Before & After: E-Design Bathroom Project

I received a wonderful surprise in my inbox this week from a client who I had done some work for last September.  Much to my excitement, she had emailed me some 'After' photos!!   I love to see photo updates from my clients, but these particular photos were exceptionally exciting.   This time, this wasn't the usual full-service design project where I was involved from beginning to end, spending much of my time on site and seeing the progress along the way etc..,,,,,,in fact it was quite the opposite -  this client came to me thru my e-design website, thedesignshop.ca.  Which means I've never met this client in person or ever stepped foot in her house, although I feel like I have.   So I was beyond thrilled to see this bathroom transformation thru the photos she sent me. (wait til you see the 'befores'!!)

thedesignshop.ca is a website I launched a little less than one year ago - its an affordable and accessible way to receive a comprehensive design plan, prepared by a professional Interior Designer then delivered right to your in-box.  The entire process takes about 3 - 4 weeks and is suitable for those who live outside the Toronto area and/or those seeking design advice but are willing to do some of leg work themselves.  In this case, the homeowner ordered a Bathroom Redesign for the main bathroom in her victorian rowhouse located in a historical neighborhood in Toronto.  When she ordered the e-design service, she emailed me a site measure of her bathroom, photos, and all of her requirements.  In return I asked her to complete detailed surveys relating to the house, her lifestyle, and her preferences and then she sent them all back to me along with a few inspiration photos of bathrooms or elements that she was drawn to.  With all that information in hand,,,,,I was able to re-design her bathroom and deliver a comprehensive design plan to her complete with all the relevant information she would need to purchase all the products and hire a contractor to build her new bathroom.   After sending her the completed e-design package last fall, I knew I had hit the target when she replied telling me how happy she was "when i opened up the attachment and immediately saw the moravian star fixture I knew you had captured my idea of a dream bathroom".  Soon afterwards she sent me an update saying she had hired a contractor and they were looking forward to starting the reno in January.  Aside from one question about the size of the vanity drawers (her contractor thought they would be too big?) I havn't heard from her again...............until this week.  And - its all done!

But before I show you the after's,,,,you really need to see the before's to appreciate what a dramatic transformation this was.

The Before's......

Sink Vanity with hollywood lights

Tub/Shower enclosure with cedar clad walls

Wall to the left of the window with brick chimney wall and cedar cladding

The last time the bathroom was 'done' was in the early 80's, and with all that cedar cladding and the hollywood lights, the homeowner described this style as 'Sauna Chic'.  It was the main bathroom in the house for her and her husband and two adult sons, their only other bathroom was a 2pc in the basement.   The great features about the room were that it had good high ceilings and a wonderful big window with  a gorgeous view of a leafy backyard garden.  

The Inspiration.....

A collection of images that illustrate various elements and design details to be used as reference for the new bathroom design.

 She loved the charming timeless character and warm colours of this traditional bathroom.  I proposed either a panel moulding wainscott detail or a painted beadboard wainscott which would work equally as well.

She loved the understated and simple lines of this classically inspired bathroom with its contemporary styled plumbing fixtures and furniture style vanity. Also high on her wish list were clean lined vessel sinks and single lever faucets.

She loved all the traditional details here but wanted something warmer in colour for the walls. 

The Design Plans....

First I emailed her two preliminary layout options for incorporating a separate tub and shower which was the main objective, but the toilet and vanity locations remained the same.  She decided to go with a drop-in style tub with a tub deck and skirted front.  So the rest of the design plans were developed from there.

The final floor plan.

This is the Elevation at the window wall showing the new tub surround and seperate shower.  The tub selection was key as we needed to find one that was low enough to be installed under the existing window and one that had simple clean lines.  This new model from Duravit fit the bill perfectly!

This side elevation shows the half wall with glass between the tub and shower.  The paneled wainscotting and crown moulding added that traditional character to the room.

I had provided her with 3 options for the vanity wall, one option had a smaller mirror over a centre sink with scones on either side and a storage cabinet over the toilet, she had a hard time deciding as she really liked both, but in the end, she opted for this option with the large mirror and lighting above. 

In addition to all the drawings above, I also provided her with a list and photos of all recommended plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, hardware, mouldings, tile, window treatments and accessory selections along with sources and approximate costs.  You can see more images of this e-design package on thedesignshop.ca website sample gallery here.

The After's.....

