Radiant Renovations REVEALED!

Last fall, we brought you a sneak peek of this remodel in Northbrook while it was in process. We remodeled the kitchen of this lovely home a couple of years ago. (See Northbrook Kitchen on our Houzz profile.) The homeowners invited us back to remodel the master bath, bedroom, and hall bath. They wanted to remove a giant tub that they didn’t use, expand and upgrade the shower, and create a make-up area on the wall opposite the vanities, all with a new, modern design.

BEFORE:
Before Images for Reveal CC

AFTER:
The finished design is just divine!
After Images for Reveal CC

Let’s take a closer look:

We added luxury features such as a radiant heat “warm floor” and contemporary dark grey porcelain tile to this spa-experience master bathroom. A Kallista body spray shower with Kohler showerhead, and digital interface, and Kallista handshower all have a sparkling nickel finish. The shower gleams with Maximum Premium White from TransCeramica porcelain slab marbled with soft silver grains.

shower for blog

The sink vanity continues the bright modern design with Wood-Mode slab panel cabinets in high gloss Nordic White topped with Difiniti Torano quartz countertops. Beautiful nickel silver wall sconces integrate seamlessly with the cabinet-to-ceiling mirrors. A private water closet with a Kohler one-piece tankless toilet has a touchscreen remote with all the latest cutting-edge technology.

vanity and toilet for blog

The old tub area now boasts a gorgeous makeup vanity with cabinetry and countertops that matches the sink vanity. Separated from the sink vanity by large shower, it offers a balance of privacy and shared space for the couple as they get ready for the day. An organized linen closet keeps necessities close at hand.

makeup vanity and linen closet for blog

The bedroom remodel evokes the softer, relaxed side of modern design. A dreamy Kravet Langhorne California King bed is framed by custom designed floating nightstands and chrome wall sconces, along with “floating” shelves in the niche. A comfortable swivel chair and tufted ottoman create an inviting sitting area for reading or looking out the window to complete the master suite retreat.

Bedroom and Sitting Area for blog

The full bath in the hallway makes a contemporary statement of light and dark. Tub to ceiling champagne glass tile and high gloss dark chocolate cabinets topped with Verde Peacock Extra granite countertops is offset by a white sink, tub, toilet, and porcelain tile floor. Beautiful aqua Thibaut Como Silk wall paper lines the walls (that’s actually vinyl!) for a look that is both modern yet welcoming.

Hall Bath for blog

It was wonderful to work with Michael Menn and team on the construction, Diane Lawson of Better Kitchens on the cabinetry, and our amazing repeat clients! You can find all the details on the products in this project on our Houzz profile Radiant Renovation project.

The Upside of Down-sizing

Many of my clients these days are down-sizing their homes. Maybe they’ve decided that the home they’ve raised their family in is now just too large for the two of them. Maybe they’re moving to a retirement complex, or assisted living. Whatever the reason, down-sizing can be challenging (but it doesn’t have to be!) Clients will generally tell me that they need my help because they don’t know what will fit in their new home, or how to arrange the furniture, or what they’ll need to rid themselves of.

In these cases I recommend that clients do 3 things:

1. Go through their home, and determine what pieces of their existing furniture they really love and which ones they could give away, donate to charity, or just chuck.

2. Consider how they will be living in their new space (will they be doing any entertaining or having overnight guests?) and make some notes.

3. Call me to see their existing space and favorite items. Then we take a look at their new home and determine together what will serve them well. I will often create floor plans so that when they move in, they can have the movers put everything in its place.

Although moving and down-sizing can be very stressful, it’s also a great opportunity to consider just what “stuff” is really meaningful and what can be let go of. It can be a very freeing feeling and offers clients a fresh start. A recent client was so excited that she’d be able to keep many of the upholstered items she thought she’d have to get rid of and loved how with the addition of some new pillows and rug her pieces got a new look!

KBIS 2017 Musings

This year’s show was amazing. It was held at the Orlando Convention Center which is huge. The show actually occupied two buildings as the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was combined with the International Builder’s Show (IBS). Both shows occupied spaces in both buildings which were conveniently connected via a ped-way, even though they are about a mile apart. So, you can imagine- lots of walking!

