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.

Inspiration for a transitional powder room in Los Angeles with grey benchtops, a floating vanity, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, blue tile, pink tile, an integrated sink and pink floor.

Our clients came to us because they were tired of looking at the side of their neighbor’s house from their master bedroom window! Their 1959 Dallas home had worked great for them for years, but it was time for an update and reconfiguration to make it more functional for their family. They were looking to open up their dark and choppy space to bring in as much natural light as possible in both the bedroom and bathroom. They knew they would need to reconfigure the master bathroom and bedroom to make this happen. They were thinking the current bedroom would become the bathroom, but they weren’t sure where everything else would go. This is where we came in! Our designers were able to create their new floorplan and show them a 3D rendering of exactly what the new spaces would look like. The space that used to be the master bedroom now consists of the hallway into their new master suite, which includes a new large walk-in closet where the washer and dryer are now located. From there, the space flows into their new beautiful, contemporary bathroom. They decided that a bathtub wasn’t important to them but a large double shower was! So, the new shower became the focal point of the bathroom. The new shower has contemporary Marine Bone Electra cement hexagon tiles and brushed bronze hardware. A large bench, hidden storage, and a rain shower head were must-have features. Pure Snow glass tile was installed on the two side walls while Carrara Marble Bianco hexagon mosaic tile was installed for the shower floor. For the main bathroom floor, we installed a simple Yosemite tile in matte silver. The new Bellmont cabinets, painted naval, are complemented by the Greylac marble countertop and the Brainerd champagne bronze arched cabinet pulls. The rest of the hardware, including the faucet, towel rods, towel rings, and robe hooks, are Delta Faucet Trinsic, in a classic champagne bronze finish. To finish it off, three 14” Classic Possini Euro Ludlow wall sconces in burnished brass were installed between each sheet mirror above the vanity. In the space that used to be the master bathroom, all of the furr downs were removed. We replaced the existing window with three large windows, opening up the view to the backyard. We also added a new door opening up into the main living room, which was totally closed off before. Our clients absolutely love their cool, bright, contemporary bathroom, as well as the new wall of windows in their master bedroom, where they are now able to enjoy their beautiful backyard!

Inspiration for a transitional powder room in Los Angeles with beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, a two-piece toilet, blue tile, blue walls, an undermount sink, white floor and white benchtops.

Transitional bathroom in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove shower, blue tile, white walls, an undermount sink, grey 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

Photography by Michael. J. Lee
Photo of a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in Boston with an alcove shower, blue tile, mosaic tile, grey walls, mosaic tile floors, white floor and a hinged shower door.

Maggie Hall
Mid-sized transitional bathroom in Boston with a shower/bathtub combo, glass tile, marble floors, a wall-mount sink, an alcove tub, a one-piece toilet, blue tile, white floor, an open shower and blue walls.

Design ideas for a transitional master bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, blue tile, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, an open shower, white benchtops, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

This is an example of a large transitional master wet room bathroom in San Francisco with blue tile, a hinged shower door and a built-in vanity.

Mid-sized transitional bathroom in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, blue tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

Inspiration for a transitional bathroom in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, blue tile, white walls, an undermount sink, grey floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

This is an example of a small transitional master bathroom in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, blue tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors, a drop-in sink, onyx benchtops, grey floor, a sliding shower screen, white benchtops, an enclosed toilet, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

This master bath was designed to modernize a 90's house. The client's wanted clean, fresh and simple. We designed a custom vanity to maximize storage and installed RH medicine cabinets. The clients did not want to break the bank on this renovation so we maximized the look with a marble inlay in the floor, pattern details on the shower walls and a gorgeous window treatment.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional kids bathroom in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, blue tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, cement tiles, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

Beautiful tlie work is the star in this bathroom, two sizes of hexagon tile are featured. Clean lines and a double sink vanity give ample storage. The shower's glass door is placed seamlessly and has a dramatic effect as you enter.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, blue tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a shower seat, a double vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional kids bathroom in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue tile, glass tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, engineered quartz benchtops and white benchtops.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Dallas with blue cabinets, blue tile, glass tile, pink walls, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, white benchtops, recessed-panel cabinets, a two-piece toilet and grey floor.