| DETAILS | in concrete constructed condos it's very rare that we ever want to have to core new drain locations. For the Master Ensuite more and more when we do full renovations down to studs we are removing the terrible 5' tubs and tiny itty bitty 3x3' showers. For some reason the idea of luxury meant squeeze as much as you can so you have a long list of features when you go to market. More and more we are doing oversized his and hers showers. So when you have a drain that you are repurposing from previous plumbing fixtures and the drain isn't centred, it's pretty much magic to have the team surprise you after several site meetings and evaluations - we opted for the plumbers favourite to use Schluter linear tile over drains and have the oversized tile cut to fit and provide the necessary grout lines for a flush shower threshold. This might seem like nothing but is everything when we have the perfect tile layout be inline with the what we think is a centred drain. These are the kind of details that make my OCD sister inside so happy, we call it the centre flush drain happy dance. Kudos to @caisleydevelopments @4thdimensionconstruction with the help of @stonetilevancouver for finding a perfect subtle sand toned oversized porcelain. A large format tile in a shade and same tone value as our hardwood floor and one shade darker than our Baltic Birch flush panels for ease of cleaning and hiding dirt. When you want things clean I opt for showers with minimal detailing to be in shades darker than white. Cleaning becomes less treacherous. Also gone is this idea of ugly accent tile, we opt for uniform tile one material throughout a bathroom floor to ceiling and if possible all walls. Construction geekery 101 continues

The owner of this historic and landmarked town-home renovation in Hudson Square, originally built in 1826, hired Gallery Kitchen and Bath to fully gut-renovate this 3-unit row-home. The scope of work included a full-scale renovation of the owners unit, including the renovation of the kitchen, one 4-piece master ensuite bathroom, one 3-piece bathroom with a walk-in steam shower, and a beautiful powder room. Additional work in the owners unit also included flooring, electrical upgrade, major plumbing work, new HVAC system, restoration of a fireplace, installation of a fully integrated smart home system and landmarked approved windows. CELLAR RENOVATION IN NYC LANDMARKED TOWN-HOME Rounding out the owners unit we renovated the cellar, which was converted into an entertainment space and featured a custom glass curtain wall, along with a custom staircase with an exposed brick wall. During the demolition phase of the cellar, our team discovered 56 wine jugs filled with wine from the prohibition era, leading us to name this project the prohibition house. For the two tenant units, Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the renovation of 2 kitchens, 4 bathrooms, new hardwood flooring throughout, along with detailed carpentry work in the entire home. WHY GALLERY KITCHEN AND BATH After interviewing multiple contractors, our client decided on Gallery Kitchen and Bath primarily because of our turnkey design, selection, and build process. In a renovation of this magnitude it is crucial to have a centralized full service contractor under one roof to handle all of the aspects and simultaneous moving parts of the project. Decentralizing the entire process by having multiple unaffiliated vendors handle various parts of the process can easily become chaotic, time consuming, and costly. Because Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the entire process, from the design of the entire space to the selection and procurement of all finishes and fixtures, down to the procurement of all permits and LPC filings, it made a seemingly chaotic project a’lot more manageable. PHASE 1: DESIGN, SELECTION, PROCUREMENT Our client wanted the renovation to incorporate a fully modern design into his Hudson Square town-house. Being that this is a landmarked property, the exterior facade had to be restored and kept with the original aesthetic, the interior of the home however was a whole different story. In keeping up with the modern aesthetic, our designers went to work to design a custom kitchen that included fully custom flat panel base cabinets in a white high gloss finish and an absolute matte black appliance/pantry wall. The kitchen design also included a white quartz countertop and backsplash with a waterfall edge island. To bring warmth to the modern kitchen, our designers incorporated a rifted and quartered select oak wood floor in a herringbone pattern, and custom blended stain with matte polyurethane finish. For continuity, the wood floor was also extended throughout the entire owners unit. In the ensuite bathroom we created a “wet area” which houses a standalone soaking tub as well as a beautiful rainfall shower, completely leveled with the rest of the floor in the bathroom. Some highlights within this space include a tiled square drain, large niche cutouts with a carrera marble accents. Once again, to bring warmth to this modern bathroom, our designers incorporated a floating rustic oak vanity and carrera marble mosaic floor tile. Last on the list on the owners unit floor was the cellar, which our client wanted to utilize as an entertainment space for his friends and family. During the design phase, we incorporated an open concept layout, wedding the indoor and outdoor space with a custom glass curtain wall. The design also included custom walnut built-ins that serve as a custom wet bar and storage piece. With the design approved and selections made our office liaisons moved to procure all of the material selections and finishes. PHASE 2: DEMO Because this home is almost two centuries old, we had to take extra precaution during the interior demolition phase of the project. One specific area that we had to pay special attention to was the existing brick. Over time the mortar in old brick homes deteriorates and turns into dust – for this reason it was extremely important that a thorough and ongoing inspection of the exteriors and interior walls took place during the demolition of the space. After 14 30-yard debris containers and 56 wine filled jugs from the prohibition era later , the demolition of this historic Hudson Square town-home came to an end. If you are wondering whether we tried the wine? After notifying the owner we agreed to open one of the jugs and try them together – nothing but vinegar. PHASE 3: BUILD One of the challenges in a renovation project of this scope is nailing down the logistics and delivery of fixtures and finish material. Adding to this challenge was a narrow entry door that required us to use a boom truck in order to deliver some of the larger materials on site. To ensure a succinct time schedule, we boomed all of the materials through the 3rd floor for the entire project and worked our renovation work from top floor to cellar. This technique also insured that any unexpected water issues during the renovation process would not damage a finished floor. With all roughing and framing complete, the Gallery KBNY team proceeded to execute on the design plan. THE REVEAL From what was once a dilapidated town-home with nothing but potential, to a glamorous and luxurious modern interior space – the prohibition house was complete. Ready to speak with us about your renovation project? Contact us to schedule your free consultation and let Gallery KBNY show you why our all-inclusive approach to your renovation is the smartest way to renovating in NYC.

