I’ve been meaning to share this for a while. And don’t think my lack of sharing means I’m any less excited about this. Enzy design is featured (again – see first feature here and here) in the Spring issue of Utah Style & Design! Where enzy was the sole designer involved in the first project, this one is something I’m equally proud of because of the collaboration that was involved, and the end results. Collaborating with other designers can be fun and refreshing, and a welcome change from handling every detail on a project by yourself.
Interior Designer Cody Beal brought me in as a Kitchen & Bath Design expert to design & supply the cabinetry (using Hallmark Custom Cabinets). Cody firmly believes in the importance of a team. He knows he’ll look better if he relies on his team of experts to help pull the project together. So Cody came to me with his grand scheme plans for the kitchen, bathroom, and master bedroom cabinetry, and once we selected finishes, he gave me free reign to tweak the layout and design the cabinetry details. This was smart for a few reasons:
- It freed up his time so he was able to focus on fine-tuning all the other design details throughout the house.
- Because Cody trusted me, it allowed me to fully use my expertise to provide the most functional, ergonomic, and aesthetically pleasing cabinetry for the clients.
- By working directly with the clients, I was better able to understand their needs. We discussed everything from comfortable reaching heights to how many pairs of shoes they had. This much information would have been nearly impossible without direct contact with the clients.
Check out the whole issue while you still can!
And see more photos of this project on the enzy design portfolio.
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We had less than 2 days to take it all in. Through the whirlwind tour, there were 5 things that stood out to me:
Contemporary Bling. Turn on the sparkle – faucets, cabinet & door hardware, glittery tile grout, and glitzy countertops
Texture. In tile and beyond, textured finishes add a special depth and interest.
Ann Sacks textured tile steals the show.
Brass and Bronze – We’ve been raving about this comeback for a while, but it was great to see it in full force at KBIS.
Oak It’s not an outright trend… yet. But it’s been making an appearance here and there, and I expect to see more. We’re not talking about the honey oak of the 80’s, but we’re also not talking about the quarter-sawn or rift cut that we’ve gotten used to in more contemporary settings. This oak is open-grained and dramatic, with finishes of matte, weathered, and gray. I only got one photo from KBIS, but there was more to be seen.
Functional Sink Accessories I’ve got a whole guest post on this topic alone that will soon be featured on the Utah Style & Design blog. I was thrilled with the new introductions that convert sinks into functional worksurfaces, including racks, cutting boards, and storage for cleaning utensils.
I finally had the opportunity to take some photos of a basement bathroom project.
We started with a VERY small, cramped bathroom. Look how little leg room there was between the toilet & tub!
Last week I had the chance to visit Los Angeles for the ASID Leadership Conference, in conjunction with Dwell on Design (that’s me on the far right).
While the conference was filled with ASID seminars preparing us for our leadership roles within our chapters (I’ll be President of the ASID Intermountain Chapter starting in October), we also had some time to wander the show floor for design inspiration.
I had so much to see in a short amount of time, but I thought I would post some of the things that stood out most to me, whether it was for their great design or their colorful imagery.
1. Miele’s limited edition white appliances. I heard rumors of their new white appliances on twitter, and was thrilled to see them in person.
2. Miele’s flush-mount gas cooktop
10. JC Penney is stepping it up with new lines from Jonathan Adler and Michael Graves! (sorry about the blurry photo)
12. If you read my blog, you know that I’m obsessed with outlet and switch cover options . Lutron did not disappoint.
13. Walker Zanger tile never ceases to amaze me. They were a sponsor of our ASID Leadership Conference, and I love my new notebook with the tagline “What will you create?” As noted in the speech given by their rep, they are a company dedicated celebrating and inspiring all designers, which is evident in their social media sites.
Then, a couple years ago, they introduced their VibrAcoustics bath line, which incorporates into the tub a “soothing sound vibration technology that resounds throughout your body to relax and calm you like never before.”
And now they’ve come out with the Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. A showerhead and integrated removable speaker that syncs to your media player via bluetooth technology.
The term water saving is no longer synonymous with “no pressure” or “personally inefficient.” As
advancing technologies make eco-consciousness an increasingly integral part of life, water-saving
bathroom fixtures can now reduce your environmental impact – and your utility bills – without
sacrificing comfort or convenience. The latest advances in water-efficient plumbing are not only highly
functional but beautiful when it counts.
The next time you’re in the market for water-saving fixtures, keep the following in mind:
Low-Flow Toilets
The toilets of yesterday flushed up to 5 gallons of water, but that changed in the 1990s when models
were designed to flush no more than 1.6 gallons of water. The first generations of low-flow toilets were
ineffective, however, much to consumer disappointment.
