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Provide Ample Seating If your kitchen’s dining area isn’t huge but you still want to welcome guests, think about ways to sneak in more seating. A clever trick is to build a banquette, which is more flexible than the usual table-and-chairs setup. With a bench seat like this, you can accommodate more people than you could if you had four chairs around the table. A bonus is that you can fit storage beneath the seats. Ask a carpenter to incorporate lift-up tops so that you can access the interior. Photo Flip: 91 Kitchen Banquettes to Start Your Morning Right Look on Houzz for a carpenter to build a banquette
1. The Winner in White By now it shouldn’t be a surprise that the most popular exterior photo of 2018 features a modern white farmhouse. The Maryland home, designed by the team at Ratcliffe Architects, includes many of the classic farmhouse elements we see applied to the modern farmhouse style — a standing-seam metal roof, an extensive front porch, two-over-two windows and board-and-batten siding. The front door adds a splash of color and a cheerful nod to traditional American barns. Tell us: Which exterior photo is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the Comments. More on Houzz 6 Awesome Home Exterior Transformations Choosing Color: See 1 Cute Home in 3 Exterior Paint Palettes Find an architect near you Shop for home furniture and products
2. Alluring Alfresco Retreat A mix of open patio and covered porches makes the back facade of this modern Denver farmhouse built by Larsen Development Company a true crowd-pleaser. The outdoor kitchen and grilling area is right off the indoor kitchen, while doors from the dining room open wide for guests to continue the party out to the outdoor lounge for alfresco after-dinner drinks.
3. Terrific Tin Tiles There are many things to adore about this modern white farmhouse-style home in Austin, Texas, designed by architect Richard Hughes. The house features board-and-batten siding, multiple porches and a gabled roofline. But it’s the first-floor porch ceiling covered in punched tin tiles that caught Houzz readers’ attention and added a classic touch to this contemporary home. Shop for tin-style ceiling tiles
4. Rugged Good Looks This modern white farmhouse in Georgia has a bit of a rugged side to it. The design team at Steve Powell Homes used natural materials like the stone chimneys, wood posts and railings on the porch to create a rustic contrast to the white board-and-batten siding and sleek metal roof.
5. Sleeping Beauty This modern farmhouse in Tennessee features board-and-batten siding made of fiber cement that’s painted in Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster. The bucolic house designed by Elizabeth Eason Architecture also includes a second-story sleeping porch that’s an ideal spot to take an afternoon nap.
8. Patio Perfect This modern farmhouse-style home in Palo Alto, California, was designed by the team at Feldman Architecture. The backyard features a large covered patio with a collection of outdoor chairs stationed around a gas fire pit. Readers were taken by the combination of the white custom-milled shiplap siding and the dark gray metal roof. Find outdoor gas fire pits in the Houzz Shop
. Fresh Floor The most popular entry photo uploaded in 2018 features a soft gray and white harlequin floor, shiplap walls and a custom built-in with a warm wood bench seat. This entryway, by Divine Custom Homes, is in Orono, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. Tell us: Which entry photo most inspires you? Share your thoughts in the Comments. More on Houzz The Joyful, Clutter-Free Home: Entry 7 Ways to Freshen Up Your Entryway See more entry photos Find interior designers
8. Bright and White Designer Jennifer Radakovic combined a mahogany door, bright white cabinets (Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams) and ceramic floor tiles designed to look like natural stone for a room that feels natural, warm and full of light. The owners of this farmhouse outside of Richmond, Virginia, wanted a secondary entry space that would work for their four kids and full farm life, which includes a dog, a pony and two goats. Soft gray walls (Horizon by Benjamin Moore) prettify what also acts as an informal entrance for friends and neighbors.
. Classic Brick This mudroom entry in an Atlanta farmhouse by architect Peter C. Quinn features a brick floor, Shaker-style cabinets and spare dark cabinet pulls. Cabinet doors help keep the area neat, and the space beneath the bench seat offers room for boots. A Dutch door opens into the rest of the house.
8. Built Into the Bedroom This room by Total Concepts shows that minimalist style can still be plenty cozy. The team sized the streamlined daybed to be deep enough for lounging and outfitted it with plush cushions. A modern dual swing-arm lamp is in keeping with the elegant simplicity of the room’s style and provides plenty of reading light. Smart move: One end of the bench serves as a side table.
