I'm Going to Fashion Week!

Jason Wu runway image via Condo Blues

For the last couple years I've been reading about design bloggers going to New York City for Fashion Week courtesy of Brizo Faucets, and I've been jealous.  A glamorous all-expense-paid trip full of fashion, design, and a LOT of talent?  Who wouldn't be jealous of that?  Well, guess what?  In a couple short weeks, I'm going!  Thanks to the recommendation of Paul Anater over at Kitchen and Residential Design, Brizo has invited me to be one of the 20 designers/architects/bloggers attending Spring 2012 Fashion Week.  In googling around a bit, I've discovered the names & profiles of some of the other guests, and I have to say I'm truly humbled.  I'm going to be surrounded by some incredibly talented and successful people, and I can't wait to soak it all in.  I realize I'm likely a last-minute add-on, but I just don't care.   To be associated with this group of people in any way at all is flattering beyond belief.

Floriano, image via www.brizo.com

This is such a great opportunity, and though Brizo is paying for the whole thing, they are NOT buying my support.  I've always loved their product and their philosophy.  I was first introduced to Brizo back in DC, and I immediately loved the Floriano faucet, simply because it was so different.  (In fact, I bought it for my own home as soon as I had the chance.)  I wish I could find the brochure from that time, because I distinctly remember the marketing literature featuring fabrics with this faucet design, and fashion mixed with faucets throughout the piece.  Since then Brizo has expanded beyond brochures, and they've partnered with designer Jason Wu.

images via www.brizo.com

Brizo sponsors Jason Wu's runway show at Fashion Week, and Jason Wu designs collections for Brizo.   Design is art, regardless of the medium, and I think that's represented perfectly in this relationship.

image via www.brizo.com

And now I get to see it all in person.  Wow!

image via www.brizo.com

I'll have a lot to share with you all in a few weeks after what will have been an amazing experience!

Modern Master Suite Remodel

I am so fortunate to have have been called to work on this project, because I FINALLY got the chance to use Walker Zanger’s Skyline Blend tile (a tile many of us designers drool over).  Not only did I get to use this tile, I got to do an ENTIRE wall of it.  AND I got to specify 3-form, AND a linear drain, AND beautiful linear gray tile, AND amazing light fixtures, AND beautiful faucets.  And to top it all off, the clients are the nicest people you’ve ever met (and their kids are adorable!).

The previous bathroom was nice, in a high-end spec home kind of way.  But the closets were too small, the designated tub area was way too big, and the finishes didn’t have a lot of personality.  My stylish clients (seriously, they have great tastes) wanted a larger closet, and a bathroom more fitting to their daily needs.

They began the process with architect Hans Hoffman, who gave them a few great options for reconfiguring the master suite.  Then they consulted with a few contractors, including Bruce Anderson from Blue Willow Builders.  Bruce suggested that they call me to help with the details and finishes.  From there we tweaked a few things in the layout to maximize space in the bathroom and closet, and after a lot of work to make everything fit (without an inch to spare!) the clients now have a wonderful suite that looks AMAZING!

There are so many great things about this bathroom and I just don’t have time to write about all of them, so a bunch of pretty pictures will have to suffice.  But PLEASE ask if you’re curious about any of the specific products or anything else in this remodel.

Island Shapes

I'm working with a new client on a kitchen remodel / reconfigure, which involves eliminating a hall closet and combining the current kitchen and informal eating spaces into one integrated room.  Because this is a non-rectangular room, we need to use an asymmetrical island shape in order to maximize countertop, storage, and seating.  I've put together these images from houzz.com for my client, showing different island shapes, variations of which would work well in this particular kitchen.  (Note this slideshow is only exploring island shapes, not kitchen styles.)

Asymmetrical Islands

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Outdoor Products on Houzz- For Example:

Gardening Tools · Gazebos · Hammocks · Bird Feeders · Doormats · House Numbers · Outdoor Swingsets · Outdoor Sofas ·

Basement Remodel with Master Suite

We are nearly finished with a great project that involved reconfiguring and refinishing a basement in order to give the clients a Master Suite, and I thought it would be fun to give a recap of the design & selections process we went through.

Moving walls, especially in a basement, can be a challenge, as these walls may  be load-bearing, and they will likely contain plumbing lines, electrical wires, and HVAC ducts that feed the basement as well as the upstairs floor(s).

This basement we started with was likely an old DIY finishing project. (This was not the work of my clients - they bought the house this way!).  It presented a lot of these structural and mechanical challenges, as mentioned above, along with some interesting and unexpected construction methods (as we often see with DIY projects) that made the demolition and prep phases even more challenging.

Old Plan:

The old configuration had 2 bathrooms (one of which was a very odd layout, as the bathroom was open to the adjacent den-type space, and the toilet was tucked beneath the stairs).  The open room that the bathroom was in had no connection to the rooms in the back of the basement, except through the laundry room.  This back space included a kitchenette, the other bathroom, and 2 small awkward rooms.

I worked with Drew & Mike of ReVive Remodeling to determine which walls we could move and how everything could be re-routed & relocated.