The email I received from my client this week along with the 'after' photos was quite a surprise.  I received a short note from her along with some photos.  It was eloquent, and precise just like I imagine she is. "my bathroom has been complete for two weeks and I must say its the most beautiful bathroom I've ever seen. When the mirror was put up I had tears in my eyes..."

I proposed both a vessel style sink option and an undercounter mount,,,,,along with two faucet options of either a single lever or widespread.  I was surprised to see she didn't go with the vessel style sink, but I think this looks great too!

I also provided several ligh fixture options.  Often this decision is determined by what's available for when you need it, especially when you need two of them.  You can see on the design board (2nd photo from top) that not everything illustrated there is seen in the after photos, however, the final choices made were from alternate options provided in the design package, so there is always flexibility of choice offered to the client.

Well what can I say but - so beautiful!  Even without any professional styling or photography, the bathroom looks stunning.  These photos were taken just the other day and the bathroom has only been complete for 2 weeks so I imagine she'll be adding a few more accessories or artwork in the future.  I can't begin to describe how impressed I am with the results and congratulate her on doing such a stellar job!!   To realize what this homeowner accomplished - implementing this project on her own with a set of plans and written instructions is inspiring.  I think these images speak volumes to the importance and value of investing in a good design plan, but then again, this client is an Academic by profession so she was wise enough to recognize that! ; )

Since this house is located in Toronto, I'm making plans to visit in person before the end of next month so I can take some of my own after photos.  I'm looking forward to meeting this client in person and she's looking foward to relaxing for a bit, pampering herself in her new bathroom and getting ready to start her next e-design renovation project......the kitchen! 

House Tour - Oakville Showhome by H&H

The Family Room - Princess Margaret Hospital Showhome 

Last fall I toured the Princess Margaret showhome in Oakville designed by Linda Reeves and the editors of Canadian House & Home Magazine.   If you've picked up the current issue of CH&H, you'll see the family room (and Linda) on the cover (same room as pictured above).  In November I toured the home with a girlfriend during the early afternoon of a weekday so it wasn't nearly as crowded as I'd heard it was on the weekends.  Since I never leave home without a camera and I didn't see any signage forbidding photos (and we looked!) I discreetly snapped away as I walked thru the house.  I only had my small point and shoot camera with me and I was literally shooting from the hip so sorry about the quality of the images.  Knowing that video tours of the house would be featured on the H&H website and a photo spread eventually published in a future issue, I opted not to post these photos until after the showhome lottery was over and their own photos had been published (as you'll see most of the images here are of spaces you won't see in the magazine feature or are from a completely different viewpoint.)

I have to say the house showed as beautifully in person as it shows in the magazine, with the exception of but a few small accessories and fresh flowers, it looked just the way you see it in the magazine spread.  There were many things I loved about the house; the floors, the cabinetry, the layout, the grand sense of spaciousness, the light and natural colour palette (natural materials), and the abundance of natural light.   Being right on trend like the magazine always is, the inspiration for the overall style of the house was Modern Belgian Farmhouse.....

If you've already seen the feature story in the current issue of CH&H, then you'll see some spaces here that weren't published,,,,,and if you didn't have a chance to view the room tours on the H&H website, or see the house in person, then this will all be new!  But please,,,check out this issue for the full story, sources and of course some spectacular photography.

Kitchen - open concept to family room (on the left)

Servery

to the left of this servery is the kitchen, to the right you see the Dining room.  I'm a huge fan of natural wood (especially floors) so the built-in cabinetry and floors were my favorite feature of the house.  

Hall of french doors across the back of the house leads you from the kitchen thru the

dining room to the living room beyond.  The doors open to the backyard patio.

The dining room - on either side of the mirrored wall are doors

that lead to the front hall.  On the opposite side of the mirrored wall is the foyer's fireplace. I couldn't hep but wish that it was double sided.....

Living Room with one of the houses 4 (or was it 5?) fireplaces, and an Ikea area carpet.

The Master Bedroom - upon entering you see this chaise seating,

which faces a fireplace to the left

The master bedroom was quite a large space with dormer ceilings..

The red and white flat woven carpet across the foot of the bed 

was the only colour in the room

Dressing Room - vanity table located under a dormer window just as you enter from the bedroom area.  The ensuite bathroom is to the right, dressing area is to the left.

I loved the Dressing Room....

