renovation Archives - Page 2 of 4

June 12, 2020June 6, 2020

Park Residence: “Before”

I can’t wait to share this first post about our Park Residence project, as it’s a special one! Shortly after the very first consultation for this home, the client messaged me and had discovered we were related. Small world, right? But it gets even crazier — the client’s home had been in the family for some time. In the past, it was actually my great grandmother’s home! These clients are already the sweetest people in the world. But this news was just a cherry on top for me. What serendipity! And what an amazing honor to both work for them and bring new life to a historic family home!

This renovation project consists of the main spaces of the home — opening up the wall between the dining room and kitchen and updating both spaces, adjusting traffic flow for the stairs to the basement and refreshing the stairs to the upper level, reconfiguring and updating the laundry room, and changing the upstairs bathroom to incorporate a shower and get a better use of space despite the difficult ceiling angles. Ready for a tour?

THE KITCHEN WITH A LOT OF DOORS

This kitchen had been refreshed several times over it’s lifetime. However, the root of all of it’s problems was never solved. Despite having a great amount of square footage, it could not be used to it’s fullest potential because it lacked wall space. Specifically, the wall space was taken up by circulation paths and doors! The door on the left is the clients’ primary entrance to the home. It goes through the laundry room and then to the home’s exterior and garage area. The door on the right goes to the basement, which is only used for storage.

“Floating” appliances, like the range in this kitchen, is always a pet peeve of mine. The refrigerator also blocks a good amount of the door on the left, which is a major circulation path. In addition, the clients’ main complaints included lack of storage and lack of counter/prep space.

A WELCOMING LAUNDRY ROOM

The current laundry room had a big role to fulfill to provide many functions. On top of laundry, it held an original utility sink, it had kitchen/pantry overflow, and it was the main entrance for the homeowners from the garage. However, a catch-all isn’t the most desirable thing to walk into for the first impression of your own home.

Our goal for this space was to simplify the layout, add storage, and make it feel as special as the rest of the home’s updates. In order to improve the layout, we would need to remove an unused chimney from the corner. This would provide us JUST enough space to move the doorway. Going through the doorway, you would no longer be directed right into the side of the impeding refrigerator.

BREAKFAST NOOK AND DINING ROOM

Within the kitchen was also a breakfast nook, which wasn’t essential to keep. We also planned to remove the wall between the dining room and kitchen for a better connection during family gatherings.

In the left picture, the door on the left leads to the staircase and only bathroom on the main floor. We wanted to reconfigure the stairs so that: (1) the door to the basement stairs would be moved out of the kitchen; (2) the staircase as a whole would be more open and inviting; (3) I personally felt this would make the bathroom feel more accessible by guests.

a future master bathroom

This bathroom space had charming architecture, but made quite the fuss when it came to head space. Ceiling slopes in every direction limited what functions could take place in each part of the room. The clients had hoped for this to be part of a future master suite, so incorporating a shower was an absolute must. How did we solve this problem? You’ll have to check back for our progress post! If you happen to know one of my favorite tricks for bathroom space planning, you’ll know exactly what I did!

How cute are some of these details? I personally fell in love with the window situation in this room! We also wanted to refurbish the tub — some of these details were very important in preserving the home’s history.

progress despite delays

After some delays due to Covid-19 restrictions, this home is finally approaching it’s time for a progress update post! Cabinets were installed this last week, and things will start looking like a home again very soon. Stay tuned while I pull together all the exciting details to share!

If you have a project you’d like to discuss, feel free to contact me or book an appointment! I’d love to chat and see how I can help!

May 6, 2020September 7, 2020

Pittsburg Residence: Progress Update

adding a vaulted ceiling in home renovation

I know so many of you have likely followed this project’s progress over on Instagram for the past 6+ months! Week by week I have shared little glimpses on our stories about the updates that happened. But now, it’s time to put them all together so you can see the evolution of this project all at once! In case you want to peek at the before photos first, you can find the blog post here.

Stepping Back in Time

There were many cosmetic updates needed ranging from removing wallpaper, window treatments, thick squishy carpet, and outdated plumbing and lighting. Everything was removed down to the studs so we could update as well as make those critical changes to the floor plan.

Gutting for Functionality

It’s not uncommon for us to design new electrical plans to provide more lighting or better serve a renovated floor plan. Beyond electrical work, this home also had plumbing and HVAC updates. A large amount of mechanical changes were made to better heat and cool the house. For this reason, it felt like a long process before walls could get insulation and closed back up.

Project Goals

One of the goals for the project included raising the ceiling in the main areas to create a spacious environment. Along with this, enhancing natural light from the existing windows and adding more light through the use of skylights. We would also achieve this by removing the central wall between the kitchen and living room allowing the light to filter through the main space.

