Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

Updated: 7/11/17 | Original Post: 4/16/2013

Gone are the days of paneled walls, suspended ceilings, glaring florescent lights, remnants of linoleum and felted rugs. The basement has become an extension of the home's livable space. Homeowners now get creative with their basement remodeling by adding features that reflect their interests and lifestyles in ways that may be too difficult (or simply "too much") on the main floors of the house. If you’re looking for basement remodeling design ideas to transform your lower level into prime living space with character, here are a few we recommend considering.

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Functional kitchens are based on the relationship of the sink, cooktop and refrigerator- the three components that make the kitchen a useful space. Designers refer to this as the "working triangle". In order to create a working triangle it's important to think about the layout of the entire kitchen, and explore the possible locations for each of the three elements. What we find is that the majority of kitchens with a triangle that works out well for the space end up falling into one of four basic kitchen floor plan designs. Every home is different, so the details and exact arrangement will always be a bit unique, but starting with the basics is a great way to see the potential for your kitchen remodel. Here, we take a look at each. Read More

The Greater Cincinnati region has several neighborhoods with scenic views. Not every home was built to capture them, however. As we've remodeled around the area, we've had the chance to maximize how much a home takes advantage of the landscape around them. Here are a few photos and design ideas of our favorite remodel projects with a view.

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With an open and spacious back yard, the original outdoor space behind this White Oak home seemed disproportionately small and close to the home. With no real room to do much more than grill out, the homeowners wanted to take advantage of their space by creating a sheltered area that would work for a variety of outdoor activities, and expand the landscaping outward to ensure that their outdoor entertaining didn't feel stuck to the side of the house. The new outdoor living room and patio combination is a spacious addition that's ready for anything.

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