An abundance of living space is only part of the appeal of this traditional French county home. Strong architectural elements and a lavish interior design, including cathedral-arched beamed ceilings, hand-scraped and French bleed-edged walnut floors, faux finished ceilings, and custom tile inlays add to the home's charm. This home features heated floors in the basement, a mirrored flat screen television in the kitchen/family room, an expansive master closet, and a large laundry/crafts room with Romeo & Juliet balcony to the front yard. The gourmet kitchen features a custom range hood in limestone, inspired by Romanesque architecture, a custom panel French armoire refrigerator, and a 12 foot antiqued granite island. Every child needs his or her personal space, offered via a large secret kids room and a hidden passageway between the kids' bedrooms. A 1,000 square foot concrete sport court under the garage creates a fun environment for staying active year-round. The fun continues in the sunken media area featuring a game room, 110-inch screen, and 14-foot granite bar. Story - Midwest Home Magazine Photos - Todd Buchanan Interior Designer - Anita Sullivan

Photography: Video Openhouse

Clifton, the designer, chooses furniture in walnut brown to create a masculine and tasteful ambience for this project. Since the owner often goes traveling and has a collection of deco from all over the world, especially wall paintings. So, he wants a home design that is both practical and unique to reveal his personality and being design as a stylish hotel suite.  Clifton also adapts a sliding door and raised platform to separate the sleeping/ living area and cooking/ dining area. The design is flexible and practical since the owner wants maximum space in such a small area. So, he requires minimal design with the maximum space created. Dark walnut color is selected as the theme color to portray a timeless metropolitan look. The flower arrangement with a dash of green and white, together with the artistic and colorful painting help to spice up the entire environment. The white wall also works well to break the monotony of the dark brown hues. The wooden blinds by the entrance, in walnut brown, are unconventional, to conform to the overall look and feel of the design. The oriental wooden chairs by the entrance infuses well with the overall metropolitan design of the flat. This is a perfect blend of “east meets west”. Entrance The kitchen design is characterized by simple design, minimalism and functionality. Finest materials and appliances are selected to match with the overall modern design. In line with the minimalistic design, built-in washing machine works magic to create an uncluttered kitchen space. The kitchen drawers are created with meticulous details, where cutleries can be conveniently categorized. A sliding door is in place to separate the bedroom/living room and the dining area. The door can be fully opened to create a combined space for friends’ gathering if needed. Different floor treatments are used to define the living and dining areas. Drawers under the bed offer extra storage and maximize the utilization of space. The color tone and material of the furniture in the living area matches with that of the dining room – in hues of black and dark brown. The beige carpet and light chestnut flooring blend well with the furniture to offset the monochromic tonality and create a calm and restful feel. The mood lighting at the ceiling further enhances the homey ambience. A grey washroom evokes a sophisticated, calming, and uplifting feeling, which offers a private oasis for owners to relax after a day of hectic work.

Designed by Reico Kitchen & Bath in Annapolis, MD, this modern kitchen remodel features Executive Cabinets in Super White Paint on the perimeter and Sherwin Williams Web Gray on the island. Countertops feature Cambria in Torquay and Vetrazzo in Palladian Gray. Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC / www.btwimages.com

Sharyn Cairns

. Another angle. Photo by Jeffery Totaro.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Bobcat Lodge- Lake Rabun Be welcomed to this perfect mountain/lake lodge through stone pillars down a driveway of stamped concrete and brick paver patterns to the porte cochere. The design philosophy seen in the home's exterior extends to the interior with 10 fireplaces, the finest materials, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Great Room Enter the striking foyer with the antique heart pine, walnut and bird's-eye maple inlaid pattern that harmonizes with the natural unity of the spacious great room. The visually anchored stone fireplace accented by hand hewn circa 1800 oak beams silhouettes the soft lake views making a dynamic design statement. The great room was designed with togetherness in mind and features high vaulted ceilings, wormy oak flooring with walnut borders, a spacious dining area, a gourmet kitchen and for softer and more intimate moments a keeping room. Kitchen: Wormy chestnut cabinets, Complimenting South American granite countertops Wolf cooktop, double oven Preparation bar Serving Buffet Separate wet bar Walk-in Pantry Laundry Room: entrance off the foyer, wormy chestnut cabinets and South American granite Keeping Room: Nestled off the kitchen area intimately scaled for quieter moments, wormy chestnut ceilings with hand hewn oak beams from Ohio and Pennsylvania, wormy oak flooring accented with walnut and sycamore, and private fireplace Powder Room off foyer Three Master Bedroom Suites: each with its own unique full bathroom and private alcove with masonry wood burning fireplace Master suite on the main floor with full bath enlivened by a fish theme with earthtones and blue accents, a copper soaking tub, large shower and copper sinks Upstairs master suite with wormy oak flooring sits snug above the lake looking through a tree canopy as from a tree house facilitating a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere- full bath features jetted tub, separate shower, large closet, and friendly lizards sitting on copper sinks Terrace Level Master Suite offers trey ceilings, entrance to stone terrace supported by cyprus tree trunks giving the feel of a rainforest floor: Full bath includes double mosaic-raised copper sinks, antler lighting, jetted tub accented with aquatic life tiles and separate water closet This warm and inviting rustic interior perfectly balances the outdoor lake vistas with the comfort of indoor living.moving directly to the outdoor living spaces. A full length deck supported by cyprus trees offers the opportunity for serious entertaining. The stone terrace off the downstairs family room leads directly to the two stall boathouse for lakeside entertaining with its own private fireplace. Terrace Level: 14 foot ceilings, transom windows A master suite A guest room with trey ceilings, wool carpet, and full bath with copper sinks,double vanity and riverock shower Family room with focal stone fireplace, wet bar with wine cooler, separate kitchen with sink, mini refrigerator and built in microwave Wine closet with hand painted plaster finish A full bath for drippy swimmers with oversized river rock shower accented with crayfish and salamander tiles Extras All windows are Loewen windows A ridge vent system Custom design closets Poured foundation for house and boathouse European spruce framing Exterior siding: 1 x 12 pressure treated pine with 1 x 4 batten strips Siding has three coat process of Sikkens stain finish Ten masonry fireplaces Stacked rock from Rocky Gap Virginia Eight foot custom Honduran Pine True plaster walls with three coat process faux finish Locust hand rails for the deck Support cyprus tree trunks from Charleston Outside light fixtures custom made in NY Five hot water heaters, circulating pump Duel fuel heat pump/propane, 1000 gallon buried propane tank, four zone heating system Two laundry rooms All Fireplaces set up for flat screen TV's Adjacent lot available for purchase

