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.

Tuscan Moon finish. Swivel ironing board. Soho High Gloss Fronts.

Nick McGinn

Lead Designer: Vawn Greany - Collaborative Interiors / Co-Designer: Trisha Gaffney Interiors / Cabinets: Dura Supreme provided by Collaborative Interiors / Contractor: Homeworks by Kelly / Photography: DC Photography

The existing cabinets in the laundry room were painted. New LVP floors, countertops, and tile backsplash update the space.

The finished project! The white built-in locker system with a floor to ceiling cabinet for added storage. Black herringbone slate floor, and wood countertop for easy folding.

Two adjoining challenging small spaces with three functions transformed into one great space: Laundry Room, Full Bathroom & Utility Room.

This laundry room features white cabinetry by Crystal Cabinets and a pop of color on the walls in Benjamin Moore, raspberry truffle.

Laundry room with shaker white cabinets, black countertop, honeycomb tile backsplash and plenty of storage.

Who said a Laundry Room had to be dull and boring? This colorful laundry room is loaded with storage both in its custom cabinetry and also in its 3 large closets for winter/spring clothing. The black and white 20x20 floor tile gives a nod to retro and is topped off with apple green walls and an organic free-form backsplash tile! This room serves as a doggy mud-room, eating center and luxury doggy bathing spa area as well. The organic wall tile was designed for visual interest as well as for function. The tall and wide backsplash provides wall protection behind the doggy bathing station. The bath center is equipped with a multifunction hand-held faucet with a metal hose for ease while giving the dogs a bath. The shelf underneath the sink is a pull-out doggy eating station and the food is located in a pull-out trash bin.

This gorgeous beach condo sits on the banks of the Pacific ocean in Solana Beach, CA. The previous design was dark, heavy and out of scale for the square footage of the space. We removed an outdated bulit in, a column that was not supporting and all the detailed trim work. We replaced it with white kitchen cabinets, continuous vinyl plank flooring and clean lines throughout. The entry was created by pulling the lower portion of the bookcases out past the wall to create a foyer. The shelves are open to both sides so the immediate view of the ocean is not obstructed. New patio sliders now open in the center to continue the view. The shiplap ceiling was updated with a fresh coat of paint and smaller LED can lights. The bookcases are the inspiration color for the entire design. Sea glass green, the color of the ocean, is sprinkled throughout the home. The fireplace is now a sleek contemporary feel with a tile surround. The mantel is made from old barn wood. A very special slab of quartzite was used for the bookcase counter, dining room serving ledge and a shelf in the laundry room. The kitchen is now white and bright with glass tile that reflects the colors of the water. The hood and floating shelves have a weathered finish to reflect drift wood. The laundry room received a face lift starting with new moldings on the door, fresh paint, a rustic cabinet and a stone shelf. The guest bathroom has new white tile with a beachy mosaic design and a fresh coat of paint on the vanity. New hardware, sinks, faucets, mirrors and lights finish off the design. The master bathroom used to be open to the bedroom. We added a wall with a barn door for privacy. The shower has been opened up with a beautiful pebble tile water fall. The pebbles are repeated on the vanity with a natural edge finish. The vanity received a fresh paint job, new hardware, faucets, sinks, mirrors and lights. The guest bedroom has a custom double bunk with reading lamps for the kiddos. This space now reflects the community it is in, and we have brought the beach inside.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This light and airy laundry room/mudroom beckons you with two beautiful white capiz seashell pendant lights, custom floor to ceiling cabinetry with crown molding, raised washer and dryer with storage underneath, coat, backpack and shoe storage.

This laundry room is filled with custom cabinetry. The washer and dryer are raised above the floor for easy access and to allow room for laundry baskets below. Interior Designer: Adams Interior Design Photo by: Daniel Contelmo Jr.

Nelson Salivia

This was our 2016 Parade Home and our model home for our Cantera Cliffs Community. This unique home gets better and better as you pass through the private front patio courtyard and into a gorgeous entry. The study conveniently located off the entry can also be used as a fourth bedroom. A large walk-in closet is located inside the master bathroom with convenient access to the laundry room. The great room, dining and kitchen area is perfect for family gathering. This home is beautiful inside and out. Jeremiah Barber

Side view of the Ironing Board folded out.

Lead Designer: Vawn Greany - Collaborative Interiors / Co-Designer: Trisha Gaffney Interiors / Cabinets: Dura Supreme provided by Collaborative Interiors / Contractor: Homeworks by Kelly / Photography: DC Photography