Material studies, mood explorations, and design thinking from the Lavender River studio. The portfolio grows — perspective leads.
How these projects come together
The design vision is mine. The physical work is not. Every completed project shown here was brought to life according to a design vision developed by Lavender River — the layout, palette, materials, finishes, and intentional details. The construction, installation, demolition, painting, plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, tile, and other physical work is performed by licensed, insured contractors and tradespeople hired and paid directly by the homeowner. Lavender River sets the design direction; the trades execute it. I do not swing a hammer, run a saw, install a fixture, or perform any construction work.
Contractors shown or referenced in these projects do not work for Lavender River. When I recommend a contractor, tradesperson, or vendor, I am only making a recommendation. If the client chooses to work with them, it is on the client's own accord. The client and the contractor must enter into their own separate written contract with each other — independent from any agreement the client has with Lavender River — covering pricing, scope of work, materials, schedule, deposits, payment terms, change orders, warranty, and completion. Any cost discrepancies, billing disputes, unfinished work, punch-list items, or scope disagreements must be worked out directly between the client and the contractor. Lavender River is not a party to their contract, does not employ the contractor, and is not responsible for the contractor's work, conduct, pricing, or any dispute that arises.
The materials that shape my consultations — chosen for character, longevity, and the way they live in a finished room.
Quartzite · Taj Mahal
Quiet luxury, warm light.
The first stone I reach for when a client wants the look of marble without the upkeep. Creamy ivory ground with the softest taupe veining — it glows under warm light and never competes with the rest of the room.
True quartzite durability — ideal for high-use kitchens
Warm cream body that pairs with nearly any cabinetry tone
Subtle, painterly veining that reads timeless
Quartzite · Gray
Cool tone, real movement.
When a kitchen or bath wants a cooler palette without going clinical — silver and charcoal grays with dramatic, organic movement. It reads modern but never sterile, especially against warm wood or aged brass.
Cool gray body — elevates white, navy, and walnut cabinetry
Bold natural movement, not a repeating pattern
Quartzite hardness for heavy daily use
Statement Stone · Green Soapstone
For the room that wants to be remembered.
This is what I reach for when a client wants that moment — a powder bath, an island, a fireplace surround. Deep green ground with white and copper veining that feels equal parts moody and natural.
Beautiful organic movement
Natural stone character
Traditional with a modern edge
Marble · Panda
Graphic, confident, modern.
When the client says, "I want something timeless but bold." Crisp white with dramatic black brushstroke veining — a true designer-grade slab that does most of the heavy lifting in a room.
High-contrast statement vein
Reads modern but isn't trendy
Works for kitchens, baths, and feature walls
Marble · Calacatta
A more approachable price point.
Quiet, painterly veining on a creamy white ground. When a client loves the Calacatta look but the budget needs to land somewhere reasonable, this is where I start the conversation.
Editorial veining — graphic but soft
More approachable price point
Pairs beautifully with warm white cabinetry
Quartz · Calacatta Laza
The maintenance-free option that still feels custom.
For the busy family who wants the marble look without sealing, etching, or wine-glass anxiety. Calacatta Laza is the quartz I most often recommend when performance has to match the aesthetic.
Non-porous, stain-resistant
Consistent vein pattern across slabs
Ideal for kitchens with heavy daily use
Marble · Brown Fantasy
The one I keep coming back to.
Brown Fantasy is the stone behind the very first Lavender Drop — equal parts moody and warm, with movement that reads like a painting. It carries a room the way a great piece of art does, and pairs beautifully with cream cabinetry, aged brass, and warm wood tones.
Stone gets a lot of attention — but cabinets shape the whole feel of a kitchen. These are the doors I keep specifying when warmth, longevity, and quiet luxury have to coexist.
Forevermark · Champagne Maple Shaker
Warm white that never feels cold.
If you're looking for a warm white cabinet that doesn't feel stark or clinical, the Champagne Maple Shaker is where I start the conversation. The undertone reads soft and creamy under warm light — it lets stone, brass, and wood breathe instead of competing with them.
Warm, soft white — not the cold modern white
Classic shaker silhouette — timeless, never trendy
Natural maple character with subtle grain
Pairs beautifully with Taj Mahal, Brown Fantasy, and aged brass hardware
Sourced through @granite_discounter_md in Howard County, MD. Tell them Lavender River sent you.
Forevermark · Petit Oak (PH) Shaker
Natural oak that holds its character.
When a kitchen needs wood warmth without leaning rustic or orange, the Petit Oak Shaker is the door I reach for. The grain stays quiet — there's character without chaos — and the tone reads honest and grounded next to lighter stones, soft whites, and aged brass.
Warm natural oak — earthy, never orange or rustic
Classic shaker silhouette — modern enough, timeless enough
Subtle, even grain that adds texture without noise
Pairs beautifully with lighter stones, soft whites, and aged brass
Specified door · Petit Oak (PH)
Sourced through @granite_discounter_md in Howard County, MD. Tell them Lavender River sent you.
03 · Mood Boards
The look before the room
Curated mood explorations that help clients see — and feel — a space before any purchases are made.
Studio Note
Every material has a reason.
The mood boards I create for clients aren't aesthetic exercises — they're decision documents. Each piece is annotated, sourced, and tied to a specific function or feeling we're after in the room.
Conceptual room studies and design directions in development. Check back as the studio expands its published work.
04 · Renovation Projects
Active renovations
Current Lavender River renovation projects are documented and will be published as they reach completion.
05 · Before & Afters
Before & After studies
Transformations from consultation through completion — the moments that show what a thoughtful design decision can do.
Fireplace Study · 01
From classic mantel to modern focal wall.
