before + after: haven drive kitchen + laundry

There is so much beautiful in this kitchen, we hardly know where to begin!  

Maybe we should start with the gorgeous country home that our clients' built - literally - in the late 70's. True to its New England roots, it is filled with gracious elements: French doors, fireplaces made of locally sourced bricks, real wood paneling, 

and of course, the pine country kitchen. What did you expect? It was true to its roots - but our clients were ready to move on to something updated and fresh!

Boy did they ever! There are so many new words to describe this kitchen: bright, fresh, sophisticated, with lots of classic thrown in. We LOVE the two-toned cabinets, the leaded glass, the limestone floor (except that it's really drop-dead gorgeous, easy care porcelain), the mixed-metal combo faucet and hardware, and the space saving in-wall pantry.

Most satisfyingly of all, we knocked down this pesky wall between the dining room and kitchen, flooding the room with light and open space to breathe. It took some convincing, and some detailed trim work, (not to mention a new beam) but on the other side of the microwave cabinet below, is a great-looking custom-made dining room buffet which makes sense of the open space. (And let's face it - hides kitchen mess!!!)

 And then, there’s the laundry! Previously located in the basement, we carved out space in the powder room closet for a stacked pair of machines which are camouflaged very nicely if we do say so ourselves. And the added storage is a bonus! Again, so much beautiful!

It was a team effort! Thanks to Winnie and Jack, our perfect clients, and to Larry for the amazing cabinetry, and as always to GC Mike, for his superb management and attention to detail. 

Enjoy! -d+e

before + after: woodpond road master bath

Hello friends! A few weeks ago, we shared this before and after of a lovely kitchen and today we share the master bath! Down the hall and around the corner, is this gem: a jealousy-inducing, total gut reno, spa-like sanctuary. Don't be fooled- it hasn't always looked this good. Actually, it did look good for it's time (built in the 60s) but was in desperate need of an update. Side note: I LOVE gut renovations and before and afters but I'm secretly a TINY bit sad that we killed this time-warp bath. It was a fun space, with gorgeous pendants (that we repurposed), a pretty vanity and pink and white marble countertops. But the layout was awkward and materials very dated, and of course, there was no floating tub, walk in glass shower, or heated floors. Take a look!  

We removed the corner shower and stole space from the hallway closet which changed the room completely. The one thing that remained the same is the toilet placement, not only because it's expensive and laborious to move the plumbing, but because it works well there. We're in love with this bathroom- there are so many favorites! The marble herringbone floors, open shelving, custom vanity and cabinets, original pendants, floating tub. It's love people. 

Also, we really need to up our before pictures game because we did not have a picture of the opposite side of the room to show you anywhere! And I DUG for them. But it was pretty much a blank wall, except for the entry. Which, by the way, we were able to use the gorgeous original door but made it a pocket for space saving purposes. This was a really fun project and as always, it's so fun to compare the original space to the finalized design. Enjoy!!! -e+d

before + after: woodpond road kitchen

Happy 2018! And holy deep freeze! Our clients are keeping warm and cozy though in their new space - there is nothing cold about this kitchen before and after. We were tasked with bringing this 60's, outdated kitchen up to 2018 (and maybe even into the next mid-century) while preserving the bits of glamour that sets this house apart. Gorgeous brass hardware, original light fixtures, floor to ceiling picture windows, mid-century class abounds here - and we were happy to be a part of the rehab!

Everything had to go - except for the cool, original indoor grill - and we did think twice before ditching that rooster. (JK!) Not many tears were shed when the floral drop ceiling came down either. 

A chef's kitchen from the past, this space had to be re-imagined for two cooks, way more storage, new appliances, proper lighting, and a comfy sitting, eating, and reading-the-paper-kind-of nook. PLUS look good of course. We maximized natural light and opened a tight space by rejecting traditional upper cabinets, and designed an island and buffet for beauty as well as functional storage. The cold fluorescent ceiling lighting was replaced with layers of warm LED light: pendants, sconces, and recessed fixtures, so there is never a dull corner. 

While looking for classic, yet modern ways to open this tight area, a cut-up mud room gave way to floor to ceiling pantry cabs (well crafted by our local cabinet guy, Henry of Cabinet Specialties LLC) and a happy space for laundry. Even I would iron in here now!