We left the laundry and mechanical rooms where they were, but reconfigured everything else to include:

• Den/Office
• Bedroom
• Bathroom
• Large Master Closet

New Plan:

The bathroom itself is a very unique layout.  We didn't have the luxury of space for a large bathroom with separate toilet room, so we created a niche for the toilet behind the shower.  Not only does this give the clients privacy, but it also allowed the toilet to remain in the existing plumbing location, which saves money.

Selections:
I started with this (very sketchy) sketch to propose a look for bathroom sink wall.

The concept was based on the clients' need for storage, their love of concrete and that "rustic modern" look, and their desire for 2 sinks (which they didn't really have a lot of space for).  Fortunately, the clients loved it, and so from there I worked with them to finalize finishes.  Below is one collage photo and paint samples, and you can see more on this previous post.

The conceptual sketch and material selections led to construction drawings and elevations.

And now, the project is nearly finished!  There are still a few remaining punch-list items to be taken care of, but the bathroom looks so good that I just couldn't wait to post these photos.  Please note that one of the final items is adding wood trim around the mirror, which will be the perfect finishing touch.

Check out the sliding shower door!

Aside from the clients being really cool people with great tastes, I got to work with a lot of other talented people on this project:

• Mike from Future Form Designs for the custom concrete sink
• Bill & Jason at Hallmark Cabinets for the beautiful sink base
• Cora at Elume Distinctive Lighting for the vanity fixtures
• Kathleen at European Marble & Granite for the great deal on the limestone remnant pieces
• Jodi at Mountainland Design for the plumbing fixtures
• Also the other trades that Mike & Drew worked directly with on site...

I'm lucky to have been a part of this project!

Happy Holidays from enzy design!

This year has been an adventure!  A few months ago, I decided it was time to dedicate 100% of my focus to enzy design, so I took the leap.  I quit my day job, and moved into my home office.  It's been an exciting yet scary transition, and I have all of YOU to thank.  I've relied heavily on my husband, friends, family, colleagues, blog readers, and clients for their support.  Without that extra encouragement, I'm not sure I could have done it.

I'm fortunate to have a client base already built up, and I've been reasonably busy from the beginning, which is not typical for a business that's just getting started, especially in this economy.  Having enzy as my side business over the last 3 years has made a big difference, and I'm so glad I've planned for this slow growth (and therefore lower risk), rather than diving into deep water with no idea what to expect.

I strongly believe that I am a better and more successful designer because of the communities I am a part of (local networking groups, trade associations, and the many many online and blogging communities).  These communities keep me connected to the design industry, and they also introduce me to peers within my industry.  I am so fortunate to have met all the wonderful people I now know because of these connections.

Small businesses have a much better chance at making a difference if they work together to make a larger impact than one person could do on their own, and we all have so much we can learn from each other.  Through the upcoming year(s), I will continue to make these communities a priority, because I know that I receive back much more than I give, and I am extremely grateful for that.

I'm looking forward to what the next year will bring, and I wish all of you the feeling of excitement and optimism that I'm experiencing right now.

Happy Holidays!

Love to all of you,
Nicole

Holiday Gift: Homemade Kahlua

This year some of my colleagues / clients are getting homemade kahlua for the holidays.  I freely admit that I stole this entire idea from my wonderful friend Jen, who has given us this treat for the last couple years.

I found several recipes online, and I was surprised that each recipe was unique.  Measurements and ingredients varied a lot.  Some used brown sugar, while others used white sugar.  Some used just vodka, while others used vodka and brandy or just everclear.  Some used vanilla beans, and others used vanilla extract.  Many used instant coffee, but I preferred to use good quality brewed coffee.  I started narrowing down the recipes to just those with brewed coffee, and I ended up mixing a few of these, along with Jen's advice, to come up with my own.

Here's my recipe:
(Makes ±7 Liters)

• 24 cups brewed coffee, using freshly ground espresso beans roasted locally by Rimini.
• 1 - 5-lb. bag of sugar (approx 10 cups)
• 1 - 1.75 L bottle of Skyy Vodka
• 1 - 750mL bottle of E&J Brandy
• 8 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Brew coffee.  Add sugar & stir until it dissolves.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Add vodka, brandy, and vanilla.  Bottle, label, and if possible allow it to sit for at least 2 weeks in a cool dark place.  (I didn't plan ahead enough, so unfortunately the recipients are being advised to wait a bit before opening.)

For my bottles, I used these SLOM bottles from Ikea.  And for the labels, I downloaded a template from Avery for their 2"x4" shipping labels (#5263), and I created my own using this fun (and free) pattern from Sprik Space as the background.

Have you all made your own kahlua before?  What's your experience, and what recipe have you used?  I'd love to hear about it!

Modern Bathroom Remodel

Recently I posted about a beautiful white & wenge kitchen remodel I was lucky to be a part of.  Well, at the same time, we did the bathroom, which included a closet.  And that's gorgeous too!

The same wonderful group of people was involved in this project:  Cody Beal, Lew Shurtliff, Adam Erickson, and others.  Cabinetry by Hallmark Cabinets.