Bathroom Splurges and Saves

Recently I read an article that asked the opinions of several designers where they would splurge and where they would save when it comes to the bathroom.  Here’s a quick breakdown of their answers:

Splurge:

  • Plumbing fixtures- they’re the jewellry in the room
  • Smart toilets- saving money and being environmentally responsible
  • Lighting- Very important in the bath
  • Spa-like shower experience- Ahhhhh

Gerber Avalanche toilet

Save:

  • Vanities- the opinion was that you can find ready made  higher end ones (no big box stores, please)
  • Stone floors- many options in porcelain or ceramic give the appearance of stone without the price
  • High end toilets- honestly, there’s one that you can even plug your iPod into!

A ready-made vanity

 

While I agree with some of these opinions, what I tell my clients is to determine what’s really important to them first, and then we can decide where the splurges and saves come in.  If they need the additional storage they can get from a custom vanity- that’s the way we go.  If they want the beauty of a stone floor, then that’s the splurge.  Almost all projects involve making the decisions and compromises that give you your dream bathroom at a price that works for you!

What would be your splurge item?  Your “save” item?

 

 

Just for Fun…Tops or Topless?

I’m talking about cabinets!!  Ok, technically they’re called wall cabinets, but I’m taking a teeny little bit of artistic license- and it got you thinking, didn’t it?  One of the trends I’ve been seeing a lot of in high end kitchens, is cleaner wall spaces above the counter.  Either open shelving of some sort or no cabinetry at all.  Take a look at the following pictures and tell me what you think!

A Johnathan Adler and Liz Lange kitchen

 

Totally topless

How do you feel about this trend?  Would you be able to store all of your stuff without wall cabinets?  Do you like the look?  Please weigh in with your opinions!

 

 

Making Lemonade from Lemons

Have the recent storms in Chicago affected you?  Perhaps you lost power and your sump-pump and are one of the many who have lost a lot of what was in their basement.  While it stinks (literally as well as figuratively) that you’ve had to part with stuff, perhaps it’s just the incentive you need to reimagine your space.

Were you using your basement in a way that really worked for you, or did it just accumulate stuff because you didn’t know what to do with it? Or has it became a graveyard for your kids’ old games and toys?  Now that you have to re-do it anyway, what would be  a good use of the space?  Could you add a guest room, or finally have that media room that you wanted?  What about an office or exercise space? Дам Деньги в долг Липецк.

Would you like your basement to look like this?

My suggestion is to really contemplate how you’d really like to use the space before you dive in and just replace what was there.  If you need help, it just so happens that I know this designer..

Four Fabulous Finds

Ugh.  I can’t believe it’s been nearly two weeks since I last posted!  Sorry.  Sometimes it’s challenging to come up with new stuff twice a week and I backslide.  Ah, but let’s move on to some new fun, cool, and unbelievable stuff I’ve found recently.

Kohler's NUMI toilet with motion activated seat and lid!

#1.  Kohler’s new NUMI toilet.  Ok, this is the unbelievable one, so I had to lead off with it.  This little baby will set you back a mere $6400, but here’s what you get for that:

  • A motion activated seat and lid, so you never have to touch it
  • A built-in bidet (check it out at www.kohler.com if you want more on that- I’m not going there)
  • An air dryer (see above)
  • A heated seat
  • A foot warmer (it blows heated air on your tootsies)
  • And, last but not least, built in speakers for your iPod.  No kidding.  Yes, it’s for the person who has everything.  Would you ever want to come out of there???

Call me crazy, but I find this stove sexy!

#2. The Bertazzoni range.  It’s from Italy.  You know, the land of Ferrari.  Need I say more?

Dornbracht's Deque tub filler. Love the color!

#3.  The Dornbracht Deque faucet.  This is pretty cool.  Check out the website www.dornbracht.com

Isn't this gorgeous? Check out www.thinkglass.com for more!

#4.  Think Glass.  Ok, this one is way cool with a bunch of applications that can make for a very unique look.  You can get glass countertops up to 4″ thick and with built in LED lights!

Ok, which is your favorite?  Stay tuned for more design info as I’m back in the swing!

Fascinating Farnsworth

I hope you have all been enjoying the heat in Chicago as it’s about to change tomorrow!  As the saying goes, if you don’t like the weather stick around 10 minutes and it’ll change.  Which brings me to the topic of Summer homes.  Yes, I know I’ve written a few posts on the topic.  Today I want to hone in on a particular summer home that I find fascinating.

It’s the Mies van der Rohe classic “Farnsworth House” built in Plano Illinois in 1951 for Dr. Edith Farnsworth as a summer retreat.  What I find intriguing and fascinating about it is its minimalist design, set amid a very bucolic setting.  It’s also interesting for the interplay of warmth and coolness evident in the interior, and the detail.  There’s a reason for every small  detail.

Now, there are some things about it that I know wouldn’t work for me but that I find interesting anyway.  For instance, there’s far too much glass and too little privacy.  While I would enjoy viewing the gorgeous outdoors all year round, I need some place where I can close the door to the outside world.  The only place to do that in the Farnsworth House is in the bathroom- which is functional but certainly not lavish.  Also, the house was built without a closet, and there was supposedly a lot of unhappiness on the part of the client for that!

Farnsworth House

Living Room of Farnsworth House

What do you think?  Is it a place that you’d be comfortable in? Have you ever taken the drive out to Plano to see it?  If you ever have an opportunity and enjoy architecture, it’s worth the trip.  You can check it out at www.farnsworthhouse.org

Super Summer Fabrics

If you’ve been in Chicago for the past few weeks, it doesn’t seem like Summer will ever arrive.  Yesterday I actually saw people wearing winter coats and hats, AND IT’S THE END OF MAY!!

