This kitchen in a 1911 Craftsman home has taken on a new life full of color and personality. Inspired by the client’s colorful taste and the homes of her family in The Philippines, we leaned into the wild for this design. The first thing the client told us is that she wanted terra cotta floors and green countertops. Beyond this direction, she wanted a place for the refrigerator in the kitchen since it was originally in the breakfast nook. She also wanted a place for waste receptacles, to be able to reach all the shelves in her cabinetry, and a special place to play Mahjong with friends and family. The home presented some challenges in that the stairs go directly over the space where we wanted to move the refrigerator. The client also wanted us to retain the built-ins in the dining room that are on the opposite side of the range wall, as well as the breakfast nook built ins. The solution to these problems were clear to us, and we quickly got to work. We lowered the cabinetry in the refrigerator area to accommodate the stairs above, as well as closing off the unnecessary door from the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor. We utilized a recycled body porcelain floor tile that looks like terra cotta to achieve the desired look, but it is much easier to upkeep than traditional terra cotta. In the breakfast nook we used bold jungle themed wallpaper to create a special place that feels connected, but still separate, from the kitchen for the client to play Mahjong in or enjoy a cup of coffee. Finally, we utilized stair pullouts by all the upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling to ensure that the client can reach every shelf.

Das Zentrum bildet eine gemütliche Sitzbank mit Außenkamin, die ebenfalls mit den Terrassendielen eingefasst ist

Vivienda familiar con marcado carácter de la arquitectura tradicional Canaria, que he ha querido mantener en los elementos de fachada usando la madera de morera tradicional en las jambas, las ventanas enrasadas en el exterior de fachada, pero empleando materiales y sistemas contemporáneos como la hoja oculta de aluminio, la plegable (ambas de Cortizo) o la pérgola bioclimática de Saxun. En los interiores se recupera la escalera original y se lavan los pilares para llegar al hormigón. Se unen los espacios de planta baja para crear un recorrido entre zonas de día. Arriba se conserva el práctico espacio central, que hace de lugar de encuentro entre las habitaciones, potenciando su fuerza con la máxima apertura al balcón canario a la fachada principal.

The Villa Mostaccini, situated on the hills of Bordighera, is one of the most beautiful and important villas in Liguria. Built in 1932 in the characteristic stile of the late Italian renaissance, it has been meticulously restored to the highest standards of design, while maintaining the original details that distinguish it. Capoferri substituted all wood windows as well as their sills and reveals, maintaining the aspect of traditional windows and blending perfectly with the historic aesthetics of the villa. Where possible, certain elements, like for instance the internal wooden shutters and the brass handles, have been restored and refitted rather than substituted. For the elegant living room with its stunning view of the sea, Architect Maiga opted for a large two-leaved pivot window from true bronze that offers the guests of the villa an unforgettable experience.

This client came to us looking for some help decorating the living/dining room and master of his new Chicago condo. Over the past few years, we have decorated most of the space together - great room, master bedroom, guest room, hallway, office, powder room and paint/wallpaper throughout. Our design was uniquely inspired by our client's sentimental and eclectic objects and art, such as the vintage Europe map in the living room, his grandmother's antique lamp and English pub sign in the office, and family airplane ephemera in the master. We added peacocks in the powder room and mixed prints in the master for a textured look unspecific to any era that flows with the rest of the home, but is definitely its own oasis. FUN FACT The whole color scheme of the office started with that antique lamp. Photography: Dustin Halleck

An ADU with a view! Landscape surrounds this little ADU making it a secret garden escape!

When my client had to move from her company office to work at home, she set up in the dining room. Despite her best efforts, this was not the long-term solution she was looking for. My client realized she needed a dedicated space not on the main floor of the home. On one hand, having your office space right next to the kitchen is handy. On the other hand, it made separating work and home life was not that easy. The house was a ranch. In essence, the basement would run entire length of the home. As we came down the steps, we entered a time capsule. The house was built in the 1950’s. The walls were covered with original knotty pine paneling. There was a wood burning fireplace and considering this was a basement, high ceilings. In addition, there was everything her family could not store at their own homes. As we wound though the space, I though “wow this has potential”, Eventually, after walking through the laundry room we came to a small nicely lit room. This would be the office. My client looked at me and asked what I thought. Undoubtedly, I said, this can be a great workspace, but do you really want to walk through this basement and laundry to get here? Without reservation, my client said where do we start? Once the design was in place, we started the renovation. The knotty pine paneling had to go. Specifically, to add some insulation and control the dampness and humidity. The laundry room wall was relocated to create a hallway to the office. At the far end of the room, we designated a workout zone. Weights, mats, exercise bike and television are at the ready for morning or afternoon workouts. The space can be concealed by a folding screen for party time. Doors to an old closet under the stairs were relocated to the workout area for hidden storage. Now we had nice wall for a beautiful console and mirror for storage and serving during parties. In order to add architectural details, we covered the old ugly support columns with simple recessed millwork panels. This detail created a visual division between the bar area and the seating area in front of the fireplace. The old red brick on the fireplace surround was replaced with stack stone. A mantle was made from reclaimed wood. Additional reclaimed wood floating shelves left and right of the fireplace provides decorative display while maintaining a rustic element balancing the copper end table and leather swivel rocker. We found an amazing rug which tied all of the colors together further defining the gathering space. Russet and burnt orange became the accent color unifying each space. With a bit of whimsy, a rather unusual light fixture which looks like roots from a tree growing through the ceiling is a conversation piece. The office space is quite and removed from the main part of the basement. There is a desk large enough for multiple screens, a small bookcase holding office supplies and a comfortable chair for conference calls. Because working from home requires many online meetings, we added a shiplap wall painted in Hale Navy to contrast with the orange fabric on the chair. We finished the décor with a painting from my client’s father. This is the background online visitors will see. The last and best part of the renovation is the beautiful bar. My client is an avid collector of wine. She already had the EuroCave refrigerator, so I incorporated it into the design. The cabinets are painted Temptation Grey from Benjamin Moore. The counter tops are my favorite hard working quartzite Brown Fantasy. The backsplash is a combination of rustic wood and old tin ceiling like porcelain tiles. Together with the textures of the reclaimed wood and hide poofs balanced against the smooth finish of the cabinets, we created a comfortable luxury for relaxing. There is ample storage for bottles, cans, glasses, and anything else you can think of for a great party. In addition to the wine storage, we incorporated a beverage refrigerator, an ice maker, and a sink. Floating shelves with integrated lighting illuminate the back bar. The raised height of the front bar provides the perfect wine tasting and paring spot. I especially love the pendant lights which look like wine glasses. Finally, I selected carpet for the stairs and office. It is perfect for noise reduction. Meanwhile for the overall flooring, I specifically selected a high-performance vinyl plank floor. We often use this product as it is perfect to install on a concrete floor. It is soft to walk on, easy to clean and does not reduce the overall height of the space.

This creative homeowner designed a stunning dry creek bed to serve as a border between a whimsical garden and the plush lawn. She selected an impressive sandstone bridge which leads to a cozy seating area, guarded by her cherished giraffe, Gigi. Come by to see our range of river rock and boulders at 5726 Market Street in Wilmington, NC.