Making the Connection

One downside of new construction homes is that they often have weird space allocations. For example, in an effort to max out the size of the home to command the top sales price, builders carve out an enormous basement that had to be excavated for the home on top of it. What exactly does one put in an enormous basement? You can almost hear the spec home builders thinking to themselves, "let's see, we've got the sport court, wine cellar, Costco room, extra bedroom and bathroom, movie theater, gym, meditation room . . . and we still have 1,300 square feet left over. Aren't fallout shelters making a comeback?" Duck and cover, please. Building out a big basement in large spec homes can lead to some results that are truly bananas.

Weird space allocations aren't just futile attempts to please everybody. Unless you say "this is precisely the wine cellar/meditation room/fallout shelter of my dreams", you know a significant investment is required to make alterations or finish the space later. Not that there's anything wrong with enjoying some vino while meditating in your underground bunker away from your children. Go in peace, friends.

One species of weird space allocations Is the Orphaned Space. These are the architectural oopsies, a misplaced puzzle piece in the overall plan like an appendix in the human body. If you've ever walked through a new construction home in the Northshore and wondered what the room you were standing in was for (or where you were in the house), you have met an Orphaned Space.

Our client asked us to help resolve her Orphaned Space in her new construction home. To begin, imagine standing in her home in a room 12 x 8 feet with one window. It is too large to be a passage, but it connects the living room with the family room. It is not a bedroom. It is not adjacent to the kitchen or mudroom. It is an Orphaned Space.

A view of the family room from the Orphaned Space.

A view of the living room from the Orphaned Space.

Her school-age children needed homework space, and she needed a place to keep her laptop, paperwork, etc. So, we converted the Orphaned Space into an open office. 

Table for two: a dedicated work space with custom cabinetry and built-in electrical for charging all of the electronic devices in the top drawer. Out of sight and organized in one place.

The open office concept allows for organized closed storage and the evolving needs of school work. It is not a focal point of the home or crowded with cabinetry, but it serves an important purpose and isn't a weirdly allocated space any longer. The client made a useful and clean connection of the space between family room and living room. It seems to belong in this home, as if it was supposed to be there from the beginning, and we were happy to help make it work.   

Ready to Sell

We recently had the opportunity to work with a home owner who decided to update her 1997 home before listing it for sale.  She wanted to make a prudent investment in the updates that would appeal to buyers, and we were happy to help. She also wanted to be confident she was not overlooking any major repairs, so this savvy seller hired a home inspector before she marketed the home.

Both decisions paid off.

A few key updates to the look and feel of the home can boost the sale value of the property. Some improvements will even shorten the time in which a home is sold. Beyond mere cosmetic improvements, many sellers would also gain valuable information about the condition of their home for a relatively small investment in a home inspection report. Informed sellers can use the inspector's report to make certain improvements (or price their homes accordingly). Few things can sour a real estate deal like costly surprises that pop up in the inspection process after buyer and seller have reached a tentative agreement.    

Armed with our client's own inspection report, we set out to replace the roof, install a new steam shower in the master bath, add hardwood floors on the second floor and refinish the hardwood floors elsewhere, paint the house, refresh the kitchen, gut a hall bath, and update the powder room.

First floor improvements included lighting, refinished floors, and fresh paint 

The first floor before our work began.

Another view of the first floor from the entrance to the kitchen.

The original entry .

The updated entry.

So many kitchens from 1997-2005 featured the same orange-brown maple cabinets, satin nickel hardware, and polished black granite. This was not a great era for kitchens.    

The refinished cabinets, with a new range and under-counter microwave, countertops, backsplash and lighting.

A view of the kitchen from the family room.

The old master bedroom.

The new master bedroom.

The old hall bathroom.

The new hall bathroom.

Our client received multiple offers on her home within 30 days of listing, including a full price all-cash offer which she accepted. Whoo-Hoo! We wish her continued great success!

Shipshape & Bristol Fashion

A Victoria + Albert claw foot tub in the new master bathroom.

