Black river rock floors, white arabesque tile and carrara basketweave tile, two person luxurious shower.

Detail of mosaic lizard extends from sink into shower. photos by Todd Gieg

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Old farmhouses offer charm and character but usually need some careful changes to efficiently serve the needs of today’s families. This blended family of four desperately desired a master bath and walk-in closet in keeping with the exceptional features of the home. At the top of the list were a large shower, double vanity, and a private toilet area. They also requested additional storage for bathroom items. Windows, doorways could not be relocated, but certain nonloadbearing walls could be removed. Gorgeous antique flooring had to be patched where walls were removed without being noticeable. Original interior doors and woodwork were restored. Deep window sills give hints to the thick stone exterior walls. A local reproduction furniture maker with national accolades was the perfect choice for the cabinetry which was hand planed and hand finished the way furniture was built long ago. Even the wood tops on the beautiful dresser and bench were rich with dimension from these techniques. The legs on the double vanity were hand turned by Amish woodworkers to add to the farmhouse flair. Marble tops and tile as well as antique style fixtures were chosen to complement the classic look of everything else in the room. It was important to choose contractors and installers experienced in historic remodeling as the old systems had to be carefully updated. Every item on the wish list was achieved in this project from functional storage and a private water closet to every aesthetic detail desired. If only the farmers who originally inhabited this home could see it now! Matt Villano Photography

Like this Plan? See more of this project on our website http://gokeesee.com/homeplans HOME PLAN ID: C13-03186-62A Uneek Image

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW What’s the next best thing to a tropical vacation in the middle of a Chicago winter? Well, how about a tropical themed bath that works year round? The goal of this bath was just that, to bring some fun, whimsy and tropical vibes! We started out by making some updates to the built in bookcase leading into the bath. It got an easy update by removing all the stained trim and creating a simple arched opening with a few floating shelves for a much cleaner and up-to-date look. We love the simplicity of this arch in the space. Now, into the bathroom design. Our client fell in love with this beautiful handmade tile featuring tropical birds and flowers and featuring bright, vibrant colors. We played off the tile to come up with the pallet for the rest of the space. The cabinetry and trim is a custom teal-blue paint that perfectly picks up on the blue in the tile. The gold hardware, lighting and mirror also coordinate with the colors in the tile. Because the house is a 1930’s tudor, we played homage to that by using a simple black and white hex pattern on the floor and retro style hardware that keep the whole space feeling vintage appropriate. We chose a wall mount unpolished brass hardware faucet which almost gives the feel of a tropical fountain. It just works. The arched mirror continues the arch theme from the bookcase. For the shower, we chose a coordinating antique white tile with the same tropical tile featured in a shampoo niche where we carefully worked to get a little bird almost standing on the niche itself. We carried the gold fixtures into the shower, and instead of a shower door, the shower features a simple hinged glass panel that is easy to clean and allows for easy access to the shower controls. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more design inspiration go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

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Builder/Remodeler: M&S Resources- Phillip Moreno/ Materials provided by: Cherry City Interiors & Design/ Interior Design by: Shelli Dierck & Leslie Kampstra/ Photographs by: Shelli Dierck &

Third floor primary bathroom suite with large wet room with ocean views.