Tamara Armstrong Email Save The wooden shelving that lines the wall up to the ceiling provides the owners with extra storage and a spot to display their favorite accessories. Leaving the wood natural and including plenty of colorful items and houseplants makes this a focal point and gives the room texture and interest. The bench seat and coffee table (just visible in the foreground) provide additional storage.
Tamara Armstrong Email Save Instead of a backsplash, the run of cabinets is backed by windows, which make the narrow space feel more open. There’s a large window on the other side of the kitchen too. The area behind the cooktop, meanwhile, has a mirrored backsplash, keeping this tight corner feeling roomy. 8 Mirror Types for a Fantastic Kitchen Backsplash
Choose Small Appliances and Pullout Features More open but equally thought through, this kitchen in a tiny house in Brisbane, Australia, has plenty of essentials packed into its 24½-by 8-foot footprint. On one side there’s a small oven, fridge, cooktop and sink. On the opposite side is a compact laundry. The cabinets on this side are slimmer to allow space in the corridor. by Tamara Armstrong Tamara Armstrong Email Save Instead of a backsplash, the run of cabinets is backed by windows, which make the narrow space feel more open. There’s a large window on the other side of the kitchen too. The area behind the cooktop, meanwhile, has a mirrored backsplash, keeping this tight corner feeling roomy. 8 Mirror Types for a Fantastic Kitchen Backsplash
The oak drying rack on the right is a masterful design. The water drips off the dishes and flows directly across the marble countertop back into the sink (the area under the rack is slightly sunken so that the water doesn’t spill over the front). Plates also can be stored in it. The architect, Alireza Nemati of Studio Bazi, designed the neat range hood, which is outfitted with a powerful but silent motor. Find a local architect in the Houzz pro directory
Now the kitchen sits behind bifold doors, which open to reveal a beautifully simple yet comprehensive setup. The kitchen includes a cooktop, a ventilated drawer for vegetables and pans, another drawer, a fridge, a pullout for cleaning supplies and a pullout cutting board hidden under the oak countertop (see first photo). There’s also a shelf for dishes.
Create Contrast With Concentrated Pattern In an all-white space, concentrated pattern can be king. This office has a pale color scheme to lift light levels, but on the floor, a patterned rug carries the focus and helps ground the design. Rugs can be focal points in all sorts of ways besides pattern. Look for deep-pile designs where texture is the point of difference, or unusual shapes that can break up an open-plan space or create a stage for a dining table and chairs. Tell us: What’s your favorite piece and how do you showcase it? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
Spend some time in the kitchen. Even if you don’t normally do a lot of cooking from scratch, there’s something to be said for the warming comfort of a bubbling pot of applesauce or tomato soup on the stove or the scent of something delicious wafting from the oven as the leaves fall and the wind blows outside the window. Hang out and chat in the kitchen while the pot simmers or, if you’re alone in the house, pull up a stool and enjoy the peaceful moment with a good book. Tell us: What are your favorite fall traditions? More Transition Your Porch from Summer to Fall How to Organize Your Bedroom for Better Sleep
42. A stand-alone tub outfitted with brass fixtures rests on digitally printed tile in this Salt Lake City bathroom by Sita Montgomery Interiors. A lantern fixture overhead speaks to the modern yet rustic farmhouse feel.
37. The angular design of this wooden bathtub is Japanese-inspired. The compact space, built by Rasmussen Construction, has been cleverly designed with river pebbles on the floor to hide a drainage system underneath.
21. This spa-like bathroom in Germany, designed by architect Jessica Borchardt of BAID, delights in minimalism. The serene tub is located underneath a backlit photograph of the Swiss Alps.
13. This deep soaking tub in a San Francisco bathroom was custom-fabricated by the team at Concreteworks.
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“Uh-oh” moment. “Since we had remodeled their master bathroom about a year and a half prior to planning their kitchen, we knew that the main waste stack for the home was situated on the back wall of the home, in the middle of where we wanted the wall of windows to go,” Shaut says. “Our solution was to space out the windows in a thoughtful way and add architectural detail through the trim that finishes it off and looks intentional. We centered the sink on the middle window and added architectural molding to disguise the stack. The two library lights that are centered in the space on either side of the window make the stack disappear and add intentional purpose.”