Just a few more details that we love about this kitchen and laundry room:

• the warm brass accents in the lighting and hardware,
• the beauty of flat front cabinets in white oak,
• the stonework aptly crafted by our favorite local supplier in CT, G&F Granite,
• the two-toned kitchen using Farrow + Ball light blue and natural wood cabinets,
• the ceiling beams we added for visual interest and to camouflage the recessed lighting,
• the contrast of the soapstone counter top against the glossy subway tile in the laundry.

Did we mention that we loved working on this project? We're so fortunate to have kind and trusting clients that allow us to work in their home. Thank you P & T! We miss working with you!

The master bathroom is just as warm and lovely  -  and literally around the corner, so stay tuned! Enjoy more pics here.

See you soon. --d+e

before + after: sarah drive kids bath

Welcome to part 2! In case you missed part 1 of the master, see it here! In a similar feel to the master, this bathroom was very 80s, cramped, and in serious need of a refresh. Not much could change about the interior of the space due to where the bathroom was placed in the house- and the bones didn't really need to change. But everything else sure did!!!

How cute is this cement tile? I want it for me. Our goal here was to make the room feel bigger without moving the walls. We removed the closet to replace with open shelving, which helps open the space and prevent two doors from colliding. (See in mirror reflection below.) Also, a floating vanity gives the impression of a larger space and in this case, allows for a kids stool underneath. That and a few other little tricks like a huge mirror, and all white walls that flow seamlessly into the white tile make for a brandy new pretty bathroom. Enjoy! -d+e 

before + after: sarah drive master bath

Hello friends! We're always complaining about how we don't blog enough- I'm embarrassed to say how many times we've blogged this WHOLE YEAR, I'll let you figure it out. (Hint: our Christmas gift guide from last year is not too far down there.) It's both good and bad, because blogging takes a backseat to actual design work which pays the billz BUT counterpoint, it's fun and we get to share on a more personal level with our followers. All that to say, it's a good resolution to have for next year. 

ANYWAYS, BATHROOMS. We've been on a bathroom roll lately- I think we have 9 under our belt after this year.  !  So we know ALL the tile. These two bathrooms were so fun to work on because they were gut projects and also each had different goals and purposes. (Also amazing, trusting clients always make a project fun!) We broke this post into two because it was getting too long, so come back tomorrow for part 2 featuring the kids bath! This post we're discussing the master bath which desperately needed a gut reno with lots of storage and a new tub. Check out that ridiculous tub! What were the 80s thinking?!?! 

This space was full of design challenges. There was a large and awkward amount of space in the toilet area, a super tall vaulted ceiling in just half the room, lack of wall space for a long vanity, a load-bearing dividing wall, and generally just lots of nooks and crannies. Our goals were to introduce built-in storage which kept the toilet area from feeling too big and in the center of the room, install a half wall of tile to keep the eye down and make the space more cohesive, move some doors around to make space for a long vanity, bring the load bearing wall back a tad and install a glass shower to open up the room. And it all came together with just a snap! JK it was a process and lots of back and forth plans but that's part of the fun. The transformation is pretty darn dramatic. 

That's it for the master... come back tomorrow for part two- the kids bathroom! Enjoy!

p.s. The vanity and built-in storage were custom pieces built by one of our favorite cabinet guys in CT, Cabinet Specialties. 

-e+d

before + after: a cozy family room

Sometimes even we can't believe the transformation a room takes- and this room is one of them. We had so much fun on this project with our LOVELY client Jeanne. She has the most beautiful, quaint home with a family room that had a tricky dividing and load-bearing wall. This wall made for a challenge, but with a pretty sweet outcome if we do say so ourselves. Who doesn't love a daybed reading nook?!?!

The long and skinny room felt cramped, so we did our best to open up the space and create a clean and open, yet cozy feel. We cut back the dividing wall as much as possible (not much!), added a window in the existing office nook (which turns out there was a window there already at one point), and added a custom built-in daybed with lots of storage that makes us want to move in. Also, what do you do with a long blank wall in a narrow room? A super long Ikea console hack, of course. Enjoy! -d+e