A traditional white mantel reimagined as a moody, architectural focal wall — black surround, integrated television, and twin sconces flanking the hearth.
BeforeAfter
Living Room Study · 02
From blank room to layered living space.
An empty room with good bones — dark hardwood, a modest fireplace — styled into a warm, cream-toned living space with curved upholstery, twin sconces, candlelight, and a fiddle leaf fig.
BeforeAfter
Kitchen Study · 03
From construction-stage kitchen to moody, modern showpiece.
Black Kitchen Part of the 2026 Black Kitchen Trend
Original gray granite, bare drywall, and a single recessed bulb — reimagined with black cabinetry, a custom matte-black hexagon backsplash, an oversized quartz island, smoke-glass globe pendants, and curated styling. A complete tonal rewrite without moving a single wall.
BeforeAfter
Detail · the cabinet wall, hexagon backsplash, and pendant trio.
Kitchen Study · 03b · Sink & Counter
The farmhouse sink, mid-install.
A behind-the-scenes look at the apron-front stainless sink set into a fresh quartz counter — captured during installation, before the new backsplash, paint, and trim. The kind of moment that proves a finished kitchen is a hundred careful decisions in sequence.
DuringDuring
07 · Dining Room Refresh
Light, line, and a long table.
A dining room reimagined around a single architectural moment — a sculptural double-row of globe pendants over a long quartz table, flanked by twin black wall sconces, framed by picture-frame moulding, and finished with a vaulted ceiling and full glass doors to the garden.
The architectural symmetry — moulding, sconces, and a chandelier built for the room.The transition — kitchen island to dining room, framed by the same quartz palette.
Lighting
A custom double-row of smoke-glass globes — sized to the table length, hung to clear sightlines across the room.
Architecture
Picture-frame moulding adds quiet gravity to a previously flat wall. The vaulted ceiling lets the chandelier breathe.
Seating
Black metal and walnut counter stools — six around a single quartz table, anchored without crowding the room.
08 · Built-Ins
Small rooms, large impact.
The quiet corners that hold a home together — a pantry-tucked wet bar and a built-in coffee & wine bar styled for daily use.
Wet Bar · Lower Level
Sage, stone, and a quiet pour.
Custom sage-green shaker cabinets, calacatta quartz countertop, an undermount stainless sink, and a built-in beverage fridge — sized for a tucked alcove and finished to match the rest of the home.
Coffee & Wine Bar
Morning ritual, evening ritual.
A light-oak built-in with an X-pattern wine rack, undermount stemware storage, terrazzo-look quartz counter, and the Nespresso ready to go. Designed for the two times of day the room is most used.
09 · Staircase Transformation
From raw subfloor to the heart of the home.
A full staircase rebuild — stripping back to the structural treads, laying solid oak, and finishing with crisp white risers and twisted wrought-iron balusters. Documented in three acts.
Act 01 · Before
Bare bones.
Raw OSB subfloor treads, unfinished pine stringers, and a temporary handrail. The bones were good — the finish work was waiting.
Looking down · raw OSB treads, exposed stringersFrom the landing · ready for finish carpentry
Act 02 · During
The work.
Solid oak treads being laid one by one — Ridgid pneumatic finish nailer, level, pencil lines, and the careful patience that real finish carpentry takes.
Mid-install · oak tread, pneumatic nailer, level
Act 03 · After
Quiet, classic, considered.
Stained oak treads, crisp white risers, twisted wrought-iron balusters, and a carved newel post. The staircase now anchors the entry — exactly the way it should.
Looking up · stained oak, white risersLooking down · toward the entryTread & riser detailHero detail · twisted iron balusters & carved newel post
10 · Laundry Room
Laundry Room — coming soon
A full laundry room study in progress — considered storage, durable finishes, and the small details that turn a utility room into a space worth lingering in. Photography and write-up coming soon.
11 · Garage
Garage — coming soon
A garage transformation documented — epoxy flooring, custom storage, considered lighting. Photography and full case study coming soon.
06 · Design Stories
The Lavender Drops Series
A weekly editorial drop — design tips, material finds, and the thinking behind real Lavender River projects. New editions every week.
New every week
Meet Ameya
The host voice of The Lavender Drops Series and Design Club 880.
Ameya · AI Digital Lead for Lavender River
Ameya is the AI Digital Lead for Lavender River — the host voice who presents each weekly edition. Lavender River writes, designs, and sources every piece; Ameya carries it to the reader:
Design Stories — the long-form features, before & afters, and design history pieces that document how a room comes together.
The Lavender Drops Series — a weekly edition: materials worth knowing, decisions worth slowing down for, and the small, intentional moments that make a house feel like home.
Design Club 880 — the editorial home of the 880 Series: the meaning behind the monogram, the people who wear it, and the quiet philosophy it carries.
She believes your home should support the life you want to live: beautiful, functional, and full of meaning.
“Good design isn’t about spending more. It’s about choosing what matters most.”
Cabinets available through @granite_discounter_md in Howard County, MD. Tell them Lavender River sent you.
Edition 03 — The Lavender is Blooming
Landscaping · Summer Edition
Curb appeal in bloomWhy landscaping mattersTexture & structureThe scent of home. When the lavender blooms and the bees pollinate, the air releases that unmistakable lavender perfume — the same scent you walk into when you arrive at a Lavender River home.What Lavender River means
Design doesn’t stop at the front door. Flowers, texture, color, and seasonal interest all contribute to curb appeal — and the feeling of arriving home. When the bees are at work in the lavender, the scent travels with you to the threshold.
Want to explore a material for your project?
If a stone, finish, or mood here speaks to you, a consultation is the easiest way to bring it into your space with intention.
06 · Design Stories
