At Lee Kimball, we create a custom design to be both beautiful and practical in your home. This sculptural interior staircase showcases a Lee Kimball specialty project that is both striking and functional.

The custom stair breaks into two distinctly different parts, one relating to the upper floor loft and the other to the lower living room. The painted metal upper run is simple and direct, softened and finished with traces of warm wood on the treads and guardrail cap. The lower run is designed to act like furniture, as placed amongst other living room furniture. Here, the stairs transport, act as seating and allow for storage.

Prior to the project, the upstairs loft was rarely used because the spiral staircase was narrow, winding and difficult to carry things up and down on. Now it not only looks great, but also functionally gives the homeowners access to a large space upstairs that was rarely used before.

Additionally, the transparent glass guards protect and define the space while maintaining an uninterrupted view of the Bunker Hill Monument from the main entry. Ultimately, a relatively small project with careful design was able to make a significant change to the way the homeowners live in their home.

View some other featured Lee Kimball projects here.

Custom Kitchen Backsplash Designs

While backsplashes have always been a useful aspect of a kitchen, the design function of a backsplash is increasing as a focal point in the kitchen. Accordingly, people are more willing to invest in a variety of high-quality and visually appealing backsplash materials to complement the look and feel of the kitchen.

Styling options for backsplashes include different tile material types, various shapes and sizes and a range of color choices. For example, glass, though more expensive than ceramic, is a popular choice to create a clean look with virtually no grout lines. Another top choice in any material (glass, ceramic, stone, quartz, etc.) is smaller tiles in a range of shapes such as trapezoids, hexagons and penny rounds. As for color, monochromatic may be the common way to go, but options cover the spectrum from neutral classics to muted blues and greens to bold, contemporary red.

No matter which style is chosen, a unique backsplash is sure to add interest in the kitchen design. With these additions of diverse textures, embossed patterns, mixed materials, and color, subtle interest can be added through backsplashes in a growing number of ways. Contact us today to find out how we can help you work brilliant backsplashes into your next design-build project.

Source: KBBonline.com, April 2011