Catherine Schager at KIS 2017 entrance

Day 1: I devoted day 1 to the educational seminars offered (there were tons to choose from!) and learned about resolving difficult on-the-job problems (some new things I’ll be incorporating to assist clients in understanding the process), attended a seminar from Houzz that gave us trends to watch based on user feedback, and hiring- how to do it well. In between times, I’d run down to the show floor and visit a vendor booth or two. In the evening, there was an event honoring my friend Michael Menn, who received the honor of Remodeler of the Year from Qualified Remodeler Magazine. So cool to know a celebrity!

Day 2: Only 2 seminars today: one that discussed the physiological and psychological effects of color and one that discussed the kitchen of the future. Both were among the best that I attended. The kitchen of the future is fascinating and there will be more to come on that! Again, I spent time on the show floor, looking at great storage solutions, the “Bedroom of the Future” built by students from Virginia Tech, which was fascinating, and listened to a presentation given by some of the guys from “This Old House” about an initiative that they’re cooperating in to encourage people to go into the trades. Sadly, as our industry ages, we’re not getting young people to join the trades and are losing valuable craftspeople to create beautiful homes. This evening hosted a huge party called “The Bash” which went on until really early on Thursday! Yours truly did not attend, as I wisely sought the comfort of a good night’s sleep.

Day 3: Our shortest day- as we were flying back home and needed to get off the floor somewhat early. Just one seminar today about marrying luxury appliances in a luxury kitchen and what pitfalls to watch out for. Always good information to have! More time on the floor where I saw some amazing new fixtures for the kitchen from Pfister- like a faucet that responds to your voice! Also saw some great new options for quartz countertops- they’re getting more and more beautiful! Hope you enjoy these “moments” from the show and I look forward to delving into the latest trends in future posts!

Check out our pinterest board for images from the events.

Color Your New Year Gorgeous

The 2017 Colors of the Year have all been announced and they offer the promise of bold, vibrant shades and depth of layers. Here is the lineup:

2017-colors-of-the-year-labeled

An interesting mix capturing an array of moods: light and calming, dramatic and intense, bright and hopeful, and timeless and earthy. Yet they can all work together in a cohesive palette should you choose to incorporate them all into your color scheme. Let’s check out the breakdown from the color experts.

Pantone “Greenery”
pantone-greeneryThe Pantone Color Institute describes their yellow-green, spring shade as refreshing and revitalizing shade, symbolic of new beginnings. Meant to evoke those early spring days when nature is waking and awash in bright green, it signals a reset, hope, and life.

Benjamin Moore “Shadow”
benjamin-moore-shadowThe experts at Benjamin Moore named their dramatic purple selection “Shadow” because of their fascination with how it changes hue as the light changes throughout the day. It’s a rich, royal amethyst they describe as allusive and enigmatic.

Sherwin Williams “Poised Taupe”
sherwin-williams-poised-taupeSherwin William’s “Poised Taupe” is a marriage between conservative gray and earthen beige to create a “weathered, woodsy and complex neutral that celebrates the imperfections and authenticity of a well-lived life.” Both warm and cool, classic and modern, it is meant to be an organic, balanced neutral.

Glidden Paints “Byzantine Blue”
glidden-paints-byzantine-blueGlidden Paints named a mystic purple-blue shade meant to be comforting and soothing, playful yet peaceful. The describe “Byzantine Blue” as a gender-neutral “purple in disguise” with all the best qualities of blue and gray. It morphs from hue to hue depending on what you partner shades you select.

Olympic Paints “Cloudberry”
olympic-paints-cloudberryOlympic Paints chose a soothing, lavender-purple the dubbed “Cloudberry” intended to be soothing, encourage meditation, and transform you space into a sanctuary. Cloudberry will float you away on a cloud to carefree, airy spaces.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints “Violet Verbena”
ppg-violet-verbenaPPG Pittsburgh Paints selected a moody, gray-purple they describe as playful, elegant and calming. “Violet Verbena” is expected to appeal to those seeking the popular bohemian look as well as those looking to create luxurious, pampering spaces. It finds a middle ground between masculine and feminine, young and old, work and play.