So, while I’ve been dreaming and longing for Summer I came across some new fabrics that would be fabulous in a Summer home.  You know, that little weekend cabin, cottage or condo that’s the place you go to kick off your shoes, open the doors and windows and relax with a cool beverage.   Take a look and see what you think.

For the seaside retreat on the East Coast:

Robert Allen Peninsula    

This would be fabulous on a couple of club chairs, paired with off-white and perhaps a little cherry red, grass green or even coral thrown in.

For the Northwoods cabin:
Robert Allen

This would be great as pillows on a leather sectional, with a couple of Ikat patterned chairs!

For the sophisticated condo :
Kravet Samaria 635

This could work as a drapery fabric, pillows, or even on some rattan chairs.  Paired with a subtle stripe and a carmel solid it evokes the islands without being too “beachy”.

These can be a jumping off point, a place to start and let your mind wander.
What kind of summer place do you own or dream of?

There’s A Summer Place…..

Ok, call me old.  I don’t mind.  “There’s a Summer Place” has been one of my favorite pieces of music since I was a little girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRu4aLAG2AI

For me, it embodies the best of Summer memories.  Memories that encompass not only my childhood summers but much more recent ones as well.

My childhood summers were spent visiting.  I’d visit my grandparents in Zion who had a large house and yard and my bedroom window faced the “Zippy’s” neon sign. It was somehow comforting to see that sign at night. My two brothers and I learned to ride bicycles there, and we could stay out until we couldn’t take the mosquitos anymore.  I also visited my friend Betty, who had a cottage on Fox Lake.  I can still smell the Lake, and feel the water up my nose as I practiced diving off of her pier.

Just a simple cottage, but what a great place to be!

More recent memories involve the many years that my husband and I along with our friends and kids, would travel 6 hours up to Big Sand Lake Club in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.  I’ve always thought of it as a summer camp for grown-ups.  The lodge is a great big old log cabin with more than 20 rooms.  No one locks their room doors- because you can’t, there’s no air conditioning, but they do give you box fans if it’s really hot, oh, and you have to go down the hall to shower or use the facilities.  Yes, it’s a little rustic.  I find that charming.  There’s also a great big fireplace where people gather to chat and catch up on each other’s lives.  There are no phones and no TV’s in the rooms.  The dinner bell rings at 6:00 and everyone spiffs up for cocktails and dinner.  Evenings are spent outside looking at the stars and hoping to see the Northern Lights, or inside playing some ping pong.

Inside the Lodge at "Big Sand"

While my “Summer Place” includes  actual  places, it’s really the feeling of comfort that I get in remembering times spent enjoying what really matters in life- great friends, great family, and getting to just be with them.

Do you have a “Summer Place”?

Top 5 Cool Products

Here are some really cool products that I’ve stumbled across lately.  Enjoy!

  • EVOline – this is a neat way to plan your electrical access in your kitchen.  Just think, no more breaking up your backsplash with unsightly outlets.  Store them either above the counter or below and access them with the touch of a finger!

Schulte Electro Systems answer to unsightly outlets!

  •  Best Hood’s “Lipstick” ventilator.  Ok, it’s not for everyone, but you have to admit it’s kinda sexy!

The "Lipstick" range hood

  •  Miele’s pop-up ventilation- A neat way to ventilate without making it a focal point.

Miele's Downdraft ventilation

  •  The S-box storage system.  Ok, I agree that I have a thing for ways to conceal stuff.  Maybe it’s the neatnik in me….

Lots of ways to conceal those things that clutter up your counter!

  • Last, but not least- Modono glass tiles.  Right, this has nothing to do with any of these other products, but it’s on my “cool” list.  These are actually textured tiles, available in many colors and patterns.

Modono Glass tile

So, do any of these do it for you??

Survey Help

Hi Readers,

I would love your help and feedback on this very quick 5 question survey for those who have done remodeling projects, or are thinking about doing a remodeling project.  It can be a project of any size and complexity- from a simple re-do of the Master Bedroom to a whole house remodel and room addition.

Please click on the link:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8YRXP6V to access the survey.

It won't even be this hard!

Thanks so much for your help, I’ll let you know the results!

Chicago- Winter to Summer in a Week

Welcome to Chicago, where as they say- if you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes and it will change!  What happened to Spring?  I was gearing up for warmer and warmer days, but it’s gone from 40 to 80 within days.  Sheesh!  One day I’m complaining about how cold and rainy it’s been and the next day it’s about how hot and humid it is.  I’ve been caught off-guard regarding the start of the summer pedicure season.  Wasn’t I wearing boots about a week ago? 

My favorite floral scent

Ah well, as a native Chicagoan, one thing I’ve learned is that you have to go with the flow.  So now I have my sights set on Summer, and I’m thinking of my favorite Summertime activities like:

  • Backyard Barbeques with our friends- and staying outside late enough to annoy the neighbors with our raucous laughter.
  • Enjoying all of the beautiful flowers (my favorites are lilacs, which should be blooming soon!)
  • Breakfast outside as often as possible
  • Seeing the Baltimore Orioles that return to our yard for a short time
  • Seeing the hummingbirds that visit our feeders
  • Our annual trip to the Lake with the kids- and hopefully my niece will join us this year
  • Opening all of the windows and leaving them open unless it’s unbearably hot and humid
  • Going to Ravinia with my girlfriends and not really caring about who’s playing

    Ahhhh, yes! This is Summer!

 

Yes, I could go on and on.  What I enjoy most about being in a place where you experience all 4 seasons- however long or short they seem- is really watching the change happen and anticipating all the fun things to do in each season.  What about you?  What are your favorite Spring/Summer experiences and activities?