From Rustic Ranch to European Elegance- (UH Austin Feb/Mar 2013)

Posted on April 8, 2013 by admin

From Rustic Ranch to European Elegance
By Mauri Elbel | Photography by Coles Hairston

Standing in the middle of this luxurious master bath suite, it’s hard to remember you are in Spicewood, Texas. Tucked within a sprawling Texas ranch home just outside of Austin, this space now exudes the kind of Old World charm that’s capable of transporting you to another place entirely: Europe.

From the marble mosaic tile floral borders imported from Italy that line the ceilings and baseboards, down to the Swarovski crystal detailing adorning the hardware, a series of eye-catching finishes whisk the viewer away on a lavish European holiday — a far trip from where it all began.

“Previously, this bathroom was very dark and masculine, and it looked as if it belonged in a cabin,” says principal designer Michelle Williams of Inside Story Interiors. “It was all dark slate and wood with a big Jacuzzi tub and tiny shower. It wasn’t at all my client’s taste.”

But when the new owners of this spacious Mediterraneanstyle home wanted to reconfigure their master bath to better suit their tastes, they knew exactly who to call. Having designed four other houses for the clients before, Williams was familiar with
the couple’s preferred aesthetic and knew a dramatic makeover was in order.

“Before, this bathroom was very rustic, but now it’s got an Old World European elegance,” Williams says of the remodel. “It is elegant and light and comfortable. And it makes you feel as if you are standing in an old European hotel.”

After Williams sketched up a design capable of winning over her clients, the Houston-based designer called on Austin-based CG&S Design-Build to oversee the project.
“I hadn’t worked with CG&S Design-Build before but knew what to look for in a company, and I knew they would do a great job,” says Williams, who sketched everything from the cabinets down to the tile. “We needed a skilled builder and
architect because we took down everything, from the floors to the ceilings. They truly did a wonderful job.”

To complete the look, the entire bathroom was gutted. Dark slate was replaced with unpolished travertine marble that now spans the floor and walls, creating a wet room area near the shower and tub. On surrounding walls, a Venetian plaster with a faux finish further the Old World feel. The once tiny and cramped shower was enlarged, and the oversized Jacuzzi tub was replaced with a freestanding tub that now serves as the focal point of the room.

“I love this tub,” says Williams. “It’s an oval tub that looks a lot like a clawfoot tub, but it is a little more interesting and unique.”

The pedestal tub, from Produits Neptune Canada, is surrounded by a custom apron adorned with glass tiles and topped with a honed marble slab. The roomy walk-in shower is finished in natural stone and accentuated with intricate mosaic
tile detailing.

The redesigned vanity area boasts cabinets built to resemble antique furniture that flawlessly coordinate with pieces the clients shipped from their home in Europe. To achieve the antiqued look, the custom dresser-like cabinets were painted, sanded and glazed. A product containing crushed walnut shells creates a raised plaster design on the wooden doors, projecting a weathered charm. Two vessel sinks imported from Mexico rest gracefully on top, featuring mosaic marble squares.

While many of the materials in this bathroom are new, nothing feels that way. In fact, the finishes in the room look as genuinely aged as the one-of-a-kind distressed columns Williams found in India. While the columns were too short for the space, CG&S resolved the issue by building bases that stretched them to ceiling height.

“The columns in here give it that unique look, like they’ve always been there,” says Williams. “I love using something old in a different and unique way.”

A thermostatically controlled sub-floor radiant heating system provides warmth to the shower and bath floors. Cabinet hardware and towel bars are Carpe Diem with Swarovski crystals and custom finishes. Faucets on the sinks, tub and shower are
all from Santec, featuring Swarovski crystal handles. Lighting selections complete the look of luxury: Murray Feiss vanity lights mounted on the mirrors and an exquisite Schonbeck® chandelier that looms in the center of the room.

“You don’t expect to see a chandelier in the bathroom, but it again just gives the space that look of elegance; that exquisite feeling,” says Williams. “And Schonbeck® makes the best crystal chandeliers.”

Williams designed a makeup stool and curved bench, finished in a creamy velvet, to provide a pretty and plush addition to the vanity and dressing areas of the space. Williams even antiqued the mirrors which feature beveled edge pieces washed in acid to look older.

“I wanted the mirrors to look old and antiqued with beautiful character,” says Williams. “On the mirrors, in the intersecting corners, are wood medallions that were aged and finished the same as the cabinet.”

Despite the high degree of craftsmanship and detailing required for this project, it was completed within three months to accommodate the owners’ schedule. Credit for
finishing the project in such a short time frame goes to the solid design/build team at CG&S who had deliveries coming in during the last days leading up to
the project’s completion.

“My favorite part of this bathroom is the high-end finishes, but the more eye-catching a finish is, the closer attention to detail people will pay,” says Jon Strain, CG&S Design-Build’s senior project manager who oversaw the project from day to day. “From
the top to the bottom, this bathroom is loaded with high-end finishes. And without our very talented team, that level of detailing wouldn’t have been completed in such a quick timeline.”

