Icing the Cake

Aren't the finishing details of a design project like icing on a cake? I mean, cake is just cake, right? But icing....well, you get what I mean.

Getting this bathroom to the near completion point has posed its challenges, but now the sweet parts are happening, and the project is taking on a personality.

Shower/bath tile being installed.

Travertine, like the flooring, but this time in 6"x12" tiles, with randomly set glass mosaic pieces.

You can see how the glass mosaic in the shower matches the integrated glass sink and counter top!

Notice also how the subtle coloring in the Venetian plaster finish on the ceiling, by Ron Francis, ties in the project's accent color. Hey, these things don't happen by accident!

One more piece of icing--the softly-folded Roman shade at the window. Because of their clean, simple form, I especially like Roman shades in the bathroom. This one was fabricated as a single valance with two separately operating shades to offer variations in natural light levels.

Still waiting on the faucets and mirrors, but next time you see this bathroom, it will be a finished project. And I can promise there is still a surprise or two in store!

Transformations

What was originally a "contractor-grade" bathroom in this client's home is now taking on the excitement and vibrancy that this artist-owner deserves! A space that seemed cramped with an over sized shower stall and a single sink now feels open and bright.

There are always exciting milestones in any renovation process, and to me, cabinet installation day is one of the best. For this renovation, we had custom cabinets made by Richard Hunt of Fine Design Cabinetry. To our specifications, he built a sink/makeup-vanity combination cabinet, with storage tower in between, a tall curio-cabinet and a beautiful storage cabinet for the WC nook.

Richard makes a few last-minute adjustments while installing.

"Cookie" seems to love Mom's new digs!

A milk-white paint finish was chosen with a custom-colored glaze to complement the travertine floors.

As beautiful as these cabinets are, it was important that they be practical as well. Richard worked closely with us and the client to make sure there would be adequate storage. The extra-deep drawers and the "appliance garage" (for hair dryer, curling iron, etc.) really fit the needs. This is a case where very careful planning on the front end of the project will help assure the hoped-for outcome. (By the way, the blue painters tape "drawer pulls" are just there until proper knobs are installed...just in case you were wondering!)

Since these photos were taken, the tub has finally arrived, which will help the project move towards completion. As we mentioned in previous postings, material delivery schedules can create major problems, and sometimes they are unavoidable. It's important to create a good relationship with your suppliers, but it's also good to know when it's time to pull the plug and move on! And the best part is, those "bad moments" during the process will be nothing but memories when the project is complete!

Let the Art Begin!

Let's check in on our bathroom project. Progress has stumbled a little, due to some materials not arriving when expected, but luckily work is still progressing.

Bead-board wainscoting has been installed, and all doors and windows received new trims more appropriate to the design. The travertine floors have been completely covered to protect them during the remainder of the construction process.

As we begin to piece together the artistic project, the client has chosen artisan Ron Francis to do a Venetian plaster finish on the ceiling, and behind the vanity mirrors. The first coats in the process were layers of cream colors, in finishes and glazes that will reflect the light and give the ceiling texture. A very small amount of color was added in the final coats...a green-blue that mimics the color of the integral glass sink and counter top.

You'll see how beautifully this ceiling color works in our next photos, where we'll reveal the installed cabinetry, and the sink-counter top. We're currently waiting for a tub, toilet, sconces and faucets...but, next week I can reveal the cabinetry to keep you on the hook!

Exteriors

Last week, we looked at some of the interior changes that will be happening on one of our latest design projects. Today, I wanted to show you what the new exterior will look like.

Here are some shots of the current front facade.

Here are the designs for the renovations that will take place on the 4 side exterior elevations.
And one perspective sketch to get a better feel of what the finished project will look like!

The homeowners are now waiting for bids from several contractors. This well-organized client made a detailed checklist of questions for the contractors, and information expected to be provided within their bids. This is a fantastic approach. As we've discussed in past blogs, the better your communication is on the front end with your contractor, the more smoothly you can expect the project to unfold! And fewer surprises should arise.

Meanwhile, there are many choices to be made...new appliances, counter tops, flooring, bath fixtures, colors... The task at hand can seem daunting, but by making lists of needs, and checking them off when selections are made, eventually the list is completed.

I promise to keep you updated on this project when work begins!

Full of Surprises!

A few months ago, our firm was hired to design a major renovation on a home in our own neighborhood. Seeing the home's interior for the first time was quite a surprise. Alterations had been made to the home by previous owners, that spoke more of that period in design than about the vintage of the home itself. We feel honored to be a part of a project of this nature; one that we think is important to the restoration of a home in a historic district.

