Home Full of Inspiration and Boys Achieves Order

Housing six growing boys, two dogs and your mom requires a lot of business — and a great deal of space. Missy Gerardi faced this challenge when she took on a dated 1950s home with her husband, Phil, a general contractor. In 3 months — just in time for a new school year — they brought it down to its studs then back to existence by reconfiguring the layout to make an airy, open flow.

“The bones of the house were beautiful, but it had a new roof, air conditioning system, plumbing and windows, and an entirely new electrical overhaul,” Missy says. They removed partitions, replaced windows, set up plenty of built-ins and even added a place the few calls “Mom Central” to help keep things organized for the active family.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Missy and Phil Gerardi, her mom Geraldine Callaghan, six boys ages 3 to 16, and their cockapoos, Baci and Bella
Location: Tampa, Florida
Size: 4,800 square feet; 5 bedrooms, 41/2 bathrooms
Year built: 1958
That is intriguing: The home once belonged to notable Tampa business owner Howard Frankland.

Mina Brinkey

The Gerardis tore down the bearing wall which stood between the kitchen and great room. A 700-pound beam which runs parallel to the kitchen pendant lights substituted the wall. It was pricey but necessary to accomplish an open, family-friendly space.

Sofa, coffee table: Blue Moon Trading Company

More about eliminating a load-bearing wall

Mina Brinkey

The former great room became the dining space, full of light from fresh floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors.

Wooden drum pendant sunglasses: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

A 91/2-foot dining table from Blue Moon Trading Companyseats 10, and Missy had custom tiled seats made offering additional storage.

“With a large family requires teamwork and systems set up,” Missy says. “The kitchen is my ‘command central.’ ” Missy loves to interact with six kids when she is cooking.

Rug: Linear Hemp Rug, Restoration Hardware

Mina Brinkey

The Gerardis worked with the local Home Depot design support team in their kitchen. “I knew everything I had and knew where it would go,” she states. She moved with open stainless shelving to keep things in opinion and help her stay organized. She chose a classic subway tile backsplash.

Kitchen island, sink and cabinets: The Home Depot; pendant light: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

Missy describes the distance off the kitchen as “Mom Central.” There is a double-door refrigerator on the left and an office space on the right side.

Mina Brinkey

Missy runs all her family’s affairs. This is also the only room with computers, so it will help her keep an eye on her boys while they’re online.

Eames style swivel bar stools: Blue Moon Trading Company

Mina Brinkey

An incredibly coordinated laundry room serves dual duty as a fall zone for Missy’s sons when they get home from college.

Mina Brinkey

Each boy has a designated locker because of his backpack, jackets and anything else he needs to stow. The island inside the area serves as a place to fold and sort through clothes.

More housing thoughts fit for a bunch

Mina Brinkey

This “play-by-play” wall across from the laundry and locker area aids the family keep significant forms, invitations and college schedules on track.

Mina Brinkey

A dedicated homework room features built-in storage seats and a handcrafted table. Missy made silhouettes of each son to decorate the walls.

Frames: Ribba, Ikea; wall color: Silvermist, Sherwin-Williams

Mina Brinkey

Each white drawer unit across from the homework table features labels of each of these boys’ names. Engineered hardwood floors replaced first terrazzo.

Mina Brinkey

The attic, known as the household’s dorm, is where four of the six sons sleep. (The 16-year-old and 3-year-old possess their own rooms). This spacious floor includes four beds and two alcoves with beds indoors for when the occasional buddy spends the evening. The beds have casters for easy rearranging.

Floor paint colour: Gray Matters, Sherwin-Williams; wall paint colour: White Dove, Benjamin Moore

Mina Brinkey

Table and seats: Fusion, Ikea

Mina Brinkey

The couple’s bedroom was initially very dark. Missy painted the walls a soothing neutral and the ceiling a soft sky blue to make a relaxing escape.

Hand-tufted sackcloth upholstered headboard: Blue Moon Trading Company; wall colour: Cape Hatteras Sand, Benjamin Moore; trim colour: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; ceiling colour: Morning Sky Blue, Benjamin Moore

Mina Brinkey

The custom main bedroom closet helps Missy keep her clothes, shoes and jewelry clutter-free and coordinated.

Mina Brinkey

Missy worked closely with boutique owner and designer Katie Gagnon of The Blue Moon Trading Company and interior design Kim Liggett to decorate the house. Inspirational sayings fill this custom made scrabble mirror in the foyer.

Mina Brinkey

The ranch-style exterior was once all red brick, marked with an overly grown landscape. The Gerardis painted the brick whitened and simplified some of the unruly front lawn with topiaries and various grasses.

Mina Brinkey

The front doorway got a glowing turquoise update, while seasonal mums and straw pumpkins add autumn spirit.

When to paint your doorway gloomy

Cosmetic Dentistry: Grandin Road; doorway paint: Blue Spa, Benjamin Moore

Mina Brinkey

“I wanted to live at a place that motivated me on the inside and out,” says Missy, pictured here with cockapoos Baci and Bella. “I’ve always wanted a home where my kids and I will feel a sense of calmness and joy when we walk into any area of our home.”

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Warm Sophistication in an Alabama Lake

David and Atalie Whitley have changed their lake home into a rustic feel-good getaway, drawing inspiration from the beauty of Alabama’s Smith Lake and the lush organic surroundings. “We wanted to create the spaces look and feel casual and combine with the gorgeous backdrop of the trees and lake,” says Atalie.

The Whitleys live an hour off in Birmingham for most of the year, therefore they wanted to minimize maintenance. They picked natural wood finishes, neutral colours and accents of rope and driftwood.

at a Glance
Who lives here: David and Atalie Whitley along with their puppy, Annie
Location: Smith Lake, Jasper, Alabama
Size: 2,600 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 baths
That’s interesting: Smith Lake is the second largest lake in the U.S.

Corynne Pless

The entrance leads straight into the living room, where large windows face the water. The couple painted the window trim to frame the views. Dark stained hardwood flooring helps draw attention to the outside, also.

The Whitleys bought the house supplied, but the preceding homeowners’ design was “the extreme reverse of ours,” Atalie says. They replaced the pieces with a nature-inspired palette and with furniture and accessories mainly by Restoration Hardware.

Wall paint: Sealskin; trim paint Smokestone, both by Martin Senour

Corynne Pless

Large pendants hang over a large trestle table that is able to accommodate the entire family — that the Whitleys have five kids — when everyone arrives to see.

