Putting Some Charm Into Everyday Chores…

Laundry rooms, bathrooms, and mudrooms are some of the hardest working spaces in our homes. These are the rooms where we need everything to function at a premium level, so the everyday drudgery of our lives can get done fast and well. But who’s to say they can’t be beautiful too?

In this renovation, we upgraded our clients’ laundry room, first floor bathroom, and mudroom to be both aesthetically pleasing and highly practical–full of excellent storage solutions and elegant design elements.

We relocated the existing washer and dryer from the mudroom into the first floor bathroom. This allowed for a larger and more functional mudroom to corral sports equipment, shoes, jackets, and all the detritus of busy family life.

We removed the tub from the bathroom and replaced it with a tiled shower, allowing more space for the laundry alcove and storage above. In combining the laundry and bathroom space, we paid special attention to ensure that the laundry area was functional and easy to keep clean, while maintaining a working bathroom.

Our clients were not afraid of color, and the beautiful green paint on the cabinetry used in both areas elevates the look of the rooms, and creates cohesion between the spaces. The wallpaper, hardware and lighting selections are both modern and timeless. The shaped quartz back-splash on the vanity adds protection from water and a detailed design element that dresses up the room.

The chores of daily life are made a little nicer when done in such lovely spaces. Your home can be both beautiful and functional. Give us a call today to make that happen for you!

 

 

Designed to Reflect Your Taste

Design inspiration can come from anywhere. 

When we meet with our clients to begin the design process, we get to know your tastes and preferences. Our goal is to give you the home of your dreams, built to reflect your own unique style. 

We can even design your space around an existing feature or object that you love and want to highlight. In this home in Schenectady, our clients wanted to transform their living room and give pride of place to a piece of art that they already owned and wished to spotlight.

Our team created a gorgeous new custom fireplace mantel and surrounding cabinetry that showcases their prized possession, making it the focal point of the room. We created additional bookcase and desk storage with under-mount lighting to further illuminate the area. The design selections perfectly complement the art piece that our clients love, resulting in a cohesive, cozy, and stylish space.

By designing the room around this inspirational art, we brought our clients’ specific vision to life. They love their comfortable, elevated living room, and its true reflection of their taste.

A Luxury Bathroom Upgrade

This gorgeous bathroom renovation in Saratoga Springs, NY perfectly illustrates how we can evolve our homes to better meet the needs of our families as we grow and change. Improved storage, maximized efficiency, and luxurious details make this a stunning transformation.

This project was a total renovation. The homeowners and their older children no longer felt a bathtub was the best use of their bathroom space, opting for an extra large shower instead. We also created a smaller room for the toilet only, with a pocket door to maximize space.

We removed dated features like the old vanity and chipped tile floor in favor of excellent upgrades like new custom cabinets with a quartzite top, new tile  throughout, and a tile warming system. A new transom window that allows light, gives much needed privacy, and opens replaced an old window which could not be opened. Recessed lighting was added throughout the space, as well as new vanity lighting and lighted mirrors at the vanity.

To address storage needs, we installed floor to ceiling custom cabinetry for linens, a perfectly sized corner cabinet in the toilet room, and custom designed built-ins for the walk-in closet that is off the bathroom.

Design decisions were also made with an eye to aging in place, like a comfort height toilet with bidet seat, higher vanity counter tops, and a curbless shower. 

The new bathroom is also packed with special touches that add serious aesthetic “wow factor” and luxurious modifications. The use of a neutral, over-sized tile for the back wall adds visual interest. We then used an accent tile in the lighted shower niches that has a subtle color and a bit of sparkle. The spa-like shower contains multiple heads on either side, massaging body sprays, and a hand held extension, as well as a linear drain that blends in seamlessly with the floor.

The final result is a modern, sophisticated, and highly functional space that will work beautifully for the homeowners through all seasons of life. 

Renovating a Childhood Home to Make it Your Own

It’s been said that “you can’t go home again”, but depending on your definition of “home”, that’s exactly what our client was able to do in this very special total home renovation.