Farmhouse details. Shiplap walls. Stainless steel farmhouse sink. Modified Shaker-style cabinet doors. Hickory wood hood and custom island with sun-washed gray stain. Boston library lights in oil-rubbed bronze flanking the sink window. Other special features. Wall of windows that extends to the countertop for bird-watching. Custom-stained barn door leading to a family room.
2. Modern-Day Makeover Designer: Colleen Shaut of Case Design/Remodeling Location: Bethesda, Maryland Size: 247 square feet (23 square meters); 19 by 13 feet Homeowner’s request. “The homeowner grew up in this home as a child and has been caring for her elderly parents for the past 12 years, who reside in a walk-out addition they had added,” designer Colleen Shaut says. “The first floor of the home has not changed in over 30 years, and it was time for an update. She is a creative, thoughtful, caring soul, but her first floor was dark, compartmental and lacked the open-floor-plan qualities that she has dreamed of. “The home backs to an expansive patio that overlooks a view of an expansive protected forest, where their family and dogs frequently enjoy each other’s company and bird-watching. She has always loved the modern farmhouse look and wanted nothing more than a bright, inviting kitchen where she could entertain her family and friends. The old kitchen was dark, cramped and lacked the luster of life that this family needed.”
Alma-nac Email Save 6. Lidded storage. In an attic bedroom, the space beneath the sloped ceiling can be an awkward area to navigate around, so it makes sense to use it for storage. These designers built a false wall to be used as a headboard. The depth of the structure allows enough room for a large internal cavity, which can be accessed via the lids on top.
12. Keep maintenance to a minimum. One of the great things about small spaces is that they’re easy to clean. So don’t muck with this advantage! Arthur suggests using more planters rather than ground-cover soil. “Otherwise mud inevitably ends up all over your small patio space,” he says. “Containers give you the warmth of planters but are more manageable.”
Several patios — one outside the dining room, one next to the bathroom — offer good spots from which to enjoy the surrounding greenery. In the same way, the mortar-finished concrete floors of the hallways seem to naturally extend to the space outside. Large windows bring in light and air.
The home’s architecture creates a number of spacious but cozy spots. The south wing is a roomy open space with a 16-foot ceiling at its highest point. The design takes advantage of the terrain, with part of wing sinking up to 1½ feet below the ground. Sitting at the kitchen counter to enjoy a meal affords a generous view of the landscape in front of the home. The depth of this floor puts the greenery at eye level, making observers feel as if they’re floating.
The all-white walls and ceilings reflect light to every corner, while the exposed roof trusses and dark gray-framed windows tie the space together. Since wood suggests a more traditional Japanese interior and brings log cabins to mind, Katsutoshi instead selected thin steel trusses. Steel is also a good fit with the delicate look of the interior. The custom windows’ grid pattern showcases the scenery outside. “Making the architecture a filter for observing nature is a way to incorporate the landscape — which is what makes the location so special — into the home. That’s why we chose lattice windows,” Katsutoshi says.
The owners wanted a modern-rustic feel. To reflect their laid-back lifestyle, wide solid oak planks and exposed concrete flooring combine with subway tiles and other materials with a rough and simple feel. Tactile touches like plants complete the effect.
The interior is bright and open. “The cathedral ceiling and exposed roof trusses make a more open space,” Katsutoshi says. Roof trusses inlaid with glass fill the dining and kitchen area with natural light that pours in from both north and south, making this space delightful in the morning and the afternoon.
This unique pendant light is made of a maple wood veneer folded around a bulb. It replaced a ceiling fan, which was no longer needed with the addition of an air conditioner. The fixture is one of three light sources in the space, along with existing can lights and task lighting. Pendant light: Nut suspension light, Y Lighting; find modern pendant lights
Photos by Katya de Grunwald Master Suite at a Glance Who lives here: A professional couple and their two young daughters Location: Islington, north London Size: 18 by 14 feet (5.5 by 4.2 meters) for the bedroom and 12½ by 11 feet (3.8 by 3.3 meters) for the bathroom Designer: Run for the Hills The second floor of the Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse had huge potential as a master bedroom and en suite. However, the protected status of the building, which has five bedrooms and three baths, imposed a number of restrictions. “We couldn’t change or block up a door, and the cabinetry, which looks fitted, is actually self-supporting, as we couldn’t change or move [baseboards],” says Anna Burles, creative director of Run for the Hills. Attaching things to the original walls, coving and paneling was also prohibited in the listed building consent.
