An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Photography by Rachael Stollar
Photo of a contemporary bathroom in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white tile, multi-coloured walls, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, white benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

Furniture inspired dual vanities flank the most spectacular soaker tub in the center of the sight lines in this beautiful space. Erin for Visual Comfort lighting and elaborate Venetian mirrors uplevel the sparkle in a breathtaking room.

Summary of Scope: gut renovation/reconfiguration of kitchen, coffee bar, mudroom, powder room, 2 kids baths, guest bath, master bath and dressing room, kids study and playroom, study/office, laundry room, restoration of windows, adding wallpapers and window treatments Background/description: The house was built in 1908, my clients are only the 3rd owners of the house. The prior owner lived there from 1940s until she died at age of 98! The old home had loads of character and charm but was in pretty bad condition and desperately needed updates. The clients purchased the home a few years ago and did some work before they moved in (roof, HVAC, electrical) but decided to live in the house for a 6 months or so before embarking on the next renovation phase. I had worked with the clients previously on the wife's office space and a few projects in a previous home including the nursery design for their first child so they reached out when they were ready to start thinking about the interior renovations. The goal was to respect and enhance the historic architecture of the home but make the spaces more functional for this couple with two small kids. Clients were open to color and some more bold/unexpected design choices. The design style is updated traditional with some eclectic elements. An early design decision was to incorporate a dark colored french range which would be the focal point of the kitchen and to do dark high gloss lacquered cabinets in the adjacent coffee bar, and we ultimately went with dark green.

This is an example of a large traditional master bathroom in Chicago with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, gray tile, grey walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a shower seat, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity and decorative wall panelling.

Charming bathroom with beautiful mosaic tile in the shower enclosed with a gorgeous glass shower door. Decorative farmhouse vanity with gorgeous gold light fixture above. Meyer Design Photos: Jody Kmetz

Modern white bathroom has curbless, doorless shower enabling wheel chair accessibility. White stone walls and floor contrast with the dark footed vanity for a blend of traditional and contemporary. Winnetka Il bathroom remodel by Benvenuti and Stein. Photography- Norman Sizemore

mid century modern bathroom design. herringbone tiles, brick wall, cement floor tiles, gold fixtures, round mirror and globe scones. corner shower with subway tiles and penny tiles.

This 1910 West Highlands home was so compartmentalized that you couldn't help to notice you were constantly entering a new room every 8-10 feet. There was also a 500 SF addition put on the back of the home to accommodate a living room, 3/4 bath, laundry room and back foyer - 350 SF of that was for the living room. Needless to say, the house needed to be gutted and replanned. Kitchen+Dining+Laundry-Like most of these early 1900's homes, the kitchen was not the heartbeat of the home like they are today. This kitchen was tucked away in the back and smaller than any other social rooms in the house. We knocked out the walls of the dining room to expand and created an open floor plan suitable for any type of gathering. As a nod to the history of the home, we used butcherblock for all the countertops and shelving which was accented by tones of brass, dusty blues and light-warm greys. This room had no storage before so creating ample storage and a variety of storage types was a critical ask for the client. One of my favorite details is the blue crown that draws from one end of the space to the other, accenting a ceiling that was otherwise forgotten. Primary Bath-This did not exist prior to the remodel and the client wanted a more neutral space with strong visual details. We split the walls in half with a datum line that transitions from penny gap molding to the tile in the shower. To provide some more visual drama, we did a chevron tile arrangement on the floor, gridded the shower enclosure for some deep contrast an array of brass and quartz to elevate the finishes. Powder Bath-This is always a fun place to let your vision get out of the box a bit. All the elements were familiar to the space but modernized and more playful. The floor has a wood look tile in a herringbone arrangement, a navy vanity, gold fixtures that are all servants to the star of the room - the blue and white deco wall tile behind the vanity. Full Bath-This was a quirky little bathroom that you'd always keep the door closed when guests are over. Now we have brought the blue tones into the space and accented it with bronze fixtures and a playful southwestern floor tile. Living Room & Office-This room was too big for its own good and now serves multiple purposes. We condensed the space to provide a living area for the whole family plus other guests and left enough room to explain the space with floor cushions. The office was a bonus to the project as it provided privacy to a room that otherwise had none before.

This is an example of a large modern master wet room bathroom in New York with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a freestanding tub, a one-piece toilet, gray tile, matchstick tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, granite benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a shower seat, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity and vaulted.

For this bathroom we took a simple footprint and added some excitement. We did this by custom building a vanity with wood texture and stain, used tiles that mimic the sea and shells but installing tile with gradient tones, texture and movement. The floor tile continues into the shower to expand the room footprint visually.

This moody bathroom features a black paneled wall with a minimal white oak shaker vanity. Its simplicity is offset with the patterned marble mosaic floors. We removed the bathtub and added a classic, white subway tile with a niche and glass door. The brass hardware adds contrast and rattan is incorporated for warmth.

Beach style kids bathroom in New York with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, white benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and planked wall panelling.

Inspiration for a small bathroom in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a two-piece toilet, pink tile, wood-look tile, pink walls, marble floors, an integrated sink, granite benchtops, white floor, grey benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

This is an example of a mid-sized modern kids bathroom in Austin with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, a curbless shower, black and white tile, cement tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a shower seat, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and planked wall panelling.

Transitional master bathroom in Other with white tile, ceramic tile, orange walls, travertine floors, an integrated sink, beige floor, a hinged shower door, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Other with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove tub, a wall-mount toilet, gray tile, porcelain tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, an integrated sink, solid surface benchtops, beige floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Unique French Country powder bath vanity by Koch is knotty alder with mesh inserts.
Bathroom in Nashville with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, blue walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

Photo of a large country master bathroom in Baltimore with furniture-like cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, a curbless shower, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, ceramic floors, a vessel sink, engineered quartz benchtops, black floor, an open shower, white benchtops, an enclosed toilet, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity and planked wall panelling.