Photo by Bill Hazlegrove
Mid-sized transitional kids' orange tile and glass tile porcelain tile and beige floor alcove shower photo in Other with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, blue walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops and a hinged shower door

photo copyright Brian Kelly
Family room - mid-sized contemporary light wood floor and gray floor family room idea in Sacramento with a ribbon fireplace and a media wall

The home’s existing master bathroom was very compartmentalized (the pretty window that you can now see over the tub was formerly tucked away in the closet!), and had a lot of oddly angled walls. We created a completely new layout, squaring off the walls in the bathroom and the wall it shared with the master bedroom, adding a double-door entry to the bathroom from the bedroom and eliminating the (somewhat strange) built-in desk in the bedroom. Moving the locations of the closet and the commode closet to the front of the bathroom made room for a massive shower and allows the light from the window that had been in the former closet to brighten the space. It also made room for the bathroom’s new focal point: the fabulous freestanding soaking tub framed by deep niche shelving. The new double-door entry shower features a linear drain, bench seating, three showerheads (two handheld and one overhead), and floor-to-ceiling tile. A floating double vanity with bookend storage towers in contrasting wood anchors the opposite wall and offers abundant storage (including two built-in hampers in the towers). Champagne bronze fixtures and honey bronze hardware complete the look of this luxurious retreat.

The Regency Greenfire™ adds modern expression to any living space with today’s sleek, linear styling. This series features seamless design and beautiful wide angle flames set on a full bed of shimmering crystals.

Our returning clients, middle-aged professionals, reached out to us to remodel their bathrooms as they transition from raising children to focusing on their own comfort and living space. They asked us to modernize their ensuite and shared bathroom, both of which had become outdated and impractical for their current needs. In the ensuite bathroom, we removed a partition wall to redesign and expand the shower and toilet areas, creating a spacious open-concept layout. We added custom cabinetry with pull-out pantries, finished in a bright paint, and a large linear perimeter for ample storage and countertop space. The countertops and backsplash feature dusk veining, paired with brushed nickel sinks, faucets, and cabinet hardware, giving the space a contemporary yet timeless update. A new curbless glass enclosure adds a striking focal point, while the removal of an underused angled jetted tub creates space for an elegant freestanding tub. In the shared bathroom, we replaced the tub with a modern curbed shower and enhanced the aesthetic with large, colorful porcelain floor tiles that tie together the artistic essence of the home. The result is a significantly more functional and visually appealing space that reflects our clients' unique style and needs.

NatKay photography
Mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Toronto with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Tapered and angled legs hold aloft the clean linear framework of this Mid Century inspired Two Door Cabinet coated in our tranquil Holbrook Washed finish. A classic silhouette, but it is the horizontal and vertical grooves that cover the door fronts that will catch your eye as the play of light and shadows accent the design. Simply breathtaking!!

We were approached by a Karen, a renowned sculptor, and her husband Tim, a retired MD, to collaborate on a whole-home renovation and furnishings overhaul of their newly purchased and very dated “forever home” with sweeping mountain views in Tigard. Karen and I very quickly found that we shared a genuine love of color, and from day one, this project was artistic and thoughtful, playful, and spirited. We updated tired surfaces and reworked odd angles, designing functional yet beautiful spaces that will serve this family for years to come. Warm, inviting colors surround you in these rooms, and classic lines play with unique pattern and bold scale. Personal touches, including mini versions of Karen’s work, appear throughout, and pages from a vintage book of Audubon paintings that she’d treasured for “ages” absolutely shine displayed framed in the living room. Partnering with a proficient and dedicated general contractor (LHL Custom Homes & Remodeling) makes all the difference on a project like this. Our clients were patient and understanding, and despite the frustrating delays and extreme challenges of navigating the 2020/2021 pandemic, they couldn’t be happier with the results. Photography by Christopher Dibble

This contemporary kitchen showcases a stunning linear pendant light fixture, providing warm illumination over the island with seating. The flat-panel cabinets in a striking dark wood and white combination create a modern and sophisticated look. Notice the stainless steel range hood and appliances, adding a professional touch. The gray backsplash with its subtle texture adds depth and visual interest. The white countertops offer a clean and bright workspace. This angle highlights the thoughtful details and the inviting atmosphere of this stylish kitchen.