Closing Up the Walls

We worked “behind the walls” for so long on functional issues (HVAC, etc.) that it felt like a huge step to get things drywalled and painted! Subfloors were then evened out, main finishes were installed (engineered wood and new brick fireplace), and bathrooms were waterproofed.

stacked brick layout for fireplace surround

Aesthetic Plan

Aesthetically, the goal was to honor the home’s midcentury roots while using a timeless, natural palette that felt elevated yet comfortable. We used A LOT of tile in this home, so it was extra important to use finishes that felt warm and earthy.

It was really exciting to incorporate cedar throughout the main space! It tied in beautifully with the white oak engineered floors, and warmed up the room so much!

Room for Drama

We had a few plans for bringing some contrast in, such as the black framed Andersen windows and the black brick fireplace. I was THRILLED when the clients were willing to take the leap into a several other moody focal points! Time and time again, I’ve learned that stepping outside of your comfort zone brings the best results. They always end up to be my favorite spaces. So without further ado, I bring you…black tile walls, and black cabinets.

Other Design Details

I’m totally in love with the doors in this home. We really had to push to get these interior doors because they had a pretty long lead time. But my goodness were they worth the wait! Sometimes standard just won’t do! The front door is another favorite and while it’s GORGEOUS in it’s natural state, we’ll be staining it with a walnut finish. This will match some of the other walnut details we have throughout the home’s cabinetry.

One other little special spot in the home is the small half bathroom right off of the mudroom and kitchen. We went with a grey tile with the slightest green undertone. There are some other fun details happening in this little space and it will certainly pack a punch.

We are starting to finalize the exterior details as well. It was a special surprise to show up for a site visit and see the cedar soffits already installed! I’m loving them! The exterior and landscaping has barely begun though. Thank goodness for this beautiful Spring weather so we can start working on the exterior and landscaping next!

The Final Push

We’re getting so much closer but there’s still a lot to be done! Many spaces I haven’t even shown you (ahem…just wait for the master closet!)! I can hardly wait to bring the last surprises over to the reveal.

Be sure to check back soon for the final reveal!

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

February 22, 2020April 3, 2020

Post Street Residence: Video Reveal

This video reveal finally was edited (a year after it was actually filmed haha – LIFE HAPPENS YOU GUYS!) and now it’s here! And sooo good! It was so much fun reminiscing on this fun project.

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 Part 1
Final Reveal Part 2
Styling Round Up

Enjoy!

February 20, 2020December 6, 2022

Helena Residence: Final Reveal

We have a fun reveal to share with you today! Would you believe this gorgeous bathroom is in a basement? Unexpected, right? This entire project focused on the renovation of a seriously dated 70’s style basement. While there were some major shortcomings with it’s “before” style (did you check out that post?) , there was no shortage of space. This project included overhauling 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a laundry room, and family room. The whole place now feels fresh, bright and fun, while nodding to it’s midcentury modern roots.

consistency is key

We wanted to keep this basement feeling as spacious as it actually was. To do that, it was important to use the same key materials as much as possible. As you look around the space and see a continuation of the same material, it reads as a continuation of the room. For all of the bedrooms, family room and hall, we used a white oak vinyl floor. Walnut was used on all of the main cabinetry. We carried the same wall color throughout, except for in the kids rooms. In each bathroom, we installed the same black hexagon tile floors. However, it was important for the bathrooms to have some differences while still being cohesive.

kids’ bathroom

The kids’ bathroom is of course my favorite. We wanted an elevated yet playful aesthetic, and the Fireclay diamond-shaped tile offered exactly what we needed. Besides the mirror and lighting, this tile was the only thing we changed to make the two bathrooms feel unique. I love how it looks with the black fixtures! Paired with a crisp white quartz counter, it keeps the space feeling calm and sophisticated.

Throughout the basement, we stuck with two metal finishes — matte black and satin brass. While there are lots of way to mix and match metals, our guide for this design was as follows: we paired satin brass hardware anywhere we had a walnut cabinet, and matte black was used for all plumbing fixtures. Beyond that, we had some flexibility for fun combinations, like the black and brass bubble lights over the mirrors.

