Zero Waste Home
Example of a minimalist bathroom design in San Francisco

DESIGNED BY TOC design CONSTRUCTION BY TOC design & Construction inc. PHOTOS BY : Tania Scardellato I was fortunate to have a young family approach me in desperate need to renovate there only 3 piece bathroom. This space was In dire need of a remodel, with old brown wall to wall tiles and a dated bulky yellow brown single sink vanity. Storage was a must, lighting a necessity, and proper accessibility to the shower bath area. We had a tight budget to respect, but a full gut of this bathroom was required. And a good thing too, once we started doing the demolition we noticed that mildew and rotting floors and walls had accumulated throughout the years. Doing it right the first time is no joke when dealing with water and electrical issues. We discarded all reminisce of old and built from scratch, new walls, new plumbing, new electrical ,new insulation and a new window, a new fan that actually exhausted outside ( I say this laughing as you would be amazed at how many fans are installed but don’t exhaust outside, and you the client would never know unless you go inside the attic space. Once all the hard stuff was done, the rest is just a matter of smart design. If you have a small bathroom here are some tips to guide you. 10 tips for making a small bathroom feel larger Is your tiny bathroom cramping your functionality and style, leaving you longing for the enormous bathrooms gracing the pages of design magazines? Even if your bathroom is a fraction of the size, all it takes is some design savvy to make the most of the space you have. Consider these 10 smart tips that will help your bathroom look, feel and function like those larger contenders. 1-Get creative with corners Space is at a premium in small bathrooms, so it's important to maximize every inch. Corners, for example, provide extra space for shelving, storage units and even hooks. Get creative and install unique design solutions that are not only functional, but also eye-catching. If you love the airiness of floating cabinets, add baskets or decorative boxes under for extra storage. If you are installing floating cabinets insure that they are installed securely to studs or plywood at wall. 2- Let solid colors shine Busy patterns have a shrinking effect and make small bathrooms seem even smaller. Conversely, light natural hues make a space feel more open. If you're itching to get creative with design, experiment with textures but keep overpowering patterns to a minimum. Tone on tone is the best to achieve this. 3 - Maximize your bathtub A bathtub takes up a significant portion of the room, but modern, compact options with curved basins, can make the tub feel larger when in use, all while conserving space. 4 - Select a smaller faucet A faucet is jewelry for the bathroom. And just as accessories can overpower an outfit, a big bulky faucet isn't flattering in a small bath. Single-handle designs conserve counter space, while a wall-mount installation frees it up all together and can create quite the wow-factor, if the budget can accommodate the required changes to plumbing behind the wall. 5 - Make vanity storage simple If you're in a storage war with your small bathroom, you're not alone in the battle. Toiletries and personal supplies without a place to call home only add clutter and chaos. Store smart with a space-saving vanity, the dual sink vanity shown here, looks quite simple, but in reality it has 4 sets of full extension drawers, and the vanity tower adds extra storage without overpowering the use of space. 6 - Show off the shower Shower curtains may be pretty, but they interrupt the visual flow of a bathing space and make it feel significantly smaller. In bathrooms with small footprints, opt for a clear glass sliding shower door that doesn't require the clearance of one with a hinged design. Or as shown in this design and for fraction less expensive a half hinged panel installed on a fixed tempered glass panel. If you're embarking on a big remodel, create the illusion of more space by using same tile in the shower that's used throughout; instead of seeing them as two separate zones, the eye will read them as one. 7 - Discover the treasure of hidden storage Work with a contractor, and you just might find some serious storage potential hidden behind your walls. Whether it's utilizing space between the studs for shallow shelving or a creating a small linen closet by annexing space from an adjacent room, even small additions can make a big difference. 8 - Focal Point Tile is a beautiful, durable addition to any bathroom. For dainty spaces, consider installing tile at a diagonal to accentuate the focal point or as in this bathroom I used an oversized textured pattern to bring depth to the space at the window wall. 9 - Choose the right lights Strategically install light to reflect and brighten a small bathroom to make it appear larger. Recessed lighting is an affordable solution for tiny rooms, offering ample light while taking up little space. Wall sconces alongside a mirror also reflect off the walls and make a room feel bright and airy. I always recommend going with LED lighting at 2800 to 3000K. 10 – Accessorize This is your time to shine in your decorating skills, have fun with your towels, you can change the color scheme daily just by adding pops of color in your accessories, make sure to get items that serve a dual purpose, like baskets, boxes they can always be used as hampers, storing of towels and even a nice display for your guest.