Homeowner wanted to update kitchen for resale value by adding a backsplash. Home has a rustic, mountain feel with Uba Tuba granite countertops and cherry cabinets. Chesapeake Fused Glass Random Strip Mosaic in Rock was chosen for its warm beige, gray, and green hues to complement the countertops. The modern, linear design updates the space for potential younger buyers while coordinating with the mountain cabin feel. Ashley Ausley, Southeastern Interiors

This handsome mens walk-in closet by Tailored Living featuring PremierGarage features a chocolate apple finish, with oil-rubbed bronze hardware, and a unique design to maximize space in a closet with angled walls. The closet can house 17 linear feet, 10 drawers, and 2 upper closed cabinets. It features a built-in bureau and vanity, as well as raised panel drawers with crown and base molding, and panel backing in the built-in areas. Additional amenities include dove-tail boxes, tilt-out hamper, tie rack, valet rod, hooks, and belt racks.

Ever notice how your iron fence looks more rust than paint after another brutal Chicago winter? That is usually the moment homeowners start searching for a painting contractor who actually understands metal - not just someone who will brush a coat of black paint over active corrosion and call it done. At Windy City Painters, iron fence restoration is one of our most requested services on the North Side and Near West Side, and for good reason. These fences are old, they are beautiful, and they deserve a proper finish system. PROJECT OVERVIEW This project involved a full ornamental iron fence on a North Side greystone property. The fence was original to the building - likely installed in the 1910s or 1920s - and had gone through multiple paint cycles without any rust conversion work. By the time Windy City Painters arrived, the horizontal rails showed active pitting, the vertical spindles had surface rust under lifting paint, and two corner posts had minor joint separation. The homeowner wanted the fence restored to a sharp satin black finish that would hold through multiple Chicago winters. MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS Ospho Rust Converter - phosphoric acid formula that chemically neutralizes iron oxide and converts it to iron phosphate, a stable paintable surface. Used on all pitted and actively corroded areas before primer application. Rust-Oleum DTM Rust-Inhibitive Primer - direct-to-metal primer that bonds to both converted rust zones and bare metal, blocking moisture intrusion at the substrate level. Sherwin-Williams DTM Acrylic Topcoat - flexible, moisture-resistant finish formulated to expand and contract with metal through temperature cycling. Applied in two finish coats in satin black. For cases with deeper rust penetration, Corroseal Water-Based Rust Converter and Metal Primer is an alternative that combines conversion and priming in a single product, useful on complex ornamental profiles where two-product systems are harder to apply. THE PROCESS Step 1 - Mechanical Preparation. Windy City Painters wire-wheels all loose rust, flaking paint, and scale using angle grinders fitted with wire wheel attachments. On heavily pitted sections, needle gun descaling is used to reach rust in tight ornamental grooves. This step is non-negotiable. No coating bonds reliably to iron oxide, and skipping this step is the single most common reason iron fence paint fails within a year. Step 2 - Rust Conversion. Ospho is brushed into all pitted and bare metal areas and allowed to fully react. The surface shifts from orange to a grayish-black iron phosphate layer. This stable base accepts primer without the risk of rust migrating upward through the paint film over time. Step 3 - Primer Coat. Rust-Oleum DTM rust-inhibitive primer is applied full coverage over the entire fence surface, including areas that appeared clean but showed minor surface oxidation. DTM primer acts as a moisture barrier and mechanical adhesion layer for the finish coats. Step 4 - Finish Coats. Two coats of Sherwin-Williams DTM acrylic topcoat are applied in satin black, with adequate dry time between coats. The DTM formula remains flexible after cure, allowing the iron to expand and contract through Chicago temperature swings without the topcoat cracking or peeling at joints. CHICAGO-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES Ornamental iron on Chicago greystones, two-flats, and Victorian brownstones was almost never hot-dip galvanized. It was painted from installation and has relied on continuous paint maintenance ever since. Chicago winters add specific stress: freeze-thaw cycles force water into any paint film crack, expanding it; road salt spray elevates corrosive chloride exposure; and humidity during spring thaw keeps metal surfaces