Islands: The Heart of the Kitchen

In a very real way, homes reflect how families carry out their lives. Over the past few decades, no floor plan has skyrocketed to prominence as much as the island-anchored, open-concept kitchen. We all know the virtues of open concept homes - they're airy, bright, and welcoming!

Flowing floor plans possess a distinctly lived-in vibe. Instead of separate, formal, one-purpose spaces, these homes have a cohesive family-friendly feel. Each room is designed to multi-task and accommodate the different rhythms of everyday life. One of the biggest illustrations of this home interior shift? Kitchen islands.

Centerpiece islands have been popular in kitchens for a while now, but lately, they've become bigger and better! Islands have evolved into home base, command centers, the beating heart of family time. From weekend pancakes to weekday snack time, study sessions to work emails, game night to hosting friends - islands are the gathering place.

In celebration of our design devotion, we've pulled together photos of a few more of our very favorite inspiring kitchen islands below - take a peek!

Luxurious Laundry Rooms

A far cry from the lonely basement dungeons they once were, laundry rooms have undergone quite the transformation. Besides relocating, laundry room style has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Simultaneously beautiful and practical, laundry spaces have become strikingly personalized and packed with fun bells and whistles! As people that are about the business of building custom homes, we couldn't be more in support of this trend. We are strong advocates of taking advantage of every inch of space available - leave no square footage wasted!

Our clients have taken many different approaches to create efficient and maximized laundry rooms. Whether you have an entire room at your disposal or simply a tucked away closet, there are endless options to keep your space tidy. Some of our favorite organization upgrades include integrated drying racks, built-in basket storage, cleaning supply cubbies, nick-nack drawers, and folding-friendly countertops. Beyond laundry-specific add-ons, many homeowners end up designing unique, hybrid laundry spaces.

Let's be honest, plenty of families may not need a whole room devoted to clothes washing. We love the idea of adding space for other like-minded activities in the laundry room! For example, integrating mudroom cubbies and hooks, a mini office command center, or an arts and crafts area makes perfect sense to us. Each of those hobbies or functions complement the spirit of the space - they're all mildly messy and in need of a little order! Why not mesh them together in one coordinated, experiment-friendly, and (most importantly!) closed-off place?

Lastly, perhaps the greatest advantage of elevated laundry rooms is the chance to play with bold styles and trends! From fun artwork to bright paint colors to patterned wallpaper, many of our clients take their biggest design risks in their laundry rooms. We completely get it. Washing, sorting, and folding clothing can be thankless, mundane tasks; why not energize your setting with a pop of playful design? Curious to see more approaches to this growing trend? Well, you're in luck; browse through our clients' most beautiful and efficient laundry spaces below!

Favorite 2016 Design Trends

2016 is nearly in the books! Before we sing Auld Lang Syne and toast with a glass of bubbly, we wanted to pause and reflect on this past year's biggest style moments once more. Trends have always shaped design, but they seemed to explode in 2016! Thanks to the internet's treasure trove of information and ideas, elevated taste is more accessible than ever. Wondering which interior design styles set our hearts aflutter the most this year? Read on below for a recap of our top 6 favorites!

1. Floating Shelves
Open, airy, and elegant, the popularity of floating shelves continued to rise in 2016. We love how open shelves pair form with function. They're the best of both worlds, offering greater accessibility and a spot to showcase your personal style!

2. White Spaces
Minimal design has made a major comeback in recent years; as a result, white rooms have drastically increased in prominence. While not for everyone, white spaces provide a clean and crisp environment, they also showcase pops of color and texture beautifully.

3. Gallery Walls
The methods for displaying artwork in homes have undergone a massive transformation. Much like a playful and provocative art gallery, there simply aren't rules anymore. Scavenged pieces to maps to fine art adorn walls. The stuffy hallway of family portraits has also gone by the wayside for flowing and asymmetrical gallery walls - we love the character this trend brings!

4. Industrial Design Accents
Certainly, industrial design accents have been making their way into everyday interiors for quite some time. However, these clean and modern finishes seemed to reach peak popularity in 2016. Any room in the home could be punctuated with sharp industrial accents. From mirrors to lights, railings to fixtures; industrial elements are popping up everywhere!

5. Bold wallpaper
Perhaps the most fun trend of the year, bold wallpaper patterns sustained their comeback in 2016. While most people wouldn't cover their entire home with it anymore, wallpaper has become a fun way to add bright bursts of pattern and color. We love using wallpaper to spice up forgotten places like laundry rooms and bathrooms - it's the perfect shot of energy in these more practical spaces.

6. Subway Tile
Last, but certainly not least, we couldn't write about 2016 interior trends without mentioning subway tile. This clean, classic look enjoyed a major style moment this year, and it doesn't seem to be disappearing anytime soon. Undeniably timeless and sophisticated, subway tile comes in endless colors and varieties. It's the perfect trend that can be personalized to your individual taste!

Making Spirits Bright: Hosting Holiday Visitors

Everyone celebrates the holidays differently. From treats to decorations to traditions, each family puts their spin on what makes the season feel meaningful to them. While we may never agree on which movie version of The Grinch reigns supreme, there's one aspect of the holidays that remains almost universal; gathering with family.

Traveling from near and far to spread Christmas cheer isn't always easy, but spending time with loved ones is the highlight of the holidays. Whether crowded in a tiny city condo or scattered throughout a spacious country cabin, all that matters, in the end, is being together. Gracious hosting isn't defined by square footage or resources. Real hospitality means making your guests feel sincerely welcomed. It's in the details, the thoughtful touches that show your guests how much they matter.

If you're opening up your home to family or friends this December, we want to help you start planning! Read on below to discover our favorite ways to put your guests at ease. We'll have you making spirits bright faster than you can say, jingle bells!

Cozy Bedding
When hosting guests overnight, your greatest concern is their bed. Freshly wash your nicest linens. Make the bed as if you're running a cozy B&B. Pile it high with extra pillows and blankets - especially during chilly weather! The last thing anyone wants is to stumble through someone else's home searching for extra bedding in the middle of the night. Make things easier on everyone involved and plan ahead!

Reading Material
It may sound trivial, but nothing helps people decompress more than a little light reading before bed. Stock each bedside table with your favorite novels, coffee table reads, magazines, and kids’ books. It's a small gesture that invites your guests to take time out for themselves too - especially if they're introverted!

Extra Toiletries
Even if you don't have a dedicated guest bathroom, there are still ways to make your home a little more like a hotel. Before your company arrives, prepare them a basket of mini toiletries. Include fun things like favorite lotions, bubble bath, and scented candles, along with more practical items like extra toothbrushes, q-tips, and kleenex. Above all, make sure to layout freshly cleaned towels for each person!

Breakfast Menu
Another charming touch to make guests feel spoiled is letting them request their breakfast! Create a menu of brunch offerings and ask people to put their order outside the door before going to sleep. That way, the next morning you'll be ready to cook as soon as you hear people start stirring.

Snack Stash
Help people avoid midnight cravings and leave a small snack stash in each room. Include something sweet, something savory, and something healthy. Pack a few extra napkins and water bottles with each supply. Add in kid-friendly options is applicable, along with any well known local favorites or delicacies!