Our clients requested prairie-style plants, so we used some of our favorites; 'Kobold' liatris, 'Feuerland' achillea, 'Goldsturm' rudbeckia, 'Ruby Star' echinacea, 'Blue Fortune' agastache, and 'Full Moon' coreopsis. Westhauser Photography

Sweeping, sloping arms make our Jasper Seating Collection handsome from any angle. Inspired by the transitional lines of mid-century frames, Jasper features plush cushions finished with smooth, supple leather or crisp white fabric that’s ever-inviting.

Door County lake home in Egg Harbor, WI designed by Donna Sweet, Haven Interiors Ltd - Milwaukee, WI. Photography by Steinberger Photography LLC.
Bedroom - large transitional master carpeted bedroom idea in Milwaukee with gray walls and no fireplace

Rob Karosis
Cottage patio photo in New York

While we typically focus on high end homes, this small 1980's house in Stafford sold for under $200,000. We did a remodel and make ready for the homeowner prior to listing so they could take advantage of our hot market. This house is proof that good design can make inexpensive material selections look really good, and that you don't have to spend a fortune on a nice remodel. Floors: Emser Tile 6x24 Heritage Walnut Backsplash: Emser Tile 6x6 Ancient Tumbled Travertine Backsplash Insert: Emser Tile Lucente Grazia Mosaic 5/8" Bath Floors: Emser Tile 18x18 St Moritz Silver Bath Insert: Emser Tile Lucente Grazia Linear Kitchen Granite: Diamond Arrow Master Bath Granite: Diamond Arrow Guest Bath Granite: White Galaxy Wall Paint: PPG Grey Marble Trim Paint: PPG Arctic Cotton Ceiling Paint: PPG Arctic Cotton All Photos by Curtis Lawson

Kimberly Gavin Photography
Example of a mountain style kitchen design in Denver

Originally Built in 1903, this century old farmhouse located in Powdersville, SC fortunately retained most of its original materials and details when the client purchased the home. Original features such as the Bead Board Walls and Ceilings, Horizontal Panel Doors and Brick Fireplaces were meticulously restored to the former glory allowing the owner’s goal to be achieved of having the original areas coordinate seamlessly into the new construction.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

Nancy Nolan Photography, Tobi Fairley Design
Inspiration for a contemporary entryway remodel in Little Rock with blue walls

'Blue Fortune' agastache, 'Summer Beauty' allium, and 'Feuerland' achillea attract bees and butterflies to this perennial garden. Westhauser Photography

What started as a crawl space grew into an incredible living space! As a professional home organizer the homeowner, Justine Woodworth, is accustomed to looking through the chaos and seeing something amazing. Fortunately she was able to team up with a builder that could see it too. What was created is a space that feels like it was always part of the house. The new wet bar is equipped with a beverage fridge, ice maker, and locked liquor storage. The full bath offers a place to shower off when coming in from the pool and we installed a matching hutch in the rec room to house games and sound equipment. Photography by Tad Davis Photography

Bathroom - small modern 3/4 gray tile and glass tile ceramic tile bathroom idea in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops and a wall-mount toilet

Small master ceramic tile ceramic tile, blue floor and single-sink bathroom photo in New Orleans with recessed-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

(c) Mina Brinkley
Open concept kitchen - coastal galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Tampa with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, concrete countertops, multicolored backsplash, glass tile backsplash and colored appliances

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

Mid-sized transitional dark wood floor and brown floor enclosed dining room photo in Other with beige walls and no fireplace

Glass tile wall defines this power room. Rick Brazile photographer Freilich Construction, Inc
Example of a small urban gray tile and matchstick tile powder room design in Phoenix with gray walls