wet for extended periods. This combination accelerates rust spread beneath paint films that appear intact on the surface. WHAT TO EXPECT LONG-TERM A properly prepped and primed iron fence finished with a DTM topcoat system should hold 5-8 years in Chicago conditions before any touch-up is warranted. Annual inspection of joints, welds, and areas near grade level will catch early moisture entry before it becomes a larger rust issue. Windy City Painters recommends scheduling touch-up earlier rather than waiting for full paint failure to protect the prep investment. PRO TIPS Tip 1 - Address joint separation before painting. If fence rails have separated at welds or mechanical joints, water will enter and rust will restart from inside the connection point regardless of the exterior coating. Flag any separated joints for welding before any paint system is applied. Tip 2 - Never use latex house paint on iron fences. Standard exterior latex lacks the adhesion and flexibility for bare metal. Always use a product labeled DTM or specify a rust-inhibitive primer underneath any finish coat applied to iron. Tip 3 - Paint in late spring or early fall. Iron fences exposed to full sun in peak summer heat can reach surface temperatures that cause solvent-based coatings to blister during application. Ideal application conditions are 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity and no direct intense sun on the metal surface. Learn more about iron fence painting cost in Chicago and schedule your free estimate at windypainters.com FAQ Q: What does iron fence painting cost in Chicago? A: Windy City Painters typically prices residential iron fence painting at $8-$18 per linear foot. Variables include rust severity, spindle density, ornamental profile complexity, and whether rust conversion products like Ospho or Corroseal are required before priming. Q: Can you paint over rust without grinding it off first? A: No. Windy City Painters always performs mechanical prep before any coating. Wire wheel grinding removes loose scale and flaking paint. Rust converters handle residual oxidation chemically. Skipping this step means the new paint film will delaminate within one season. Q: How do I know if my iron fence needs a welder before painting? A: Windy City Painters inspects all joints and rail connections during the estimate. Rail separation, cracked welds, or sections that flex when pressed indicate structural issues that should be welded before any paint system is applied to avoid reopening at stress points. Q: What is the difference between Ospho and Corroseal? A: Both are rust converters. Ospho is a phosphoric acid solution applied as a separate step before priming, giving maximum control over conversion and primer selection. Corroseal combines conversion and primer in one product, which works well on complex ornamental profiles where a two-step system is harder to apply evenly. Q: How long does the paint last on an iron fence in Chicago? A: With full mechanical prep, rust conversion, DTM primer, and two DTM topcoats, Windy City Painters clients typically see 5-8 years of performance before touch-up is needed, even through Chicago freeze-thaw cycling and road salt exposure. Q: Do you paint iron fences that are still structurally sound but heavily rusted on the surface? A: Yes. Surface rust, even heavy pitting, does not necessarily indicate structural failure. Windy City Painters evaluates each fence individually. As long as the metal is sound under the rust, proper mechanical prep and a rust converter restore the surface to a paintable condition.

The home’s existing master bathroom was very compartmentalized (the pretty window that you can now see over the tub was formerly tucked away in the closet!), and had a lot of oddly angled walls. We created a completely new layout, squaring off the walls in the bathroom and the wall it shared with the master bedroom, adding a double-door entry to the bathroom from the bedroom and eliminating the (somewhat strange) built-in desk in the bedroom. Moving the locations of the closet and the commode closet to the front of the bathroom made room for a massive shower and allows the light from the window that had been in the former closet to brighten the space. It also made room for the bathroom’s new focal point: the fabulous freestanding soaking tub framed by deep niche shelving. The new double-door entry shower features a linear drain, bench seating, three showerheads (two handheld and one overhead), and floor-to-ceiling tile. A floating double vanity with bookend storage towers in contrasting wood anchors the opposite wall and offers abundant storage (including two built-in hampers in the towers). Champagne bronze fixtures and honey bronze hardware complete the look of this luxurious retreat.