What do you think of the biggest colors predicted for 2017? Check out our pinterest board for even more Color of the Year images.

Diva Dorm Rooms

August has been sizzling with back-to-school excitement! There’s no better time to practice expressing your inner design diva, especially if you have dorm room to decorate. Here are some basics to help you get started on the road to fabulous interior design with your own personal flair.

Pick your bedding first. Bedding is the focal point of any dorm room and should reflect your unique personality. Whether your style is preppy, modern geometric designs, whimsical Lilly Pulitzer florals, fearlessly bold color, or muted color with a focus on textures, you can find bedding that reflects your inner design diva. Personalizing your bedding with monograms can help avoid confusion at the laundry mat. Try sites like PBTeen, Target, Garnet Hill, Bed Bath and Beyond, Urban Outfitters, and DormCo for the latest styles.

No diva dorm room is complete without a unique bulletin board creation. Pick up colors and accents from your bedding and add fun push pins and accents. Make it a command center to keep your semester organized or go artistic with a collage. There is no right or wrong here – just make it a reflection of you.

A 3x3 board like this one from PBTeen can get you started on a fabulous bulletin board.

A 9 block board like this one from PBTeen can get you started on a fabulous bulletin board.

Try sites like WallPops, PBTeen or Dormify for peel & stick wall decals in the latest trendy styles. Deck out a wall with your monogram, dry erase shapes, photo frames, quotes and art of all kinds – even your favorite #Hashtags. Or go rouge with Japanese washi tape and create your own designs.

The key is to be uniquely you and have fun with your design. For more dorm room inspiration, check out our pinterest board.

Award Winning Products from 2014

These kitchen and bath products blew away the competition in 2014!

Duravit creates stunning bathroom furniture that is elegant in both form and function. Their products are offered in a variety of real wood veneer options that has been manufactured specifically for bathrooms to be resistant to water and humidity.

Duravit

Focus, a sleek, modern pull-down spray faucet from Hansgrohe boasts beauty and brains for the serious cook. Features include two jet types, an ergonomic handle that can be mounted for left-handed or right-handed use, and a high spout that creates plenty of convenient space between the faucet and the sink.

HGFocus

Blanco created an award-winning design in their Attika undermount sink. The raised architectural rim is positively stunning while reducing splashes. An optional walnut compound cutting board is available for the 26″ single bowl model.

Attika Sink

More gorgeous geometric angles make bold statements in Sonia’s Scalene sink base and integrated top combination. The marine-grade wood available in a variety of finishes is mounted directly to the wall and features hardware-free door fronts.

1412-Kitchen-and-Bath-9

See more award winners at Architectural Record.

Emerging Kitchen Trends for 2015

There are some fresh, exciting new kitchen design trends emerging in 2015! If you are planning a kitchen remodel in 2015, be sure to check out these ideas:

  • Celebrating Ceilings

    • Not content to be boring any longer, ceilings in the kitchen are striving to make a statement and to make us look up using artful lighting, bulkheads, coffer ceilings, beams, windows, and classical embellishments. The wood features in this kitchen draw the eye up to a row of clerestory windows for a floating ceiling illusion.

    Ceiling1

  • Luxury Metals

    • Warmer, luxury metals like bronze, copper and even gold will shine in 2015. From large feature items like range hoods and backsplashes to small touches like faucets and light fixtures, you can dress up your everyday kitchen easily.

    hammered copper prep sink

  • Minimal Wall Cabinets

    • Open floor plans are spreading out even more by limiting or even eliminating kitchen wall cabinets, adding to the desired spacious feel and allowing for more windows.

    Minimal Wall Cabinets

  • Open Shelving

    • Not just for displays anymore, open shelving is adding to the airy open-concept kitchen design with a very personal, lived-in, practical vibe.

    Open Shelving

  • Touchable Textures

    • The shift toward natural, tactile materials like stone, wood in natural forms rather than smooth finishes and hammered metals continues to make new kitchen designs positively touchable.

