Archive for Design

Planning a New Linear Fireplace – All the measurements you need

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, February 2nd, 2019

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I am currently working in a home where every room will be getting some kind of facelift. Thus, I’ve called this project our ‘Full Facelift Project’. While some spaces are receiving some minor work, there are two areas that are receiving substantial work: the kitchen and the adjoining family room. You can read about what we’re doing in the kitchen here. The family room will be getting a new fireplace and shelving to flank each side. So what exactly goes into planning a new linear fireplace?

Planning a New Linear Fireplace

Part of this entire Full Facelift Project is to give my clients and their family a space on the main floor, located off the kitchen, to be a focal point and a gathering space. This is how the space currently looks (please keep in mind almost all of the furniture has been moved out of this space).

Wants, Wishes, and Dreams

As I mentioned above, my clients are hoping for this space to be the following:

A space to watch TV
A fireplace that provides some heat (we are in a Polar Vortex you know)!
A place to store games and display items.

Let the Planning Begin

When I heard my clients were hoping to have a new fireplace, we looked at a number of options. We knew that the existing fireplace was going to be torn out, so we basically were starting from scratch with this area.

As my clients also wished to have a TV mounted above the fireplace, we looked at two options: a more traditional fireplace (similar to what they currently have), and a linear fireplace (a more modern looking fireplace).

After weighing the pros and cons of both types of fireplaces, we went with the linear look for the fireplace.

All the Pros

When we looked at planing out a new linear fireplace, there were a LOT pros:

By going with this model, we are able to place the TV right above the fire. We don’t have to worry about any code measurements in terms of how high the TV has to be off of the gas fireplace.
This linear fireplace comes with interior lights to accentuate the fire. What this really means is that it’s super pretty to look at!
The best pro of all? We can use any finishing material right to the edge of the fireplace. Due to how this gas fireplace is vented, we could use wallpaper, wood, tile, stone….the sky is the limit!

There is one Con

You all know I like to share both sides of the story, so here is the con for this fireplace. The price tag! This fireplace comes in at a much higher price point than a ‘standard’ gas fireplace similar to what my clients already have.

Planning a New Linear Fireplace – Measurements

Due to the fact that the new linear fireplace comes in at a higher price point, we are not going to be adding custom cabinets to both sides. Rather, we will use in-stock cabinets that we are sourcing from IKEA. My good friend, Maria Killam, used IKEA Billy cabinets in her sister’s library

My clients will be getting a very similar look (without glass doors and glass shelving) and we will be using the IKEA Bestå system. Here is the conceptual design for their space:

Here is what needed to be decided and what needed to be planned.

LENGTH OF WALL:

Since we are using IKEA Bestå, we are limited to their sizing. As such, I planned out the ‘best fit’ (sizing) for each side first since I had lots of room to manipulate the fireplace wall. We will be going with a TV Base Cabinet that is 47″ long (and we will have an opening of 49″ to accommodate baseboards). This is for each side.
When placing the cabinets into the space, I am left with the total width of the new linear fireplace wall being 6′-11″.
The fireplace measures 40″ wide and the TV measures 44 5/8″ wide (this is a 50″ TV). I centered the TV and the new linear fireplace on the 6′-11″ wall.
By centering the TV and the fireplace, we will have roughly 19″ on each side of the TV.

HEIGHTS

Now that the width is looked after, I moved onto the height. I have placed the new linear fireplace 18″ off the ground (measuring to the bottom of the fireplace) with the center of the fireplace sitting at 25″ off the ground.
For the TV, I have placed the center of the TV at 54″ off the ground. While there are guidelines for optimal heights to hang a TV, I will have my clients double check these measurements in their home to ensure they are happy with these measurements.

Planning a New Linear Fireplace – Why it’s important to plan

Once my client’s approve the measurements, these are then passed along to the fireplace company so they have a plan to follow when the come to frame and install. The installers are not mind readers and can’t guess what your wishes are. Every last detail really does need to be planned out to ensure the bookcases are going to fit properly. As I have said numerous times, failing to plan is planning to fail. And with the cost of is for this new feature wall, you don’t want to make any mistakes!

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Master Bathroom Vanity Design: How we came to the final design

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, January 19th, 2019

in Bath, Design, Interior Design, renovations

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When it comes to working with clients on their master bathroom vanity design, there are many things we discuss and investigate:

The first item we talk about is the ‘pain point’ of their existing space. What do my clients like and dislike with their current situation?
What is the hope/dream for the new master bathroom vanity? There are always wishes and hopes when we look at installing a new vanity
Are there storage requirements that are needed?

Master Bathroom Vanity Design

In a current master bathroom that is currently being renovated, the clients and I had many discussions about the design of the master bathroom. Let’s start with what the pain points were.

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: Options

When working with clients, I like to create renderings so they can get a good sense of what the space will look like. When looking at creating master bathroom vanity designs, my clients were looking for the following:

Increase the storage.
Keep the double sinks.
Hide the angled wall.

Here are a few master bathroom vanity designs we looked at.