Bowls: Juliska, Table Matters; plates: Target; kayak, furniture and lighting by Restoration Hardware: table: Trestle set; seats: Hudson; pendant lights: Barrel Shade

Corynne Pless

The couple decided the colours of the stones from the new surround to match the furniture’s rustic and honed surfaces while mimicking the natural surroundings.

Stone: Jenkins Brick and Tile; artwork: Ben Carlisle, Richard Tubb Galleries

Corynne Pless

Annie loves napping inside this sunny living area spot.

Chair: Lyon, Restoration Hardware

Corynne Pless

The Whitleys enjoy the living room as much. “We love to sit down in here in the evenings when we’re not out on the lake and watch the sun go down,” Atalie says. “It is such a cozy space to kick back and relax in.”

Sofas, Dutch Industrialcoffee table:Restoration Hardware

Corynne Pless

Corynne Pless

For your first-floor facelift, they saved money in the kitchen by painting instead of replacing the existing black walnut cabinets. “It is amazing what a coat of paint can do to totally alter a room,” says Atalie. The couple also brightened the design with a new granite backsplash and granite countertops.

Countertops: River White granite; tile backsplash: Cararra marble; pendant lights, bar seats: Restoration Hardware; sink: dual stainless 60/40; faucet: Delta; appliances: KitchenAid

Corynne Pless

Wall paint: Sealskin; trim paint: Smokestone, both by Martin Senour; console: Parisian Cornice, Restoration Hardware; lamp: Pottery Barn; mirror: Iron and Rope, Restoration Hardware; small birds: StudioByTheForest, Etsy

Corynne Pless

Richard Tubb, the Whitley’s beloved designer (he designed their house in Birmingham), proposed the neutral wall and trim colors. “He’s an amazing ability to make a house feel and look classy but very warm and inviting,” says Atalie.

Wall paint: Sealskin; trim paint Smokestone, both by Martin Senour

Corynne Pless

The framed sea fan over the headboard is motivated by one Atalie saw at an interior design store. She sourced one on eBay and had it framed at Gallery Services in Birmingham.

Bed, Trumeau mirrors: Restoration Hardware; wall paint: Sealskin; trim paint Smokestone, equally by Martin Senour; chair: Barnett Furniture

Corynne Pless

The couple painted the bathroom walls and changed the hardware out to update the conventional double vanity.

Mirror: Trumeau, Restoration Hardware; wall paint Spiderweb; trim paint Smokestone, both by Martin Senour

Corynne Pless

Corynne Pless

In the cellar the couple replaced the existing carpet with ceramic tile flooring made to seem like hardwood. Since the cellar is the first entrance from the lake, they picked tile because of its easy upkeep and minimal water absorbency.

Both framed artworks are by David’s son.

Corynne Pless

Atalie and David followed directions online to build these bunk beds in one of those cellar guest rooms, including ceiling support beams to affix the weight of the beds. David built the pine wood base in a few hours. The screws and rope are from a local hardware store. The ladder is repurposed from another pair of twin beds in their property.

“We are the most proud of this bunk room, because David and I created those beds and hung ourselves, which was a significant feat,” says Atalie.

Bedding: Ikea

Corynne Pless

A screened-in porch is an intimate location for relaxing and enjoying the view of the lake.

Rockers: Cracker Barrel

Corynne Pless

A conventional exterior with low-maintenance landscaping wraps the house. The connecting patios and extra parking lead to the rear lake view.

The rear of the house looks out over the lake and boasts several windows, covered patios and porches. Stone steps lead from the home to the dock amid shrubbery, lights and pine straw.

Corynne Pless

“We love spending time with our kids here,” Atalie says. “There’s so much to do about the lake, and we’ve made so many enjoyable memories just in the past three decades.”

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Historical Richness to Get a Stately Alabama Home

Built in 1909, this four-story Birmingham, Alabama, home’s rich history, design and amazing craftsmanship immediately attracted in homeowners David and Atalie Whitley, who purchased the home in 2009 later David detected a for-sale hint on it on his way to operate. He made an offer that day.

The pair has since worked to conserve the first hand-cut wood walls, beams and floors and general historic charm by choosing to modify very little within the 104-year-old construction.

To underline the wood-rich interiors, they carefully integrated some of their existing furniture, consisting mostly of solid wood bits from Stickley. Richard Tubb, a regional interior designer, worked with the Whitleys on several rooms to incorporate additional furnishings to create the space and details unique and purposeful, much like the first structure. Tubb added natural colours and soft textures throughout the home to ground the warmth.

in a Glance
Who lives here: David and Atalie Whitley, 2 of their 5 kids and their dog, Annie
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Size: 10,000 square feet; 6 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 2 half baths
That’s intriguing: The home includes an original silver sink in functioning state.

Corynne Pless

The large living room rests from the foyer and opens to a workplace and sunroom. The soft tones and textures added by Tubb effortlessly boost the living space without taking away from your area’s architectural beauty. The large windows and warm tones bring in light and warmth. The area’s original fireplace stays Atalie’s favorite detail.

Furniture and decor: Richard Tubb Interiors

Corynne Pless

Unique qualities such as the first tile flooring, steam radiator and French doors provide this small living room a rich character.

Table: Stickley; lamps: Pottery Barn

Corynne Pless

The home is across the road from a local park. Trimmed hedges and springtime blossoms color front steps.

Corynne Pless

The foyer introduces a number of the house’s timeless qualities. The wood was cut, for example, molding details. Panels grace doors and the walls, and beams that are floating shine above.

Pottery: Door Pottery

Corynne Pless

A console table below the stairwell shows standard lighting and Hogmill pottery. The hand-cut wood on the staircase is ebony and can be from the house’s original construction.

Console table: Richard Tubb Interiors

Corynne Pless

The office area boasts a beautiful mix of antiques and shows craftsmanship from the past and present. “Plenty of times we come in the afternoons and kind of sit down in one of those chairs and have a glass of wine,” David says.

A stuffed pheasant accents the dark wall in which the elegant bookmatching shines.

Side table (alongside chair): Darren Hardman

Corynne Pless

The breakfast corner brings light to the rear of the foyer and joins to the kitchen via a small hallway.

Console table: Richard Tubb Interiors

Corynne Pless

The chandelier over the nook’s table hints in a Tiffany first, however no official stamp or piece has been found, leaving the classic a beautiful puzzle.

Corynne Pless

In the 1950s past owners added that this kitchen into a rear room — the cooker replaced the fireplace — because the first kitchen was built in a distinct structure several yards behind the home. The space is currently used by David as his woodworking studio.

Corynne Pless

The butler’s pantry shows the house’s famous initial silver sink, which was found in the loft when the home was remodeled in the 1970s. “They went back and found photographs and understood where it belonged initially and brought it back and put it in its place,” David says.

