So what's the big idea? Week #3!

Let's stick with the bathroom we talked about last week.  If we look through those wire glass doors, you'll see another suggestion I'd like to offer to anyone renovating their bathroom.  Why not put more effort and funds into a beautiful vanity that works for you rather than splurging on expensive wall tile! 

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

Yes, fancy stone can be lovely but here the vanity is the focal point and gives you double the impact.   Not only does it set the whole stylistic feel of the bathroom, it also does a lot of work storing everything you need in what is typically a small space.   

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

By having a vanity custom made, you can maximize every inch while working around that pesky plumbing!  In this case, we offset the sink to give us ample drawers and side counter space.  We also decided to have the vanity wall mounted which makes the space feel bigger by seeing the entire floor.  

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

The crafted details in this cabinet are what set it apart from your typical vanity. Not only do the sculpted recessed pulls create a nice understated composition they also minimize decorative hardware costs that can add up!

The natural wood and beautiful finish on this cabinet will wear much better than a standard painted finish.  And it's not like a stock vanity is inexpensive, even subpar quality has a significant price tag so you might as well invest in something that is going to patina rather than fall apart.

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

Carrara marble is an economical choice when it comes to a stone counter but here it looks stately with a high thickened backsplash for the mirror to visually rest and the wall mount faucet to take center stage.  

Makes you want to get a new vanity, doesn't it ;)  

So what's the big idea? Week #2!

Let's look at the same project as last week with another planning trick to make what would be small rooms feel more spacious and airy.  It's an en suite bathroom that can be fully open to the bedroom. Not just a dinky little doorway, but a full-on glass wall of sliding doors so these separate rooms feel as one.  

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

I have to give my parents some credit, they did this in their own master bedroom over forty years ago!  ...it really just dawned on me as I'm writing this.  I guess our life experiences stick with us more than one can imagine.  It's a lesson to anyone looking to build or renovate... keep your eyes open to unexpected ideas that might enhance your living environment.

In my parent's house, they chose to use bi-folding doors to enclose the space when they needed privacy.  Here we designed custom fabricated steel and glass doors that make the rooms feel connected even when closed.  And since they are sliding doors, they take up no added space which was important is these modest sized rooms.

[Mowery Marsh Architects, Photo Credit: Blackstock Photography]

If you look closely, you'll see we used wire glass for added visual texture, as well as frosted glass at the lower portion for privacy into the shower on the left and the toilet room on the right.  

I'm already thinking about next week...  that beautiful walnut vanity needs some attention ;) 

What's the big idea?

This is the kickoff to a new MMA weekly series..."What's the big idea?!"  Okay, it's actually the opposite.  They are little ideas... but that can have a BIG impact on a design.

So what's lined up for this week?  It's pretty 'straight' forward (pun intended!)...  do you have a bedroom wall with a bunch of jigs and jogs?  Here we added a built-in headboard to create those clean lines everyone is looking for.   It makes the room feel more generous by visually decluttering and allows use of an otherwise tricky wall for furnishings.

[Mowery Marsh Architects,  Photo Credit:  Blackstock Photography]

The built-in headboard is clad with horizontal boards and bed side table is carved out with a cabinet door below for bonus storage.  What would have been a small space cluttered with side tables is now made spacious and functional.

[Mowery Marsh Architects,  Photo Credit:  Blackstock Photography]

Okay, that's Week #1... let's see how long I can keep this up? Maybe next time we'll talk about those nice leather pulls!