Photo of a small transitional foyer in Toronto with grey walls, porcelain floors, a double front door, a white front door and black floor.

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Photographer: Landmark Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary foyer in Minneapolis with white walls, porcelain floors, a single front door, a black front door and black floor.

Traditional foyer in Seattle with black floor.

We have gotten many questions about the stairs: They were custom designed and built in place by the builder - and are not available commercially. The entry doors were also custom made. The floors are constructed of a baked white oak surface-treated with an ebony analine dye. The stair handrails are painted black with a polyurethane top coat. Photo Credit: Sam Gray Photography

Large black and white art deco entryway with geometric concrete matt tiling from Perini matched with black and white stairway carpet runner. The project is a 1930s art deco Spanish mission-style house in Melbourne. See more from our Arch Deco Project.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

What makes a difference is the grand welcoming feeling when you step into the home. There is plenty of space for jackets and shoes, but the custom bench and open floor plan offers a calming and restful introduction to the rest of the home.

Design ideas for a large contemporary foyer in Montreal with white walls, black floor and painted wood floors.

Design ideas for a large traditional foyer in Vancouver with white walls, ceramic floors, a double front door, a light wood front door and black floor.

Chris Little Photography
Design ideas for a large country foyer in Atlanta with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a double front door, a dark wood front door and black floor.

Black Venetian Plaster Music room with ornate white moldings. Handknotted grey and cream rug, Baccarat crystal lighting in Dining Room and Burgandy lighting in music room. Dining Room in background. This room is off the entry. Black wood floors, contemporary gold artwork. Antique black piano. White, gold and almost black are used in this very large, traditional remodel of an original Landry Group Home, filled with contemporary furniture, modern art and decor. White painted moldings on walls and ceilings, combined with black stained wide plank wood flooring. Very grand spaces, including living room, family room, dining room and music room feature hand knotted rugs in modern light grey, gold and black free form styles. All large rooms, including the master suite, feature white painted fireplace surrounds in carved moldings. Music room is stunning in black venetian plaster and carved white details on the ceiling with burgandy velvet upholstered chairs and a burgandy accented Baccarat Crystal chandelier. All lighting throughout the home, including the stairwell and extra large dining room hold Baccarat lighting fixtures. Master suite is composed of his and her baths, a sitting room divided from the master bedroom by beautiful carved white doors. Guest house shows arched white french doors, ornate gold mirror, and carved crown moldings. All the spaces are comfortable and cozy with warm, soft textures throughout. Project Location: Lake Sherwood, Westlake, California. Project designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu and Calabasas, across the tri-county area of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills.

We replaced the original entry slate with new porcelain tiles that convey the original mid-century feel. Adding new floor to ceiling store-front windows allow the entry to be flooded with light creating an enviting Entry.

Rikki Snyder
Inspiration for an expansive country foyer in New York with white walls, slate floors, a single front door, a blue front door and black floor.

Design ideas for a large contemporary foyer in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors and black floor.

Mid-sized transitional foyer in Chicago with white walls, marble floors, a double front door, a dark wood front door, black floor and decorative wall panelling.

Large modern foyer in Seattle with white walls, slate floors, a single front door, a light wood front door and black floor.

This is an example of a large transitional foyer in Other with white walls, marble floors, a double front door, a black front door and black floor.

Photo by Adam Milliron
Large contemporary foyer in Other with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a single front door, a black front door and black floor.

Inspiration for a transitional foyer in Vancouver with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a single front door, a black front door, black floor and decorative wall panelling.