The owner of this historic and landmarked town-home renovation in Hudson Square, originally built in 1826, hired Gallery Kitchen and Bath to fully gut-renovate this 3-unit row-home. The scope of work included a full-scale renovation of the owners unit, including the renovation of the kitchen, one 4-piece master ensuite bathroom, one 3-piece bathroom with a walk-in steam shower, and a beautiful powder room. Additional work in the owners unit also included flooring, electrical upgrade, major plumbing work, new HVAC system, restoration of a fireplace, installation of a fully integrated smart home system and landmarked approved windows. CELLAR RENOVATION IN NYC LANDMARKED TOWN-HOME Rounding out the owners unit we renovated the cellar, which was converted into an entertainment space and featured a custom glass curtain wall, along with a custom staircase with an exposed brick wall. During the demolition phase of the cellar, our team discovered 56 wine jugs filled with wine from the prohibition era, leading us to name this project the prohibition house. For the two tenant units, Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the renovation of 2 kitchens, 4 bathrooms, new hardwood flooring throughout, along with detailed carpentry work in the entire home. WHY GALLERY KITCHEN AND BATH After interviewing multiple contractors, our client decided on Gallery Kitchen and Bath primarily because of our turnkey design, selection, and build process. In a renovation of this magnitude it is crucial to have a centralized full service contractor under one roof to handle all of the aspects and simultaneous moving parts of the project. Decentralizing the entire process by having multiple unaffiliated vendors handle various parts of the process can easily become chaotic, time consuming, and costly. Because Gallery Kitchen and Bath undertook the entire process, from the design of the entire space to the selection and procurement of all finishes and fixtures, down to the procurement of all permits and LPC filings, it made a seemingly chaotic project a’lot more manageable. PHASE 1: DESIGN, SELECTION, PROCUREMENT Our client wanted the renovation to incorporate a fully modern design into his Hudson Square town-house. Being that this is a landmarked property, the exterior facade had to be restored and kept with the original aesthetic, the interior of the home however was a whole different story. In keeping up with the modern aesthetic, our designers went to work to design a custom kitchen that included fully custom flat panel base cabinets in a white high gloss finish and an absolute matte black appliance/pantry wall. The kitchen design also included a white quartz countertop and backsplash with a waterfall edge island. To bring warmth to the modern kitchen, our designers incorporated a rifted and quartered select oak wood floor in a herringbone pattern, and custom blended stain with matte polyurethane finish. For continuity, the wood floor was also extended throughout the entire owners unit. In the ensuite bathroom we created a “wet area” which houses a standalone soaking tub as well as a beautiful rainfall shower, completely leveled with the rest of the floor in the bathroom. Some highlights within this space include a tiled square drain, large niche cutouts with a carrera marble accents. Once again, to bring warmth to this modern bathroom, our designers incorporated a floating rustic oak vanity and carrera marble mosaic floor tile. Last on the list on the owners unit floor was the cellar, which our client wanted to utilize as an entertainment space for his friends and family. During the design phase, we incorporated an open concept layout, wedding the indoor and outdoor space with a custom glass curtain wall. The design also included custom walnut built-ins that serve as a custom wet bar and storage piece. With the design approved and selections made our office liaisons moved to procure all of the material selections and finishes. PHASE 2: DEMO Because this home is almost two centuries old, we had to take extra precaution during the interior demolition phase of the project. One specific area that we had to pay special attention to was the existing brick. Over time the mortar in old brick homes deteriorates and turns into dust – for this reason it was extremely important that a thorough and ongoing inspection of the exteriors and interior walls took place during the demolition of the space. After 14 30-yard debris containers and 56 wine filled jugs from the prohibition era later , the demolition of this historic Hudson Square town-home came to an end. If you are wondering whether we tried the wine? After notifying the owner we agreed to open one of the jugs and try them together – nothing but vinegar. PHASE 3: BUILD One of the challenges in a renovation project of this scope is nailing down the logistics and delivery of fixtures and finish material. Adding to this challenge was a narrow entry door that required us to use a boom truck in order to deliver some of the larger materials on site. To ensure a succinct time schedule, we boomed all of the materials through the 3rd floor for the entire project and worked our renovation work from top floor to cellar. This technique also insured that any unexpected water issues during the renovation process would not damage a finished floor. With all roughing and framing complete, the Gallery KBNY team proceeded to execute on the design plan. THE REVEAL From what was once a dilapidated town-home with nothing but potential, to a glamorous and luxurious modern interior space – the prohibition house was complete. Ready to speak with us about your renovation project? Contact us to schedule your free consultation and let Gallery KBNY show you why our all-inclusive approach to your renovation is the smartest way to renovating in NYC.

