The brainchild of a group of design students from Rotterdam, Netherlands, Modiste Furniture is a promising new line of furniture offering a contemporary take on modernism. "We like clear lines, rich materials, and simple yet ingenious detailing made with an unbridled optimism towards the future,” says lead designer, Jelle Baars.

For Baars and his team, realizing this vision means being involved in the manufacturing process from start to finish. After handpicking all of the materials themselves, the group works closely with local craftsmen to combine 21st-century design with traditional crafting techniques, including many hand-finished details. And because the client is also seen as an intrinsic part of the process, each piece of Modiste furniture comes in an array of finishes and sizes and with customizable accessories.

Above: Available in white or black, Modiste's 600 Series modular credenza offers a choice of granite or marble top, and doors (shown here) or drawers. The base is made of powder-coated steel with high-quality wood veneer panels; €2,250 from Modiste. A longer version is also available for €3,570.

Above: The 600 Series with drawers and an Arabescato marble top.

Above: The quality of the materials is very important to Modiste. Here, a close-up of the 600 Series credenza shows the attention to detail and the beauty of the wood and marble grain.

Above: The Modiste 900 Series is a modular shelving unit that comes in three sizes. Finished in either a matte black or glossy cream, the shelf is available in several choices of veneer; €1,550 for a single-shelf unit.

Above: A three-shelf-unit 900 series is shown in black with red gum veneer. Each plywood shelf is cut and finished by hand.

More modular storage? See Classic Swedish Shelving: Kitchen Edition, and for hundreds of storage ideas, browse our Shelving gallery. Over at Gardenista, Michelle shows how to Stage a Garage Intervention with Stylish Shelving.

More Stories from Remodelista

• New Paris Style: A Mother and Daughter Afloat
• Time to Vote: The 2014 Remodelista Considered Design Awards
• Design Sleuth: Enamelware Indoors

Spotted recently: minimalist kitchens warmed up with brass accents (kitchen islands, backsplashes, cabinetry).

Above: A Stockholm flat by Sandell Sandberg architects with a brass-clad kitchen island. Photograph by Pia Walin.

Above: Bower House, in Islington, by London architects Dominic McKenzie.

Above: A brass backsplash in a project by Edwards Moore (see more at The Magic of Two Courtyards in Melbourne).

Above: Dimore Studio photographed by Henry Bourne for the New York Times (see more at Ancient Meets Modern in a Milan Apartment).

Above: A brass-clad kitchen work surface in a Stockholm apartment designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune.

Above: A brass-clad island in the home of Auckland, New Zealand–based architect Michael O'Sullivan and his partner, Melissa Schollum. Photograph by Patrick Reynolds via Dwell.

Above: The TD Beam Kitchen, designed by Tom Dixon and Lindholdt Studio, features brass-clad work surfaces and cabinetry. The TD Beam Kitchen shown here is at the Dock Kitchen restaurant, in London. Photograph via Tom Dixon.

Above: A patinated brass-clad island in a converted Oxfordshire church, designed by Rupert Bevan with Harriet Holgate.

Above: In his Paris apartment, designer Jean-Louis Deniot covered his cabinetry in warm hammered silver. Photograph via Jean-Louis Deniot.

Hard to believe but true: 11 Kitchen Islands Gone Glamorous. For more inspiration, go to Brass Faucets for the Kitchen and Steal This Look: A Glamorous London Kitchen by a Designer with "Shitloads of Talent." 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Vote for the Best Kitchen in the Remodelista Considered Design Awards: Amateur Category
• 10 Parisian-Style Net Bags
• From La Cornue: The Cutting Edge in Kitchen Appliances

Our judges have selected the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for the finalists in each of 17 Considered Design Awards categories, on both Remodelista and Gardenista. You can vote once a day in each category, now through August 8.

In the Best Kitchen/Amateur category, our five finalists are Deborah Bowman, Diani Living, Maya Ivanir, Michelle Pattee, and Dean Isidro. 

Project 1

Deborah Bowman | Calistoga, CA, USA | Kitchen Remodel

Design Statement: "Two years ago my husband and I completed a total remodel of our 1960s weekend house outside Calistoga, California. Having a background in graphic design, I drew the preliminary plans for the house in Adobe Illustrator, and although an architect drew the final plans, I specified and ordered all of the decorative finishes and materials. The kitchen in the old house was tiny, dark, and sixties in the worst way—done up in faux brick, indoor-outdoor carpeting, orange tile, and oak cabinets. For the remodel, we knew that we wanted something open and practical: able to accommodate a lot of guests and easy to maintain. The floors are white oak that we fumed to make it the same color as the dirt outside—this is a country house after all, and it gets a lot of traffic most weekends from both people and dogs. A local cabinetmaker built the island, the cabinets, and the shelving. The open cabinets make it easy to access and put away dishes and glasses. The island is used for storage, food prep, dining, and serving. The zinc island top was constructed locally in Petaluma and “aged" in the shop. We wanted the kitchen to be open to the dining room, which has large French doors leading to a terrace with views of the vineyard beyond. On the other side of the kitchen, a set of oversize sliding windows open to the forest in back of the house; in the kitchen, one has the sense of being outdoors."

Chosen by: Guest judges John Baker and Juli Daoust Baker of Toronto-based Mjölk, who had this to say about the project: "We love the combination of materials in this kitchen: the white paneled ceiling contrasted with dark gray cabinetry, the marble counter tops, and glass pendant lights. The open shelves are a nice way to display their collection of cups, plates, and cooking pots."

