One Room Challenge: We may live in a fixer-upper, but we are NOT Chip and Joanna

Bubbles, celebratory sips, and spa-like surroundings are far from my reality at the Week 4 mark of the Calling it Home “One Room Challenge.” True, my 3rd floor master bath design plan does not even include a soaking tub this glorious (that will be in the renovation of our current 2nd floor bath someday) and even if it did, my enjoyment of the space would not resemble the type of pampering that is pictured above, although one can dream, right?

The illustration featured in the photo is the front of a small metal container that I used to store bath items, like loofahs and such, back when my husband and I built a new bath in our last home (we moved to our current fixer-upper in 2003). Back then it was SO much easier to accomplish our projects!

Remembering our master bath project from around 1996

We built a brand new full size bath (with a large soaking tub) after completely raising the roof of our New England Cape-style home, along with building two brand new bedrooms on either side. We did all of this while I was pregnant with our first (who is graduating high school this year). And there was no Pinterest or Houzz to help out either. HGTV was barely a network and there were not a lot of programs to follow (plus no DVR!) All we had were shelter magazines to go by or design/build books for research (remember those?) If we were looking for a new trend or idea, we had to wait a month for a new magazine to come out. Can you imagine?

Granted my husband is a contractor, and his friends are contractors. They all worked together to get our remodel done, and they had the real experience and knowledge to do so. And truth be told we had a lot more energy back then. And perhaps a bit more motivation? But even so ... how does so much time go by for us today, with all that we know between the two of us, yet with so little at-home progress to show?

A local Habitat for Humanity build that my husband
John and I participated in together back in 2012 –

he helped out with power tools, my job was marketing.

Well for starters, I do not like to do the physical work. I have met lots of women who enjoy tiling or building walls or getting drills or wet-saws as gifts. I totally admire and respect them, but unfortunately I am not one of them. I barely enjoy painting anymore (hence my unfinished home office). I am more of an idea person. But since my husband is a builder, we cannot hire another builder, just like I would never hire someone to do what I can do. Currently he is too busy to finish my project. So our master bath sits unfinished.

Sink, faucet and glass counter top installed by my husband – on time –
for the Old York Annual Decorator Show House, summer 2013

My husband has helped me out with many of my time sensitive design projects over the years. And when it comes down to it, he always delivers. But what started out as a time-to-get-this-done-for-us type of project – that seemed quite possible four weeks ago – is now looking to be not very probable with current obligations. Of course I am super disappointed, but really, it is just a bathroom. Finishing renovations is not an emergency situation. I have lived this long without it, what is another month or so? I will have to just shift design gears.

My still challenging One Room Challenge, fall 2015

Fortunately, I did have a back up plan from the beginning. My home office that I did not complete for the fall “One Room Challenge” will just have to move up on my priority list. My only concern is that last weekend while clearing branches and brush in our rustic backyard to make room for a new garden, I got a touch of poison something, so I am not feeling 100%. I suppose I can still do some shopping and styling, but there is still some heavy lifting and clearing of clutter – and painting – to accomplish, which really does not appeal to me feeling the way I do. But I will move forward, gingerly, but towards my goal of sharing some type of “after” photos for all of you ORC visitors! Please come back next week to see how it goes.

Now if only I could enlist some help ...

A photo op with Kevin O’Connor from This Old House

North Shore Design Show Preview Party, May 2012

Or perhaps ...

Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV Fixer Upper
photo credit: Larsen + Talbert via HGTV

Check out the progress shared by the ORC sponsored bloggers here and the many guest participants here. More ORC design trends reported by House Beautiful here. 

Kips Bay Show House: #Blogfest2013 part 3

Kate Moss photographed by Russell Young

Lounge designed by Luis J. Garcia-Maldonado 

As part of #Blogfest2013, attendees were given an entire morning to visit the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club 41st Annual Decorator Show House in New York City. We had the Upper East Side multi-story luxury townhouse – owned by NY lawyer Richard Sharp, it’s valued at over $16 million – completely to ourselves. We were encouraged to take as many photos as we would like to later share with our readers and followers. Typically, photography is not allowed when visiting a show house, so this was a real treat for all of us design bloggers! The show house runs through June 4th so schedule a visit if you are able – it’s certainly worth the trip! All proceeds go towards supporting the Boys and Girls Club of Kips Bay mission:

“To improve and enhance the quality of life for all young people 6 – 18 so they can realize and achieve their potential for growth, development and attain skills necessary to succeed.” 

As I am currently working on a couple of spaces for a show house myself, I was thrilled to see how NY designers pull it off. They had just one month to transform their rooms and the results were incredibly glamorous!  

More from the gray and ginger lounge by Luis J. Garcia-Maldonado: Fabulous art, rich textures and come hither seating.

Avant garde photographs graced most rooms including the entry area by Andrew Sulvalsky. Paired with a turquoise ceramic lion that is by comparison quite demure.

More turquoise in a highly lacquered powder room also by Sulvalsky. Brass fixtures and ebony bowl make for a striking combination. 

Lacquered walls were a common thread throughout the show house. This dining room by Kristin McGinnis was eye catching in so many ways from the uniquely organic light fixture to the artist battered side boards to the silver leaf ceiling. So stunning!

“Your boyfriend is hot” reads a concert goer’s T in this well chosen art installation for the hidden bar off the dining area. Space by Joan Dineen.

