Living Room

A young family requested a casual yet refined space. A space where they could entertain friends and family, while remaining kid friendly. We incorporated the homeowners love of turquoise and mid-century furniture, but kept the space fresh and eclectic. We removed an unused "wet bar" and replaced it with custom walnut shelves to house momentos, books, and of course, baskets for toy storage. We also redesigned the fireplace.

Designed by : TOC design – Tania Scardellato Photographer: Guillaume Gorini - Studio Point de Vue Cabinet Maker : D. C. Fabrication - Dino Cobetto Lighting: United Lights Contractor: TOC design & Construction inc. / IVCO A designer's Home. When it comes to designer your very own house from scratch, there is so much more to think about, budget, style, materials, space, square footage, positioning of doors & windows, the list goes on and on. Let's just say that from conception to final this home took over a year. 7 months to design and 7 months to build. So basically the lesson learned: Is be patient, consider loads of extras and put in a lot of your own time. Was it worth it - YES and I would do it again.

Mid century modern living room with open spaces, transom windows and waterfall, peninsula fireplace on far right;

Photographer: Mitchell Fong

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The Klimala’s and their three kids are no strangers to moving, this being their fifth house in the same town over the 20-year period they have lived there. “It must be the 7-year itch, because every seven years, we seem to find ourselves antsy for a new project or a new environment. I think part of it is being a designer, I see my own taste evolve and I want my environment to reflect that. Having easy access to wonderful tradesmen and a knowledge of the process makes it that much easier”. This time, Klimala’s fell in love with a somewhat unlikely candidate. The 1950’s ranch turned cape cod was a bit of a mutt, but it’s location 5 minutes from their design studio and backing up to the high school where their kids can roll out of bed and walk to school, coupled with the charm of its location on a private road and lush landscaping made it an appealing choice for them. “The bones of the house were really charming. It was typical 1,500 square foot ranch that at some point someone added a second floor to. Its sloped roofline and dormered bedrooms gave it some charm.” With the help of architect Maureen McHugh, Klimala’s gutted and reworked the layout to make the house work for them. An open concept kitchen and dining room allows for more frequent casual family dinners and dinner parties that linger. A dingy 3-season room off the back of the original house was insulated, given a vaulted ceiling with skylights and now opens up to the kitchen. This room now houses an 8’ raw edge white oak dining table and functions as an informal dining room. “One of the challenges with these mid-century homes is the 8’ ceilings. I had to have at least one room that had a higher ceiling so that’s how we did it” states Klimala. The kitchen features a 10’ island which houses a 5’0” Galley Sink. The Galley features two faucets, and double tiered rail system to which accessories such as cutting boards and stainless steel bowls can be added for ease of cooking. Across from the large sink is an induction cooktop. “My two teen daughters and I enjoy cooking, and the Galley and induction cooktop make it so easy.” A wall of tall cabinets features a full size refrigerator, freezer, double oven and built in coffeemaker. The area on the opposite end of the kitchen features a pantry with mirrored glass doors and a beverage center below. The rest of the first floor features an entry way, a living room with views to the front yard’s lush landscaping, a family room where the family hangs out to watch TV, a back entry from the garage with a laundry room and mudroom area, one of the home’s four bedrooms and a full bath. There is a double sided fireplace between the family room and living room. The home features pops of color from the living room’s peach grass cloth to purple painted wall in the family room. “I’m definitely a traditionalist at heart but because of the home’s Midcentury roots, I wanted to incorporate some of those elements into the furniture, lighting and accessories which also ended up being really fun. We are not formal people so I wanted a house that my kids would enjoy, have their friends over and feel comfortable.” The second floor houses the master bedroom suite, two of the kids’ bedrooms and a back room nicknamed “the library” because it has turned into a quiet get away area where the girls can study or take a break from the rest of the family. The area was originally unfinished attic, and because the home was short on closet space, this Jack and Jill area off the girls’ bedrooms houses two large walk-in closets and a small sitting area with a makeup vanity. “The girls really wanted to keep the exposed brick of the fireplace that runs up the through the space, so that’s what we did, and I think they feel like they are in their own little loft space in the city when they are up there” says Klimala. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Colin Perry

We reclaimed this formerly cramped and cluttered living space with clean high-contrast decor, a two-way fireplace, and a TV mount that swivels to allow it to be viewed from both the living and dining room. Designed and built by Paul Lafrance Design.

This modern, mid-century home demanded a fireplace to match their aesthetic and provide ambiance to their space. Our Timeless Gas Fireplaces come in single-sided, indoor/outdoor, and see-through like the one shown. Enjoy with or without heat, and still receive the tallest, fullest flames on the market.

The Town and Country 36 Inch See-Thru Fireplace provides a transition feature between two spaces. It has the feature of Clean Face with huge ceramic disappearing glass.

Living room

This family arrived in Kalamazoo to join an elite group of doctors starting the Western Michigan University School of Medicine. They fell in love with a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright inspired home that needed a few updates to fit their lifestyle. The living room's focal point was an existing custom two-story water feature. New Kellex furniture creates two seating areas with flexibility for entertaining guests. Several pieces of original art and custom furniture were purchased at Good Goods in Saugatuck, Michigan. New paint colors throughout the house complement the art and rich woodwork. Photographer: Casey Spring

Living Room & Dining Room Combination, The Jackson Plan 16

An eclectic mixture of furnishings created this interesting and inviting living room. A classic contemporary Noguchi coffee table found a home sitting on an oriental area rug. The two classic side chairs covered in black suede were "discovered" on Ebay.

Karli Moore Photography

Interior Design by Blackband Design Photography by Tessa Neustadt