Kymberly's Blog

As many of you have probably noticed, I have had a blast renovating the 1928 co-op I bought last year.  First I gutted my hall bath, keeping nothing except the original toilet and tub.  Then back in October I gave my master bath a major face lift and never posted about it!  So while I anxiously await my new kitchen (February blog), I thought I would share the Master Bath project with you.

Before Master

Right when I moved in, I knew that the pedestal and mirror were going to have to go.  While I love the look of a pedestal, I needed some concealed storage.  As for the mirror, it was up so high that I could barely see myself!  I replaced those items the first week I lived in my co-op.

Window Wall (Before)

While the tile work looks nice from afar, when you look closely you can see that this was a weekend project for a homeowner who thought he knew what he was doing.  There is caulk in all of the grout joints, nothing is straight, and the cuts are all crooked.  The worse was the wall to the left of the toilet – there was a caulk joint in the corner that started at about 1″ thick and got narrower the closer it got to the floor.    I would have loved to tear down all of the tile walls, but they tiled directly onto the plaster, so it would have been a HUGE project and a complete mess.  I also don’t think I would make my money back because to most people the tile looks fine.

Back in October I decided it was time to paint the bathroom.  While prepping the walls, I came across some serious plaster damage around the window.  I tried to patch it myself, but it was crumbling everywhere and needed to be professionally fixed.  Since I already hated the particularly messy and uneven tile wall, I decided to rip down all of the plaster and tile on that wall and expose the brick.  Don’t worry, I knew there was nice brick underneath because a lot of my neighbors have exposed their exterior walls.  While I had my contractor in there for the project, I had him add a medicine cabinet and shelf for extra storage, and well as crown molding to soften up the space.

After Master

The result is a calming, warm bathroom with lots of storage – and space!  The vanity is actually slightly smaller than the pedestal was, and the elongated tilting mirror adds height to the room and allows me to very easily see into it.  What we didn’t know going into this project was that we would gain almost 4 inches of space between the toilet and the exposed brick wall.  This was a huge added bonus, and makes the room feel much larger.

Window Wall - After

The glass shelf above the toilet gives me a place to keep soap, my toothbrush and toothpaste so I can keep my small vanity top clean and clear of clutter.  While the vanity is quite small, it gives me enough room for toilet paper and toiletries.  The medicine cabinet gives me additional storage for cleaning supplies and even more toiletries.

This “small” and fairly inexpensive renovation made me love my bathroom, and I hope you love it too!

As we welcome in a new year, I’d like to ask a favor from you, my 100+ followers.  While I truly appreciate the comments I receive on my blogs, I want more!  I would love to hear your feedback and opinions, as well as any questions you have about kitchen and bath design.  Let’s make this blog more interactive – ask questions and I will answer!  I would like  to write multiple posts each month, but in order to do that I need YOUR help.

Ask away!

Happy and Healthy New Year!

Clothing Fashion Meets Bath Design

Since this is my last post for 2011, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite new vignette designs we created this year.  Each year we strive to create designs that inspire, and this year was no different.  From new mosaic patters to bright colors, these designs have gotten some great responses.  While not all of these displays have made it to all of our showrooms yet, they can all be seen in our Somers showroom.

Houndstooth isn’t just for clothing anymore!  This display (left) features a houndstooth made out of White Carrara and China Black Marble.  The mosaic is mounted onto a 12″ sheet for easy installation and is made by American Stone, based in New Rochelle.  The Riverside vanity from Bertch adds a more contemporary look to the design, while the Carrara Marble top and traditional Rohl faucet with black handles make this design work in both traditional and contemporary homes.

Bold Color

Motivated by the discontinuation of the previous sink color and matching tile, we decided to change up some of the elements on this playful display (right) and bring in bold color.  We used Kohler’s Ledges sink in Iron Cobalt, and used matching cobalt ceramic tiles.  The small glass mosaics tie in the cobalt and white, while adding some other shades of blue as well.  The Villager vanity from Bertch has been one of our most popular sellers for years.

Ronbow Torino

This year we introduced a beautiful vanity line called Ronbow, and featured their Torino vanity with matching linen cabinet in one of our new displays (left).  We hadn’t shown a linen cabinet on display over 5 years, and this represents only one of dozens our vendors offer.  We chose a Corian countertop to show how much it can look like natural stone (this particular one is almost identical to Ephesus Dune limestone).  The faucet and light are from Newport Brass and show their new Venetian Bronze finish that is available throughout their line.  While the medicine cabinet may look very simple, it actually houses an electrical strip so you can hide away your electric toothbrush, shaver or curling iron.  Robern expanded it’s PL series to include an electrical option, and it’s a very reasonably priced upgrade!