Project 2

Caroline Diani | Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Kitchen Remodel

Design Statement: "When I bought my house, the first thing I did was rip out the entire kitchen and start all over again. I designed each individual cabinet and made each piece have its own character and hardware. I didn't want anything to be too matchy-matchy, and I wanted a furniture feel in the kitchen. The flooring was recently added throughout the house."

Chosen by: Remodelista editor-in-chief Julie Carlson, who says: "I love the fact that this feels like a cook's kitchen, with everything at close reach and in view. I love the chicken wire hutch next to the refrigerator, the ad-hoc look of the cabinetry, and all the clever storage solutions; it all adds up to a perfectly imperfect-looking space."

Above: "I had the archway put in to open up the entrance to the dining room. I always dreamed of creating an open-plan living space. A Pinch folding stool is one of our favorite and most used things in our kitchen."

Above: "Each cabinet and hardware was designed by me. I wanted it to feel like furniture grouped together instead of having a uniform feel. This was especially important because the kitchen opens to the living area."

Above: "An old Ikea pot rack that I've had in every house I've lived in for the past 22 years. It's so useful. Pots of all sizes collected over the years."

Above: Vintage silver leaf coasters with a wood salt bowl from Kenya. Juliska cereal bowls.

Above: "I designed the hutch with chicken wire so you could see all the treasures inside and not close in the kitchen too much as it's already small. I also wanted the fridge to be the only solid block."

Project 3

Maya Ivanir | Los Angeles, CA, USA | Kitchen Remodel

Design Statement: "The kitchen is the center of our home and our family life. When the Realtor showed us what was then a two-unit fixer-upper, the first thing I imagined was the dining table. The rest of the house came together based on that."

Chosen by: John and Juli Baker: "The tile work in this kitchen is really impressive—it becomes more of a textured wall than just a backsplash. We also like the repurposed island with drawers; it was a nice solution to have some additional closed space available in an open kitchen."

Above: The kitchen from the front door and the living room. The dining table is the axis. On the far side are the private areas. Lots of northern natural light hits the pure white walls and the whitewashed, reclaimed Douglas fir floors. 

Above: "The Yellow Bluestar range is what my then-six-year-old called 'the centerpiece' of the kitchen. Vintage CalArt gray and yellow triangle tiles were just enough for the narrow backsplash and were completed by subway tiles."

Above: "Butcher block turned a vintage display cabinet into a practical island with lots of storage. I left the original labels on the drawers so guests would wonder what it used to be. The dining chairs are from a dining set found in a thrift store."  

Above: "We drilled an Ikea metal shelf, purchased for a different purpose, to hang the pots and pans. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I had been collecting yellows before I knew it was going to be so central to my color scheme." 

Above: "The open shelves allow me to display my favorite dishes and my amateur ceramic creations."

Project 4

Michelle Pattee | Sebastopol, CA, USA | Kitchen Remodel

Design Statement: "It was all about the wood. My husband, a contractor, brought the massive beams in through a window using a tractor he convinced me we had to buy. (We actually use the tractor plenty now.) The island started off double in size—I was convinced I wanted everything to be enormous. It was just too big to reach across, so I had it cut in half and use the leftover piece to make a table. I love the wood because it has a history; it doesn't show dirt either, a big plus."

Chosen by: John and Juli Baker, who said: "The thing we liked the most about this project was how surprisingly well the rough-sawn wood complemented the industrial stove and appliances. The kitchen has a softness through the wood, but it also looks durable and not precious, which makes one inspired to use it."

Project 5

Dean Isidro | Flanders, NY, USA | Kitchen Remodel

Design Statement: Small kitchen.

Chosen by: Remodelista editor-in-chief Julie Carlson, who says: "This modest galley kitchen makes efficient use of a small space; the kitchen island on wheels can function as a work surface, portable bar, and dining spot. The rustic wood open shelves add a nice touch of character, the wall mounted pharmacy light is a good task-lighting solution, and the wall-mounted soap holder adds a cheery dash of color."

Above: Pipe and reclaimed wood shelving.

Above: The center island.

Start voting—and vote daily, now through August 8, on both Remodelista and Gardenista. Winners will be announced on August 9.

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• Trend Alert: 9 Kitchens with Brass Accents
• 10 Parisian-Style Net Bags
• From La Cornue: The Cutting Edge in Kitchen Appliances

Like us, Gardenista has gone down a rabbit hole that leads to all things French. Get your cloud-shaped boxwoods, striped awnings, and zinc window boxes here. 

Above: In Shopper's Diary, Mimi and Michelle drop in on Tom des Fleurs in his 100-square-foot Paris flower shop that he designed himself. "During the redesign," Michelle writes, "Tom literally dreamed about the space: the running water, the walls covered with frescoes, the small loft where he could live, floating about the sea of flowers."

Above: The subject of this week's 10 Easy Pieces, Window Awnings, are "like baseball caps for houses." We want one—and a Citröen, too. 

Above: How do you like your hedges? In this week's Gardenista Roundup, Barbara presents boxwoods in every shape and size, including these plush cloud-shaped renditions in a Provence garden belonging to former Hermès designer Nicole de Vésian.

Above: Erin's DIY Bouquet Garnis are "herbal tea bags" intended for cooking, but they're pretty enough to put on display.

Above: "Make outdoor garden features visible from indoors"—lesson number one in 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from France. Note the zinc window boxes and the outdoor mirrors.

Above: In this week's Garden Designer Visit, Deborah Nevins, whose work extends from NYC's Tribeca to Athens, Greece, shares her own private spread—complete with "hornbeam room" shown here. 