Here are some pictures of the home as it is now:

Because the home is in a historic neighborhood, there are more steps to the design process than just a "normal" renovation. Our team has many years of experience in dealing with this process, and understanding the design elements that will be closely scrutinized by our local Architectural Review Commission. After client approval, all plans must be approved by the ARC prior to being sent to the city for building approval.

As you can imagine, a design process that must embrace both the clients' desires for a comfortable and aesthetically appealing space, and historic building dictates, requires a lot of time and comfortable communication with the clients and approval boards. We were very lucky on this project to have both!

Here you can see some of our plans for interior design solutions that will be implemented to return the spaces to what they once might have been...only better!
The project went before the ARC for approval earlier this week, and passed with flying colors, so construction should begin soon. Next, I'll share drawings with you for the exterior renovations. This will be an exciting project to watch!

Hats-off to our clients for their commitment to this project. Your trust in Interior Spaces means the world to us!

Piecing It Together

Back to our latest bath renovation. The last time we looked in on it, the demolition was complete, new framing, plumbing and wiring all in. Most of the material selections have now been made, and the pieces are coming together.

Deciding on a logical order for the work to progress is generally a fairly simple process, but in this case it's a little more complicated due to some elements that won't come in for a while, and other elements that should happen somewhat "out of logical order" due to their unusual nature.

One pretty easy decision is to install the flooring material. Cabinetry, base mouldings and toilet will sit on top of it, so it should almost always happen first.

18" square Travertine was selected for this floor. There will be both traditional and somewhat more modern elements in the finished bathroom, so the large stone tile was a logical choice. The stone is both "old-world" and timeless, and the size creates more of a contemporary look. The tiles were installed in a staggered pattern to further the timeless feel, and since the tiles were justified (or rectified, depending on who you ask), they could be laid with very small--1/16"--grout joints.

Once the floor tile was in, we could begin to make final color choices for the walls, cabinetry, etc.

And so the "pretty" begins!

Lighter and Brighter

Here is another design idea that appeared recently in one of Expert Advice submissions to the St. Pete Times!

Exposed brick can be beautiful in the right setting. But there are instances where a brick fireplace or a brick wall can seem somewhat heavy or forbidding.

This room had been completely refurbished, but when you stood back to look at it, all you could really see was a dark brick fireplace. It almost seemed like a "black hole" in the living room. By painting it the same color as the trim in the room, it suddenly fit into the room decor as a complement rather than a single focal point. It also brought appropriate attention to the built-in cabinets on either side.

Swallow your fear! Brick painting is a little tricky because of the texture, but a good, long-nap roller can help. All masonry should also be primed using a special primer in order for the paint to adhere and cover properly.

It might be just the thing to lift the spirits in the room!

As in all renovation projects, the beginning elements of the work are more nuts-and-bolts than anything, but you have to start there! With a careful design approach, the new plan will show you where plumbing needs to be moved, lights, outlets and switches rewired and relocated, and old walls removed and new walls added as needed.

In this bathroom, the toilet is moving to the other side of the room to allow space for a longer vanity and storage cabinet. The original jumbo-sized shower area allows space for the relocated toilet, and a tub/shower area. All-in-all, a much better usage of space.

We are also adding additional can lights into the ceiling to more appropriately light the bathroom, which will make the bathroom both more pleasant, and more efficient.

Though it will remain a pretty traditional bathroom layout, what is going to make this bathroom truly special is the finishes. The choices have now all been made, and I think they are exciting! There are still some challenges ahead, and we are counting on some careful color decisions to pull it all together.

I'm looking forward to "solving" this final puzzle.

Making Sense Of It

Currently, I'm helping a client with a full bathroom renovation that she's been waiting for a good long time! The bathroom was functional, in a generic sort of way, but the over sized shower stall barely allowed space for the bare necessities--sink and toilet--and certainly didn't provide any storage opportunities. Okay, I'm going to say it....it just wasn't pretty!

After a considerable amount of back and forth, give and take in the design, we're ready to get started! But as always, lots of work to do before the "pretty" starts to happen.

Out with all the old! By removing the large shower area, we're giving ourselves ample space for a tub/shower combination, and still plenty of room for the toilet area.

This will leave the other wall open for a lavatory-vanity combination, and include a tower of upper cabinets for linen and accessory storage. And since this client is an artist in her own rite, I promise there will be lots of other surprises in store!