Kitchen Design - Practicality and Pizazz to Mealtime

A complete kitchen by Porcelanosa.

Complete Kitchen Porcelanosa embodies one-stop shopping with a product line that includes all the necessary components. In this sleek kitchen, cabinets are made with high-density, water-resistant particleboard covered in a decorative laminate and coated with Antracita Brillo and Nogal Tenue gloss paint. Ceilan Marfil porcelain tile covers the floor while cabinets are topped with Granito Star counters.  For other complete kitchen possibilities, check out Porcelanosa’s new 12,000 square-foot Rockville showroom, which boasts vignettes and products from cabinetry to flooring. 

Aristocrat, a porcelain tile from Architectural Ceramics.

Smooth SurfaceAristocrat is a porcelain tile with an elegant natural stone look that comes in five colors and three finishes, and in a range of sizes that includes large-size formats. Available through any of Architectural Ceramics’ five area locations

Zinfandel Tigerwood, an engineered wood floor by BR-111.

Totally FlooredExotic hardwood flooring company BR-111 is adding a new, engineered wood floor to its mix. Zinfandel Tigerwood offers the strong, irregular grain of traditional tigerwood, but has been lightly scraped to create a slightly distressed look. This durable floor imparts a classic look in the kitchen. br111.com

Country Floors' Crossings Collection.

Cool CollectionThe Crossings Collection from Country Floors is a line of decorative ceramic tile that’s produced by using a centuries-old encaustic process. Tiles come in a variety of patterns, inlay colors and styles. Suitable for walls and floors, the collection is available through Marble Systems Design.

Boffi's Xila ST kitchen.

A Seamless Look
Designed by Luigi Massoni and CRS Boffi, the sleek Xila ST kitchen system is made up of modular bases—wall units and taller cabinets with angular, squared doors. Units, which come in a range of finishes, are fitted with push-to-open mechanisms for a seamless look.

A stainless-steel sink from Houzer.

Dish DutyHouzer’s new stainless-steel sinks are designed to complement today’s modern laminate countertops. Part of the Bellus collection, they are available in single, large single and double formats with special insulation to make them some of the quietest on the market.

The Vertical Double hood, from Best's Sorpresa Collection.

Inspired by ItalyBest’s Sorpresa Collection of range hoods includes nine unique designs inspired by Italian designs. The designs are available in three categories: island, chimney and ceiling hoods; pictured here, the chimney Lipstick hood or the island Vertigo Double hood.

The U-3036RR under-counter refrigerator.

Flexible FridgeThe U-3036RR side-by-side under-counter refrigerator is intended to maximize food preservation with four temperature zone settings. It also boasts a digitally controlled, dual zone convection cooling system and an integrated OLED display with user interface ergonomically located on top of its door.

SieMatic's BeauxArts.02 Collection of cabinetry.

A New InterpretationSieMatic’s BeauxArts Collection, a collaboration with designer Mick De Giulio, first debuted in 2006. Now, SieMatic is introducing BeauxArts.02, a lighter, more linear collection that includes new design elements and proportions, materials, colors and door styles. 

The Flamberge Rotisserie from La Cornue.

French RoastThe Flamberge Rotisserie from La Cornue roasts meats, poultry, fish and whole fruits using a streamlined design based on heat circulation. With no ventilation constraints, the Flamberge is easy to install and comes in 28 colors. Available through Appliance Distributors Unlimited in Chantilly, Virginia. adu.com 

(House) Interior Design - Practicality, Elegance and a Soft, Restful Palette in a Traditional Kenwood Home

In the spacious living room, guests congregate in one of two conversation areas.

 

With three young kids and limited space, a Glen Echo couple was ready for a change. When they decided to move closer to the downtown DC area where the husband works as a lawyer, they found what they were looking for tucked into Chevy Chase’s Kenwood neighborhood: a spacious center hall Colonial on a picturesque, tree-lined street.

“I loved it right away,” says the wife. Previous owners had expanded and renovated the 1946 house a few years before, retaining many of the distinctive details that often come with older, traditional homes, such as dentil moldings, leaded-glass transoms and built-in corner cupboards. These architectural elements just needed to be properly emphasized. “It was kind of a decorative wasteland when we bought it,” says the wife, “but the bones were there.” 

The home's stately front entry reflects the formal interiors.

Since they planned to live in the house for decades to come, the couple decided from the start to redecorate it from top to bottom. “We hope to take pictures of our kids on the steps of this house when they get married,” says the wife, explaining their philosophy.

So the owners turned to Bethesda designer Kelley Proxmire to help them achieve their vision. “We loved her style and felt she understood our family,” recalls the wife. With little kids running around, Proxmire realized “not everything could be precious” but it still needed to look good.

At a little more than 10,000 square feet, the house already gave the family all the space they needed. Proxmire’s challenge was to turn it into a home that would reflect its new owners’ taste and style. She also had to furnish it “pretty much from scratch,” says the wife. They had relinquished most of their old furniture because “our other house was on a whole different scale,” she explains. 

The living room is large enough to accommodate a grand piano, with room to maneuver.

Proxmire, who is known for her crisp use of color and contrast, happily embraced the wife’s preference for a “subdued and peaceful” environment in a palette of her favorite pale blue, green and yellow hues. “I focused on finishes,” Proxmire says, pointing to walls faux-painted to look like linen, textured wallpaper and distressed wood furniture that mingles with dark-stained mahogany pieces. 

