Our clients purchased a 1963 home that had never been updated! They wanted to redesign the central living area, which included the kitchen, formal dining and living room/den. Their original kitchen was small and completely closed off from the rest of the house. They wanted to repurpose the formal living room into the new formal dining room and open up the kitchen to the den and add a large island with seating for casual dining. The original den was now a nice living room, open to the kitchen, but also with a great view to their new pool! They wanted to keep some walls for their fun New Orleans one-of-a-kind artwork. They also did not want to be able to see the kitchen from the entryway. They also wanted a bar area built in somewhere, they just weren’t sure where. Our designers did an amazing job on this project, figuring out where to cut walls, where to keep them, replaced windows with doors, bringing the outdoors in and really brightening up the entire space. Design/Remodel by Hatfield Builders & Remodelers | Photography by Versatile Imaging

Opened up wall between kitchen/dining and living room. Filled in and refinished oak floors. Refinished existing doors. Replaced/updated baseboards and casing. Tiled fireplace surround and kitchen backsplash. New kitchen cabinets/ countertops/ island. New appliances and fixtures.

this kitchen was custom built to our design by Shaw Builders who was also the GC. Photos are by Nancy Hill.

This whole house renovation done by Harry Braswell Inc. used Virginia Kitchen's design services (Erin Hoopes) and materials for the bathrooms, laundry and kitchens. The custom millwork was done to replicate the look of the cabinetry in the open concept family room. This completely custom renovation was eco-friend and is obtaining leed certification. Photo's courtesy Greg Hadley Construction: Harry Braswell Inc. Kitchen Design: Erin Hoopes under Virginia Kitchens

Conceived as a remodel and addition, the final design iteration for this home is uniquely multifaceted. Structural considerations required a more extensive tear down, however the clients wanted the entire remodel design kept intact, essentially recreating much of the existing home. The overall floor plan design centers on maximizing the views, while extensive glazing is carefully placed to frame and enhance them. The residence opens up to the outdoor living and views from multiple spaces and visually connects interior spaces in the inner court. The client, who also specializes in residential interiors, had a vision of ‘transitional’ style for the home, marrying clean and contemporary elements with touches of antique charm. Energy efficient materials along with reclaimed architectural wood details were seamlessly integrated, adding sustainable design elements to this transitional design. The architect and client collaboration strived to achieve modern, clean spaces playfully interjecting rustic elements throughout the home. Greenbelt Homes Glynis Wood Interiors Photography by Bryant Hill

Vaulted ceiling with dramatic ‘skyroof’ in the Great Room/Kitchen floods the interior with natural light. The classic white kitchen with sparkling granite countertops, and stainless appliances is a gourmet chef's dream.

This living space creates its own cosy area yet filters out to the kitchen. The use of similar tones and textures connects the 2 areas. Photography by Sue Murray - imagineit.net.au

modern kitchen addition and living room/dining room remodel photos: Cesar Rubio (www.cesarrubio.com)

One of the focal points of this living space is the wall behind the couch. Because the furniture is neutral, we were able to add punches of color and personality elsewhere, like on this wooden slat wallpaper and in the throw pillows.

Roundhouse Urbo matt lacquer bespoke kitchen in Pearl Ashes 3 by Fired Earth and island in Graphite 4 by Fired Earth. Work surface in Quartzstone White 04 and on island, worktop and breakfast bar in Wholestave American Black Walnut. Splashback in colour blocked glass.

This Cape Cod inspired custom home includes 5,500 square feet of large open living space, 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, working spaces for the adults and kids, a lower level guest suite, ample storage space, and unique custom craftsmanship and design elements characteristically fashioned into all Schrader homes. Detailed finishes including unique granite countertops, natural stone, cape code inspired tiles & 7 inch trim boards, splashes of color, and a mixture of Knotty Alder & Soft Maple cabinetry adorn this comfortable, family friendly home. Some of the design elements in this home include a master suite with gas fireplace, master bath, large walk in closet, and balcony overlooking the pool. In addition, the upper level of the home features a secret passageway between kid’s bedrooms, upstairs washer & dryer, built in cabinetry, and a 700+ square foot bonus room above the garage. Main level features include a large open kitchen with granite countertops with honed finishes, dining room with wainscoted walls, Butler's pantry, a “dog room” complete w/dog wash station, home office, and kids study room. The large lower level includes a Mother-in-law suite with private bath, kitchen/wet bar, 400 Square foot masterfully finished home theatre with old time charm & built in couch, and a lower level garage exiting to the back yard with ample space for pool supplies and yard equipment. This MN Greenpath Certified home includes a geothermal heating & cooling system, spray foam insulation, and in-floor radiant heat, all incorporated to significantly reduce utility costs. Additionally, reclaimed wood from trees removed from the lot, were used to produce the maple flooring throughout the home and to build the cherry breakfast nook table. Woodwork reclaimed by Wood From the Hood Photos - Dean Reidel Interior Designer - Miranda Brouwer Staging - Stage by Design

As you enter the house you emerge into the double-height kitchen and living space. A large glazed wall at the Southern end pours light into the room and provides views of the courtyard garden and Devon hedgerow beyond.

