Search results for "Explainers" in Home Design Ideas

Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

Featured in Dwell, Hacienda Granada is an eclectic modern residence designed by Working Holiday Studio that subtly combines the Spanish influences of a Mexican hacienda with Scandinavian minimalism and features All Weather Architectual Aluminun custom windows and doors.
Carlos Nuade and Whitney Brown run Working Holiday, a multi disciplinary creative studio based in Los Angeles that boasts a portfolio of several renovation projects across Southern California.
Originally built in 1962, the 2,762-square-foot residence with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths was not the couple’s dream home but they saw potential in its vaulted ceilings, ample-sized kitchen, backyard pool and large garage and more importantly, they found a space where they could infuse with their own personal history and distinct taste. "Our style is very modern and minimalist," Carlos explains. "But we still wanted to include some of the warmth, accents, and tones from traditional Spanish architecture."
Carlos and Whitney chose All Weather Series 5000 casement and fixed windows with SDL's to infuse the home with the Hacienda vibe. They replaced the existing patio entry door with expansive Series 8100 Multi Slide Doors that connect to the living and dining room. The couple opened up the kitchen by adding an All Weather Series 7000 French Doors and repositioned the island so you can see into the house when they are cooking. They also reshaped most of the interior doorways, creating arches to enhance the Spanish-Mexican vibe.
All Weather was honored to be selected for Hacienda Granada because Carlos and Whitney treat their projects like showrooms and they only bring on brands they like and curate the space accordingly.

Gregg Waller of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Wilmington, NC collaborated with JC Hazelton Builders to design a farmhouse inspired kitchen featuring Green Forest and Masterpiece cabinetry.
The kitchen features Green Forest cabinets in the Park Place door style with a White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island in the Masterpiece door style Turner in Maple with a Shortbread finish. Appliances and countertops were provided by others.
The client expressed their appreciation saying, “I literally love every aspect of our kitchen. It is exactly what we wanted. We did not have to sacrifice our vision which was a welcome experience. Gregg was so helpful in hearing what we wanted and then delivering. His knowledge about the products available really helped us achieve our design goals. He created digital examples of our kitchen, laundry and bathrooms which helped us in making our final decision.”
“The biggest challenge that I faced was creating the look the client wanted in their new home while staying within a budget that was set prior to our introduction. I decided that Green Forest Park Place cabinets would be the best choice for the majority of the project. Masterpiece cabinets were needed to get the exact color that the client wanted for the kitchen island,” explained Gregg.
“My favorite part of the design is the range wall. I like the way the warm wood tones of the hood balance the white shaker cabinets and brick backsplash. The clients were an absolute pleasure to work with. The excellent communication that I received from the client throughout definitely helped in the successful completion of the project!”
Photos courtesy of ShowSpaces Photography.
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Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

Gregg Waller of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Wilmington, NC collaborated with JC Hazelton Builders to design a farmhouse inspired kitchen featuring Green Forest and Masterpiece cabinetry.
The kitchen features Green Forest cabinets in the Park Place door style with a White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island in the Masterpiece door style Turner in Maple with a Shortbread finish. Appliances and countertops were provided by others.
The client expressed their appreciation saying, “I literally love every aspect of our kitchen. It is exactly what we wanted. We did not have to sacrifice our vision which was a welcome experience. Gregg was so helpful in hearing what we wanted and then delivering. His knowledge about the products available really helped us achieve our design goals. He created digital examples of our kitchen, laundry and bathrooms which helped us in making our final decision.”
“The biggest challenge that I faced was creating the look the client wanted in their new home while staying within a budget that was set prior to our introduction. I decided that Green Forest Park Place cabinets would be the best choice for the majority of the project. Masterpiece cabinets were needed to get the exact color that the client wanted for the kitchen island,” explained Gregg.
“My favorite part of the design is the range wall. I like the way the warm wood tones of the hood balance the white shaker cabinets and brick backsplash. The clients were an absolute pleasure to work with. The excellent communication that I received from the client throughout definitely helped in the successful completion of the project!”
Photos courtesy of ShowSpaces Photography.