House was built by Clayton Homes. Jefferson Door supplied the interior (Masonite) and exterior doors, windows (Krestmart), shutters, moulding, columns (HB&G), stair parts and hardware (Emtek) for this home. nelsonclaytonhomes.com

Nat Rea Photography

Villa Sevilla is a Spanish-Mediterranean style home, featuring 5,600 square feet of living space with four bedrooms and four and a half baths. Designed and built by Florida Custom Builder Jorge Ulibarri, Villa Sevilla is inspired by the Haciendas of Mexico. It features wood beams, extensive stone mosaics, travertine floors, a stunning Tuscan-style kitchen with copper range hood and farm sink with granite island and plenty of natural light. The resort-style pool, outdoor living room and summer kitchen have an old world ambiance with travertine pavers, a pergola and clay pot fountains. Villa Sevilla has a 3-car garage and Tuscan-style pool and hot tub with pergola and vanishing edge. Upstairs, in addition to the 3 bedrooms, there is an exercise room and a second family room. This waterfront residence is located on half-acre corner lot on the North Isle of the gated community of Lake Forest, Sanford, Florida. A Tower Entry with a 24-foot high ceiling gives the home tremendous curb appeal. The Tower Entry features a custom made double-door of wrought iron and class. The façade features a balcony overlooking the motorcourt. The entry showcases a wrought iron winding staircase of travertine steps and a balcony overlooking the entrance below. The Tuscan-style kitchen features a copper range hood and copper farm sink with granite island and extensive stone mosaics and details throughout. The formal living room features a curved window overlooking the resort style pool with baby grand piano, polished travertine floors, and an Italian precast fireplace flanked on each side by wine cellars. Beams, barrel ceilings with travertine mosaics and tongue and groove ceilings are throughout the home. Upstairs, there is a second family room, a barrel ceiling hallway, three bedrooms and an exercise room. The outdoor living area houses a summer kitchen, granite dinner table and an outdoor living room. For more details, go to www.imyourbuilder.com

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

This project was initially a main floor renovation – the kitchen was old and dated and the layout was poor for entertaining. Sounds simple enough, but it was only achieved by removing a trap door and the original external basement stairs and building a new side entrance to the lower level. From our first meeting I knew that the trap door was going to be the boss of the renovation – sometimes it’s the oddest things in a home that determine the course, size and scope of a project. We increased the size of the main floor by levelling of the back of the house; this increased the foot print in the kitchen and brought in much more natural light. Custom millwork and plaster mouldings were designed and installed in every room. Lighting was updated and new furniture and soft-furnishings were designed and sourced. On the second floor we renovated the master bedroom and the dressing room. In the basement we dug down, greatly improving the head height and formed a cozy media room and a lux laundry and mudroom. Before and after photographs can be found on our website. Photography by Tim McGhie

Sequined Asphault Studio

A curious quirk of the long-standing popularity of open plan kitchen /dining spaces is the need to incorporate boot rooms into kitchen re-design plans. We all know that open plan kitchen – dining rooms are absolutely perfect for modern family living but the downside is that for every wall knocked through, precious storage space is lost, which can mean that clutter inevitably ensues. Designating an area just off the main kitchen, ideally near the back entrance, which incorporates storage and a cloakroom is the ideal placement for a boot room. For families whose focus is on outdoor pursuits, incorporating additional storage under bespoke seating that can hide away wellies, walking boots and trainers will always prove invaluable particularly during the colder months. A well-designed boot room is not just about storage though, it’s about creating a practical space that suits the needs of the whole family while keeping the design aesthetic in line with the rest of the project. With tall cupboards and under seating storage, it’s easy to pack away things that you don’t use on a daily basis but require from time to time, but what about everyday items you need to hand? Incorporating artisan shelves with coat pegs ensures that coats and jackets are easily accessible when coming in and out of the home and also provides additional storage above for bulkier items like cricket helmets or horse-riding hats. In terms of ensuring continuity and consistency with the overall project design, we always recommend installing the same cabinetry design and hardware as the main kitchen, however, changing the paint choices to reflect a change in light and space is always an excellent idea; thoughtful consideration of the colour palette is always time well spent in the long run. Lastly, a key consideration for the boot rooms is the flooring. A hard-wearing and robust stone flooring is essential in what is inevitably an area of high traffic.