Closet converted to refrigerated wine room with dramatic LED lighting on back wall Bernard Andre Photography
Small trendy porcelain tile wine cellar photo in San Francisco

Custom built arch ways, glass upper cabinets with 'X' mullions, calacatta marble used on both back splash and built up counter top,stainless steel appliances, and integrated refrigerator and freezer.

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.

The project was divided into three phases over the course of seven years. We were originally hired to re-design the master bath. Phase two was more significant; the garden and parlor levels of the house would be reconfigured to work more efficiently with their lifestyle. The kitchen would double in size and would include a back staircase leading to a cozy den/office and back garden for dining al fresco. The last, most recent phase would include an update to the guest room and a larger, more functional teenage suite. When you work with great clients, it is a pleasure to keep coming back! It speaks to the relationship part of our job, which is one of my favorites. Photo by Christian Harder

New Marble Bathroom in Palo Alto Traditional Home Renovation. Cherry custom cabinetry with traditional cross handle faucets, 3 light sconces with shades. Notice the decorative tile border in the wainscot and back splash add elegance to the ADKO hexshaped tile mosaic rugs. The faucets, towel ring, and towel bars are made of polished nickel.

Morgante Wilson Architects incorporated windows that enhanced the beauty and functionality of natural daylight. The twin sofas are by Burton James and upholstered in a deep navy blue velvet fabric from Kravet. The acrylic sofa consoles from Pease Plastics add a modern touch to this otherwise traditional room. The front X-Back chairs are from Baker and the elegant clover-back accent chair next to the fireplace is from Hickory Chair & upholstered in a ggrey and blue circular fabric from Pollack

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.

Photo by: Linda Oyama Bryan
Example of a classic backyard stone patio design in Chicago with a fire pit and a pergola

Back to back bathroom vanities make quite a unique statement in this main bathroom. Add a luxury soaker tub, walk-in shower and white shiplap walls, and you have a retreat spa like no where else in the house!

Back to back bathroom vanities make quite a unique statement in this main bathroom. Add a luxury soaker tub, walk-in shower and white shiplap walls, and you have a retreat spa like no where else in the house!

Powder room - transitional black tile multicolored floor powder room idea in Philadelphia with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, black walls, an integrated sink and gray countertops

This bath, mainly used by the family's young children so we used a kid-friendly, single-lever faucet, and laminated a slight lip to the perimeter of the Silestone countertop to contain water spills. A tip-out laundry hamper sits behind the left vanity door. The large, custom made, framed mirror sits low enough for kids to use and bounces light around the compact room. Usable for kids but polished enough for guests. General Contractor: Lee Kimball Designer: Tomhill Studio Photo Credit: Sam Gray

Photographed by Scott Amundson
Example of a mountain style pebble tile pebble tile floor bathroom design in Minneapolis with a vessel sink

Modern master bathroom in a French modern home, with a wood vanity and marble wall tile
Inspiration for a large contemporary master white tile and marble tile marble floor, white floor and double-sink freestanding bathtub remodel in Denver with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink, marble countertops, white countertops and a built-in vanity

James Ray Spahn
Example of a classic claw-foot bathtub design in Denver with recessed-panel cabinets

Tony Soluri
Freestanding bathtub - mid-sized transitional master gray tile and stone tile gray floor freestanding bathtub idea in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops, dark wood cabinets and white walls

A hidden gem tucked away in Atwater Village, the home has been renovated a time or two in ways that obscured its original charms. As is sadly often the case with homes of its era in Los Angeles, the kitchen and bathroom were completely gutted at some point and filled with builder-grade finishes unaligned with the inherent architecture of the home. On such jobs, our modus operandi is to reinfuse the spaces with details that harken back to the very best elements of the home’s original style while weaving in timeless touches of both modern life and the personality of the homeowner. In the bathroom, this method resulted in an eclectic, feminine heart-to-heart between the unruly imperfections of the handmade and the more orderly lines of the meticulously tailored. And what else could come from such a love story but a blue dream of a bathroom fit for a mermaid?

Another update project we did in the same Townhome community in Culver city. This time more towards Modern Farmhouse / Transitional design. Kitchen cabinets were completely refinished with new hardware installed. The black island is a great center piece to the white / gold / brown color scheme. The Master bathroom was transformed from a plain contractor's bathroom to a true modern mid-century jewel of the house. The black floor and tub wall tiles are a fantastic way to accent the white tub and freestanding wooden vanity. Notice how the plumbing fixtures are almost hidden with the matte black finish on the black tile background. The shower was done in a more modern tile layout with aligned straight lines. The hallway Guest bathroom was partially updated with new fixtures, vanity, toilet, shower door and floor tile. that's what happens when older style white subway tile came back into fashion. They fit right in with the other updates.

Inspiration for a transitional master bathroom remodel in New York with white cabinets, gray walls and recessed-panel cabinets