I love unique windows! Whenever there is a brand new build it is easy to add a unique and playful window. The shiny grey striated tile adds visual interests without demanding attention. Just a hint of frosting on the glass allows some privacy to the shower from the rest of the room. A modern toilet keeps the bathroom sleek.

When marrying two Upper West Side apartments to accommodate a growing family’s needs, the team at Axis Mundi was faced with a conundrum: how to distinctly delineate public and private spaces without sacrificing the greater openness conferred by the expansion. So they limned that line with a six-foot square sliding glass door, which enables parents to block out the sounds of rambunctious youth emanating from private quarters, while also shielding sleeping children from the later night activities of their parents—all of it without obscuring light or affecting the impression of open-plan living. Continuity of materials—hand-scraped walnut plank floors, a custom bamboo veneer kitchen and living room shelving—enhances the sense of sweeping, loft-like spaces. Materials also create intriguing textural contrasts, as in a powder room where a high-tech glass sink and black stainless steel penny tile is softened by a leather door with contrast stitching one must open to enter the space. Highlights: A pair of Gio Ponti lounge chairs, black glass rock tables and a William Yeoward area rug from the Rug Company (living room), sliding glass shower door from Magnum in the master bath. Total Area: 1950 sf Design Team: John Beckmann, Richard Rosenbloom and Nick Messerlian Photography: Mikiko Kikuyama Contractor: Steve Smith © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Alcove shower - mid-sized transitional master white tile and subway tile porcelain tile and white floor alcove shower idea in Chicago with a one-piece toilet, white walls and a hinged shower door

Inquire About Our Design Services When we first started talking in the spring of 2015, I was impressed. She was witty, realistic, and understood that as much as she loves my shows on HGTV, design does not does not happen in 43 minutes! She told me about her space, and how she felt that her bedroom seemed “blah” to her. She had no retreat. Molly desperately longed for a place that she could spend time in, read in, play in and above all, relax in. What we did: Many people are terrified of hiring a designer. Rightfully so, they are investing a pretty penny in their homes. They want to make sure that everything, down to the last floral arrangement, is to their liking, because they will have to live it (and pay for it). Unfortunately, a client can unintentionally stifle a designer’s creativity through micro-management. This can produce lackluster results and ultimately cause more time (and money) to be spent on a project than is really necessary. With Molly, that was never an issue. Before she even showed me the room in question, she said that I could have full creative license to do what I needed to do to her bedroom. SAY WHAAH!? With Molly giving me complete creative freedom, I planned everything out and got down to business. The result: Bite-your-bottom-lip sexy. I don’t get jealous of too many of my clients’ spaces, but this one still takes my breath away every time I look at the pics! The craziest part was that by adding more furniture, it actually made the space feel larger. Molly and her husband Patrick loved the finished space, and promised me I will be back to finish the rest of the house! Here’s the highlights of the rest of the project: I came up with a space plan with three options. Next, we reviewed mood boards and fabric schemes that would work for both Molly and her hubby Patrick. We started with the bed. My goal was to add edge to its otherwise traditional style. We decided to spice things up by painting the trim work in the room black. We built in layers of lighting with dimmers. In a bedroom everything should be on dimmers, right? Right. We designed and customized bedding, chairs and window treatments. Together with Molly, we selected the most perfect wallpaper. This geometric “grasscloth” adds so much depth and dimension that was just missing before. What I love: That light fixture. I mean it is really, really amazing in person. The porcupine mirror. This thing came packaged like it was the hope diamond, and everyone was terrified to handle it. But it really became a highlight of the room.

When marrying two Upper West Side apartments to accommodate a growing family’s needs, the team at Axis Mundi was faced with a conundrum: how to distinctly delineate public and private spaces without sacrificing the greater openness conferred by the expansion. So they limned that line with a six-foot square sliding glass door, which enables parents to block out the sounds of rambunctious youth emanating from private quarters, while also shielding sleeping children from the later night activities of their parents—all of it without obscuring light or affecting the impression of open-plan living. Continuity of materials—hand-scraped walnut plank floors, a custom bamboo veneer kitchen and living room shelving—enhances the sense of sweeping, loft-like spaces. Materials also create intriguing textural contrasts, as in a powder room where a high-tech glass sink and black stainless steel penny tile is softened by a leather door with contrast stitching one must open to enter the space. Highlights: A pair of Gio Ponti lounge chairs, black glass rock tables and a William Yeoward area rug from the Rug Company (living room), sliding glass shower door from Magnum in the master bath. Total Area: 1950 sf Design Team: John Beckmann, Richard Rosenbloom and Nick Messerlian Photography: Mikiko Kikuyama Contractor: Steve Smith © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Mid-sized trendy master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

