renovation Archives - Pacific Design Co.

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023

Pines Residence Progress

Our Pines Residence is wrapping up with just a few details left, so we figured we should probably give an update on it! It’s been a project we’ve had in our queue for quite some time. So we’re excited to finally be sharing progress from the construction phase! We have quite a few homes built in the mid-century era scattered throughout Spokane, this being one of them!

Our clients lean into a mid-century touch but enjoy more of a warm transitional interior style. Which is right up our ally! Throughout the material selection phase, we got some amazing materials paired together. The tiles, cabinet finishes, and fixture combos all speak to who our clients are and truly embrace their style!

Kitchen

When tackling the kitchen we went through quite a few floor plan revisions. The “before” kitchen was outdated and felt crowded. It wasn’t functional for our clients and wasn’t a space they wanted to be in. So getting the layout pinned down was very important and our clients finally found one they loved!

When tackling a remodel and keeping a budget in mind, the fact of the matter is you’ll most likely have some design elements that get cut. That’s just because you’re working with an existing space rather than starting from scratch. Which is also why every remodel is unique! You have dreams and wants and depending on the home we are either able to deliver or together we come up with a better solution with the walls we’ve been given!

When it came to selecting finishes for the kitchen there was one finish our clients knew they wanted, Quartzite countertops! I’m sure you’ve already heard about Quartz countertops and maybe even Quartzite but here’s a quick description of both. Quartz is an engineered, man-made product manufactured in a factory by combining elements of quartz, resin, and pigment. Alternatively, quartzite is a natural stone that forms 100% organically deep within the earth that is extracted in blocks by quarrying.

What we love about Quartzite is the movement in the slabs. Every slab is unique so we make sure to plan a slab yard date and go explore all the exact options we’d get. Our clients had the “Taj Mahal” in mind and after comparing it to the other finishes (tile, wood tones, paint colors) it was a perfect addition. They selected a Taj Mahal slab with a honed, leathered finish to it!

Primary Bathroom

The primary bathroom is typically another space in the home we like to splurge on with quality and style. So pulling the Taj Mahal into this space was another easy choice for us and our clients! The wall tile in here is a gorgeous mushroom-taupe color and the flooring is a soft neutral tone. If you want to see more pictures make sure to follow us on Instagram… our followers on that platform usually get the first sneak peeks with all the pictures and videos!

In the primary bath we also went back and forth between two floorplan layouts, the clients decided on a little bit more of an expensive layout because plumbing would move around. But again, if there’s a space to splurge, it’s the primary bath. As the homeowner that’s the space you’ll be spending your mornings, end of days, and maybe even some time in-between.

More Bathrooms!

The next bathroom we’ll go over is the kiddo’s bathroom! For this home it was still a room we wanted to keep fairly neutral but with the scale of the tile we chose and some finishing touches, it still holds a cuteness that you want incorporated in your kid’s bathroom!

There wasn’t much to change with the layout of the bathroom, so all the finishes and fixtures speak for themselves in here! The vanity was a tricky one to reconfigure but the end result with the corner will add to the charm of the room!

The downstairs bathroom won’t be utilized as often as the others but we didn’t want it to feel like an after thought either! And after the design process we’re excited to say, this bathroom truly gets to shine all on it’s own. The pop of dark smaller scaled tile on the shower wall makes a beautiful statement. And the space still gets warmed up with a beautiful white oak vanity!

Powder room

The ground floor powder room is one we want to make sure we mention! Being located right off of the kitchen and being the only bathroom on the main floor, it will be utilized the most out of all the others. And if you’ve been a PDCo follower for some time, you know we love our powder rooms! The most exciting element will be a fun wallpaper the clients fell in love with. It’ll be paired with a floating wood vanity, a dark countertop and brass accents! I’m getting excited just writing about it!

Laundry

The Laundry/Mudroom is going to be another beautiful transformation! We’re changing things up in here with a stunning taupe off-green paint color for the cabinets! It pairs stunningly with the dark slate tile we have going in here. The paint was so good the clients kept going back and forth on where else we could use it!

Staircase

The first thing you see when walking into the Pines Residence is the staircase. We love a good staircase moment but this one needed a face lift. The structure will stay the same but all the finishes will be updated!