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: Final Plan

After looking at all of the options, going over the pros and cons as well as the budget, we came to this final design:

Let’s take a closer look:

Not only do the tall towers hide the angled wall, but they both also provide the storage my clients were hoping for. The tall tower on the left will be adjusted to accommodate the angled wall. This means the shelving will not be straight across.
While this cabinet will be modified for the angled wall, and while it looks like a pull out drawer, this cabinet will open like a door.
The sink vanities have three drawers. The first two drawers will be notched around the plumbing while the bottom drawer will be full drawers. As opposed to the standard cabinet doors, pull-out drawers provide the maximum storage!
This pull-out will have an organizing system installed for a hair dryer, flat iron, curling iron, etc. This drawer will also include an outlet that will power on when the drawer is pulled out and the power will trip off when the drawer closes (as per our electrical code).

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: The Compromise

When dealing with a certain size space, there may be compromises that need to be made. This master bathroom vanity design is no different. The compromise that my clients were willing to make was counter space. As you may see, there is not a lot of counter space in this design. What my clients intend on doing is putting all of their items in the tall cabinets that flank each sink. As you can see, there are two doors on those tall cabinets. My clients intend to place their day-to-day items in the lower portion while keeping less often-used items in the top section.

Here’s one little last sneak peek at the rest of the space (in a conceptual design)

I’ll be posting live updates from this project over the next couple of weeks. I hope you’ll be able to join me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

We’re getting ready to start our next investment property

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, January 12th, 2019

in Design, Interior Design, real estate, renovations

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During the month of November, Robin Spiers with Robin Spiers & Associates, and I were in search for an investment property. I’ve had a few people ask about how this all works so I thought it was perfect timing to let you all in on how it works.

Investment Property

The Search

The entire process begins with a search. For this particular property, it was all Robin’s hard work in coming up with some potential options. When Robin sent me the listing I immediately knew this was a contender. Just take a look at the gorgeous windows in this home!

Viewing the Home

When looking at an investment property, there are things on my list that I look at:

What is the overall state of the home?
The overall state of the kitchen.
What is the overall state of the bathrooms?
And large ticket items:
- roofing
- windows
- doors
- flooring

Adding Up the Numbers

After Robin and I look at the home, I come up with a very rough budget to renovate based off of what Robin believes he can sell the home for. For this particular home, it is going to be listed for over one million dollars so I know that the design and products that I choose have to jive with that number. For example, the appliances that I am going to use will be all Smart Appliances (in a sexy black stainless steel).

Presenting this to Investors

When Robin and I look at our numbers, and if the margins are a good investment, we commit to investing in the property. For this particular investment property, Robin and I let our group of capital investors know about this great property. Although Robin and I were willing to do this one on our own, we had a lot of interest.

Robin put together four scenarios for this property. In the scenarios listed below, the numbers include renovation costs and carrying costs based off holding the property for a total of 6 months. I would have 3 months to renovate, and Robin would have 3 months to sell. Here is what we presented based on scenarios.

A ‘worst case’ scenario where after the renovation, investors would receive a 0.89% ROI.
A ‘good case’ scenario where after the renovations, investors would receive a 17.38% ROI.
A ‘better case’ scenario where after the renovations, investors would receive a 29.21% ROI.
A ‘great case’ scenario where after the renovations, , investors would receive a 41.03% ROI.

Investment Property

For this particular property, we had to turn away investors! The home itself is such a great home, the location is in a very desirable neighbourhood, and the design plan (if I do say so myself), is beautiful. I did a little Facebook Live from my office to talk a little about my plans.

Stay Tuned

I look forward to sharing the journey with you on this investment property. I will be doing many Facebook Live videos as well as videos on Instagram. I hope you’ll join me!

Want to learn more about becoming an investor? Contact me today to discuss our next opportunity!

Renovation Packages: What exactly are you getting?

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, January 5th, 2019

in Bath, Design, Interior Design, renovations

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I am a member of a couple of Interior Design forums and groups. In these groups, we provide each other support, mentorship, and learning opportunities. In one of my groups, a member shared a new renovation company that has recently started up in New York. This company provides bathroom renovation packages. Since I design and manage a number of bathroom renovations, this intrigued me. So what exactly was this company in New York doing?

Bathroom Renovation Packages

Let’s start off with what this company in New York is presenting. The company is called Block. This company was started by two entrepreneurs T. Luke Sherwin and Koda M. Wang. T. Luke Sherwin co-founded the mattress company Casper, and Koda M. Wang was the chief customer officer at Rent the Runway. As you may notice, not one of these gentlemen has Interior Design or renovation experience. Here is what Block offers:

Explore their 2 package designs to get an instant quote.
Share some photos of your bathroom.
They prepare for your renovation.
The ‘Rapid Build’ begins.

Their two packages are called Contemporary and Classic with an option to go ‘custom’.

I think we can almost all agree that having package pricing is great for the consumer. I mean, you know what the bottom line is, you know what you’ll be paying, and you know what you’ll be getting.

The Pros of Bathroom Renovation Packages

I don’t think anyone can disagree that this concept looks great. You basically pick out a package (a look) that you wish for your bathroom, you send in some pictures, the Block team does the rest of the work for you.

For those who struggle with making choices, this is the perfect fit for you. There are basically two or three options for each look. It’s like looking at a menu from a restaurant and picking and choosing your sides to go along with your main course.

