Angle Eye Photography
Cottage stone beige porch photo in Philadelphia

Photo: Marni Epstein-Mervis © 2018 Houzz
1960s bedroom photo in Los Angeles

Angle Eye Photography Dewson Construction
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor seated home bar remodel in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood countertops, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and brown countertops

Angle Eye Photography
Example of a huge trendy walk-out medium tone wood floor basement design in Philadelphia with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

Angle Eye Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar remodel in Wilmington with gray walls, an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash and wood backsplash

Eric Roth
Kitchen/dining room combo - mid-sized traditional light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in Philadelphia with white walls and no fireplace

Angle Eye Photography
Elegant backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Philadelphia with a roof extension

Angle Eye Photography, Porter Construction
Inspiration for a large timeless gray two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof remodel in Wilmington with a shingle roof

Angle Eye Photography
Example of a classic enclosed medium tone wood floor living room design in Philadelphia with green walls, a wood stove and a plaster fireplace

Angle Eye Photography
Open concept kitchen - traditional u-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Angle Eye Photography
Patio - large traditional side yard brick patio idea in Wilmington with a roof extension

Angle Eye Photography
Staircase - large traditional wooden u-shaped metal railing staircase idea in Wilmington with painted risers

California Homes
Example of a huge tuscan beige three-story stucco flat roof design in Los Angeles

Angle Eye Photography
Inspiration for a timeless front yard brick patio remodel in Philadelphia with no cover

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Angle Eye Photography
Inspiration for a small cottage brick floor and red floor home design remodel in Philadelphia with white walls and a medium wood front door

Pale purple coneflower / Echinacea pallida

Custom cabinetry, a soapstone vanity top and recessed shutters add to the period style feel of the guest bathroom.
Example of a large farmhouse kids' linoleum floor bathroom design with raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, soapstone countertops, a two-piece toilet, blue walls and an undermount sink

Angle Eye Photography
Example of a large white two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof design in Philadelphia with a shingle roof