The finishes are black metal spindles and a wooden railing that will tie in beautifully with the beams. Wooden treads and risers with a custom stair runner going down the middle! Being that it’s the first thing you’re greeted with, the stairs are something that need a little extra attention. We’re excited for the end result!

The photo below shows the new wood wrapped columns, and a temporary black paint that the clients used to update the railing until the new fixtures can get installed. You can also get a little peek of the new flooring!

Fireplace

The last thing I wanted to touch on is the fireplace. The original fireplace consisted of brick and even if the clients were able to make it work., it still didn’t feel quite right. We did a little tweaking, and now the clients have a fireplace that will match their new home and them!

Stay tuned! The project is almost complete, but we won’t have final photos for a few more months since we’re taking some time off this summer. In the meantime, keep an eye out for our Hillside Residence reveal in the coming days!

February 11, 2023February 2, 2023

Helena Residence Part 2: Before

If the Helena Residence sounds familiar, that’s because this isn’t the first time you’re hearing about it! With the scale of this remodel, our clients phased it out into two phases. In Phase one we took care of the full lower level. You can take a look at the Before, Progress, and Final posts of the basement of this gorgeous midcentury home. With the second phase we’re tackling the full upper level, and demo has recently begun!

Sunken lounging is back in!

The upper level wasn’t as big of a blast from the past as the lower level but still has lots of unlocked potential. This beautiful midcentury home had many fun features, my favorite probably being the sunken lounge located in the family room. I was very excited to hear that my clients were just as fond of it, so a face lift is all that we’ll be doing here.

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The bar and fireplace in the living room were also things we loved and wanted to keep but definitely needed some help to bring them back to life. The cedar throughout the home is incredible, so some adjustments to the remaining fixtures & finishes play a huge roll in the end result! You’ll get to see just how much a dated space can be turned into your most loved space after we change up just those, without touching the floor plan too much!

The first look inside

When you first walk into the Helena Residence you’re greeted with a spacious entry way. You have the skylights right above you, and an open staircase to the left. The only piece of the entry way we weren’t sold on is the pony wall separating the entry from the dining table. This space called for more of a statement rather than a half wall blocking the flow. Taking that wall down will open up a beautiful view into the home. We also are going to update the finishes of the stairway. As tasteful as the aesthetic may have been in the past, our clients are wanting a little update while still nodding to the original architectural style.

My favorite transformation!

From the dining room, you head into the kitchen. With everything we have planned this will be my favorite transformation done to the entire home! Here we’ll keep the general layout of the kitchen in place but everything will be new. New cabinets, counters, appliances, and flooring. This kitchen is quite beautiful as it is, but the style doesn’t fit the home at all. I’m so excited for the midcentury style we will be embracing!

Major Refresh to the Bathrooms

On the main floor we’re working on three different bathrooms. The powder room, where we’ll be updating all the finishes. The primary suite currently has TWO bathrooms. We will update one, and the second will get swapped to create a second suite for guests. I love all of the finishes we’ve selected for these bathrooms, and excited to show off what we chose to make these spaces truly stand out!

The Helena Residence is truly a beautiful midcentury home, just in need of a lot of fixture and finish updates! The layout of the home is really quite functional, and only took a few tweaks to get the results we were wanting. This project has been on our radar for a long time, and we’re excited to finally see it start transforming!

February 2, 2023June 15, 2023

Hillside Residence: Progress

I usually recommend that everyone starts with the “before” project post, but with the Hillside Residence, it’s a must! Seeing the transformation from the start is like one of those tv remodel show moments where at the end of the episode they’ll show you a side-by-side comparison and it blows you away!

PHASE ONE

Because our clients were still living in the residence while the entirety of the construction was happening, we tackled this project in stages. Stage one consisted of the Primary Suite, Guest Bathroom, Guest Bedroom, and the paint and flooring in that section of the home.

Like with any renovation we started with demo. After tearing the entirety of the primary suite and guest bathroom down to almost the bones, we got started on the new layout. The biggest changes to this stage of the project were definitely the bathrooms. We weren’t just changing the finishes in these spaces, but we took out and moved walls to create more appealing and functional spaces!

The Primary SuitE

For the Primary Suite, we reconfigured the entry to the bathroom to create a more open layout. We moved the steam shower and soaking tub to one side of the bathroom. This provided more floor space, in addition to taking over an adjacent bedroom, for a beautiful, spacious walk-in closet. We also were able to add a linen closet built-in at the entrance of the bathroom.