The finalists have been announced and now it's your turn to weigh in. From now to August 8, place your votes in the Remodelista and Gardenista 2014 Considered Design Awards.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: Porches, Tents, and Teepees
• Trending on Gardenista: A Flower-Filled Fourth
• 5 Favorites: Rope Chairs

We’re currently admiring the rough industrial chic of Liberté, La Pâtisserie Boulangerie in Canal St. Martin, a vibrant neighborhood in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. Opened by Benoit Castel, the former pastry chef of La Grande Épicierie as well as the Joséphine Bakery, the bakery lets customers view the inner workings of a pastry lab.

Photographs by Mimi Giboin. 

Above: Rather than clean up the raw space, Castel makes a feature of its unfinished walls and ceilings with peeling paint. A long, polished marble counter provides an anchor and a contrast in the open, loftlike space.

Above: Loaves of bread are displayed and stored in vintage bread racks.

Above: Industrial fluorescent pendants complement the unfinished backdrop walls.

Above: Fluorescent tube lighting against a ceiling with peeling paint—an inexpensive detail that has the look of an art installation.

Above: Simple open shelving provides storage and a work surface.

Above: The sculptural marble bakery counter follows the plan of the space, which is situated on a corner site.

Above: With fully operable floor-to-ceiling glazed doors, the entire shop opens to the street.

Above: Where extant, the existing ceiling tiles were allowed to remain.

Above: In full view of the customers, bread and pastry artisans work on their edible craft.

Above: On a warm summer day with the doors fully open to the street, a new form of Parisian cafe culture emerges.

Above: A shot of red in the stool seating adds an accent. 

Above: Old cafe culture meets new cafe culture. 

Above L: Simple signage hints at what goes on inside. Above R: Daily specials on chalkboards can be read from the street.

Above: Liberté, La Pâtisserie Boulangerie wraps the corner at the base of a traditional 19th-century Parisian building.

The map below shows the location of Liberté, on 39 Rue des Vinaigriers, Paris.

If you like the tile floor patterns at Liberté, see Trend Alert: Patterned Tiled Bathroom Floors, Black and White Edition. When your tour of Paris is over, cross the channel and visit London's Nordic Bakery. And on Gardenista, here are 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from France.

More Stories from Remodelista

• France's Oldest—and Most Esteemed—Hardware Store
• La Trésorerie: A New Interiors Shop in Paris
• Le Mary Celeste: Coastal Cool in the Middle of the Marais

This weekend we turn the spotlight on New York architect Lauren Rubin, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory, who recently doubled her clients' living quarters by combining two studio apartments in a 1930s Art Deco building on the Upper West Side. Many of the original architectural features—including leaded glass windows, basket-weave parquet floors, tiling in the bathroom and kitchen, and a sunken living room—were still in place. Rubin’s brief was to join the two spaces while saving as much of the Art Deco detail and charm as possible. Her results: a skillful intertwining of the existing with a new, modern aesthetic.

Photography by Alyssa Kirsten.

Above: Rubin created an open kitchen into the original sunken living room by removing a wall of what was previously a galley kitchen.

Above: In the kitchen, white subway tiles hark back to New York in the thirties. See Remodeling 101: White Tile Pattern Glossary for other ways to use white subway tiles.

Above: An Eames Lounge Chair anchors a light-filled corner. The leaded glass windows were scraped, repaired, and painted.

Above: A gray feature wall in the living room displays art en masse.

Above: Rubin inserted storage around the frame of the door to the master bedroom. The aged basket-weave parquet floors were in fragile condition and could only take a light sanding. Rubin then selected a dark stain to hide nail heads and imperfections caused by wear and tear. 

Above: In the master bath, white hexagonal marble floor tiles and white subway tiles reference bathroom detailing in the neighborhood's "prewar buildings"—those built before World War II.

Above: Rubin used small marble subway tiles to create a wainscot that wraps around the bathroom.

Before Photos

Above L and R: The original kitchen and bathroom.

Above L: Another view of the old kitchen. Above R: The sunken living room was previously used as a bedroom. 

Above: The floor plan details how Rubin combined two studios into a two-bedroom, 1,069-square-foot apartment.

Above: The existing conditions plan shows the two studios before they were joined.

For more New York living, see A New York Flat with a Glamorous View and The Architect Is In: Making the Most of Your Floor Plan. And on Gardenista, we're quite taken with The Spirit of Provence in a Walled Belgian Garden.

More Stories from Remodelista

• History and Modern Glam in The Hague
• The Architect Is In: The New Connecticut Farm, Sustainable Edition
• The Country Rental: A Floating Farmhouse in Upstate New York

Here's what's on our radar this week.

• Above: Heidi Swanson whips up a concoction for staying hydrated this summer. 
• For the urban adventurer: strange finds in NYC. 
• Notes on selective souvenir shopping. 

• Above: Stacey is heading to Minneapolis soon and is looking forward to visiting Idun. Photograph via Wit & Delight.
• Julie talks about den-like spaces, symmetry, and being reborn as a piece of furniture.
• Seeing stripes. 

• Above: Now that its Roy Choi restaurants are open, we're looking forward to paying a visit to the Line Hotel, in LA's Koreatown. 
• Print mixer, anyone?

• Above: A new Kickstarter campaign that aims to offer the "biblical library anew."
• Stealing garden secrets from the French.

• Ever the innovator, our friend Joey Roth just launched Sorapot 2, a teapot four years in the making.
• Have you voted?

More Stories from Remodelista

• Liberté: A Bakery with a New Aesthetic
• France's Oldest—and Most Esteemed—Hardware Store
• La Trésorerie: A New Interiors Shop in Paris

Staying in town while everyone else packs up? There's a lot to be said for summer in the city: Rules loosen, breezy cafes beckon, and it feels like there are more hours in the day—which means there's time to take in the spectacle. Join us this week as we present tips for urban living, heat-wave edition.