In the early 1900s, silver has been used for sinks because its softness protected china and glassware while it had been washed.

Corynne Pless

The pantry connects into the kitchen, dining room and foyer and provides excellent storage for dishes, wine and serveware.

Corynne Pless

The Whitleys took joy in decorating their formal dining room with original Stickley furniture and works by local artists.

Original pottery tiles (a sought after collectible) still surround the fireplace, that, like every one of the fireplaces at home, is fully functional.

Corynne Pless

Between every wall is a solid panel surrounded by ceramic bricks. Some of the walls downstairs are 3 to 4 ft thick.

Original pocket doors separate virtually every room on the main level. “Every single one still functions. They run on a solid brass railing,” David says.

Corynne Pless

A small bathroom with white subway tiles supplies a bright respite from the dark hallways.

Corynne Pless

A sitting area using Stickleychairs and a side table divides the first and second floors. The lamp has been custom made for the Whitleys.

Lamp: William Morris

Corynne Pless

A classic phone decorates the second-floor hallway. This floor initially had five bedrooms arranged symmetrically, with two bedrooms plus a Jack and Jill–style bathroom on every side of a tiny central nursery.

Corynne Pless

The nursery is currently used as a small reading room. Large windows bring in light, and stunning French doors open into a walkout porch.

Two of the few five children still live at home and also have bedrooms on the floor too.

Couch: Birmingham Wholesale; art: IO Metro

Corynne Pless

The couple worked with Tubbs to redecorate their master bedroom. An adjoining room currently functions as a large walk-in closet, and a sleeping porch serves as a workout room. Customized linens and draperies soften the area’s feel.

Corynne Pless

Art by local artist Ben Carlisle hangs over a fireplace that’s still in its initial state. “It probably looks awful with cracked tiles but I’d rather see it and possess it first than attempt to replace them” Atalie says.

Corynne Pless

The prior owner altered the master bathroom, adding Alabama light marble and silver appliances.

Tub: Kohler

Corynne Pless

Following the couple lived in the home for a year, David turned to a switch and found that the bathroom has heated floor tiles.

Corynne Pless

Colorful bedding and mantel decorations brighten up the guest room.

Corynne Pless

This bathroom still has its first subway tile and shower. The exceptional shower sprays water from four different points: a traditional showerhead and three extended pipes on the shower’s wall.

Corynne Pless

The third floor was once a billiards room but now functions as the family room.

Corynne Pless

Down from the spacious cellar, a corner functions as an additional living room for watching television or playing pool, while three bedrooms can comfortably host guests and the couple’s other three kids.

Corynne Pless

The courtyard and pool with Roman fountains were added from the 1970s.

Corynne Pless

The outside’s terra-cotta planters in front porch were fired and glazed onsite in 1909 by a company from New York. This was necessary, as shipping may have meant breakage.

Corynne Pless

The roomy front porch provides a breezy sitting space.

Corynne Pless

What the homeowners (shown here) think was once a sleeping porch currently functions as the family’s sunroom. With its white and cream furniture and large windows overlooking the serene neighborhood, it’s no wonder that the Whitleys call this their favorite room.

“My home is my favorite spot in the world to be,” says Atalie. “No matter where we’ve traveled, my husband and I look forward to coming back home.”

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Couch and decor: Richard Tubb Interiors

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City and Country Cross Paths in a Dutch Villa

This Netherlands home has the best of both worlds, using all the city at the very front and the lush Dutch countryside at the back. Frank and Marion’s 1931 house sits in a quiet area with a spacious back garden and swimming pool, but it still has clear opinions into The Hague, South Holland’s capital city. Over the years the couple has infused the home with their own contemporary, airy style while still preserving its charming original specifics.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Frank and Marion
Location: Voorburg, the Netherlands
Size: 180 square meters (1,937 square feet); 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

Holly Marder

The living space was decorated with understated luxury in mind. The subtly installed television mirrors a built-in fireplace.

The leaded glass windows are first to the house. This large front window has been left undressed for greatest light.

Sofa: Cartel Living; coffee table: Keijser & Co.; rug: Interieur Decor Delft

Holly Marder

The large sectional a part of a background for the couple artwork.

Table lamps: Tierenlantijn; floor lamp: Artemide

Holly Marder

The long and spacious main living space has a living space at the front of the home and a sitting room that leads to the backyard. A custom made shelf showing decorative items separates the dining room and living room.

Contractor and custom shelving manufacturer: Mart van Adrichem

Holly Marder

Holly Marder

A modern custom lighting fixture and dramatic black dining table and chairs anchor the dining room. The couple has views to the front and back of the house out of here.

Holly Marder

The pantry extends into the right of the kitchen, right supporting the shelving unit. Large windows over the kitchen counters attract even more light into this open space.

Holly Marder

The pair have put most of the rest of their renovation plans on hold for now, but they do expect to upgrade the kitchen.

Holly Marder

The room’s original glass doors look out onto the garden. Together with the television, books, kitchen and scenic views all within arm’s reach, this distance is the best spot for relaxing.

Stool: Tess; couches: Cartel Living; bookcase: custom by Mart van Adrichem

Holly Marder

Upstairs the set decorated their master bedroom in a soothing palette of charcoal and white. Art adds lilac and fuchsia accents.

Cabinets: Interieur Decor Delft; overhead lighting fixtures: Artemide; writing desk: convention by Mart van Adrichem

Holly Marder

The sliding door on the left leads to the en suite toilet, and the sliding door on the right leads to the walk-in closet.

Wall paint: Off Black, Farrow & Ball; light fixtures: Artemide

Holly Marder

The recently renovated bathroom feels spacious and open. The new vanity is decidedly contemporary, with a bright white tile backsplash and charcoal-gray MDF cabinets. The glass spacious shower needed to be custom made on account of the large size.

Floors: natural oak

Holly Marder

The guest room and workplace occupy one room close to the front of the floor. Like the rest of the home, this room enjoys a very simple and understated colour palette; it has one emerald accent pillow.

Holly Marder

The couple shares this home office, with opinions of The Hague’s skyline in the distance. The distance has two separate work areas using a sliding door between them.

Office furniture: Keijser & Co..

Holly Marder

The couple fell in love with the spacious backyard in their first visit to the house.

Holly Marder

In addition they love their swimming pool — an uncommon feature in Dutch houses.

When they bought the house, the couple also bought an extra lot on the left side of their property from their neighbors, such as a garage space (not pictured) they gave a facelift.

Holly Marder

The house backs onto a small waterway, surrounded by lush vegetation.