Our client had purchased her childhood home and had the goal to make it her forever home, with a view to “aging in place” design so that it would suit her lifestyle for the future.

This project essentially touched every corner of the existing house, so we worked very closely alongside the architects to ensure there would be no structural issues when removing walls or opening ceilings.

We expanded the front porch out, absorbing the existing one to become part of the family room. In doing this, we opened up the vaulted ceiling and removed the wall between the former kitchen and family room, making the space feel so much larger. We moved what was the main staircase to the basement, in order to better maximize the interior space. We were able to utilize a secondary basement staircase from the front entry and guest room to maintain functional access to the newly remodeled basement.

The overall transformation to take the home from our client’s parents’ aesthetic to her own is truly amazing. We created faux box beams at the living room ceiling, which are a cost effective way to create the look of a structural solid beam. We also were able to integrate her functional and spatial goals for each area within a relatively small footprint, while ensuring that this would be a home she could enjoy safely for the rest of her life. The bathrooms, kitchen and living areas were all designed with aging in mind. 

Our client is happy making new memories in a house that was already the setting of much joy and nostalgia.

We were thrilled to be part of this journey home. 

 

A Beautiful Kitchen Renovation, for One of Our Own

We take pride in every project we complete for our clients, but when we do work in a Schrader and Company team member’s own home, that’s something extra special indeed.

This kitchen renovation accomplished all of the homeowners’ goals–improved functionality, more workspace and storage, and an updated aesthetic.

These clients are avid home cooks and entertainers who wanted more counter space for working side by side. The existing kitchen was on the smaller side, so a few layout changes helped maximize the space. We removed the existing cabinetry and counter tops and reoriented the sink in order to lengthen the continuous workspace. We installed a longer peninsula, and increased the bar seating from two seats to three. The peninsula also features a hidden pullout cabinet for extra storage.

Careful thought was put into every organizational feature. Our clients love their soft-close drawers for storing plates and bowls, the spice rack, the bookshelves for their cookbook collection, and their beautiful walnut custom coffee hutch, which looks like a standalone piece of furniture. The hutch features flipper doors, lighting, and a display cabinet. 

The white quartz counter top, cabinetry, and tile back splash contrasts beautifully with the walnut elements like the hutch and hood. Our clients are especially appreciative of Brooke Weinert’s expert guidance throughout the project in making selections and creating a cohesive design.

Our clients love their kitchen, which functions perfectly for their lifestyle, and allows them to entertain in their home in style and comfort.

Building an Oasis…

Our homes are often a reflection of our values, and how we hope to spend our time. For clients who love to entertain and host large gatherings filled with food, friends, and fun in the sun, this Project Spotlight will serve as a major inspiration.

Our clients wanted their home to be an oasis for hosting friends and family. That meant upgrades to the kitchen and dining room, to improve functionality for both cooking and entertaining. The large island, top of the range appliances, and bountiful storage provided by our custom cabinetry make it a dream kitchen to work in, alone or with many sous chefs at hand. The coffered ceilings in the dining room create a classic look with an open and inviting feel. The additional cabinetry and countertop match the selections in the kitchen, and provide storage and workspace, as well as a cohesive aesthetic.

We also transformed a screened-in porch into a three season room, making it suitable for additional months of use throughout the year. The views of the picturesque property through the new windows and the wet bar make it an ideal spot to hang out and relax with guests.

The clients’ outdoor property is truly enhanced by the new decking and sleek modern railings, which will stand up to tough upstate weather conditions. To maximize their enjoyment of their beautiful pool, we constructed a free-standing building with room for changing in and out of swimsuits, and storing pool supplies. Our clients worked with Brookside Nursery for their elegant landscaping and patio enhancements, and a local pool company to complete the upgrades to their outdoor space.

Our clients love their renovation and the ample opportunities it provides for making many fun memories with loved ones, all throughout the year.

 

 

A Kitchen With A Place For Everything, and Everything in its Place

Organization just makes life easier.

We all know the power of a well-designed system that contains clutter, hides mess, and sorts the endless “stuff” of our modern lives. Few rooms beg for good storage solutions and proper homes for our items more than the kitchen.

