Design Details Wishlist
The cabinets on the right conceal media equipment, office equipment like the printer and a pullout file drawer. The grilles provide ventilation for the electronics. They mounted the TV on a false panel and ran the wires behind it. Take a close look at the drawer underneath the TV, as its secret will be revealed next. Grilles: Architectural Grille
Suspend it overhead. This U-shaped kitchen is cleverly laid out with lots of counter space and undercounter cabinets. However, there is very little wall space against which to position upper cabinets. No wall? No worries! Here, a row of shelves hangs from the ceiling above the counter, providing additional storage in an innovative way. Keeping the shelves open instead of putting doors on them helps maintain an airy feeling
The slender metal finish on this washstand typifies the new trend, while the door is a Japanese-style screen that combines the characteristic black lines with an opaque surface that softens the look. The addition of a circular mirror—in the same metal frame—also offsets the rectilinear nature of the decor
Add sea grass shades to warm up a white kitchen. Everyone knows that wood is a great way to bring warmth to a stark white space, but that can get costly really quickly. For an easier update, consider installing sea grass shades, as in this kitchen. They bring that much-needed warmth while also introducing texture. Of course, they also block sunlight and heat.
Develop a material palette. It’s common to discuss a color palette when designing a room, but don’t overlook a focus on a material palette. Having a strategic plan for how materials will work together can elevate the look of your space. In this Danish kitchen, three materials—oiled-oak cabinets, brass hardware and concrete countertops—come together to form a stunningly simple yet moving style.
Brass in the kitchen. Sure, chrome fixtures are a good go-to in modern kitchens — the shiny tone pairs nicely with stainless steel appliances, for example. But brass is making a bold comeback. Here, the material is used in light fixtures, open shelves and cabinet hardware to bring a little glam to the otherwise gray-and-white palette
Steel Trim The trimmed frame of these openings is particularly beautiful to me. The window proportions seem derived from the module of stone that comprises the wall. The window has the appearance that a stone block was carefully removed to let light in. The trim treatment supports the lightness of the glazed insertion but also highlights the thickness and monolithic nature of the stone wall.
Drywall-Return Hybrids—If the drywall-return look is too stark for you, consider adding a deeper sill of contrasting wood or stone. It will add texture, color and shadow and can be a fine place to place plants, objects or personal effects on. This bathroom has Sheetrock returns at the head and jambs, but has a darker stained oak sill (sometimes termed a stool). Look closely for an added reveal detail between the sill and the wall beneath. Shadow lines are important in this composition. The thin mullions, dark sill line, shadows in the structure above and reveals are all tightly controlled/intentional
Drywall Returns—If the goal is to call attention to the opening itself or the window frame, choosing a drywall return is a no-hassle way to trim your window. This can save on finish carpentry and preserves the planar wall aesthetic w/o the need for reveal trims. This process is used often in commercial construction; it entails wrapping or returning the Sheetrock at the window perimeter back to the window frame. This takes the traditional place of the wood extension jamb and provides a clean, no-frills look
Reveals—A thin shadowed line surrounding the window frame describes another contemporary approach to window trim. This one acknowledges the difference between window and wall but ever so subtly. Reveals can be created by using different extruded trims at the edges of the Sheetrock surrounding the window. These trims come in various widths and are fabricated from either metal or vinyl by manufacturers like Pittcon, Fry Reglet and Trim-tex. The reveal enables one to achieve a planar look to the wall without the added dimension of trim protruding outward. It’s a thoroughly modern aesthetic that quietly showcases the window frame as an opening, w/o fussiness/associated stylistic hang-ups of trim. The Sheetrock finishing costs are higher with this type of treatment, but if it’s a tailored modern look you’re after, this is for you
Extension Jambs—the interior portion of the window frame that extends to the full depth of the wall. A common treatment of the extension jamb is to paint it the same color as the wall or window surface. Here the architects have emphasized the wall depth and opening by choosing to contrast the clear-finished wood window w/the surrounding painted Sheetrock wall. This highlights the windows as distinct architectural elements in the wall assembly and brings in a natural wood component. There are a few different methods for achieving this type of look. One is to return the Sheetrock into the opening and apply the wood extension jamb on top of the Sheetrock returns. Another is to relieve the back edge of the trim board enough to cover the gap between Sheetrock and window. Either way, the look feels rooted in tradition while remaining stripped down, modern and clean
Built-in secretary. A common detail in Craftsman homes, the built-in secretary is a clever way to sneak a work surface and storage into a small space. If the storage is skipped, having a drop-down desk installed is a fairly simple project for a pro or handy homeowner to tackle.