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Joy and Ingenuity Change an Oregon Farmhouse

Obbie and Connie Atkinson have spent the past seven years assigning their turn-of-the-century farmhouse in Eastern Oregon. From installing plumbing, tile and drywall to refinishing furniture, flooring and the base, this ascertained and thrifty couple have touched every surface of their property. Their enchanting space is a product of their joyous ingenuity, enthusiasm and happy partnership.

in a Glance
Who lives here:
Obbie and Connie Atkinson plus a flock of readily excitable quail
Location: Richland, Oregon
Size: 2,500 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 1 bath
That’s intriguing: There are just five outbuildings on the property: a toolshed, a potting shed, a chicken coop, a storeroom and a barn.

Sarah Greenman

Sarah Greenman: How did you find this home?
Connie Atkinson: We’re traveling through Montana, Idaho and Oregon Searching for a second home. At the time, we lived in California and knew we could not afford anything there. We thought it would be a vacation home.

We had an inventory: paved street, property (although not a lot), not in the hills but at a valley where we can look up in mountains, water near and an airport in hitting distance. We drove into Richland and saw an advertisement in the paper that read “Could once again be queen of this valley” Only considering it we were gobsmacked.

Sarah Greenman

CA: This shed is the coolest thing. It was leaning way over on the side when we first moved in, and everyone said we ought to bulldoze it. However we loved it the way it was and could not imagine destroying it. We might have straightened it, but we didn’t. We have done a lot of work to restore it and maintain its sweet lean. Everybody who sees it’s shed envy. At this time it’s Obbie’s instrument shop. However, my hope is that in a couple of years it will be my studio.

Sarah Greenman

SG: How did you realize that this home has been “the one”?
CA: I sat on the front porch and had this overwhelming feeling that it was home. I spent years at a state of chaos, moving from house to house, and in all the time I never felt as though I was at home anywhere. I just had a breakdown. I cried. I felt as though I was home for the very first time in my entire life.

SG: Where’s your favorite spot in the house?
CA: In summer time, it’s out. But in the colder months my favorite place is on the sofa with a cup of coffee overlooking the movie window.

Sarah Greenman

The central living space is a cool, tranquil mix of white and sage green. The couple plans to rip out the ceilings, which have been dropped sometime in the ’60s to preserve energy and lower heating costs.

SG: What is the condition of the house when you moved in to it?
CA: Pretty sad. It smelled awful, and everything needed to be carried out. The carpet had to go, nasty built-in bookshelves needed to come out windows — everything. The men and women who had lived here were heavy smokers. The first time I came out here I stopped in town and had a refrigerator delivered. I showed up in the house with a refrigerator, a mattress and a bathtub of TSP (trisodium phosphate). I thought, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?”

SG: Tell me about the artwork in this room.
CA: We filled the walls with purposeful artwork. The painting over the sofa is obviously a household member’s home in Paso Robles, California. It was painted by my mother’s friend, Willa Sell. Obbie made the framed buff drawing to the right when he was just 12 years old as a nod to his own Native American origins.

Sofas: Z Gallerie; paint: Olive Sprig, Olympic Ultra; red corner blossom: yard sale

Sarah Greenman

The dining area is opposite the living area and generally full of morning light. Connie discovered the huge antique German sideboard, which she painted white. She admits, “I stewed about painting it for three decades and then eventually took the plunge.”

SG: What inspires your personal aesthetic?
CA: Sadly, everything inspires me. I have a floundering sense of style. If I see a beach house, I want to come home and do the beach house seem. Same with log cabin, or Native American, or Southwest, or desert or Language B and B. I want to test it all. Since I am at a farmhouse, I sort of have to do a country fashion.

Sarah Greenman

SG: What is or was your biggest design dilemma?
CA: There is hardly any all-natural light in the kitchen, which really bothers me. Soon we’ll bust out the wall that divides the kitchen and toilet to create a kitchen with views and space to accommodate a farm dining table.

Additionally, the existing toilet was once a space with a sink, bathroom, bathtub, water heater and washing system — all crunched to a hallway. Getting that tub cleared so we can use it was quite a chore. We want to abandon that tub because it’s on the face of the house with the best view.

Flooring: Antique Oak finish, Home Depot; cabinet paint: Shelter Green, Martha Stewart Living

Sarah Greenman

As with many old farmhouses, the kitchen has a huge root cellar and a huge pantry for storing summer’s harvest. Connie’s brother built the rustic kitchen cabinet in the upcycled window and scrap timber.

Sarah Greenman

The traditional blue and white master bedroom has a wide bay window that faces the front of the property. Connie chose bedding that matched her mother’s blue and white porcelain pottery.

SG: Where’s your favorite place to search for your property?
CA: Thrift stores and antique places. We’ve got an old place and I enjoy old things. And I really like a deal!

Blue seat: JD Mercantile at Richland; paint: Navigation, True Value; bedding: Tuesday Morning; throw pillow: Ikea

Sarah Greenman

The upstairs guest room reflects the Western terrain and the colours of the surrounding high desert. A hat rack, woven rugs and a vintage Grand Canyon wall hanging help to create a backcountry ambience.

Sarah Greenman

The couple calls for the upstairs bedroom the “AARP Dorm.” Several beds can be pushed together to create king-size sleeping arrangements, and there’s a ’70s-era accordion room divider.

Sarah Greenman

Grandchildren regularly visit and enjoy sharing these cozy quarters, which Connie has equipped with matching twin beds, handmade dolls and a vintage children’s dining table.

CA: One of the main reasons we purchased this home was to ease family gatherings. We wanted a beautiful place where our children could unwind and bring their children.

Bedding: Goal; desk, seat: yard sale

Sarah Greenman

Connie is always moving her home office from room to room to keep it clear of their newest home improvement project. Its present home is in the upstairs bedroom.

Desk, seat: El Paso Import

Sarah Greenman

The couple converted a canning porch off the back of the house to a bath, complete with a vintage soaking bathtub and a walk-in shower. Connie found that the garage door at a local yard sale. To conserve space, Obbie mounted it as a sliding barn door.

SG: What are you currently working on next?
CA: Finishing the tub remodel. It was absolutely necessary and ended up being a splurge of time since we did all of the work ourselves. When it’s finished, we’ll eliminate the old tub. Just like most things, we are chewing this one bite at a time.

Sarah Greenman

The foyer is a bright mix of natural light and wood details. The gallery wall on the staircase is full of watercolors, most of which have been painted by Connie’s mother.