C Kevin Coffey
Staircase - cottage staircase idea in Nashville

When our Wisconsin client decided to build a home in Hawaii, Elizabeth Stange ASID coordinated their project, including this lovely tile work in the Guest Bathroom.

Mountain style staircase photo in San Diego

Traditional tile shower with beige stone-look tile in a straight lay pattern on shower walls and tiled corner bench. Also, tiled shower floor with cut and tumbled flat beige pebbles, with a Schluter center drain. Included with a recessed niche tiled with beige stone look tile to match and a decorative liner using a stone mosaic, continuing around the shower walls.

Illusion petit water jet cut marble mosaic backsplash from Ambiente Tile in Seattle.
Example of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped dark wood floor home design design in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, green walls and an island

This version of Amuneal’s Collector’s Shelving Unit features solid machined brass fittings and posts with a wire mesh surround in a warm brass finish. The unit mounts to the wall to support a series of easily adjustable glass shelves. All of our Collector’s Shelving Units are fabricated in Amuneal’s Philadelphia-based furniture studio and can be customized as required for residential and commercial spaces.

WHITE SUBWAY TILE, CARRARA HEXAGON SHOWER FLOOR, DRIFTWOOD PORCELAIN FLOOR TILE,
Example of a mid-sized country master gray tile bathroom design in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, white cabinets and marble countertops

Located in Hansville's WA., this waterfront home's kitchen was designed in the Craftsman Style to go with the Northwest architecture of the home. The cabinets are from DeWil's Custom Cabinetry, made from Quarter-sawn White Oak in a 111 Cherry stain makes the cabinets seem more like furniture than kitchen cabinets. Many of my client's antique furniture pieces were also were made from Quarter-sawn Oak which added the overall warmth and charm. Keeping to the same cabinet footprint so we could save the existing hardwood flooring, we were able to rearrange some of the cabinets making the space more functional.