A fabulous family invited us to demolish and rebuild their dreary master bathroom last year, and we jumped in to rescue it. The narrow dimensions created a bowling alley effect which we needed to solve, but at least we were on the same page when it came to the design and finishes. Now all we had to do is get there.

The starting point was underwhelming. We'll set the stage with the original bathroom as we found it.

The original master bathroom featured a 36" x 36" shower, a green wallpaper border near the ceiling, and gold accents. An orphaned pedestal sink stood guard on the 14 foot long wall.  

Not the refreshing start to the morning our clients imagined. Unsurprisingly, they had abandoned the shower entirely. The owner's cat was the prior occupant of this space before we started demolition. 

A view of the rest of the bathroom. A small closet sat between the hall door and master bedroom door. The original bathroom was nearly 14 feet long, but only 6 feet wide.

Our clients presented us with the challenge of fitting a free-standing tub in the bathroom, part of which extended over the stairwell. Expanding the length of the bathroom into the spacious bedroom was not a problem. However, gaining the extra width for the tub would require some clever engineering.

The first order of business was stripping the existing bathroom down to the studs.

After the wreckage, it was time to rebuild. Fortunately, we now had enough space to fit two sinks, a true walk-in shower, and enclose the toilet for some privacy.

We recessed the 84" vanity into the wall to accommodate the free-standing tub. We used Walker Zanger's Grigio Scuro mosaic to create a border around the white carrara hex tile along the center line of the bathroom. 

The new shower was now compatible with the rest of the bathroom. Sorry, Ms. Kitty. Time to find a new spot in the house.

Kallista Bellis shower pieces and a white quartzite bench match the vanity top and sink faucets. 

We included electrical inside the Furniture Guild vanities and Robern medicine cabinets.

Another view of the vanity wall with desk bridge. We added an extra 3 feet of length for built-in cabinetry and enhanced storage.

Efficient storage is one key to a successful bathroom project. Here, we installed custom inset cabinetry with drawers and open storage on both sides of the bathroom entry.

It's gratifying to work with clients who seized the opportunity in this master bathroom; credit goes to them for pursuing an idea and seeing it through without compromise. For our part, we could not be happier than helping an amazing family enjoy their new master bathroom. 

Ahoy there, first mates! This bathroom has been approved by the two buccaneers in the pirate ship. 

Our Best of 2017

Whew. 2017 was hectic, especially near the end. We took the last two months off from our blog because we've been doing plenty of unglamorous work. We dug a bunch of deep holes in the ground and poured plenty of concrete. Let's just say it's not the stuff of homeowner fantasy.

If you've seen one hole in the ground surrounded by concrete, you've seen them all.

In addition to the recent dig-and-pour cycle, we had the opportunity to work on some wonderful projects for some equally wonderful clients. Here are some of our favorite outcomes in 2017.

Best Updated Classic Master Bathroom

This master bath is compact in an irregular footprint, but it cleaned up nicely. We are fans of the classic style with updated details, and you can see more in the Master Bath, Before and After.   

Best Mudroom Makeover

From builder afterthought to an organized champ, we helped one family tame the mudroom monster. We especially liked the L-shaped storage unit for shoes and dog accessories. Read more at Mudroom Misery to Mastery.

Best Modern Master Bath

Imagine stepping into perfectly preserved bathroom from 1981, full of glorious peach tones and plush carpet under foot. You've got your Earth, Wind, and Fire record playing "Let's Groove" as you prepare to step into a 120 gallon maroon tub. Now fast-forward 36 years to Bathroom Series 3 of 3 for a modern spa.

Best Kitchen Makeover

This Italianate kitchen was updated in the existing footprint for the current owners, and now it fits the style of their home perfectly. Check out Kitchen Clean Up for all the details.

Best Large Scale Renovation

This 1925 colonial in Winnetka needed a major overhaul, and we rebuilt large portions of this dilapidated property over several months. We preserved much of the classic style while preparing it for a long second life in the 21st century. Read more of this 8-part series at Winnetka Colonial Chronicles.  

None of this could have been possible in 2017 without the support of our amazing clients, and we owe them our gratitude for entrusting us with these  projects. We wish them and you a warm and rewarding New Year!