Photo of an expansive transitional master wet room bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a freestanding tub, a two-piece toilet, multi-coloured tile, glass tile, multi-coloured walls, ceramic floors, a drop-in sink, engineered quartz benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door and white benchtops.

  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

The guest powder room has a floating weathered wood vanity with gold accents and fixtures. A textured gray wallpaper with gold accents ties it all together.

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.

Design ideas for a small contemporary powder room in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, multi-coloured walls, light hardwood floors, a vessel sink, granite benchtops, beige floor, black benchtops, a built-in vanity and wallpaper.

Photo of a mid-sized modern kids bathroom in Hampshire with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, a claw-foot tub, gray tile, ceramic tile, multi-coloured walls, porcelain floors, beige floor, a hinged shower door, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

© Lassiter Photography | ReVisionCharlotte.com
Mid-sized country powder room in Charlotte with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, grey floor, grey benchtops, a floating vanity and decorative wall panelling.

Photo of a beach style powder room in Charleston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured walls, an undermount sink and white benchtops.

Design ideas for a small country bathroom in Orlando with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, a one-piece toilet, multi-coloured tile, multi-coloured walls, a vessel sink and granite benchtops.

Rocky Mountain Log Homes
Large country master bathroom in Other with a trough sink, concrete benchtops, brown tile, mosaic tile, shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, an alcove shower, multi-coloured walls, slate floors, multi-coloured floor and a hinged shower door.

Master Bathroom : Adams + Beasley Associates, Custom Builders : Photo by Eric Roth : Interior Design by Lewis Interiors
Inspiration for a small traditional 3/4 bathroom in Boston with an undermount sink, white cabinets, marble benchtops, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, stone tile, multi-coloured walls, marble floors and shaker cabinets.

Walk in shower with infinity drain. Free Standing Tub
Photo of a mid-sized transitional bathroom in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, a curbless shower, a one-piece toilet, brown tile, porcelain tile, multi-coloured walls, porcelain floors, an integrated sink and concrete benchtops.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Charleston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, dark hardwood floors, an undermount sink, brown floor, multi-coloured walls, marble benchtops and black benchtops.

The blue painted door echoes the vanity, while a creatively utilized cavity offers additional storage.
Design ideas for a small traditional bathroom in Portland with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, multi-coloured walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, blue floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

This is an example of a transitional bathroom in Louisville with grey cabinets, multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood floors, an undermount sink, brown floor, white benchtops and shaker cabinets.

This is an example of a small transitional powder room in New York with white cabinets, white tile, porcelain tile, multi-coloured walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white benchtops and shaker cabinets.

Shower features a 3-sided glass shower enclosure with seat and niches, rain shower and hand-held heads. Pebble tile shower floor.
Mid-sized country master bathroom in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a drop-in tub, an open shower, a two-piece toilet, brown tile, limestone, multi-coloured walls, travertine floors, an undermount sink, granite benchtops, beige floor and a hinged shower door.

Photo of a mid-sized beach style bathroom in Austin with white cabinets, multi-coloured walls, an undermount sink and shaker cabinets.

Design ideas for a modern bathroom in San Diego with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a drop-in tub, beige tile and multi-coloured walls.