In early 2022, Mitchell & Best was contacted by a homeowner residing in a brick end-unit townhome that was originally built in 1979. The client was a friend of the company through prior business dealings and had originally considered a new custom single-family home through Mitchell & Best Next Door. After months of consideration and realization that they loved their current location and neighborhood, this couple – both attorneys and parents of a young child and a beloved elderly pet – decided to stay put and figure out how to make the floorplan better fit their family’s needs. The project’s Scope of Work included: Main Level - The plan re-organized the main floor, giving significantly more cooking, entertainment, and functional working space to the kitchen. All-new appliances, cabinetry, countertops, and extensive tile work were installed. The original oversized den was opened to the kitchen to create a generous dining space in the front of the house where natural light comes in. At the rear of the house, adjacent to the kitchen, a walk-up butler’s pantry/bar was created, and a new space was carved out for a private office accessed by a glass-front French pocket door. The office cabinetry was customized for the client’s needs with a built-in desk, bookshelves and sliding printer shelf. The Powder Room was also re-worked and with new plumbing and vanity is unrecognizable from its former self. Upper Level – In the Owner’s Bedroom, a deep closet was added with two sets of double doors. Most significantly on the upper level, the Owner’s Bathroom was completely re-worked to provide a wet room for the shower and free-standing tub. Spacious double vanity and a private water closet with pocket door completed the room. The Hall Bath was also gutted and re-worked to eliminate a tub and create a spacious shower. The two secondary bedrooms were re-worked slightly, including the elimination of a window seat that created a niche for a large desk. Lower Level – Original plans did not call for this area to be touched, as work had been done in the basement a few years before. However, as other work was underway, the homeowner decided they wanted the laundry room to rise to the quality level of the rest of the home’s renovations. This resulted in a beautiful and functional new mudroom with built-in cubbies and storage, laundry sink and stacked washer/dryer. Whole House – Mitchell & Best installed brand-new hardwood flooring, including a custom herringbone pattern in the foyer. New stair treads, handrails, carpet runner, light fixtures, interior two-panel doors, and interior hardware gave the entire house the look and feel of a brand-new home! Special thanks to Meredith Ericksen of Tuscan Blue Design for interior architecture, design and finish details on this project.

A young couple makes this historic Montclair home there new dream home with plans to completely transform the kitchen foot print. They invited Signature Designs into help that new kitchen vision come to life. We of course removed the wall that was confining the kitchen space but we also decided to take out the kitchen door and relocate the kitchen window. By closing off the old kitchen window we were able to utilize that space for the cooktop and built in oven. This client wanted something playful for the tile so we decided upon this custom marble backsplash cut into half circles and multiple pastels. The backsplash ties the upper and lower cabinetry together perfectly. Even though there is a lot going on in this space the outcome is just spectacular. Design & Cabs - Signature Designs Kitchen Bath Cabs - Colorado Kitchen Designs Contractor - JB Home Improvement. Photographer - Raemi Rhue

Two totally refreshed bathroom remodels take center stage in this St. Louis Park home. The homeowners loved their 1968 split level home and its unique period features. It was a well-built custom home with gorgeous maple trim and oak floors throughout. However, the main bathroom had water damage to the sub-floor that needed to be replaced. The owners decided to go ahead and update the rest of the bathroom at the same time, taking care of other items they had long wanted to do. For example, the plumbing was outdated, and the shower didn’t drain well. They also hoped for a wood vanity that would match the rest of the home, in look and era, and wished the previous homeowners hadn’t painted the original. As the couple discussed the remodel, they ultimately decided to take the plunge and take advantage of work being done in the home and update both the main floor bathroom and the master bathroom at the same time. Tackling both projects at once made sense for project efficiency, both in time and budget, and they are thrilled to now each have “their own” new bathroom!

After living in this newer townhome for years, this family of two decided that a builder grade master bathroom suite is not what they wanted. The couple desired a more contemporary and modern combination of tiles and fixtures. The husband really wanted a steam shower and the wife wished for a state of the art whirlpool/spa fixture. Our team tore down the original bathroom to its bare studs. Taking a few inches from the adjacent closet, allowed our team to convert the old shower stall to a larger steam shower with a built-in bench and niche, added space and a gorgeous glass enclosure. They cleverly mixed the stacked stone and large-scale porcelain tile to emphasize the modern flair for this spa-style bathroom. The tub was moved to the corner to become a curved whirlpool jet tub surrounded in mosaic front and stacked background stone. A separate commode area was created with a frosted glass pocket door. His and her vanities were separated to give each of them a space of their own. Using contemporary floating vanities with marble tops contributed more to the final look. New double glass entry doors open up this master bath suite to the adjacent seating room and give a much more open feel for the new space. Smart use of LED lighting, chandelier, recessed and decorative vanity lights made this master bathroom suite brighter. The couple aptly named this project “Oasis From Heaven".

