A Renovation Filled With Old World Charm - Part Two

Yay. Here we are finally sharing part two as promised of this project we completed earlier this year. In addition to transforming the living and dining rooms, we updated the guest bathroom and master bedroom.

  

The guest bathroom was pretty in pink, and yes I know, it was loaded with major vintage charm, but our clients simply couldn't embrace the pink or the awkward features like a door that opened right up against the tub. PS that tub is the real deal and weighed maybe a 1000 pounds. This home is in Miami Shores, one of Miami's most desired neighborhood, but with older homes that also often means very small bathrooms, bedrooms and closets.

We decided to pay homage to the bathroom's vintage charm by starting things off with an updated subway tile in champagne, gold mirror, patterned tile, and brass and black sconces (the sconces went on back order so we shifted gears and went with white and gold sconces instead.

We replaced the pedestal sink with a vanity with storage, a critical requirement in a bathroom that will get heavy usage from family and friends who will visit often.

Door opening into tub? Not cool. We re-oriented the door to open to the left, instead of into the tub as it had previously. We also added a glass panel, instead of a bulky shower curtain, to give the illusion of a larger space.

 And yes, it's okay to mix metals. We do it all the time. Chrome faucet, chrome vanity hardware, gold mirror and sconces.


The master bathroom was already renovated when our clients purchased their home, but the bedroom was in need of some style wattage. It's a pretty small bedroom for a master (the norm with older homes in this neighborhood) but that didn't mean we couldn't make it large with style. 
 

We wanted an accent wall with wallpaper to add some fun, texture and charm. We needed slender nightstands which meant not much room for bedside lamps, so wall sconces were the perfect solution. 

If you read the previous post, you will know that Brie is the scene stealer though she did share the limelight with Amanda in this pic.  

Though slender, the nightstands have ample storage with two drawers and can fit a basket below to toss reading material and some of Brie's toys.We chose one with a pop of color to add a color to room's neutral tones. 
And there you have it. A full peek at the very first renovation project we started this year. Thanks again to our awesome clients, Laura, Kyle and Brie. They were such a joy to work with and we can't wait to tackle future projects with them.



Get the Look
Bathroom
Vanity: Similar here or here
Sconce: Similar here or here
Mirror: Similar here or here 
Wall Tiles: Home Depot; similar here
Faucet: Home Depot; similar here 

Master Bedroom
Bed: Similar here or here
Night Stands: Similar here or here
Bedding: Target; similar here 
Sconce: Similar here or here 

A Renovation Filled with Old World Charm, and a Pup Who Stole Our Hearts...

This adorable pup Brie, and living room, belongs to the very first clients to contact us this year. Literally. They emailed me on January 1, in desperate need of a design/renovation team to make their new home move-in ready by mid-February. 
Yikes for a tight deadline. But if you've followed us over the years you know we love that kinda pressure..
This is where we started. Try to ignore our clients Kyle and Laura and moi (I'd sprained my ankle just days before this consultation).....

They had purchased a charming older home in Miami Shores, one of Miami's most coveted neighborhoods, and needed some urgent changes: refinish and paint all the walls (old plastered walls, which have a very rough unfinished texture, are common in these homes),  renovate a guest bathroom and add new furnishings for the main rooms and master bedroom. 
  Here's what they have today...The hardwood floors were already in great shape so we designed the rooms to pay homage to the rich tones of the wood. We also lighted all the walls with an off white color.

We chose an apartment sized sofa to offer great seating without overwhelming the living room. The curved lines of the sofa also added a soft touch, a demure nod to the home's charm. And the navy blue pillows added a subtle dose of color. Let's just say that this kinda became Brie's favorite spot...

A small end table offers a resting place for a few books from our clients extensive collection. I think Brie is also impressed with the autographed baseball. 

Posted up and waiting for her parents to see the reveal for themselves.

Yes! There are real fireplaces in some Miami homes. This one had lots of charm. But we added some new tiles around the surround and added a fresh coat of paint.

To the left of the fireplace, is a small area perfect for a small breakfast nook area (the kitchen is directly across from this area). These were custom with blue velvet fabric and brass nailheads for added detail. A small table with a marble top completed the area. We opted to leave this window bare since there was enough foliage outside for privacy. 

It allows great light to filter in as our clients enjoy some morning coffee, tea or mangoes.

With no formal dining room, but a need to have a dedicated space for large family dinners, we chose a narrow yet sizable walnut dining table to fit snugly in this area. Selecting the perfect dining chairs was a challenge and was the one decision that proved the most debatable for our clients, who made all other decisions with record breaking speed..

We used their existing art for this gallery wall. 

This built-in niche area was a strange corner with some old doors, with no clearly defined purpose. We removed the doors, added some molding detail on the shelves to showcase some more books and mementos they'd collected over the years. We also added wine racks to keep wine flowing freely as they entertained.

We styled the dining table with our clients old vintage coke bottles, and some mercury simple yet fun candle sticks.

All photos by Mark of Sublime Photos

We paid our final homage to Brie with this ceramic French Bulldog Amanda scored as we shopped for accessories. We also used more books from their  collection, and a wedding photo, to add the most personal of touches.
Let me just say, we've been blessed with amazing clients over the years but working with Laura and Kyle was akin to hitting the client lottery. They are as sweet, thoughtful, patient and kind as could be in a process that can sometimes be insanely stressful, especially when living through the dust and chaos of a renovation project. They have an especially warm spot for our contractor Roy, because he took such great care of Brie each day as he worked. Let's just say it was a very emotional day when he had to say goodbye. A huge thanks again to our clients for trusting us to transform this charming home. We'll reveal the master bedroom and guest bathroom next. Brace yourselves.

Get the look

Blue High Back chairs: Similar here, here or for an industrial vibe here
Small Table: Similar here, here or here
Cowhide rug: Similar here, here or here
Dining Table: Similar here or here
Dining Chairs: Similar here, here or here
Chandelier: Similar here, here or here
Sofa: Similar here, here or leather version here
Area Rug: Similar here, here or here
Entry Table: Similar here, here or here
End Table: Similar here, here or here