Bathroom Leaves Set of Miami Vice Over "Creative Differences"

We were recently asked to rescue a master bathroom from a jackpot of shiny brass and marble on every surface. In addition to having all of the glitz and glamour of the 1980's cocaine trade as depicted on television 30 years ago, it had a couple wonky design issues.

Here are the pre-construction pics:

The shiny brass and the same 12x12 marble on nearly every surface tell almost the whole story about the design of this bathroom.

I'm sure I read somewhere that when you have 100 SF available, you shouldn't require the occupants to turn sideways to enter the small shower.   

The obligatory white jacuzzi and 82" vanity with only a single bowl and faucet and limited storage. The number of functioning jacuzzi-style tubs we've seen can be counted on one hand.

R-11 insulation on an exterior wall leads to very cold conditions in the bathroom. Proper insulation is a critical component of good renovation work, even though it is invisible when the project is complete.

The owners wanted a modern master bathroom that included warmer design notes, improved lighting and storage, a large shower, and better heat control.

Here are the post-renovation pictures:

The new bathroom features a warmer color palette, heated floor, and an expanded shower with a bench.

The client picked a mosaic tile accent to add visual interest to the the subway tile.

The new double vanity provides ample storage for two. Behind the vanity wall is new R-19 insulation for better temperature control. 

The 1980's are history, and so is the old bathroom. It was a pleasure to work with such nice clients in delivering the new bathroom they envisioned.  

Winnetka Colonial Chronicles, Part 4

It feels like a decade ago since we wrote about our progress on the gut renovation of a 1925 sanity-tester in Winnetka Colonial Chronicles, Part 3. We have now turned the corner. So much of the gritty but important work has been completed. Demolition, new plumbing, new electrical, framing, insulation, drywall, oak floors, and more. Now we just have to pick tile, light fixtures, kitchen appliances, trim, door hardware, stain, paint colors, and every other finish under the sun. You need to be slightly bent to find joy in this phase. But find joy we will.

Before we go inside, here's a quick look at the exterior before-and-after. In keeping with our design philosophy, we added no embellishments and made no attempt to change the style of the exterior. The colonial is a classic architectural statement. It existed long before us and will outlive us. We respect it. The original construction was sound, even if it had fallen into disrepair.  

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Before: the weathered exterior of the home revealed damaged cedar, a cheap coat of paint on the front of the house only (in an unusual money-saving effort?), roof shingles applied directly to plywood, rotted gutters, and more.    

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After: new cedar shakes are weaved into the old, the whole exterior has been stained and painted, a new roof was installed, fascia and soffits were repaired, new gutters manage the rain water, and the original wood shutters came back to life with Dutch oil paint.   

Years of neglect have been erased. Some old homes were built to last a 100 years, and this one nearly didn't make it. Only fools like us would attempt to salvage this mess. Others would have been tempted to raze it and build new. The demand for new construction in this area seems insatiable. After all, there are fewer surprises with new construction, and the lot size would have supported a castle. But we're breathing new life into this old home, and we feel good knowing we gave it a fighting chance to endure another 100 years. 

Next month, we'll go inside with Winnetka Colonial Chronicles, Part 5. Thanks for reading along!

Sifting Through History

If you were in the market for an old clawfoot bathtub or an antique fireplace mantle, the Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse is a good place to start looking. ERW is a registered charity that collects the cast-offs from builders and home-owners, and then sells them to the public. Donors get a tax deduction, and buyers often get a bargain. You can find many old doors, windows, and fixtures sold at a fraction of the original cost. Some new items also appear from time to time, including custom orders that could not be returned and some unused products with minor imperfections. It takes some time to sift through history, but it might just be worth it for that special request.  

Sink Series, artist unknown. Have I been working too hard or is there richly colored beauty in this gallery-like display of old porcelain sinks?

A Perfectly Imperfect Chicago Loft

Old brick and timber lofts in Chicago are a dream to design because they are loaded with possibilities. Tall ceilings, exposed duct work and brick walls, oversized windows, and more create the ideal setting to realize a new vision. 

Although there are very few limits to what can be done to the interior of a home, one challenge with loft design is delineating the living space (lofts are open floor plan on steroids in most cases) and getting the scale right (large multi-purpose rooms and tall ceilings are typical). This property is a good reminder of the changes that are possible. To show the evolution of this one bedroom loft, we included "before" pictures below:

The original entry to the unit. Original wood floors, tall ceilings and passageways, and exposed ductwork are typical of the old Chicago loft conversions. 

The existing kitchen passed its expiration date long ago.

The combined family/dining room. Exposed brick with over-sized windows and large wood beams echo the industrial history of this building. The kitchen and family/dining room all bleed into each other in one large and undefined space during the pre-construction phase.

The tall dividing wall between the bedroom and living space. One challenge with old loft conversions is the division of space, which puts even more emphasis on smart interior design work. 

The bedroom with access to the roof deck above. This loft enjoys one of the most outstanding roof-top views of the city we've ever seen.

The bedroom view of the stairs up, desk, and closet behind the curtain. 

The outdated bathroom was upgraded first. 

Now that you've seen the pre-construction pictures, drumroll, please .  .  .

The finished space in its perfectly imperfect glory:

A new wall-mounted vanity, tile, lighting, and plumbing fixtures modernize the bathroom

The front entry disappears into the floor-to-ceiling wallpaper, and the foyer is illuminated by a sputnik-style light fixture.

The new kitchen features modern white cabinetry, new appliances, and a new peninsula with wine refrigerator and under-counter microwave. The kitchen is better lit than my amateur photography was able to capture.

Another perspective shows one way to create distinct living spaces without building walls.  

Countertops and backsplash are made from cement, a nod to the industrial history of the building. A skylight above the kitchen illuminates the workspace.

The owner's gallery includes gilt-framed paintings from her international travel and is set against a wall covered in Farrow & Ball's rich midnight blue-black color, Railings, for which we have major love. The neon sign illuminates "it is what is", unexpectedly surrounded by art rather than commonly used as a statement of cold reality or thinly disguised disappointment. Beauty is what it is, and we would never disagree with that.    

Modern and classic design elements can be found throughout the home, and the casual mix of materials, textures, and colors makes the space comfortably unstructured while maintaining the definition that many open spaces lack.   

The new workspace is dramatically lit by skylight access to the roof deck and an octopus light fixture.

Access to the closet via a custom barn door. The height of the loft requires attention to scale and proportion so that the volume of the home does not detract from its comfort.  

The owners bedroom with floating stairs to the clouds and an unobstructed view of Chicago.

We think this home is "perfectly imperfect" because it was not staged with furniture or designed for a photo shoot. No product placements or wallet-busting decor. It is lived-in just the way you see it. The result is one of our favorite executions of a creative vision in a small home.