Today’s low-flow toilets employ new design features to help reduce friction and help waste make its
way out of the bowl. Such features include glazed trapways; 3-inch flush valves; and in some cases
pressurized air in the tank to help enhance the force of the water moving into the bowl. When shopping
for a low-flow toilet, look for one that has a dual-flush option, which allows you to control the amount
of water you flush based on the type of waste. Today’s standard low-flow toilet has a 1.28-gallon-per-
flush rating, and the dual flush ratings go as low as .6 gallons per flush for the ‘liquid only’ option. With
the right low-flow toilet, you can save up to $100 per year in utility costs.
Programmable Showers
A revolution in plumbing, programmable showers allow you to set your ideal water temperature,
delivery method and flow level. This prevents you from wasting water as you adjust the valves to find
the perfect temperature. When shopping for a programmable shower, look for one that’s backed by a
state or national green building standards code and allows you to save multiple user presets.
Flow-Optimized Faucet Aerators (and Shower Heads)
The latest flow-optimized faucet aerators help save water without sacrificing pressure. The air that’s
injected into the flow of water reduces the flow rate from 2.2 gallons per minute to 1.5 gallons per
minute, while maintaining optimal pressure. Depending on the aerating model you purchase, you can
cut back on your water use from a single bathroom tap by up to 32 percent.
The good news for homeowners is that a luxury bathroom no longer has to be a wasteful one. Consult
your local plumber about the latest water-saving bathroom fixtures to learn which would work best in
your home.
3 Mountains Plumbing, servicing all of the Portland metro area, is a fully licensed and bonded plumbing contractor that specializes in Service Plumbing and Remodeling Plumbing for homes and businesses.
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We are nearly finished with a great project that involved reconfiguring and refinishing a basement in order to give the clients a Master Suite, and I thought it would be fun to give a recap of the design & selections process we went through.
Moving walls, especially in a basement, can be a challenge, as these walls may be load-bearing, and they will likely contain plumbing lines, electrical wires, and HVAC ducts that feed the basement as well as the upstairs floor(s).
This basement we started with was likely an old DIY finishing project. (This was not the work of my clients – they bought the house this way!). It presented a lot of these structural and mechanical challenges, as mentioned above, along with some interesting and unexpected construction methods (as we often see with DIY projects) that made the demolition and prep phases even more challenging.
Old Plan:
The old configuration had 2 bathrooms (one of which was a very odd layout, as the bathroom was open to the adjacent den-type space, and the toilet was tucked beneath the stairs). The open room that the bathroom was in had no connection to the rooms in the back of the basement, except through the laundry room. This back space included a kitchenette, the other bathroom, and 2 small awkward rooms.
I worked with Drew & Mike of ReVive Remodeling to determine which walls we could move and how everything could be re-routed & relocated.
We left the laundry and mechanical rooms where they were, but reconfigured everything else to include:
- Den/Office
- Bedroom
- Bathroom
- Large Master Closet
New Plan:
The bathroom itself is a very unique layout. We didn’t have the luxury of space for a large bathroom with separate toilet room, so we created a niche for the toilet behind the shower. Not only does this give the clients privacy, but it also allowed the toilet to remain in the existing plumbing location, which saves money.
Selections:
I started with this (very sketchy) sketch to propose a look for bathroom sink wall.
The concept was based on the clients’ need for storage, their love of concrete and that “rustic modern” look, and their desire for 2 sinks (which they didn’t really have a lot of space for). Fortunately, the clients loved it, and so from there I worked with them to finalize finishes. Below is one collage photo and paint samples, and you can see more on this previous post.
- Mike from Future Form Designs for the custom concrete sink
- Bill & Jason at Hallmark Cabinets for the beautiful sink base
- Cora at Elume Distinctive Lighting for the vanity fixtures
- Kathleen at European Marble & Granite for the great deal on the limestone remnant pieces
- Jodi at Mountainland Design for the plumbing fixtures
- Also the other trades that Mike & Drew worked directly with on site…
I’m lucky to have been a part of this project!
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Recently I posted about a beautiful white & wenge kitchen remodel I was lucky to be a part of. Well, at the same time, we did the bathroom, which included a closet. And that’s gorgeous too!
The same wonderful group of people was involved in this project: Cody Beal, Lew Shurtliff, Adam Erickson, and others. Cabinetry by Hallmark Cabinets.
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