How gorgeous is this view from their daughter’s room over to that bathroom!? I am totally in love with the softness of the blush pink wallpaper paired with the bold bathroom.

guest bathroom

The second bathroom would be the primary bathroom used when hanging in the family room, as well as for guests. We wanted a clean, bright look in here while keeping with the modern accents of walnut and black finishes. We made a few adjustments to the layout in order to achieve a much larger walk-in shower. The full glass enclosure keeps the space feeling airy and clean. With the new layout, we ended up with some unused corner space. We planned for walnut floating shelves to store towels, toiletries, and other items for guests to use as needed.

family room

The fireplace design is hands-down one of my favorite parts of this project. We knew exactly what we wanted, and while it took some trial and error to get the finish right (among other details), it’s now looking so stunning. The subtle variation of shades of black is imperfectly perfect and I love the high contrast to the custom walnut cabinets. The lines of the satin brass hardware on the cabinets are sleek and just as importantly, feel so great ergonomically, too. They are definitely ranked in my top three favorite hardware pieces I’ve ever used. And yes, I take mental notes of these things.

And that’s a wrap! Be sure to take a look at the “before” photos if you want a blast from the past, as well as some of our favorite milestones from construction in our progress post. 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

February 12, 2020September 7, 2020

Helena Residence: Progress Update

As I mentioned in the last post (with the before shots of this project), this project actually took place last summer! We wrapped up in the Fall and just last month got to go do some styling and photographs. All this to say, our “progress” blog post is a bit delayed here! While shuffling through my archived project folders on my computer, I counted over 20 projects (big and small) that have never seen the internet. So hey, on the bright side, we made it here today!

Over on Instagram, I’m consistently sharing story posts of site visit updates as they happen. It takes a bit more time to prepare the photographs for our blog, but it’s so fun to look back at projects on these posts to really see everything from start to end without the other distractions of social media. We’ve used this blog a bit like our project journal, and we hope you enjoy diving into the details of your favorite projects here.

demolition begins

The Helena Residence was pretty straightforward as far as demolition goes. We weren’t tearing apart tons of walls to change layouts, it was mostly just cosmetic changes. Some of the original finishes were so dated though that it really felt great to see those pulled away and have a fresh slate to work with.

The two bathrooms were probably the most labor intensive. They were fully gutted and one had some minor adjustments to the layout, which meant moving some plumbing around.

tile preparation & installation

It was nice to see the bathrooms start pulling back together with sheet rock and cement board. It’s always a good sign that finishes will be going in soon and the real transformation is going to begin.

shower with cement board under construction

I loved the transitions throughout the bathrooms. From the large black hex to the mini for the shower pan, and the large hex to the white oak vinyl, they were some beautiful pairs.

the arrival of cabinetry

When cabinets arrive, it’s a domino effect of good things. Counters can then get installed, along with backsplash, plumbing fixtures, lighting and hardware. These bathrooms started pulling together very quickly and it was an exciting time!

We also finally got to see the laundry room start to transform. It didn’t quite make sense to do the walnut cabinetry in the laundry room, so we went with a stocked grey color and paired it with black hardware. My favorite detail to plan was the waterfall drop in the counters for a very sleek detail. This change of height was necessary due to the taller height of the washing machine and dryer, but the lower height needed for comfort at the sink.

the fireplace transformation

One of the most satisfying parts was seeing the fireplace get cleaned up. The hearth on this thing was multi-layered and we had to pull it all out before we could frame over the brick. While many midcentury houses look incredible with painted brick fireplace surrounds, we wanted something much sleeker here. We went through a pretty extensive sampling process to get the look just right. And then more trial and error on the actual fireplace to make sure it had the perfect amount of variation (or lack thereof, which was difficult to achieve) for our clients.

This process was discouraging at times, sometimes to the point of questioning if we should just paint it. I’m so glad we held strong because the finished result is gorgeous. Custom walnut cabinets were added to the side for media storage as well as an area for games, toys, etc.

the final details

Mirrors, lights, hardware, and furnishings… these pull a space together and it’s always so exciting to watch the tiniest things make the biggest impact. I love hearing from clients about their experiences and reactions to their new environment. When I found out about the joy and twirling that happened when this little girl saw the wallpaper in her new bedroom, my heart just about exploded. Creating the backdrop of someone’s life where their memories will be made is the biggest honor.

Be sure to check back soon for the final reveal of this modern gem!

If you have a Spring or Summer project on your mind, be sure to contact me here! It’s time to start planning your design and booking a contractor to meet that timeline! You can contact me or book online here.

February 7, 2020April 27, 2020

Helena Residence: “Before”

We recently had the opportunity to return to a project that we finished last year to take some photos. While I’m so excited to share the final reveal, I never do so without showing where it all started. This is a gorgeous midcentury home that our clients had just acquired. We knew we were in for a real treat! You just never know what kind of gems you will find in an older home. Take a scroll down memory lane with us!

a wrongly placed farmhouse style

I say farmhouse, but honestly, I’m just not sure what happened here. When you first walk down the stairs to the basement, you are greeted with several chunky posts and beams, complete with mosaic tiled “shelves.” They were purely aesthetic, but just not an aesthetic that fit with the midcentury vibes the home longed to return to. The brick fireplace had so many layers and levels of design, it was quite busy and just a major beast. The storage next to it was obviously great and convenient but again did nothing for this major focal point opportunity. We were excited to tear it all out and design something bold yet clean here.