The steam shower was an important part of the primary suite. One of the luxurious we added was the fully tiled, custom curved bench. It took some research to find something that was readily available. Once it was installed you can tell that the steam shower would never have been finished without it! This shower is fully equipped with music, chromotherapy, steam, body sprays, and more!

The finishes we paired together are mixtures of grey, white, and black. The darker wood stained cabinets add a lot of depth and warmth to the bathroom and closet. I love seeing some dark wood tones come back into design and paired in new, updated ways!

Guest Bathroom

In the “Before” blog post you can see how this bathroom used to be separated into two rooms. Half had a double vanity and the other with the shower and toilet. Taking out the wall and reducing to a single sink opened up the room. Since the clients didn’t need the bathroom to be as big as it was before, this change allowed them space where it mattered. A gorgeous double-door entry was added to their primary suite instead of the original small hallway. We weren’t going to skimp on the design of the bathroom though! We installed a stunning marble hex floor tile that combines both the grey and brown tones from the vanity. You may also notice that the ceiling in this room was also able to be raised by a few feet!

Second Phase

One of the big changes throughout the home was refinishing the flooring and making it a significant amount lighter. In the main areas of the home, an original knotty cedar ceiling was used. But with all of the changes to the lighting layout, we decided it would be easier to replace the ceiling rather than repairing it. With the new ceiling, we decided to stay away from the rustic knots and mimic the new floor. Those two changes alone modernized and lightened the home immensely! The core of the home isn’t something we wanted to change and there were elements we wanted to preserve. One detail we didn’t touch was the stone fireplace. It is the heart of the home, keeping texture and warmth in this space.

The Kitchen

We reconfigured the kitchen layout by moving some appliances and the island for a better flow. The light creamy perimeter cabinets paired perfectly with the darker stained island. This stain is used in the bathroom and closet in phase one as well. The other element that is the perfect touch in the kitchen and pantry is the backsplash. The uneven edges of the zellige tile and the variation of grey is SO good!!

When doing this phase, we reconfigured the existing pantry and laundry room to make one large pantry. If you want to see a quick tour of the pantry’s coolest feature, check it out over on Instagram. Since the home has laundry in other areas, this one wasn’t needed. We were able to utilize the space for the pantry and add a walk-in cleaning and storage closet. We refreshed the powder room flooring, vanity, and countertop to pull from the rest of the home’s design.

The Hillside project’s main home has now been complete! Check out the final reveal over at this post!

August 1, 2022June 15, 2023

Hillside Residence: “Before”

Our Hillside Residence Project is a traditional home that sits on 50 acres of land. The home is surrounded by open fields that end at a beautiful tree line and sits on a hillside. Our clients have been living in this home for 20 years, which they had also originally built. This home has a beautiful structure and 20 years ago was exactly what the clients wanted and needed. However, the home is no longer functional for our client’s needs and the finishes and designs have become outdated!

This renovation project consists of taking over a bedroom to expand the Primary Suite (similar to what we did at our Pittsburg Residence!) and reconfiguring the whole suite, remodeling a guest bathroom, and adjusting the main spaces of the home to provide a larger pantry and a storage and cleaning closet while also updating the kitchen and powder room. The main spaces will continue to be an open concept, but with new finishes reflecting a traditional yet natural aesthetic.

THE PRIMARY SUITE FACE LIFT

The primary suite was feeling plain and dated. There were also some significant tile issues due to the steam shower. The closet was too small, and for these empty nesters, it made sense to take over an adjacent bedroom and let their suite become the new priority! There were certain parts about the bathroom layout that we felt could be adjusted to create a better flow of traffic and have a more pleasing use of square footage. Our clients also asked for one additional change to the primary suite, which was to expand the entrance to the suite. To do so, we are breaking down another wall that backs to the adjacent guest bathroom. Since that bathroom is able to be decreased in size, this adjustment will easily allow us to add a double door to the primary suite, creating a beautiful grand entrance of our clients’ dreams!