The second floor drawing room by the mother-daughter team of Mariette and Brooke Gomez is Upper East Side elegant. How I would love to host book club in this dedicated-to-entertaining space that easily seats over a dozen guests.

Show stopping seating areas like this golden velvet sofa in the atrium, designed by James Huniford, invite curl up and get comfortable conversation. Just outside this room, the courtyard provides an additional stop and sit for a spell incentive. This is one designed space that many of us in the suburbs or city could probably achieve: boxwood border, pea stone floor, one great statement piece of outdoor furniture.

Back inside, an underwater story is told via pitch black wallpaper from Kravet patterned with sea-life illustrations by Fornasetti paired with coral colored silk damask from Fortuni and liquid blue drapery panels. The feeling in this fourth floor sitting room by Jack Levy is one of being pleasantly ensconced in the deep, dark abyss of the ocean. I could spend some serious time in this room!

Another favorite space of mine was the Modern Family Room by Eve Robinson. I am a real fan of Modern Family interpretations, but this sophisticated game room is a little outside of my comfort zone as far as young family livability. Even so, it would be a nice place to play pretend.

Sparkling amethyst bar: yes, please!

The Kips Bay kitchen was designed by Christopher Peacock. I wasn’t able to get a really good picture of the full space since this central location is where all of us Blogfest bloggers gathered to enjoy a lovely brunch set by Doodle Home. Doodle Home is an online resource that helps designers by handling the ordering and tracking and large amounts of paper trails that are associated with the completion of design projects. While the company started out geared toward the general consumer, they quickly discovered that they could be of great value to the independent designer who knows what they want, but could use a more streamlined method of project management. The end result is more time to design. Sign me up!     

Another view of the jewel-toned entryway by Andrew Sulvalski.

The golden stairway serves as a photo gallery, arranged with black and white images of Boys and Girls Club guests paired with their thoughts on what Kips Bay means to them: “It is home” one exclaims. Photos taken by Monica Rich Kosann. Stairway designed by Judy King.

A lady’s writing room by Stephen Mooney was the closest to traditional New England style design that I saw at the show. 

Bravos “Million Dollar Decorator” Kathryn M. Ireland designed the master bedroom incorporating traditional-meets-bohemian fabrics from her new collection for Scalamandre.

This whirlpool tub is obviously part of the original decor of the home, however the artwork and color palette were quite beautiful. Lounge bath by Luis J. Garcia Maldonado.

This soaking tub is more my style. When you work at a bath showroom, these are the types of images one falls in love with! Can you imagine having a roof-top deck with this installation? Across from the tub was a koi pond. Everything about the space was breath-taking (or perhaps “meditation inducing” is a better way to describe it?) Kudos goes to West Chin Architects.

Designer show houses are a great resource for window treatment ideas. Sitting room above by Barbara Ostrom. Tasting room below by Dineen Architecture and Design.  

There are a wide variety of online reviews of the current Kips Bay Decorator Show House (from my fellow #Blogfest2013 bloggers and otherwise), but I particularly liked the perspective of this article from The New York Times ...

House of Your (Vivid) Dreams by Penelope Green

The New York Times // May 8, 2013

Have you seen ...

Master bath designed by Ian Mentasti of Stephen Terhune Woodworking

photo: Michael J. Lee // Design New England Magazine Sept./Oct. 2012

Don’t you LOVE this bathroom? This is just one view of the award-winning master bath from the “Designers Shine with Designer Bath” contest that we announced at our last showroom event in July. In August, I got to see the entire space (it is the size of a small bedroom!) in person and style it for this image photographed for our September/October ad in Design New England Magazine. I arrived at the stately seaside home with a van full of design props that were later artfully arranged to complement the thoughtful design work of our contest winner, Ian Mentasti of Stephen Terhune Woodworking.


Styling the space ...

Pops of Designer Bath orange were sourced from within the home itself to go along with the visual identity that I have established for our current ad campaigns (have you seen some of our ads with orange backgrounds?) The zigzag gray and white Dhurrie carpet was selected at Landry and Arcari in Salem. Frosted glass pharmacy bottles, bath salts, a natural sea sponge, and plush slippers from Restoration Hardware set the stage for a spa-like retreat. A stack of fluffy white towels from Home Goods, some borrowed items from our showroom, and an arrangement of pretty green and white hydrangea blossoms freshly snipped from my friend’s front yard and this designer bath was photo-ready!

Of course, before we even arrived the space was looking pretty amazing because of the gorgeous fixtures specified from Designer Bath, elegant tile selections, serene color palette and expert craftsmanship that combined to create this luxurious master bath retreat.   

For additional views of the space along with details on the fixtures chosen and the team who worked on this project, check out my post on the Designer Bath blog.

Inside an Open House

Recently I toured the brand new Windsor Estates in Lynnfield. The open house was staged in warm neutrals and fresh furnishings, with dark woods and oil-rubbed bronze finishes for contrast. The color palette included one of my favorite paint colors, Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan (which is in my home office). Below are a few glimpses of the spaces that I saw ...

Kitchen with granite counter tops, white cabinets and stainless steel.

A sunny dining area bump out with linen covered chairs.

A master bedroom on the first floor.

A generous sized soaking tub and separate shower.

To see more of this property, visit my post on Patch.com or stop by for a tour. Did I mention that Windsor Estates is a luxury 55+ gated community? I will have to wait awhile till I qualify, but it was nice to visit!

Windsor Estates
Salem Street, Lynnfield, MA

Open House
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday
from 12pm to 3pm