    Touchable Textures1

  • Vibrant Colors

    • Move over tired, monochromatic color schemes. Vibrant hues are coming back to the kitchen! Rich, bold colors like royal blue, crimson red, and mustard yellow inspired by tribal palettes will be spicing up kitchen designs this year.

    Contemporary-kitchen-in-white-and-glossy-amaranth-red

See more photos of the trends above on our pinterest board.

2015 Colors of the Year

The 2015 Colors of the Year have been announced by the biggest names in color and the contenders are competing for top popular pick! Here’s the gorgeous new lineup for next year:

  • Behr “Seared Gray”

    • Behr’s 2015 Color Trends palette includes their new “Deep Dreams Collection” and they have named Seared Gray T15-2 from this group as their top pick of the year. This serene, dreamy charcoal is meant to feel mystical and relaxing.

    Behr Seared Gray Blog Image

  • Benjamin Moore “Guilford Green”

    • Benjamin Moore selected from their “Historic Color Collection” for their Color of the Year. It is meant to be a timeless, natural neutral that works in traditional or contemporary spaces.

    Benjamin Moore Guilford Green Blog Image

  • Pantone “Marsala”

    • Always the trendsetters to watch, Pantone has selected a hue that embodies the wine that gave Marsala its name. It is meant to evoke a rich, natural, sophisticated earthiness and make a bold yet elegant, grounded statement that translates seamlessly from fashion to interior design.

    Pantone Marsala Blog Image

  • PPG Pittsburgh Paints “Blue Paisley”

    • PPG Pittsburgh Paints selected an almost electric shade of blue for its Color of the Year. They were seeking a vibrant yet stylish color that speaks to the global eclecticism of technology and nature.

    Pittsburgh Paints Blue Paisley Blog Image

  • Sherwin-Williams “Coral Reef”

    • Sherwin-Williams went all in for optimism with their lively, pinky-orange hue. They want to encourage upbeat creativity that is versatile enough for traditional or contemporary designs.

    Sherwin Williams Coral Reef Blog Image

What is your favorite Color of the Year? Vote for your favorite on our Facebook page or look at more examples on our Pinterest board.

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show 2014

The annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was held this week in Las Vegas. This fashion show for kitchens and bathrooms is a mega-event where everyone who’s anyone in the kitchen and bath industry comes to showcase hot new innovations, spot trends and exchange ideas.

From flooring to lighting, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) bring together designers, contractors, builders, retailers, and other professionals to see the best the new year has to offer. The options seem endless! Here are a few of my favorites.

I love this new curved counter design from EnGRAIN Wood Countertops.

curved counters

Doesn’t this outdoor kitchen from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet make you anxious for spring?

Outdoor kitchen1

You can turn your bathroom into a luxurious spa with the latest shower products from Moen!

moen shower

Check out more great new products on the KBIS 2014 pinterest page. It’s the perfect time to imagine your way to your dream kitchen or bathroom!

Fresh Findings for Your Kitchen II

Last week I wrote about the Kitchen Trends seminar that I attended recently.  It was hosted by Jenn-Air and presented by Ellen Cheever.  This week, I’d like to talk about the third piece of the puzzle- the cooking zone.  Here are 3 great ideas to keep in mind when planning new appliances:

1.  Induction cooktops are becoming more prevalent.  They are more popular in Europe, but are catching on here.  What’s great about using them is their low heat output (your kitchen doesn’t get heated because just what’s in the pan is getting heated), ease of clean-up as the surface doesn’t get hot, and you can put individual units in several places in the kitchen.

Jenn-Air Induction Cooktop

 

You can read more about induction in my previous blog:

https://catherineschagerdesigns.com/2010/06/introduction-to-induction/

2. Microwave/Convection oven combinations allow for smaller kitchens to have one large oven and still have the ability to host a crowd.  Jenn-Air makes a model that can steam-cook, has a combination convection/microwave setting, and a speed-cook setting.

The Jenn-Air convection/microwave

3. Wall Ovens- are becoming packed with features to make it easy to cook even if you’re not the best cook!  Jenn-Air even has one that you can program favorite recipes into and it can convert a standard recipe time to Convection mode time.

Combination of wall oven and microwave

 

So what’s your favorite new trend?