thomas Jones
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard stone patio remodel in Los Angeles with a fire pit and no cover

Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic backyard concrete paver patio remodel in Richmond with a fire pit and no cover

Design: Jolee Horne Landscape Design Photo: Hoi Ning Wong © 2014 Houzz
This is an example of a mediterranean landscaping in San Francisco.