Patio kitchen plans these days require the ability to incorporate high-tech, modern appliances into rustic, timeless – even ancient-looking – outdoor design styles.
You can see this juxtaposition pulled off perfectly in this outdoor kitchen by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston.
“A smart patio kitchen plan requires not only a balance of the new and old,” says Outdoor Homescapes owner Wayne Franks, “but a blending of new elements – like an outdoor kitchen – with the existing home and outdoor living features like a pool, hardscaping or landscaping.”
In this case, explains Franks, the existing 25-by-15-foot pool had a craggy edge of moss rock boulders, plus a spa and firepit faced with a rough Scabos splitface travertine.
“The overall look was rustic and naturalistic,” says Franks, “so we of course wanted the new outdoor kitchen island to match.”
Hence the 14-foot-long outdoor kitchen island with a raised bar, also faced in the Scabos splitface travertine and topped with a Normandy granite countertop. The hardscaping around it is Kool Deck® textured concrete.
“People used to shy away from busy textures in outside patio kitchen plans, but now they’re embracing them,” notes Franks. “They’re increasingly attracted to the beautiful imperfections and irregularities of nature – there’s more of an authenticity and character to it.”
Now, for the high-tech part: A Traeger wood pellet grill. Traeger grills are becoming increasingly popular for their ability to infuse amazing, rich flavor and for their versatility (they can grill, bake, smoke, slow cook, braise and barbecue).
This premier model, the Memphis Pro 304, features 562 square inches of cooking space and a three-in-one cooking system (high-temperature grill, low-and-low smoker and true-convection-oven roasting and baking). It also has an intuitive Intelligent Temperature Control (see the display panel to the left of the grill) that can be set for cooking and internal temperature.
A programmable food probe tells you when the internal temperature is reached and drops the grill down to a programmed lower temperature to keep the food warm till serving.
The dual-fan convection system, with reliable metal blades, circulates heat evenly for tender, juicy results. Double-walled and sealed construction of 304 stainless steel allows for optimum heat retention and consistent temperatures in all weather conditions. A direct-flame “flavorizer” insert delivers the added flavor of a seared finish.
Outdoor Homescapes also added a mount sink with a custom oil-rubbed bronze faucet by Moen and the following RCS stainless steel accessories: a pull-out trash door, a countertop trash chute, dual horizontal grill utensil drawers and a swing-out storage door.
“At first, you’d think all this technology and the smooth, modern stainless steel would fight with the rustic look of the rough-faced stone in outdoor patio kitchen plans,” says Franks. “But it actually provides some visual rest from all the rugged textures and busyness.”
Serving a similar function is the smooth, polished Scabos travertine tile used for the pool coping and firepit ledge.
“It’s a perfect environment for the client to entertain business associates,” says Franks. “He’s very happy with the old-meets-new approach, and so are we.”
More patio kitchen plans can be found at Outdoor Homescapes of Houston’s website, at www.outdoorhomescapes.com

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Sommerhus is a private retreat for two empty-nesters. The clients purchased the previous cabin after falling in love with its location on a private, lakefront peninsula. However, this beautiful site was a challenging site to build on, due to its position sandwiched between the lake and protected wet land. The clients disliked the old cabin because it could only be used in the summer months, due to its lack of both insulation and heat. In addition, it was too small for their needs. They wanted to build a new, larger retreat, but were met with yet another constraint: the new cabin would be limited to the previous cabin’s small footprint. Thus, they decided to approach an architect to design their dream cabin.
As the clients described, “We visited Denmark for a family wedding in 2015, and while biking near Gilleleje, a fishing village on the Baltic Sea, we fell in love with the aesthetic of ‘Sommerhus’: dark exteriors, clean, simple lines, and lots of windows.” We set out to design a cabin that fit this aesthetic while also meeting the site’s constraints.
The clients were committed to keeping all existing trees on their site. In addition, zoning codes required the new retreat to stay within the previous cabin's small footprint. Thus, to maximize the square footage of the cabin without removing trees or expanding the footprint, the new structure had to grow vertically. At the same time, the clients wanted to be good neighbors. To them, this meant that their cabin should disappear into the woods, especially when viewed from the lake. To accomplish both these requests, the architect selected a dark exterior metal façade that would visually retreat into the trees. The metal siding is a modern, low-maintenance, and cost-effective solution, especially when compared to traditional wood siding. Warm wood on the soffits of the large roof overhang contrast with the metal siding. Sommerhus's resulting exterior is just as the clients’ requested: boldly modern yet respectful of the serene surroundings.
The homeowners desired a beach-house-inspired interior, full of light and warmth, in contrast to the dark exterior. As the homeowner explained, “I wanted it to feel like a porch inside.” To achieve this, the living room has two walls of sliding glass doors that connect to the wrap-around porch. This creates a beautiful, indoor-outdoor living space. The crisp and bright kitchen also connects to the porch with the window that opens to an outdoor counter - perfect for passing food and drinks to those lounging on the porch. The kitchen is open to the rest of the first-floor entertaining space, and brings a playful, beach-house feel to the cabin.
After the completion of the project, the homeowners remarked, “Working with Christopher and Eric [of CSA] was a wonderful experience. We absolutely love our home, and each season on the lake is more special than the last.”

