Throw Back

This post is a throw back to a project I finished a couple years ago but is just so timeless that I feel it can still be shared!  If there is one space that I LOVE to work on it is a powder room! 

The reasons:
-You aren't in there often so you can do something fun and you won't get tired of it
-Your guests use it so it is the perfect place to show off a little bit
-The space is small so unique finishes that might be cost prohibitive in larger space can be used

 

For this lovely little space we used lighting to really take the space up a notch.  Crystal pendants were selected that cast an incredible faux finish onto the walls and emit just enough light for the powder room to be usable but still make a statement with mood lighting.  Quartz tops and a stunning hammered nickel sink are the finishing touches along with a uniquely shaped mirror.  Still one of my favorite spaces.

 



Make the Old NEW

This is a project that I have pulled out of my archives (am I old enough to have "archives" yet!?).  Anyways....this was a simple little country bathroom that needed a new tub/shower & vanity.

My clients had an old dresser that they wanted to use as a vanity - which I thought was such an awesome idea - we cut it out and inserted the sink into it - the best part - the drawers are still used for storage below - existing handles and all!  A few pebbles in the bottom for a spa feel and...complete!  A furniture piece vanity, a family piece saved & a beautiful outcome!

For the shower we used a travertine high definition printed to look like marble adorned with a custom marble & glass decorative piece that I designed.  Marble chair rails frame in a glass  marble decorative accent piece for a creative custom piece that adds just the right amount of detail to compliment the surrounding tile.

Powder fixtures and brushed nickel accessories surrounded by neutral paint complete the soft country blue bathroom my clients desired - so adorable!!

Simple Changes Can Make a Big Difference!

I am here to tell you today that you do not need to completely gut and re-arrange a space to give it an updated look.  Although many of the photos you have seen on this blog have been drastically renovated a large fraction of the projects I work on are not as invasive.

The photos below show a bathroom in which I made very simple changes in order to create the look of a brand new space. 

The existing bathroom had oak cabinetry in a dated design (where the sink cabinet is set back), gold fixtures, sheet vinyl flooring & the clients really wanted to add a new color scheme to the space. 

I used some of the most cost-effective and simple tricks in my book to make a big difference with minimal construction.  We swaped out to existing vanity with a new one with a more modern look to it along with new laminate tops with a textured finish.  We also took down the old plate glass mirror and had it cut down and framed to coordinate with the new vanity.  A crisp white sink creates contrast and the modern square shape really brings this bathroom up to date.  Brushed nickel fixtures were added to coordinate with the updates we did the previous year in the kitchen.  You can never go wrong with a fresh coat of paint!!  We used a dark color to contrast with the other materials in the space and add a punch of color - the beautiful thing about it is to create a completely different look in the future they can just swap out the color.  Vinyl tile flooring was the final piece to be changed - it gives a realistic tile look with less cost and construction while also being warmer and softer on feet!

 

 

You can make some of these simple changes in your home too in order to revolutionize your space with minimal construction and within a reasonable budget.  Here are some ideas:

-Freshen up your space with a new coat of paint
-Swap out a dated sink with a fun shape & new fixtures
-Try a new laminate top to update your counter - textured finishes and 100's of colors are available
-Luxury vinyl tile is a great tile alternative - it can typically go over your existing flooring resulting in less demolition
-Swaping out your vanity cabinet - you can even do a different style or finish than the rest of your home to create a unique look for that space
-Swap out your cabinetry hardware - a small change that makes a HUGE difference

Contractor: Dan Savageau Construction
Cabinetry: Merillat Cabinetry by Floor to Ceiling
Flooring: Armstrong Vinyl Tile by Floor to Ceiling
Fixtures: Northern Plumbing Fargo
Top: Wilsonart HD Laminate
Lighting: The Lighthouse Fargo

More next time...

Lesson 1: Quarter Sawn Oak

I would have to say that one of my favorite wood species is quarter sawn oak.  MMmmmm...it always looks gorgeous and beautiful!

