Friday, August 22, 2014

An "Oldie" but a Goodie

I am impatient to share the latest beautiful work in our home by Harmon Builders, but this post is old news. The last remaining detail for the new work is carpet installation (scheduled on our own), before we move into the awesome new bedroom they just finished in the basement level of the family room addition also done by the Harmon team.

That project transformed our small 1920's shed bungalow into a more modern floor plan. Our younger daughter was born at the same time the Harmon team wrapped up the initial project. As a seven year old, she needs more space and a closet. Because she has the largest bedroom in the house, our soon-to-be middle school student  has been storing her younger sister's toys. This isn't ideal (for any of us)! We could suit everyone and gain a guest room by moving out of the small upstairs master bedroom.

The girls no longer need us at arm's length, so we will be using the basement as a complete master suite with a quiet den, bathroom, and adjacent laundry in exchange for tolerating the low ceiling height in the original basement. We will soon be in a more spacious bedroom with his and hers closets below the added-on family room.

As part of the shuffling around, we are finally to the point of replacing furniture bought for other rooms with things we want specifically for that space. I was emailing some pictures of our family room to ask for help with selecting an entertainment center. It occurred to me that I have never shared the living room that we love every day as much as the day it was done.

Living room addition 2007: 10 casement windows, sliding glass door exit to added deck, and two skylights flood the room with light and a vast sense of space when the shades are open. 24 x 24 inch ceramic tile floor, laid on diagonal and beadboard wainscoting.

Pass through space with bar height counter open through the former exterior wall into the kitchen, door to added powder room visible on the right side of the room. Walkway into kitchen opened where back door previously existed. Not shown: coat closet to the right added a closet to the main floor. Modern necessities with 1920's architectural details; Harmon Builders replicated the trim carpentry to match the original structure.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Bathroom Before & Afters

I ran across a slideshow of brilliant bathroom remodels. This Old House published their Reader Remodel Contest results from 2013. If you are planning a bathroom renovation, there are some great images to look through for ideas.

My personal favorites:

  • Clawfoot tubs, especially with a pop of colorful paint on the exterior (I've done this in a remodel before; the painting part is simple) 
  • Stained concrete counter top
  • A pretty beadboard bathtub alluding to the architectural style of the period during which the home was built
  • Use of a large double-fauceted sink where a double sink vanity would not fit--clever and stylish solution to a common problem
  • Floor-to-ceiling tower shelving that also serves to define the space between two sink areas or separating the toilet and vanity
One more concept that grabbed my attention was a renovation in Minneapolis that incorporated salvaged wood from downed trees in the area by a company called Wood from the Hood. I'm not aware of anything like that available in our region, but the idea is brilliant.