Package Pricing

Pricing – we can not forget about pricing. Block states on their website that they deal with major brands. They also state on their website,

…we specialize in bathrooms, we are able to get favorable pricing and have visibility into availability — thus allowing us to procure high quality materials at efficient timelines for our customers.

Seems like a win right?

Cons of Bathroom Renovation Packages

Let me first state that this blog is not intended to bash this New York company’s business. I do think there is a market for this type of model. As with everything, there are pros and cons, so here are my cons that I see with bathroom renovation packages:

While some people may enjoy the limited choices, others do not. If you are looking to personalize your space for you, a renovation package like this would not be a good choice for you.
You are not getting a say as to who will be coming to work in your home. While Block does state that they vet all of their trades, it is Block who decides who will do the work – not you.
While there are two packages, with an option to go ‘custom’, the wording, “..work will be up to “Commercial Standard” would be a bit alarming for me. In a residence, I don’t want commercial standards as when I hear those 2 words, I think of ‘builder grade.’ No thank you.

Bathroom renovation packages: Are we really that different?

As I spend time with on Block’s website, I am trying to figure out how their company would be different from any Interior Design firm (like mine). They have right on their website:

Block simplifies the chaos and costs of construction by bringing design, sourcing, and management all under one roof.

Listed in their footer of their website.

Isn’t that what Interior Design Firms do?

A Closer Look

Let’s take a closer look at the four steps for a bathroom renovation package that are listed on Block’s website.

Step One – Get a free estimate.
- Most Interior Design firms will provide a free estimate for your bathroom renovation.
- I know we provide a free estimate based off your wants, needs, and wishes.
Step Two – Share Your Photos & Schedule a Consultation. This is where Interior Design Firms will differ from Block.
- As an Interior Design Firm, we will actually come to your home, take our own photos (knowing what/where/how to take photos that will assist us with the rest of the process), and will already have met you to determine your needs (in Step One). We also take the measurements!
- A relationship is being developed (and so is the trust factor).
Step Three – Your Renovation is Prepared. An Interior Design Firm will do the exact same work as Block advertises.
- We will create your design, handle all permits, detailed drawings, and help you select the finishing materials (including procuring them).
- Where we differ is that Block does everything virtually online, we do it in person. We pick up the phone and deal with our local suppliers.
- Interior Designers get great discounts (and I know I share those with my clients) on products. While Block may get deep discounts for buying in bulk, our Interior Design pricing is second to none!
Step Four – Rapid Build Begins. As stated on Block’s website, your bathroom will be built without interruption by a licensed and insured contractor from our vetted network.
- An Interior Design Firm will also carry this out. For my company, we create the Construction Calendar, attend on-site meetings, and ensure the design on paper is turning into a reality.
- Most Interior Design firms take care and attention to vet the trades they use to carry out the work of their projects. I know all trades on my sites need to be licensed and insured. I also know that all trades need to sign a Trade/Designer Agreement with my company. Let’s face it, the trades are really representing my company when they are on site!

So are you saving money by having a bathroom renovation pacakge?

I actually don’t think you are. When I look at their ‘standard’ Classic Package starting at $15,900 for a full gut, I think I can do better. Wait – I know I can do better! Let’s take a look.

This bathroom below was a full gut this past summer (June 2018) and the price for this bathroom was $13,683.90. The timeline? 3.5 weeks.

renovation package — Bathroom Before Photo prior to the entire space being gutted.

Mood Board for this main bathroom. No cookie cutter products here!

New, modern 18″X36″ tile with everything new installed this bathroom. My client was able to reuse her shower curtain.

Bathroom Renovation Packages

If you are looking to carry out a bathroom renovation for a ‘standard bathroom‘ with no weird wall angles, that has a simple bathtub/shower combination, toilet and standard vanity size (24-30 inches), you bet it can be done for under $15K. It’s totally do-able.
Working with an Interior Designer will allow you to create your personalized ‘Renovation Package’ – not give you one of two choices.
Interior Designers will be able to manipulate your budget. If you wish to splurge on a nicer shower faucet, then perhaps you pull back on the pricing of floor tile (or in another area). With our extensive knowledge, we can manipulate the budget all.day.long.

My Final Thoughts

While I could easily advertise “Main Bathroom Renovation Packages starting at $15,000, I don’t. Why? Just look above! That one ‘standard bathroom’ came in under $15,000! I also am not a firm believer of ‘cookie cutter’. We have enough of that in our lives.

When we purchase a home, it is most likely the biggest investment we will make. Why would I want what everyone else has? Can you imagine if all of the homes looked exactly the same (inside and out)? We would be living in a vanilla world – and I don’t like that! I love personality. I love working with different styles and creating spaces designed for my clients.

Looking to have your personalized renovation package set up for you? Contact us today to discuss your space.

A Bakers Dream

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, November 10th, 2018

in Design, Interior Design, Kitchen

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My clients recently purchased a home and were wanting to make some spaces more efficient and user-friendly. On my list was to create a butlers pantry and a closet-makeover. While they were two totally separate spaces, we addressed both areas at the same time. This is Part 1 of a two-part series for this home. For this blog, I’ll be going over the Butler’s Pantry Makeover.