HDBros The clients were inspired by a photo of a countertop with dual ramp sinks. However, there were no references or design information. Our team stepped up to the challenge and created a detailed shop drawings with consultations between our designer, stone fabricator, and in-house plumber. The clients wanted a unique and spa-like master bath retreat to complement their already beautiful downtown loft. They wanted design solutions and attention to detail that would help distinguish their duplex apartment as a one-of-a-kind space tailored to their specific needs. The existing master bath did not have the sleek contemporary look they prefer, and the shower was too small. We enlarged the shower by removing a tub in an adjacent hall bath. The clients were willing to change the full hall bath into a powder room as they already had two full baths on the lower level. A simple palette of white, gray, and black enhances the contemporary design. We removed the wall between the master and hall bath, removed the hall bath tub, and built a new wall. We had to install all new plumbing rough-ins for the new fixtures. The new shower is 7-feet 9-inches by 4-feet -- enlarged from the original 4-foot square – with a linear drain in the floor. • The owners selected a river rock floor to provide acupressure and an organic touch to the modern room. • The black back wall has a large niche set with the same contrasting white tile as the side walls. The niche is outlined with metal trim. • Adding drama and the feel of a waterfall is an oversized 23-inch square rain head in the ceiling. The clients wanted two benches. Our crew mounted stainless steel L-brackets on the side walls. Our countertop fabricator routed the underside of the engineered quartz benches so the brackets sit flush. The clients also wanted a steam shower, so the glass doors span from the base to the tiled ceiling. We angled the shower ceiling such that the condensation drips would float back to the rear wall instead of straight down. Also set in the walls are waterproof blue-tooth enabled speakers. A concealed tank/wall hung toilet fits the clean design lines. We installed the tank in the existing wall which had 2x6 framing. The toilet’s bidet seat (with remote control) required an electrical circuit. In one corner of the bathroom is a single unit wall-mounted drawer with five floating shelves above. The towel bars that are attached to each shelf are appliance pulls. The room has layers of light, including LED strips under the toilet, vanity, and shelving to highlight the floating/wall mounted units. The medicine cabinets have surface mounted lights, and there are recessed lights in the room, as well as in the shower. We also renovated the hall powder room with new flooring, vanity, and fixtures.

Garnett Valley PA master bath remodel. These clients wanted a larger shower but windows facing the front of the home and the long linear shape of the bath created a unique design challenge. Steve Vickers conquered that issue with his new design. The door of the shower is angled at the window allowing more depth so the new shower could be a foot wider while still leaving a 26” shower door entrance. New Fabuwood vanity cabinets and linen closet in Galaxy Horizon finish; provide needed extra storage. New granite countertops, shower wall caps, and seat along with new tile make this shower and bath look complete.

The elegant angled bay window was the ideal width and depth to accommodate the homeowner's cherished curved cabinet, allowing it to become a distinctive architectural focal point without compromising the room's functionality. Careful space planning ensured there was ample clearance for dining chairs to move comfortably, eliminating pinch points and creating an open, welcoming layout. This custom design solution seamlessly blends architectural character with practical everyday living, enhancing both the beauty and usability of the luxury dining room.

Contractor: Ryval Construction, LLC | Designer: Pepe Lopez Design | Ventless Fireplace: Linear - Brass with Angled Interior - Model #502 - 36” W x 24” H x 11.5” D

Beautiful Travertine Backsplash utilizing 4" x 4" tiles with a linear mosaic strip accent band. Behind the sink is a pencil rail border with 4" x 4" tiles on a 45 degree angle with antique bronze accent tiles.

Upon opening the frosted glass door to this powder room, you are met with the unexpected. From the contemporary lines of the colorful glass tile, the red shaded Rejuvenation sconce to the frosted glass top custom made vanity, this small 3x6 powder room packs a punch and delivers an exciting design in a long hallway. www.angelabrownphotography.com