It creates a feeling of warmth within any home and always seems to have a sense of history.  In the above bathroom I used quarter sawn oak to create a Arts & Crafts style bathroom.  I paired it with a stunning granite top, oil rubbed bronze fixtures and to complete the look a stone & glass backsplash that spills out around the mirror. 

What is quarter sawn oak?

Oak and quarter sawn oak are the same wood species but the difference is in the way that they are cut from the log.  Quarter sawn oak is cut at a 90 degree angle from the growth rings.  The chart below shows how they determine the cuts that will come from the log.  Quarter sawn oak is typically an upgrade because it is less efficient to cut the wood comparted to a standard sawn material and there is more waste when you cut the log as shown below.  Quarter sawn oak is famous for it's warm feel, silver graining (the little white streaks) and ability to stain beautifuly. 

www.workshopcompanion.com

The photo below from my cabinet line, Omega Cabinetry shows the graning typical of a quarter sawn oak.  As you can see it stains beautifully and has a warm & rich look to it.

Here are a few more photos of the above bathroom I designed using the quarter sawn oak.

Bathroom vanity & linen.  You can also see the new shower in the background.

Vanity sink & shower

A hand held shower is an option to consider in a custom shower.  Becuase it can detach the shower head can make it extermely easy to clean the shower as you can just spray down the entire space.



Dan Savageau was the contractor on this job and did an AMAZING job with the doors!  Check out the awesome details the incorporated.

I enjoy incorporating small details into my designs!  It is the little things that count and can make a huge difference in the overall completed space such as this tile border that wraps around the room.

Custom Details Make The Difference!

Check out these awesome custom stain glass panels I designed for a client! My clients wanted a custom piece in their kitchen that would reflect their contemporary style that was blended with warm wood tones and unique pieces of furniture throughout their home.

My clients LOVED bright fun colors such as lime green which became the inspiration for the color scheme! We decided on an Onyx stone backsplash and used that as our base for the stain glass colors pulling out rich gold, green, and white colors found in the gorgeous stone.

After drawing up plans I had the stain glass panels custom made for each cabinet and they were the last finishing touch on this kitchen renovation.  New stainless appliances, custom black painted accent moldings, custom cherry cabinets and a streamline Corian Witch Hazel top rounded out this kitchen to create a contemporary but warm space for the family to enjoy.

Bath Design

Gosh it has been a while! This spring has been crazy! Between the Fargo & Moorhead areas booming with new construction and remodeling and being in Chicago for the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show I need to catch up on my blogging. I have so many projects to post it is hard to decide which to share with you next!

This bathroom is one that I had a blast working on.... although thinking back...I have a great time working with all of my clients on their projects! When I first walked into this bathroom I noticed that it had great bones to work with but needed a face lift. The client’s intentions were not to tear out the entire space but to keep the pieces that still really worked for them. Any time that I can save pieces in a space I am happy to - it saves my client cost, gives us a piece to start with and work around and best of all - keeps materials out of landfills! The pieces that we saved include the cabinetry & tub; which were the largest items in the space.

The design concept and goal for this space was to create a spa feeling while keeping the space warm and using 2 colors that my client favored - rust & teal. We decided to keep the existing vanities however swapped the tops for a stunning rust color of Cambria quartz. We also switched out the existing chrome fixtures for oil rubbed bronze. To give each vanity a bit more of a furniture piece look sconces were added to each side of the new mirrors (stained to match the existing cabinetry).

The item that made the biggest difference in this space.....tile! We tore out white tile with navy blue accents and opted for a much more luxurious and warm stone look in a porcelain tile. To bring my clients color scheme full circle a handmade glass mosaic from Oceanside Glass was selected to extend around the room to tie the space together. We framed the beautiful mosaic in with hand crafted glass liners from Oceanside Glass. In the shower a pebble floor was used to achieve a spa feeling however we selected flat pebbles so there is not as much texture to the floor.