Butler’s Pantry Makeover

The Concept

Let’s start with this space that is located just off of the kitchen. When my clients moved into the home, they did a lot of painting. Part of the painting was the existing cabinets. The gorgeous hood fan in the kitchen is a lovely blue.

Sherwin Williams Ancor’s Aweigh SW 9179

This blue is such a strong and rich statement. We decided to do all of the cabinetry in this color! I have used this color before and was excited to be working with it again! After discussing the items on the ‘wish list’, the conceptual design was created.

Design by Sheri Bruneau

My client loves to bake and there were certain things on her list that she wished for. The items we were adding were:

A tall cabinet to house the cleaning supplies, brooms, a vacuum, etc.
An apron sink.
My clients wished to have their microwave (in a base cabinet).
Floating shelves were a must!

And here is the 3D conceptual rendering of the butler’s pantry makeover:

Butler’s Pantry: Before

Here is what the butler’s pantry looked like prior to the work getting done.

Part of the space was used as a dropping zone for….things.

The previous owner had plumbing in already for a sink and we were lucky there were also outlets at counter height.

Butler’s Pantry: The Reveal

The tall cabinet that now houses the cleaning supplies (out of sight).

We chose a beautiful, delicate knob in a Golden Champagne finish. This finish, with the blue cabinets, is just so damn pretty!

For the faucet, we continued with the Golden Champagne finish.

My client LOVES to bake and can’t wait to use her new space!

Butler’s Pantry Makeover

This was such a great space to create. I absolutely loved working with my client and I wish to give her a special shout-out. Our initial conversation started in March of 2018. I had mentioned that I was pretty booked but she patiently waited for me to fit her in. We had a couple of long delays with things (no fault of anyone – just an extremely busy renovation summer). In the end, although this space took longer to get it all done, I am extremely grateful for such great clients. In a recent email, my client said,

Love my Pantry! It so much fun to work in.

Coming next week I’ll be showcasing their master closet makeover! I hope you stay tuned.

One Room Challenge Week 4: Baseboards in a bathroom

Posted by Sheri on

Wednesday, October 24th, 2018

in Bath, Design, Interior Design, renovations

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I have just completed week 4 of the One Room Challenge™. If you’re stopping by for the first time and are not sure what the ORC is, you can read all about it here. A big shout-out to Better Homes and Gardens who is the official sponsor this year as well! This week, I’m bringing up the topic of baseboards in a bathroom. Who knew this topic was such a hot one?

One Room Challenge

A Little Background

For my ORC, I am renovating our main bathroom. You can read about the whole masculine design plan here.

What happened this past week?

First of all, the pretty is being installed! This past week, the floor tile and the tile for the bath/shower walls were installed. The very first ‘pretty’ that I chose for this bathroom renovation, was the flooring. With the bathroom only being 75 sq feet, I knew I couldn’t go crazy with a pattern. When I went to Deerfoot Carpet and Tile, I looked at a number of tiles and samples (some with colour and some without). As I thought about this design plan, I was leaning towards a black and white bathroom design. Almost immediately when I saw the tile (shown below), I knew it was the one! Although the tile is not black and white, I knew that I was going to incorporate some black elements into this space.

A great big thank you for Deerfoot Carpet and Tile for supplying the tile for my bathroom! Seriously, if you live in the Calgary area and are in need of great service and a variety of flooring and tile options, please check them out!

Baseboards in a bathroom

It seems like baseboards in a bathroom is a pretty hot topic. This exact topic came up in a design group that I belong to and let me tell you, there were some pretty strong opinions on this matter. I also happened to post the question on my Facebook page and people were not shy to give their opinions! First of all, did you know you had options for baseboards in a bathroom?

MDF baseboards

Let’s start by saying this is a hard no. Every. Time! MDF is never a good option in a bathroom. The minute MDF gets wet, it swells. Take a look at the image below. Enough said.

Image Source

Wood baseboards – Pros

Choosing wood is a good option for baseboards in a bathroom. Wood baseboards will not swell when it gets wet. You can continue the look of baseboards that you have throughout your home into the bathroom. Wood baseboards can be stained or painted giving you lots of options to complete your space.

Wood baseboards – Cons

While you can continue the look of your wood baseboards into your bathroom, what I don’t like it is that they still are a pain in the ass to clean. In my own home, the profile of our baseboards throughout our home are 1/2″ in depth. That means that there is 1/2″ ledge to wipe off every week. Do you think they get wiped off every week? No matter what kind of paint you use, there always seems to be dust getting stuck to the wood baseboard. It’s not just as easy as taking a dust rag and wiping them off. That dust is stuck on! Wiping off these bad boys means using a damp rag (and being on your knees). Ugh.

Tile baseboards

I mentioned above that this topic came up in a designer group that I belong to. This was such a fun conversation to watch. You see, I’m a fan of tile baseboards in a bathroom. While I love to use Schleuter® to finish off the edge of the tile, this also can be a bone of contention (as some people love Schleuter® while others detest it). My tile setter is a huge fan of Schleuter®, as is my painter! Nothing says a nice, clean edge like Schleuter®. There are so many profiles and choices these days, including their Schluter^®-FINEC

Image source

Baseboards in a bathroom

In the end, I always review with my clients the pros and cons of each option. I like to educate them with the knowledge and let them decide. It really is a personal choice and I believe both can look nice.