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.

The recently renovated beach house has an open floor plan with living, dining and kitchen spaces adjacent to each other. There are unobstructed waterviews from every room. Photo: Warren Jagger

The owners of this property had been away from the Bay Area for many years, and looked forward to returning to an elegant mid-century modern house. The one they bought was anything but that. Faced with a “remuddled” kitchen from one decade, a haphazard bedroom / family room addition from another, and an otherwise disjointed and generally run-down mid-century modern house, the owners asked Klopf Architecture and Envision Landscape Studio to re-imagine this house and property as a unified, flowing, sophisticated, warm, modern indoor / outdoor living space for a family of five. Opening up the spaces internally and from inside to out was the first order of business. The formerly disjointed eat-in kitchen with 7 foot high ceilings were opened up to the living room, re-oriented, and replaced with a spacious cook's kitchen complete with a row of skylights bringing light into the space. Adjacent the living room wall was completely opened up with La Cantina folding door system, connecting the interior living space to a new wood deck that acts as a continuation of the wood floor. People can flow from kitchen to the living / dining room and the deck seamlessly, making the main entertainment space feel at once unified and complete, and at the same time open and limitless. Klopf opened up the bedroom with a large sliding panel, and turned what was once a large walk-in closet into an office area, again with a large sliding panel. The master bathroom has high windows all along one wall to bring in light, and a large wet room area for the shower and tub. The dark, solid roof structure over the patio was replaced with an open trellis that allows plenty of light, brightening the new deck area as well as the interior of the house. All the materials of the house were replaced, apart from the framing and the ceiling boards. This allowed Klopf to unify the materials from space to space, running the same wood flooring throughout, using the same paint colors, and generally creating a consistent look from room to room. Located in Lafayette, CA this remodeled single-family house is 3,363 square foot, 4 bedroom, and 3.5 bathroom. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Jackie Detamore, and Jeffrey Prose Landscape Design: Envision Landscape Studio Structural Engineer: Brian Dotson Consulting Engineers Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed Staging: The Design Shop Location: Lafayette, CA Year completed: 2014

LED strips uplight the ceiling from the exposed I-beams, while direct lighting is provided from pendant mounted multiple headed adjustable accent lights. Studio B Architects, Aspen, CO. Photo by Raul Garcia Key Words: Lighting, Modern Lighting, Lighting Designer, Lighting Design, Design, Lighting, ibeams, ibeam, indoor pool, living room lighting, beam lighting, modern pendant lighting, modern pendants, contemporary living room, modern living room, modern living room, contemporary living room, modern living room, modern living room, modern living room, modern living room, contemporary living room, contemporary living room

These clients came to my office looking for an architect who could design their "empty nest" home that would be the focus of their soon to be extended family. A place where the kids and grand kids would want to hang out: with a pool, open family room/ kitchen, garden; but also one-story so there wouldn't be any unnecessary stairs to climb. They wanted the design to feel like "old Pasadena" with the coziness and attention to detail that the era embraced. My sensibilities led me to recall the wonderful classic mansions of San Marino, so I designed a manor house clad in trim Bluestone with a steep French slate roof and clean white entry, eave and dormer moldings that would blend organically with the future hardscape plan and thoughtfully landscaped grounds. The site was a deep, flat lot that had been half of the old Joan Crawford estate; the part that had an abandoned swimming pool and small cabana. I envisioned a pavilion filled with natural light set in a beautifully planted park with garden views from all sides. Having a one-story house allowed for tall and interesting shaped ceilings that carved into the sheer angles of the roof. The most private area of the house would be the central loggia with skylights ensconced in a deep woodwork lattice grid and would be reminiscent of the outdoor “Salas” found in early Californian homes. The family would soon gather there and enjoy warm afternoons and the wonderfully cool evening hours together. Working with interior designer Jeffrey Hitchcock, we designed an open family room/kitchen with high dark wood beamed ceilings, dormer windows for daylight, custom raised panel cabinetry, granite counters and a textured glass tile splash. Natural light and gentle breezes flow through the many French doors and windows located to accommodate not only the garden views, but the prevailing sun and wind as well. The graceful living room features a dramatic vaulted white painted wood ceiling and grand fireplace flanked by generous double hung French windows and elegant drapery. A deeply cased opening draws one into the wainscot paneled dining room that is highlighted by hand painted scenic wallpaper and a barrel vaulted ceiling. The walnut paneled library opens up to reveal the waterfall feature in the back garden. Equally picturesque and restful is the view from the rotunda in the master bedroom suite. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock Enterprises Contractor: Synergy General Contractors, Inc. Landscape Design: LZ Design Group, Inc. Photography: Laura Hull

Level Three: The open-plan Penthouse includes kitchen, dining and living room areas. The fireplace mass was designed to incorporate a flat-screen TV that could be enjoyed from the kitchen and dining areas, without blocking the views to the outside. Lighting was designed and/or selected with this same objective. Photograph © Darren Edwards, San Diego