These empty nesters decided to move into a small condominium. And they brought a large number of antiques, vintage finds and artwork with them. LiLu served as curator, designing a slick, neutral, yet contemporary interior to accentuate the couple’s extensive collections. The dark rift cut oak floor grounds the space, while the addition of focal points throughout the space complements and balances the large scale artwork. ---- Project designed by Minneapolis interior design studio LiLu Interiors. They serve the Minneapolis-St. Paul area including Wayzata, Edina, and Rochester, and they travel to the far-flung destinations that their upscale clientele own second homes in ------. For more about LiLu Interiors, click here: https://www.liluinteriors.com/ ---- To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.liluinteriors.com/blog/portfolio-items/modern-masterpiece/

ThinkGreen LLC http://www.thinkgreenllc.com 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $30,000-$60,000 Award Level: Gold Project Description: Located in the residential area near the Philadelphia Art Museum, this project was Philadelphia’s first Platinum LEED rated row home. The available outdoor space in any major metropolitan area is typically limited. The client was dedicated to increasing the amount of available outdoor space for entertaining and planting. The sustainable efforts that went into the interior renovations were continued in the exterior spaces with a series of green roof gardens. The lower level terrace features two separate spaces it was the largest. Directly out the glass rear doors of the house is a paved area using local materials that have high albedo. A couple of stairs down leads to a seating area surrounded by River Birch, ferns, and vines such as Virginia Creeper and Trumpet Honeysuckle which create a screen from the neighbor’ s yard. The second level garden is an extensive roof garden with approximately fifteen inches of soils. The space was planted with a variety of native meadow plants such as Purple Coneflower and Beardstongue, and Switchgrass. Fruit trees were planted in several corten steel containers. After a couple of years the client decided he wanted more use of the space so the meadow was thinned out and a path to the end was installed as well as creeping sedums in between the steppers. A spiral stair case leads to the upper level garden. When you reach the top of the stairs in the summer months a vegetable garden full of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers thrives in planting boxes. Beyond the garden is another seating area. At the front end of the building a line of Eastern Red Cedars is planted to create a privacy wall from the neighbors across the street. The plant palette is predominately native species that can withstand the tough conditions of the limited soil depth and the heat of the sun. Plants such as Bee Balm, Prickly Pear, and Wild Petunia have done exceptionally well on the green roof. When needed they can be irrigated using the house’s grey water system. In addition the benefits the roof gardens provide for the heating and cooling systems make this house and it’s landscape intimately linked together. Photo Credit: Thinkgreen LLC

This 1963 brick home was given the opportunity for new life when a creative couple from Brooklyn took a chance and moved their life to Nashville! The kitchen went from a dreary, sad, barely functional room to an inspiring space to gather and entertain. Removing the wall between the living and kitchen opened up the previously choppy, inefficient layout to bring a sense of flow and ease to the home. We designed a custom island/dining table, seamlessly flowing from the terrazzo style quartz countertops into the solid maple table, complimented by the slat wood design on the range hood. We decided to go with a larger scale subway tile in a horizontal stacked pattern to keep the feel light, but also modern and timeless. The built-in matte black wall cabinetry brings a minimal but striking moment to balance the airiness of the other side of the kitchen, while providing ample storage for the pantry as well as a large bar for the cocktail aficionado couple. We incorporated some beautiful handmade pendants from Mexico and hung them at differing heights to accentuate the custom island. Now the space is modern, bright, textured, minimal and elevated. The clients are so pleased, and feel that this house can be a home for them to create and host and be.

This 1963 brick home was given the opportunity for new life when a creative couple from Brooklyn took a chance and moved their life to Nashville! The kitchen went from a dreary, sad, barely functional room to an inspiring space to gather and entertain. Removing the wall between the living and kitchen opened up the previously choppy, inefficient layout to bring a sense of flow and ease to the home. We designed a custom island/dining table, seamlessly flowing from the terrazzo style quartz countertops into the solid maple table, complimented by the slat wood design on the range hood. We decided to go with a larger scale subway tile in a horizontal stacked pattern to keep the feel light, but also modern and timeless. The built-in matte black wall cabinetry brings a minimal but striking moment to balance the airiness of the other side of the kitchen, while providing ample storage for the pantry as well as a large bar for the cocktail aficionado couple. We incorporated some beautiful handmade pendants from Mexico and hung them at differing heights to accentuate the custom island. Now the space is modern, bright, textured, minimal and elevated. The clients are so pleased, and feel that this house can be a home for them to create and host and be.

