When the owners of a charming Lafayette Square residence moved in, they knew their outdated kitchen had to go. It just simply was not functional for their family that loves to cook. With a goal to create a more contemporary space with a functional layout, the homeowners enlisted the help of interior designer Tamsin Mascetti, of Tamsin Design Group, to help them achieve the look they desired while holding on to the historic charm of their new neighborhood.

When two Frontenac homeowners added serious square footage to their estate, a crowded mudroom found new purpose as a handsome, centralized anteroom – both bar and Butler’s pantry – inspired by the rich feel of the old Westchester gentlemen’s clubs.

Decorator Garison Salinas of Garrison, Ltd. dubs the room denim-and-diamonds dapper. “The homeowners don’t entertain black tie or even coat and tie all the time, so they were interested in a bar that was elegant but also warm,” he says of a space suitable for lavish soirees and family get-togethers alike.

For many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home where family and friends gather to nibble and nosh while sharing stories and making memories. With an Italian heritage, a deep love for food and a propensity for entertaining, homeowner and interior designer Mary Tramelli is definitely one of those people. But her tiny (123 square feet) kitchen posed a problem. “It meant that I was alone in the kitchen while the party went on without me,” says Tramelli, who was forced to prep food in the small space and then bring it out to guests. She knew a remodel was long overdue.

Forget everything you thought you knew about retirement center aesthetic and that dull, one-room ubiquity the phrase conjures up. Taking cues from the avant-garde tradition of experimental design, local interior designer Holly Blumeyer of Holly Blumeyer Interior Design Group pushed the boundaries when she converted two adjacent rooms at the Mari de Villa Retirement Center into an unexpected suite brimming with custom design and a whole lot of class.

Faced with the task of updating the charming but outdated kitchen in their century-old Georgian-style Central West End home, Greg and Kim Minana made some dramatic changes. Envisioning a welcoming space, the Minanas melded modern amenities with classic finishes to retain the allure of their 100-year-old home. “Contemporary décor wasn’t right,” says Kim. “But, the functionality is still contemporary.”

It’s shaping up to be a great summer at Andy and Anita Higginbotham’s Chesterfield home, where warm days are spent in the new pool, meals prepared in the outdoor kitchen are served on the enlarged patio, and balmy evenings on the screened porch feature the soothing sounds of the backyard’s two water features.