For this 130-year-old farmhouse renovation, it was important to incorporate the original features of the home while also bringing a new, modern touch. We kept the original limestone walls. We created a brand new, more European styled kitchen with plywood cabinets and a minimalist hood vent. The entryway was transformed to be more modern and inviting.

Photo: Caroline Sharpnack © 2018 Houzz
Foyer - cottage dark wood floor and brown floor foyer idea in Nashville with white walls

Transitional kitchen photo in San Diego

Bedroom update for a 6 year old boy who loves to read, draw, and play cars. Our clients wanted to create a fun space for their son and stay within a tight budget.

Ninty year old home Bathroom renovation 'After' Photo: Marc Ekhause
Alcove shower - small contemporary master gray tile and subway tile porcelain tile alcove shower idea with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls, a pedestal sink and granite countertops

Michael J. Lee Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Boston with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite countertops, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and metallic backsplash

Ninty year old home kitchen renovation 'After' Photo: Marc Ekhause
Small country u-shaped porcelain tile enclosed kitchen photo with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Black stained wood trellis, exterior night time image
Elegant patio photo in San Francisco

Bedroom update for a 6 year old boy who loves to read, draw, and play cars. Our clients wanted to create a fun space for their son and stay within a tight budget.

This 100 year old West Chester PA home was in need of a serious facelift. We started by taking out a wall, enlarging the openings to the hall and dining room, and moving the entry to the powder room. Now with the new larger space we designed a great new kitchen with an island. The clients chose Fabuwood cabinetry in the Galaxy Horizon door style for its grey tones and clean lines. A new back entry door with sidelights that open and new windows were installed. Mannington Adura luxury vinyl tiles in graphite and steel were installed in the main kitchen area and Mannington Platinum series vinyl sheet goods in Filigree iron was installed in the new powder room. Uptown plain 3x12 tile with coffee bean grout were used to give the kitchen a touch of that old period look of this 100 year old home.

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Steven Miller designed this bar area for the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year 2014. Countertop Wood: Peruvian Walnut Construction Style: Edge Grain Wood Countertop Location: Decorator’s Showcase in San Francisco, CA Size: 1-1/2" thick x 34" x 46" Wood Countertop Finish: Grothouse Original Oil Designer: Steven Miller Undermount or Overmount Sink: Undermount Sink Cutout for Kohler K-3391

Inspiration for a coastal teen room remodel in Los Angeles

1960s courtyard tile patio photo in San Francisco with no cover

The pièce de résistance of the TBD Advertising Agency in downtown Bend, Oregon was made of 100-year old timbers found in the basement of the original building built on the same site as this business. This Reclaimed Wood Built in Bookcase was inspired by the video game Tetris and measures 9 feet high and 12 feet long. Ron Brown co-created this with Pauly Anderson (Captain Possible).

Meghan Bob Photography
Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

The historic restoration of this First Period Ipswich, Massachusetts home (c. 1686) was an eighteen-month project that combined exterior and interior architectural work to preserve and revitalize this beautiful home. Structurally, work included restoring the summer beam, straightening the timber frame, and adding a lean-to section. The living space was expanded with the addition of a spacious gourmet kitchen featuring countertops made of reclaimed barn wood. As is always the case with our historic renovations, we took special care to maintain the beauty and integrity of the historic elements while bringing in the comfort and convenience of modern amenities. We were even able to uncover and restore much of the original fabric of the house (the chimney, fireplaces, paneling, trim, doors, hinges, etc.), which had been hidden for years under a renovation dating back to 1746. Winner, 2012 Mary P. Conley Award for historic home restoration and preservation You can read more about this restoration in the Boston Globe article by Regina Cole, “A First Period home gets a second life.” http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/10/26/couple-rebuild-their-century-home-ipswich/r2yXE5yiKWYcamoFGmKVyL/story.html Photo Credit: Eric Roth

The pièce de résistance of the TBD Advertising Agency in downtown Bend, Oregon was made of 100-year old timbers found in the basement of the original building built on the same site as this business. This Reclaimed Wood Built in Bookcase was inspired by the video game Tetris and measures 9 feet high and 12 feet long. Ron Brown co-created this with Pauly Anderson (Captain Possible).