Georgia Coast Design & Construction - Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home at St. Simons Island, GA Built on a one-acre, lakefront lot on the north end of St. Simons Island, the Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home is characterized as Old World European featuring exterior finishes of Mosstown brick and Old World stucco, Weathered Wood colored designer shingles, cypress beam accents and a handcrafted Mahogany door. Inside the three-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot showcase home, Old World rustic and modern European style blend with high craftsmanship to create a sense of timeless quality, stability, and tranquility. Behind the scenes, energy efficient technologies combine with low maintenance materials to create a home that is economical to maintain for years to come. The home's open floor plan offers a dining room/kitchen/great room combination with an easy flow for entertaining or family interaction. The interior features arched doorways, textured walls and distressed hickory floors.

Paradise Ponds and Waterfalls
Design ideas for a tropical landscaping in Atlanta.

These homeowners came to us through a recommendation from a client who was extremely happy with the work we did for them in the past. This project was in the inner city and the homeowners tore down their old house and built their new home in its place. Keeping with the charm of the original home, the main goal for the home was to make it look like a brand new 100 year old home. We were brought on to work on the entire home with the exception of the kitchen (entry, family room, ceiling work, office/ den, living room, fireplace, window trims, 5 bedrooms, and 4 bathrooms). In addition to our custom woodworking, these homeowners leaned heavily on our design suggestions. From an execution standpoint, this home was extremely detailed, and getting the balance from room to room and throughout the entire home was crucial for achieving the correct look. In addition, the methods and materials used 100 years ago have since had drastic improvements, making the lifetime and quality of the finished product substantially better, but also adding a higher degree of difficulty to accomplish accurate looking details. The end result of this project was a work of art. A home that thad the appearance of a 100 year old home, with modern materials and methods to ensure quality and longevity. Everything from their dramatic entry and staircase to their floor-to-ceiling hand-finished den showcases a skill set and eye for detail essential to accomplishing the lofty goals of this home.

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

Photo: Faith Towers Media © 2015 Houzz
Example of a transitional living room design in Boston

This project is an elegant transformation that takes a dated kitchen and living room and removes all of the heavy visual weight to make way for a clean and crisp collection of spaces that are quintessentially Colorado! This project was not without issue: the initial contractor completely dropped the ball and left the space unfinished and in disrepair. After battling through the process of getting things on track for almost a year, the end result is truly worth it. The kitchen's old oak cabinets were removed and replaced with gorgeous transitional white cabinetry from Waypoint Living Spaces. We created a monochromatic palette that moves the eye through the space using texture and light. The far end of the kitchen is highlighted by a large artisan wood range hood, mini-brick stacked stone backsplash, and gorgeous marble inspired quartz countertops. The floors were refinished to a lighter and brighter hardwood, and new lighting was introduced throughout the home. In the living room, we removed the faux wall treatment on the fireplace and have replaced this with a sparkling white stacked stone. One of our favorite features is the custom shelving and copper-lined wood bin next to the fireplace, along with the hand-hewn mantle from KC Heister. This home is a welcoming winter wonderland that is cheery and cozy at every turn! We love this result and are so happy that our clients finally get to enjoy this for years to come! Thanks so much to Grace Combs for these gorgeous interior shots!

The great room. Interior Designer: Amanda Teal Photographer: John Merkl
Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in San Francisco

Delightful "Nottingham Tudor" brick home using gray mortar.
Home design - traditional three-story brick beige home design idea with a clipped gable roof

With views like these, a huge porch for dining, relaxing and entertaining was a must. With both covered and uncovered porch space, this area can be used year round.

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

SKP Design has completed a frame up renovation of a 1956 Spartan Imperial Mansion. We combined historic elements, modern elements and industrial touches to reimagine this vintage camper which is now the showroom for our new line of business called Ready To Roll. http://www.skpdesign.com/spartan-imperial-mansion You'll see a spectrum of materials, from high end Lumicor translucent door panels to curtains from Walmart. We invested in commercial LVT wood plank flooring which needs to perform and last 20+ years but saved on decor items that we might want to change in a few years. Other materials include a corrugated galvanized ceiling, stained wall paneling, and a contemporary spacious IKEA kitchen. Vintage finds include an orange chenille bedspread from the Netherlands, an antique typewriter cart from Katydid's in South Haven, a 1950's Westinghouse refrigerator and the original Spartan serial number tag displayed on the wall inside. Photography: Casey Spring

This fountain has been hand carved from 100% natural solid marble. Our huge selection of carved marble and granite products is second to none. With years of experience in the industry serving the entire United States and abroad, we offer top quality product and service all things marble.

