An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Example of a small master carpeted and beige floor bedroom design in Dallas

A beautiful playhouse with an overall height of ten feet. It can be converted to a very attractive storage shed when the kids out grow it. Reminiscent of old Victorian houses, the steep rooflines and graceful dormer add a fresh style to boring backyard sheds. The two 2x2 opening windows fill the 96 square feet with lots of light making this quaint little cottage irresistible for the kid inside us all. The single door in the dormer is complemented with large double doors on the gable end allowing bulky items to fit in the shelter.

In this bathroom, a Medallion Gold Providence Vanity with Classic Paint Irish Crème was installed with Zodiaq Portfolio London Sky Corian on the countertop and on top of the window seat. A regular rectangular undermount sink with Vesi widespread lavatory faucet in brushed nickel. A Cardinal shower with partition in clear glass with brushed nickel hardware. Mansfield Pro-fit Air Massage bath and Brizo Transitional Hydrati shower with h2Okinetic technology in brushed nickel. Kohler Cimarron comfort height toilet in white.

Kitchen featuring white shaker cabinets, blue glass tile, stainless steel appliances, waterproof luxury vinyl tile flooring, and quartz countertops.
Enclosed kitchen - small modern l-shaped vinyl floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Our carpenters labored every detail from chainsaws to the finest of chisels and brad nails to achieve this eclectic industrial design. This project was not about just putting two things together, it was about coming up with the best solutions to accomplish the overall vision. A true meeting of the minds was required around every turn to achieve "rough" in its most luxurious state. Featuring: Floating vanity, rough cut wood top, beautiful accent mirror and Porcelanosa wood grain tile as flooring and backsplashes. PhotographerLink

This small bathroom previously had a 3/4 shower. The bath was reconfigured to include a tub/shower combination. The square arch over the tub conceals a shower curtain rod. Carrara stone vanity top and tub deck along with the mosaic floor and subway tile give timeless polished and elegance to this small space. photo by Holly Lepere

Hidden in the murphy bed built in are printer and laundry hamper. Can you guess where?
Home office - small transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor home office idea in DC Metro with white walls

Small transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Louisville with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and gray countertops

A uniform and cohesive look adds simplicity to the overall aesthetic, supporting the minimalist design. The A5s is Glo’s slimmest profile, allowing for more glass, less frame, and wider sightlines. The concealed hinge creates a clean interior look while also providing a more energy-efficient air-tight window. The increased performance is also seen in the triple pane glazing used in both series. The windows and doors alike provide a larger continuous thermal break, multiple air seals, high-performance spacers, Low-E glass, and argon filled glazing, with U-values as low as 0.20. Energy efficiency and effortless minimalism create a breathtaking Scandinavian-style remodel.

California Closets custom pantry in Italian imported Linen finish from the Tesoro collection. Minneapolis home located in Linden Hills with built-in storage for fruits, vegetables, bulk purchases and overflow space. Baskets with canvas liners. Open drawers for cans and boxed goods. Open shelving and countertop space for larger appliances.

The guest bath in this project was a simple black and white design with beveled subway tile and ceramic patterned tile on the floor. Bringing the tile up the wall and to the ceiling in the shower adds depth and luxury to this small bathroom. The farmhouse sink with raw pine vanity cabinet give a rustic vibe; the perfect amount of natural texture in this otherwise tile and glass space. Perfect for guests!

In the heart of Lakeview, Wrigleyville, our team completely remodeled a condo: master and guest bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and mudroom. Master Bath Floating Vanity by Metropolis (Flame Oak) Guest Bath Vanity by Bertch Tall Pantry by Breckenridge (White) Somerset Light Fixtures by Hinkley Lighting https://123remodeling.com/

Succulent wall
Photo of a small contemporary backyard landscaping in Orange County.

Example of a small urban l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Miami with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, wood countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, red backsplash, brick backsplash and white countertops

5'6" × 7'-0" room with Restoration Hardware "Hutton" vanity (36"w x 24"d) and "Hutton" mirror, sconces by Waterworks "Newel", shower size 36" x 36" with 22" door, HansGrohe "Axor Montreux" shower set. Wall paint is "pearl white" by Pratt & Lambert and wood trim is "white dove" eggshell from Benjamin Moore. Wall tiles are 3"x6" honed, carrara marble with inset hexagonals for the niche. Coved ceiling - walls are curved into a flat ceiling.

An Architect's bathroom added to the top floor of a beautiful home. Clean lines and cool colors are employed to create a perfect balance of soft and hard. Tile work and cabinetry provide great contrast and ground the space. Photographer: Dean Birinyi

The clients, a young professional couple had lived with this bathroom in their townhome for 6 years. They finally could not take it any longer. The designer was tasked with turning this ugly duckling into a beautiful swan without relocating walls, doors, fittings, or fixtures in this principal bathroom. The client wish list included, better storage, improved lighting, replacing the tub with a shower, and creating a sparkling personality for this uninspired space using any color way except white. The designer began the transformation with the wall tile. Large format rectangular tiles were installed floor to ceiling on the vanity wall and continued behind the toilet and into the shower. The soft variation in tile pattern is very soothing and added to the Zen feeling of the room. One partner is an avid gardener and wanted to bring natural colors into the space. The same tile is used on the floor in a matte finish for slip resistance and in a 2” mosaic of the same tile is used on the shower floor. A lighted tile recess was created across the entire back wall of the shower beautifully illuminating the wall. Recycled glass tiles used in the niche represent the color and shape of leaves. A single glass panel was used in place of a traditional shower door. Continuing the serene colorway of the bath, natural rift cut white oak was chosen for the vanity and the floating shelves above the toilet. A white quartz for the countertop, has a small reflective pattern like the polished chrome of the fittings and hardware. Natural curved shapes are repeated in the arch of the faucet, the hardware, the front of the toilet and shower column. The rectangular shape of the tile is repeated in the drawer fronts of the cabinets, the sink, the medicine cabinet, and the floating shelves. The shower column was selected to maintain the simple lines of the fittings while providing a temperature, pressure balance shower experience with a multi-function main shower head and handheld head. The dual flush toilet and low flow shower are a water saving consideration. The floating shelves provide decorative and functional storage. The asymmetric design of the medicine cabinet allows for a full view in the mirror with the added function of a tri view mirror when open. Built in LED lighting is controllable from 2500K to 4000K. The interior of the medicine cabinet is also mirrored and electrified to keep the countertop clear of necessities. Additional lighting is provided with recessed LED fixtures for the vanity area as well as in the shower. A motion sensor light installed under the vanity illuminates the room with a soft glow at night. The transformation is now complete. No longer an ugly duckling and source of unhappiness, the new bathroom provides a much-needed respite from the couples’ busy lives. It has created a retreat to recharge and replenish, two very important components of wellness.

Landing and Lounge area at our Coastal Cape Cod Beach House Serena and Lilly Pillows, TV, Books, blankets and more to get comfy at the Beach! Photo by Dan Cutrona