Fireplace Design

Remember those photos I posted a while back of the hand drafted fireplace designs?

Check out the finished product....

6 Intersecting hearths and mantles fabricated from quartz makes for quite the stunning piece.  At first glance it may look simple but took countless efforts by myself, stone installers, tile installers, fireplace mechanics, wall covering installers, quartz fabricators and framers to make this gem possible!

Photo from D & L Magazine - September 2016

Modern Lake Living

Who says being out at the lake needs to be a rustic experience? Check out this home designed with a modern eye yet filled with warmth. Although, I didn't need to add a whole ton of warmth in the design because there are plenty of family gatherings and little ones that keep this place toasty!

You would never guess but this was actually a renovation!  The existing lake home was gutted and renovated and a new addition was added to house a new bathroom and guest bedrooms.  Heated floors were put in the addition since it was slab on grade so the floors would feel similar going from a heated basement in the original space to the new slab.

My favorite part of the space: The dining nook!

Granite tops, tile splash, maple cabinetry & stainless hardware all paired together for a clean look.

I think less is more in shower designs.  Porcelain tile can be beautiful all on its own without too many other frills going on.  In this shower I added a simple espresso glass accent running along the walls which also ties in the master vanity splash.

Love sleek and simple hardware - the perfect way to dress up slab drawer fronts.

A lot of planning goes into vanity configurations like this one.  Making sure that all cabinet heights, widths and depths will play nice together once installed is a challenge but one that is welcomed!

Beautiful!

Kitchen Renovation!

Wow! It has been a while since I have posted - that's what happens when things get crazy in the design world and in life! My clients are always my priority and that means that often my blog comes second.  My family and I also welcomed another little one into the world this spring so here I am making up time and getting all of my projects out here for you to see! Check out these photos of a kitchen renovation recently completed.  It has some of my favorite things in my design life - subway tile, herringbone patterns, walnut floors, stained glass and white cabinetry!

This renovation was done with family living in mind.  We had to make sure we had storage and seating space for a family of six.  This meant keeping the existing corner pantry and adding floor to ceiling cabinetry storage in the kitchen with pocket doors to hide items away from little ones that needed to sit on the counter.  Custom storage was also created in the mud room for each kiddo to store their seasonal outerwear! The cabinetry has a glazing on it to help hid residue from 40 little sticky fingers.

Its all about the little details - even in large renovations!  We added new trim, doors, handles, casing and so many other little elements that are often taken for granted.

Custom reclaimed whitewashed barn wood was used for the back of the piano room wall and to scale the front entry.  We also used reclaimed wood above the kitchen island and for the new fireplace mantle to tie all of the spaces together.  The guitar cabinet is custom made to fit the musical works of art and is also humidified for proper storage.

The bathroom also was renovated with new cabinetry, quartz tops and flooring. Not to mention paint, lighting, plumbing, trim, doors and all the other details that were incorporated.  A little trick of mine with little ones - especially boys - sculpted vinyl base for the floor base instead of painted wood - much easier maintenance! ;)

Here's a few other fine details we incorporated - also notice the custom stained glass piece above the pantry door - a labor of love. :)

Model Selections

It seems to be model home season! Currently I am working on model homes for a few builders that I work with.  Check out the finishes that may possibly end up in one of the latest ones I have been working on.  It seems that opaque finishes on cabinetry are all the rage and I have to agree - they are awesome! By opaque, I mean painted finishes.  White painted cabinetry adds a crisp, light and elegant feeling to any space.  I just love the contrast between the deep gray flooring and hardware against the crisp white cabinetry and marble.

Another day of drafting...

Lately many of my projects seem to be in the framing stage - which means ensuring that all is well in the framing world and that everything getting framed up correctly.  Typically this leads to drafting out finals for custom pieces in the home - which is what I am doing today for one of my builders. These are for a custom fireplace design - I can't take all the credit as my client had a great source of inspiration but can't wait to see the completed product. We don't have CAD drafting so it is back to my old tricks with scales & triangles. Yes my fingers hurt and my brain is fried but it is going to look GORGEOUS and that's what counts! ;)

The Nitty Gritty

Being a designer is rarely about picking out the perfect color.  Today is all about focusing on the details to get a few projects signed off on and rolling.  A day of technical drawings, specifications, and details & notes galore!  Each space I work on shifts between a focus on style and color to  a focus on function, budget, correct applications of materials, technical drawings, and detailing out every little piece in order to be ready for the next step -  a final site measure and ordering!

Small Spaces

Small spaces are the most fun to work with - like I have said before powder rooms are one of my favorite spots to put my touch on!  My other favorite is a bar - take a peek at this bar we just finished for a parade home in Fargo for Qin Construction. 

This home was designed to have a modern feel and for the basement to feel light and bright even though you are in the lower level.  A space was needed for both entertaining and light snack and beverage preparation.

Cabinetry is by our Décor cabinetry line which is a frameless construction that lends itself beautiful towards modern design since it has clean, crisp, tight lines without a face frame.  A large scale subway tile adds a little bit of a classic twist in a modern size.  A floating shelf adds a spot for a little décor or display of liquor bottles. 

As always, I think that lighting is a major player in any design - notice the layers of light in this space.  Natural light from the window, ambient light from the recessed lighting, accent lighting over the island in form of pendants and in the upper glass cabinets (which lift up by the way - love!).