AbbeyK — On Interior Design

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Tiling

Well here we go! I love tile design. The tiler on this job was AMAZING.
Everything in the design of the bathroom was dependent on the height of the inset basket weave that ran above the counter top. It was an arithmetic challenge for Gino, the tiler. But he figured it out.

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Shower and Tub

One thing I am fond of is using slab (solid surface) where the glass from the shower enclosure will sit. Makes for a smoother install. This is 3/4" durango, a limestone like the tile which will go up soon

Also, you can see how we separated the faucets and the handle on the tub set. It's a nice trick when space is an issue.

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Weird Parts for Plumbing

This is called a threaded nipple. It goes on the inside of the tub and connects the faucet to the water.
There are two types of parts that can do the job and for us the wrong one shipped.

It was a funny call between me and the plumber as he explained what I needed to get.
We had to get one pronto because we had to have the part before the walls around the tub could be tiled.

Who names these things?

Anyway, here's a threaded nipple. That sounds like it hurts.

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Slabs go in

Here's the tub surround and the slab on the counter.

Counter

Tub

We put a 5' tub in the bathroom. Typically for a master bathroom this size, you'd put in a larger tub. Why the small one? The client really wanted a large shower, and we ran out of inches for a larger tub.

To make sure that the tub did not feel skimpy, we did a few things:
1) We used a deep tub by Bain Ultra.
2) We built a larger box to house the tub. I had the contractors make the space for the tub wider.
3) We used granite for the top so you notice the material, not the size.

P.S. The blue tape marks are for the drilling of the faucets. The glass will sit on top of the tub surround.

Great Affordable Modern Furniture

There's a great sale going on at Modern Dose.
Check out their great little totem tables.
I'm a sucker for small side tables and these are sure to bring a smile.
At $245 each, I'll take a few! They come in a slew of colors in addition to the pastels shown.

The black one on the bottom is 19 1/2" diameter and called the Sunny side table. Worth checking out!

Top 10 Interior Decorating Missteps

It's my job to make a home comfortable and beautiful.

Sometimes a new home owner inherits some of the former home owner's decor, like window treatments, and doesn't know how to make it their own. Sometimes it a question of furniture working in the former home, but not in the current one. Some couples combining quarters find themselves with pieces from their partner that don't appeal. Diagnosing the problem is part of making a home beautiful. Here are some common issues I solve.

1. Playing it safe.
Plain old boring. You need some variation of color, form, pattern, texture and rhythm. Take a risk.
Do one thing that's unexpected. A yellow vase. A black lamp. A chair with a bold pillow on it.

2. Furniture is too big
Scale is hard to tell in a showroom with 18 foot ceilings. A huge sectional looks great in the store, but doesn’t fit in many of today's homes, especially those built before the days of Mc. Mansions. Measure your space and make a floor plan to scale. Make sure to have clear passage – at least 36" to walk around. If you are not sure, tape down the sizes of furniture on the floor. Feel what it's like to move around the space.






























3. Furniture Lined Up Against the Wall
Typically this goes hand in hand with not enough space to move around.
It doesn’t exactly encourage conversation.

4. Furniture Is Worn Out and Tired
If it's faded, dirty or has obvious wear patterns: replace, repair, or reupholster! That's what I call green design. Avoid throwing things out if they are good, but just tired.

5. Window Treatments Issues
What's worse: Lack of window treatments, or ones that are too skimpy or ones that cover too much of the opening? Not sure.

6. Too Much Clutter
These are the days of "stuff." You don’t need all of it. I promise. Give it away, donate it, throw it out. You'll feel lighter.

7.Picture Hanging Challenges
At times all too high, all to low, or at different eye levels
What height should pictures be? It's cultural and related to how tall people are, but when it's right, it's just right.

8. Vertical Blinds.
1 word: awful

9. Plastic Organizers
OK for kids rooms. OK in closets, but please keep them out of the kitchen and living room!
Splurge for items made of natural fibers. Just as a stone castle fees different from a log cabin, we feel the difference in materials. Plastic is well, plastic. Stick to natural materials when at all possible.

10. Owning Things You Hate
I actually hear this a lot. No one should live with anything they hate. Life is just too short. If your partner loves an item that you cannot stand or if it's too sentimental to part with it, find a place in your home that it can work for you. But not center stage.

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Walls go up

Well it looks like a room now, doesn't it?
All inspections passed with flying colors. The contractors are doing a great job. Right on schedule. No delays so far. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

The vanity is to have end posts, but the wrong one shipped. They were wider than spec'd. They fit, but were chunkier than expected. Good news: the client likes the ones that shipped so we'll take unexpected.

Crown molding installed to match what is in the rest of house.

Next step put in the slabs on the counter and the tub so we can start tiling. That's the fun and exciting part.

Custom Chairs

I recently had some chairs made for a customer.
We bought frames and had them finished to match their table.

Then we had them upholstered with faux ostridge fabric.

How fun is that!?

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- Smooth Sailing

Want to see the design board for the Wellesley project?
The look: a neutral color scheme with chrome finishes.
The feeling: timeless, classic, elegant.

Here's what to look forward to.

Cabinets: mid tone cherry with nutmeg wash. This cabinet was the Brookhaven line by Wood-mode.

Tile: Durango limestone. Basket weave for the floor and as an inset.

Counter and tub surround Granite. We originally decided on a cream colored marble, but when we saw this stone at the warehouse, we changed our minds. Do you like it with the tile? We do!

Wellesley Bath Renovation -- framing

I know a room to the studs looks like a mess, but when I walked into the bathroom I said to myself: This is beautiful framing.

We were delighted to find that the dropped ceilings and cut outs were just "creative" solutions and not there for any other reason. The space felt so much bigger once we brought the ceiling to it's real height.

The steam shower had not been done properly the first time, so we dropped the height of the ceiling in the steam shower and pitched the ceiling so the condensation could roll off the ceiling appropriately. That's what the box on the ceiling is. (upper photo)

The trick is to pitch the ceiling so that when you sit on the bench in the steam shower, the drops of water that form on the ceiling don't drop on your head. That's why you pitch the ceiling with the low part away from where you sit. How do you figure the pitch? It's a formula based on ceiling height and size of the steam shower enclosure.