LAUNDRY ROOM GOALS

As you walk from the family room down the hall, you eventually run into the biggest blast from the past that I’ve ever seen. And I’m no stranger to original midcentury homes! In fact, it’s where my career all started when working in Denver. I imagine at one point, this was the most stylish laundry room and maybe the most fun for those who enjoyed hallucinogenics. It doesn’t take long in this space to feel like you may have taken a few yourself. The green and yellow on every surface was so overbearing. But seriously, I was in awe over it, in the worst possible way! We like to have fun with these kinds of situations.

bedrooms that are refreshingly boring

After seeing the laundry room, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect for the rest of the basement, as we were just getting started. To my surprise, the rest of the rooms were refreshingly boring and pretty darn easy to take care of with the remodel. With some new doors and trim, updated light fixtures, a lot of paint, and new windows, they’d be as good as new.

the half-done bathrooms

There were two bathrooms that would be gutted during this project. Both appeared to have been partially updated at some point. My favorite part of midcentury homes is guessing what color the plumbing fixtures will be and adding it to the long list of colored sinks, toilets, and tubs I’ve seen. I’m also thinking I should start a collection of wallpapers from these renovations! Unfortunately I’ve already missed out on tons of amazing opportunities for collecting these.

Anyway, the first bathroom had a very small shower stall, which was the biggest complaint for our clients. This is a guest bathroom that gets used very frequently, so they wanted it to be a more comfortable size. It was the only part in the basement that we needed to explore a different layout!

The next bathroom would be the kid’s bathroom; the perfect Jack & Jill suite and I wanted to make it extra special for them. Again, mostly just cosmetic changes would be needed. However, I did want to remove the partial wall to make the space feel a tad bigger.

I’ve been filtering through my project archives and it’s been so fun to look back at this project! It’s been almost a year from when I met these wonderful clients. I’m so excited to share the final reveal, but first keep an eye out for the progress post, coming soon!

If you have a Spring or Summer project on your mind, be sure to get in touch! It’s time to start planning your design and booking a contractor to meet that timeline! You can contact me or book online here.

December 16, 2019September 7, 2020

Pittsburg Residence: “Before”

Sprawling ranchers make for some of my favorite projects, and this one is no exception! Square footage is usually plentiful in these homes but often times they are so compartmentalized, it feels unusable. With strategic changes to the floor plan — opening walls and closing others, a flowing, functional footprint can be achieved. By the end of the project, it’s sometimes hard to remember how the house was ever any other way! If you’ve been following on Instagram, you will have seen the structural and spatial changes we’ve made for this home. It’s now time to give a proper tour of what this house looked like when it was first placed in our hands!

The Kitchen

The kitchen was probably the most updated space compared to the rest of the house. White cabinets with a pretty simple door style and those little polished brass knobs are not the worst thing. Even the flooring appeared to be updated! But as a whole, still pretty dated. For the longest time I thought it had wallpaper, until I looked a bit closer one day and realized the walls are all hand painted with the floral motifs! The window treatments throughout the house were very heavy, causing a lot of natural light to be lost.

spokane kitchen renovation before and after

My biggest issue with the kitchen was how closed off it was to the rest of the home. Families want to be able to cook and entertain and not feel isolated from their company. Thankfully this home was set up perfectly to allow for that with the removal of the main wall, but this would required structural adjustments.

Mudroom / laundry room

I was pretty excited about this space because it has a large footprint and it was perfectly located between the garage, powder room, and kitchen. You can’t really ask for better than that! We have exciting plans for laundry cabinets on one side, and more of a mudroom set up on the other.

The Den

Like the laundry room, this space really just needs cosmetic updates. The footprint is great and it has large windows! But I was very happy to see the paneling come off. It felt like a heavy weight was lifted from the room! The one tricky part about this room is a large opening to the dining room on the wall opposite of the fireplace. It created an interesting circulation path and restricted furniture placement.

After a lot of back and forth, I presented the option of closing in the large opening. There was a second opening on the side wall near the laundry room and kitchen. Since this was going to be a more private family space, it didn’t feel like a loss when we closed up the doorway. In fact, once this was done, it made both the den and the dining room feel so much better!

Dining & Living Room

The dining room and living room were initially separate spaces. The dining room had openings from three entry points on three separate walls, which made it feel more like a large hall. The plan was to remove the wall that separated it from the living room. This would provide a stronger connection to the living room as well as the kitchen.

