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.

Classic Combination—Contemporary Space

My client PL wants to renovate the master bathroom in his 1970's era home. Though initially the home didn't have much architecture to speak of, PL has added details such as columns and crown moulding. The recent kitchen facelift combines terracotta-look porcelain tile with some more craftsman inspired tile work. Another renovated bath uses classic white subway tile. From the inspiration shots PL has sent me, I can tell he is not interested in making his home look sleek and modern. He prefers the classics. His concern about choosing his own finishes is that everything would be beige. He explains that he likes both the classic look of carrara marble, but also the warmer look of limestone.

Taking inspiration from a dramatic circular foyer and oversized bronze lantern in the entry, and PL's master bedroom furniture which is craftsman inspired cherry with bronze hardware, I think of Mediterranean-inspired old California ranches I have admired in pictures collected over the years—a combination of warm stone with honed carrara. PL's bathroom is quite large, and I remembered a 12x24 tile I admired in a mottled cement gray color. I can envision this tile set in a running bond pattern, to accentuate the length of the room, and lead one in to the large garden tub. To contrast with the larger tile, I envision smaller hex tile for the shower floor. The tones are similar, and the scale and shapes create a nice juxtaposition. The soft white and warm veining of honed statuary or calcutta marble will pop against the deeper tones of the floor.

The garden tub is rarely used, but needs a facelift so we intend to either tile over the cultured marble surround or wrap it in woodwork to complement the painted vanity. The vanity can be saved—we will remove the cultured marble  and replace it with real honed carrara, statuary or calcutta marble, and replace doors and hardware. To further enhance the warm feeling PL is seeking, I am thinking of a mid-tone putty color for the vanity and the tub surround that will enhance both the deeper floor and lighter (new) marble on the vanity.

PL would like a statement light fixture, and I am on the lookout for a bronze lantern. For hardware I am thinking of bronze pulls and knobs paired with either chrome or brushed nickel faucets. The entire bathroom will have an eclectic feel that will not be tied to one decade, kind of like PL's house!

I am really excited to begin this project!