Bachelor Pad Overhaul

As I thought about the post title, I felt like the cliche descriptor "Bachelor Pad" didn't really cut it, but i'm currently on a job site waiting for them to finish a spray foam insulation job so my brain isn't conjuring as witty a title as I would like. Anyway, I digress! The client, who describes the world as his oyster, is a prodigy and overachiever. While some people who have seen the before photos have mentioned "I would live there... it's not that bad", this client thought otherwise. "Nothing but your best work"- I was told (which is what I strive to always give anyway! :), but I knew that the design elements and finishes in this condo had to be nothing short of stunning. I took the invitation and opportunity to push the envelope a bit and here are the results!
(Before: A simple white kitchen which was literally falling apart at the seams even though it's not apparent in the photo)

After: A custom designed kitchen featuring new stainless steel appliances with an extended cabinet for pantry space (far left), and a stunning quartz waterfall edge countertop. The Kitchen Aid Architect Series fridge, which was ordered for it's flat profile, was not counter depth so we designed an extended cabinet with an extra 3" gable on the left side of it to give it a more custom built look.

 Before & After Photos of the kitchen. The floors were completely retiled and a wine rack was installed. What bachelor pad would be complete without a wine rack or some sort of bar area?

I'm a huge advocator of Bosch dishwashers. The general footprint of the layout has not changed, but the difference is all in the details like this undermount squared double sink.

 I had an accent wall painted a dark blue in this kitchen (the client's favourite colour is blue) to make an extra bold statement. We had a bit of tricky maneuvering to do when installing this slide in stove because of the concrete walls. I LOVE the amazing dual finish backsplash I had installed (one side is polished, the other honed) to give it that extra depth and texture.

 Another cool feature in this kitchen is the pull out spice rack that the client may use for mugs and glasses.

 Before: The bathroom was again, not unusable, but was definitely not to the client's sleek taste.

After: The beautiful Italian tile flooring was continued into the bathroom and a large accent of multi-finished tiles were installed down the center. The mosaic sheet of light grey tile had 5 different finishes to them (which had been honed, polished, tumbled to various degrees).

 Adjacent to the multifaceted tile is a GORGEOUS black matte 4" x 24" tile from Ciot. A brushed nickel Moen rainfall showerhead and slide-bar with handshower was also installed.

To the Rescue! DIY Disaster Made Right in a Triple Bathroom / Laundry Reno



DIY Disaster from the previous owner:
Duct taped pipes

In the month of July, we basically ate (does sawdust count?), breathed and lived bathroom renovations (and kitchens, but i'll get to that later). One of the nicest families we have ever met had called us in last minute to look at renovating a laundry room and three bathrooms, which had long been victim to a DIY disaster caused by the previous owners. Duct tape, as they found out, could only hold for so long. The band aid solutions were just not going to cut it anymore, and it was a perfect opportunity to create three fully functional and classically designed bathrooms. Because of the quick start date and tight timeline (exactly 3 weeks), most of the materials used were from Lowes or Home Depot.

Exhibit A: Old Layout- The classic older home layout (40 years+) with a squeezed in ensuite bathroom addition with no place to shower.

The New Layout

 Master Ensuite Before (Left): A tiny ensuite with a small pedestal sink.

After: A one piece toilet was installed for easier cleaning, and a new Archer Kohler pedestal sink was installed. The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Rocky Road (CC-470).
A stand up shower was added to the ensuite with tiles with a band of parquet design accent tiles from Lowes.

 

 

 Main Bathroom Before (Left):  The bathtub (which had previously been leaking to the basement washroom below), had become the shower stall in the ensuite, so a shorter 54" x 30" tub (a hard find to come by!) had to be installed to accomodate the smaller space.
After: A warm, family-friendly design with modern clean lines, painted in the cozy shade of Ranchwood (CC-500) by Benjamin Moore. The floors are chocolate brown Blown 16" x 16" by Ciot.

To accomodate teeth brushing time for three kids, we designed a custom 66" shaker-style vanity with quartz countertops and rounded rectangular undermount sinks. The faucets are Mistos by Kohler. 

 Below: the old shower stall was removed and a one piece toilet was installed by Price Pfister.

 

 Before: The laundry room had poorly done plumbing, and very little storage space.

 After: We custom designed shelving and updated all the plumbing.

 Basement Bathroom Before: The old bathroom was a mishmash of buttercream slathered Victorian replica porcelain and outdated blue tiles.
After: A 24" custom but simple shaker door style vanity, which is a pre-curser to the contemporary design.

Before: An awkward dark corner shower, that the family couldn't use because it would back up on them.

After: A whopping 72" x 42" shower base was installed with a custom glass door and wall. A tub filler was installed to wash the kids feet. The washroom is painted in warm and inviting shade, which reminds me of chocolate mouse Benjamin Moore's Cobblestone (CC-454)