GUEST BATHROOM RECONSTRUCTION

This bathroom space is very linear with two separate rooms. One is used for a double vanity and the other for the shower and toilet. This layout easily allows multiple people to use different areas of the bathroom at the same time. However, it’s now feeling way too large and closed off from what our clients currently need! As previously mentioned, the wall by the entry door will be moved. The bathroom will be smaller and reduce the vanity to a single sink. We will also remove the wall separating the vanity from the toilet area so the space feels larger.

THE KITCHEN update

They kitchen currently has two islands, with one that sits at a bar height. Even though this main space is fully open, the high-top island creates a separation. It cuts off the kitchen from the dining room and living area. Our plan is to remove both islands, then bring in a single larger island at counter height. This adjustment will reduce the pinch points around the dining room and living room. In the past, arranging furniture has always been difficult due to the kitchen island! In the new kitchen layout, we reconfigured the perimeter cabinets and appliance locations, allowing for more cabinets and a better flow to the space.

Besides a change to the flooring and all finishes, the other major change to the space will be the ceiling. Right now, you see wood planks with a lot of knots and a golden orange finish. Since we have so many changes to the light placement, we would need to adjust the ceiling detail as well. The clients love the wood, but not the knots, so the plan will be to freshen up the whole ceiling with new wood planks. This will also allow us to move lights according to the new layout without issues.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

We came to a decision with our clients to approach this project in phases, especially with the increased lead times. We didn’t want to start everything at once and then have clients with a home that isn’t livable with continued delays. The primary suite and guest bathroom was completed last year, and the main spaces of the home just recently wrapped up! You can see some of the progress at this post!

The final reveal of this project can be found here.

If you have a project on your mind, be sure to get in touch! You can contact me or book online here.

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021

Riverbend Residence: Progress Update

Many of you have been following along on the Riverbend project through Instagram. I love seeing your reactions and enthusiasm through comments and DMs! In this post I’ve gathered all the progress shots of the Riverbend project to show what has changed in the past months. If you want to get a better idea of how big the changes have been, you can see the before post here!

Tender Love and Care

This home definitely had a lot of potential (it really needed some TLC). We wanted the home to be more functional so updating the floor plan was a top priority. We also were looking to make lots of cosmetic updates. Those included replacing all the tile and old grey carpet with beautiful engineered wood flooring, and of course taking out over 5 decorative columns! The home needed an update to the outdated electrical and plumbing. With all these changes in store, we tore most of the spaces down to the studs.

Tear Down

After all the tear down, the crew started taking out unnecessary walls and adding in new ones based on the updated floor plan. Walking through the space with just the studs up and flooring removed we were getting so excited for how much open and functional space we were able to add to the home! The biggest changes were visible in the kitchen and primary suite bathroom. Once the sheetrock was up, the interior of the Riverbend home was visibly transformed!

Let the fun begin!

The fun part has started! I loved seeing the gorgeous flooring installed! The tone of the wood brought so much warmth to the space, especially when paired with freshly painted white walls! In the Primary Suite we used a combination of three different tiles. All three had tones of grey or white within them. Some darker with white veining, which we applied to the shower walls. We pulled in the whiter and light grey tones in both the mini hex tile on the shower floor and the large-scale rectangular tiles on the rest of the floor.

Cabinets Cabinets Cabinets

We were anxiously awaiting a phone call that would let us know our custom cabinets were finished and ready for install! Once we got the call, we were back on site to watch those beauties go in! For this project we went with a modern cabinet style but used a rustic white oak to add character to the cabinets through the knots and wood grain. We couldn’t capture the floors in the updated shots because they were being protected but believe me the custom cabinet stain complimented the floors perfectly! We used the same cabinet style and finish for the mudroom, and both bathrooms. With white walls and grey tiles, the rustic oak cabinets added the perfect warmth to all of the spaces!

Almost Finished

The last update I was able to capture was the quartz countertop install! The quartz slab we went with was primarily white with grey veining throughout. We chose a modern straight edge for the countertops, which paired with the modern cabinets beautifully! The quartz was also added to the bench and niche ledge in the walk-in shower. Here the white veining in the grey tile on the walls was a sight to see once the white quartz with grey veining was in.

There is one more update that we haven’t shared with you yet! There’s going to be another wow factor added in the Kitchen! I know, it already looks SO good but just wait until you see it all put together. Stay tuned for the final reveal!

If you have a project on your mind, be sure to reach out! You can contact me or read more about our services here.