1. Corner of windows. This one may take some sacrifice — you’ll have to stash seldom-used items in storage and purge those you don’t really need. In return, your kitchen will expand and feel so much less cramped thanks to your new views and all that wonderful natural light. Some guidance on how to live with fewer cabinets
WoodHart Interiors & Design, LLC Email Save 10. Deep drawers. This is nothing new, but that doesn’t keep it from being in my dream kitchen. Trading out the usual lower cabinets for deep drawers (one or two per traditional cabinet box) gives you easy reach-in access for anything from a large pot to stacks of dinnerware.
Joel Kelly Design Email Save 6. Drawer dishwashers. Besides looking smart, a drawer dishwasher opens up new intelligent functions. Running a full-sized dishwasher when only partially full is a waste of water, but a unit like this can wash each individual half, giving you more flexibility for the size of the load to be cleaned. Plus, you can be running one drawer while still filling another, so you can clean your often-used items now while other pieces build up a bit over time. Goodbye to waiting an extra day to wash the dishes in my dream home.
Smart Sinks 10. Corner sinks. A common mistake is placing the dishwasher adjacent to a corner sink. The consequence of this is that you’re unable to stand at the sink and load the dishwasher in that tight space. One remedy is to add a cabinet between the corner sink and dishwasher. Ideally, that intermediating cabinet should be a minimum of 15 inches wide.
Davida's Kitchen & Tiles Email Save 5. Pantry with rollouts. For pantry cabinets wider than 15 inches, I prefer rollouts. That means you’re pulling out only the shelf you need, not the whole pantry. Also, consider the projection of the hardware of any cabinet next to the wall. Make the filler (a matching strip of wood that fills the gap between the cabinet and wall) at least 1½ inches wide to keep the hardware from hitting the wall and possibly restricting the usability of a cabinet with a rollout.
7. Shelf above tray storage. Some clients don’t need tall tray storage because their trays aren’t that wide or they store them on their sides, as shown here. If this is the case for you, consider adding a shelf above the trays for extra storage.
After. Vibrant blue tiles in an oversized hexagon pattern give the bathroom an immediate focal point. Next, the client got design advice from designer Pamela Lin of Urbanism Designs and had this custom vanity made for the space. Across from the vanity, the bathroom has a tub-shower combo with a glass panel. Read more about this bathroom remodel Your turn: Will 2018 be the year you decide to overhaul your small space? If yes, let us know what you plan to do and share photos in the Comments. More How to Remodel Your Bathroom 5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
3. Industrial chic. The downstairs bedroom in this Los Angeles home opens onto a meandering backyard. Rather than adding a table lamp or sconce light next to the bed, the design team hung a nylon-covered electrical cord with an exposed bulb to give an industrial touch to the boho chic space.
The 474-square-foot living area contains the kitchen and living room. Four French windows, each with an exquisitely crafted frame, define the sofa area. “I cleaned and repainted them,” Rossetti says, “opting to keep the original frames and the original structural elements.” The original herringbone flooring was sanded and refinished. The ceiling fresco, another original detail, was restored by students from Turin’s fine arts academy. “I asked them to restore the art while maintaining a sense of its age,” Rossetti says. “To brighten up the space, I chose simple white fixtures that would blend in as much as possible. Positioned like this, they allow the light to rise upward and enhance the ceiling,” he says. Sofa: Ikea; wall light: Area38 collection, Casa della Lampadine
Apartment at a Glance Who lives here: A young couple Location: A residential district in Turin, Italy Size: About 1,400 square feet (130 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms Architect: Jacopo Rossetti of Officina 8A Cost: About $870 per square foot, excluding furniture
4. Clean Use the vacuum hose to remove the lint and other loose crud that tends to collect in drawers and cabinets, then wipe them down with your favorite cleaner or wipes. You may want to add fresh drawer liners to the bottoms of the drawers and cabinets for some pattern. Find drawer and shelf liners
Alvhem Mäkleri & Interiör Email Save 13. Giveaway basket. The next time you’re getting dressed and realize you don’t like a piece of clothing, don’t hang it back up — drop it into your giveaway bin! A basket on the floor of your closet makes an easy place to collect items to share; when it’s full, bring it to your local donation center or consignment shop if you’d prefer to sell. 14. Dry-cleaning tote. Instead of littering your closet floor with clothes that need to be dry-cleaned, toss them into a market basket instead — it looks neater, and when it’s time to go to the cleaner, just grab the basket and go.