A light soft teal paint brought color into the space and was the perfect finishing touch to round out the space. Of course we added fun accessories to match such as oil rubbed bronze towel bars, Corian accessories in the shower & rich heavy oil rubbed bronze hardware for the cabinetry.

Project Details:

Interior Designer: Sarah Brown

Contractor: Dan Savageau Construction

Countertops: Cambria

Tile: Dal Tile

Accents: Oceanside Glass

Accessory Finish: Oil Rubbed Bronze

A New Bathroom

I completed this project several months ago in Fargo and had a blast designing this with my customer.  It is a renovation of an existing bathroom.  The goal for this project was to create a space with a relaxing, revitalizing & peaceful feel to it.  My client just loved painted cabinetry and wanted to use a painted cabinet in a fun color to create a unique look for the space.  We chose a teal cabinet which was neither too bright or too dull but just perfect to stand out just enough.

We used brushed nickel for all of the fixtures to match what is existing through the rest of the home as well as to brighten up the space in order to not have too much dark contrast to get the desired look and feel my client wanted. 

Beautiful hand made backsplash tile fills in between the 2 upper storage cabinets.  The tile sparkles when the light from the vanity shines on it and adds a touch of luxuriousness to the space. 



A quartz top with a crisp white under mount sink divides the upper and lower cabinets while providing a work surface for getting ready in the morning and storing items.  We selected a fun sink that was a bit different shape, as it bows out in the center.

The bath was tiled in a high definition ink jet printed porcelain tile.  The tile is stunning in person and resembles a vein cut travertine.  I designed a custom mural which is framed in above the tub.  My client did not want a piece of art work in the bath so we designed this custom piece as a built in piece of artwork.  It is composed of fired glazed crackle tile which also extends as a decorative border around the rest of the room & throught the custom walk-in shower.

The finishing touch in this bath was the rain glass frameless shower door.  It is absolutely beautiful and catches your eye immediately when you enter the room becuase of how it catches the light.  See below for a list of material information for this project.

Contractor: Dan Savageau Construction

Interior Designer: Sarah Brown

Cabinetry: Decor Frameless Cabinetry from Floor to Ceiling in Fargo

Top: Cambria Quartz

Glass: Rain - Frameless

Tile: Jeffrey Court, Oceanside Glass & Ira



A New Bath...

As an interior designer I work on all spaces of a home or business but one of the most challenging is always a bathroom.  They are typically small spaces but need to fit a lot of items and serve many functions.

A few months ago I worked on a bathroom renovation for a wonderful family.  The design was to stay traditional and blend into their home but dramatically update their bathroom.  Materials were chosen that kept within those boundaries but still allowed them to have a little fun by adding glass and some detailed plumbing fixtures.  Another key element was a sitting area for getting ready in the morning.

Granite was selected as a countertop material and rich dark alder for the cabinetry.  Oil rubbed bronze & Venetian bronze were selected for all of the fixtures and bath accessories.

A procelain tile was used that resembled a natural stone which meant a rich look but low maintenace as it does not need to be sealed to keep water from penetrating it.  Glass was utilized as an accent in the shower and around the tub and frameless glass created a rich, open and crisp space.

A bench was put in the entry corner along with the shower controls so that the shower could be turned on immediately when entering the shower - no need to get sprayed with icy cold water while leaning all of the way in the turn it on like a standard shower.

A hand held shower is such a nice add-on to put into a shower because it provides a means of easy cleaning.  Instead of scrubbing down your shower walls you can spray them down easily to clean them. 

I am so thrilled with how this bath turned out.  It is a relaxing place for the family to get ready in the morning and met all of the needs that they came to me with.  See below for a list of materials used in this project.

Tile: DalTile

Countertops: Granite

Cabinetry: Alder

Hardware & Fixtures: Venetian Bronze

Shower Accessories: Corian

Contractor: Dan Savageau

Finishes & Installation: Floor to Ceiling