2016 Design Excellence Award Winning Bathroom

2016 Design Excellence Award Winning Bathroom 

After moving in, the new owners of a ninety two year old traditional center hall colonial quickly realized it was essential to rework the awkward second floor bedroom with attached bathroom.  The existing bathroom ran directly through the middle of the room, creating two compartmentalized bedroom spaces with a cramped, disconnected bathroom that included a small fiber glass shower stall.  Two floor plan options were presented to the owners.  After careful consideration and collaboration, it was decided that the bathroom would now be absorbed by the front of the house, where the previous owner placed the bed and dresser.  Conscientious of the young families’ needs and future resale marketability, the floor plan needed to include an apron front, cast iron tub to accommodate bathing youngsters.  The original window was in good shape, however its panes were replaced with tempered glass due to its proximity to the bathtub.  Also original to the space is the entrance door, hung using the refurbished brass hinges and hardware retrieved during renovation.  Interest was added to the space with the choice of flooring, Carrara Marble hexagonal tiles, mindful of the homes Colonial Revival backdrop.  Open storage shelving, open sink base and white walls were chosen to maintain a line of sight to every inch of the room’s footprint.  The decor was chosen to add pops of color throughout the room, which resulted in a fun child’s bathroom that plays nicely with the adjoining bedroom’s design.  

Designed for Living

Drawn to the elegant simplicity inherent to most Colonial Revival homes, the new owners were eager to modify the small third floor bathroom to accommodate the daily needs of a young child and the occasional guest.  Due to its size, it was imperative to design a space that efficiently utilized every inch of the small bathroom without sacrificing period style.  The overall installation of a shed dormer and squaring off the awkward room helped in gaining the necessary square footage to create a floor plan that increased mobility, both vertically and horizontally.  In its infancy, the design hope was to include the cast iron claw foot tub that was currently housed in the bathroom.  We soon realized that the tub was not in any shape for continued use.  With a clean slate, we were then able to create a nicely sized custom Carrera Marble tiled shower stall, closing off the shower with a frameless sliding shower door.  The added space also allowed for the installation of a 30 inch, period specific sink and base and custom heavy gauge baked on enamel radiator cover for extra table top space.

http://www.northjersey.com/community-news/home-and-gardening/a-colonial-revival-bath-1.1566993

http://www.northjersey.com/community-news/home-and-gardening/a-colonial-revival-bath-1.1566993

Refurbishing Hardware

Often overlooked and typical to older homes; high quality, original door and cabinet hardware in seasoned homes is frequently marked by or completely covered with layers of paint.  Many homeowners are quick to replace the hardware with new pieces, creating a clean beautiful finished look in any space.  However, when renovating/restoring an old home it is easy to assess whether or not the hardware is worth refurbishing.  Ultimately, if the existing hardware is of good quality and you have the time, a little TLC will bring the pieces back to their luster of yesteryear.  

This held true during a recent renovation/restoration of a 92 year old Pennsylvania Colonial Revival house.  Using a magnet, the homeowner determined that the homes hardware was made of solid brass.  These items were original to the home and therefore the decision to refurbish was an easy one.  With the support of the general contractor, the time was spent removing, soaking, cleaning and buffing each piece before reinstall.  Great effort was put into this process, but the beautiful restored look throughout the house, undeniably, was worth it!

Forcing Paper-Whites

Often viewed as a time honored holiday tradition, forcing Paper-white Narcissus bulbs into bloom during the winter months is a simple way to introduce the fragrant elegance of spring into your home. 

This season I wanted to incorporate some family artifacts that often go unused during holiday entertaining, but are beautiful reminders of treasured family members.  I chose to use an inherited punch bowl set as containers for forcing this years Paper-whites.  The beautiful craftsmanship of the crystal set is complimented by the simply graceful Paper-whites.

For more information on how to force Paper-white bulbs, visit http://www.marthastewart.com/268221/forcing-paper-whites.  

Design NJ: Trimming Tips

Table Top Trees are a great way to showcase something unique, something festive during the holiday season.  The Dec./Jan. 2016 Issue of Design NJ highlights a few creative options from NJ ASID members, including The Repurposed Home, and other Trimming Tips.