9. Totable tidying tool. If you’re tired of small items (hair bands, books, toys) belonging to various family members getting spread all around the house, consider assigning a tidying basket to each person. All of those little (read: annoying) items can be scooped into said basket and hung up on their doorknob. The mess-maker in question will still have to be prodded into actually putting the items away, but having a tidying basket can help bring some sanity to the house — and it makes company’s-coming cleanups quicker and easier.
C'est du beau Email Save 6. Mini kitchen laundry hamper. Having a quick spot to toss dish towels and cloth napkins right in the kitchen is convenient — but in a compact kitchen, finding room for a full-fledged hamper can be a challenge. A small market basket makes a nice compromise; keep it in a corner (or on the floor of the pantry), and tote it to the laundry room when it gets full.
5. Kitchen dry storage. French market baskets look especially at home in the kitchen — so why not keep a few on hand at all times? They can be put to work holding fresh tea towels and table linens where you can grab them easily. In a compact kitchen where cabinet space is at a premium, you could use a few market baskets to stow baking pans and cookie sheets. Or, you could even fill your baskets with onions or potatoes — just remember to keep onions and potatoes separate (onions can encourage potatoes to sprout) and in a dark, cool place.
Before moving into the new house, the family was living in an older home in downtown Charleston, where the rooms were closed off and tight. “Our old bathroom had one sink, a toilet and shower all in one tiny little space, so having a true master [bathroom] feels like a luxury,” Chris says.
The kids enjoy relaxing in the soaking tub after a long day at the beach.
In the master bedroom, Chris wanted to keep the decor and furnishings minimal and comfortable. “The platform bed forces you to keep things clean and minimal because you can’t hide anything under there,” she says. Mid-Century platform bed: West Elm; Mid-Century nightstands in white and acorn: West Elm; art: Celadon; browse more midcentury-style nightstands and bedside tables
Old-time lanterns to light the night. Baltimore in 1816 became the first U.S. city to get gas lights, and it wasn’t long before they moved down the coast to Charleston, where their dancing flames still adorn many houses in historical neighborhoods, from Upper King to South of Broad. If you don’t have ready access to gas, you can get a similar look with lanterns that have energy-efficient flame-effect LED bulbs.
2. Beams, Stools, Table and Accessories Designer: Melissa Prevost of M. Prevost Design Location: San Diego Size: 204 square feet (19 square meters) Homeowners’ request. An open floor plan with more light. Wood features. Beams, stools, cutting boards, dining table and chairs. “The walls we took down were load-bearing, so instead of hiding the supportive beams in the ceiling, I wanted to make them a feature in the kitchen,” says designer Melissa Prevost. “We decided to wrap the beams in pine to increase their presence and finished them in a custom warm brown stain.”
House at a Glance Who lives here: Janni Mellemgaard Hansen, a teacher at an independent Catholic school, and her boyfriend, Peter Dahl Nielsen, who teaches at a tutoring school, and their three cats Location: Horsens, Denmark, about 30 miles southwest of Aarhus Size: 1,830 square feet (170 square meters), including the basement The couple’s home is on just over a quarter of an acre in the old working-class district. In addition to a large garden, the property has a greenhouse, detached conservatory, shed and garage. Janni knows all the hardware stores in Horsens like the back of her hand. Over the past five years, she and Peter have painted, plastered and grouted the house, landscaped the garden and built a greenhouse, shed and garage. “We got professional help for the roof, but otherwise we did most of it ourselves,” Janni says. Find a roofer in the Houzz pro directory
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