Kitchen and Bath: Before and Afters

So happy to have my kitchen and powder room renovation complete - in fewer than 6 weeks, by the way!  Here are some before and afters, from when we bought, and from yesterday :)

Looking from the eat-in area across the kitchen...

From the kitchen to the eat-in area...

The peninsula and kitchen table see a ton of homework and arts and crafts projects.  It's so nice to be doing "new math" in a brighter space...

Looking from the hall toward the back of the house and mudroom...

So glad the contractor talked me into scope creeping into the powder room (off the mudroom)...

Thanks to WellBuilt for their fantastic work on this project.  These guys can and will do anything - even jumpstart your mini-van.

Deb
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Update: The Bathroom

So happy to have my accent wallpaper installed in the powder room last evening!  

I'm in looovve.... and slightly nervous to hear my husband's reaction.  Yes, the husband who never asked why only three of the walls of the bathroom were painted one color, the husband who let the wallpaper hanger in the house and was here for the entire two hours he worked, the husband who peered around the corner to offer the wallpaper hanger a drink half way through the job without looking at the wallpaper.  That husband!

The pedestal sink and toilet will be installed here, hopefully tomorrow...

The faux bamboo mirror will be rehung under the light fixture (which won't work again until Christmas when my dad comes to change the 3 burnt out light bulbs)...

I'm going to hang this Taiwanese block print piece, which I just lifted from my parents' place in NYC (with my mom's permission), on the opposing, painted wall.  Unless my dad notices it when he's changing the light bulbs at Christmas and wants it back.

Have a great weekend!
Deb

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Look for Less! Turkish Towels

I have to admit, I am totally intrigued by Turkish towels. They just look so handy and comfy, lightweight, versatile and soft! And when I saw them featured on Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP I was super tempted to pick up a set. Just look at how lush and lovely these are!!

Then I saw the price: $240 for a set of four. Now being that I am not a Hollywood A-lister, nor married to a rock star, I decided to wait. 

Until I saw these on Overstock for $44:

And on Fouta for $46:

And if you are looking to just try them out, West Elm has hand towels for a mere $10!

I do agree with the mantra "you get what you pay for", but for a trendy item like this, I am okay with something that might not  last forever!

Do you fouta?

:) Becky

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Trending: Marbleized Bathrooms

Of the latest Lonny magazine that launched this weekend, I'm loving this bathroom image as the most striking of the issue...

Scout Designs co-founder Nicki Clendening used affordable marbleized craft paper from Paper Mojo to create this wow factor in her Harlem bathroom.

This bathroom, trending on Pinterest lately, uses marbleized wallpaper by Twigs to a stunning effect...

Love the look and want to try it yourself?  Martha's got great instructions here.

I might try it with my girls, using the kid-friendly directions at PBS Kids.

Deb

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Trendspotting: Black and White Stripes in the Bath

What is it about black and white stripes in the bathroom?  I'm loving the look - it can be masculine and strong, while simultaneously glamorous and dramatic.  Bathrooms are the perfect place to try a bold, large scale print like this...

Nothing says they have to be only vertical stripes!

While painted or wallpapered stripes are perhaps the most popular, creating stripes (or chevron stripes) with tile is a fabulous (though more permanent and expensive!) possibility, too...

Like the idea, but not ready for something quite so bold?  How about bringing in the look through the use of a black and white striped shower curtain?

Enjoy!

Deb

Client Project: Scalamandre Zebra

Along with our colleague Cindy, Becky and I have been working on a large client project for several months now.  After months in production, it's exciting to see the orders come in, and the space start to come together.

One of my favorite rooms so far?  The downstairs powder room featuring the iconic Scalamandre leaping zebras wallpaper.  Paired with new Circa sconces, and a mirror from Home Decorators (of all places!), the bathroom is looking amazing!  Our client painted the vanity herself, and added adorable hardware from Anthropologie to complete the look...

 

Stay dry this weekend!
Deb and Becky

It's Baaaack! The Pepto Pink Bathroom...

Picture it, the typical 1950s era bathroom in tones of "Mamie pink", named after then first lady Mamie Einsenhower...

via Retro Renovation

Well, according to a recent New York Times article "Pretty in Pink, Again", the look is making a comeback!  Makes sense, given that Pantone declared honey suckle (hot pink) its color of the year for 2011.  Still, I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry!

Check it out - first, some real life examples from the home of one of my oldest friends (and by that I mean we've been friends since nursery school, not that she's 104)...

And, from the Berkeley Daily Planet - can you believe how much is going on in this brutal bathroom?!

There's even a blog devoted to the topic, called Save the Pink Bathroom where you can take a pledge to preserve your own pink potty palace.

So what to do with your pink bathroom?  You could approach it like Nancy Burns, and just embrace the sheer cheesiness of it all....

or, attempt to bring some sophistication to the palette with shades of grey, white and black, like Lizzie Bailey did (as featured in Lonny Magazine)...

The following designers willingly chose to go pink in the "WC", without having the confines of pink tile and features to work with... 

Grant Gibson

Domino

Amanda Nisbet

Do you have a pink bathroom you'd like to share?

Deb