Above: The summeriest restaurant in New York? Have a look at The Musket Room, in Nolita. Photograph by Emily Andrews.

Monday

Above: In today's Designer Visit, we drop in on the cheery Red Hook, Brooklyn, apartment of ceramicist Michele Michael of Elephant Ceramics. Here's a look at Michael's signature cheese boards.

Tuesday

Above: Where to slot in a desk when space is tight? In this week's 10 Favorites, Julie presents inspired niche workspaces. This black-and-white version is in Stockholm.

Wednesday

Above: Crucial for summer in the city: an effective (and good-looking) table fan—and a desk fan, too. We present our retro and modern picks in 10 Easy Pieces.

Thursday

Above: In Thursday's Hotels & Lodging feature, Meredith leads us to a Berlin factory turned urban campground hotel. Look no further for your dream 1970s East German camper. (Berlin, by the way, seems to lead the pack in novelty overnight digs: See The Urban Rental: Berlin's Most Aquatic Accommodation.)

Friday

Above: Trying to solve the window treatment riddle? Unobtrusive, sun-filtering roller blinds are the architects' choice—and the subject of this week's Remodeling 101.

Take a look at Gardenista—they're also in the midst of an urban escape.

And all week, both sites will be presenting work by the Remodelista and Gardenista 2014 Considered Design Awards finalists. Have you voted?

More Stories from Remodelista

• The New Dutch Modernism
• New Paris Style: A Mother and Daughter Afloat
• Time to Vote: The 2014 Remodelista Considered Design Awards

Michele Michael of Elephant Ceramics takes us on a tour of her cheery Red Hook, Brooklyn, apartment, with a recently remodeled kitchen and appealing splashes of color.

Two years ago, Michael and her husband, children's book author and illustrator Patrick Moore, decided their kitchen needed an overhaul. "We cook all the time, and we needed more counter space and more storage," Michael says. They reconfigured the space to create an open floor plan with a freestanding work counter; Moore, who is a skilled carpenter, designed and built the cabinetry using marine-grade plywood with a white laminate. Throughout the apartment, Michael's own organically shaped ceramics with painterly glazes add dashes of color and texture.

Photography by Philip Ficks.

Above: Michael keeps it easy: midcentury George Nelson pendant lights, white subway tiles, and Pure White CaesarStone countertops. For a primer on subway tile patterns, see our recent Remodeling 101 post.

Above: A collection of Michael's own ceramics, including her signature glazed stoneware cheese boards, animates a corner of the kitchen. To learn more about her ceramics and to join the mailing list, go to Elephant Ceramics.

Above: The kitchen is small but very functional; the floors are blue Moroccan tile from Imports from Marrakesh.

Above: Dashes of color enliven the white interiors. The Cherry Checker Canvas Pillow ($140) is from Hable Construction. A collection of Michael's own ceramics is displayed on the glass coffee table. The jewel-toned, brilliant blue Moroccan Beni M'Guild Carpet is from Breuckelen Berber.

Above: A collection of pottery and glassware on a midcentury sideboard. The painting is by Heather Chontos. Michael custom-ordered the Eames lounger in blue leather from Hive Modern.

Above: A bear figurine adds a note of levity to the tableau; the small white vase at left is by Elephant Ceramics; the striped vases at right are by Paula Greif.

Above: Red, white, and blue in the bedroom. For more of Michele Michael's home, see A Terrace Garden in Red Hook—Roses Included. 

For more color inspiration, see more than a thousand images of Blue Rooms in our Photo Gallery.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 23, 2012, as part of our Summer in the City issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Weekend Spotlight: Combining Two New York Studio Apartments
• History and Modern Glam in The Hague
• The Architect Is In: The New Connecticut Farm, Sustainable Edition

Forget the ice and the rock salt; it's easier than ever to churn a batch of homemade ice cream with a new wave of fully automatic ice cream makers.

Automatic ice cream makers fall into two categories: those with built-in refrigerator compressors and those with pre-freeze bowls. The compressor ice cream makers have built-in refrigeration units that enable you to churn ice cream with no advance chilling of the parts or the mix. They're fast (usually 30 minutes or less) and can make multiple batches. The cost of convenience is the weight—many of the compressor machines approach 40 pounds. The pre-freeze models are more affordable, but require the bowl (insulated with a special liquid) to be frozen before use, and multiple batches require multiple frozen bowls. Here are good options in both categories—plus one for traditionalists.

Refrigerator Compressor Models

Above: Leave it to the Italians to create the elegant Musso Lussino Ice Cream Maker with all-stainless steel construction. Fully automatic and timer controlled, the machine shuts off automatically when the ice cream is ready. Comes with a 1.5-quart bowl and a one-year warranty; $699 at Amazon.

Above: The Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream and Gelato Maker has a 1.5-quart bowl and an LCD touchpad display. It creates ice cream in approximately 60 minutes. Reviewed well for results, but is said to be louder than other options; $269.99 at Amazon.

Above: The DeLonghi GM6000 Gelato Maker gets high marks and is known to be especially quiet. The bowl, paddle, and lid are dishwasher safe; $280.59 at Amazon.

Pre-Freeze Bowl Models

Above: The Cuisinart Stainless-Steel Ice Cream Maker is a simple pre-freeze canister model with a generous two-quart capacity; $89.99 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: The Cuisinart Classic Ice Cream Maker with Extra Freezer Bowl offers simple one-switch operation and a 1.5-quart capacity; $89.95 at Williams-Sonoma. The basic Cuisinart Classic Ice Cream Maker, available in several colors, is $59.95 at Sur La Table.

