Michael and Mary's Kitchen

When Michael and Mary bought their home a few years ago, they dreamed of remodeling their kitchen. It needed updated from top to bottom, including new appliances and a better layout. Not only was it falling short aesthetically, but functionally as well.

                     

We started the project and had a early surprise right away. Upon removing a few floor tiles for minor repair, we discovered that the previous contractor did not install the ceramic tile properly.  This explained why the tiles were cracking after only 2 years. At that time we discussed our options and I immediately gave them a quote for doing new tile. It is very important to discuss the cost of any additional work before it is started, so that the homeowner and contractor are on the same page. While installing the new tile we added integrated wood floor registers along with it. The benefits of these are they are not noisy like the metal registers and everything sits flush with the tile, resulting in a really nice finished look.

                   

Greg Millen of St. Joseph Cabinetry & Design, worked with us on the kitchen layout and cabinet selection. Michael and Mary decided to eliminate a hall closet to make room for a convection oven and warming drawer. This changed the whole look of the kitchen and made a better flowing work space. Greg was a big part of making this kitchen a success and continues to be the first place I send customers for cabinets.

Michael and Mary decided on Radianz Black Trevethan counter tops which was a great color with the new cabinets. The combination of the cherry cabinets, dark counter tops, light colored tile and stainless appliances make the kitchen really sparkle. Michael and Mary were very happy with the look and functionality of their new kitchen. Since Michael loves to cook, he was very eager to get started in his new culinary haven!

                      

                     

                     

  

Steve and Cheryl's Basement

     Steve and Cheryl had a brand new house, not even a year old. Having built the house with the intent of  finishing the basement at a later date, they pretty much knew what they wanted. They had a good jump start on the project as the fireplace was already installed and the plumbing for the bathroom was already roughed in. We came up with a floor plan that made sense for the space, with a few focal points that Cheryl wanted also. One being that she wanted something to draw your attention as you entered the basement. We decided on an alcove area with a recessed shelf, accent lighting, and a bench seat. This made for a warm and inviting place to sit and read a book or watch the pingpong game.
    The other focal point was the entertainment center. They didn't want it to be overbearing or intrusive of the finished space. We decided on recessing the cabinetry so that the t.v. & cabinet would both be flush with the wall. The nice thing about this was that we ordered the cabinets with doors on the front & back so they could have easy access to the media components from the unfinished side as well. The cabinet also had glass doors on the sides & speaker mesh on the center cabinet for the sub woofer (surround sound). All of this together made a nice clean space that worked great for their family.
    We finished off the bathroom with a furniture style cabinet and a vessel sink. This really gave the bathroom a sophisticated look that you don't normally find in a basement bathroom. The floor tile was integrated into the shower tile to tie both areas together. We installed a recessed shampoo shelf in the shower. This is a great way to save space and it looks great too. The bathroom was also connected with the bedroom so that you could use it as a guest room with a private bath, or just a hall bath.
    The finishing touches were made with the installation of the kitchenette cabinets & mini fridge. This offers the kids a convenient place to get refreshments and snacks. They still need mom for the good food though! :)

                                                                                 Before

After

Steve and Julie's Bathroom

Steve & Julie’s bathroom was on its “last leg”. Only the cold water worked in the bathtub and the countertop over the toilet was something I had never seen before. They had been contemplating doing this project for a long time, but they were uneasy with all of the decisions that would need to be made throughout the process. After careful consideration they decided to go ahead with the project.

           

            We decided on removing the very small 12” linen closet door to make room for a larger linen cabinet. This one thing alone completely changed the look of the whole bathroom. To tie both sides of the room together a vanity to match the linen cabinet was chosen. They decided on granite counter tops and tumbled natural tile in the shower. All of this made for a more updated aesthetic design as well as a more user friendly space.

            All said and done, they were very glad they did the project. They just wished they had done it sooner!