After living in this newer townhome for years, this family of two decided that a builder grade master bathroom suite is not what they wanted. The couple desired a more contemporary and modern combination of tiles and fixtures. The husband really wanted a steam shower and the wife wished for a state of the art whirlpool/spa fixture. Our team tore down the original bathroom to its bare studs. Taking a few inches from the adjacent closet, allowed our team to convert the old shower stall to a larger steam shower with a built-in bench and niche, added space and a gorgeous glass enclosure. They cleverly mixed the stacked stone and large-scale porcelain tile to emphasize the modern flair for this spa-style bathroom. The tub was moved to the corner to become a curved whirlpool jet tub surrounded in mosaic front and stacked background stone. A separate commode area was created with a frosted glass pocket door. His and her vanities were separated to give each of them a space of their own. Using contemporary floating vanities with marble tops contributed more to the final look. New double glass entry doors open up this master bath suite to the adjacent seating room and give a much more open feel for the new space. Smart use of LED lighting, chandelier, recessed and decorative vanity lights made this master bathroom suite brighter. The couple aptly named this project “Oasis From Heaven".

Two totally refreshed bathroom remodels take center stage in this St. Louis Park home. The homeowners loved their 1968 split level home and its unique period features. It was a well-built custom home with gorgeous maple trim and oak floors throughout. However, the main bathroom had water damage to the sub-floor that needed to be replaced. The owners decided to go ahead and update the rest of the bathroom at the same time, taking care of other items they had long wanted to do. For example, the plumbing was outdated, and the shower didn’t drain well. They also hoped for a wood vanity that would match the rest of the home, in look and era, and wished the previous homeowners hadn’t painted the original. As the couple discussed the remodel, they ultimately decided to take the plunge and take advantage of work being done in the home and update both the main floor bathroom and the master bathroom at the same time. Tackling both projects at once made sense for project efficiency, both in time and budget, and they are thrilled to now each have “their own” new bathroom!

Two totally refreshed bathroom remodels take center stage in this St. Louis Park home. The homeowners loved their 1968 split level home and its unique period features. It was a well-built custom home with gorgeous maple trim and oak floors throughout. However, the main bathroom had water damage to the sub-floor that needed to be replaced. The owners decided to go ahead and update the rest of the bathroom at the same time, taking care of other items they had long wanted to do. For example, the plumbing was outdated, and the shower didn’t drain well. They also hoped for a wood vanity that would match the rest of the home, in look and era, and wished the previous homeowners hadn’t painted the original. As the couple discussed the remodel, they ultimately decided to take the plunge and take advantage of work being done in the home and update both the main floor bathroom and the master bathroom at the same time. Tackling both projects at once made sense for project efficiency, both in time and budget, and they are thrilled to now each have “their own” new bathroom!

After living in this newer townhome for years, this family of two decided that a builder grade master bathroom suite is not what they wanted. The couple desired a more contemporary and modern combination of tiles and fixtures. The husband really wanted a steam shower and the wife wished for a state of the art whirlpool/spa fixture. Our team tore down the original bathroom to its bare studs. Taking a few inches from the adjacent closet, allowed our team to convert the old shower stall to a larger steam shower with a built-in bench and niche, added space and a gorgeous glass enclosure. They cleverly mixed the stacked stone and large-scale porcelain tile to emphasize the modern flair for this spa-style bathroom. The tub was moved to the corner to become a curved whirlpool jet tub surrounded in mosaic front and stacked background stone. A separate commode area was created with a frosted glass pocket door. His and her vanities were separated to give each of them a space of their own. Using contemporary floating vanities with marble tops contributed more to the final look. New double glass entry doors open up this master bath suite to the adjacent seating room and give a much more open feel for the new space. Smart use of LED lighting, chandelier, recessed and decorative vanity lights made this master bathroom suite brighter. The couple aptly named this project “Oasis From Heaven".

Corri Sandwick Architecture Location: Gowen, MI, USA After searching for the perfect property over a number of years, this retired couple settled on an existing house to modify to meet their needs. They planned this retreat to spend their summer’s enjoying the lake and their grandchildren. After finding the perfect spot on Lake Thomas in western Michigan, they decided to add on and modify the exiting house to meet their needs. The couple had goals to make the house energy efficient, healthy and resource efficient. With that in mind, we worked together with the building contractor to design and build a house to meet Green Star Bronze level certification.