Featured in Dwell, Hacienda Granada is an eclectic modern residence designed by Working Holiday Studio that subtly combines the Spanish influences of a Mexican hacienda with Scandinavian minimalism and features All Weather Architectual Aluminun custom windows and doors.
Carlos Nuade and Whitney Brown run Working Holiday, a multi disciplinary creative studio based in Los Angeles that boasts a portfolio of several renovation projects across Southern California.
Originally built in 1962, the 2,762-square-foot residence with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths was not the couple’s dream home but they saw potential in its vaulted ceilings, ample-sized kitchen, backyard pool and large garage and more importantly, they found a space where they could infuse with their own personal history and distinct taste. "Our style is very modern and minimalist," Carlos explains. "But we still wanted to include some of the warmth, accents, and tones from traditional Spanish architecture."
Carlos and Whitney chose All Weather Series 5000 casement and fixed windows with SDL's to infuse the home with the Hacienda vibe. They replaced the existing patio entry door with expansive Series 8100 Multi Slide Doors that connect to the living and dining room. The couple opened up the kitchen by adding an All Weather Series 7000 French Doors and repositioned the island so you can see into the house when they are cooking. They also reshaped most of the interior doorways, creating arches to enhance the Spanish-Mexican vibe.
All Weather was honored to be selected for Hacienda Granada because Carlos and Whitney treat their projects like showrooms and they only bring on brands they like and curate the space accordingly.

Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

Featured in Dwell, Hacienda Granada is an eclectic modern residence designed by Working Holiday Studio that subtly combines the Spanish influences of a Mexican hacienda with Scandinavian minimalism and features All Weather Architectual Aluminun custom windows and doors.
Carlos Nuade and Whitney Brown run Working Holiday, a multi disciplinary creative studio based in Los Angeles that boasts a portfolio of several renovation projects across Southern California.
Originally built in 1962, the 2,762-square-foot residence with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths was not the couple’s dream home but they saw potential in its vaulted ceilings, ample-sized kitchen, backyard pool and large garage and more importantly, they found a space where they could infuse with their own personal history and distinct taste. "Our style is very modern and minimalist," Carlos explains. "But we still wanted to include some of the warmth, accents, and tones from traditional Spanish architecture."
Carlos and Whitney chose All Weather Series 5000 casement and fixed windows with SDL's to infuse the home with the Hacienda vibe. They replaced the existing patio entry door with expansive Series 8100 Multi Slide Doors that connect to the living and dining room. The couple opened up the kitchen by adding an All Weather Series 7000 French Doors and repositioned the island so you can see into the house when they are cooking. They also reshaped most of the interior doorways, creating arches to enhance the Spanish-Mexican vibe.
All Weather was honored to be selected for Hacienda Granada because Carlos and Whitney treat their projects like showrooms and they only bring on brands they like and curate the space accordingly.