Above: Turn your KitchenAid mixer into an ice cream maker with the KitchenAid Stand Mixer Ice Cream Maker Attachment. The double-insulated bowl has a two-quart capacity and requires 24-hour pre-freezing; $74.99 at Amazon.

The Classic

Above: White Mountain Appalachian Series Hand-Crank Ice Cream Maker features a wooden bucket, stainless steel canister with lid, and a cast-iron dasher (paddle); $169.58 for the four-quart size at Amazon.

To complete your summer kitchen, have a look at 13 Modern Outdoor Kitchens and 10 Easy Pieces: Drinks Dispensers. And for Barbecue Grills and Portable Grills, see Gardenista's picks.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on August 14, 2012, as part of our Kitchen Week issue.

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• GE Monogram: A Professional-Quality Range for Inspired Home Cooking
• Vote for the Best Kitchen in the Remodelista Considered Design Awards: Amateur Category
• Trend Alert: 9 Kitchens with Brass Accents

Anyone who loves to cook knows it's easier to turn out professional-quality food when using professional-quality tools. Enter GE Monogram's Dual-Fuel Professional Range.

Above: The GE Monogram 48-inch Dual-Fuel Professional Range includes four burners, a ceramic infrared grill, and a stainless steel and aluminum-clad griddle, as well as a large-capacity convection oven; MSRP $10,499*. Looking for something smaller? The 36-inch Dual Fuel Professional Range is MSRP $7,799*.

Above L: The range is clad in stainless steel with smoothly finished edges and heavy-duty knobs. Above R: LED lights are large and easy to read, ideal for monitoring temperatures and cooking times at a glance.

Above: The range provides heat with precision: whether stir frying vegetables or simmering a delicate sauce, these burners can maintain an ultra-low 140-degree simmer or rapidly bring food to a boil.  

Above: Entertainers take note: both the 36-inch and 48-inch versions have a caterer's oven that can accommodate three full-sized sheet trays. The larger model, shown above, has an additional everyday oven for 9-by-13-inch dishes, ideal for casseroles, cakes, and brownies. 

Above L: Reversible burner grates are flat on one side for regular pots and pans and contoured on the other to cradle woks. Above R: The ceramic grill has grooves that create sear marks; flip it over for a grate with rounded edges for more delicate foods.

Above L: An aluminum and stainless steel griddle delivers powerful heat quickly and evenly. Above R: When the grill and griddle are not in use, the included bamboo cutting board creates extra prep space. 

*Resellers unilaterally establish their own resale prices and margin requirements.

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• Vote for the Best Kitchen in the Remodelista Considered Design Awards: Amateur Category
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Our judges have selected the finalists, now you choose the winners. Vote for the finalists in each of 17 Considered Design Awards categories, on both Remodelista and Gardenista. You can vote once a day in each category, now through August 8.

In the Best Living/Dining Space/Professional category, our five finalists are Alberto Marcos AMPS Architecture & Design, Massim Design Studio, Adrian-Hanson Design, Vaquero Architects, and Brian Paquette Interiors.

Project 1

Alberto Marcos AMPS Architecture & Design | UK and Madrid | Sacha House

Design Statement: A former drawing studio in Madrid was turned into a residence for an architect, a children's furniture editor, and their three little girls.

Chosen by: Guest judge and New York Magazine design editor Wendy Goodman, who said the project "looks like a house for a young family and I love that. It's open and easy, and the architecture and interiors work together in an elegant, modern way."

Project 2

Massim Design Studio | Brooklyn, NY | Tiffany Place House

Design Statement: This unusual property, a modest three-story single-family house, is quietly set back from the street in Brooklyn's family-friendly Cobble Hill neighborhood. Nestled among a multitude of oversize, converted residential factory buildings, the house is an urban oasis. Our use of exposed steel detailing and a muted palette with infrequent punctuations of color—for example, the red stair rail—was inspired by the property’s proximity to the working docklands of the East River and its industrial landscape, as well as by the owner’s desire for a simple, durable solution. The design draws inspiration from the colorful and industrial history of the area, balanced with the modern needs of a family home.

Chosen by: Remodelista editor in chief Julie Carlson, who said: "I love the crisp, geometric exposed steel detailing, and the clever under-stair storage cabinets and wine rack. Genius."

Above: Living room viewed from dining room.

Above: Reconfigured stair and interior balcony, dining room below.

Above: A detail of the under-stair built-ins.

Project 3

Adrian-Hanson Design | Napa, CA | Napa Valley House

Design Statement: "We set out to create a relaxing indoor/outdoor living, dining, and cooking space that is luxurious, functional, and brings the sweeping views of the valley into the house. Modern elements are combined with upcycled wood from an old lodge. We created simple lines, used light strategically, and layered soothing grays and whites, textures and organic elements."

Chosen by: Wendy Goodman, who said of the project: "I love it because the indoor/outdoor aspect of this residence is so organic and seamless. The hidden kitchen is heaven, one of the best I have seen, and the 'chill room' is a room I would love to chill in!"

Above: View into the living area—Charles chaise from B&B Italia, petrified wood tables, moss decoration, and over the mantel a Cameroon headdress in white.

Above: View into the kitchen and dining area from the living section—the kitchen is completely hidden in the back wall.

Above: Adjoining "chill room" with huge lounger, picture window, and rowdy boys.

Above: View into the living room and out to the valley. In this shot you can see steel plates on the exterior, antique Italian mirrors, and modern Scandinavian artwork.