Two totally refreshed bathroom remodels take center stage in this St. Louis Park home. The homeowners loved their 1968 split level home and its unique period features. It was a well-built custom home with gorgeous maple trim and oak floors throughout. However, the main bathroom had water damage to the sub-floor that needed to be replaced. The owners decided to go ahead and update the rest of the bathroom at the same time, taking care of other items they had long wanted to do. For example, the plumbing was outdated, and the shower didn’t drain well. They also hoped for a wood vanity that would match the rest of the home, in look and era, and wished the previous homeowners hadn’t painted the original. As the couple discussed the remodel, they ultimately decided to take the plunge and take advantage of work being done in the home and update both the main floor bathroom and the master bathroom at the same time. Tackling both projects at once made sense for project efficiency, both in time and budget, and they are thrilled to now each have “their own” new bathroom!

Photos by ©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2019 A passion for the Southwest inspires one couple to turn their garden into a vibrant showcase for Sonoran Desert flora. By Nancy Erdmann | Photography by Steve Thompson For someone who loves to garden and has done so in many areas of the U.S., taking on the challenge of a rocky, boulder-strewn hillside lot in the Sonoran Desert is something that Carey Bertsch relishes. “I was born in Scotland but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband, Robin, is from Indiana. We have always loved everything about the Southwest. The sunny, arid climate; the lifestyle; the flora; the fauna—they all resonate with us,” she remarks. As such, the couple, who are based in Colorado, decided to purchase a part-time residence in Arizona. They found a Santa Fe Territorial-style home that’s tucked into the base of a steep slope in North Scottsdale’s Estancia community. Populated with natural boulder outcroppings, the property’s landscape was rudimentary at best. “But we saw the potential and knew it could be so much more,” recalls Carey. She and her husband lived in the house for several years before making any major changes; they recently completed a total exterior remodel.

Two totally refreshed bathroom remodels take center stage in this St. Louis Park home. The homeowners loved their 1968 split level home and its unique period features. It was a well-built custom home with gorgeous maple trim and oak floors throughout. However, the main bathroom had water damage to the sub-floor that needed to be replaced. The owners decided to go ahead and update the rest of the bathroom at the same time, taking care of other items they had long wanted to do. For example, the plumbing was outdated, and the shower didn’t drain well. They also hoped for a wood vanity that would match the rest of the home, in look and era, and wished the previous homeowners hadn’t painted the original. As the couple discussed the remodel, they ultimately decided to take the plunge and take advantage of work being done in the home and update both the main floor bathroom and the master bathroom at the same time. Tackling both projects at once made sense for project efficiency, both in time and budget, and they are thrilled to now each have “their own” new bathroom!

Detailed below is the restoration of a Victorian tiled hallway floor that we started back in June in Preston. Although we started in June there was so much damage to the subfloor and the tiles it took some time to complete, additionally, the client did not like the colour samples of the replacement tiles we had brought along and so decided to source their own which took some time. Three months later with replacement tiles now sourced we were given the go ahead to start the restoration. The first day’s focus was cleaning the original floor using very coarse 100-grit and 200-grit Diamond pads fitted to a rotary buffer machine and applied to the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to add extra cleaning power. Tile edges were given special attention using a flex machine fitted with small diamond grit pads. The floor was rinsed with water to remove the soil generated and this was followed up with an acid rinse using a 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up. This last step in the cleaning process is especially recommend for old floors like this which don’t have a damp proof membrane and can suffer from efflorescence issues. The next stage focused on repairing the floor and started by carefully knocking out all the broken and chipped tiles. We had previously estimated over 30 tiles needed replacing and so the client had bought two boxes, meaning I had plenty of spares to work with. Before tiling however, the subfloor had suffered over the years and needed attention first. To deal with this the damaged areas were raked out, cleaned up and then back filled with rapid setting self-levelling screed from Mapie adhesives. Once the sub-base was fixed then we put the new tiles back in, they were not an exact match, about 5mm too short and lighter in tone, but the colour was pretty close. Tiling an old Victorian floor like this can be a bit like dominoes as you move one out of place 2 decent ones come loose and then they also need refixing. Some of the tiles had hair line cracks in them and once they were loose, they just cracked in half. As such the 20 spare tiles that I thought were spare came into good use and I actually ended up using all of them. I could have done with a few more so it was decided to reset the last four broken tiles and grout them in. Luckily for me the client was very understanding about the nature of tile restoration and had accepted that there would be some imperfections and they were not expecting a new floor. The Tiles were fixed down using Ultralite Rapid Flex (another product from Mapie) and then grouted using the same adhesive (not a grout, as they did not have grout back in the day, just cement and screed). The floor was left this to cure overnight, and we came back the next day to finish the clean using a 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a buffing machine and lubricated with water, then one last acid rinse to get the tiles as clean as possible and remove any lingering grout haze. This last clean helps to blend the new tiles in with the original. Before applying a protective sealer, the floor was left to dry for a couple of days, the tiles need to be thoroughly dry before sealing or you can end up with a patchy appearance. For this floor with no damp proof membrane, it was important to use a fully breathable sealer that will allow moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface, so Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen. This is a good choice for old floors like this as its fully breathable, head wearing, and it contains a colour enhancer that improves the overall appearance of the tile. Three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a fully breathable, colour enhancing sealer hat works by soaking into the pores of the tile protecting it from within. It has a matt finish, and it works really well with all clay tiles and is ideal for these types of floors. You can probably spot the lighter coloured tiles in the after photos on this page, however it’s a very subtle difference and I think they have blended in quite well with the original. Certainly, my client was very pleased with the newly restored floor, its completely transformed from when we first visited the client, and the floor has now gained character and history. For aftercare we recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, its an effective pH neutral product that is compatible with the new sealer. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

