Mark Cerny

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come!

Open plan kitchen living area in a log cabin on the outskirts of London. This is the designer's own home. All of the furniture has been sourced from high street retailers, car boot sales, ebay, handed down and upcycled. The kitchens is Howdens Trade. Design by Pia Pelkonen Photography by Richard Chivers

This knock down and rebuild had a house that faced the wrong way on a well established flat and sunny section. The new two-storey home is sited towards the rear of the section, so the living and outdoor areas face north. The brief was to create a clean-lined, contemporary family home that would accommodate three teenagers and their sociable parents and have “light, light, light” – big windows to capture the sun and to bring the sense of suburban greenery indoors. The lower level is clad in dark-stained vertically run cedar, wrapping over the north facing living areas, the garage and a blade wall that hides the living room from the driveway. The upper level is clad in crisp white plaster, and is staggered and pushed towards the rear of the site. A cantilevered section slices through one corner to hang above the entrance, sheltering it from the elements. Inside, there are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and two living rooms – allowing space for separation. Interior features include: a bold concrete stairwell with a screen of matai boards (rescued from the previous home), a sophisticated kitchen – complete with fingerprint-proof black cabinetry with bevelled handles, Calacatta Supreme Stone bench tops and a scullery with a coffee/bar area – and an ensuite with floor-to-ceiling Carrara marble-look tiles and concrete floor.

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath remodeled this Delafield home in the Mulberry Grove neighborhood. The renovation included the kitchen, the fireplace tile and adding hardwood flooring to the entire first floor. Although the layout of the kitchen remained similar, we made smart changes to increase functionality. We removed the soffits to open the space and make room for taller cabinets to the ceiling. We reconfigured the appliances for extra prep space and added storage with rollouts and more drawers. The design is a classic, timeless look with white shaker cabinets, grey quartz counters and carrara marble subway tile backsplash. To give the space a trendy vibe, we used fun lighting, matte black fixtures and open shelving.

Nos clients, primo accédants, venaient de louper l'achat d'un loft lorsqu'ils visitaient ce 90 m² sur 3 étages. Le bien a un certain potentiel mais est vieillissant. Nos clients décident de l'acheter et de TOUT raser. ⁠ ⁠ Le loft possédait une sorte de 3e étage à la hauteur petite. Ils enlèvent cet étage hybride pour retrouver une magnifique hauteur sous plafond. ⁠ ⁠ À l'étage, on construit 2 chambres avec de multiples rangements. Une verrière d'atelier, créée par nos équipes et un artisan français, permet de les cloisonner sans pour autant les isoler. Elle permet également à la lumière de circuler tout en rajoutant un certain cachet industriel à l'ensemble. ⁠ ⁠ Nos clients souhaitaient un style scandinave, monochrome avec des tonalités beiges, rose pale, boisées et du noir pour casser le tout et lui donner du caractère. On retrouve parfaitement cette alchimie au RDC. Il y a le salon et son esprit cocooning. Une touche de chaleur supplémentaire est apportée par le claustra en bois qui vient habiller l'escalier. Le noir du mobilier de la salle à manger et de la cuisine vient trancher avec élégance cette palette aux couleurs douces

kitchenCRATE Kansas Avenue | Countertop: LG Viatera Quartz in Clarino | Backsplash: Bedrosians Iceburg White Tile | Sink: Kohler Whitehaven Apron Front Sink | Faucet: Kohler Bellera in Oil Rubbed Bronze | Floor Tile: Bedrosians Refined Floor Tile in Brown | Cabinet Paint: Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee in Semi-Gloss | Wall Paint: Kelly-Moore Mexican Sand Dollar in Satin Enamel | For More Visit: https://kbcrate.com/kitchencrate-kansas-avenue-in-modesto-ca-is-complete/

Norberto Miguel Godinez Patlan

Older condos have so many restrictions. This project is a great example how within the compounds of a space you can make a kitchen feel larger, open it up to the surrounding areas to create better sight lines and create more storage. Staying true to the clients love for older materials like slate flooring and beautiful antiques from their past. Combining existing older elements with fresh new keeps the charm of a space, yet a fresh updated look. Classic herringbone patterns in marble backsplashes is a great way to tie in the slate and a soft white quartz counter tops for better function. A success of a design!