November 14, 2021November 14, 2021

Riverbend Residence: “Before”

The Riverbend Project has a WOW factor. Located right on the Spokane River, there is an abundance of windows that bring in the beautiful outdoor views. The clients contacted me not too long after purchasing this home. They were interested in making a lot of changes, especially to the two upper levels of their home. During the initial walk through I saw why this family wanted to make the changes they did!

The transformation to the Riverbend Project consists of: A complete tear out of the current kitchen, pantry, bathroom, laundry and main floor wet bar. Throughout the whole main floor, we are changing all interior finishes and fixtures to create a space that better reflects the family. We’ll also be eliminating over five decorative columns in the entry and living space. This will open it all up and maximize the view! On the second floor, we are designing a primary suite worthy of its title. A full overhaul of the bathroom layout along with new finishes will update the suite beautifully.

What a “Kitchen”

There are definitely a few spaces in the Riverbend project that I am most excited about, the first being the kitchen! I see the kitchen as the heart of the home — an area for entertainment and gathering of family. The current kitchen situation was lacking storage and counter space, but the layout also had some major concerns! The stove top was placed at the end of a small island with zero counter space around it. This wasn’t only inconvenient, but it was also dangerous with little ones running around.

We have BIG plans for this kitchen. We are making a switcharoo with the living room and kitchen spaces to gain more square footage for the kitchen. This means also eliminating an outdated fireplace and an unnecessary wet bar. Taking care of all that will really open the space, allowing for more of an open concept that creates a larger kitchen, with much better flow. The existing kitchen will become the living room where we will add a new gas fireplace.

white cabinet bar with black countertops

Main floor refresh

On the main floor, we’ll also be updating the guest bathroom and the laundry room. A few minor changes to the layout in these areas allowed for better circulation from the back entry of the home to the main spaces. Both spaces will have new custom cabinets and counters, flooring, lighting and plumbing, as well as a fresh coat of paint.

Grand Entrance

Another space I am excited to transform is the entry way. The entry is the first space anybody entering your home sees! I wanted to make sure that the first impression guests had when walking into the Riverbend Residence would reflect the family and the new home. There was an abundance of decorative columns in the entry, which didn’t match the family’s aesthetic and they were blocking the view of the river. Thankfully these columns were not load bearing and we were able to take out all of them! The entry’s grand staircase will also be refinished completely. The other change we are so very excited for is to add a fresh coat of white paint throughout!

Primary Suite Of No Ones Dreams

The primary suite bathroom consisted of a small walk-in shower, an L shaped vanity, a toilet room, and a HUGE jacuzzi. However, the layout of the rooms were very broken up, making for an awkward space. We completely reconfigured the room to create a larger shower, replace the large jacuzzi with a beautiful freestanding tub, and designed a custom double sink vanity. We took out another unnecessary wet bar and fireplace and added a wall to create a fully separate bedroom space from the bathroom.

Our Riverbend project will be nearing it’s finish here soon. If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ve already seen the cabinets and countertops go in! We’ll be sharing an update of the Riverbend Residence soon, and then in the near future we’ll be posting the final reveal! Follow us on Instagram to get updates on new blog posts so you don’t miss any a thing!

If you have a project on your mind, be sure to get in touch! We already have a waiting list lined up for the new year that we’re excited to start tackling! Check out our services and let’s chat!

October 22, 2021October 22, 2021

Pittsburg Residence: Video Reveal

The Pittsburg Residence video reveals are here! We split this gorgeous project into a two-part reveal so we could ensure we shared every detail!

We have tons of other blog posts all about this project if you’d like to dive in more! Linking them up below:

Before
Progress Update
Final Reveal

Enjoy!

October 13, 2021December 6, 2022

Pittsburg Residence: Final Reveal

The Pittsburg Residence is a midcentury rancher that got an interior and exterior facelift using warm woods and moody contrast. Modern organic design paired with nods to its midcentury roots create a luxury home relevant to today’s aesthetic and functional desires. The Pittsburg Residence is one of our largest renovations, coming in just under 4,000 square feet. There was a long list of goals for the project, including substantial changes to the floor plan to better utilize the square footage of the home and an exciting challenge of vaulting the ceiling.

A KITCHEN WITH SOME SPICE

You would never guess that we could fit such a large, luxury kitchen into this home based on the before photos! A few strategic adjustments to the floor plan allowed us to fit an efficient L-shaped layout and an island for entertaining!