SG: If these walls could speak, what could they say?
CA: I believe they’d say, “Thank God somebody came and saved us. We had tender loving care”

Sarah Greenman

The Atkinsons purchased the home in 2005 from Dan Forsea, a third-generation rancher. Forsea made a wrought iron sculpture for a present for the Atkinsons, motivated by the hordes of quail that populate the property. It hangs on both sides of Connie’s potting shed alongside an enormous lilac bush.

CA: we’ve created the most amazing friends here in the valley. I feel like they’ve been here all along, just waiting for me to appear and join the gang.

Sarah Greenman

A yellow vintage rocking bench adorns the east side of the wraparound porch. Connie sewed the throw pillows utilizing vintage tablecloths and handkerchiefs.

CA: We had not planned this to be our full-time home, but it grew on us big time. Each time I sit on the front porch, the house feels like it’s mine. This home is my sanctuary. Obbie and I can’t get enough of this peacefulness here. I sat out here for 20 minutes the other day and didn’t hear one man-made audio. You can do this.

Sarah Greenman

SG: What do you love about gardening?
CA: I didn’t know I enjoyed gardening till I had space to garden. This place is named Richland for a reason. The dirt is wonderful. I started a little perennial garden, and I went crazy and started digging everywhere. I don’t understand anything about gardening, and I didn’t have a plan. I am learning as I go. When a plant does well then it has to stay. Next year, I will attempt more veggies.

Sarah Greenman

There are just five outbuildings on the property, such as a toolshed, a potting shed, a chicken coop, a storeroom and a barn.

CA: I say, “My barn is like the ocean. I really like to look at it, but I do not really need to go in.” Obbie loves it , though. He’s in there all the time.

Sarah Greenman

SG: What was your proudest homeowner moment?
CA: I have it all of the time. It occurs when somebody from the valley sees what we have done with this place. They can’t believe it. It feels really great to give this beautiful home the love and tenderness it deserves.

Sarah Greenman

Obbie and Connie Atkinson enjoy glasses of wine in a popular nearby overlook.

SG: Any information for homeowners looking for a fixer-upper?
CA: If you’re trying to find a home, sit down and make a list of all of the things you want. And if you come close to the list, you’re doing really well. Once, when we had been frustrated and feeling tired of looking, we almost purchased a home that didn’t meet the listing. I am so glad we didn’t! You’ll manifest what you need if you stick with it.

Do you live in a creative home? Discuss it with us!

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Midcentury Austin Home Earns a Makeover

When designer Sharon Radovich was seeking to buy a home, it came down to two properties: a midcentury cottage that needed major work and a four-story condominium that had just new paint and carpet. “I decided to buy the run-down cottage,” she states. “I thought I would fix it up and flip it in three to five years, but 20 years later I’m still here!”

Radovich’s vibrant and modern style comes to life within her work at Panache Interiors, and she brought the exact same elegance to her own home. A boldly darkened living space, a whirlpool bath wall and a glowing pink ceiling assisted give the previously dilapidated cottage a new appearance.

in a Glance
Who resides: Sharon Radovich
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 1,167 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

SLIC Interiors

Radovich got creative with her small living room space by adding two swivel foldout chairs from Collectic Home. While they provide comfortable seating, in addition they fold to allow for more room.

A framed pastel titled “Victory Series,” by Kay Biggs, sits on top of this fireplace mantel. The surround is a polished absolute black granite, added by Radovich during the house’s first renovation.

Mirror: Lights Fantastic

SLIC Interiors

Deciding whether or not to tear the house down and start all over was Radovich’s initial design dilemma. Although she’d have loved a small, contemporary house with walls of windows, she ended up maintaining the existing house and renovating in two stages.

Her initial phase was refinishing the floors. Almost a decade later, she restored her kitchen, adding new tile, appliances and flooring.

A wall unit from Four Hands serves as the ideal place for keys when she gets home. Art by Austin artist Maxine Price frames the TV.

SLIC Interiors

This cozy sitting room with a leather loveseat from Four Hands sits just off the kitchen. Cheerful yellow horizontal stripes provide a background for an artfully centered painting by artist John Siebels. The contemporary pendant lighting is from Besa Lighting.

Painted stripes: Creamy and Torchlight, Sherwin-Williams; coffee table: Canton Flea Market

SLIC Interiors

The stripes wrap around the whole space, serving as a background for a wallpapered door comprising a Komar photomural embellished with Swarovski crystals.

Swivel leather seat: Austin Furniture Depot

SLIC Interiors

The home office features patterned wallpaper. Radovich and three of her Panache Interiors workers work from this office. Currently they’re working on a varied number of jobs, such as custom draperies, a Zen bathroom remodel plus a Moroccan-inspired formal living area.

Wallpaper: Gear Guild Productions SBK13601 by Como; Roman shades: Allen+Roth thermal blackout, Lowe’s; lamp: Ikea

SLIC Interiors

Next to the design group’s office is a guest room with a full size pullout sofabed. It gives a cozy place for Radovich’s nephews to stay when they visit. Over the sofa hangs a framed painting in the night market in Bangkok, Thailand.

Sofa: Collectic Home America; Paint: Dorian Gray, Sherwin-Williams; curtains: West Elm

SLIC Interiors

Radovich kept the original oak floors throughout the house and afterwards stained them a dark walnut. She painted the master bedroom ceiling a glowing pink to bring a female and fun signature. Radovich’s mother made the comforter that was bold that was vibrant.

Bed framework: O’Asian Furniture; side tables: Four Hands; lamp: purchased from customers; ceiling paint: Heart’s Desire, Porter Paints

SLIC Interiors

Along with the kitchen, Radovich renovated the house’s only toilet, adding new floors, a new dressing table from Ikeaand mosaic tile to give life to the room. Radovich prefers an all-white bathroom since it has a resort-like feel.

Shower curtain: Bed Bath & Beyond; floors: American Tile Stone Peak Touch Series, Snow; accent lighting: DAL Tile

SLIC Interiors

Radovich designed and studded this toilet wall, adding interest and pattern to an otherwise blank canvas. “I really like the drama of outsized graphics and picked a German-inspired pattern for this project,” she states. “Once the layout was applied to the wall, then I desired more impact than paint would provide.” Radovich summarized the pattern in chrome figurines to add dimension, texture and a bit of bling.

Silver pebble wallpaper: exclusive to Panache Interiors

SLIC Interiors

Radovich sits in her table when enjoying a book on design and a glass of wine. “My style is more expressive, artful and relaxed,” she states. “I design lavish yet livable spaces to get a sense of style and grace in everyday life.”

Chandelier: West Elm; window panels: Ikea; dining chairs: crocodile vinyl, Four Hands; table: Storehouse

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Posh 1930s Family Farmhouse in Ohio

Would you want to stay on your childhood home? Six decades ago, Mark and Elisabeth Yutzy were given the chance to rent the house Mark grew up in, a 1930s farmhouse in Ohio, and decided to give it a try. Mark’s parents purchased the house in the early 1950s, and it was in the family ever since.