Project 4

Vaquero Architects | Madrid | Arrando House

Design Statement: "This apartment is in a building dating back to the first half of the last century with original floors and molding. We merged two levels into a single flat revolving around a main courtyard for a family of four."

Chosen by: Julie Carlson, who said: "I love the mix of midcentury pieces, the striped rug, the walls of books; the interiors are casual and eclectic, and it looks like interesting people live here. I'd love to drop in for a drink."

Project 5 

Brian Paquette Interiors | Seattle, WA | Tree House

Design Statement: "My own home, filled with treasures from travel and pieces by the makers and designers I truly love." 

Chosen by: Julie Carlson, who said: "This space has an elevated first-apartment feel; I like the way Brian has mixed reasonably priced new pieces—the Blu Dot Strut table, for instance—with vintage furniture and lighting from local artisans Iacoli & McAllister, whose Frame Light illuminates the dining room table."

Vote daily, now through August 8, on both Remodelista and Gardenista. Winners will be announced August 9.

More Stories from Remodelista

• A Ceramicist at Home in the City
• Weekend Spotlight: Combining Two New York Studio Apartments
• History and Modern Glam in The Hague

Inspired by California beach cafes, Alexander Evangelou and James Waterworth of London design firm Alexander Waterworth Interiors bring their own brand of microclimate design Hally’s, a new deli in Parsons Green, in the heart of southwest London. 

Above: Yellow Tolix stools set the beach tone in the main room, where they're paired with whitewashed bricks and a bar built from limed scaffolding boards.

Above: The Carrara marble countertop is framed with wood.

Above: Bright colors mixed with pastels exude a Southern Californian vibe.

Above: The communal tables are also made from scaffolding boards. (For Corbin Bernsen's bedside shelves from scaffolding, see Backyard Bunkhouse, Hollywood Royal Family Edition.)

Above: Open shelves fashioned from scaffolding have a pleasing informality.

Above: Raw bentwood chairs have been carefully dip-dyed in pastels to add color throughout the space. 

Above: Potted herbs are dotted around the room. 

Above: The white-wood shiplap in the back room is a detail borrowed from beach hut design. See Expert Advice: The Enduring Appeal of Shiplap to get the look. 

Above: Blue-and-white ikat and ticking fabrics bring a nautical air to the back room. 

Above: Green wall lights with subtle brass details add to the warm glow. (For similar options, see 5 Favorites: Wall Lights for Less Than $125 and Cedar & Moss: A Bright New Lighting Company.)

Above: A patchwork of blue-and-white tiles line the bathroom walls. 

Above: The facade opens up entirely for al fresco dining; in bad weather, the large glazed openings allow light in.

Two years ago Waterworth Interiors transformed our notions about fish-and-chips shops in its design of Kerbisher & Malt. Planning a trip to London? See City Guides: London for our favorite design haunts.

Below: Hally's is in Parsons Green, in southwest London.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 9, 2012, as part of our issue The Summer Bedroom. 

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A young design couple (she’s an architect and he’s a graphic designer) move into modest quarters and make a retreat for themselves. A simple palette and Ikea and eBay basics provide them with a blank slate for their DIY projects and other creative endeavors. Here, a look at their quarters, followed by a breakdown of the items to enable you to re-create the look. 

Photographs of Tiffany’s Apartment via Apartment Therapy. 

Above: The room has only one window; painting the walls and ceiling white maximizes the effect of the reflected light. Wood and brass accents keep the white room from feeling clinical or cold. Looking for the perfect shade of white? See 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' White Paint Picks. 

Above: The long, narrow desk has room for the couple to work side by side. It's supported by a set of drawers in the corner; at the other end, a trestle keeps the design from looking too heavy in the small room.

Above: A Lindsey Adelman You Make It Chandelier adds sparkle over the bed. It was put together by the couple following Adelman's online instructions, using standard industry parts; $140 from Grand Brass. For a simpler version created at our request, see DIY: A New $60 Lindsey Adelman Pendant Light.

Above: The Hemnes 6-Drawer Chest from Ikea fits perfectly into a corner; $249.

Above: The couple customized their Hemnes chest with Brass-Rimmed Porcelain Knobs, $6.97, and Ribbed Clear Glass Cabinet Knobs, $7.39, from Knobs4Less. 

Above: The Linnmon Table Top from Ikea in birch can be stained to match other wood accents; $55.99.

Above: From Ikea, the Alex 5-Drawer Pedestal Unit, $79.99, provides desk storage and support for the tabletop; the Lerberg Trestle, $10, supplies light frame support.

Above: The Toledo-like Wood Industrial Chair on casters has a vintage factory look; $246.75 from lab supplier Genie Scientific. 

Above: Vintage folding chairs can be easily stowed away when not in use, and work well as ad hoc bedside tables. They can be sourced inexpensively on Etsy and eBay. Image via Etsy seller Gentry Antiques.

Above: The Gradated Stripe Cotton Dhurrie Half Moon in Navy by West Elm introduces a graphic element; $49 to $299.

Above: An Embroidered Metallic Bull's-Eye Pillow Cover in Bronze on the white bed picks up on the brass highlights in the room; on sale for $29.99 from West Elm.

Above: Mother-in-Law's Tongue from Real Palm Trees adds green to the bedroom while filtering out toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde; $38.95. To learn about more of the benefits, see A Houseplant You Can't Kill: Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Image via Sow a Fortune.

Above: A Terra-Cotta Pot for the mother-in-law's tongue adds an earthy warmth to the room; $8.48 from Home Depot.

Join The Big Debate: Plants in the Bedroom and let us know: Will you sleep with them or not? And if you're in the midst of fixing up your place, explore our other Steal This Look posts and our Rehab Diaries.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 12, 2013, as part of our Under the Covers issue.

