Lisa's Blog at Samuel Design Group

Splish, Splash; want a new Bath?

Renovating any space in your home can be quite the daunting task! But I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. First, let yourself dream a bit, dream about your perfect bathroom. Is your dream bath just an updated version of the current layout or something completely different? A successful and beautiful renovation is all about timing, planning and hiring the right pros.

• First… get inspired. I recommend looking at magazines on home design to figure out what you want your bathroom to look like; I call this creating your wish list. Write down exactly what you like about the photo you are looking at; after looking at so many you may forget what precisely caught your eye the first go round. 
• Consider buying and hour or two of consultation from a licensed interior designer. Money well spent. Why a licensed designer? A licensed interior designer is educated in space planning.
• If you choose this route, make sure to have a current sketch or plan of your current bathroom; this will be valuable for the interior designer. It’s important to think about the layout early on. Decide what works about your current bathroom layout and what does not work. Are you thinking about moving any of the plumbing fixtures? If so, is this feasible? Is your plan to simply update or expand your bathrooms size? Do you need more storage and if so how can this best be achieved? A licensed interior designer can help you answer these questions.
• Now, finalize your budget. The average person spends about $11,000.00 to renovate a bathroom. Once you’ve decided what you are able to spend, you should count on spending about two thirds of your budget on labor. Ouch, it doesn’t sound like 1/3rd of your budget is enough for tile and other finishes including the essential plumbing fixtures. The licensed interior designer has much experience and resources to help you spend your budget wisely.
• Find the best contractor for your project. It is time to start asking personal friends and business associates for any recommendations. When the time comes you will have compiled a list of contractors to interview.
• Begin the interview process of hiring a licensed contractor. Likely your licensed interior designer will be able to recommend trustworthy candidates for a contractor or you may already know a few. Review estimates, check references, and sign contracts. Now, the contractor should commit to a start date, create a timeline of when he needs materials, and estimate when the project will be complete. Make sure you are clear about your agreement.
• Determine who is responsible for ordering tile, plumbing fixtures, cabinets etc. Make sure you are clear about lead time on all purchases to keep the project running smoothly and on time.
• Communicate with your contractor, discuss hiccups, and be flexible. Prior to making the final payment complete a thorough walk through and make sure the “punch-list” has been addressed and completed.
• Pop the bubbly, relax and enjoy!!!

Every Step You Take

In the world of tile, the landscape has changed from the acres of white ceramic four inch square tiles one would see everywhere. Advancements in the world of technology have affected the tile industry in many ways. The trends we are seeing in the tile industry at this time are textured surfaces that appear to be fabric and yes, you must touch to make sure! Glass tiles are becoming larger amplifying reflectivity and design options.  We are seeing great combinations of natural stone and glass in fun and modern mosaics as well as lots of metallic tiles in exciting sizes such as 46” by 8”. Minimal grout lines are also quite the desired look these days. Realistic wood looking tiles are gaining popularity for those who attracted to the ease of maintenance on these easy going planks. No matter your individual style or budget there is the perfect tile out there.

Think outside the box when it comes to deciding on the tile pattern you might use, there is always the standard grid but add a deco insert into the grid and viola’ it becomes visually textured and much more interesting. Here are some other patterns that might interest you: lacework diagonal, hopscotch selce, Herringbone with insert, interlocked full pattern, and finally pinwheel. I realize this all sounds foreign to you but I am happy to share the details if you contact me.

Let’s take a closer look at how technology has brought some great and durable looks to both ceramic and porcelain tile. The tile manufacturers have capitalized on technical advancements in digital inkjet printing to create, ceramic and porcelain tile collections with lifelike and quite convincing images and textures.  High definition imaging technology has been used in creating laminates (such as Formica) for decades. Now with the solid advancements of late in the digital printing process which takes place without any contact to the surface of the tile resulting in a superior resolution. This new technology also allows manufacturers to select the very best graphics, patterns and shading nature has to offer and produce tiles replete with color, depth and texture. This has resulted in porcelain and ceramic tiles that look like limestone or other natural stones with much increased durability and without the common pitfalls of natural stone. The clean rectified edges are yet another plus which accommodate narrower grout joints, which give the illusion of an uninterrupted honed surface without the usual grout breaks.

So you have chosen a tile or two and decided on a pattern for the layout………..but wait, now the grout oh yeah the grout! I have seen individuals agonize over choosing the grout color! Should the grout blend in with the color of the tile or should it be a contrast? Don’t despair…………..there is no rule about it either way. The technique of application is more important than the color. If the grout job is good it is barely noticeable, however if it is bad, it is an eyesore! The other important aspect is to select the type of grout to minimize staining and absorption. The overall look will depend on the installation so please use the correct tools or have a licensed professional tile installer do the job.

Historical Hysteria?!?!?!?!? I say not!

Driven by a need to draw tourism, after the railroad bypassed Santa Fe, Pueblo style architecture was popularized in the early 19^th century by a group of artists and town leaders seeking to establish a unique regional identity. In 1957, a committee led by John Gaw Meem drafted the Historic Style Ordinance, which mandated the use of the Pueblo or Territorial Style on all new buildings in the Santa Fe historic districts. This ordinance remains in effect today, meaning the Pueblo Style continues to predominate in specific areas of Santa Fe. This ordinance was driven by economic development; but no doubt, if this ordinance was not enforced, what would Santa Fe look like…“any city USA”? The preservation of Santa Fe Style has been wonderful for our city; Santa Fe is in the top 3 cities on “Condé Nast’s” 2010 list of top cities to visit in the United States, based on the popularity of its food, art, and yes, architecture. Condé Nast Traveler”: 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards

I had the distinct privilege of working closely with the Historic Review Board and an amazing architect, Dan Featheringill (who also serves the community by sitting on this important board) on a recent two-year project in one of the historic districts of Santa Fe. The one hundred-year old home was approximately 900 square feet, needed a severe facelift and the client required it to be doubled in size. As you may know, in a historical district the elevations of a contributing house cannot change and you cannot build a second story. So….what options are left? Of course, you dig and dig! 

Feather & Gill Architects designed a beautiful plan to create a full basement under the 100-year old house while maintaining the primary elevations of the contributing historic structure.  The structural integrity of the building was certainly lacking and had to be re-engineered. This was no small feat. Two months of digging by pick and shovel then hauling the dirt out by bucket was very slow going.  The basement now features two very large closets, a guest bedroom, a full bathroom outfitted with a Japanese soaking tub, and a dance studio/entertainment room.  A bonus downstairs was a laundry room equipped as a secondary kitchen with an extra oven, freezer module, refrigerator module, full size washer and dryer and a dumbwaiter to take the holiday dinner to the main floor! The homeowner is very happy! 

Working with the Historic Design Review Board is not burdensome or tedious, the outcome is sensational.  What are needed are licensed design professionals working in tandem to create a home for a client who loves living in the historically preserved district of Santa Fe. If you have a project in a contributing district or a non-contributing district, it is advisable that you work with licensed design professionals in order to achieve your vision, meet your budget and communicate with the Historic Design Review Board in an effective way. Cheers to Santa Fe Style Architecture and wishing you all a joyful and peaceful 2011!