Gold River Project

Pin It Nestled into a lovely Gold River neighborhood, this home was always cared for so nicely.  Though it was a bit outdated, it was still in great condition!  Even considering this fact, this couple still had a modern, rustic vision for the home that they were planning on staying in for many years to come.

When these clients first came to me, they were very particular about certain characteristics they wanted to see in their space.  They had spent a lot of time thinking about what to do with these plans, and I was honored when they selected me to help transform their vision into a reality!  

A few of the "must-haves" of this space, were brought to my attention right from the start.  First and foremost, they needed to have custom refrigerator panels to match their cabinetry, as well as a visually pleasing grid above their Sub-Zero refrigerator to allow for ventilation.  To solve this situation we used a cabinet front, voided the doors, and installed single bead molding horizontally to allow the air to flow through, without sacrificing the upscale style in this space.  

The next thing we had to consider was the depth of the pop-up downdraft ventilation unit behind the cooktop, the blower unit below, and the storage issue that their existing blower system was creating. The solution to this was to increase the depth of the base cabinet to 27" deep, and run the duct work needed for the blower underneath the toe kick, and re-vent it to the exterior wall of the home.  This allowed for more efficient cabinet storage.  It also gave them a larger cooking surface, since there was no longer a need for the downdraft system to be part of the cooktop unit. 

Now, for the custom features of this space!  This kitchen would not have the same visual appeal without them.  There are several things definitely worth mentioning!  I will start with the decorative end panels on all exposed ends of this kitchen, upgraded toe kick molding, and decorative legs on the island.  These are all great ways to upgrade a kitchen, and give it a "furniture" look.  

These custom Schuler cabinets feature the "Eagle Rock, Sable Glaze" wood stain on Maple.  It is a cool brown finish with a hand-rubbed antique glaze.  It features beautiful variation, and creates that rustic-modern look that this client desired. 

Next is the leathered "Taj Mahal" Quartzite stone countertop with a 4cm built up edge profile.  Notice how the open base cabinet with the radius shelves features the countertop material as well. The veining, variation, and silky appearance of this specific stone is just breathtaking. On that note, these pictures do not do the countertops justice.  They are absolutely AMAZING! 

Now, I do need to elaborate a bit on the term "Quartzite".  If you think you've heard of this type of material before, you may be thinking of something else.  It is easy to mistake this material for "Quartz", but it is completely different.  Quartzite is a naturally occurring metaphoric rock.  It is created when sandstone is subjected to extreme heat and pressure caused by tectonic plate movement.  These slabs are mined from the earth's crust and cut into slabs, just like Granite.  The similar sounding countertop "Quartz" is 93% natural, crushed, and then mixed with resins and binders to seal the slabs throughout.  Quartz is a much more commonly used product, and though it has great performance in a kitchen environment, you can not create the same natural variation with Quartz, since it is a man-made product.

I could go on and on about the features of this kitchen!  It is definitely one of my favorites.  The brushed nickel "Restoration Hardware" style hanging pendants, stainless steel apron sink, side coffee bar, cabinet pulls.... they are all amazing.  

Thank you again for choosing me as your Kitchen Designer!  

Painted Kitchen!

Pin It Many of my clients come to me wanting to paint or reface their cabinets, instead of replacing their cabinets in order to save money.  How much will they really save?

I usually ask a few questions at that point, and their are reasons for each inquiry.

How long will you be living in your home?  If you are just going to paint your cabinets to save money now, you may end up needing to replace them in 5-10 years, so just be cautious!  Be sure that the painter you hire is using a high quality cabinet paint, that is less likely to breakdown through the years.  You will save anywhere from three thousand to seven thousand on your cabinets if you paint instead of replace.

In regard to refacing, are you doing it just to try to save money?  In the past 10 years of working in Kitchen and Bath design, I have never had a refacing quote come in less than new cabinets....including installation!  There is NO COST SAVINGS!  Crazy, I know.  The only downside to new cabinets, is that you will be without a kitchen a week or two longer than you would with refacing.