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At the Remodelista market in Los Angeles last winter, Sarah and I finally got a chance to meet one of our blogosphere friends, Morgan Satterfield of the Brick House (she was one of our vendors, selling her Camp line of clever DIY wares, which include leather cabinet pulls, beaded lights, and her own Simple Light fixtures). We've been following the Brick House forever, taking inspiration from Morgan's clever upgrades to her midcentury house near Palm Springs. Our latest DIY obsession? Morgan's minimalist ceiling medallion.

Above: Morgan created a simple plywood disk to cover an unsightly ceiling electrical box.

Above: The view from below. The brass Simple Light is Morgan's own design; $125 from Camp, her online shop; inqure about availability. For step-by-step DIY instructions, go to the Brick House. 

Above: The Simple Light in white.

Above: The installation in progress.

Another favorite DIY project from Morgan? See DIY: Slat Railing Project.

Doing a hands-on remodel? Have a look at all our DIY Ideas, including an Industrial Wall Light for $15 and a Razor Clam Pendant Light. For more inspiration, peruse the 455 images in our Lighting Gallery.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on January 13, 2014, as part of our Western Edition issue.

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If you're like me and can never seem to put your keys where they belong (don't ask), an "entry butler" might help. Here are five we like.

Above: A detail of the key shelf in Will Ullman's Thru Block Coat Rack, available in a variety of sizes and configurations at Canoe, in Portland, Oregon, starting at $175.

Above: The oak Jeeves Coat Rack with Mirror is $275 at Nannie Inez.

Above: Portland, Oregon, architect Brendon Farrell's Coat Rack is available in lengths of 18 and 36 inches, in oiled walnut or oak, with a leather hanging strap for cell phones, keys, etc. Prices start at $150 from Keeps.

Above: The "minimal and magic" Matarile is made of beechwood; €34 at Amor de Madrew in Barcelona. It's also available in a longer version for €53.

Above: The dry-erase Entry Butler from Three by Three Seattle comes in stainless, white, and bamboo; $20 at Amazon.

For more ideas, peruse our favorite Hooks and read Christine's Remodeling 101 report How Shaker Pegs Saved My Summer. Also take a look at our Storage & Organization and Small-Space Living posts, including Erin's 10 Tips for Living in 240 Square Feet. 

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on October 24, 2012, as part of our Small Living issue.

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One of those impossibly tiny NYC shops specializing in a little bit of this and that, Top Hat, on the Lower East Side stands out because each of its choices is surprising and delightful.

Top Hat is the public face of Nina Allen's wholesale company, Sweet Bella, which is the exclusive US distributor for a far-ranging group of finds, such as the Ercol stacking chair, Maison Martin Margiela wall murals and other accessories, MT Masking Tape (the original Japanese rice paper tape), brushes made by Berlin's Institute for the Blind, and Japanese balloon lamps.

Photography by Seth Smoot for Remodelista. Styling by Kendra Smoot.

Above: A sign made from scrap wood marks the shop at 245 Broome Street, between Orchard and Ludlow Streets.

Above: In the window, minimalist rocking horses of ash and stainless steel by German company Sirch.

Above: Gold-and-nickel-plated stainless steel scissors from Germany; $65 to $100.

Above: Polish wobble dolls, $55 (large) and $24 (small), on a vintage wallpaper table. Under the table is an Indian powder-coated metal trunk. The cotton map blanket is Austrian; $180. The children's walking toy hanging on the wall is made from real horseshoes.

Above: A notebook by French designer Patricia Dore scattered with erasers from the Czech Republic.

Above: Kaweco of Nuremberg, Germany, has been making pens since 1833. This example, a design that dates back to the 1930s, rests on notebooks from South Korea and an Italian plaid-wool iPad case. The MT Masking Tape is by Kamoi Kakoshi, the 90-year-old Japanese company that invented washi tape.

Above: A rocker by Dublin designers Aodh with a seat of vegetable-dyed Irish tweed ($775, plus an additional charge for upholstery). It rests on a reversible indoor/outdoor plastic mat, $210, by Brita Sweden, produced using traditional Swedish weaving techniques. The pink-and-white wool throw, $335, is by Danish designers Scholten & Baijings.

Top Hat's online store is forthcoming. For another downtown New York store that's stocked with finds for the desk and home office, see Jackson McNally. And consult our New York CIty Guide for design-worthy hotels, restaurants, and shops all over the city.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 2, 2012, as part of our High/Low Design issue.

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These ingenious work spaces are slotted into closets, corners, even under the stairs.

Above: A tiny work space in a 500-square-foot trailer owned by LA art agent Sofie Howard, via Dwell.

Above: A minimal work area in a remodel by Czech firm Oooox.

Above: A couple of shelves inserted in an unused corner create an instant work space in a Stockholm apartment, via My Scandinavian Home.

Above: A desk tucked into a closet, via Mi Casa.

Above: A tiny work space in a project by Alexandra Loew of From the Desk of Lola, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.

Above: An under-the-stairs work space from a project by Oliver Freundlich, in Brooklyn's Cobble Hill. (See the rest of the duplex at Architecture as Alchemy.) Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista. 

Above: A tiny office with pullout keyboard shelf in a Shape-Shifting Studio Apartment by Openstudio Architects in London, members of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.

Above: A window desk in an apartment in Denmark via Lowe Home.

Above: In Dagmar Daley and Zak Conway's San Francisco Victorian, a shelving unit of their own design features a sliding panel to conceal the desk area. See more of the design at The Disappearing Office. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Above: A clever desk in an Italian penthouse apartment by Enrico Scaramellini of Es-arch, via Architizer.