The new vaulted ceilings were planked with cedar which was a beautiful way to warm up the charcoal cabinetry and grey tile floors. The overall palette has such depth, yet still feels bright with the warm white wall color.

dining with views

Offset from the kitchen is the dining room, which looks out to a newly landscaped backyard. The windows to the East continue the full length of the dining room, kitchen, and living room. It also includes a large accordion door that opens the majority of the spaces to the outside. The natural light achieved from this interior-exterior connection was highly desired and truly brings the space to life.

The mudroom off the kitchen flows perfectly with it’s continuation of tile, cabinetry, and hardware details. Lots of storage and functionality were achieved with a galley layout; the walnut bench with storage on one side, and the sink, washer, and dryer, on the other side.

a small but mighty bathroom

The main guest bathroom near the mudroom and kitchen uses similar elements, like the backsplash tile for a cohesive look. The little bathroom packs a punch with a black quartz floating vanity and a walnut shelf below (not shown). Little details like the walnut backplate on the light fixture add a special touch and bring the whole space together.

a modern living room with organic touches

One of my FAVORITE parts of this project was designing the fireplace. Specifically, working out the details of a material like plaster. Watching the art of matching colors and perfecting the variation and texture was fascinating and nerve wracking all at once! The end result turned out perfect and I love the soft, organic touch it brings to the space.

The asymmetrical design of the fireplace with the floating bench on one side and shelves on the other, all create balance in the end. I love how well the walnut and plaster play together and can’t imagine a more beautiful combination.

the dream primary suite

The original primary suite was a chopped up layout that hampered efficiency and natural light. More changes to the floor plan and incorporating the space of an unused adjacent bedroom allowed us to design a primary suite worth a double take!

The bathroom itself was able to remain within the footprint of the original bathroom. Eliminating all of the extra walls and rearranging placement of the vanities completely changed how the space could function. Custom walnut vanities flank each side of the doorway, leading your eye to a stunning wet room focal point. A white freestanding tub brings high contrast to the black tile and fixtures, and an organic patterned mosaic floor tile softens the difference between the two elements.

The new walk in closet boasts symmetry, storage, and natural light. Room for a bench and the layout space along the back built-in are features of any dream closet! The wood flooring continues into the bedroom and checks off the box of a natural element needed in every space.

the final touches

This project was a big one and well worth the wait! Exterior changes and landscaping were a bonus at the end to watch this home take its final shape. So I’ll leave you with one last photo as a snippet of the collaborative effort of this project!

Make sure to check out the before images as well as the progress. You can watch part one and part two of the video reveal as well! It’s always fun to see that transformation! As always, if you like what you see and have a project of your own that you would like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you! Check out our services and let’s chat!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. We hope by sourcing some of our favorite products, we provide value to you and your projects!

SHOP THIS PROJECT

August 2, 2021July 28, 2021

Park Residence: Video Reveal

The Park Residence video reveal is here! For this project it was all in the details from the vintage faucet to the cane kitchen stools. Every little detail made this space feel so special! And check out the video to hear another amazing story that made this project hit close to home.

https://youtu.be/9ZlEJA3a23I

We have tons of other blog posts all about this project if you’d like to dive in more! Linking them up below:

Before
Progress Update
Final Reveal

Enjoy!

July 30, 2021December 6, 2022

Park Residence: Final Reveal

The Park Residence is a special project for many reasons! This home is located in a beautiful historic neighborhood and we wanted to really honor the time period while updating functionality to modern day living. Special vintage details can be seen throughout the design, including some heirloom pieces that are original to the home. It wasn’t until we started the project that I discovered another important story. This home belongs to my extended relatives and was passed down over generations from my great great grandparents! So many beautiful stories were shared over the course of the project and I feel truly honored to have played a part in the restoration of this family home.

a classic white kitchen

Bright and airy, warm and timeless. These were some of the aesthetic goals we wanted to achieve for this home. A palette that would fit a 100 year old home while still feeling relevant to today’s design styles. Inset cabinetry played a big role in bridging the gap between “just another white kitchen” and a kitchen that felt like it truly fit the home. We also wanted to include traditional styles of millwork, such as the custom hood surround and the planked ceiling. You see these details carried throughout the other spaces around the home. For example, the wainscot in the laundry room and the vertical planked walls in the stairway.

