Alabaster kitchen Tour

Today's blog post is a beautiful kitchen renovation by our Tuscaloosa design consultant Stephanie! We love the classic, bright design of this space and are excited to share it with you all. 

The countertops in this space set the tone for the whole kitchen.  Calcatta Laza Quartz, the marble-like surface featured here, is bright, durable, and it's grey veining adds lovely texture. 

To add subtle contrast, the walls in this kitchen are painted Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter and the cabinets are in a half formula of the same color.  These tones are the perfect compliment to the back splash which features white polished subway tile with accents of Arctic Storm mosaic, outlined with 5/8" Venatino Marble pencil.  To add cohesion between the countertops and backsplash, Stephanie used bleached wood grout.

Our favorite feature in this room is the Post Oak Hemlock floors.  The stunning, rich tones in these hardwoods add warmth and depth to the otherwise bright and light space.

See something you'd like to incorporate in your own home? Stop by our Tuscaloosa store, or any of showrooms, to begin your own kitchen renovation!

Hoover Bathroom

Before & After

This week, we are featuring a beautiful bathroom renovation in Hoover.  Our Hoover design consultant, Myeisha, helped transform this bathroom from dated and dull to modern and fresh!

One major change in this bathroom was the shower. By removing the half walls, we were able to open up the whole space, making the room feel larger and lighter. 

The details in this shower are what really take it to the next level.  The floor to ceiling tile is from the MSI Highland Park Series in their Whisper White color, and the intricate floor tiles are a pistachio basketweave from ADKO.  The finishing touch is accents of MSI Calacatta Classique.

The vanity area in this bathroom is truly stunning.  By lightening the walls, cabinets and counter tops, we were able to bring new life to this once dark space.  The cabinet color, Benjamin Moore Swiss White, is the perfect compliment to the MSI Calacatta Classique countertops.

By painting the walls Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige and adding BPI Castillo Bianco to the floors, we were able to brighten the space even more and provide the perfect backdrop fro this stunning tub. 

Emily Kuhn Kitchen tour

Today we are excited to feature the kitchen of our social media manager, Emily.   Emily and her husband Andrew recently bought a home knowing it needed a lot of work to make it a space they loved. With a limited budget and a little hard work, we were able to freshen up this space and take it from dark and dated to bright and cheery!

Before we started on this kitchen, the whole room was basically brown. Brown floors, brown cabinets, brown walls.  The space felt small, dark, and definitely dated. We began by taking out the outdated floors, misfitting upper cabinets, and dingy counter tops.  Due to their smaller budget, Emily and Andrew knew they needed to keep the existing footprint of the kitchen.  By simply replacing the surfaces and adding fresh paint, they were able to make a big change while sticking to their limited budget.  The biggest statement in this space is the unique floor tiles.  These 20" grey hexagon tiles from Savoia Italia add tons of texture and visual interest to the small space while still feeling light and neutral.

After removing the upper cabinets, Andrew and Emily knew they wanted to replace them with open shelving.  Because the space is smaller, this was a great option to open up the space and make it feel a little larger. They chose to use glossy white subway tile behind the shelves to create a clean and cohesive look throughout the space.

For the countertops, we chose a beautiful, bright, and durable Quartz surface called Calacatta Vincenza.  Emily and Andrew love the look of marble, but wanted something that required less maintenance, so Quartz was a great option for them. We love how the grey veining in the countertops ties into the grey floors. Originally, Emily and Andrew had planned to paint the lower cabinets white, but after realizing how little cabinets were left, they decided to take a risk and paint them in a fun color.  After trying many samples in similar shades, they decided on Benjamin Moore Azores AF-495.  They love that it is playful, yet muted. 

The biggest functional change in this kitchen was to close off the laundry area.  By tearing out the existing laundry cabinets and creating a small closet around the laundry area, we were able to hide the washing machine and dryer and create a small pantry space.

Off of the kitchen is a half-bath. When we saw this bathroom, we knew everything had to go.  In addition to replacing the vanity and fixtures, we removed the faux wall tiles and added board and batten. This instantly elevated the space.  Emily chose a pale lavender with grey undertones, Benjamin Moore Porcelain 2113-60, for the walls.

To brighten up the dark wood paneling, we painted the walls, trim, and ceiling in a crisp white, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65.  It is incredible how a fresh coat of paint can make such a big impact!

Sleeper Kitchen Tour

We are excited to share with you a special holiday room tour! When our client bought this home, the kitchen had a great layout, but the dark finishes made the whole room feel dark and dated. By adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls and cabinets, new countertops and backsplash, and new stainless steel appliances, we were able to to transform this room into a bright, airy, and modern space.

Rather than going with a traditional subway tile, this kitchen features a vintage handcrafted 3x6 porcelain subway tile in a herringbone pattern. We love how this adds interest and texture while still feeling classic and neutral.

For the countertops, the client chose Calacatta Vicenza Quartz.  This warm white surface with hints of grey veining is the perfect choice for those wanting a surface that is similar in style to marble, but is more durable. To add a little contrast, the island is painted in Benjamin Moore Valley Forge Tan, a great neutral that leans more towards grey than tan, despite the name.

The walls in the kitchen and living room are painted in one of our favorite whites, Sea Pearl. This warm white was the perfect tone to brighten up the space as well as a wonderful backdrop for holiday decor!