For my ORC, I didn’t ask anyone in my house what they thought. Why didn’t I ask anyone you may be thinking? Who do you think cleans the baseboards? Who do you think even notices the baseboards? See why I didn’t ask anyone in my family for their opinion on this matter? Remember, this is going to be our son’s bathroom and I know there will be some hot, steamy showers happening in this space! I also want to point out that while I am drawing attention to the tile baseboards, once everything else is installed, you most likely won’t even see those baseboards!

While I knew I was going to go with tile baseboards, one thing you may not know is that you need to let your tile setter know how high the baseboards should be. In keeping with the same height as our other baseboards in our home, I had the tile baseboard installed at 4” high (which is what the rest of the baseboard height is in my house). Here are what my tile baseboards look like – with Schleuter®.

The transition between our hall and the main bathroom. The blue floating shelves are not installed yet!

Here’s a little sneak peek video of how the bathroom is coming together after week 4.

I know, I know….some people hate the tile baseboards while others like it. For me and my home, the decision was all based on function. I was not going to be wiping any more dust off the wood baseboards. I went for simplicity with the function over the ‘pretty’. I would love to hear (and see) what you have done with baseboards in your bathrooms!

What’s on deck for Week 5?

On deck for week 5 is (taking a deep breath):

Vanity install
Countertop Install
Plumbing install
Electrical install
CLEAN
Start to install décor items

I look forward to sharing this space with all of you!

One Room Challenge Week Three: Bathroom Fixtures and Accessories

Posted by Sheri on

Wednesday, October 17th, 2018

in Design, Interior Design, renovations

| comments: (13)

It’s week three and we are half-way through the One Room Challenge™. Things are progressing very nicely in our main bath renovation/refresh project. Although we hit a tiny snag with the minor bathtub damage, that was quickly fixed and we continue to move ahead – just as I have planned out in my Renovation Calendar. This week, I won’t be sharing a ton of updated images as it was a boring week – drywall. There really isn’t any pretty getting installed yet! What I do wish to share are all of the bathroom fixtures that I have chosen for this space.

Please note, the products listed below contain an affiliate link. While these links are at no additional cost to you, I will earn a very small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As I write about the products below I wish for you to know the views expressed in this blog are totally mine.

Bathroom Fixtures

As you may know, the design for this main bathroom falls on the ‘masculine’ side. Although a Champagne Bronze finish would look fantastic with some of the choices I have made for this bathroom, it really doesn’t say ‘masculine’ does it? I knew immediately, I was going to go with matte black!

Sink Faucet

The bathroom fixtures are my supporting fixtures for this entire space. I knew that doing a ‘standard’ faucet (coming out of the counters) was something I did not wish to do. I really wanted the sink faucet to come out of the wall. When I contacted my plumbing rep (Laura at The Ensuite), I told her that I wished to have the faucet come out of the wall and for it to be matte black. I let her know that I was designing a more masculine feel for this bathroom. Laura showed me the line from Delta Faucets and I instantly fell in love with the look.

Get this faucet here.

Shower Faucet

In keeping with the same line from Delta, I knew I wanted to have a shower head that was a hand-held shower head. You know what it’s like cleaning a bath/shower and by having a hand-held shower head, it was the perfect choice for it to be functional in the space. I have to say, it’s not bad to look at either!

Get the Valve and Trim here

Get the Shower Head here

Accessories

I knew that I needed 2 robe hooks for the towels. After debating back and forth about a tissue holder, I decided to order one and if I ended up not using it, it would not be the end of the world. I have a little surprise that involves the robe hooks. I am going to save that little surprise for the final reveal!

Get the tissue paper holder here.

Get the robe hook here.

Bathroom Fixtures

As you may see, the lines of all of the bathroom fixtures are strong and have a bit of a masculine feel to them. They are the perfect additions for this One Room Challenge™ and I can’t wait to see them installed!

Coming up for week four is super exciting! Here is what is on deck:

My tile installer will start to install the tile for both the bath/shower walls and the floor. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve changed the bath/shower wall tile. Wait until you see what I’ve chosen!
The painter is going to come in and start painting the walls and ceiling. I did not scrape all that darn popcorn off not to have that fifth wall painted white!

Oooo…I get so excited when the pretty starts to get installed! I hope you continue to follow along with my journey!

Mixing fixture brands in a bathroom: Should I do it?

Posted by Sheri on

Sunday, September 9th, 2018

in Bath, Design, renovations

| comments: (1)

When the functional design is all solidified and the time comes to start choosing the pretty, mixing fixture brands is a common question that is asked by clients.

Is it ok to mix brands in one space?

Starting Oct. 1, I will be starting two bathroom remodels and this was the exact question that my client asked. While she liked the faucet from one brand, she loved the shower valve from another brand. So what’s a person to do? Should you be mixing fixture brands in a bathroom, kitchen, or other spaces?

Please note, this specific blog contains affiliate links. While these links are at no additional cost to you, I will earn a very small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As I write about the products below I wish for you to know the views expressed in this blog are totally mine.

