A Blank Canvas

Literally!

A simple treatment for art above the mantle, yet so interesting. Love.

Room by Suzanne Kasler

Before & After

BEFORE

This is a lovely master bath remodel, in a bungalow from the 20s, that I have recently completed. There were several elements about the space that we liked and wanted to keep, so it was not a complete overhaul, but rather a 1/2 remodel. There were several problems with the space that the clients wanted a better solution for.

One of the main problems was that there was no natural light in the space. This made the entire bathroom, especially the back wall where the bath tub is, dark. The clients were also unhappy with the finish out from the previous owners. The floors were pine and the tile was a very dark, heavy gauge slate. These, among many other things, were a couple of the changes that we made.

This is what the space looks like now...
One of the most important elements that was added to the space was a window above the bathtub. This one change dramatically affected the lighting in the space. The next major goal was changing out all of the dark slate. My clients wanted something lighter and more ethereal. I encouraged the clients to use tiles that were characteristic of the era of their home. When remodeling you should always respect the integrity of the home and that will ensure continuity.

BEFORE

In this before image you can see the vanity. We liked the cabinets, absolute black granite and fixtures and incorporated those into the new design. I wanted to break up the expanse of mirror that so many homes are plagued with. I designed a center cabinet for face towels and toiletries that also helps to define his and her areas. I then specified vintage inspired decorative mirrors over each sink. This simple change, in what is a common problem in most bathrooms, makes the vanity more dynamic and interesting to look at, than a wall of mirror.

detail of the mirror mount

SHOWER BEFORE

Our next challenge was to improve the shower situation. As you can see in the before photo above, the shower was covered in the dark slate and has a small door, which made the entire space feel very, in the words of my clients, "cave like".

We weren't able to completely open up the space and do a frame-less shower because of a structural support that runs right beside the door. So, I opened the wall up with a window instead. This helped tremendously with making the shower feel larger and more open. We, of course, replaced all of the dark, heavy slate with vintage subway tiles and a vintage octagon and dot mosaic on the floor. The black gloss dot in the floor complements the black granite. On the back wall of the shower, I designed a frame with a herringbone pattern, to break up the amount of running subway. Herringbone is one of my favorite tile details.

This image is looking back at the shower from the bath tub. A major difference!

For a little sparkle and drama, I added a chandelier, with black accents, over the bathtub.


I loved the warmth that the original stained doors brought to the space so we kept those as well.

This was a fun, little renovation and my clients were a joy to work with. I hope you enjoyed seeing this project as much as I did working on it.

Delicious

Backsplash has been recently installed in one of my kitchen renovations.

It's just delicious...that's all.

Valentine

Happy Valentines Day! A day when everything is drenched in pinks and reds, and maybe you're feeling a little sweeter. Here are some lovely spaces washed in the colors of love. Enjoy!

I hope that you feel loved and that you will make someone else feel loved today.

Project Sneak Peek

On Tuesday of this week I installed a project that I've been working on. We are waiting on some back ordered light fixtures and a few accent pieces, so this is just a sneak peek. As soon as the room is complete I will show you the full makeover. Just to give you an idea, this is what we started with...

Before

Here is where we are now :-) The space is coming together beautifully. I can't wait to show you the full reveal...and with something better than camera phone pics :-/

I hope you're having a great week!

What I'm Loving...

Mercury glass accessories in bookshelves

I'm loving all of the mercury glass that is popping up on the market everywhere! I have always had a love for mercury glass. I have several of these antique mercury glass apothecary jars in my home.
I just love the patina that the mercury creates on the glass.

I just used these mushrooms on an installation on Tuesday in Dallas. How cute are these?!
I'm using these pendants in my Austin project over the kitchen bar.

I'm also using these mercury glass knobs in the master bath of my Austin project. This bath is so wonderfully decked in Cararra, I cannot wait until it is installed.

You can find lots of fun mercury glass accessories at most retail vendors and by using them it is a great way to add a little vintage to your space. In my opinion, every space should have just a hint of patina somewhere.

Lovely votives in a great price point from West Elm.

Pottery Barn has this great mercury glass lamp with burlap shade, a perfect combo.

More great accessories from West Elm.

Another gorgeous lamp that lends a little more towards the glam side with the ribbed gourd shape and crystal base and finial. Love this!

Keep your eyes peeled for mercury glass, it is going to be very popular this year.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek at a project that I installed in Dallas on Tuesday.

Happy What I'm Loving Wednesday!

What I'm Loving...

I am loving these gorgeous mosaics from Studium! Studi-YUM!!! Look at that chevron!

Just stunning!



Just look at those listellos! I love every one of them, I had such a hard time choosing which sheet to display.

I will definitely be looking to incorporate some of these in some of my future designs.
I hope you are staying warm with all of this freezing weather everywhere.
Happy What I'm Loving Wednesday!