The result: a cream-colored master bath suite that radiates luxury while remaining comfortable and elegant. “My clients absolutely love it,” says Williams. “The previous bathroom felt depressing, but this one is so light and elegant. Everything is so feminine and pretty. Being in there just makes you happy.”

ARCHITECT/BUILDER CG&S Design-Build
512.444.1580 | Cgsdb.com
DESIGNER Inside Story Interiors
281.358.8008 | Isikingwood.com

Contributing Editor- Trent Haston with Andrew Roby Inc. in Charlotte,NC (UHM Feb/Mar 2013)

Posted on February 27, 2013 by admin

If These Walls Could Talk

If you’ve ever endured the painful process of removing wallpaper from your walls, you’ve probably sworn it out of your life forever. While wallpaper has been scraped, scoured and peeled right out of décor for the last decade, I want to urge you to reconsider this misunderstood design
element. History repeats itself, as they say, and I believe we will be seeing a lot more character on our walls in 2013.

Maybe it’s just my opinion, but I have always seen wallpaper as tacky, cheap and outdated. Over the years, I have come to prefer and appreciate a more clean, crisp and monochromatic aesthetic.

However, I’ve noticed many of our clients going beyond the basic painted sheetrock wall and incorporating various wall coverings in their homes instead. And I have to admit; the special pop it adds has really won me over.

Today’s wallpaper has come a long way from our grandmother’s homes. You will find bold colors and patterns, some textured grass cloths and even some luxurious fabrics. The options are endless, so make a statement and don’t be afraid to use it in unconventional places. Use it in your laundry room or stairway, for example. It’s an easy way to instantly add character to drab rooms. Wallpaper is not the only upgrade you can make to your walls, however. Another old-new trend is wood paneling. Wood slats can be hung horizontally or vertically, and can be applied in either tongue-and-groove style or butted. Instead of slats, you can add constructed panels that are built-in like cabinets. Many people are using antique or reclaimed wood for a rustic feel, but new wood will give a more sleek appearance. Either way, wood adds a lot of warmth to a room, whether you do an accent wall for a little pop or the whole room for that cabin feel.

Stone is another option for your walls. Depending on the look you are going for, you can use full slabs or smaller tiles with grout joints. Where wood adds warmth, stone adds grandeur and formality.

Stone has been very popular in kitchen and bath applications, but take it to your foyer or formal living areas for that special wow-factor.

If you are just not friends with wallpaper, can’t warm up to wood and feel cold about stone, you can always just change the paint for an updated look. A lot of people feel married to the wall colors in their homes, but remember, paint is the easiest and cheapest way to update and spice

up your home. If you haven’t changed the paint colors in your home in the last decade, give it a try! Go for a textured paint, do a bold accent wall or paint a pattern. Do something different to make your home feel brand new.

Whatever your style, I urge you to make 2013 the year of upgrades in your home. If your walls could talk, I think they’d thank you.

Trent Haston is CEO of Andrew Roby and has spent many years in project management, focusing on style and craftsmanship for custom home projects. For more information call 704-334-5477 or visit www.andrewroby.com.

Stark Carpet- Charlotte, NC (UHM Feb/March 2013)

Posted on February 27, 2013 by admin

In Our Own Backyard
By Dana W. Todd

Discerning interior designers have been incorporating Carpet’s products,including rugs, carpeting, wallcoverings and fabrics, into their projects worldwide for many, many years. The trend has continued, with Stark product lines popping up in top designer’s residential projects and the results showing up in broadcast, print and web media worldwide.

Well-known interior designer and star of HGTV’s “Showhouse Showdown”, Corey Damen Jenkins, named Stark as one of his top go-to vendors for his design projects. He recently used Stark’s Beatrice design from the Boucle Collection in an on-air renovation project, and known for using a range of design styles – traditional, modern and transitional – Stark’s wide selections and collections fit beautifully into his designs.

It’s not just Corey Damen Jenkins that recognizes the quality and versatility of Stark’s offerings; most national designers have been invested in Stark Carpet and their endless selection for over 70 years. Thankfully, all of their designs and collections are available locally, right here for Charlotte designers and homeowners. Products that have recently been used in nationally spotlighted renovations, as well as a showroom full of fabrics, rugs, wallcoverings and carpeting, can be perused at leisure in Stark’s Charlotte design center.

Not only that, but local Stark experts, Tim Cohen and Drew Olsen and their sales staff, are available to help designers and homeowners choose the right textiles to pull a room together and offer advice on what trends they see popping up. “Look for color trends to showcase subtle textures in sophisticated and understated grays and neutrals,” explains Tim. “In design, geometrics still are very much in play, from big and bold to small and understated.” Tim also suggests that traditional designs in grays and neutrals will now play a transitional role, bridging the diversity of furnishing styles.

Drew Olson promises to continue to bring in more and more products that suit every life style and budget in 2013. “Currently, we are offering over 30 new wool broadloom designs, which are new to the market,” he explains, “as well as hundreds of new and antique hand knotted rugs. The style ranges from contemporary to traditional and everything in between.”