Robern Vanity

Perhaps our most stunning new display this year features Robern’s new Vanity line and their M series medicine cabinet with a built in TV.  Robern has always been thought of as a medicine cabinet company, but when it comes down to it, they are a GLASS company.  They introduced the full-length cabinets and decorative glass options a couple of years ago, and last year introduced a line of glass and metal vanities.  Available in many different modular sizes, the vanity has really great accessories for ideal storage, including a hairdryer holder, electrical outlets and drawer organizers.  For the tile, we used a new porcelain line called “Layers” that has a similar look to vein cut travertine.

We added or improved about 5 more vignettes, so come in to see them!  Which one is your favorite?

Happy and Healthy New Year!

I recently went on a trip to Hong Kong and China – my first trip to the Far East.  I figured the bathrooms would be a bit different, and made it my mission to take photos of as many bathrooms there as I could without looking like a creep.  :)

Restroom at The Peak

In Hong Kong, the first thing that I noticed was the pride they have in their public restrooms.  The picture to the right here shows the public restroom at The Peak – the highest point on Hong Kong Island.  I highly recommend you stop there if you are ever in Hong Kong – it truly is amazing.  They cater to tourists there, so it’s not really surprising that the bathrooms would be nicer than most, but I was really impressed by the cleanliness and beauty of the space.  The soap and the hand towels are tucked away neatly under the mirrors, leaving the walls and counters completely clutter free.

The hotel we stayed at in Hong Kong was beautiful, but the rooms were TINY.  I didn’t  get any pictures of the space, but the bathrooms felt very much like a cruise bathroom.  Nothing out of the ordinary – the plumbing fixtures weren’t even Chinese – they were Hansgrohe!

The most interesting bathrooms (and designs in generally) were in Mainland China.  I had no idea what to expect there, but when we checked into the Panyu Hotel I was shocked by the beauty of the space!  The lobby and elevator had water-jet marble floors, beautiful crystal chandeliers, and incredible wall features.  The hotel rooms were huge, even by American standards, and the bathroom was gorgeous – fitted with Kohler fixtures!

Panyu Hotel Room

Panyu Hotel Lobby

Lobby Chandeliers

China Toilets

We went to a great Hibachi restaurant next to the hotel for dinner, and I was actually excited to see what the bathrooms looked like.  All of the stalls were full except for one, and when I went in, this is what I saw (right).  Typical American, I just waited for a stall with a real toilet to become free!  Thank goodness they had both.  I was not so lucky at the ferry station on my way back to Hong Kong.  I have heard that they have these toilets in Italy and throughout Europe – I don’t get it!

It was a great trip, and I strongly recommend visiting Hong Kong if you ever get the chance!

Winchester Mystery House

In 1884, the haunted wealthy heiress to the Winchester Rifle company was told by an oracle that in order for her to stop being haunted by the spirits of those killed with Winchester Rifles, she must build a home and NEVER stop.  She began building a Victorian mansion in San Jose, California, and construction lasted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until her death 38 years later.

I toured this incredible mansion when I was out in San Jose two weeks ago, and it was the craziest thing I had ever seen.  There are staircases to no where, doors that open into solid walls, 6 kitchens and some of the most advanced heating and sewer systems of the time.  Now we were told not to take pictures, but I totally broke the rules (shhhhh, don’t tell on me!) because some of these things were just too cool not to show you.

Tile Fireplace

Front Sitting Room

The first thing that stood out to me was the amazing tile work on the fireplaces.  We sell similar tile now for up to $50 a PIECE!  Well over 100 years later, this tile looks brand new!  Probably because these fireplaces were most likely never used.  I kept picturing the artisans hand crafting this tile, and wondering if back then they used molds or if they hand carved every piece.  There were some incredible wood floors throughout the house as well, mixing different types of woods.  The floor in the sitting room took one craftsman an entire year to finish!