The living room was a long space that despite a whole wall of windows, felt very boxed in. Even with a standard ceiling height, the ceiling felt low, especially with a tall client! At the end of the living room was a full brick wall with a fireplace. I liked that wall as a focal point, but the scale was all wrong. The height of the fireplace felt strange as well as all of the negative space on the wall. It definitely needed a change!

entry & hall

Again, the entry had the perfect amount of square footage. It was closed off just enough to create a nice feel! The photo below is a great shot, as the wall on the right is now completely gone and behind it is the kitchen. There was also a small opening from the entry into the kitchen which we closed up to better utilize wall space for the new kitchen layout.

main bath

The main bathroom off the hall is near all the bedrooms and had a whole lot of funk! I sort of loved this wallpaper! It was pretty damaged though and once we got through the design concept, we realized it just wasn’t going to work out.

BEDROOMS AND POWDER ROOM

All of the bedrooms had a different color of carpet. Every room had a different wallpaper. But each one had coordinated the colors so exact, like this green bedroom! The powder room is actually over by the laundry and kitchen, but was another example of the wallpaper selections matching cabinetry, tile, and more.

The bedroom below is the closest to the master suite. After working through the floor plans, the clients decided to take the leap into a larger master closet. So this bedroom will soon be a gorgeous walk-in closet with plenty of storage!

the master suite

Last stop in the tour is the master suite! Another day, another carpet. The bedroom is huge and the bathroom is as well! However, the bathroom was very choppy with the existing closets. Adding to this jumble was the vaulted ceiling in the bathroom, but the walls only being a partial height. This creates a lot of visual clutter especially when multiplied by all the walls in this space. This bathroom gets a ton of natural light though, so between that feature and the ceiling height, I was excited to get to work!

moving forward

This project has been under construction for a few months already and there is progress to share soon. I’m also planning to start sharing more of my design plans and concept work to the blog so you can watch these projects transform! If there is anything you’d like to know about the design process, let us know so we can be sure to include them in upcoming posts!

If you have a project you’d like to discuss, feel free to contact me or book an appointment! I’d love to chat and see how I can help!

June 15, 2019December 6, 2022

Post Street Residence: Final Reveal Part 2

Part two is here! After starting the first blog post, I felt like there was so much good stuff to share! I didn’t want to get too lengthy before getting to another amazing part of the house…the entry! So here’s part two, which reveals the Post Street Residence living room and entry space.

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

When first meeting these clients, we were primarily focused on the kitchen renovation. However a few things were going to be freshened up throughout the main floor, which included new hardwood flooring and a fresh coat of paint. We did a skim coat on the walls to make them smooth, and stuck with a pure white paint. They actually had this white on the walls before which I totally loved and knew it was still the right choice for their space. But we didn’t realize until we had started painting that some things had really yellowed over time, like the trim. So we painted everything! It feels soft and airy…their home has so much natural light and their new white oak flooring enhanced that even more. Just these two changes brightened up their entire living room and entry. It felt great before, but even better after!

FRESHENED UP FIREPLACE

We ended up doing a fresh coat of white paint on the fireplace brick, and we replaced the original tile hearth with a fun white chevron tile. It looked gorgeous with the transition to the white oak flooring! We went with a dark grout because this is a wood burning fireplace that the clients used often. It will still require some occasional cleaning, but the tile is a high gloss which will make this task a bit easier.

The other slight adjustment we did in the living room was add a few sconces to the piano wall. I loved these sconces from Rejuvenation because they kept with the brass finish we were using throughout, but the white shade helped them disappear a bit!

a custom pick for the floors

The shot below is also a great angle of the white oak flooring. Originally the clients had imagined a medium color stain. Once the unfinished white oak got installed, I just couldn’t get past it! It was incredible in their space. We went back and forth quite a bit on this, including lots of stain samples and lots of head spinning! The other stains were really pretty, too and still coordinated really well with the kitchen accents of natural white oak. But ultimately, I’m so very happy for the uniform choice! We ended up doing a custom stain by adding a touch of white to the finish because just using a sealer still pulled the orange from the oak. And we found the perfect way to use the darker stain we really liked by applying it to the new front door (revealed later in the post!).

the perfect entry

In that living room photo, you get a little glimpse of a cheerful little spot of the home…the front entry! Just about everyone goes back and forth on this and says how awesome the kitchen is. But this little entry…it’s just so special and memorable! This was an “add-on” to the original proposed project, but gosh this entry might be the thing that makes the home! On the right side there used to be a closet that went right up to the trim of the window. It really encroached on the floor space and the storage inside was less than functional. We decided to tear it out! I designed a custom built-in that would have a variety of storage options while still making the room feel bigger. Pulling the built-in back a bit also gave the unique window some “breathing room,” allowing it to take center stage!