Allan Jerman
Trendy home design photo in Boise

Karen Palmer Photography
Example of an eclectic home design design in St Louis with gray walls and a medium wood front door

Ask a kitchen designer in Chicago which countertop question comes up most and you will hear the same answer: white or off-white quartz, and which shade. Homeowners walk into showrooms with a photo saved on their phone, usually a bright, veined slab from a magazine spread, and leave an hour later realizing there are a dozen versions of that same look. The confusion is not about taste. It is about the fact that "white quartz" covers a huge range of patterns, undertones, and price points, and nobody explains the differences before the sale. Older bungalows and newer builds alike are getting stripped of their dated laminate and butcher block in favor of quartz, and the reasons are practical rather than trendy. Quartz does not need sealing, resists the kind of staining that granite can suffer over decades, and holds up to the freeze-thaw humidity swings that Chicago basements and kitchens go through every year. Once a homeowner commits to quartz, though, the real decision starts: which white, and does the pattern justify the difference in cost. This piece walks through three specific slabs that keep showing up in Chicago renovation projects, why designers reach for them in different rooms, and what actually separates a flat white surface from one with real depth. None of this requires a design background to follow. It is mostly about paying attention to how a slab behaves under kitchen lighting, how busy the vending gets, and how it photographs versus how it looks in person. Why White Quartz Took Over Chicago Kitchens Ten years ago, granite dominated Chicago kitchen remodels almost by default. It was durable, it looked expensive, and every fabricator in the metro area carried a wide range of colors. Quartz has since taken over that position, and the shift happened faster than most contractors expected. Engineered stone gave homeowners a more predictable surface, since natural granite varies slab to slab while quartz is manufactured to a consistent pattern batch after batch. The other driver is light. Chicago winters are long and gray, and a lot of kitchens, especially in older two-flats and courtyard buildings, do not get much direct sun. A dark granite countertop in a dim kitchen can make the whole room feel smaller. White and light-toned quartz reflects what little natural light comes through the windows, and it makes a galley kitchen or a north-facing space feel noticeably brighter without touching the cabinetry or the layout. There is also a resale argument that local real estate agents bring up constantly. White quartz photographs well for listings, reads as updated and low-maintenance to buyers touring in person, and does not compete visually with whatever cabinet color the next owner might prefer. It is a safer bet than a bold veined marble look or a colored quartz that might feel dated in five years. Arctic White and the Cost Question Among the flatter, more uniform whites, arctic white quartz price comes up constantly in budget conversations because the slab sits at a more approachable point than the heavily veined Italian-marble-inspired patterns. It reads as clean and bright without the busy movement that some homeowners find overwhelming in a small kitchen. Fabricators in the Chicago area tend to keep it in stock precisely because demand stays steady across both new construction and remodel projects. Part of what keeps this slab affordable relative to its heavily patterned cousins comes down to manufacturing complexity. A quartz surface with minimal veining and a consistent white base is simpler to produce at scale than one that mimics the irregular, high-contrast movement of natural Calacatta marble. That production difference shows up directly in what a homeowner pays per square foot, and it is worth asking a fabricator to walk through that pricing before assuming every white quartz costs the same. Homeowners planning a full kitchen, including an island, backsplash, and perimeter counters, often use a flatter white like this specifically because it lets other elements carry the visual interest. A patterned tile backsplash or a bold cabinet color reads more clearly against a calm countertop than against one already fighting for attention with heavy veining. Designers frequently pair simpler whites with statement lighting fixtures for exactly this reason. What Makes Calacatta Patterns Different Calacatta refers to a family of marble originally quarried in Italy, known for a bright white background broken up by bold, often gold-toned veining that moves in thick, dramatic streaks rather than thin gray lines. Natural Calacatta marble is soft, porous, and expensive to maintain, which is exactly why quartz manufacturers spent years developing engineered versions that replicate the look without the upkeep headaches. The challenge with any Calacatta-style quartz is getting the veining to look organic instead of printed. Early generations of engineered stone struggled with repetitive patterns that gave away the fact the slab was manufactured rather than cut from actual marble. Modern digital printing and layering techniques have closed that gap considerably, and the better Calacatta-inspired quartz lines now vary the veining across each slab batch so two counters in the same kitchen do not look identical. Chicago designers gravitate toward Calacatta patterns for kitchens that function as the visual centerpiece of an open floor plan, which describes a large share of the gut renovations happening in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, and the North Shore suburbs. When the kitchen island is visible from the living room and dining area, a dramatic veined surface becomes part of the home's overall design language rather than a purely