Bruce Buckley Photography
Large arts and crafts stone front porch photo in DC Metro with a roof extension

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.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

Kitchen - large farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Detroit with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This client came to us wanting some help with updating the master bath in their home. Their primary goals were to increase the size of the shower, add a rain head, add a freestanding tub and overall freshen the feel of the space. The existing layout of the bath worked well, so we left the basic footprint the same, but increased the size of the shower and added a freestanding tub on a bit of an angle which allowed for some additional storage. One of the most important things on the wish list was adding a rainhead in the shower, but this was not an easy task with the angled ceiling. We came up with the solution of using an extra long wall-mounted shower arm that was reinforced with a meal bracket attached the ceiling. This did the trick, and no extra framing or insulation was required to make it work. The materials selected for the space are classic and fresh. Large format white oriental marble is used throughout the bath, on the floor in a herrinbone pattern and in a staggered brick pattern on the walls. Alder cabinets with a gray stain contrast nicely with the white marble, while shiplap detail helps unify the space and gives it a casual and cozy vibe. Storage solutions include an area for towels and other necessities at the foot of the tub, roll out shelves and out storage in the vanities and a custom niche and shaving ledge in the shower. We love how just a few simple changes can make such a great impact! Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Short and Sassy helenium - new for 2014 from Skagit Gardens Le jardinet

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

This guest bedroom is set-up as a man-cave of sorts, but can be converted to a bedroom with the Murphy bed shown here. The ensuite bathroom is accessed just to the left of the Murphy bed. If aging in place or injury require, this space can temporarily serve as the primary suite for the house.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

We opted for a downdraft range in lieu of an overhead hood, to avoid blocking the kitchen's views of Saratoga Passage. This required notching out the raised breakfast bar to allow space for the pop-up vent to rise.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

The renovation of the rear of the house was both inspired by the look of Parisian garret apartments, and the need to respect existing zoning setback requirements. Sloping the 'roof' of the first floor up to connect at the top of the 2nd floor parapet, and filling that slope with skylights, created inviting sunrooms on both the first and second floor.

Light and airy beach home with a warm earthy vibe required very little ornamentation. We livened up the kitchen and dining room with plants, flowers, and minimal accessories. Kept it understated and uncluttered.

Steven Evans Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern brown two-story wood exterior home remodel in Toronto with a hip roof

Photo of a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Genevieve Garrupo
Study room - small contemporary built-in desk light wood floor study room idea in New York with white walls

Our new client required carpentry repairs and a full exterior painting on their late 1800's Wellesley home. This project required an EPA lead safety set up. Federal and state law require that work done on homes built before 1978 is done according to EPA guidelines, using protective material and gear. This entire home, from the siding, the two accent trims, window casings, doors, bulkhead and multiple porches, were scraped, sanded, spot primed and applied two coats. The siding was coated with Benjamin Moore Himalayan Trek 1542 with the accent trim Gargoyle 1546.