The Great Outdoors

We spend plenty of time inside homes, so it's always a refreshing change of pace to enjoy some build-time outside. Creating a 17' x 15' custom deck for a former West-coast family makes the Summer work days even better.

The backyard had one mature maple tree located 14 feet from back door, and the plans called for us to build the deck around it.  The rear of the house had a number of old windows that we needed to replace. The back of the house received a face-lift with new windows, exterior lights, doors, and stucco to match the other three sides of the structure. 

In order to access the deck from the kitchen, we removed a bank of windows and installed a sliding door.

The clients wanted room for  outdoor dining, leading to a deck that extended beyond the maple tree. Our carpenter carefully scribed the cedar planks to the shape of the tree trunk (nicely done, sir!). Just beyond the tree is the 12 foot bench facing the house with built-in LED lights below. 

A view of the rear of the house and a second bench, this one facing the backyard. The large canopy of the maple tree provides ample shade.

A view of the finished deck with all new MARVIN windows, planter box, pendant lighting, and door. The transformer for the deck lighting is hidden inside the planter box.

The scale of this project almost qualifies as a mini-addition to the house, and we like the way it's connected to the paved patio and green space. It was a fun project, and we expect it will see plenty of use. We hope this family enjoys many good times with new friends on their new deck!  

A Laundry Room, Elevated

Readers of this blog might remember that we are fans of second floor laundry whenever possible. It's a high-value improvement we can make in older homes, especially compared to basement laundry machines (next to the box of stuff you didn't sort out since two moves ago, your mother-in-law's upholstered chair, and the mechanicals of the home).

If the thought of carrying multiple loads of laundry up several flights of stairs no longer excites you, read on.

Our client's home had a walk-in storage closet between two bedrooms, perfectly suited for a new laundry room. The basement laundry machines were approaching the end of their lives. Drudgery was winning.

Below are pictures of the recently completed 2nd floor laundry.  

Goodbye to a single-purpose storage room, and hello to a multi-function laundry room. Cabinetry for storage on the left, with stackable full-size laundry machines and sink on the right.

I wish we had thought of this, but credit goes to the client for the beverage refrigerator and coffee maker. That is brilliant work in the anti-drudgery department. 

Eliminating the closet doesn't mean the need for storage disappears. Full extension pull-outs add useful capacity in the tall cabinet.

A deep utility sink and drying rack next to the laundry machines. 

No longer a closed storage room, it was time to reclaim the natural light with a new 10-lite glass door.

It's rewarding to convert some routine task into an entirely better experience for a client. Changing the space is one way to upend the ordinary. We're very happy to help this client transform a former closet into one of her favorite rooms.   

Bathroom Series, 3 of 3

We were recently approached to build a contemporary master bathroom for a client who works in the hotel/resort industry. At first sight, our client's existing bathroom was spacious . . and let's just say it was of a specific era. More on that later. 

Anyhow, we were excited about the possibilities, and we knew right away that no ordinary master bathroom was going to cut it. One priority was a large bath tub which we positioned under the expansive windows.     

Hello, lovely. I often say I don't have time to take a bath. I would make an exception for this tub. 

Along with the windows, the skylight was one rare feature we preserved when we demolished this bathroom. We are major fans of natural light in our projects, and we added recessed lighting for low light conditions.  

We widened the standard-width entry for visual effect. Our primary goal was to create the tranquil space our client wanted and simultaneously fit the lean design of the mid-century modern home. This picture was taken from the bedroom entrance during the early evening.     

The early afternoon light pours in, and comparing this with the preceding picture underscores how much natural light changes the character of the room in the same day.

A view of the floating vanity opposite the shower, unadorned by hardware and matched to the spare simplicity of the bathroom.

The spacious new shower measures 6' x 4' with a bench, and it features modern hardware with a linear drain. 

You might be wondering what this bathroom looked like before the renovation. It was a well-preserved specimen from approximately 1978-1982. This era of bathrooms was truly unfortunate. Don't say we didn't warn you.