My favorite room in the house was the Master Ensuite. The 12x24

limestone tiles laid in a herringbone pattern is stunning!  I often do this with small 3x6 tile but rarely work on spaces large enough to do this with large tiles.  Gorgeous.

Simple and White, what's not to love.

The same built-in cabinetry used in the servery is seen again in the master ensuite but with a light coloured counter.  The wood is exquisite and makes for a furniture quality vanity.

Sitting area on second floor outside of the master bedroom.

Second Bedroom, viewed from the doorway.

Ikea desk/dressing table.

Third Bedroom

The basement.  This same staircase detail continued from top to bottom.  The furniture and cabinetry beyond along with a wetbar was all from Ikea, leather chairs on the right are by Lazy Boy.

Basement Guest Bedroom...bed, bedding, seating and accessories by Ikea.

Basement washroom, vanity by Ikea

Main floor Laundry Room

Main floor Laundry Room

Main floor Powder Room, this sink area was a doorless room off of the front hall with a separate water closet to the right of the sink.

My interest in touring showhomes is primarily to experience the layout, and see all the material finishes, fixtures, built-ins and architectural details, in other words the bones of the house - to me the furnishings and accessories are really all secondary to this.  When you get the bones right,,,a house will make a statement and look beautiful even when the rooms are empty.  But an empty house is not a home!! The furnishings is this case were beautifully appointed too and given that they had the task of furnishing an entire house working on a budget and with sponsors, it was really well done with a clever mix of high and low.  One of the things that I felt had the most impact were the gorgeous draperies and window shades used throughout the house which is what gives the spaces a truly finished, bespoke look.  

Regardless of the grand scale of this showhouse, its a good example for those furnishing a home from scratch (owner or renters) of how you can take a budget and spread it out over your entire house with all the essentials, leaving space for layering in more pieces and collections in the years ahead.  You don't have to spend 'high' on every piece or in every room all at once.  The point of this strategy is you won't be left with empty unused rooms (for what could be years to come) and you can immediately enjoy living and entertaining, enjoying your  home to its fullest instead of just dreaming about it.  

All photos above by Carol Reed

Rosedale Reno - Living Room Sneak Peek

 

Living Room - by Carol Reed Interior Design

This past October I posted a sneak peek of the dining room in this same house and a brief overview of the scope of the renovation that took place in 07/08.  You can check out that post and read all about the renovation here (see photo below).

Dining Room - by Carol Reed Interior Design

I'm fortunate to have some incredibly amazing clients who not only welcome me into their private lives at the onset of a project but allow me to feel welcome to return to their homes long after a project is complete, insisting that I can come back to visit for tea or lunch or to take photos anytime I'd like. Even when they're not home, they're gracious enough to allow me unlimited access and make arrangement for me to have a key or security codes. I often feel like I've become an extended part of the family and return visits to their homes are like a homecoming for me as I can't help but feel attached to the spaces after spending so many months and sometimes years working on every little detail.

The clients of this particular house are no exception,  they are one of my favorite families and they've been beyond generous over the past couple of years in making me feel like its 'my home' too and give me free reign to come and go as I please and take photos whenever I'd like - as happy as this makes me,,,,I have to restrain myself from taking advantage and imposing myself on them.  If there's anything I love more than designing homes its photographing them!  Clearly I'm not a professional, its a personal hobby that I need a lot more experience with but I'm enjoying getting to know how to use my camera and seeing 'my spaces' thru my own lense.  I'm grateful to all my clients for the opportunity to return for photos shoots as the photos are the only reference I have for months or often years of work.

Although in total square footage this was a large house the living room was not overly big, in fact it posed many of the same challenges that small urban homes or condos do - the room was long and narrow.  During the reno the entire house was brought back to the brick and rebuilt.  In this room, the existing front window was replaced with a larger bay window but the fireplace and stained glass windows beside it were one of the few original details that remained in tact.  I designed new panel moulding treatment for all the walls, added accent lighting and managed to accommodate a comfortable new seating arrangement along with a baby grand piano, and still had room for traffic flow thru the room.

I'm calling these sneak peeks as we're still working on some finishing touches, sometimes these take longer than the entire reno, but we're working on it gradually.  The fireplace (original to the house) still needs a beautiful screen and fireside tools to make it look complete,,,,,and we've sourced a floor lamp that was much needed, next will be another end table, and ultimately more artwork will be added as their collection grows.  But for now,,,,,,,this is all I'm sharing with you. ; )

All Photos:   Carol Reed