When marrying two Upper West Side apartments to accommodate a growing family’s needs, the team at Axis Mundi was faced with a conundrum: how to distinctly delineate public and private spaces without sacrificing the greater openness conferred by the expansion. So they limned that line with a six-foot square sliding glass door, which enables parents to block out the sounds of rambunctious youth emanating from private quarters, while also shielding sleeping children from the later night activities of their parents—all of it without obscuring light or affecting the impression of open-plan living. Continuity of materials—hand-scraped walnut plank floors, a custom bamboo veneer kitchen and living room shelving—enhances the sense of sweeping, loft-like spaces. Materials also create intriguing textural contrasts, as in a powder room where a high-tech glass sink and black stainless steel penny tile is softened by a leather door with contrast stitching one must open to enter the space. Highlights: A pair of Gio Ponti lounge chairs, black glass rock tables and a William Yeoward area rug from the Rug Company (living room), sliding glass shower door from Magnum in the master bath. Total Area: 1950 sf Design Team: John Beckmann, Richard Rosenbloom and Nick Messerlian Photography: Mikiko Kikuyama Contractor: Steve Smith © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Example of a large minimalist master gray tile and mosaic tile double-sink and gray floor freestanding bathtub design in Bridgeport with gray cabinets, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a floating vanity, a vessel sink, a one-piece toilet, gray walls and flat-panel cabinets

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Mid-sized trendy master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

A run down traditional 1960's home in the heart of the san Fernando valley area is a common site for home buyers in the area. so, what can you do with it you ask? A LOT! is our answer. Most first-time home buyers are on a budget when they need to remodel and we know how to maximize it. The entire exterior of the house was redone with #stucco over layer, some nice bright color for the front door to pop out and a modern garage door is a good add. the back yard gained a huge 400sq. outdoor living space with Composite Decking from Cali Bamboo and a fantastic insulated patio made from aluminum. The pool was redone with dark color pebble-tech for better temperature capture and the 0 maintenance of the material. Inside we used water resistance wide planks European oak look-a-like laminated flooring. the floor is continues throughout the entire home (except the bathrooms of course ? ). A gray/white and a touch of earth tones for the wall colors to bring some brightness to the house. The center focal point of the house is the transitional farmhouse kitchen with real reclaimed wood floating shelves and custom-made island vegetables/fruits baskets on a full extension hardware. take a look at the clean and unique countertop cloudburst-concrete by caesarstone it has a "raw" finish texture. The master bathroom is made entirely from natural slate stone in different sizes, wall mounted modern vanity and a fantastic shower system by Signature Hardware. Guest bathroom was lightly remodeled as well with a new 66"x36" Mariposa tub by Kohler with a single piece quartz slab installed above it.

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Freestanding bathtub - mid-sized contemporary master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub idea with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

When marrying two Upper West Side apartments to accommodate a growing family’s needs, the team at Axis Mundi was faced with a conundrum: how to distinctly delineate public and private spaces without sacrificing the greater openness conferred by the expansion. So they limned that line with a six-foot square sliding glass door, which enables parents to block out the sounds of rambunctious youth emanating from private quarters, while also shielding sleeping children from the later night activities of their parents—all of it without obscuring light or affecting the impression of open-plan living. Continuity of materials—hand-scraped walnut plank floors, a custom bamboo veneer kitchen and living room shelving—enhances the sense of sweeping, loft-like spaces. Materials also create intriguing textural contrasts, as in a powder room where a high-tech glass sink and black stainless steel penny tile is softened by a leather door with contrast stitching one must open to enter the space. Highlights: A pair of Gio Ponti lounge chairs, black glass rock tables and a William Yeoward area rug from the Rug Company (living room), sliding glass shower door from Magnum in the master bath. Total Area: 1950 sf Design Team: John Beckmann, Richard Rosenbloom and Nick Messerlian Photography: Mikiko Kikuyama Contractor: Steve Smith © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Inspiration for a large contemporary master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub remodel with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