The client found the original marketing material that came with the tub. This is just your average picture of two couples hanging out in the whirlpool tub, enjoying some food and drinks on a floating cutting board. I hear the Bee Gees crooning "How Deep is Your Love" when I see this picture. That pretty much explains everything.  

We can't get enough of the period-specific marketing materials. Brass poles for disco night. Or maybe those posts are holding up the ceiling. Does the model look relaxed or afraid for her life in this picture? Is this tub in a green house? We have so many questions. 

Ahh, there it is. The largest indoor tub we've ever removed. This is the very same tub from the brochure, mounted on a 10' long platform deck. Don't pay attention to the icky shag carpet on the floor of the bathroom. If you have carpet in your master bathroom, you can contact us for fast-track counseling. No judgement at all. It happens to the best of us. We'll work through it, together.

Another view of the maroon whirlpool tub. Unicorn beer floaters speak to the client's sense of humor about this situation. The previous homeowners had installed a separate 75 gallon water heater solely for the purpose of filling this koi pond. Our client's dog, Nelly, looks on curiously at these reminders of human folly.

The vanity. At night, the bathroom was dimly lit, and it was easy to think that you were deep inside the fruit with James and the Giant Peach. All of the proportions in this bathroom were wrong. Quite wrong.     

More peach goodness right here, along with different kinds of flooring (but no carpet?!), the small shower, and the mauve toilet.

Check out the full wall of smoky mirrored glass for ambience. Farewell, carpet and tub. We had to use a reciprocal saw to take you out in pieces. We'll always have these pictures and the marketing brochure for memories. 

In addition to the abundant natural light, the other advantage was the spacious footprint that allowed us to create the master bathroom our client wanted. This bathroom is one of our top examples of the "less is more" philosophy in bathroom design. We found the results very satisfying: an oasis our client can enjoy every day. 

Bathroom Series, 2 of 3

Following our version of a neo-classical hall bath in Bathroom Series, 1 of 3, we now present a bathroom with a distinctly modern style.

We admit we're entranced by this sleek centerpiece from Furniture Guild. Behold an 84" floating vanity made from American walnut with book-matched grain. Remain composed.

Mmm-hmm. You're all rich wood grain, loooong lines, and sharply dressed. Mighty handsome, if we can say so in a non-weird way. It doesn't sound weird when we say it, right? No shame in your game, Mighty Handsome.

Would you mind if we let our eyes linger a little longer on you? Oh, behave.

Outfitted with solid brass pulls and suspended over Thassos white marble, we used steel braces to keep it firmly mounted on the wall. It's mass appears to be levitating over the floor.    

The middle section was designed for extra depth to hold bath towels. All drawers are functional.

Faucets made in Brooklyn by Watermark and medicine cabinets from Robern. Tile from Ann Sacks. The 7 cm profile of Casesarstone white quartz complements the modern aesthetic.  

Three recessed medicine cabinets add useful above-sink storage for the owners. This version comes with integrated lighting, an electrical outlet, and built-in interior lighting to illuminate the inside of the cabinet. It even has a thingy to hang your razor or toothbrush. If you install it, you can call it a thingy.  

The Kelly Wearstler brass-wrapped ceiling light echoes the vanity pulls.  

The new tub and shower. All accessories from Ginger.

The old tub and shower. Do you recall the abundance of 4x4 white tile from the hall bathroom we featured in Bathroom Series 1 of 3? We'd like to forget that, too.

Half of the old vanity with surprisingly little useful storage, poor lighting, and no medicine cabinets.

The other half of the old vanity. A tall linen tower wedged in the corner offered little practical storage and could not be accessed easily. The right hand doors conflicted with light switch and the bathroom door. 

Mighty Handsome is also a good example of luxury within limits. One cost-saving feature of this 66 square foot bathroom is that we did not expand the existing footprint. Another is that we did not have to relocate the plumbing. We're thrilled our clients gave us the opportunity to execute this modern vision, and Mighty Handsome will long remain dear to our hearts.