The client's featured kitchen is a painted kitchen, with high quality paint of course!  Yes, this client did save three to five thousand dollars or so on her project by doing so.  This cost savings allowed her to select a high quality Silestone Quartz countertop, and a custom glass tile backsplash.  We also incorporated a retrofit apron style sink from Kohler.  For this client, the apron sink was a must have!  

A few other economical upgrades to this space included brushed nickel knobs and pulls, a Delta pull down goose neck faucet, and new stainless steel appliances.  We also created a custom table with furniture legs, and a matching Silestone Quartz countertop.  

Contemporary Master Bath

Pin It Oh my goodness!  It's been WAY TOO LONG since my last post.

In the past six months, my life has changed so much!  We finished remodeling our house in Rancho Cordova, then sold it, changed Lowe's stores to a high volume location, lived with my husband's parents for two months, started working in Oregon, increased my commute to and from work by two hours round trip, moved into a new house on five acres in the middle of the country (one of our dreams!), and we are all FINALLY feeling settled.  Phew!  That was a lot of change.  It's crazy how unorganized you feel when your life is changed so much in a short period of time.

So....back to my projects I go!  These next few posts are long overdue!  I apologize to my clients who have been waiting so long for these pics.

The first post I would like to publish is for a retired architect.  He was so specific about the style he wanted, it was up to me to transform his vision into a reality.  He wanted a bathroom that was sleek and modern.  Something that looked like a luxurious hotel.  He wanted to feature natural stone, Crema Marfil Marble.  No color besides the natural elements of the marble, the rich tones of the cherry cabinetry, and the sleek silver of the stainless steel fixtures.  The one thing he wanted to have make a statement, was the floor tile.  We came up with the concept of creating a border around the Crema Marfil floor tile with an Emperador Dark Marble to frame the interesting angles featured in this space.

I hope you enjoy!

"Tropical Pedals"

Pin It My first commissioned piece of art!  My client saw the painting I had done for my sister Jeanie and her husband Jeff and fell in love with the colors.  To my surprise, she asked me to design and paint a custom piece for her that would compliment the style of her home.  She wanted it to have a tropical feel, without the typical palm tree, or beach scene.  Her last request was that it be a three panel canvas piece.  I still feel so honored that she asked me to do this for her!

After much anxiety that she wouldn't like it, I presented it to her yesterday.  She LOVED it!!!  Thank goodness!

~Country Kitchen Transformation~

Pin It Can you even tell that this is the same space? I promise that this is the same view in every shot! This kitchen was a complete overhaul....a beautiful transformation! This home is located deep in the back roads of Wilton on a wonderful 5 acre parcel, and was purchased by this couple with full intentions to gut and remodel the entire thing. To this client, it was all about location.  This kitchen project would need to be custom taylored to fit their needs, and last them a lifetime.

There was so much involved in the construction of this project.  From working with an engineer, to removing a load bearing wall, and much more, they were in it for the long haul.  Before they could even think of putting cabinets in, they had to raise a beam into the ceiling and lower the floor to eliminate the step down from the dining room to the main kitchen space.  It's hard to believe that this couple did nearly all of the construction of this project themselves.

Now comes time for the fun designer stuff!  Trying to narrow down the endless options of finish material is almost always where my clients need help.  One of the first things I always do when trying to help someone find their vision, is determine what it is that they are passionate about.  Do they like the outdoors?  Do they have a particular collection they want to showcase?  Are there certain colors that they are drawn to?  A period of time which they are trying to represent?  In this case, my client had a collection of pottery that she absolutely loved.  You will notice it right away in these photos.  It is beautiful, and definitely worth showing!  That collection is what guided us through most of the process.  From the "Blue Flower" granite countertops to the Bedrosians Mosaic tile backsplash, the subtle calming colors were the perfect compliment to the art collection, and provided a perfect balance of warm and cool colors in the home.

The cabinet design was fun, as this client wanted lots of organizational features, such as a double trash pullout, rollout trays, and deep drawers for pot and pan storage.  We also added several decorative accents which sets this space apart from the rest. A triple stacked crown molding, leaded glass doors, a china display cabinet, and fancy cabinet pulls were my favorite features.

To my client- Thank you so much for working with me on this project!  You are some of the most pleasant customers I've ever had the chance to work with, and I am blessed to have you in my life!  I am so happy you love your home!!!