Green Demolitions

As touched upon in a previous post, nothing is more important than finding talented, reliable, trustworthy, and skilled collaborators.  Since its innovative inception in 2005, Green Demolitions has worked to carve out a creative niche in the recycling goods market, becoming the premier luxury recycler for kitchens, high-end renovation items, showroom displays, and new-in-box overstocks.  Because of their ability to stand out in the area of creative cost effective solutions, for the last three years, I have been referring clients to their Fairfield, NJ showroom.

I take tremendous pride in the deepening partnership I've built with Green Demolitions, including the opportunity to collaborate in the renovation of their client showroom.

Looking to capitalize on the variety of items available, repurposing the Kohler Sink Showroom Displays into Client Kiosk Stations, as well as repurposing the Library Cabinet into a Coffee/Beverage Bar, produced about a certain sense of accomplishment.  Additionally, with the removal of the dated carpet being a necessity, the exposed, professionally polished concrete floor provided a fitting showroom foundation.  In the end, the entire picture encapsulates so much that is amazing about this business.  

Buying to Renovate

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to help my daughter and son-in-law hunt for their 'forever' home.  I was asked, as both an interior designer as well as a licensed contractor, to help decide between two old established homes, looking specifically at which home offered the most potential.

Like many buyers, my daughter and son-in-law were drawn to the traditional larger sized tudor home, which seemingly offered the space needed for their desired open layout.  The second home, a beautiful traditional stone colonial, was marginally smaller in size.  Notwithstanding size, each home offered uniquely different characteristics.  The realization had hit; this was going to be a difficult decision.  It was at this point in the search that my expertise was solicited.

Many prospective homes show nicely, providing the prospective buyer with the romantic, this is the house moment.  The overall style of the home, its facade, property and neighborhood are all a part of the hook.  However, if a house does not function properly, these once-loved characteristics fade quickly.  Determining if that home will function for the residing family is just the beginning.  It's important to assess the home based on a number of criteria:  structure (foundation, basement), mechanical standing (electric, plumbing, HVAC), building's envelope (roof, doors, windows).  If the property proves to have layout potential, it is always worth exploring further.

In the case of my daughter and son-in-law, the traditional stone colonial, not the larger traditional tudor, offered the most upside.  Revealed in a detailed Home Inspection, the colonial was sound both structurally and mechanically, relative to the age of home, showing clear evidence it was well taken care of through the years.  To function properly, however, the floor plan will be updated, admittedly, not inexpensively.  Most importantly, however, the updates made will be within the existing footprint.

In the end, for these reasons (structure, mechanical standing, layout potential, maintenance), the traditional colonial made the most sense to me...and eventually, my daughter and son-in-law.

Tried and True: Design Team

I have been fortunate to have worked with and continue to work with a number of tried and true industry professionals.  This team of associates has been erected over many years.  Each member has proven time and time again that they are committed to providing the upmost of service to my clients.

Whether embarking on a simple redesign or tackling a whole home renovation, it is nice to proceed with confidence, knowing that the professionals you have chosen to work with have a track record of being reliable, trustworthy, skilled, organized, easy to reach and puts care into customer service.

Having worked within the industry for as many years as I have, this first hand information from your interior designer is a definite added value!

Refurbished Bed Sets

Featured are two bed sets incorporated into room designs for children.  The bed sets were pieces handed down from relatives, of quality solid wood construction and in good condition.  Each added an element of mix 'n' match to their respective rooms.

This set was stripped using nontoxic soy gel stripper then resurfaced with nontoxic and eco-friendly pigmented milk paint.

This set was stripped then resurfaced using a multi-colored paint technique to create this unique finish.

Both were dressed in vintage fabric finds that correlate with the larger room designs.

The Window Treatment

The practical purpose of window treatments is two fold; they provide privacy and manage daylight.  In addition to the practical is the aesthetic enhancement of the window architect and the larger room decor.  Window treatments add dimension to a room, create an element of texture/color and offer an upscale touch to any space.

Great attention was paid to the seamless integration of this bedroom's window treatments with the existing tray ceiling.  Important to the room design was maintaining a clean line where the ceiling meets the wall.  Using substantial decorative molding, to hide the treatment hardware, was important in producing this clean, subtle look.  Adding to its overall subtlety - intensifying the monochromatic palette, muted in color - panels were constructed out of the French Linen, offering a touch of luxury.  For practical purposes, automated cellular shades were installed to manage day lighting.  The entire picture framed the room in an understated tone of grandeur.