Complete interior renovation of a 1980s split level house in the Virginia suburbs. Main level includes reading room, dining, kitchen, living and master bedroom suite. New front elevation at entry, new rear deck and complete re-cladding of the house. Interior: The prototypical layout of the split level home tends to separate the entrance, and any other associated space, from the rest of the living spaces one half level up. In this home the lower level "living" room off the entry was physically isolated from the dining, kitchen and family rooms above, and was only connected visually by a railing at dining room level. The owner desired a stronger integration of the lower and upper levels, in addition to an open flow between the major spaces on the upper level where they spend most of their time. ExteriorThe exterior entry of the house was a fragmented composition of disparate elements. The rear of the home was blocked off from views due to small windows, and had a difficult to use multi leveled deck. The owners requested an updated treatment of the entry, a more uniform exterior cladding, and an integration between the interior and exterior spaces. SOLUTIONS The overriding strategy was to create a spatial sequence allowing a seamless flow from the front of the house through the living spaces and to the exterior, in addition to unifying the upper and lower spaces. This was accomplished by creating a "reading room" at the entry level that responds to the front garden with a series of interior contours that are both steps as well as seating zones, while the orthogonal layout of the main level and deck reflects the pragmatic daily activities of cooking, eating and relaxing. The stairs between levels were moved so that the visitor could enter the new reading room, experiencing it as a place, before moving up to the main level. The upper level dining room floor was "pushed" out into the reading room space, thus creating a balcony over and into the space below. At the entry, the second floor landing was opened up to create a double height space, with enlarged windows. The rear wall of the house was opened up with continuous glass windows and doors to maximize the views and light. A new simplified single level deck replaced the old one.

Modern kitchen in Lubbock, TX parade home. Coffered ceiling & antiqued cabinets.

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Although this kitchen had ample cabinets and countertops, none of it was functional. Tall appliances divided what would have been a functional run of counters. The cooktop was placed at the end of a narrow island. The walk-in pantry jutted into the kitchen reducing the walkspace of the only functional countertop to 36”. There was not enough room to work and still have a walking area behind. Dark corners and cabinets with poor storage rounded out the existing kitchen. Removing the walk in pantry opened the kitchen and made the adjoining utility room more functional. The space created by removing the pantry became a functional wall of appliances featuring: • 30” Viking Freezer • 36” Viking Refrigerator • 30” Wolf Microwave • 30” Wolf warming drawer To minimize a three foot ceiling height change, a custom Uberboten was built to create a horizontal band keeping the focus downward. The Uberboten houses recessed cans and three decorative light fixtures to illuminate the worksurface and seating area. The Island is functional from all four sides: • Elevation F: functions as an eating bar for two and as a buffet counter for large parties. Countertop: Ceasarstone Blue Ridge • Elevation G: 30” deep coffee bar with beverage refrigerator. Custom storage for flavored syrups and coffee accoutrements. Access to the water with the pull out Elkay faucet makes filling the espresso machine a cinch! Countertop: Ceasarstone Canyon Red • Elevation H: holds the Franke sink, and a cabinet with popup mixer hardware. Countertop: 4” thick endgrain butcherblock maple countertop • Elevation I: 42” tall and 30” deep cabinets hold a second Wolf oven and a built-in Franke scale Countertop: Ceasarstone in Blue Ridge The Range Elevation (Elevation B) has 27” deep countertops, the trash compactor, recycling, a 48” Wolf range. Opposing counter surfaces flank of the range: • Left: Ceasarstone in Canyon Red • Right: Stainless Steel. • Backsplash: Copper What originally was a dysfunctional desk that collected EVERYTHING, now is an attractive, functional 21” deep pantry that stores linen, food, serving pieces and more. The cabinet doors were made from a Zebra-wood-look-alike melamine, the gain runs both horizontally and vertically for a custom design. The end cabinet is a 12” deep message center with cork-board backing and a small work space. Storage below houses phone books and the Lumitron Graphic Eye that controls the light fixtures. Design Details: • An Icebox computer to the left of the main sink • Undercabinet lighting: Xenon • Plug strip eliminate unsightly outlets in the backsplash • Cabinets: natural maple accented with espresso stained alder.

Recently renovated, parts of this in-town home in Rasteau, France are 800 years old. Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdon

Before Siemasko + Verbridge got their hands on this house, it was a convoluted maze of small rooms and skinny hallways. The renovation made sense of the layout, and took full advantage of the captivating ocean views. The result is a harmonious blend of contemporary style with classic and sophisticated elements. The “empty nest” home is transformed into a welcoming sanctuary for the extended family of kids and grandkids. Photo Credit: Josh Kuchinsky

Leave a legacy. Reminiscent of Tuscan villas and country homes that dot the lush Italian countryside, this enduring European-style design features a lush brick courtyard with fountain, a stucco and stone exterior and a classic clay tile roof. Roman arches, arched windows, limestone accents and exterior columns add to its timeless and traditional appeal. The equally distinctive first floor features a heart-of-the-home kitchen with a barrel-vaulted ceiling covering a large central island and a sitting/hearth room with fireplace. Also featured are a formal dining room, a large living room with a beamed and sloped ceiling and adjacent screened-in porch and a handy pantry or sewing room. Rounding out the first-floor offerings are an exercise room and a large master bedroom suite with his-and-hers closets. A covered terrace off the master bedroom offers a private getaway. Other nearby outdoor spaces include a large pergola and terrace and twin two-car garages. The spacious lower-level includes a billiards area, home theater, a hearth room with fireplace that opens out into a spacious patio, a handy kitchenette and two additional bedroom suites. You’ll also find a nearby playroom/bunk room and adjacent laundry.

When the family of five moved into this lakeside home on Lake Minnetonka, a gourmet kitchen was in order. Their interior designer, Brandi Hagen of Eminent Interior Design transformed the all –white room by melding a traditional tile backsplash, beautifully light-stained maple floors, a bead-board ceiling with a contemporary black and white color scheme. The original white upper cabinets remain light and airy in contrast to the elegant, black lower cabinets and appliances. The tile backsplash and center-island granite features incorporate all colors to unify the interior designed space. To learn more about this space, link to Eminent Design's website: http://eminentid.com/featured-work/kitchen-design-minneapolis-lake-home/case_study

photo credit: Alan Karchmer

Matt Schmitt Photography

WALL-TO-WALL APPEAL. When the need to open up space meets structural challenges, equal parts of creativity and care came into play. We couldn't move a load-bearing wall, and we didn't want to incur the great expense of moving plumbing and HVAC. So we turned the slices of walls into coordinating design elements - punching out a display niched in one and nesting a TV in the other. Photography by Maxwell MacKenzie

This Kitchen was constructed with raised panel doors inset in a beaded face frame; it is a white hand brush painted finish. Details include scalloped toe kicks, intricate custom crown moldings, fluted columns, and cross patterned mutton glass doors. The island is custom hickory stained with custom corbels, fluted columns, and lattice screens.

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | REFINED LLC, Builder | Troy Thies Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling

Photo credit: WA design

Photography by: Tim Lee Cabinetry Design and Kitchen layout by: Kitchens by Deane, Inc General Contractor: Premier Remodeling Architect: Judith Larsen

Features: Custom Conestoga La Salle Full Overlay Door Style; Rope Moulding; Custom Wood Hood; Enkeboll # CBL-AO0 Corbels; Custom Turned Posts; Appliance Panels; Cabinets: Honey Brook Custom in Maple Wood with Custom Painted and Glazed Finish; Custom Conestoga La Salle Full Overlay Door Style Countertops: Arandis Granite with Ogee Edge Photographs by Apertures, Inc.