Collections

Brands do a good job of curating collections. This can make it easy to choose one collection and use it for the entire space.

Here is a sample of what Brizo has put together for their collections.

While it is convenient to choose one collection for your space, it is very common for interior design professionals to mix brands to ensure the look and feel is perfect!

Mixing fixture brands

Style

When I work with clients to design their space, we spend a lot of time together working on the function first. In those meetings, I really start to get a sense of the style that my clients are leaning towards. Some common words used may be:

contemporary
modern
traditional
minimalist
industrial
mid-century modern
transitional

Once the style is determined, we can start to look at choices.

Finish

I am a strong believer that a finish plays a huge role in the look you are going for. Here is the same faucet in four different finishes from Delta.

Image source

Is there a finish above that fits better with a contemporary feel vs an industrial feel? You bet there is!

Mixing

I’m a huge fan of mixing brands IF it means we get the look and feel we are going for.

Sink Faucet for the Main Bathroom

Image source

This faucet falls in the modern category (which my client was looking for). Right off the start, it was mentioned that this faucet above was too contemporary and too ‘chunky’.

Image source

My client loved that this faucet had a modern feel to it, yet the handle had a curve to it making it feel a bit more feminine. This was the winner!

Shower Valve

The single-faucet Hansgrohe faucet was the faucet that my client really liked (shown above). When we started to look at shower valves, she didn’t like what Hansgrohe had to offer in the same line for the shower.

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My client wanted that modern look. Riobel offered a great choice.

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Shower Faucet

We also decided on going with the shower rail that Riobel had to offer.

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Again, a more modern feel without feeling too boxy and large.

Mixing fixture brands

As you can see, we will be using a Hansgrohe faucet and Riobel shower valve and shower faucet – all with a Chrome finish. Both of the handles have a little bit of a ‘flair’ to them and my client loves the way they work nicely with each other.

Mixing fixture brands

One word of caution

As you can see, we are going to be mixing fixture brands in the upcoming bathroom renovation. As you also know, we are going to be using Chrome as our finish. Chrome is a good finish to mix and match brands because there really isn’t a lot of difference between the brands. Matte black is also a pretty easy finish to mix and match brands. There are finishes where they may not be as easy to mix and match My word of caution to you is that you ensure the finish from both brands is similar (if not identical). Take a peek at the image below.

While the Brizo faucet finished with Luxe Nickel and Polished Chrome is close to the finish that Delta offers (Stainless), they really are a lot different when you see them in person. I would be very hesitant to mix Brizo and Delta in the same space if my clients were going for a softer finish on their fixtures.

Mixing fixture brands in a bathroom can be a great way to ensure that every faucet, valve and trim kit you are going to use fits perfectly with the design you are hoping to achieve. Don’t be afraid to step out of the ‘collections’ to curate the perfect space!

Why the small details in interior design make or break a space

Posted by Sheri on

Saturday, September 1st, 2018

in Design, Interior Design

| comments: (9)

When Rick and I were planning our 25th Wedding Anniversary trip, I knew I wanted to go somewhere in Europe. Italy and Greece were on the top of my lists and since we had never been to Europe, our minds were wide open. In true Bruneau fashion, it was me who looked after all of the planning. I’ve never been a huge cruise fan as I can get seasick (and have gotten seasick before). However, we wished to see as many sites as possible so cruising was a great option. By cruising, we believed it was a great way to have a ‘home base’ – a place to come back to at the end of a busy day – and not have to live out of a suitcase.

I compared cruise lines ruthlessly and looked at absolutely everything that was included. I ended up with suggesting to Rick that we cruise with Viking Ocean Cruise Lines. From the minute I saw what Viking had to offer, I knew they paid attention to the small details.

Our cruise ship the Viking Orion

We took the Italian Sojourn 8-day cruise that started us off in Rome and had us ending in Venice. While this was not the cheapest cruise, it is in line with the life lesson, “you pay for what you get.” Being on two different cruise lines in the past, I can see why we paid what we did to be on this ship. From the moment we stepped onto the cruise ship, we were treated with first class service!

Most people boarding the ship (including Rick) gladly accepted the Prosecco and were making their way to the pool deck and most importantly, the bar. Me? I was slowly walking taking in all of the details! As my life revolves around finished spaces, I was looking at the fine details that created the magnificent spaces on the ship. I know all too well that small details in interior design can make a HUGE impact. So what was so spectacular on this ship? What was jaw-dropping?

Small details in interior design

Atrium

Let’s start with the atrium. This is where you typically enter the ship and is the space on the ship that is in the center. This grand foyer is truly stunning. There are three levels where you can sit and enjoy the live musicians. In this spectacular space, everything from the furniture, to the grand staircase (which was covered in Luxury Vinyl Plank) to the cute little rock garden underneath the staircase was carefully thought of.

One of our favorites was resident Guitarist Pablo. Can you get a sense as to how high this area is? The combination of the carefully chosen music with the furniture (see the cream and blue pieces to the left, right and behind Pablo) evoke the sense of emotion of relaxation. Say it with me, “Ahhhhh”

This is a rock garden that is located under the staircase. Although this is a fairly large space, strategically adding pops of colour draw your eye to this little-hidden gem that truly is a work of art.

