Reinventing a Colonial, with a Few Compromises

This week I got an email from an eager client. She and her husband decided to stay put in their "starter home"—a colonial typical of many around here—rather than move, and they are looking for ways to reinvent their space.

This is my favorite type of project. I not only love this, I LIVE this. I couldn't wait to see the space and discuss the details.

The home is charming, but some rooms are too open (no true foyer) and some are too closed (the large dining room is closed off from the kitchen). Without making structural changes (otherwise I'd call in an architect) how could we shift the space to work?

We spent a few hours together, and discussed some compromises that might need to be made.
On the wish list:

• Renovating the kitchen top to bottom and creating an opening in the wall between kitchen and dining room to create a casual dining bar. The large dining room is under utilized. There will be plenty of space in this room to hang a flat screen television and have a cozy sectional to create a fully functional great room for this family of four. In the kitchen, the awkward location of the refrigerator, blocking the entry, will shift to a small dining alcove, where cabinetry and additional counter space will allow storage for small appliances and a snack prep zone for the kids. The new kitchen design will have plenty of counter space on each side of the stove, with ample storage in a full height cabinet (where the old refrigerator was). The sink will shift under a window, with a dishwasher adjacent. There is even enough space for a bank of drawers  and upper cabinets on this wall, making it easy to unload the dishwasher.
A compromise? A south facing window in the alcove will need to be closed, and it was determined there is not sufficient space for a laundry room in this space as well.

• Turning an enclosed rear porch (now used as an office) into a jewel box of a formal dining room. Sliding doors (replace 1950's era windows) will lead to a deck the couple already planned on building and increase the southern exposure, bringing more light into the space. The cozy room (9x13) fits the couple's narrow, rustic table perfectly. With dramatic dark colors, new trim to match the original trim (instead of builder's grade cove moulding) and a sparkly chandelier, this space will be wonderful for intimate dinner parties. A mirror hanging in the existing dining room will reflect the setting sun.
A compromise? The entry to the powder room is in this space, but moving it would either leave the entry in the kitchen or mean the entire powder room needs to be redone. The door will be replaced with a mirrored french door. It's location is ideal for the family, and when entertaining, guests can be directed to the upstairs bath.

• Turning a tiny sunroom in the front of the house into an enclosed office off the formal living room. All that's needed to do here is to reframe a curved archway (this detail is not seen elsewhere) and add french doors to allow light in but create a distinct divide between the two rooms. The homeowner's own office furniture can be reused here, or low wood bookcases and a wood counter can be built in under the windows, budget permitting. The only compromise here is not having this space to store tons of toys!

• Reconfiguring the formal living room, whether simply with new furniture and floor plan changes or by adding a wall to divide the large open space to create a true entry. A compromise here might just be budgetary.

I am working on the proposal for the homeowner to discuss with her husband. This will give them a starting point when they meet with contractors to bid on the project. Once they determine what they can do, we will start the fun stuff, picking out colors, furnishings and finishes.

Selecting finishes for a classic, elegant master bath

Back in the summer, I helped my client JD do a plan for her master bathroom. She had a good idea of what she wanted, but she needed a way to present it to potential contractors. Well, present it she did! I think JD met with about ten contractors, and she was thrilled to be able to show them my virtual mock up to give them a visual of what she wanted. Unfortunately, it took that many meetings to find the right guy for the job. At least now she is confident with her choice and demo will be underway soon.

Last week, we went tile shopping in preparation for her to meet with the tile setter. She knew she wanted cararra, so that made my job pretty easy. We found a beautiful basketweave mosaic for inside the shower, and to keep the rest of the bathroom clean looking, we decided to do honed cararra in a 12x12 size, set in a running bond pattern. In addition, JD decided she would like to have chair rail height paneling in the bathroom, to tie this space in with other areas of her stately home.


JD asked if I could present her with another virtual mock up for the tile guy. Sure! The meeting was changed from later in the week to TODAY, and I was able to execute the mock ups just in time.


Here's hoping the demo goes smoothly. Next we shop for the rest of the bathroom!

Upscale Classic Master Bath for a Stately Home

JD contacted me about her master bathroom. She had lots of ideas and tear sheets, but needs a clear, concise way to present this information to potential contractors. We met at her beautiful, stately home where I could appreciate her aesthetic sensibility. She wants her bathroom to be upscale classic—carrara marble, soft gray-green walls, a large custom vanity, painted white or cream and a spacious shower with bench. What she doesn't want or need in this bathroom is a large soaking tub, double sinks—oh—and NO subway tile!

Working with the room's dimensions, photos of the existing space and some tear sheets, I make a "virtual room" board JD can present to contractors. It has a simple layout, an illustration of the vanity and an image that best illustrates the overall style of the room. Now, before we spend time shopping for fixtures, JD can meet with contractors and be able to present them with a visual to get some estimates. A nominal cost, but it will be really helpful for her to explain what she is looking for in her master bath.