As well as the house in the 1970s added more room; besides that, the home was Mark recalled it. The couple brought their vibrant characters into the space with reworked classic furniture and a great deal of DIY touches. “Living here helps bring back memories of my youth,” he states. “Not a lot of people get that chance.”

at a Glance
Who lives here: Mark and Elisabeth Yutzy
Location: Madison County, Ohio
Size: 3,000 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
That’s intriguing: The original 1930s wallpaper still hangs in the stairwell and upstairs hall.

Julie Ranee Photography

An inviting table place with a classic tablecloth and Elisabeth’s Fiesta dinnerware sits on the front porch. A collection of classic watering cans infused together speaks to her love of gardening.

Elisabeth found the table and chairs at a garage sale, repainted them and re-covered the chairs.

Julie Ranee Photography

In the kitchen, a cabinet located at a garage sale sits adjacent to the cooker. The item adds much-needed storage in addition to character.

Julie Ranee Photography

A”New Eggs” signal, also a flea market find, is a nod to the farmhouse background of the house. Vintage Dove brand milk-glass spice containers were given to the couple by Mark’s sister.

Julie Ranee Photography

This Hoosier-style cabinet was seen by Mark and bought for just $25. “We did not have to do something for this,” Elisabeth says.

Julie Ranee Photography

This cabinet is just one of Mark’s finds and holds treasures from Elisabeth’s mother and grandmother, along with other vintage finds.

Julie Ranee Photography

In the living room, a bold red sofa and a patterned armchair make a cozy gathering place. The doorway to the right leads upstairs. Mark recalls coming home after curfew if he was younger and trying to be silent,”but the staircase would constantly squeak and wake up Mother,” he states.

Seat and chair: Smith Brothers

Julie Ranee Photography

This primitive-style cabinet was bought at a flea market and is just one of Elisabeth’s beloved pieces. Framed family photographs adorn the walls.

Julie Ranee Photography

A sitting room in Elisabeth’s art and sewing room provides a place to unwind. The dresser was bought at an auction and painted mint green. The ticking wallpaper, beadboard ceiling and firkin boxes all pay tribute to the home’s roots.

Julie Ranee Photography

Elisabeth framed pages from 1950s magazines, including Life and Ladies’ Home Journal, as artwork. A generous stranger gave her dresser for a gift.

Julie Ranee Photography

According to Elisabeth, this seat was in poor shape when it was picked up from the garbage. She also gave it new life by minding it and adding colorful fabric bands for a bright and joyous touch.

Julie Ranee Photography

This view reveals the original 1930s wallpaper in the upstairs hall, combined with Elisabeth’s mother’s Amish bonnet displayed on the bedside table.

Julie Ranee Photography

This bedroom, lined with wallpaper in the 1970s, was shared by Mark as a child with three of his brothers. “Once a year we shifted the straw in the bed,” he quips.

Mark and Elisabeth rescued the full-length mirror after a neighbor lost it. They repaired the frame and replaced with the mirror.

Julie Ranee Photography

Dried hydrangeas and a classic quilt match the classic dresser picked up at an auction. The seat is a unique find from Mark and Elisabeth’s youth church.

Julie Ranee Photography

Elisabeth’s style proceeds into the flower bed. Here, a spray painted seat and table sit in a bed of vinca. One of Elisabeth’s recent projects was to drill holes in used paint cans, spray paint them bright colors and plant some of her favourite flowers in them.

Julie Ranee Photography

Boxwood planted in pots become instant garden boundaries and can readily be moved. A basket of petunias and lobelia sit beneath a large maple tree trunk. Purple sage and spider wort offer color and variety close to the bench. A classic tricycle bought for $1 could be observed behind the shrub.

Julie Ranee Photography

The upgraded Adirondack-style glider is constructed of a durable polylumber comprising recycled milk jugs. Elisabeth painted a classic wooden ironing board and placed it in their front porch to hold decorative things and freshly cut flowers in milk bottles. The “No Dumping” sign was a flea market find.

Glider: Holmes Crafted Furniture

Julie Ranee Photography

The front of the 1930s farmhouse remains structurally the same. The 1970s addition could be seen in the far right of the photo. Because the few rents, they are limited to what renovations they could do. While they’ve embraced the quirks that include an old house, there are plenty of things they would still love to change.

More: Ways to Acquire a Modern Farmhouse Look

Can you have a vibrant, creative home? Share it with us!

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Indonesia-Inspired California Home

Having spent decades as a child living in Malibu, California, Deborah Call dreamed of owning her own home near the sea. She discovered it around 90 miles south. “Despite the green-shag-carpeted kitchen, it was love at first sight,” she states. Just blocks from the sand, Telephone loves her tranquil residence and surrounds herself with personal items and decor mainly from Indonesia, where she has made several trips as a textile designer.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Deborah Call along with her kitty, Cleopatra
Location: Dana Point, California
Size: 1,456 square feet; two bedrooms, 2 baths
That’s intriguing: A storm in December 2010 bombarded the home so badly, it needed a total overhaul to make it habitable.

Flea Market Sunday

As a textile designer, Telephone respects and admires artists, designers and creative thinkers of all kinds. “I am particularly inspired by authentic craftsmanship and people who dedicate themselves to a skill or trade that works on a degree independent of mass production,” she states.

Call adores hand-me-downs and Craigslist finds, and has been fortunate enough to get beautiful hand-crafted presents from gifted buddies. Some of her favorite designers are out of the world of style, and she sees a lot of crossover between interiors and style. Also, natural materials such as stones and timber bring a sense of groundedness for Telephone. “I like to create a mood over that I like to create a look,” she states.

Flea Market Sunday

A closer look in Call’s custom designed xeriscape garden. More to come later.

Flea Market Sunday

This 1950s classic ikat wall hanging out of Sumba, Indonesia, is extremely dear to Phone. Her old boss bought it from a girl who paddled him out in a kayak when he was surfing the outer atolls of Indonesia.

Beside the ikat are two stylized wooden figurines from Bali representing women walking in succession whilst praying.

Flea Market Sunday

The intentional white walls show off the handpicked furniture and personal art items representing who Phone is and where she has been. The earthy colour palette, timber furniture and Mexican Saltillo tiles bring warmth to the room. An antique quilt from Phone’s great-grandmother drapes over the timber chair.

Beautifully hand-crafted from classic canoe prows, a cupboard from Bali hides electronic equipment.