Photos by ©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2019 A passion for the Southwest inspires one couple to turn their garden into a vibrant showcase for Sonoran Desert flora. By Nancy Erdmann | Photography by Steve Thompson For someone who loves to garden and has done so in many areas of the U.S., taking on the challenge of a rocky, boulder-strewn hillside lot in the Sonoran Desert is something that Carey Bertsch relishes. “I was born in Scotland but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband, Robin, is from Indiana. We have always loved everything about the Southwest. The sunny, arid climate; the lifestyle; the flora; the fauna—they all resonate with us,” she remarks. As such, the couple, who are based in Colorado, decided to purchase a part-time residence in Arizona. They found a Santa Fe Territorial-style home that’s tucked into the base of a steep slope in North Scottsdale’s Estancia community. Populated with natural boulder outcroppings, the property’s landscape was rudimentary at best. “But we saw the potential and knew it could be so much more,” recalls Carey. She and her husband lived in the house for several years before making any major changes; they recently completed a total exterior remodel.

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW A tired primary bathroom, with varying ceiling heights and a beige-on-beige color scheme, was screaming for love. Squaring the room and adding natural materials erased the memory of the lack luster space and converted it to a bright and welcoming spa oasis. The home was a new build in 2005 and it looked like all the builder’s material choices remained. The client was clear on their design direction but were challenged by the differing ceiling heights and were looking to hire a design-build firm that could resolve that issue. This local Glen Ellyn couple found us on Instagram (@kitchenstudioge, follow us ?). They loved our designs and felt like we fit their style. They requested a full primary bath renovation to include a large shower, soaking tub, double vanity with storage options, and heated floors. The wife also really wanted a separate make-up vanity. The biggest challenge presented to us was to architecturally marry the various ceiling heights and deliver a streamlined design. The existing layout worked well for the couple, so we kept everything in place, except we enlarged the shower and replaced the built-in tub with a lovely free-standing model. We also added a sitting make-up vanity. We were able to eliminate the awkward ceiling lines by extending all the walls to the highest level. Then, to accommodate the sprinklers and HVAC, lowered the ceiling height over the entrance and shower area which then opens to the 2-story vanity and tub area. Very dramatic! This high-end home deserved high-end fixtures. The homeowners also quickly realized they loved the look of natural marble and wanted to use as much of it as possible in their new bath. They chose a marble slab from the stone yard for the countertops and back splash, and we found complimentary marble tile for the shower. The homeowners also liked the idea of mixing metals in their new posh bathroom and loved the look of black, gold, and chrome. Although our clients were very clear on their style, they were having a difficult time pulling it all together and envisioning the final product. As interior designers it is our job to translate and elevate our clients’ ideas into a deliverable design. We presented the homeowners with mood boards and 3D renderings of our modern, clean, white marble design. Since the color scheme was relatively neutral, at the homeowner’s request, we decided to add of interest with the patterns and shapes in the room. We were first inspired by the shower floor tile with its circular/linear motif. We designed the cabinetry, floor and wall tiles, mirrors, cabinet pulls, and wainscoting to have a square or rectangular shape, and then to create interest we added perfectly placed circles to contrast with the rectangular shapes. The globe shaped chandelier against the square wall trim is a delightful yet subtle juxtaposition. The clients were overjoyed with our interpretation of their vision and impressed with the level of detail we brought to the project. It’s one thing to know how you want a space to look, but it takes a special set of skills to create the design and see it thorough to implementation. Could hiring The Kitchen Studio be the first step to making your home dreams come to life?