A mixture of fabric and leather to go with the blue and cream colour theme throughout the ship. Cream tends to be quite soothing for most people. In addition, cream and blue are great nautical colours – perfect for a ship!

Staterooms

When it comes to the staterooms on the Viking Orion, every room has a balcony. Our stateroom was a Deluxe Veranda Suite. The minute we walked in, the nautical theme of blue and cream continued with the décor.

Some small details in interior design in this space that bring it all together are the blue and cream accent colours (a theme throughout the ship). Of course, white, crisp bedding is a must, and don’t forget the ceiling. A ship-lap look (I will admit I stood on the bed and touched the ceiling and it felt like some kind of plastic-y type material) was a great addition to the space.

This little, small interior design detail of wrapping the stateroom door lever with leather was on every room. Rick didn’t even notice until I pointed it out!

This was the door lever going into our washroom. Again, leather wrapped and just a really nice touch.

Washrooms

When it comes to washrooms, there are many ways to incorporate small details in interior design for these spaces. Viking Ocean Cruise Lines outdid themselves with these spaces!

One of the public washrooms (and each one was different by the way) showcasing some extraordinary artwork. A close up is below.

How stunning is this?? And yes, I was praying that no one would walk in as I was taking photos! Notice how the undertone in the floor tile (which is LVT) works so nicely with the undertones of the vanity.

One of the small details in interior design details that were present in every public washroom was… are you ready for this? Birds chirping. Yes! There was a recording of birds chirping in each of the public washrooms. You may be thinking that adding the sounds of birds chirping is tacky. No way – no how! While some of you may think that has nothing to do with interior design, I beg to differ. Evoking emotion, whether it be with colour, sound, textures, etc. are ALL part of creating a space. I thought it was really brilliant to have that addition. Nothing like a little bird chirping happily while you’re busy doing your business!

Other Areas Worth Mentioning

There were so many areas that truly showcased how important the small details in interior design are to spaces. I won’t bore you going through the entire ship, but here are a few that really caught my eye.

The World Café

The World Café, better known as the buffet, was one of my favourite places. The mixture of cream and blue truly is nautical and there were so many small details in interior design that were added to this space.

My favorite spot in the World Café was the back wall across from the main bar. Navy, cream, and a sense of light-heartedness were found in this relaxing space.

In all of the dining rooms, there were small details in interior design that tied everything together.

The dishware was white and blue and I especially loved the glassware that had just a touch of blue to tie everything all together! Not a bad morning view to have a cup of coffee, right?

When I was doing a little research into the ship (ok – you can now call me a dork), I found out that the interior design was developed by London-based SMC Design and Los Angeles based Rottet Studio. Talk about going down a rabbit hole looking at their two websites! I encourage you to hop over to their sites later to see some spectacular work!

This is one of the lounges called the Winter Garden. The detail is just stunning.

Glass stairs kept the front of the ship open and airy. Perfect to watch the ship sail into the sunset!

The service

Can you tell I was absolutely in love with our cruise ship? While the design of the ship was stunning, I do not want to miss talking about all of the small details in customer service. From the minute we stepped on board, we were made to feel like family.

Every time we headed off the ship, we were sent off by friendly staff along with bottles of water for our excursions. When we arrived back on the ship, we were again greeted by friendly staff, bottles of water, and a nice cool washcloth to wipe ourselves off (with temperatures of 38-41 degrees Celsius (100 – 104 degrees Fahrenheit) with an average humidity of 89%, the cool cloth was a nice touch!

How You Doin’?

When we talked with each staff we learned a lot about the countries they were from, their families, etc. If you know Rick you will know his first question was, “Where are you from?” followed by “How long have you been working on the ship?” We are never on a trip where we do not learn a little about someone who has helped us or served us!

What I Learned

I always find that in every situation, there is a learning opportunity. So what was my learning takeaway from Viking Ocean Cruise Lines? Viking reminded me that the small things matter. Whether it is something related to interior designing a space, or customer service – all of the little things you do matter! Whether it is as simple as a toss cushion, a strategically placed light, a cool cloth welcoming you back on board, or fantastic customer service. All of those things add up to make you feel – make you experience. A good reminder for when I work with clients!

My favourite stop of the entire trip, beautiful and colourful Burano, Italy

3 Steps to choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

Posted by Sheri on

Sunday, August 26th, 2018

in Design, Interior Design, renovations

| comments: (0)

This past week, there was great progress in our Coastal Vibe project. The kitchen cabinets were installed as well as all of the hardware for the cabinets. As you may know, for this project we are using IKEA cabinets and making some customizations to not make it look like an IKEA kitchen. Part of the customizations includes the cabinet hardware. I thought this would be a timely post to discuss the steps to choosing kitchen cabinet hardware. It’s important to guide my clients in not only picking the ‘pretty’ hardware to go along with the overall design but to also choose the right sizes. In addition, it’s important that the installers know which pull or knob is to be installed on the cabinets. So how does an Interior Designer help you with these decisions? How does being the Project Manager ensure that it’s done properly?

