Eclectic Bungalow Kitchen

There's a saying:  "Don't mix business with pleasure."  But I disagree.  As long as you stay professional and set expectations in advance, it can be a very positive experience.  Case in point: These clients are good friends of mine.  Because of this, I've gotten to see them REALLY use and enjoy their kitchen, and I've experienced first-hand the impact it has on their family and their everyday life. Also, since we are friends and have some similar tastes, it was extra fun to work with them!

We removed a wall, shifted the layout, and upgraded everything.  What a difference!

Because the kitchen expanded into the dining room, we pushed the dining space to the corner, with a great built-in bench.  We were invited for dinner and easily fit 4 adults and 3 kids with room to spare. (Custom seat cushion and extra dining chairs are on order - will update post with new pics.)

The great thing about white kitchens is that you essentially have a blank canvas, and then you add personality and style through the tile, hardware, lighting, etc.  In this case, there are 2 major showstoppers:  

1)  Backsplash:  The client loved look of Heath Ceramics, and they also loved the company and had previous experience with their products.  This backsplash tile is a work of art! 

2)  Reclaimed Wood:  We wanted a warm eclectic look so we were exploring various reclaimed wood options on the peninsula.  This mix of 3 different colors from Stikwood was the perfect solution!

And to really truly show the transformation, here are some before photos:

And a rendering we did of the proposed space during the design phase:

Props to Justin Bates Construction for making it real!

Park City Great Room Remodel

We love a good remodeling project, especially when the Before photos really show the dramatic change.  This is the perfect Before & After project to showcase!   We're grateful that we have projects like this to add to our portfolio.  On top of that, the clients are wonderful and fun people, so we really lucked out with this one!

There once was a wall at the top of the stairs:

And there was a small kitchen behind that wall:

We removed that wall, added a giant beam, and drastically opened up the space!

This is now what you see when you go up the stairs:

And this is the view from the Living Room:

We also got creative with the closet/desk wall, which used to look like this:

We maximized the unused nooks & crannies, and now it looks like this:

Complete with built-in coffeemaker, double ovens, and plenty of pantry space.  We even added a small appliance center, where items like the toaster can be used in place.  No plugging / unplugging or moving required!

And while we were at it, we replaced the railing to better fit the new design.  I love the details and the craftsmanship:

Special credit to the following people for being willing to work with us and our picky requirements for flooring, custom cabinetry finish, and the difficult challenge of making the tall wall of cabinets fit the way we wanted.

General Contractor:  Wade Brinton, Brinton Homes

Cabinetry:  Preston Tilby, Paramount Cabinets

Photo Credit:  Lucy Call

Living Room Makeover

We definitely have a wide variety of projects right now.  Our projects include new builds, remodels, furnishings, and even a few commercial projects.  Styles range from historic period styles to transitional to modern.  And each project is challenging and exciting in its own way.

This particular client was moving into a new (empty) home with simple yet very traditional details, so we had a blank canvas to work with.  While we did miscellaneous projects throughout the whole house, the main focus was the Living Room.  We had to work with the existing fireplace and wall sconces (perhaps they will be part of Phase 2?), and the layout of the room was a bit challenging.

Here's what it looked like before:

We painted, added hardwood floors, built a pass-through into the Kitchen, and furnished the space.  We incorporated some of the client's existing furniture (bookcase, bar stools, etc.) and they added the finishing touches from their own accessories and extensive art collection.

The client also wanted drapery in the bay window, which was a tight space.  We opted for stationary panels in a lightweight linen that blended well with the wall color, to avoid too much bulk.

Before photo of the bay window:

And after:

The client gave us a lot of freedom, and she trusted us to make it happen.  Because of this, we were able to complete the project on time and on budget, with little added stress for the client.  And it looks great.

Exterior Makeover

It's amazing how exterior colors can completely change the look of a house.  Check out this example.  Our client's Park City home went from boring brown to vibrant blue!

 Before:

(image screenshot via google maps, street view)

After:

Color Scheme (Sherwin Williams paint):

SW 0048 Bunglehouse Blue

SW 2826 Colonial Revival Green Stone

SW 7048 Urbane Bronze

SW 6148 Wool Skein

Duplex Remodel - Before, During, and Present

Well, it sure has been a while since I've posted anything here... Here's why:

This little guy is almost 3 months old, which means my wonderful yet exhausting maternity leave is nearly over! 

