Thank you for visiting. This month we'll look at the transformation of a master bath in Potomac, MD, family gatherings, and a microwave mishap.
It's a little late for your project to be completed this year, but now is a great time to be thinking about your kitchen or bath for next year. Don't spend another holiday in those outdated or dark areas, start planning now. Speaking of holidays, have a bountiful Thanksgiving!
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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
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Master Bath, Potomac, MD
As a busy professional with a young family, my client wanted to create a master bath that would allow a special place of luxurious retreat. Her stately colonial home in Potomac already had many upgrades, and though the bath was adequate, it was still at builder grade, and there was nothing outstanding about it. "Spectacular" was what she wanted; drab was what she had. The "before" bath was dark, with poor lighting, a small shower and ill-placed counter space. An architect had already presented her with a flat plan that seemed uninspired, so she was a bit skeptical at first. However, because I design plans using 3-D rendering capabilities that can show colors, materials, dimension and visual space, she was ready to give it a go.
We flip-flopped the water closet and shower locations which provided room for a very large corner shower (6'x6') with deluxe, dual hand showers and a tranquil rain shower. This reconfiguration also created space to build separate his and her vanities - a larger space on the left for her and a smaller mirrored version of her vanity on the right for him. We also angled the toilet room wall to provide a continuous flow into the bath surround that encompassed the whirlpool tub.
Brown and creamy tones of marble, natural stone and mosaics for floors, shower, tub surround and vanities helped create a warm, inviting look. Additionally, new recessed can lighting and halogen sconces reflecting off the mirrors, combined with elegant Kohler fixtures finished the well-appointed look, producing the "spectacular" master bath the client had envisioned.
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Design Quote
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To Err is Human
Years ago, when I had a cabinet shop, I got a commission to design and make a sewing cabinet for a client in East Memphis. It was a very large unit, 4' wide, 2' deep and 7' tall. It was made of maple, but the door had a veneer of Carpathian Elm burl. The whole unit was then finished with a white glaze or pickled finish which was so popular in the 80's.
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Did you burn the popcorn in the microwave? Fill a
large micro-wave safe bowl with 1 cup water and add a favorite spice such as cinnamon or add several drops of vanilla or lemon extract. Bring to a boil and let it sit inside for 10 - 15 minutes to cool down. Wipe the walls down with paper towels and leave the door open a while for further airing.
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All Around Austin / Design Talk / Good Eats
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What's up in ATX
Taking time for friends and family is important, but life gets busy. And who wants to go out again to battle Austin traffic? You may ask yourself, after that ordeal, will it be worth it? And then, you remember there will be the weird relative there who thinks YOU'RE weird!
But, also remember that weird is normal in Austin, the food might just be great, and you will end up glad you did go.
Above, an Austin family and their friends survived the traffic to gather for food and family time. One small member couldn't wait to enjoy his food, and the others enjoy the meet and greet time that nourishes the heart as much as food does the body.
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Virtual Rendering
Do you have trouble visualizing an idea, a room? How about color? Do you feel uncertain about mixing colors and textures in a room? You're not alone, most people find it difficult to picture in their mind's eye, what their project will look like.
read more
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Threadgill's
Then again, the tribe may all want to go out, traffic and all. In that case, try Threadgill's, reknown in Central Texas for its home cooked Southern style comfort food. And if nobody else wants to go, take yourself!
Established in 1933 by Kenneth Threadill, the pictured location on North Lamar is famous for launching Janis Joplin's career. It's also famous for its yeast rolls, cornbread, and meatloaf.
The Riverside Dr. location is adjacent to the former Armadillo World Headquarters, a unique 1970's music venue, and contains memorabilia from that era, such as a juke box with 100 songs by artists who played "The Dillo."
Both locations serve a menu worthy of getting there.
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To Err is Human continued...
After waiting for the piece for about 12 weeks, the client was excited when I contacted her to say it was completed, and we were ready to deliver it. On the day of delivery, I sent my shop foreman and another employee to deliver it.
They seemed to have been gone for a long time when the shop phone rang. I answered and heard a voice whispering on the other end. "What did you say?" I asked the voice. "We can't get it upstairs," the panicky voice answered. Panic is infectious, and I felt it rising as the frantic voice of my foreman, now distinguishable to me, said, "It won't go up the stairs!"
All those weeks of design and planning and not once did I give a thought about how to get it upstairs. Now all the possibilities and solutions start flooding my mind. But there was only one conclusion - we would have to take it in pieces. But how to do it?
The foreman brought the unit back to the shop where we all stared at it for a good while. "Just Do It" wouldn't be a Nike slogan for several years, but that's just what we did. First, we took the doors and the back off. That was the easy part. Next, the top, middle and lower shelf came off. We then took a saw with a hollow ground blade which is very narrow and cuts extremely clean, and cut the frame of the cabinet in half, cutting through the three rails.
We reloaded the pieces, took them back to the client's house, hauled them upstairs and reassembled it, none the worse for the wear.
Along with measure twice and cut once, it's also good to have an exit AND entrance strategy.
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Virtual rendering continued...
Floorplans, elevations and perspectives give you a technical understanding of the room, but what will it really look like?
Now, with modern technology, wicked fast computers and eyepopping, photo realistic software, you can actually see what your new room will look like! Your tile, floor, cabinet and countertop choices can be scanned and inserted into a virtual rendering of your design project. Even your child's artwork can be scanned and displayed on your refrigerator!
You're able to see what the kitchen looks like with tile or hardwood. Do the furniture and drapes go together in the living room? What does the bathroom look like with a pedestal sink instead of a cabinet. You can feel confident about the materials you have chosen because now you can see them in the room!
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PRODUCTS
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The NEFF family tradition began in Canada over 40 years ago when Paul Neff began carefully building a reputation for creating Extraordinary Kitchen Environments. Today, now under the ownership of Paul Gardner, this family tradition committed to the highest standards of quality, service, style and function continues with a focus on providing cabinetry solutions for the entire home.
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Our selection, functionality, and craftsmanship provide design solutions with incredible value; and our emphasis on eco-sensitive manufacturing processes and social responsibility reflects our dedication to make sure more than just your cabinets last.
At Bellmont Cabinet Company, we really are building more than just cabinets. We are building lives through the values we practice daily. They may be considered old-fashioned, but tried and true principles are the ones that last.
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Whether your style is Modern, Classic, Eclectic or Rustic, your home is where your heart is. Choosing the right cabinetry to fit your style will create a space that's warm, inviting and personalized. Woodland offers thousands of color, door style and organizational combinations that are sure to fit your exacting tastes.
Woodland's flexibility and affordability allow you to pick and choose the features that fit your style, your life, your budget... and your dreams.
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Potomac Master Bath, Continued.
On the right is the bath as we found it. The transformation as shown in the lead photo was accomplished by a complete reconstruction of the environment. The shower was moved to where the toilet area had been, and the corner shower was enclosed with a clear, heavy, 3/8" glass surround. Beneath the window, an acrylic rectangular tub set into a stunning marble base replaced the old corner tub.
Her request for his and her vanities was fulfilled, with storage for all essentials.
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| Thanks for perusing our newsletter. I trust you have found it informative and even a little entertaining. If I can be helpful regarding a project or you just have a question, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Joe Currie
Capitol Design
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