Flea Market Sunday

Call crafted and designed this mosaic mantel and hearth made of marble and artificial granite chips. A Day of the Dead candelabra created by friend and ceramic artist Susie Ketchum adorns the mantel.

Flea Market Sunday

An ikat woven textile drapes the coffee table, and on top is a publication on textiles and a wooden bare figure from the Philippines that is certainly a nutcracker.

Flea Market Sunday

A funerary kayak and hand-dyed orchid-vine”skirt” hanging in the attic draws up the eye and creates visual impact. Since buying Indonesia is no longer the standard for Telephone, she turns to David Alan at Solana Beach. The tall classic hand-hewn cupboard from Java, Indonesia, has been bought there. One of Call’s most recent splurges is this leather sofa from Restoration Hardware.

Flea Market Sunday

Call loves quiet meditation and incense burning while stretched out on her leopard-covered”Cleopatra lounge” off the atrium. This is only one of her favorite spots in the home, as it is filled with a great deal of sunlight.

Flea Market Sunday

Shortly after moving to the home in 1989, Telephone and her ceramicist friend Susie Ketchum tiled the kitchen countertops and backsplash. The mosaic critters add vibrant personality to the white cabinetry and walls.

Flea Market Sunday

From the home office, file cabinets out of Staples along with a door from Home Depot create a functional and affordable alternative to a traditional desk.

Flea Market Sunday

Natural light fills the master bedroom, showing off a distinctive hand-carved headboard bought from a shop in Bali.

Flea Market Sunday

What Phone loves about this headboard is its outdated appearance and muted colors from natural weathering over time. “It doesn’t have that garish appearance and bright paint that many of the new bits have,” she states. Call considers it might have been part of a entryway at one time.

Flea Market Sunday

More hand-carved furniture from Bali is employed in the restroom as storage and a vanity. A bold white contemporary sink with brushed chrome fittings is a wonderful contrast to detailing at the mirror and cabinets.

Flea Market Sunday

This guest room features a bold, picture, teal Tahitian bedspread that’s a garage sale locate; the good walnut headboard is out of Craigslist.

Flea Market Sunday

After a storm in 2010 ruined Call’s home, she decided it was time to get rid of her backyard’s grass and messy vines, and transform it into a peaceful xeriscape garden. Since her neighborhood has water use restrictions, it was an easy choice to go drought tolerant. Telephone hired Scott Ward of White Sage Gardening to style her yard to reflect her love of the desert and decomposed granite and rocks. She states,”It was an wonderful experience working with Scott as an artist. He brought a lot of his own artistic to the undertaking and moved on things in a extremely organized and thoughtful way.”

Flea Market Sunday

Ward wanted a substance that would be a stark contrast between the backyard and the trail. What is apparently sand is called DG (brief for decomposed granite); it compacts over time. The substance appears natural, such as the desert Phone enjoys.

Flea Market Sunday

The aloe camperi in bloom displays stunning orange and yellow bursts of colour.

Flea Market Sunday

This agave hybrid attributes intriguing leaf prints. The embossed effect is the consequence of the plant’s being tightly wrapped before it enlarged.

Flea Market Sunday

Ward designed the garden to allow colour, repeat and also a variety in texture shine through. The firestick plant (euphorbia tirucalli), also known as the pencil tree, provides lots of visual attention, but the milky sap is very toxic and may be blinding.

Flea Market Sunday

The Echeveria’Afterglow’ is really a beautiful and vigorous succulent that has pinkish-lavender leaves.

Flea Market Sunday

Phone worked together with craftsperson Erik Vader to create this custom-made African mahogany timber entrance. Potted aloe ferox line the driveway and are backlit for added play and ambience.

Flea Market Sunday

Telephone says,”Spending money on your home in a meaningful way increases not only the value of your house but also the experience of your life.” She learned this to be authentic after attaining deep into her pockets to create her home livable again following the flooding; with this significant investment came a new sense of pride and enjoyment.

More Tours
Island Living
Fuss-Free Venice Beach Bungalow
Rooftop Garden and Fun Living Spaces for 5

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Cheery Massachusetts Beach Getaway

This home in Marblehead, Massachusetts, is the first house on the sea side throughout the causeway from the town’s beautiful Marblehead Neck neighborhood. “It’s a house everyone understands,” says designer Dee Elms.

Her Boston-based clients desired a summer and weekend home that would completely embrace its waterfront location. Elms and her staff at Terrat Elms Interior Design worked with them in their remodel, making an ocean-inspired, low-maintenance house full of natural light and happy doses of colour.

at a Glance
Location: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Who lives here: A busy Boston household during weekends and holidays
Size: 5,300 square feet; four bedrooms

Terrat Elms Interior Design

Windows facing the water line the rear of the home. The eyebrow window near the peak of the great room adds additional all-natural light. “That made such a massive difference to the interior and exterior,” says Elms.

TV console: Hudson; window seat fabric: Dalston, Cowtan & Tout

Terrat Elms Interior Design

Elms relied on the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom for plush upholstery and also chose Sunbrella fabrics to keep the furniture comfortable and easy to keep. Backgrounds and accent fabrics came mostly from China Seas. “The scale and colours just went flawlessly with the house,” says Elms.

Rug: Faber’s Rug Co.; java table: Brickmaker’s table, Hudson; white sofas, rattan chairs, glass table lamps, linen chair, dining table: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Terrat Elms Interior Design

Grass fabric wallcovering and wide moldings from the entryway set the tone for a warm, coastal-inspired house. The home was owned by three families, each of whom left developments. “The improvements actually didn’t speak to each other,” says Elms. “Our job was to take what we had and set a cohesiveness that was missing.”

Background: China Seas

Terrat Elms Interior Design

Among those clients loves red and can’t get enough of it. “Whenever we had a meeting, she’d even be wearing red,” says Elms. “We chose to use the colour in particular spots around the house.” The kitchen was a great area. Overscale gingham-style fabric covers upholstered benches in a connected casual dining area.

Bench fabric: Sun Check, Ralph Lauren; barstools: Brewster Barstools, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; dining table: Big Sur Dining Table, Crate & Barrel; chairs: Kiki slipcovered chair, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Terrat Elms Interior Design

The front part of the house does not let in as much light as the back and can feel really exposed to the road. Elms had plantation shutters installed all the front windows for solitude and left the rear windows uncovered.

Terrat Elms Interior Design

The kitchen design was created with plenty of counter space for food prep, serving and eating. Calacatta marble counters sit at a low height for convenient baking and cooking. The large bar counter is constructed of Caesarstone. Custom made cabinetry and neutral backsplash tile work nicely with the vivid walls.