The other reason I haven't been posting:  Our remodel.  I'm calling this post "before, during, and present" rather than "before, during, and after" because we're not quite to the after part yet, and I'm not sure when we will be now that there's a baby around.  But I didn't want to wait 5 years before posting anything, so I'm showing you where we're at right now rather than waiting for perfection (which realistically will probably never happen).

I tried to track progress with photos taken from the front door throughout the project.  Take a look, and scroll to the bottom to see the mostly-finished product!

Before:

Wall Demo:

Arch Demo:

Demo mostly done.  New walls framed:

Drywall / Plaster patch: 

Mudding:

Wall paint done:

 Patio door installed (we obviously did this in the wrong order!).  Prepping for 1st coat of ceiling paint:

Toothing in and refinishing hardwood floors:

Floors done and protected.  Prepping for 2nd (and 3rd and 4th!) coat of ceiling paint:

Paint done.  Cabinets & trim installed:

Countertops installed.  Appliances delivered.  Believe it or not, this was the morning of moving day:

End of moving day:

Today:*

*I will get better photos of this later, as this is pretty poor quality / color.  The back door lets in so much light that it's hard to photograph during the day!

Annual Review - 2014

It's become a tradition of mine to take some time at the end of a year to think about all the year has brought.  I find it's therapeutic in a way, and it helps me focus on everything that has been accomplished, rather than stressing about everything that still needs to be done (which is my normal everyday way of operating).

For starters, enzy design had the opportunity to be involved in some great projects in the past year.  Here's a small sample:

We took part in Fashion Remix and designed this beautiful dress out of LIVE flowers!

 

I was a Regional Winner for Design for a Difference.  This means I got to spend a few days on the Operation Breakthrough Makeover in Kansas City.  I gotta say - this trip was more meaningful than I ever expected.

Operation Breakthrough

Not only did I get to experience the shock on the faces of the staff, moms, and kids who get to use this new space, but I also developed an amazing bond with some amazing women.  How we became so close in such a short amount of time is impossible to explain, but I love these women dearly and can't wait to see them again in January!

Hollie, me, Dani, & Lucy with Mark Brunetz

As regional winner, I had the opportunity to work with the Salt Lake Bicycle Collective, a local charity that I have a ton of respect for.  This work is still in progress, however you can already see a big impact just in the addition of the bright adventurous color we added to the shop wall.  While not a large scale project at this time, I hope to continue our relationship for further projects down the road.

On a more personal note... 2014 was significant in many ways.

We bought a house and sold a house and are currently remodeling a house!
Here's our big ongoing project:

Before

Proposed 

How it looks today.  

One month to go before we move in!

Last but not least... For over a year (following a miscarriage), I had been experiencing severe debilitating lower back pain, and nobody could determine the cause.  I tried massage, structural integration, acupuncture, an MRI, cortizone shot, and several types of doctors (general medicine, OBGYN, midwife, back specialist, physical therapist) and was getting nowhere.  Finally in December of 2013 my OBGYN at the time threw out the word "endometriosis" as a possible diagnosis via process-of-elimination.  Not being familiar with the term, I looked it up and was shocked that it described all my symptoms nearly perfectly.  Frustrated that this doctor couldn't determine something so obvious sooner, and frustrated that he had spent months downplaying my symptoms and telling me I simply had "bad cramps", and frustrated by the infertility and lost time caused by this disease (not to mention the unbearable pain that was robbing me of weeks of my life!), I sought out another doctor.  This doctor was able to diagnose me instantly.  He performed surgery a few weeks later and I felt instant relief.  I'm not telling this story to share TMI, but I'm telling it because I've since learned that endo occurs in 1 out of 10 women, yet few people are aware of it and many who have it don't like to talk about it.  More awareness means better/quicker diagnosis, better research, and possibly someday a cure.

The happy ending to this story is that 2 months after the surgery we got pregnant!  Little "Mini Mike" is due in March of 2015.  Which means 2015 will be a new year full of new experiences.

I'm looking forward to my 2015.  I hope you are too!

Happy New Year!