The base here adds a fine shadow line, but it is modest, without excessive detail or ornament. With smaller trim profiles (less than 5½ inches tall), I prefer a thinner trim stock (¾ inch). Likewise, the taller it is, the thicker it should be (1 inch or more). Test your selection using a full-scale sample. It will help you get a feel for the weight of the material and make the right choice.
Painting the reveal black enhances the shadow effect, helps to distinguish the materials and conceals inconsistencies between the surfaces. The care it takes to install and finish base reveal details make them costlier than a standard baseboard, but they are usually less costly than the next option.
The reveal can easily be integrated into the larger design language of the project by carrying it through to the door and window trim. It takes a skilled contractor to make the reveal look as precise as this. A solid wood trim board just above the reveal bolsters the strength of this detail. By tapering the top edge of the board (facing the drywall), you can leave room to add a finished skim coat of plaster to blend it into the wall, leaving a seamless but more durable edge.
It’s especially nice when it’s used to separate different materials — concrete and drywall for example, which tends to make the wall look like it’s floating.
Reveal Base The reveal is in every modernist designer’s toolbox. Separating and expressing the joint between materials is a common technique used in contemporary architecture. The reveal, or reglet, as it’s sometimes referred to, consists of a small piece of metal or plastic that sits between the base of the wall and the floor, creating a small shadow line between surfaces. This detail adds a level of complexity to the previous example, but it provides a crisp, clean edge that’s easy to finish. It can be painted to match or contrast the wall color.
full-height storage for coats and other clothes. A light automatically comes on when the door is opened, and the clothes rack can be pulled out (note the mechanism on the side) for easier access.
Tadelakt Plaster
Door frame color
Try tone on tone. Cheat your way to painterly prowess by choosing a limited color palette and layering tints and tones of the same shades throughout your space for a harmonious effect. Interior designers are masters at this and you can be too — with a little practice. Try taking inspiration from a favorite artwork and replicating its featured colors in other areas of the room. Paint charts can help you find sets of similar tones to experiment with
Pocket Cabinet Doors
Access Panel
Marble Accessories In a simple kitchen, a few material choices can really make or break the look. However, this doesn’t mean that all of the luxury has to come from built-in elements. One or two beautiful accessories made from marble will make the material feel present in the space even if it doesn’t appear anywhere else. Contrasting marble with rich wood and soft, shapely glass helps anchor the idea that quality materials are present even on a quiet countertop
One way to cheat on the look of a large mirror is to use smaller glass tiles or sections, which, due to much easier production and shipping, will usually come at a fraction of the price
Architrave sides in the hallway and cutout reveals were painted in high-gloss black adding contrast and depth to the space
Under Window Ledge Surround?
Smart Storage Well, it seems the No. 1 thing people were looking for this year was savvy storage solutions for all of that bathroom stuff. These tall, narrow pull-out cabinets make the most of the space and are conveniently located next to the vanity
Aluminum-Frame Shower Doors The graphic look of metal-framed shower surrounds has grown in popularity over the past few years, so much so that this once-unheard of door style is much more readily available today
Built-In Outlets Many homeowners are opting for the convenience of hidden outlets in drawers, whether for charging stations, electric shavers or hair appliances like you see here. Notable detail: Paint the inside of the drawers to match the outside.
Projector
All Aglow—Backlit bathroom mirrors create a pleasing glow when you’re entering the bathroom in the middle of the night. This design takes the glow to another whole layer: backlit floating panels behind the backlit mirrors
Mirror across the length of the bathroom running parallel to shower to make room appear larger?
Embossed fronts—While we might think of modern style cabinets as having minimalist flat-front doors and drawers, many companies now are producing fun versions with embossed patterns, adding a sense of texture and personality while still maintaining a modern sensibility.
Pops of Brass
Toe-kick drawers
Sink Top Air Switch
Make cabinets glow—Install an LED lighting strip on both sides of the cabinet. That way, each shelf can glow, as shown in this photo. Hide the LED strip behind the cabinet’s face frame. If it’s a frameless cabinet, embed the strip in a prepared groove in the cabinet’s side wall.
Pop-up outlets that disappear into countertop for an outlet-free backsplash. These are especially useful in places where there are no wall cabinets to hide a plug molding strip.
Under-cabinet plug molding beneath the wall cabinets for a clutter-free backsplash
Enclosed washing machine unit
Appliance Corner as opposed to Dead Corner
Laundry system. Simple is usually best when it comes to laundry, but there are a few small additions to your laundry area that can really help: a small basket to temporarily hold socks without mates, a dish to collect items emptied out of pockets, and a few extra baskets or bags to separate delicate and dry-clean-only items. If you have a lot of hand-wash items, you may also want to invest in a collapsible drying rack that can slide away when not in use
Library Lights
This hallway plaster frieze motif is original to the house, and the wood detailing runs throughout all four floors of the brownstone.
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