A Place for Family: Brier Creek Before & After

by Allie Racette | Sep 4, 2024 | Bathroom Renovations, Kitchen Renovations

This beautiful renovation took almost an entire year, but it was worth every moment. This house in the Brier Creek Country Club was built by Toll Brothers in the early 2000s and hadn’t seen any updates since. Our clients were a family of four with two young daughters and relatives from France that frequently flew in to visit for extended periods, so our goal was to give them a functional family space with plenty of style.

Kitchen

The kitchen was the focal point of this transformation. The narrow island and closed-off U-shape just weren’t working, and the tile flooring in the kitchen clashed with the engineered hardwoods throughout the rest of the house, breaking up the floorplan even more. This cramped, outdated kitchen wasn’t just visually unappealing – it was impractical for this busy family!

To open up the floorplan, we installed a 20-foot structural steel beam that allowed us to remove the wall between the kitchen and the sunroom. This made space for a double island, perfect for prep, cooking, and entertaining, with ample seating that flows seamlessly into the dining room, accommodating up to 10 people.

We updated all the appliances in the kitchen, including a double wall oven, a large gas cooktop, a convenient pot filler, drawer microwave, dishwasher, and a new built-in refrigerator. We used a classic color palette to brighten the space and incorporated timeless materials – a marble countertop, marble backsplash, and marble mosaic tile with fluted glass to add a touch of detail to the design.

One of the homeowners is French (meaning she loves her coffee and espresso!) so we completed the kitchen with a gorgeous coffee bar. We also got rid of the outdated tile and updated the flooring throughout the entire first floor, making for a harmonious, cohesive finish.

Bathrooms

All the bathrooms in the home were very plain and builder grade, though the primary bathroom needed a lot more work. A large tub had been installed by a previous owner, and with very little walking space on one side, it definitely wasn’t to code. We replaced that outdated monstrosity with a tub against the back wall that was more appropriately sized but just as luxurious. Other luxury touches in the primary bathroom included a chandelier above the tub, more classic marble, fluted glass, gold finishes, his and hers vanities, decorative tile in the shower niche and, to top it all off, a heated flooring system.

In the three remaining bathrooms, we updated all the fixtures and finishes and added fun, decorative touches throughout, like wallpaper, tile mosaics, and pops of color.

ADDITIONAL UPGRADES

In the foyer, we added a beautiful new chandelier to brighten the space. The laundry room got a new marble floor, updated cabinetry, a new sink, and floating shelves. We also created a built-in mudroom and a new closet for coats – plenty of practical storage for a family of four!

Finally, we transformed the husband’s office with custom built-ins and a dark, saturated paint in Peppercorn, giving the space a sophisticated, masculine vibe.

While we did some major renovations, there are a few details we didn’t change. We left the columns throughout the home and the ornate balusters on the staircase, maintaining some of the original charm while creating a beautiful, cohesive space with a bit of classic Parisian flair. Our clients are thrilled with the results, and so are we!

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From House to Home: Before & After at Electra

by Allie Racette | Jul 17, 2024 | Bathroom Renovations, Kitchen Renovations

These clients moved to North Carolina from out of state and purchased a house built in 1972 – which had since been stuck in 1972. The property had seen few updates, if any, since its construction, and was in desperate need of a renovation. From the color-coordinated bathroom tile to the heavy, dark kitchen cabinets, this house was stuck in time and ready for a refresh. In the middle of the renovations, our clients found out they were pregnant, so the goal was clear – transform an outdated house into a beautiful, functional family home.

The first step to revitalizing the house was opening up the floor plan between the kitchen and the dining room. We moved the laundry room – which had previously been tucked away in a closet between the kitchen and the dining room – upstairs, making space to knock out a few walls and create an open, spacious floor plan perfect for family gatherings and entertaining.

The changes to the floor plan didn’t stop there. We framed out an oversized upstairs bonus room to add an extra bedroom, perfect for a growing family. We also expanded the primary bathroom, giving the new parents a luxurious space to unwind.

Though we updated all three bathrooms in the house, the kitchen and dining room were the center of the transformation. After opening up the floor plan, we designed the dining room around the dining table, a refinished family heirloom, adding decorative wainscoting to the walls and an elegant new light fixture. In the kitchen, we added a large island for extra prep room and seating space and incorporated a beautiful hexagon marble tile backsplash. The nearby coffee bar was given a coordinating diamond mosaic backsplash to compliment the hexagons. This kitchen also features a touch faucet, perfect for child-sized hands still learning how things work!

Don’t worry – we didn’t erase the history from this house. In the foyer, we kept the original 1970s parquet floor, which we stained to coordinate with the LVP throughout the rest of the home.

Our clients bought this house for $465k, and with our updates, it’s now valued at more than $750k. What was spent on renovations added nearly double the cost of those renovations to the value of the house, creating instant equity for our homeowners. They were able to purchase an outdated property in an incredible neighborhood for a lower cost and renovate it into their dream home.

Very soon after we finished the renovations, our clients’ son was born, bringing the process full circle. We didn’t just renovate a house – we created a forever home for a young family to grow and make memories for years to come.

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Primary Bathroom Reno: A Peek Into Our Design Process

by Allie Racette | Jul 22, 2022 | Bathroom Renovations

Sometimes people cave to the pressure of having a bathtub in their primary bathroom for the benefit of resale value, even if they aren’t avid bathers, but we’re giving you permission to get rid of that tub! If you aren’t using it, squeezing a bathtub into your primary bathroom might just be a waste of space, and a bit of an eyesore. Take a look at how removing the outdated bathtub helped us transform this master bathroom for our clients in Cary, NC.

We started this project with a bathroom that was stuck in the ’90s, featuring a built in garden tub, a tiny gold-framed shower, a low vanity, and outdated lighting. Our clients wanted us to transform their retro bathroom into a spa-like oasis.

Our first step was removing the garden tub, allowing us to expand the shower, add floating shelves, and open the area in front of the window to give the entire space a brighter, more airy feel. We chose a ceramic tile that mimics the appearance of marble to keep the bathroom looking luxe while still being easy to maintain, and we embellished with real marble hexagon tile in the shower pan and niche. An additional handheld showerhead, a bench, and a custom glass enclosure completed this gorgeous shower. The tub won’t be missed!

We enhanced the spa vibes with a brand new vanity with a Carrera marble top and polished nickel fixtures. Simple but beautiful wainscotting, tall mirrors, and new wall lighting pulled everything together, and a contrasting chandelier globe served as a focal point to finish off this updated oasis.

Of course, these design decisions aren’t made spur-of-the-moment. What the before and after photos don’t usually show is all the planning that happens long before demo starts, from layout renderings to tile selection to installation specifications and more. Take a look at the carousel below for a peek at all the decisions that have to be made before a renovation begins.

Our clients were thrilled with their new spa-inspired, tub-free master bathroom. If you’ve been thinking of bidding farewell to your bathtub, here are a few more gorgeous before and after photos that might help you take the leap.