Looking for ingenious solutions for tight quarters? See our Image Gallery and our archive of Small-Space Living posts. On Gardenista, have a look at a Garage Turned Studio Apartment and A Tiny Backyard Studio on Wheels.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 15, 2014, as part of our Working It issue.

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If you've ever worked out of a cubicle or a tiny home office, you understand the value of quality air flow, especially at the height of summer. We size up a group of table and desk fans—some with a retro appeal and others more modern.

Retro-Inspired Fans

Above: The Allaire Desk Fan comes in two sizes and three finishes (brushed nickel, silver sage, black); it's on sale at Restoration Hardware starting at $95. For more desktop ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Task Desk Lamps.

Above: The retro-inspired, handmade Bianca Directional Ceiling Fan from Matthews Fan Company is a ceiling-mounted option; it's available in 10 finishes, including brushed nickel and bronze; $604.20 at Lumens. For more ceiling fan ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Ceiling Lamps.

Above: The Retro Table Top Fan by Minka Air is made of solid steel and has three speeds; $58.95 at Amazon.

Above: The Charly Little Fan from Swizz Style is $130 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: The Deco Breeze Round Retro Table Fan is encased in a stainless steel shell and measures about 12.5 inches tall; $51 at ATG Stores.

Above: The Hunter Century 12-Inch Portable Table Fan in brushed nickel is $73.40 from Amazon.

Mod Table Fans

Above: The whisper-quiet Otto Fan from Swizz Style is made of oiled African sapele wood and high-grade steel; $199 at Amazon. In the Remodelista book, it's featured in the Remodelista 100, our collection of favorite everyday objects.

Above: Black + Blum's desktop 10.6-inch-tall Propello Fan has soft rubber blades for safety and is incredibly quiet; inquire with Black + Blum about availability.

Above: The 10-inch-tall Soleus Air Soft Blade Table Fan has safe-to-touch gray blades and is also notably quiet; $24.99 from Lumens.

Above: Designed by Naoto Fukasawa, The Fan has a protective cage that wraps from front to back and is made of steel and polypropylene resin; it's available in white or gray for $249 at Generate.

Go to our Appliance posts for more suggestions, including the Dyson Hot + Cool Heater/Fan and Gardenista's selection of Patio Heaters.

Upgrading your kitchen? See How to Choose Your Refrigerator and How to Select a Dishwasher.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on July 21, 2010.

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Poetry in space: London architect William Smalley shares his musings on how he transformed his Bloomsbury rental flat, two floors in an 1720 townhouse, into a sanctuary of visual calm:

"I found this house in its unexpectedly neighborly neighborhood by chance eight years ago. I was looking for a cheap, central flat at the same time that my friend Ben Pentreath was looking for an office. The house was too big for either of us, but when we discovered we were pining for the same place, we signed a lease on it together. We now have the odd situation where every morning I go to my office across the road as Ben comes in from his flat around the corner."

Photography by Ricardo Labougle.

Above: "To the horror of all our property-owning friends, Ben and I restored the house as if it were our own—opening painted-up shutters and blocked-up fireplaces (discovering beautiful marble downstairs in the process), laying old stone flags in the downstairs hall, replacing vinyl with sisal, and ripping out the bright blue carpet upstairs. I painted my paneled rooms the mattest white. I need the visual calm of soft white walls at the end of the day."

Above: "The apartment's three big built-in cupboards (the door to one is shown here) have been my lifeboat. Slowly, I have added furniture—my grandfather's ink-stained college table, a washed-out kilim, and, after much searching and sitting, a very large, comfortable sofa for the post-work flop. I can now seat visitors and they have lights to read by."

Above: "I rang a friend on my first evening in the flat saying I had all I needed except a piano. By coincidence, that morning he'd been offered the loan of one in need of a home. I buy books of the most beautiful music and play the easiest piece in each."

Above: "I scrubbed the floorboards down by hand, three a morning before work, and have left them untreated so that they take on the patina of age. None of the pictures have made it onto the paneled walls—they seem happier leaning on the floor."

Above: "There's a moment at dawn in the middle of June when a shaft of the rising sun shoots down the street, right through the house to the windowsill at the back of my bedroom, lighting exactly the spot where I keep a good luck pebble given by a friend. When I first woke and saw it, I thought it was the second coming (first, actually). It is humbling to think it has been doing that for nearly three hundred years."

Above: "The bathroom was as plain as a bathroom could be, and more white would have been doctor's surgery rather than monk's cell, but I couldn't face color, so I painted it silver. When the evening sun catches it, the whole room sings. The Victorian chest of drawers was one of three pieces of furniture (a Wassily chair and a bed were the other two) that I had when I moved in."

Above: "We stripped the stair of decades of glossy paint, revealing beautifully carved Corinthian newel posts at each turn. For a day the whole three stories of the stairwell were porcelain blue, but I decided even palest porcelain was too much for me, and it went white. The only art that has made it onto the wall is a huge Hélène Binet photo of an Edmund de Waal installation—A Change in the Weather—which has one pot for every day of the year. This photo hangs in the stairs and delays everyone's departure as they try to work out whether Edmund was having a good day (blue pot) or bad (gray) on their birthday."

Above: "There is a balcony overlooking the street just wide enough for two narrow chairs, where Ben and I catch up at the end of the day."

Fantasizing about a visually calming home? Some of our favorites include: Strategic Storage in a Minimalist Loft and Minimalist Moves in a Chelsea Townhouse. And on Gardenista, Hardscaping 101: Gabion Walls bring texture to minimalism.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on September 16, 2013, as part of our London Design Week 2013 issue.

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