P.S. here’s a good shot of the door with that gorgeous stain color!

whimsical wallpaper

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that wallpaper? Again, totally enhancing the shape of the window. It also was mostly neutral with a few pastel color pops. I showed the clients a few wallpaper options, all whimsical and with a bit of color. I was pretty excited with all of the options, but this one is just so fun! They loved it so much they decided to install some more in the playroom at the top of the stairs!

I loved the combination of the wallpaper with the bead board backing of the built-in. It was playful yet classic and was a great way to bring some fun into a charming older home. We added some classic hooks and brass knobs that matched the kitchen hardware to tie it all together with the rest of the home. And of course, a natural white oak bench to bring in that warmth and help pull things together as well.

the front door

In part one of this reveal, I talked about how we saw the home’s original character and found ways to tie into an updated renovation. Well, the front door hardware (similar one linked) was one of those details that I ran across something that was perfect. Brass of course to match the rest of the finishes. But the combination of the detail on the back plate with egg shape door knob felt like the right amount of “traditional” vibes but used in a fresh way.

By this point of selecting details, everything was just coming so easily. The clients were seeing the vision come together seamlessly and they were able to start trusting me even more to make decisions with less oversight. We were all in the groove and knew what was going to be the right choices. Such a good flow! The clients also did some shopping on their own and found the cutest white rope baskets with leather accents. They were so perfect and I fell in love too, I had to go buy some for myself! Score!

lessons for your renovation

I’m so in love with this entry, but really, the whole home is a perfect example of what occurs when a few important things happen in a renovation:

1. Trust / Value — I felt so thankful for clients who valued my opinion, trusted my expertise, and wanted to utilize that to the maximum extent. Having that trust allowed my creativity to flow so freely and they totally benefited from it!

2. Willingness to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone — When investing a ton of money into a renovation, it can be so easy to slip into a pattern of thinking small and safe. These clients had incredible style but just needed the reassurance that they weren’t totally messing up by going bold. We played a game quite often that (I hope) allowed them to start trusting their intuition. I would take the two difficult choices of any given decision and put one in each hand (on paper or as a mental note when paper wasn’t accessible). They would select a hand, and if the choice that was made for them felt like a letdown, then they had their answer of what the right choice was to ultimately go forward with.

3. Have Fun — This one comes pretty easily when I’ve got the right clients. I’m a down to earth, casual person, and I love what I do! I have fun on the job site and when I can have a relationship with a client that allows me to do silly games like the one previously mentioned or crack an occasional joke, it makes a stressful process such as a renovation become more enjoyable for everyone! When clients have faith that myself and the contractors will take care of everything, there is nothing left to worry about!

CHECK OUT THE REST!

If you didn’t get a chance to see part one, be sure to go back and read that! The video reveal is here. Make sure to also check out the before images as well as the progress…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!

SHOP THIS PROJECT

June 6, 2019December 6, 2022

Post Street Residence: Final Reveal Part 1

I was anxiously awaiting the return of the photographs from what could possibly be one of my favorite projects to date! But how can you really choose when each one is so different and all of your clients are kind of the best!? So hard!). It was just such a fun project where so many of my FAVORITE elements were combined into one space! I would get butterflies every time the next piece of the puzzle was installed. So without further ado, I present to you the final reveal of the Post Street Residence!

PICKING FAVORITES

I can’t even begin to pick a favorite space from this renovation! We’re just going to start in the kitchen, because that’s how this project started out. But guys, we just couldn’t stop there! So yes, let’s just start in the kitchen…because honestly, this reveal is going to need two parts. It’s just too good to cram into one blog post.

A MODERN YET TRADITIONAL STYLE

So basically, right here ^^^ is where the wall was. It separated the kitchen from the rest of the house, closing off opportunity to socialize, and for a young family — keep an eye on your kids in the next room. The original kitchen was actually in decent condition, “updated,” but in a very dark, traditional style. This client wanted something bright, fun, and a bit more modern while still keeping with the style and character of the home, which was built in 1936. We achieved this in a few ways. Our favorite being the inset style of cabinetry, in a muted green on-trend color, and modern brass hardware. It’s a rare (maybe even never before seen? I looked everywhere for an example!) combination to see inset cabinets with the minimal finger pull hardware, as the hardware is usually applied to the door and drawer fronts. But, I LOVED it!

KITCHEN FIXTURES

We also kept the faucet and light fixtures more modern, and all in the brass finish. It added the edginess we needed for the design, but also warmth which really played off the white oak flooring. And how sleek they looked with that white stacked tile backsplash!

