Interior view of the Northgrove Residence. Interior Design by Amity Worrell & Co. Construction by Smith Builders. Photography by Andrea Calo.

Bathroom remodel. Wanted to keep the vintage charm with new refreshed finishes. New marble flooring, new claw foot tub, custom glass shower.

This vanity comes from something of a dream home! What woman wouldn't be happy with something like this?

Leonard Ortiz

Relocating to Portland, Oregon from California, this young family immediately hired Amy to redesign their newly purchased home to better fit their needs. The project included updating the kitchen, hall bath, and adding an en suite to their master bedroom. Removing a wall between the kitchen and dining allowed for additional counter space and storage along with improved traffic flow and increased natural light to the heart of the home. This galley style kitchen is focused on efficiency and functionality through custom cabinets with a pantry boasting drawer storage topped with quartz slab for durability, pull-out storage accessories throughout, deep drawers, and a quartz topped coffee bar/ buffet facing the dining area. The master bath and hall bath were born out of a single bath and a closet. While modest in size, the bathrooms are filled with functionality and colorful design elements. Durable hex shaped porcelain tiles compliment the blue vanities topped with white quartz countertops. The shower and tub are both tiled in handmade ceramic tiles, bringing much needed texture and movement of light to the space. The hall bath is outfitted with a toe-kick pull-out step for the family’s youngest member!

Guest bathroom remodel in Dallas, TX by Kitchen Design Concepts. This Girl's Bath features cabinetry by WW Woods Eclipse with a square flat panel door style, maple construction, and a finish of Arctic paint with a Slate Highlight / Brushed finish. Hand towel holder, towel bar and toilet tissue holder from Kohler Bancroft Collection in polished chrome. Heated mirror over vanity with interior storage and lighting. Tile -- Renaissance 2x2 Hex White tile, Matte finish in a straight lay; Daltile Rittenhouse Square Cove 3x6 Tile K101 White as base mold throughout; Arizona Tile H-Line Series 3x6 Denim Glossy in a brick lay up the wall, window casing and built-in niche and matching curb and bullnose pieces. Countertop -- 3 cm Caesarstone Frosty Carina. Vanity sink -- Toto Undercounter Lavatory with SanaGloss Cotton. Vanity faucet-- Widespread faucet with White ceramic lever handles. Tub filler - Kohler Devonshire non-diverter bath spout polished chrome. Shower control – Kohler Bancroft valve trim with white ceramic lever handles. Hand Shower & Slider Bar - one multifunction handshower with Slide Bar. Commode - Toto Maris Wall-Hung Dual-Flush Toilet Cotton w/ Rectangular Push Plate Dual Button White. Photos by Unique Exposure Photography

Floors tiled in 'Lombardo' hexagon mosaic honed marble from Artisans of Devizes | Shower wall tiled in 'Lombardo' large format honed marble from Artisans of Devizes | Brassware is by Gessi in the finish 706 (Blackened Chrome) | Bronze mirror feature wall comprised of 3 bevelled panels | Custom vanity unit and cabinetry made by Luxe Projects London | Stone sink fabricated by AC Stone & Ceramic out of Oribico marble

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

You’d never know by looking at this stunning cottage that the project began by raising the entire home six feet above the foundation. The Birchwood field team used their expertise to carefully lift the home in order to pour an entirely new foundation. With the base of the home secure, our craftsmen moved indoors to remodel the home’s kitchen and bathrooms. The sleek kitchen features gray, custom made inlay cabinetry that brings out the detail in the one of a kind quartz countertop. A glitzy marble tile backsplash completes the contemporary styled kitchen. Photo credit: Phoenix Photographic

We often come across clients looking for small space ideas. Our first recommendation is always to go bright. The depth of our glaze color adds visual interest and a bold color choice helps make a space appear larger. Posh and polished (just like the homeowner) this stunning sapphire blue bathroom will have you in awe. The owner of this amazing lake house is our friend Rachel Shingleton of Pencil Shavings Studio. Her refined design-eye coupled with our bright and bold tile transformed this small bathroom into the perfect master bath. And could you believe it? This is a super simple project! Read on to learn more about this design and how to achieve the look yourself. Another great way to open up a small bathroom is by using smaller tile! Our regular Hexagons are the great example of this - approximately 2"x2" their small size maximizes the rest of the room, and their classic shape is perfect for a bathroom floor.

We often come across clients looking for small space ideas. Our first recommendation is always to go bright. The depth of our glaze color adds visual interest and a bold color choice helps make a space appear larger. Posh and polished (just like the homeowner) this stunning sapphire blue bathroom will have you in awe. The owner of this amazing lake house is our friend Rachel Shingleton of Pencil Shavings Studio. Her refined design-eye coupled with our bright and bold tile transformed this small bathroom into the perfect master bath. And could you believe it? This is a super simple project! Read on to learn more about this design and how to achieve the look yourself. Another great way to open up a small bathroom is by using smaller tile! Our regular Hexagons are the great example of this - approximately 2"x2" their small size maximizes the rest of the room, and their classic shape is perfect for a bathroom floor.