That’s one of the many reasons why this particular Project Spotlight is so inspirational. In this large kitchen renovation, no detail was spared in the achievement of thoughtful storage, easily accessible amenities, and beautiful, cohesive design.

Our clients were fortunate in the original footprint of their home kitchen–it was an already expansive space that needed some aesthetic upgrades and improved functionality for their lifestyle.

We moved the washer and dryer from the basement to the kitchen, and housed them in custom cabinetry that not only conceals the appliances, but creates extra storage space. The kitchen island and peninsula allow for tons of workable space for cooking, eating, or relaxing with friends over a bottle of wine. And that spirit is expertly stored in the beautiful wine refrigerator and wet bar, all conveniently located in the same kitchen space.

Other cool and convenient features include the chef’s pantry, spice rack organization, and special produce drawers, which take cooking and entertaining to another level.

The (seemingly miles of!) custom cabinetry shine in contrast to the two different featured countertop and backsplash materials–a gleaming quartz, and gorgeous gray Barroca soapstone. The effect is classic, sophisticated, and elegant.

Our clients love their new kitchen, and it’s certainly not hard to see why.

 

A Stunning Kitchen Renovation with the Coolest Conveniences

Kitchens are the beating hearts of homes. We work, gather, play, and celebrate in these hubs of our houses. Both messes and memories are made in them every day.

That’s why having a kitchen that truly works for your lifestlye is so important. Enthusastic cooks and entertainers deserve spaces that make their tasks easier, and function at an optimal level for the celebrations they love to host.

In this kitchen renovation, the goal was to improve both functionality and aesthetics for our clients, who enjoy gathering with friends and family. This goal was achieved by creating a wider passage from the kitchen to the dining room, to create a more open feel and flow.

Our custom cabinetry shop created the beautiful hutch, which looks built-in and original to the house. It also offers ample storage and a small additional workspace. The addition of a wet bar designates a special space for serving drinks away from the other appliances. By zoning out these separate areas for their precise purposes, our clients can work together to entertain in their kitchen without crowding. The wet bar again offers more storage, and the perfect place for a beverage cooler.

The result is a bright, open, cassic space that feels warm and welcoming and invites you to linger.

Our clients are thrilled with their gorgeous new kitchen, and look forward to all the celebrations to come in their customized and optimally-convenient space.

 

Go With the Flow

Sometimes the right renovation project doesn’t aim to vastly alter the size of a space, so much as make better use of it for the homeowners.

This was a key element of the kitchen renovation for these clients, who found that their original cooking space left them continually bumping into one another when trying to prepare a meal.

To give the homeowners more room to work and enjoy their kitchen, we changed the orientation and traffic flow of the room. We removed an eat-in table and added a kitchen island, which offers additional counter space and seating. We repurposed a salvaged patio door and moved it into the dining room, which creates a better traffic flow pattern. We also replaced the existing kitchen window with a much bigger window, optimizing the view, and giving a sense of openness and light to the space.

The kitchen also got a beautiful design upgrade, with custom cabinetry in two different, but complementary materials. The new dedicated pantry space, soft close drawers, and luxury vinyl tile flooring all come together to create a modern, sleek, yet warm aesthetic.

Our clients are thrilled with their renovation, and the improved functionality and flow of their kitchen.

Design Details that Delight

This expansive project included the transformation of a kitchen, laundry room/half bath, and a sunroom. The goals were to give our clients improved functionality in their spaces with plenty of storage, some window and door improvements, and an upgrade to the aesthetics.

The house is an older custom home with beautiful interior trim and other high end finishes. Our custom cabinetry and millwork was the correct fit for this exquisite home, and blended seamlessly with the original parts of the house.

We gave thought to things like low-maintenance exterior trim that will last. Our beautiful custom cabinetry provides great storage and organization solutions for the clients. Note the special details like the built-in table that offers a cozy nook for sharing meals together, and the beautiful kitchen island which extends the working space.

 Our clients were delighted with the finished product, and we know they are making many happy new memories in their gorgeous renovated spaces.