WARNING: Failure to exercise good design judgment and maintain a balanced diet of warm colors, clean lines and a rich palette of materials and textures, may lead to an ailing, unfit home!
And this apartment was no exception: Dark-stained oak floors; dark-grey walls and counters; delaminating cabinets; poor lighting and storage; and an awkward Bathroom entrance through the Bedroom. We’re Architects, of course, not Doctors, but even we could diagnose that this place needed urgent care!
Treatment began in the Kitchen, where a transplant of appliances and cabinets created more storage and prep space, while under-cabinet lighting, white countertops and a glass tile backsplash injected a dose of life and brightness.
Next, between the Bedroom and Living/Dining areas, we prescribed an 11’ long, full-height, two-sided cabinet, swelling with space for clothing and shoes, books, display shelves, storage drawers, a flat-screen TV (hidden behind a sliding glass panel), and even a ventless fireplace.
Finally, we transformed that ‘ill-advised’ Bathroom entrance into a ‘Dressing Hall’ by inserting an 8’ long cabinet for display, clothing and travel gear (masked behind floor-to-ceiling mirrored doors), while a make-up desk with overhead storage and a full-height linen cabinet maximize efficiency and practicality, and a trio of sliding, translucent panels provide flexibility and privacy to the Bedroom without sacrificing space.
Other remedies included a light-grey stain on the wood cabinets and floors, all new lighting, and a splash of color on the walls. Add a dose of reflective materials (mirrors, back-painted glass, aluminum), white countertops, some warm-and-fuzzy accessories, plants and fresh flowers, and this apartment was back on its feet!
So, if your home is looking depressed and making you feverish, don’t hide under a blanket; Schedule a check-up with us. We make house calls; it’s our job!
Project Team: Richard Lucas; Tuan Nguyen; Michael Rennekamp
Contractor: CA Construction
Custom Millwork: Beach Cabinet and Trim: H&H Architectural Woodwork
Kitchen Cabinets: Scavolini
Lighting: IncoLight (Sonneman; Flos; TechLight; Jesco)
Fireplace: HearthCabinet
Sliding Doors: RayDoor