She also took into account the family’s child-friendly requirements. “The main thing was to keep in mind that it’s a family house and it has to be practical,” Proxmire says. She created bedrooms in styles the kids could grow into, selected durable fabrics wherever possible—including vinyl-covered textiles in the kitchen—and found sturdy furniture for the family room. 

In the foyer, a curved staircase imparts elegance while a striped wall treatment adds warmth.

Yet despite the bow to kid-friendly solutions, the house remains sumptuously elegant. In the foyer, dentil crown moldings and a curved staircase convey a sense of grandeur, while wide, faux-painted stripes on the walls impart a fresh vibe. The large adjoining living room includes plush sofas and chairs grouped around a coffee table from Salvations that Proxmire had custom-fitted with an antiqued mirror top. Behind French doors at the end of the room, a mahogany-paneled study (the husband’s favorite room) houses a striking semi-circular desk and a custom mahogany credenza that matches the paneling. 

Visible through an archway beyond the foyer, the dining room presented a challenge. The previous renovation had left it windowless, so in lieu of window treatments Proxmire suggested they embellish the walls with wide fabric panels framed by millwork. She chose a lush Cowtan & Tout fabric in the wife’s favorite colors, then furnished the room with a custom dining table and Nancy Corzine chairs upholstered in reversible Cowtan & Tout fabric. 

Proxmire installed paneling in the dining room to frame expanses of rich fabric on the walls.

As far as the owners were concerned, one of the home’s selling points was its kitchen and breakfast area, which needed only a few decorative tweaks—including a tile backsplash depicting a rooster (the wife’s favorite motif) behind the stove. With the adjoining family room (slightly reconfigured to create symmetrical corner shelving and a space for TV watching), this area constitutes the new part of the house, added during the renovation. 

Awash in soft beiges and blues, the master bedroom suite epitomizes the restful quality Proxmire and her clients were after. Occupying the second floor above the family room, it includes a sitting room/entry to the bedroom, walk-in closets and a spacious master bath. The children’s en suite rooms have been carefully designed to hold their appeal as their occupants grow older.

The third floor includes two guest bedrooms and a bath; here, Proxmire traded the subdued palette of the rest of the house for a bold scheme of red, black and white. The effect is dramatic and fun—and the wife is just fine with it. “We love this house,” she says. “Some designers’ projects look like them, but this house is definitely us.” 

 In the family room, a squared-off window bay overlooks the backyard.

 The open-plan kitchen offers access to a small home office through an archway at its far end.

 The family enjoys meals together in the breakfast nook, which adjoins the kitchen

 Awash in soft beiges and blues, the master bedroom suite epitomizes the restful quality Proxmire and her clients were after.

 Proxmire created kids' bedrooms that would stand the test of time, including the daughter's bedroom

 The younger son's room conveys a not-too-juvenile vibe that he will be able to relate to now and later.

(Apartment) Interior Design - Attractive Apartment Decor with Cute Wall Exploration by UdA

 Here are attractive apartment decor with cute wall exploration by UdA. Apartments which is located in Paris was the result of UdA or Ufficio in Architettura creations who collaborate with Rho HeyMin and Francesca Diano. Apartments with an area of ​​60 square meters has a very creative and charming decor. The color combination of furniture and the use of warm wood floors make this apartment interior design more interesting. One of the interesting parts of this apartment interior decor is an attractive wall. Some of the side walls deliberately abstract artistic motifs with striking red color, while on the other hand purposely made plain to offset appearance. In the living room, the walls are made plain shades, but the game featured motifs and colors of furniture is tosca’s sofa and placement of a beautiful carpet. Wall in another room accidentally given a plain white, but he was not left empty but instead added a variety of images as ornaments, creative and awesome! if you get bored with the monotony of decorating your apartment, you can try to apply these creative ideas on your own.

Outdoor Design And Garden - Backyard Designs

We have hunted around the web to put together this collection of inspiring backyard designs, to influence your outdoor spaces. We have weeded out the rough to reveal a tidy border of modern decking, sun patios, landscaping, water features and mini pools.

 Uneven yards should be seen less as a problem and more of an opportunity, follow the topiary and create an interesting multi leveled patio to achieve a natural division of outdoor rooms.

 Concrete slabs create a contemporary set of stepping stones.

 Envision your long narrow backyard as a chic runway of manicured lawn, flanked by architectural evergreens for year round wow factor; place a water feature or dining patio at the far end as a destination.

 Fire pits allow you to use your yard longer into the evening, and the year.

 Soften high walls with climbing plants, it can help create the illusion of a larger green space in small quarters

 You don’t always have to stick to a straight sided yard, fashion a curved wall to throw off dimensions.

 Want a touch of Hollywood luxury? Think hot tub!

(House) Interior Design - Coastal Cave House of French Designer Alexandre de Betak

Nestled in a small coastal village in the Tramuntana region of Majorca, with beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea, is the home of French fashion and furniture designer Alexandre de Betak. Inspired by cave dwellings, the interior takes on an organic form, even shelves appear to push forth from natural rock to cradle the family’s possessions. Rustic wooden beams, doors and furniture warm the stone surroundings of this eco-friendly construction, and ceilings are cut away in seemingly random patterns of abat-jours in the hallway.