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

Custom Home Built for Real Life Our clients came to us with a clear vision: a home that could adapt to their lifestyle and growing family. They needed a home built with intention, designed with the future in mind, and built around the routines they loved and the people they loved more. Open-Concept Living With Hosting in Mind Our clients hosted often and lived actively, so the main level had to be flexible for all of life’s moments. The goal was a space that felt grand without losing its warmth. Cooking together as a family mattered to our clients – the Wolf range, farmhouse sink, integrated appliances, and large island gave them a kitchen that flowed effortlessly while looking beautiful. This space also served as the bridge between other parts of the main level so that they would stay in view of the next. This created the perfect environment for gathering where everyone had their own spot without ever feeling apart from the whole group. For the living room, our clients wanted space that felt open without losing its warmth. Soaring ceilings created that sense of scale, while warm tones and materials, like the wood coffered ceiling and fireplace wall, kept it grounded. That same warmth carried outside, where an outdoor lounge with a fireplace and dining area made sure guests felt welcomed the moment they stepped out. A Backyard Built for Real Rest Every corner of the backyard was designed with one goal: to be the ultimate outdoor retreat. The elevated, white-brick-framed pool and integrated spa hot tub gave them a place to truly exhale. As the sun set, the fire pit lounge next to the pool became the hangout spot when they hosted their youth groups and family gatherings. Room to Grow With kids in the house, “custom” had to also mean flexible. Our clients had 2 young sons and needed their rooms to grow with them through the years. The two bedrooms and a full bath sat beside a loft that served as both their hangout-and-homework spot. The guest suite sat on the same level where a four-poster bed, floor-to-ceiling wood-look tile, and a frameless glass shower welcomed their guests from day one. A Retreat That’s Actually Theirs Between hosting and raising kids, this couple needed a suite that felt like a true escape. The wood-planked tray ceiling and French doors grounded the room in warmth the moment you walked in, while the ensuite bathroom carried a spa-like feeling with a freestanding soaking tub, custom double vanity, and a glass-enclosed shower. This Is What Approachable Luxury Looks Like The approachable luxury experience meant starting with conversations about how they wanted their space to live with them – how they hosted, how their kids played, how they wanted to feel walking through their own front door, and how we took their goals and experience and used it as the foundation of every decision that was made from start to finish. We wanted our clients to feel taken care of through the process and, most importantly, feel heard.

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Lisa loves strong bold color! She is not afraid of mixing colors and patterns. The end result was a beautiful eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary. From the beginning my client was worried about the kids using the furniture in the living room so we went with a Holly Hunt textured soft grey indoor/outdoor performance fabric for the sofa – sturdy and easy to clean. The side chairs were done in a strong purple velvet -- not an indoor/outdoor but still a sturdy fabric. The client also wanted help in selecting the right dimensions for the sofa because the space was tight and was also a walk-through area from the front door to the kitchen in the back of the house. I did a couple layouts and showed her how the 6-1/2 foot sofa she picked out would work perfectly in the space without looking skimpy. The various shades of purple and grey were the background colors for this room (peaceful and beautiful especially with natural light streaming in), then we added a strong splash of orange for pop – the orange tiger lilies and the elephant pillow I found at a San Francisco boutique that tied in the orange with the purple -- both stand-outs. The Madeline Weinrib Tibetan rug and the elephant pillow gave the space a sophisticated global look and feel. Not too many spaces could accommodate the strong colors that were in the elephant pillow but when we saw it in the room we knew it was meant for that space and totally comfortable at home. Eric Roth Photography Elephant Pillow Courtesy of Ivy Hotel Baltimore

This patio with a pavilion was specially designed and built as a space where relationships can be built. With tasteful outdoor lighting and amenities including a sink, grill with side burner, and a ceiling fan for the warm days, this paver patio in rural Lancaster County will be a gathering place for many years to come! Like what you see? Check out the Patio with a Pergola in Downingtown, PA