This 1910 West Highlands home was so compartmentalized that you couldn't help to notice you were constantly entering a new room every 8-10 feet. There was also a 500 SF addition put on the back of the home to accommodate a living room, 3/4 bath, laundry room and back foyer - 350 SF of that was for the living room. Needless to say, the house needed to be gutted and replanned.
Kitchen+Dining+Laundry-Like most of these early 1900's homes, the kitchen was not the heartbeat of the home like they are today. This kitchen was tucked away in the back and smaller than any other social rooms in the house. We knocked out the walls of the dining room to expand and created an open floor plan suitable for any type of gathering. As a nod to the history of the home, we used butcherblock for all the countertops and shelving which was accented by tones of brass, dusty blues and light-warm greys. This room had no storage before so creating ample storage and a variety of storage types was a critical ask for the client. One of my favorite details is the blue crown that draws from one end of the space to the other, accenting a ceiling that was otherwise forgotten.
Primary Bath-This did not exist prior to the remodel and the client wanted a more neutral space with strong visual details. We split the walls in half with a datum line that transitions from penny gap molding to the tile in the shower. To provide some more visual drama, we did a chevron tile arrangement on the floor, gridded the shower enclosure for some deep contrast an array of brass and quartz to elevate the finishes.
Powder Bath-This is always a fun place to let your vision get out of the box a bit. All the elements were familiar to the space but modernized and more playful. The floor has a wood look tile in a herringbone arrangement, a navy vanity, gold fixtures that are all servants to the star of the room - the blue and white deco wall tile behind the vanity.
Full Bath-This was a quirky little bathroom that you'd always keep the door closed when guests are over. Now we have brought the blue tones into the space and accented it with bronze fixtures and a playful southwestern floor tile.
Living Room & Office-This room was too big for its own good and now serves multiple purposes. We condensed the space to provide a living area for the whole family plus other guests and left enough room to explain the space with floor cushions. The office was a bonus to the project as it provided privacy to a room that otherwise had none before.

Divine Simplicity Photography
Hallway - small traditional light wood floor and beige floor hallway idea in Chicago with beige walls
Hallway - small traditional light wood floor and beige floor hallway idea in Chicago with beige walls

Situated along Eagle River, looking across to the mouth of the Ipswich Harbor, this was clearly a little cape house that was married to the sea. The owners were inquiring about adding a simple shed dormer to provide additional exposure to the stunning water view, but they were also interested in what Mathew would design if this beach cottage were his.
Inspired by the waves that came ashore mere feet from the little house, Mathew took up a fat marker and sketched a sweeping, S-shape dormer on the waterside of the building. He then described how the dormer would be designed in the shape of an ocean wave. “This way,” he explained, “you will not only be able to see the ocean from your new master bedroom, you’ll also be able to experience that view from a space that actually reflects the spirit of the waves.”
Mathew and his team designed the master suite and study using a subtle combination of contemporary and traditional, beach-house elements. The result was a completely unique and one-of-a-kind space inside and out. Transparencies are built into the design via features like gently curved glass that reflects the water and the arched interior window separating the bedroom and bath. On the exterior, the curved dormer on the street side echoes these rounded shapes and lines to create continuity throughout. The sense of movement is accentuated by the continuous, V-groove boarded ceiling that runs from one ocean-shaped dormer through to the opposite side of the house.
The bedroom features a cozy sitting area with built in storage and a porthole window to look out onto the rowboats in the harbor. A bathroom and closet were combined into a single room in a modern design that doesn't sacrifice any style or space and provides highly efficient functionality. A striking barn door made of glass with industrial hardware divides the two zones of the master suite. The custom, built-in maple cabinetry of the closets provides a textural counterpoint to the unique glass shower that incorporates sea stones and an ocean wave motif accent tile.
With this spectacular design vision, the owners are now able to enjoy their stunning view from a bright and spacious interior that brings the natural elements of the beach into the home.
Photo by Eric Roth

Light spills into this contemporary prewar kitchen makeover with the help of custom designed upper cabinets featuring Starphire glass doors, glass sides and glass shelves. For much needed task oriented lighting we also designed an elegant bridge above the window with recessed lighting. Luminous and light reflecting materials were chosen throughout - Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo countertops, a Pure White Caesarstone windowsill, and Clear Glass Polar White backsplash tile from Complete Tile.

Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

Gregg Waller of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Wilmington, NC collaborated with JC Hazelton Builders to design a farmhouse inspired kitchen featuring Green Forest and Masterpiece cabinetry.
The kitchen features Green Forest cabinets in the Park Place door style with a White finish for the perimeter, complemented with an island in the Masterpiece door style Turner in Maple with a Shortbread finish. Appliances and countertops were provided by others.
The client expressed their appreciation saying, “I literally love every aspect of our kitchen. It is exactly what we wanted. We did not have to sacrifice our vision which was a welcome experience. Gregg was so helpful in hearing what we wanted and then delivering. His knowledge about the products available really helped us achieve our design goals. He created digital examples of our kitchen, laundry and bathrooms which helped us in making our final decision.”
“The biggest challenge that I faced was creating the look the client wanted in their new home while staying within a budget that was set prior to our introduction. I decided that Green Forest Park Place cabinets would be the best choice for the majority of the project. Masterpiece cabinets were needed to get the exact color that the client wanted for the kitchen island,” explained Gregg.
“My favorite part of the design is the range wall. I like the way the warm wood tones of the hood balance the white shaker cabinets and brick backsplash. The clients were an absolute pleasure to work with. The excellent communication that I received from the client throughout definitely helped in the successful completion of the project!”
Photos courtesy of ShowSpaces Photography.

