Contemporary Arts & Crafts

A condo with an amazing terrace just steps to the river … the view was everything! We were then tasked with how we could help them improve and update the kitchen and bathrooms – while being aware of a budget the clients wanted to stay within.

The design started with walking through their existing home and gathering inspiration from their collection of antiques, indigenous people artwork, and Stickley furnishings that would be making their way to the new home. With all that in mind, how could we elevate the design concept so that we embraced their artistic sensibilities, while giving them an updated and functional new aesthetic?

The concept evolved: take the flat panel slab doors that were typical in this condo building and propose a modified shaker style. I suggested a grey stain on cherry to offset the mahogany hardwood floor that they were not planning on changing. 

We also looked at the opportunity for a unique layout tile backsplash that would form, in itself, a piece of artwork. Typically the great room area in a condominium is 70% or more windows; this tile scheme provided a sense of interest in what would have otherwise been a pretty plain feature area in the kitchen.  

We also reviewed with the clients how they wanted their kitchen to function – how will they be using the space and what might be missing that would enhance the likability for them? In this case, the answer was extra storage on the one blank wall where they could showcase their barware and other treasures.  Another key part of our discovery review was learning they plan to age in place. We considered what features or details we could incorporate to make the kitchen function beautifully now, but continue to be comfortable in the future. We call this approach a soft aging in place, with extensive design choices considered but keeping long-term goals in mind.

As it was a condo, we were aware that we needed to stay within the footprint, so as to not affect plumbing or other mechanicals that might be in the common walls of the home. We were able to update their bathrooms with new vanities, new plumbing fixtures, and new surfaces while keeping the primary locations.