This project is an incredible transformation and the perfect example of successful style mixing! This client, and now a good friend of TVL (as they all become), is a wonderfully eclectic and adventurous one with immense interest in texture play, pops of color, and unique applications. Our scope in this home included a full kitchen renovation, main level powder room renovation, and a master bathroom overhaul. Taking just over a year to complete from the first design phases to final photos, this project was so insanely fun and packs an amazing amount of fun details and lively surprises. The original kitchen was large and fairly functional. However, the cabinetry was dated, the lighting was inefficient and frankly ugly, and the space was lacking personality in general. Our client desired maximized storage and a more personalized aesthetic. The existing cabinets were short and left the nice height of the space under-utilized. We integrated new gray shaker cabinets from Waypoint Living Spaces and ran them to the ceiling to really exaggerate the height of the space and to maximize usable storage as much as possible. The upper cabinets are glass and lit from within, offering display space or functional storage as the client needs. The central feature of this space is the large cobalt blue range from Viking as well as the custom made reclaimed wood range hood floating above. The backsplash along this entire wall is vertical slab of marble look quartz from Pental Surfaces. This matches the expanse of the same countertop that wraps the room. Flanking the range, we installed cobalt blue lantern penny tile from Merola Tile for a playful texture that adds visual interest and class to the entire room. We upgraded the lighting in the ceiling, under the cabinets, and within cabinets--we also installed accent sconces over each window on the sink wall to create cozy and functional illumination. The deep, textured front Whitehaven apron sink is a dramatic nod to the farmhouse aesthetic from KOHLER, and it's paired with the bold and industrial inspired Tournant faucet, also from Kohler. We finalized this space with other gorgeous appliances, a super sexy dining table and chair set from Room & Board, the Paxton dining light from Pottery Barn and a small bar area and pantry on the far end of the space. In the small powder room on the main level, we converted a drab builder-grade space into a super cute, rustic-inspired washroom. We utilized the Bonner vanity from Signature Hardware and paired this with the cute Ashfield faucet from Pfister. The most unique statements in this room include the water-drop light over the vanity from Shades Of Light, the copper-look porcelain floor tile from Pental Surfaces and the gorgeous Cashmere colored Tresham toilet from Kohler. Up in the master bathroom, elegance abounds. Using the same footprint, we upgraded everything in this space to reflect the client's desire for a more bright, patterned and pretty space. Starting at the entry, we installed a custom reclaimed plank barn door with bold large format hardware from Rustica Hardware. In the bathroom, the custom slate blue vanity from Tharp Cabinet Company is an eye catching statement piece. This is paired with gorgeous hardware from Amerock, vessel sinks from Kohler, and Purist faucets also from Kohler. We replaced the old built-in bathtub with a new freestanding soaker from Signature Hardware. The floor tile is a bold, graphic porcelain tile with a classic color scheme. The shower was upgraded with new tile and fixtures throughout: new clear glass, gorgeous distressed subway tile from the Castle line from TileBar, and a sophisticated shower panel from Vigo. We finalized the space with a small crystal chandelier and soft gray paint. This project is a stunning conversion and we are so thrilled that our client can enjoy these personalized spaces for years to come. Special thanks to the amazing Ian Burks of Burks Wurks Construction for bringing this to life!

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Example of a large trendy master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub design with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Example of a mid-sized trendy master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub design with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Custom Home Build by Penny Lane Home Builders; Photography Lynn Donaldson. Architect: Chicago based Cathy Osika
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master gray tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub remodel with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops

A few years ago, the owners added two stories with finished basement to their Edina home. It was a big project that greatly expanded and enhanced the first-floor kitchen, dining room and living room. The project also added a second-floor bedroom/home office. Their home has another two bedrooms and ¾ bath on the first floor, plus a beautiful master bedroom and ¾ bath on the second floor which they’ve been using for years. Looking into the future they began to consider aging in place: What living on one floor might look like. They determined that the only thing that needed attention was the first-floor bath – it was pretty dated. So, they built their dream bath. They began with tearing everything out, right down to the studs. The new 5’ X 9’ ¾ bath includes a 5’ X 3’ walk-in glass enclosed shower, with a twist. The shower control has been moved from the typical location (just below the shower head) to the opposite wall, just inside the shower door. This allows one to turn on the shower and wait for it to get hot without having to step into the shower and then just stand there and get wet with cold water. A small detail that has proven to be a good idea. The shower floor is made using 3/4" x 3/4" Penny round matte Porcelain mosaic tile set in charcoal grout. The back shower wall and the remaining bathroom floor is constructed with Aster 9" x 10" hexagon glazed Porcelain patterned wall & floor tile. Hexagonal tile adds an unusual feature that establishes a unique, interesting, repeated design. The main bath’s walls feature white matt finish 6" x 18" ceramic Subway Wall tile in white grout. A TOTO center flushing toilet looks great on the dark hexagonal floor tile. The custom vanity features a walnut base with white Silestone top and undermounted Kohler sink with brushed nickel fixtures. Another interesting feature are two 3” X 6” X 18” floating Walnut shelves – just the right touch to add character to the bath without taking up too much space. Finally, the dimmable can lighting is enhanced with two black cylinder slotted pendant lights on either side of the vanity. This project fulfills the promise of down-the-road one floor living with an efficient, comfortable ¾ bath.

This project is an incredible transformation and the perfect example of successful style mixing! This client, and now a good friend of TVL (as they all become), is a wonderfully eclectic and adventurous one with immense interest in texture play, pops of color, and unique applications. Our scope in this home included a full kitchen renovation, main level powder room renovation, and a master bathroom overhaul. Taking just over a year to complete from the first design phases to final photos, this project was so insanely fun and packs an amazing amount of fun details and lively surprises. The original kitchen was large and fairly functional. However, the cabinetry was dated, the lighting was inefficient and frankly ugly, and the space was lacking personality in general. Our client desired maximized storage and a more personalized aesthetic. The existing cabinets were short and left the nice height of the space under-utilized. We integrated new gray shaker cabinets from Waypoint Living Spaces and ran them to the ceiling to really exaggerate the height of the space and to maximize usable storage as much as possible. The upper cabinets are glass and lit from within, offering display space or functional storage as the client needs. The central feature of this space is the large cobalt blue range from Viking as well as the custom made reclaimed wood range hood floating above. The backsplash along this entire wall is vertical slab of marble look quartz from Pental Surfaces. This matches the expanse of the same countertop that wraps the room. Flanking the range, we installed cobalt blue lantern penny tile from Merola Tile for a playful texture that adds visual interest and class to the entire room. We upgraded the lighting in the ceiling, under the cabinets, and within cabinets--we also installed accent sconces over each window on the sink wall to create cozy and functional illumination. The deep, textured front Whitehaven apron sink is a dramatic nod to the farmhouse aesthetic from KOHLER, and it's paired with the bold and industrial inspired Tournant faucet, also from Kohler. We finalized this space with other gorgeous appliances, a super sexy dining table and chair set from Room & Board, the Paxton dining light from Pottery Barn and a small bar area and pantry on the far end of the space. In the small powder room on the main level, we converted a drab builder-grade space into a super cute, rustic-inspired washroom. We utilized the Bonner vanity from Signature Hardware and paired this with the cute Ashfield faucet from Pfister. The most unique statements in this room include the water-drop light over the vanity from Shades Of Light, the copper-look porcelain floor tile from Pental Surfaces and the gorgeous Cashmere colored Tresham toilet from Kohler. Up in the master bathroom, elegance abounds. Using the same footprint, we upgraded everything in this space to reflect the client's desire for a more bright, patterned and pretty space. Starting at the entry, we installed a custom reclaimed plank barn door with bold large format hardware from Rustica Hardware. In the bathroom, the custom slate blue vanity from Tharp Cabinet Company is an eye catching statement piece. This is paired with gorgeous hardware from Amerock, vessel sinks from Kohler, and Purist faucets also from Kohler. We replaced the old built-in bathtub with a new freestanding soaker from Signature Hardware. The floor tile is a bold, graphic porcelain tile with a classic color scheme. The shower was upgraded with new tile and fixtures throughout: new clear glass, gorgeous distressed subway tile from the Castle line from TileBar, and a sophisticated shower panel from Vigo. We finalized the space with a small crystal chandelier and soft gray paint. This project is a stunning conversion and we are so thrilled that our client can enjoy these personalized spaces for years to come. Special thanks to the amazing Ian Burks of Burks Wurks Construction for bringing this to life!