White oak accents were an important material to keep a bright home from feeling stark or sterile. New wood floors, oak floating shelves, and a custom white oak island with a planked detail brought in warmth and texture. Not to mention the texture from the cane stools! We carried the wood accents into the laundry room with the cabinetry as well as a custom base for the home’s original basin sink.

a vintage touch

One of my favorite parts of this project was sourcing fixtures that looked original to the home. An antique brass kitchen faucet with porcelain handles was shipped in from the UK. It’s natural patina brought a vintage touch that can’t be replicated. The brass pot rail behind the range was the perfect detail with an ode to historic times. But how about those gorgeous copper pots?!

The backsplash tile is a handmade tile that has the perfect texture. We went with a 4×4 size which was another detail to the home’s age. It’s a size that was more common for historic homes and is seeing a resurgence in today’s homes. Variation in the color kept the kitchen from feeling flat and was a nice addition to the overall palette.

Kitchen Details: a cozy corner

We made a lot of changes to the kitchen floor plan to open up the space! Increasing functionality was critical from a storage and circulation standpoint. Just go back to the before photos if you want to see how much it was lacking! The tricky part was finding a solution for the windows with a sill height just a bit too low for a counter to fit underneath. We dropped the cabinet height to work around this while still maximizing storage. We then changed the material on the top to a painted finish so the whole thing felt like an authentic built-in. Plus, how cute are the little round knobs that are carried throughout? The brass sconces above the windows on the left (peeking out in one of the photos from the photos earlier) added some nice detail along the wall.

A fresh take on a DIFFICULT stairwell

Around the corner from the kitchen’s open shelves is the stairway. The stairs were originally tucked behind a series of doors that made them feel like a cave. With a few minor changes to the floor plan, we were able to open it up. This brought in some natural light and a better flow. We also added some safety measures like a new oak railing and new solid wood stair treads. The white vertical planking brightens the space and makes it feel much more open!

Upstairs, a little nook next to the stairs originally was closed off. Again we wanted to visually open the stairs up as much as possible. We removed the wall and added black metal spindles and a white oak newel post to tie everything together.

Black metal stair railing with decorative shoe

the workhorse: Laundry room

Some of my favorite details can be found in the laundry room! This space glows with natural light! Making the switch to white oak cabinets felt like the right choice to warm things up a bit. Wainscot with a few peg hooks brought in some historic details as well as functionality for a room that needs to work hard. The porcelain tile floor is durable, has a beautiful tumbled texture, and was installed in a traditional layout. The cherry on top for the entire room is the basin sink! This cast iron sink is original to the home but we freshened it up by reglazing, adding a custom white oak base, and a new brass faucet. It’s a workhorse for this family but who says that can’t be beautiful, too?

a new primary bathroom

One of the major goals for the renovation was updating the upstairs bathroom. The long term plan is to make it part of the primary suite of the home. The challenge in this space was getting all of the desirable features of a primary bathroom while working with difficult angled ceilings causing restrictions on head heights. To fit in a shower, it would need to be almost in the center of the entire room! With this realization, a walk-in wet room started making the most sense. We would be able to tuck the tub under one of the lower head height areas. The rest of the necessities like the vanity and toilet would fit perfectly in the other corners and nooks of the room.

The clawfoot tub is another original to the home, which we reglazed just like the laundry sink. We also sourced a tub filler and handheld fixture that looks like an original but with all the functionality of modern day plumbing.

LAYERING IN THE details

The bathroom vanity is one of my favorite parts of the bathroom! Its warmth and texture is exactly what the space needed! A marble countertop ties into the other finishes, the brass faucet with porcelain handles echoes the details found throughout the home, and the cane detail is hands down just my favorite thing. Plus we were able to incorporate the same detail downstairs with the kitchen stools! Touches of brass throughout provide a subtle yet impactful layer of charm in the bathroom, and the room just wouldn’t be the same without it!

This project was just so good. Despite navigating the challenges of job site shut downs in the middle of Covid, we persevered with patience, knowing it would all be worth the wait in the end.

Make sure to check out the before images here as well as the progress. It’s always fun to see that transformation! You can also watch the final video reveal here. As always, if you like what you see and have a project of your own that you would like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you! Check out our services and let’s chat!