Redefining the Butler’s Pantry

In the past, butler’s pantries were the transition rooms between the homeowner’s quarters and the areas where the servants would be, like the kitchen.  These areas of the house have been considered grand and upscale, and are commonly found in historic mansions.  Today, the butler’s pantry redefines itself in the modern era and can be designed with the specific needs of the homeowner.

Having a butler’s pantry can create an intimate feel in the spacious floor plans we have today.  Keep it a functional place for food, extra storage or even a cleanup area with a dishwasher.  If you love wine, design the room with a wet bar complete with an under-counter wine and beverage refrigerator.  I have even had customers utilize the space as a mudroom between the backyard and kitchen.

Homeowners who live in older houses with butler’s pantries tend to use them as inspiration when remodeling the main kitchen. They want to make the new modern kitchen fit well with the original parts of the home by matching the original cabinetry, glass doors and countertops.

Even in small spaces, a butler’s pantry is a great option.  Whether you have a small room or a corner,  set it apart from the main space.  If you’re an art lover, create an extra display cabinet.  If you’re a gourmet chef, design a staging area or buffet for all of your prepared dishes.  There are so many ways to make a butler’s pantry work for you!

-Laura

Family and the Holidays

Year after year, we go through many life changes…family changes.  With Christmas right around the corner, I begin to reflect on how this special day has changed for me.  Last year, my boys were living in Florida and that is where we spent the holidays. Now that one of my sons moved back home and the other is living in Texas, I am so excited that we’ll all be spending the holidays here at home.

As I’ve said before, the kitchen is the heart of the home.  In that room alone, I’m planning to spend many days baking, cooking, eating and, (let’s not forget), laughing with holiday cheer.  I’ve learned that no matter how your family dynamics change, the holidays should be a time spent with loved ones. Your home or their home shouldn’t matter, as long as you can be together making new memories and reminiscing about years past!

Merry holidays,

Laura

Tiling Your Bathroom

When renovating the bathroom, most people opt for tiles because of its durability and easiness to clean.  When you’re determining what tile you want, keep in mind the look you want to achieve.  Also, consider what else you have in the bathroom; the design of the shower and vanity area.  You may be in love with a particular pattern or color, but it may be all wrong for the room. Tiles can be used on both the walls and the floors of the bathroom.  Here are some of our designer’s tips to help create the best layout for your space.

For the floor, consider large tiles to make the space look bigger.  This is particularly a great idea if your bathroom has plenty of floor space.  However, if you have a smaller bathroom or a half bath, you may need to go with smaller tiles.

When tiling your walls, you have room for creativity.  Depending on the size of the room, you can choose one particular shape or create a combination with different size tiles.  Most walls are tiled with a chair rail (bull nose tile meaning round tile).  You can even combine solid tiles with a patterned tile.

You can also opt to have long, linear tiles.  These rectangular shaped tiles help elongate the room.

Top 5 Bathroom Trends for 2011

Open Vanities

When designing a space, storage is everything!  Open vanities are great for any bathroom because the shelves are not only open, but the vanity off the floor gives you the feel of a larger space.  Vanities can be designed to fit any style from country to contemporary.

Heated Floors

After a hot shower, why step onto a floor that will make your feet freeze?  Having radiant heat built underneath your floor will help circulate it throughout the bathroom.  Another plus is that the heat continues to rise from the floor after being turned off.

Natural and Green

Who doesn’t enjoy the spa, so why not bring that luxurious feeling home?  Bamboo is a natural product that provides a sense of Zen with its clean lines and light airy feel.  You can utilize this environment-friendly product within a variety of features from vanities to light fixtures to flooring.

Large, Vertical Showers

Don’t just get clean in a shower, but make it your private haven to relax and unwind.  Today, people are opting to install large shower heads and water jets to produce intense pressure on certain muscle groups.  But if you’re concerned about the planet and saving water, all new showerheads on the market are required to have a water-efficiency rating.

Tiles

When it comes to decorating the walls of a bathroom, tile is a trendsetter.  Tile is great because not only is it durable and easy to clean, but it comes in a variety of shapes.  Consider large tiles with rectangular shapes to complement oblong-shaped bath and basins. You can also use mosaic tiles boldly to create a patterned feature wall.  Just remember to lay larger tiles on the floor, medium sized tiles on the walls and mosaic-sized tiles as a border or frieze.