A classical fireplace featuring fluted Doric pilasters and a decorative frieze grace the living room. Handsome, custom designed trim and cornice mouldings further complement the space. The cased opening on the right opens onto the billiard’s room.

Our clients an enormous space where they wanted to incorporate a living and dining space, as well as a play area for the grandchildren with lovely views of the garden. They were very keen on having a double island; one where they could cook and prepare and another that was more for socialising. They also wanted us to incorporate the original, oak floor into the design. The homeowner was a former kitchen designer, so had a very strong vision of what she did and didn’t like. The kitchen has a very industrial, open-plan bistro feel. It has a classic front-way construction, but styled in a contemporary way. In terms of storage, there's a big walk-in larder, along with a pull-out larder for necessities. There are also big drawers under the oven, with big wide drawers adjacent to the dishwasher for cutlery and crockery. We didn't really have any obstacles to overcome as we had a really tight brief. We had to work with some height restrictions as the client wanted everything in easy reach, but really everything was ironed out in the design process. Installation took two and a half weeks. Design process was 2-3 months. This beautiful home is located in Esher, south west London and it's a big detached property with vast grounds. Photo credit: Nicholas Yarsley

Darren Chung

Mid Century Modern living room. Re-styled sofa, new chair, & custom pillows. (Project is in Highland Park,IL) Collaborative design with SVA Interiors, Chicago, IL

The renovation of the Woodland Residence centered around two basic ideas. The first was to open the house to light and views of the surrounding woods. The second, due to a limited budget, was to minimize the amount of new footprint while retaining as much of the existing structure as possible. The existing house was in dire need of updating. It was a warren of small rooms with long hallways connecting them. This resulted in dark spaces that had little relationship to the exterior. Most of the non bearing walls were demolished in order to allow for a more open concept while dividing the house into clearly defined private and public areas. The new plan is organized around a soaring new cathedral space that cuts through the center of the house, containing the living and family room spaces. A new screened porch extends the family room through a large folding door - completely blurring the line between inside and outside. The other public functions (dining and kitchen) are located adjacently. A massive, off center pivoting door opens to a dramatic entry with views through a new open staircase to the trees beyond. The new floor plan allows for views to the exterior from virtually any position in the house, which reinforces the connection to the outside. The open concept was continued into the kitchen where the decision was made to eliminate all wall cabinets. This allows for oversized windows, unusual in most kitchens, to wrap the corner dissolving the sense of containment. A large, double-loaded island, capped with a single slab of stone, provides the required storage. A bar and beverage center back up to the family room, allowing for graceful gathering around the kitchen. Windows fill as much wall space as possible; the effect is a comfortable, completely light-filled room that feels like it is nestled among the trees. It has proven to be the center of family activity and the heart of the residence. Hoachlander Davis Photography

The kitchen is the central focus of the main living area, defined by an angled breakfast bar with a facade of narrow, rectangular limestone slate tiles set in a random pattern. Leathered Cappuccino granite with a chiseled edge by Viktor's Granite and Marble dresses the top. The industrial style pendant fixtures are from Christie's Lighting. Brodie Smith of Packard Cabinetry added the compact wine bar, positioned for convenient access from the adjoining living room. Impeccable workmanship is evident in the cabinetry, which was custom designed and hand-crafted by Packard Cabinetry. The cooking area's "hearth" is maple and given a deep espresso glaze. A shallow niche, inset into the tumbled marble tile backsplash, echoes the narrow tiles of the breakfast bar facing and is artfully illuminated by LED lights. The faux apothecary drawers on either side conceal pull-out spice racks. By Kate O'Connor Photography by David Dietrich

How to help a young couple who loved the location and bones of a traditional home, but wanted a decisive shift in its decor and vibe to modern luxe? Begin by pulling down the 2-story walls of oak paneling, heavy fireplace mantle, and scraping out the dimly lit kitchen. Opening the kitchen into the family room and reworking the architecture of the space was the solution to creating the fresh feeling we were after. Photos by John Bessler

Marek Sikora

Perfect for a city or narrow lot, the compact Clareville melds the best of the past and present. On the exterior, vintage elements include the distinctive eyebrow and transom windows, the arched doorway and the shingled dormers. Inside, however, the floor plan is designed for modern living, from the two-car garage and first-floor laundry to the open living, kitchen and dining area. Relax at the end of the day on the screened-in porch which adjoins the outdoor patio. At night, retire to the lower level, which features a master suite, second bedroom and bunk room.

Marco Ricca

Kitchen renovation opens up the space into the living room and includes a kitchen island that was placed to accommodate a wider kitchen work area. Glass backsplash tiles and brushed brass fixtures update the space. Quartzite countertops complement the backsplash tiles. Photo: Heidi Solander.

This adorable beach cottage is in the heart of the village of La Jolla in San Diego. The goals were to brighten up the space and be the perfect beach get-away for the client whose permanent residence is in Arizona. Some of the ways we achieved the goals was to place an extra high custom board and batten in the great room and by refinishing the kitchen cabinets (which were in excellent shape) white. We created interest through extreme proportions and contrast. Though there are a lot of white elements, they are all offset by a smaller portion of very dark elements. We also played with texture and pattern through wallpaper, natural reclaimed wood elements and rugs. This was all kept in balance by using a simplified color palate minimal layering. I am so grateful for this client as they were extremely trusting and open to ideas. To see what the space looked like before the remodel you can go to the gallery page of the website www.cmnaturaldesigns.com Photography by: Chipper Hatter

The kitchen was previously a small builder's standard oak kitchen. The wall between the kitchen and family room was removed. The breakfast nook became part of the kitchen space. The ceramic tile was replaced with matching hardwood to family room to create a smooth flow.

This Old House, Bedford. I was asked to be back on the team to work on the second oldest house TOH had ever worked on! It was a great project, super homeowners and a fair amount of discovery and challenges as we brought this old house back to her former glory. The homeowner needed more space and wanted to add on a great room of the kitchen. I was tasked with creating a kitchen that fit into todays modern world but celebrated the "old house" details. Exposed beams, uneven floors, posts and storage needs where all high on the to do and worry list! Working in a full size pantry with counters and a deep freeze provided that function and charm we were all hoping for in this new kitchen. A custom blue inset island with a beautiful 2" thick honed Danby marble top works nicely in the open concept feel. Glass fronted cabinets, blue and white tile and a hint of red in the back wall of the pantry all have a nod to the historic roots of the property and subtle reminder to it's part in the American Revolution. All the episodes of this exciting project may be viewed by going to www.thisoldhouse.com, search Bedford. Enjoy!

Our Austin studio gave this new build home a serene feel with earthy materials, cool blues, pops of color, and textural elements. --- Project designed by Sara Barney’s Austin interior design studio BANDD DESIGN. They serve the entire Austin area and its surrounding towns, with an emphasis on Round Rock, Lake Travis, West Lake Hills, and Tarrytown. For more about BANDD DESIGN, click here: https://bandddesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://bandddesign.com/natural-modern-new-build-austin-home/

The existing dark kitchen is replaced by a new second family room. A window was added to allow the room to be brighter. The sliding wood and glass doors allow the second family room to be separated from the main room so that the kids have a place to go that is still under supervision from the kitchen. Photo by Tre Dunham