This house needed a lot of love when it was purchased. We did the bathroom right when the owner moved in (a relatively simple resurfacing and refixturing job) and the kitchen was earmarked as the second major project. While the bathroom was under construction, the wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed, eliminating the L-shaped floor plan and the stove’s former home. That’s when these pictures were taken.

Beyond having an inefficient floor plan, the kitchen lacked a dishwasher, space for a full-sized refrigerator, and proper ventilation. It was also woefully short on storage. Do we even have to mention the existing finishes?

We turned the kitchen into an oversized galley by moving the stove across from the sink, adding an exhaust fan and recessed lighting at the same time. We then translated the homeowner’s aesthetic preferences (think very contemporary with a European influence) into a new materials palette: large format porcelain floor tiles that give the impression of concrete, horizontal grain lower cabinets, white lacquer uppers, a charcoal quartz countertop, and a white mosaic backsplash that runs all the way from the counter to the ceiling. Our goal was to create a space that felt highly modern but that wouldn’t feel inappropriate inside a traditional, older home. Because there are no period-specific trims anywhere in the house, the way the kitchen is detailed fits in seamlessly.

For the rest of the rooms, we took the client’s preference for bright color (seen on the former dining room walls) and specified fixtures and accessories in yellow, reducing the envelope to warm whites, grays, and tans. We brought in furniture that is simple but distinctive to replace the hodge-podge of hand-me-downs that previously inhabited the space.

We think the end result is cohesive and warm while providing the openness and simplicity that our client was after all along. What do you think? Drop us a note on Facebook or Twitter and let us know!

The master bedroom was without proper tables, so we started there. With an environmentally motivated preference for vintage furniture, we led our clients to some of our favorite local antiques dealers. In the last booth of our first shopping trip, we happened upon some handsome Ray Sabota for John Stuart nightstands with the most gorgeous enameled pulls. They were insanely well-priced, and they went home that morning.

Working with the existing blue walls and the blue pulls of the new tables, we added a small vintage chair with new blue upholstery to the room. The new pillow and rug are related in color and pattern but with very different scales. This ensures the room remains calm, a priority for the homeowners.

Finally, we freshened up the bed: lots of big white linen euro shams, and custom decorative pillows with geometric pieced fronts.

A pair of modern large-scale glass lamps and some white roller shades to block the morning sun completed our quick refresh of this space. The room feels comfortable and finished now, without being overdecorated.

We’re currently adding another nursery and a playroom to this house, and gut-renovating the basement. We’ll keep you updated on our progress!

A pair of Eames Aluminum Group Management Chairs in supple gray leather for the new home office of an existing project (custom casework and furniture reveal coming this fall . . . )

Another curtain install (yellow seems to be popular in our office right now). We have four more installations scheduled for April- that’s a lot of linen!

We’ve done more custom pillows this winter than we’ve ever done before; loose bench cushions, euro shams, and sofa pillows are taking over the studio.

A stylish woven stair runner provides a bit of neutral relief in a project that includes a lot of pattern (particularly for us). Photo shoot is on the books for April!

Gathering classic blue and white accessories.

Inspecting a tile delivery prior to installation in a European-inspired kitchen (again, photos coming in the spring . . . )

Beginning the schematic design for a pair of bathrooms in desperate need of a facelift- we’ll keep you updated as this one takes shape.

As you can see, we have a full roster of projects in all stages of development at the moment. We have some beautiful new work to share soon, including a modern desert house, a gut kitchen renovation, and a whole slew of decorating projects. Here’s to an exciting spring!

Featuring five great rooms and sourcing suggestions to get a similar look, the editors at Parenting have assembled a valuable resource for anyone trying to put together a fresh, achievable kid’s room.

Our Spruce Street toddler bedroom is included in the feature, highlighting some of our favorite kid-friendly vendors: Oeuf, FLOR, and Uglydoll among others. The March 2012 issue of Parenting is currently on newsstands, so be sure to check out the article in its entirety!

If you’re unfamiliar with Pinterest, it’s an online service you can use to save images from sites you visit- think of it as a huge virtual bulletin board. Once you’ve installed a widget into your browser, you’re all set to save things to boards you categorize yourself. You can also browse other people’s pins and re-save them to your personal boards.

Looking for inspiration for a kitchen remodel? An edited selection of bathroom faucets? The perfect foyer lantern? Find someone on Pinterest who’s taste and expertise you trust, and you’re a few scrolls away from finding something great.

Let us know if you’re on Pinterest already and how you’re utilizing it. And if you’d like to follow our boards, you can find us pinning (almost daily!) right here.

The living room curtains, above, are off-the-shelf panels, but they’re a nice, heavy linen and they’re lined. Rather than specify new custom curtains, we had the existing panels customized with a casual, inverted pleat header, and replaced the hardware. We also added a medium-brown woven shade under the panels. The added contrast, texture, and tailoring elevate the quality of the overall installation.

In the foyer, we switched out the retro chandelier for a classic Moravian star. This small gesture changes the foyer from funky to glamourous (we’re adding the funk back in elsewhere). The contrasting black also mimics all of the architectural black paint we’re adding to the space- black interior french doors, black mullions, and black millwork details. We especially love the mirrored-star canopy we specified.

Two flights of stairs needed to be recovered, and this modernized Celtic-knot pattern we picked was a complete 180 from the existing carpet. It’s handsome and hides dirt really well- important with pets and kids running up and down constantly.

And finally, the first of many small tweaks to the dining room- we had the Chinese-red Queen Anne chairs reupholstered in the most saturated hot pink velvet we could find. Pink and red will be making several appearances in this project, so these chairs will be important in tying everything together.

We have a lot of other small (and a few big) changes happening at this house over the next few weeks. We’ll be sure to share when we’re finished!

Created by hand using an age old silvering technique, the tiles recall the silvery depths of antique mirrors. We like that each tile is unique, reflecting its handmade nature. It’s also a material that can be used in both traditional and contemporary settings- definitely the mark of something timeless.

Available in a standard 4 x 8 field format, Visage can also be special ordered in alternate sizes. We think it could be pretty amazing in a powder room or in a dramatic kitchen- how about you?

Photo from Wayfair.