Margie Haggerty of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Wilmington, NC, partnered with Aberle Construction LLC to design a coastal modern bathroom remodel. The space features Masterpiece Cabinetry in the Epic door style with a Caribbean finish, paired with Arctic White quartz vanity tops and shower wall cap.
The bathroom includes 2" Concepts Cove Blue Mosaic floor tile, 12x24 Satin White wall and shower tile, Kohler Alteo fixtures and Verdera lighted mirror, and heated tile floors.
The client shared, “Margie made the whole process easy, and we’re very happy with everything. The hardest part was figuring out how to upgrade the bathroom while staying within the existing space. Even though the new shower isn’t much bigger, it feels more spacious. We love the floating vanity and toilet, and the lighted medicine cabinet is fantastic. My husband especially loves the heated floor.”
Margie explained, “This was my second project with these clients, and I was excited to work with them again. The main challenge was the limited space in the original 1960s bathroom and not removing any walls. The clients wanted a larger, more accessible shower and liked the idea of a wet room. While we didn’t gain square footage, using soft whites, pale blues, a floating vanity, and a floating toilet helped the space feel larger. The heated tile floors completed the design.”
Margie added, “I truly enjoyed this project and working with the clients. They were easy to work with, made selections quickly, and communication between Reico, the client, and the contractor was seamless.”
Photos courtesy of Images by Joanna Photography.

At first sight, this Victorian tiled pathway in Palmers Green, N13 did not appear to need too many repairs, with just a few obvious broken and loose tiles to be fixed. On closer inspection however it became clear it was in need of a deep clean and fresh seal.
To start, we applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go across the entire length of the pathway to break down and strip off the old sealer and provide an initial clean. In the more stubborn and difficult to reach areas where we saw the buildup of efflorescence, we applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel to neutralise the alkaline salts.
Acid Gel, as the name indicates, is a pH1 blend of Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acid in gel form, making it easier to apply to tricky areas, including sloped or vertical surfaces. Users should be aware not to use this type of product on acid-sensitive stone such as Limestone, as this can cause etching if left on too long.
Once the dirt and efflorescence buildups had been dealt with, I focused my attention towards the tile repairs, quickly realising that the extent of damage was greater than initially thought. Firstly, the numerous loose and broken tiles were removed and individually cleaned in a similar way to the rest of the floor. We then repaired the sub base ready for the existing and newly sourced tiles to be re-laid, before leaving the floor to set and dry overnight.
The next day, the pathway was grouted, before being sealed with Tile Doctor’s colour enhancing, impregnating sealer, Colour Grow to bring back the life and character to the Victorian tiles.
I was also asked to renovate the Edwardian hallway tiles in the house so once finished with the pathway they were deep cleaned using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This also helped to break down the old sealers and waxes – followed by a careful cleaning of the grout lines using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up in combination with 3m black pads and detail brushes.
To ensure any pre existing sealer was completely removed, I followed up with a steam clean and left the tiles to dry overnight.
Upon my return to the property the next day, I completed re-grouting in the necessary areas, before sealing the tiles with five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go, providing an aesthetically pleasing satin finish. Seal & Go is a topical, solvent-based sealer which forms a layer of durable protection on the surface of the tiles, protecting against dirt and stains.
The hard work invested in restoring these two floors certainly paid off, as the client was exceptionally pleased with the results, going as far as to leave the following feedback:
“I wanted to restore my tired Edwardian tiled hallway and was given Rob Voyce’s
contact details. I was very impressed with Rob and his team; they were very
professional and friendly. Rob explained the stages of the work to be carried out and
we agreed a date and the job was completed much to my satisfaction. Very pleased.”
Nigel Voyce
North London Tile Doctor
131