Shower Body

The coolest thing for me was seeing the plumbing in this house.  While toilets and bathtubs were already around at this time, apparently it was unheard of to have a shower.  This 160-room home had a single shower, shown in a photo below.  There were toilets located throughout the home, but they were each in tiny little rooms, some with sinks and some without.  I was very disappointed that many of the faucets had been removed, because it would have been cool to see the different decorative faucets they used.  The original claw foot tub, which seemed to be made of wood, was absolutely incredible to see as well.

Original Claw Foot Tub

Old Toilet

We got to go through two of the kitchens, one of which had this incredible ORIGINAL stove still in it.  It also had a huge sink, also shown below, which was made of soap stone and then enameled.

I highly recommend checking out this house if you ever make it to San Jose.  For more information, here is a link to their website!

Original Stove

Original Kitchen Sink

We just changed out one of our bathtub displays in our Somers store, and it got me thinking about all of the new and exciting freestanding bathtubs.  Freestanding baths have gained momentum, and are being featured in home magazines everywhere.  I’m not talking about traditional claw-foot tubs either.  These baths are made out of stone, cast iron and solid surface materials similar to a Corian, and come in some very funky shapes!

Kohler Reve Freestanding Bath

This is Kohler’s new Reve freestanding bath.  It is made of cast iron, and is available with a white or dark gray base.  It coordinates with the entire Reve suite, and is available in two widths.  This bath is both contemporary and transitional, and so beautiful!  This photo doesn’t do it justice – you have to come see it in person.  Like the look, but want an undermount bath?  No problem – the Reve bath is also available as an undermount, and even has the option of chromatherapy and a BubbleMassage!

Kohler also introduced a new material called Lithocast.   The exclusive Lithocast solid surface material has a matte finish that looks like stone, but feels warm to the touch and is easy to clean and maintain.  They created three freestanding baths with this material, and I can only assume they will add to the collection.  Below are two of the three designs.

Kohler Aliento

Kohler Abrazo

Want something even more special?  Check out Stone Forest’s carved stone baths!  These baths certainly make a statement, and are available in a variety of stones.  They can also custom make baths to suit your needs – they can even make whirlpools!  Check out the shots below.

What’s your favorite bath???

Stone Forest Old World Bath in Multicolor Onyx

Stone Forest Papillon in Bianco Carrara Marble

Current Kitchen Sink

I am gutting my kitchen next year, and am in the process of designing it.  The sink placement sucks, but to save money I am not moving any of the plumbing.  Right now I have what I call a butterfly sink (see right).  The bowls are tiny and shallow, making it impossible to clean baking sheets and pots or pans.  Since the sink cabinets is on a 90 degree angle, there wasn’t much more that could be done here.  They are not popular at all anymore, and Elkay is the only company I carry that makes them.

Example of Diagonal Corner Sink Base

The first major change I am making in this area is changing the cabinet to a diagonal corner cabinet so I can actually stand comfortably at the sink.  This means that instead of the sharp corner in between these two bowls, it will cut straight across (see left).  This also allows me to use a large, rectangular sink, which is the most exciting part!

So now I am trying to decide on which sink to use!  I have it narrowed down to two deep, single bowl sinks.  The first is the Elkay ELU2317-10, a standard stainless steel rectangular sink.  It is 23″ x 17″ x 10″ deep, giving me a great amount of work space.  After the countertop is added, the sink will be over 11″ deep!  All of my accessories are stainless, but the kitchen is going to be very traditional with a white marble top. The second sink is from Kohler, and is the cast iron Iron/Tones K-6585.  What I love about this sink is that I can get a color, and the fact that it is Cast Iron makes it more traditional than the Stainless Steel sinks.  I would choose a color called Sea Salt, which is a white with a beautiful crackle to it.  The basin area of the sink is a few inches smaller than the Elkay at 21×16, and only 7 1/2″ deep.  Pictures are below….thoughts???

Kohler Sink

Elkay Sink

Starbucks Bathroom

I was in a Starbucks this week, and happened to use the ladies room.  It was a handicap accessible bathroom, and had beautiful tile on the walls and floors (take a look at the picture to the left).  They used Kohler products, which I love, but they chose the most plain, commercial looking products they could have found!  They also used some ugly plastic covers for the p-trap and hot and cold water lines, making it quite the eyesore.  OK, so maybe I am the only one who noticed, but still, they are pretty bad. For only a little bit more money they could have purchased decorative fittings that actually look pretty under wall hung sinks.