We hope you've enjoyed this little dose of holiday cheer, and we hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

VESTAVIA KITCHEN TOUR

The pièce de résistance in this kitchen is the gorgeous range and it's surrounding features. The custom opening perfectly frames the Calacatta Nuvolato marble backsplash, creating a stunning focal point for the kitchen.  The island, topped with 3 cm Black Honed Soapstone is a great contrast to the perimeter stone in Calacatta Nuvolato marble and the walls which are painted in Benjamin Moore's China White PM-20. 

The large window over the sink provides beautiful light for the kitchen and highlights the custom cabinetry from Cantley & Company. 

Off of the kitchen is a beautiful butler's pantry featuring more stunning stone in the shape of a soapstone sink. 

We love this kitchen design. It feels elevated, unique and fresh, while still maintaining functionality and comfort for everyday use.  It's the perfect spot for family breakfasts as well as dinner parties!

If you've followed along with us for a while, you may have noticed that we are big fans of white walls! While we do love many other colors, there is something special about starting with a blank canvas of bright, clean, white walls. Have you decided to try out the white wall trend but are feeling lost about which white to choose? Look no further! We've compiled our favorite and most popular whites and consulted one of our experts, Jill Campisi, on what makes each of them unique. 

First up is Chantilly Lace OC-65.  This timeless, true white is a favorite of ours because it is pure, clean and crisp. It's the ultimate blank canvas.

Chantilly Lace OC-65 (Photo)

Sea Pearl OC-19, formerly known as China White, has creamy grey undertones that truly represent the characteristics of a pearl. It's soft and gentle and adds just enough warmth without being yellow. Sea Pearl pairs well with contrasting darker colors like Revere Pewter HC-172. 

Sea Pearl OC-19 (Photo)

Simply White OC-117 is simple, just like it's name. It has a touch of warmth, but still remains a very clean, bright white. It was named Benjamin Moore's Color of the year in 2016.

Simply White OC-117 (Photo)

Soft Chamois OC-13 is one of the warmest whites listed here.  It is as versatile as it is tranquil, and a great backdrop for richer accent colors in art, fabric, and accessories.

Soft Chamois OC-13 (Photo)

White Dove OC-17 is our go to white. It pairs well with almost any color. It looks very creamy on a swatch but is soft and warm on a wall, trim, or cabinets while still maintaining its claim to be a true white.

White Dove OC-17 (Photo)

Lastly, we have Ballet White OC-9.  This color is off white with a hint of beige. It's a very saturated white that will give your walls a slight pigment, especially if paired with a contrasting white trim.  

Ballet White OC-9 (Photo)

Still having a hard time picking out that perfect white for you? Stop by one of our stores and pick up a few paint samples to try out in your own home!

WILL CASEY HOME TOUR

For our first home tour, we are excited to show you the home of our very own Will Casey. Will is incredibly charming and has a keen key for detail. His home is a true reflection of his expertise. 

When asked about his design style, Will said that his favorite style is Mid Century Modern. This style is reflected throughout his home. Will said, "I have always loved clean lines and neutral tones so naturally my entire house is painted White Dove." We love how this clean, bright white lightens the whole space and sets a calming and consistent tone throughout the home.

In the kitchen, Will opted to keep the existing cabinets. He painted them Night Shade, a rich and dark tone.  By adding a modern color and brass hardware, he was able to give the once dated cabinets a new, fresh feel.  Continuing with the neutral color pallet, he selected a simple white subway tile for the backsplash and Carrara Marble for the countertops. To add texture and warmth, Will added 12x24 Cork tile for the flooring. 

One of the most dramatic rooms in Will's home is his den, which is painted in a gorgeous black shade, Deep River.  This creates great contrast from the white walls in the rest of the home. 

In the Bathroom, Will says, "I decided on a classic white marble hexagon flooring, but thought that doing it in the larger 6” size would make the bath more interesting."  One of the highlights in this bathrooms is the vanity. Will installed a basic Ikea vanity in a way that allowed for the creation of a beautiful marble ledge that adds storage as well as a unique design element.  Will paired the white marble floor with Oriental White marble countertops. 

When asked about designing his home, Will says, "most designers will all say that the hardest house to design is your own and that statement is very true in my case." We think he has perfectly achieved effortless, chic style in his home. 

Downtown: Coming soon

We are excited to announce that we will be opening a brand new showroom in Downtown Birmingham! Located just a few blocks from Railroad Park, this showroom will feature high end tile, and counter tops from our sister company, Synergy Stone.  We are excited to be in this bustling part of town with enough space to feature all of our favorites.  We have been hard at work perfecting the plans for this new location. 

We'll keep you posted on our progress and hope to see you downtown soon!

Bluff park before & after

We recently had the pleasure of updating a unique sun room in Bluff Park! The homeowners loved the natural light coming from the existing large floor to ceiling windows, but did not love that over time the windows had begun to leak and cause damage to the house.  They decided a complete remodel of this space was in order. One of our favorite projects in this home was restoring this gorgeous fireplace!

Below you can see that we extended and refinished the ceiling, added recessed lighting, replaced the windows, updated the fireplace, and replaced the floors! 

These brand new windows still let in tons of light, but keep the moisture out!

We also updated the exterior of this space. Around the new windows we added siding and below we added some character to the space by adding a stone finish.  We love how this new exterior look highlights their gorgeous pond and garden!