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Great Ideas — Ingenious Solutions to Common Design Problems

Five clever ways to take a fresh look at kitchens and baths.

By Maureen Friedman Issue 263 - Kitchens & Baths 2016
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Synopsis: A full bath remodel, custom floating-glass kitchen shelves, a custom kitchen pot rack made from a bike wheel, a sliding storage cabinet for toiletries in a bath, and converting an existing bedroom into a combined dressing room and bathroom.

Dated bath becomes a sweet retreat

When their client requested a “showstopper” remodel of her 1920s master bath, Nathalie Roloff and the team at Roloff Construction designed this elegant retreat for the Tudor style home. Working within the footprint of the original bath, Roloff made the space more luxurious and functional by flipping the tub and vanity locations. Her design incorporated clean lines and traditional elements such as a freestanding tub, a marble countertop, a hand-glazed tile wall, and a heated limestone floor, which keep the bathroom looking fresh and updated but are also appropriate to the home’s era. Borrowing a little space from a closet in the room next door, Roloff was able to recess a custom linen chest into the wall. She left just enough of the chest peeking in to the bath to create a little ledge, the perfect spot to perch a candle or two when taking a luxurious soak in the tub.

Clearly in style

To display some of the beautiful pieces her clients had collected during their travels abroad, designer Elizabeth Swartz added custom floating-glass shelves to the main interior wall of this elegant, contemporary kitchen. Should the homeowners decide to display different pieces from their collection, the shelves can be configured in a variety of ways by adjusting the standoffs. Puck lights installed below the upper cabinets highlight the pieces displayed. The frosted-glass doors of the upper cabinets add visual interest and soften the look of the custom mahogany cabinets. The veined white-marble island countertop, the black leather-textured granite perimeter countertop, the variegated-marble backsplash, and the handmade-glass cabinet pulls complement and complete this polished space.

Wheel of storage

Avid cyclists who regularly bike to work, the clients for this project wanted a daily reminder of their favorite mode of transportation. This custom pot rack made from a bike wheel is secured with wires to an anchor mounted in the ceiling and utilizes simple S-hooks for hanging the pots. The bike rim itself provides sufficient support for hanging pots, pans, and other items. This clever use of an everyday item adds a lot of personality to their kitchen without a lot of cost.

For more fun interior design remodels and photos of all these projects, click the View PDF button below. 

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