With the help of the local Stark Carpet team, Charlotte homeowners can now re-create and achieve the high-end room designs seen in the pages of national magazines and in the hands of national designers. All right here, in our own backyard.v

For more information call 704-588-8842 or view Stark’s products online at www.starkcarpet.com or visit the Stark Carpet Design Center and Outlet at 11415 Granite Street, Suite A.

A Formula for Success- E3 Cabinets (UH Charlotte- Feb/March 2013)

Posted on February 25, 2013 by admin

Written by Dana Todd

Regardless of design trends, e3’s staff, which has more than 75 years of experience in construction and cabinetry, devised a formula for cabinetry design and installation that ensures success for homeowners’ projects.

Historically, Charlotte is a traditional market when it comes to interior design, according to Carolyn Hyatt, who heads up the design department at e3 Cabinets and Design.

“We’re seeing the move to a more simplistic design,” Hyatt says, “Softer colors in cabinetry, such as grays and variations of white, contribute to the

simplicity.”

Hyatt and her team of interior designers work with homeowners who are embarking on new construction projects, renovations of kitchens and bathrooms and room additions that include cabinetry to handle storage needs.

The first step of personally meeting with the homeowner results in a written list of goals for the cabinetry team to accomplish. With so many custom and pre-manufactured options available, designers can conceive and find the right cabinetry and accessories to fulfill a range of functionality and aesthetics for individual spaces. Homeowners can submit ripped out magazine pages or electronic files from sites such as houzz.com or pinterest.com that inspire them. This is also the appropriate time to provide a preliminary budget to the designer. The designer will provide feedback on what the homeowner can achieve within the allocated budget.

Next, e3’s designer will work with the homeowner to choose colors. With interior designers on staff at e3, color choices are not limited to cabinetry. The team will work with homeowners to ensure all adjacent tile and paint colors will coordinate with the finished cabinetry.

One of the toughest parts of a renovation project is choosing the right contractor. A benefit of working with a company like e3 Cabinets and Design however is their knowledge of the construction industry, their relationships with contractors and a staff that includes in-house licensed contractors, all working successfully with Charlotte clients. That knowledge is passed on to the homeowner, who can choose the contractor that best matches their needs from a vetted range of professionals in the Charlotte market.

“If you are contemplating new construction or a remodel, e3 Cabinets & Design provides consultations to help in decision making,” says Hyatt. “We will provide all the right tools to design the dream area in your house, weather it’s a kitchen, bathroom or built-ins. Our goal is to help make the thought process and project run smoothly while allowing you to enjoy it at the same time.”

Design your dream kitchen in 2013 and add storage to your home. For more information call 704-523-5181 or visit e3 Cabinets and Design at 130 Southside Drive or www.e3cabinets.com.

From Europe to Charlotte- Hans Krug (Best of Guide- Charlotte, NC)

Posted on February 25, 2013 by admin

Charlotte homeowners who appreciate the luxury of streamlined European cabinetry will be excited to learn about our city’s newest showroom. Hans Krug, an international manufacturer of European designed and engineered cabinets, recently opened its flagship showroom in Charlotte’s renaissance Westside.

Hans Krug owner Tony Battah says the brand offers the same features and quality of high-end European cabinets such as SieMatic, Poggenpohl, Snaidero and Scavolini, at a fraction of the price.

“Our cabinets use Blum premium hardware, the TANDEMBOX plus system and optional motorized Servodrive,” says Tony. Blum hardware is known throughout the industry for its integrated drawer slide system, which closes drawers and doors silently and effortlessly.

“Our friendly prices and short turnaround times will setHans Krug apart in the market,” says Tony, who explains that the cabinets are all made to order in less than ten weeks. “That’s less time than it takes most American based cabinet companies, at a cost that is less than a kitchen at a big box store.”

German kitchen designer Michael Schlütter is the product and design manager for the Hans Krug line. Michael developed his passion for kitchen design at the age of 16, working as an apprentice in his father’s kitchen design studio in Germany. He studied business management in Boca Raton, Florida before returning to Germany to work for SieMatic Kitchens. He was also a kitchen designer and project manager for 3er Kitchens in Munich, Germany.

Now Michael is enjoying the challenge of setting the standards of excellence for Hans Krug showrooms, which will soon open across the world. Showroom openings planned for 2014 include Singapore, Manila, Taiwan, Munich, Miami, New York, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles.

T he Hans Krug showroom in Charlotte is also a Miele premiere store, the largest in North Carolina, with more than 50 Miele products on display. Hans Krug partnered with Cosentino for its Silestone countertops and with Harkey Tile & Stone for the beautiful countertop fabrication. The result is a showroom that Tony calls ‘a cook’s dream.’

With more than 28 different finishes on the cabinets and over 370 sizes, Hans Krug promises to have something for everyone’s taste. “We have a wide range, from modern cabinets with electric drawers to classic and transitional,” says Tony.

Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Hans Krug showroom is on the corner of Freedom Drive and Morehead Street. The showroom welcomes the general public, builders, architects and designers.

Visit the showroom at 1500-B West Morehead Street in Charlotte, NC, 28208. Call 704-370-0809 or visit www.hanskrug.com for more information.

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