THE BACKSPLASH

The backsplash was a fun element for this kitchen! With an open concept and open shelves, there was a large area that would be covered with tile. We knew white subway style was the direction we needed to keep things bright and neutral, but I’m just soooo over subway tile. This tile by Bedrosians is one I’ve been loving on for a while. When the client was describing the imperfections and even color variations they’d hope to see in their tile, I knew this would be the perfect match. This tile comes in a few different shapes, sizes, and colors, but this stacked look has to be my favorite. It brings that modern detail we needed versus a traditional offset installation. And it picked up the veining in the quartz counters beautifully! The whole finish palette for the kitchen is just a winning combination.

GREEN WITH ENVY

So, let’s talk about the green. The “trendy” green. Because this is always a discussion that we have to have with clients. And full disclosure, I’m in love with the green trend. I could tell my clients were, too. The trick was to get it to a muted enough version that it actually works as a neutral. This color is incredibly versatile and works with anything. It walks the line of working with modern or traditional styles, which was the underlying concept of this entire design.

BRINGING IN WOOD TONES

By going with a trendy color such as green, we needed to strike a balance with some timeless pieces. When working on the design, I envisioned having wood accents play a role in more than just the floating shelves. I expanded on that by including a floating bench at the end of the cabinetry. I also designed a custom pantry built-in around the refrigerator. All of these pieces would be made in the same natural white oak as the flooring to bring in a warm, classic look. It felt like a good minimalist approach but complemented their walnut furniture pieces so well!

APPLIANCES

Last, we can’t forget to mention trying out the GE Cafe appliance line! Particularly this double oven which still fit into their 30″ space!. I was so excited when the clients told me they had been researching this line. The white/gold combo would be perfect for their kitchen! I knew we needed to create the perfect hood for them to go with the white appliances. We started out thinking we would go with a white metal hood, but after some complications, we switched gears and I suggested plaster. I had never tried a plaster hood and I’ve been falling in love with them on Pinterest for some time. The idea was quickly approved, and we got to move forward on this stunning piece.

OPENING THE STAIRCASE

This last view is the perfect place to transition to the other adjustment we later made: the stairs and the laundry room. Because we were painting the walls and replacing the flooring throughout the main level, the choice needed to be made if the stairs would be painted as well and the treads replaced to match the oak. The choice was yes! But then we realized, if they are going to look so beautiful, shouldn’t we open them up to the rest of the home? They currently hid behind a door, and because of the age of the home, the stairs were very steep, making you hit your head on the top of the door frame as you come down the stairs. So we decided to open it all up from the front, and again, it was a choice that enhanced the rest of the home!

THE LAUNDRY ROOM

Next was the laundry room, which was a small space to begin with, but got a bit smaller when we reworked the kitchen. The original kitchen left a lot of floor space unused. When we took over an extra foot of the laundry room, we reclaimed a lot of that unused space in the kitchen. We were able to move the refrigerator down by the french doors, move the range to the left wall, and leave the sink and dishwasher where they were. It was the slightest adjustment but made an incredible difference. We were a little nervous about how much it would impact the laundry room, but we decided that it was going to be worth it to have the kitchen they desperately wanted. And in the end? The laundry room was hardly impacted and it still turned out dang gorgeous!

So that wraps up part one of the Post Street Reveal! If you thought that was good, you will be stunned when you see the rest of the house! In part two, I’ll be sharing the living room and my other favorite…the entry! You can also check out the video reveal here.

Make sure to check out the before images here as well as the progress…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!

SHOP THIS PROJECT

April 7, 2019September 14, 2019

Post Street Residence: Progress Update

The Post Street Residence is just waiting for its final touches and only weeks away from photography! So it’s overdue for us to share the progress of the project and all the transitions it went through over the last few months. If you haven’t seen the “before” photos or need a little reminder, you can find those here. These progress updates are always a great way to see things start to take shape, but even the most recent photos shared will look so different from the final photoshoot!

This project has been such a fun opportunity, and I’ve been so grateful to have clients that not only have incredible taste and so in sync with each other, but also are willing to try some things a little outside of their comfort zone (and reap the benefits of it, too, because ummm it’s looking stunning around here). I’m sad to see this one coming to a close! Time to walk down memory lane!

DEMOLITION & CLEANING UP

We started the whole project with a clean up of the walls, skim coating and painting, which took some time. Once we finally were able to get our hands dirty, the walls came down to open up the compartmentalized kitchen to the rest of the living spaces. I knew from the minute the renderings were complete that this project was going to be a winner, but seeing the first wall come down never fails to excite me.

Next was the flooring. Yes, we ripped out hardwood flooring. It was necessary. We also had to tear out several layers of tile, and linoleum, and plywood as these floors were installed one on top of another over time. Don’t worry, we replaced it with something so beautiful, it might be one of my favorite parts of the project. I haven’t decided!