Kohler Elevance

This got me thinking about other ugly handicap bathrooms I have seen, so I googled them to look at images.  Every single one that came up was HIDEOUS!  So what is a person to do when they are wheelchair bound and need to create their very own handicap bath?  Plumbing manufacturers today have some really great options - did you know that Kohler has over THREE DOZEN ADA toilets to choose from?  Check out this awesome new tub from Kohler, the Elevance.  It is an awesome alternative to walk-in tubs.  Not only does it look nicer, but it functions much better as well!

Best's Handicap Bathroom in Somers

Now I am slightly biased, but check out the handicap bathroom in Best’s Somers location – pretty neat, huh???  There are also a ton of ways you can create a curb-free shower, meaning you can walk or roll right into the shower without having to step over a curb.  You can either create a custom tile base, or use a barrier-free shower base like this one from Americh (see below right).

Americh Barrier-Free Shower Base

So whether you’re designing a public handicap bathroom or your own accessible oasis, the decorative options are endless.  Don’t settle for an ugly space!

When you’re remodeling a bathroom, there are many different products you have to think about.  Faucets, vanities, toilets and tile are the main things most people think about, right?  But what about things like shower drains?  If you leave it up to your plumber, you will be getting a cheap, chrome round drain.  After all, does it really matter?  The answer is YES – it does matter!  Why shouldn’t your shower drain match the color of your shower fixtures?  Why shouldn’t it be decorative?  And in some cases – why should you even have to see one?

California Faucets StyleDrains

California Faucets, along with other faucet companies, have created decorative shower drains to fit any bathroom style.  Their square drains, called StyleDrain, come in six different designs (shown to the right), each one available in a myriad of finishes from polished chrome and satin nickel to obscure finishes like antique copper and matte black.  You can choose to match your shower trim finish, or even match it to your tile!

Taking it one step further, California Faucets created the CeraLine Channel Drain (shown below).  Channel drains are perfect for contemporary showers as well as for curb-free or handicap accessible showers.  California offers three different styles – two available in a limited number of metal finishes, and one that is custom.  Shown in the right hand photo below, the custom drain can be used with your shower floor tile to give a seamless look.  The plumbing and floor pitch is different for these drains, so make sure your plumber knows you want to use this kind of drain before construction begins.

California Faucets CeraLine Drains

While these are not the only decorative and channel drains on the market, they are the ones we sell at Best and are therefore the ones I am most familiar with.

SPOILER ALERT:  One of our seven major faucet lines is introducing a great new line of square decorative shower drains.  They have some intricate traditional designs that will be a great addition to the California designs, and will be available in a ton of finishes as well.  When I get the go ahead I will edit this post and add pictures of the new products!

Before

A few months back I wrote a blog about my friend’s beautiful (sarcasm) 1980′s bathroom, and now I have a before and after follow up! We took this bathroom down to the studs, which was quite an interesting experience! The entire room was plaster, and all of the pipes were original from 1929. This demo was quite a mess! There was a leak in the shower pipes, and the hot water pipe to the sink was so brittle that it snapped during the demo. We found the original mosaic floor in pretty good condition under the 1980′s cracked marble, but decided to change it anyway because it didn’t work with our color scheme.

Demolition

After the plumbers came in and changed out all of the pipes (this took a day and a half and was quite a headache from what I hear – thank God for good plumbers!), the contractors got back in there and sheet-rocked the place up, and tile guy came in later that week.  After three days of working on tile, the painting was done and the trim and vanity were installed. And VOILA!  We now have a beautiful new bathroom that looks like it belongs in the 1920′s.

After

In order to bring in the feel of the 1920′s, we used a marble basketweave mosaic on the floor and a basic white subway tile on the walls.  Because this is a hall bath and there is a huge linen closet right outside the door, we were able to lose some storage and use an open console for the sink.  The medicine cabinet, which is 6″ deep, allows ample space for toilet paper and toiletries.

Like the bathroom?  Have questions about this project?  Take a minute to write a comment!

Like the products shown in this bath? So do we! Toilet and Tub: Original to the bathroom, Console Base: Palmer Industries, Console Top: Empire Industries, Faucet and Shower Trim: Kallista Bellis, Medicine Cabinet: Century Bathworks, Light: Norwell Maison, Wall Tile: 3×6 White Subway Tile, Floor Tile: White Carrara basketweave with Nero Marquina dot. All of these products can be found at Best. Work done by Q.C. Construction and DelVecchio Plumbing and Heating. Paint: Benjamin Moore’s Dark Purple.