functional work surface. Calacatta Arno Under Kitchen Lighting One of the more popular options in this category, calacatta arno quartz, balances a warm white base with soft gray and gold veining that avoids looking too stark under the cooler LED lighting common in newer Chicago builds. Homeowners touring showrooms sometimes make the mistake of judging a slab entirely under warm incandescent lighting, then get surprised when the same surface looks slightly different once installed under their kitchen's actual fixtures. What separates this particular pattern from flatter competitors is how the veining clusters rather than spreading evenly across the slab. That clustering mimics the way real quarried marble forms, with denser mineral deposits in some sections and cleaner stretches in others. Fabricators cutting a large island slab from a single piece will often orient the pattern intentionally so the busiest veining lands somewhere visually interesting rather than getting cut off at an edge. Because the background reads warmer than a stark white, this pattern tends to pair well with brass or matte gold hardware, a combination that has been showing up repeatedly in Chicago kitchen remodels over the past few renovation seasons. Cabinet painters report a similar trend, with more clients requesting warm white or greige cabinet colors specifically because they complement this kind of veined quartz better than a cooler, blue-toned white would. Silestone's Version of the Calacatta Look Manufacturers compete directly in this Calacatta-inspired category, and silestone eternal calacatta gold represents one brand's specific take on the pattern, distinguished by richer gold veining set against a brighter white base than some competing slabs in the same family. Silestone has built a reputation around anti-bacterial surface treatments in addition to the standard quartz durability, a detail some homeowners specifically ask about for kitchens used heavily by families with young children. The veining in this particular slab tends to run in longer, more continuous lines compared to the clustered pattern found in some other Calacatta-style options, which gives large island surfaces a sense of visual flow from one end to the other. Fabricators working with bigger islands, the kind increasingly common in open-concept Chicago remodels, often favor patterns like this because there is less need to worry about seams interrupting a busy, disconnected pattern. Price positioning for this slab tends to sit toward the upper end of the engineered quartz category, reflecting both the brand's manufacturing process and the complexity of replicating that continuous gold veining consistently across production batches. Homeowners weighing this option against other Calacatta-style quartz should ask their fabricator directly about batch availability, since premium patterns sometimes have longer lead times than standard stock colors. Living With Quartz Day to Day Beyond how a slab looks in a showroom or a listing photo, the daily experience of owning quartz countertops matters more once the renovation dust settles. Quartz resists scratching far better than laminate and holds up to the acidic spills, hot pans, and general abuse of an active kitchen without the sealing maintenance that natural stone requires every year or two. That low-maintenance reputation is a large part of why quartz overtook granite in the first place. Heat resistance is a detail that gets less attention than it should. While quartz handles moderate heat well, manufacturers generally recommend using a trivet or pad for very hot pots straight off the stove, since sudden temperature shock can occasionally cause stress marks in the resin binder that holds the engineered stone together. This is a minor precaution rather than a major limitation, but it is worth mentioning to anyone assuming quartz is entirely indestructible. Cleaning routines stay simple across almost every pattern in this category. A damp cloth and mild soap handle daily messes, and the nonporous surface means wine, coffee, and tomato-based sauces do not soak in the way they can with unsealed granite or marble. Homeowners moving from an older stone counter often mention how much less they worry about everyday spills once quartz is installed, which is a quality-of-life change that rarely makes it into the initial design conversation. Choosing Between the Three There is no single correct answer among these three slabs, and that is exactly why they keep coming up together in the same design conversations across Chicago renovation projects. A flatter white with minimal veining suits kitchens where other elements need to carry the visual interest, while a bolder Calacatta-inspired pattern makes sense when the countertop itself is meant to be the centerpiece of an open floor plan. Budget matters too, and it is worth having a direct conversation with a fabricator about where each option lands before falling in love with a specific slab in a showroom. Lighting, cabinet color, and how the kitchen connects to the rest of the home all play into which pattern will actually look right once installation is finished rather than just in a photo. Whatever direction a homeowner leans, seeing a full slab in person under actual kitchen lighting remains the single most useful step before signing off. Photos only go so far once the countertop is sitting in the room it will live in for years.

Staircase - mid-sized modern wooden straight metal railing staircase idea in Raleigh with wooden risers

Chiseled edge marble tile, laid in the Versailles pattern, is featured throughout the downstairs of the home.
Example of a huge tuscan open concept marble floor and beige floor living room design in Las Vegas

Ann Sacks, Idris, Grey Chine-Kitchen Backsplash and Mud Room Backsplash

stamped decorative concrete driveway
Carport - two-car carport idea in Providence