This little entry nook pictured below was an add-on to the project, but I was so excited about it! There was a closet here which was great, but it was actually pretty restrictive in how the storage was used and the congestion it caused in the entry. Tearing out the closet enhanced this little window so much, and the custom built-ins designed to better serve the family’s storage needs is so cute (wait for the photos later in this post!).

NEW FLOORING ARRIVES

Here’s what we chose for the floors though…

Gorgeous white oak! The clients originally planned on a medium stain color, so we tried several samples and REALLY went back and forth on it. It was a tough choice, but ultimately, we settled on a natural finish (my personal favorite, so light and airy!). We did have to add a bit of a custom stain option using white to keep it feeling bright versus turning orange with the sealer.

From this point, things moved fast. It always feels like the first half of the project is demolition. Waiting for plumbing, electrical, walls to get closed back up…it’s time consuming. And then in a matter of weeks, everything starts flowing in and your space is nearly complete. Don’t be fooled though, the final details takes a good chunk of time, too!

THE KITCHEN COMES TOGETHER

Cabinets and counters got installed pretty quickly and I had been waiting for this moment forever! The dark green inset cabinets were absolutely perfect, paired with several white oak details…a custom pantry/refrigerator surround, floating shelves and a bench (some which won’t be revealed until the final photos!).

HARDWARE & COUNTERS

Cabinet hardware started getting installed right away and I’m kind of impressed with myself here. Have you ever seen inset cabinets paired with a modern finger pull? I haven’t and in one moment, I panicked and questioned if this was a good idea. It was SUCH a good idea. I absolutely love this combination that pairs the charm of inset cabinets with a modern, sleek, brass finger pull. You saw it here first, OKAY!? (And if not, just roll with it).

And a little sneak peek at the quartz counters but it doesn’t even begin to reveal the beauty hidden under the protective covers. Scroll on down to see it!

Is that quartz beautiful or what? This gorgeous selection has a crisp white color to it, but the veining has grey and even a little brown on the edge. It makes it versatile for so many palettes! The plaster hood was a fun new thing for me to try, and I absolutely love how it turned out. I see more of these in my future!

LITTLE DETAILS & TILE

Below are two spaces I haven’t shown much of, but are turning out so great! The first photo is at the end of one side of the kitchen and next to the back door. It will have a floating white oak bench, which will be great for removing shoes when entering from the back door! The next is the new tile hearth, which looks so stunning next to the white oak floors. I love this detail!

A NEW ENTRY

Last but not least, coming back to the entry nook…

This piece will always hold a special place in my heart. I love custom built-ins. I love designing them! This little space got a huge facelift and once it’s done, it’s going to be such a highlight of the home! This is the result of designer + contractor team talent. I’ve mentioned it in previous posts, but I cherish my contractor for building the most beautiful things. Whatever I come up with, he makes it work. Incredible craftsmanship.

Just a few weeks left and I’ll be sharing the final reveal of this home! Let me know what you are most excited to see, and if there’s anything you are dying to know about this project!

If you have a Spring or Summer project on your mind, be sure to contact me here! It’s time to start planning your design and booking with a contractor to meet that timeline! You can contact me or book online here.

THE KITCHEN WITH A LOT OF DOORS

A WELCOMING LAUNDRY ROOM

BREAKFAST NOOK AND DINING ROOM

a future master bathroom

progress despite delays

Stepping Back in Time

Gutting for Functionality

Project Goals

Closing Up the Walls

Aesthetic Plan

Room for Drama

Other Design Details

The Final Push

consistency is key

kids’ bathroom

guest bathroom

family room

demolition begins

tile preparation & installation

the arrival of cabinetry

the fireplace transformation

the final details

a wrongly placed farmhouse style

LAUNDRY ROOM GOALS

bedrooms that are refreshingly boring

the half-done bathrooms

The Kitchen

Mudroom / laundry room

The Den

Dining & Living Room

entry & hall

main bath

BEDROOMS AND POWDER ROOM

the master suite

moving forward

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

FRESHENED UP FIREPLACE

a custom pick for the floors

the perfect entry

whimsical wallpaper

the front door

lessons for your renovation

CHECK OUT THE REST!

PICKING FAVORITES

A MODERN YET TRADITIONAL STYLE

KITCHEN FIXTURES

THE BACKSPLASH

GREEN WITH ENVY

BRINGING IN WOOD TONES

APPLIANCES

OPENING THE STAIRCASE

THE LAUNDRY ROOM

DEMOLITION & CLEANING UP

NEW FLOORING ARRIVES

THE KITCHEN COMES TOGETHER

HARDWARE & COUNTERS

LITTLE DETAILS & TILE

A NEW ENTRY

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