High counter: Lagos Blue, Caesarstone; Elson; cabinetry: Brookhaven; backsplash: Hudson Brazil Nut, Stone Source; wall colour: Poppy, Benjamin Moore

Terrat Elms Interior Design

A cheerful green Chippendale chair from Hudson accents a built-in desk region and message centre beside the fridge.

Terrat Elms Interior Design

An indoor/outdoor cabana room toward the rear of the house has a massive slider that opens up to the backyard. Elms Lay the walls with white fabric for a tropical feel.

White couch, black side table: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; pink and taupe chairs: Clementine, Verellen; trunk: classic

Terrat Elms Interior Design

A deep red bedroom reflects the customer’s love of the colour. A traditional white bedspread with subtle traces of blue in a decorative pillow retains the palette from going overboard.

Terrat Elms Interior Design

“When we didn’t use red, we used derivatives of it such as pink, which she also loved,” says Elms. Pink China Seas background in the master bath gives the space a light, feminine feel.

Terrat Elms Interior Design

A wine storage and tasting area filled with custom walnut wine racks is nestled to the bottom floor. A Caesarstone pub and luxury barstool offers the ideal spot to enjoy a glass out of a favorite bottle.

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Kitchen Workbook: 8 Elements of a Contemporary Kitchen

It can be challenging to distinguish between modern and modern, and for good reason. Many spaces are both modern and modern, and people frequently use the terms interchangeably, but there are gaps in look and terminology. “Contemporary” normally means of the moment or present, the plan of appropriate now. “Modern” refersto a particular design style from the early to mid 20th centurythat broke with the conventional styles of those days before the Industrial Revolution.

“Modern” may be a tricky term because sometimes it’s used to refer to something that’s the reverse of conventional, which varies based on the period of time. The choice of women in the 1920s to swap corsets to get flapper dresses was contemporary at the moment, but today these clothing are now antiques.

Once I think of contemporary kitchen designs, I think about frameless cabinets, sleek and simple hardware, strong horizontal lines and a lack of ornamentation, together with all the natural elegance of the substances shining through.

More kitchen designs:
Classic | Conventional | Transitional | Contemporary | Eclectic | Cottage | Craftsman | Mediterranean

Alterstudio

1. Flat-panel door style. This is sometimes referred to as a slab-door style and can be a signature part of contemporary kitchen design. You may observe a contemporary kitchen employing a Shaker door style, but frequently falls into transitional rather than contemporary — which is not to say it can not be utilized; it’s simply not a purist’s perspective.

2. Frameless, full-overlay cupboard construction. A lot of terms are thrown around to describe this kind of cabinet construction: frameless, Euro frameless, overlay, full overlay. They mean the same thing, the doorway overlays the cupboard box. This style is the most frequently utilized in contemporary kitchens since it’s sleeker than the usual flush-inset cupboard, which is frequently associated with more conventional kitchen, cabinet and furniture design.

In an actual frameless cabinet you won’t see a face framework at all, and you’ll receive consistent spacing between all of the drawers and doors, even between two closets. In what’s known as a framed overlay, you will still have a face frame and varying distance between doors and cabinets.

Diagram courtesy of Kitchens Made New

IKEA

VÄRDE Glass-door wall cupboard – $199

If the doors are closed on a mirrored cupboard, you can not see the framework whatsoever except for approximately a ⅛-inch shadow line between cabinets.

Cary Bernstein Architect

3. Sleek and simple hardware. In contemporary kitchens you will most often see C-channel hardware that’s integrated into the cupboard, in addition to tubular pulls or flat linear pulls. A great deal of times the horizontal lines of the cabinets will be highlighted by cabinet hardware running the full length of the doors and drawers.

Webber + Studio, Architects

4. Lack of ornamentation. Always a touch of contemporary, this is often where modern and contemporary stop being comparable. Sometime you may see patterned tile shapes or multiple substances with texture, colour and patina in a modern kitchen, then you won’t see much of this in a contemporary kitchen. Flat-panel door designs and sleek hardware are combined here with a simple full-height glass backsplash and countertops with no pattern or veining.

Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC

5. Reliance on the beauty of natural materials. It’s not to say that contemporary kitchens can not have a little bit of ornamentation, but if they do they get it from the natural features in a substance, such as the horizontal grain of oak when it’s rift cut or the natural beauty and veining of marble.

Jennifer Weiss Architecture

The grain of the walnut on this island is this contemporary kitchen needs in terms of ornamentation.

David Wilkes Builders

6. Emphasis on lines that are horizontal. You may not notice at first, but a lot of contemporary kitchens discuss a tendency toward the horizontal: long, wide lines, stacks of drawer cabinets lined in a row, hardware place horizontal and long to accentuate the lines of the drawers. In this kitchen the floating panel of the rear wall and the cutout highlight the horizontal theme.

These cabinets have horizontal grooves in addition to the grain being horizontal on all the cabinet fronts. In a conventional kitchen the grain may be run vertically on doorways or center panels using a vertical orientation.

Mal Corboy Design

In this kitchen the island makes a strong statement that is horizontal.

Croma Design Inc

In this kitchen the tile’s natural grain is like rift-cut timber, and also the tiles are set and stacked on a horizontal grid.

Melissa Miranda Interior Design

Even in a kitchen which skews toward transitional, a conventional 3-by-6 Cararra marble set in a stacked pattern as opposed to a brick layout can make it even more contemporary.

Amitzi Architects

7. Consistency in style of accent pieces. Accents such as lighting, tables, chairs and bar stools have to be considered when designing a kitchen. In a contemporary kitchen these elements will remain consistent rather than deviate as if you would see in an eclectic kitchen. The bits here reveal simple, clean lines and lack of ornamentation.

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Sleek bar stools and pendant lights are consistent with contemporary style, but this contemporary kitchen is in a Victorian home complete with leaded glass windows and arches with columns. There is no rule that says the architecture and the kitchen have to be contemporary — hundreds of century-old flats and farmhouses with contemporary kitchens in Italy, France and Spain can attest to this.

Cre8tive Interior Designs

There is nothing to say that colour can not be introduced into a contemporary kitchen, while it’s from the accents or the cabinets.

Elad Gonen

8. Industrial elements. There is something about the unadorned elements of industrial details which are instantly contemporary. This natural and untreated concrete wall includes a visual interest and also patina all of its own and is equally as intriguing as patterned wallpaper for your modernist. What resembles epoxy-painted concrete flooring as well as the complete lack of ornamentation on the cabinets complete the look of the modern kitchen.

In this show:
How to Remodel Your Kitchen

Locate Your Kitchen Style

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