Steps to choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

1. Have the kitchen design plan

When I’m helping clients design a kitchen, the first process is to listen. There are a lot of questions asked about what the cooking habits are, what my clients currently like and dislike about their kitchen, and what their hopes and dreams are. Let’s be honest here, typically the hopes and dreams don’t always jive with the budget. I still like to know the hopes and dreams as I believe it’s my task to try and check off everything on their list! From this stage, a kitchen design is created. There is typically a first draft and then tweaks and changes are made to come up with a final design.

2. Evaluate the use of each box

When the design plan is created, it is important to look at each cabinet. Each cabinet provides a function. Is the function to store pots and pans? Then most likely there will be pot drawers. It would make sense that there would be a cabinet pull on these cabinets. Is the function to store dishware and glasses? Most often this means there will be a hinged door. For this situation, you could use a knob or a pull.

3. Choose the right size & location

For cabinet pulls, the ‘Rule of Thumb’ that I use is to take the total length of the cabinet front and divide that by 3. As with all rules, they are meant to be broken and are often done so (depending on the style of the kitchen, the look you’re going for, etc.). If you are really not sure of sizing, then follow the one-third rule. As for the placement of the pulls or knobs, that will need to be determined with the style of your cabinet doors as well as the look you are going for.

Choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

Seeing it in action

For my Coastal Vibe project, my clients and I looked at a variety of kitchen pulls and knobs. We knew that for most of the cupboards, there was going to be a knob and for most of the drawers we were going to use pulls. I say most as there are 2 cabinets (one in the dry bar and one on the stove wall that do not follow the ‘rules’). In the end, we chose to go with the following hardware from Emtek.

Image source

How I plan it out

Once it was decided which hardware we were going with, I started to plan the correct sizing for each cabinet front. These particular pulls come in four different sizes:

- 3-1/2″ C-to-C Overall length 4 3/4″

- 4″ C-to-C Overall length 5 1/4″

- 6″ C-to-C Overall length 7 5/8″
- 8″ C-to-C Overall length 10 1/2″

As I use the one-third guide for sizing, I take what sizing is available and determine which size pull will go on each cabinet. To show my clients, I actually draw on the plans whether it is a pull or a knob.

You can see that it’s not pretty, I’m actually not very neat, but it gives me the opportunity to ensure every cabinet has been thought of. Here is a closer look at one of the kitchen drawings sheet that I write all over.

I place a checkmark beside the cabinet pulls and knobs after I have triple checked the number I need, and then highlight when I have placed the order.

Ensuring it’s done right

On cabinet install day, I ensure that the handles are set out by each box ahead of time. I use my sheets that you see above to place the appropriate pull or knob for each cabinet. Typically we choose cabinet hardware at least 4 weeks prior to the cabinet install and with many projects, you do not want to make a mistake! My little sheets come in so handy.

Cabinet pulls that I’ve tucked under the boxes for each box.

I also ensure that the installer and myself are very clear on where the placement of each knob and pull will be going.

Reviewing the placement of each knob. Each knob is located inside the cabinet ready to be installed.

The End Result

When you go to all of the effort to plan, you had better see the results you were hoping for. That is exactly what happened!

Pulls and knobs perfectly installed.

Choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

When you don’t have an Interior Designer and/or Project Manager involved, you will be responsible for determining all of the above. Were you aware of how much work and planning were involved when choosing cabinet hardware? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Archive for Design

Planning a New Linear Fireplace

Wants, Wishes, and Dreams

Let the Planning Begin

All the Pros

There is one Con

Planning a New Linear Fireplace – Measurements

LENGTH OF WALL:

HEIGHTS

Planning a New Linear Fireplace – Why it’s important to plan

Master Bathroom Vanity Design

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: Options

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: Final Plan

Master Bathroom Vanity Design: The Compromise

Investment Property

The Search

Viewing the Home

Adding Up the Numbers

Presenting this to Investors

Investment Property

Stay Tuned

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Bathroom Renovation Packages

The Pros of Bathroom Renovation Packages

Package Pricing

Cons of Bathroom Renovation Packages

Bathroom renovation packages: Are we really that different?

A Closer Look

So are you saving money by having a bathroom renovation pacakge?

Bathroom Renovation Packages

My Final Thoughts

Looking to have your personalized renovation package set up for you? Contact us today to discuss your space.

Butler’s Pantry Makeover

The Concept

Butler’s Pantry: Before

Butler’s Pantry: The Reveal

Butler’s Pantry Makeover

One Room Challenge

A Little Background

What happened this past week?

Baseboards in a bathroom

MDF baseboards

Wood baseboards – Pros

Wood baseboards – Cons

Tile baseboards

Baseboards in a bathroom

What’s on deck for Week 5?

Bathroom Fixtures

Sink Faucet

Shower Faucet

Accessories

Bathroom Fixtures

Collections

Mixing fixture brands

Style

Finish

Mixing

Sink Faucet for the Main Bathroom

Shower Valve

Shower Faucet

Mixing fixture brands

Mixing fixture brands

One word of caution

Small details in interior design

Atrium

Staterooms

Washrooms

Other Areas Worth Mentioning

The World Café

The service

How You Doin’?

What I Learned

Steps to choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

1. Have the kitchen design plan

2. Evaluate the use of each box

3. Choose the right size & location

Choosing kitchen cabinet hardware

Seeing it in action