Teen Space and Visual Storage for a Creative Kid

M wants my help in organizing and redecorating her room. M collects vintage shoes, has several animal tanks and is very visual. Her room, like many teenagers' rooms, is a mess! Storage is lacking, for sure. The first thing her mom asked me about was a new dresser. I opened the closet, and there is one garment hanging, a small old dresser stuck in there and no shelf space. There is another larger dresser in the room. Rather than another dresser, I suggest we redo the closet so M can see her clothes. The closet is typical of an older home, just under four feet wide, but with more shelf space, enough storage for  at least ten pairs of shoes, and hanging for the few party dresses M has now and might have over the next few years, and room for a few laundry baskets on the floor, it will be a lot simpler for M to store her stuff.


Here's what I came up with.


The total cost including installation is less than half what we would need to spend on a quality dresser, and without moving parts and drawers that need to be closed, it is more likely that M will actually put her stuff IN the closet. M's existing dresser may be painted so she can store overflow in there, and her snake tank will rest on top. The closet will be a good first step in renovating this teen space.

Classic Bathroom in an Eclectic Home

My client MB contacted me last winter about her bathroom. She is overwhelmed by the many options available and needed some help choosing finishes. Her home is filled to the brim with sunny colors, eclectic artwork and furnishings, stacks and stacks of books, and dozens of animals. She wanted a bathroom that would fit with the style of the home, but how could I not add some color? And storage...that was a must!

Rather than a store-bought vanity, I designed cabinetry that would fill the space and give the family of three room for toiletries, laundry and anything else that might land in this first floor bath. Taking color cues from the glass mosaics, I had the cabinet maker finish the cabinet in a gray-green with a subtle gray glaze. MB chose chrome fixtures, but with the deeper tones in the mosaics I suggested oil rubbed bronze hardware for the cabinetry, just to mix it up. White tiles, gray grout and a carrara marble vanity top contrast the cabinetry, and the walls and ceiling are painted the same neutral—not beige, not yellow, not green, not gray—Benjamin Moore Camouflage, which actually makes the small room feel larger than it would had we painted the ceiling white.

The family loves it!

What M Wants, M Gets...

My client, MB, has a very artistic daughter M, and she wants her to be able to express her creativity as I do, through my design choices. MB contacted me several weeks ago, as her bath project was finishing up. She needed me to help them choose exterior paint colors...but M wanted the house to be purple. My only issue with this was that the lower half of the house is brick. How could I combine brick red and purple successfully? This might be a challenge.

Looking at swatches, we actually were able to find a great color—a muted violet with hints of navy and gray—that picked up the deeper tones in the brick, accentuated the stained glass transom and read as the same value as the brick so the house feels more cohesive. Initially MB wanted the shutters and front door to be red, but that got lost against the brick so we did them both in high-gloss black. Bright white trim blends with the new windows.

The hint of purple in the body color picks up the color in their spring flowers, and contrasts nicely against the greens of the summer foliage.

I am happy to say I pleased both MB and her daughter with this choice.

BJ's Kitchen Reveal and The Ultimate Compliment

"My mother raved about it…" When the mother in question is a successful businesswoman, a gourmet cook and very particular, I know I've done good! Who doesn't want a mother's approval?

The view when you enter the kitchen. This alcove was transformed from a disorganized space crammed with clutter, to a useful buffet space, ideal for countertop appliances, with lots of needed storage. New light fixture and outlets are a practical addition. The brand new tin wainscoting adds vintage charm. Marmoleum Click linoleum floor tiles by Forbo are comfortable underfoot and an eco-conscious choice. 

Today for the first time I visited BJ's home since her current renovations were completed. I was blown away! The house was transformed from, (as BJ referred to it) what looked like a frat house to a vibrant, warm home for a young, busy family. 

Talk about color! If I told you we used cream, orange, blue, black, white and red together would you flip? The colors are bold, but in balance, so they work. 

I am so happy with the results, but most importantly, BJ and her husband are thrilled. Compliments from mom are just the icing on the cake! 

New paint finishes transform the previously "painter's tape" blue cabinets. The cream uppers blend in with the soffit and ceiling to open up the space, while the blue-gray base cabinets help black appliances blend in and anchor the space. The color also pops against the warmer "autumnal" colors of the flooring, creating a look that is classic, but not boring. The existing sink functioned well, but was updated with new oil rubbed bronze faucet. Walnut plywood (with custom-fabricated edge) finished with tung oil is easy to maintain, water resistant and food safe (though it should not be cut on). New light fixture (which is a larger version of the alcove's fixture) illuminates the space much better than the old flush mount, and adds a touch of old world style. 

Detail of the tin panels used on the wall and some of the homeowner's own accessories, which were able to be reused.