This transitional kitchen will soon belong to a family of four in North Boulder.  With construction slated to begin in May, we are just a few months away from completely transforming their space into something really magnificent! Click here for Press Release ..read more

Below are photos and short descriptions of some of my favorite new and innovative products from KBIS 2015.  Held annually, this show is a great way for manufacturers and service providers to connect with designers and other industry pros.  The show provides quite a bit of inspiration for me. The ideas I see here often translate into new and innovative concepts and I look forward to translating what I've found into tangible designs for my customers.   The theme that runs through this year's show is integration of technology into the home. Touchless plumbing fixtures, home automat ..read more

This bathroom is inside a great pool house in Cherry Hills Village.  We had to work around the existing tile flooring, which isn't great.  It's sort of a peach / pink color.  The previous homeowners painted the walls a flesh tone, which did not help.  Working with BOA Construction, I designed a new bathroom for the pool house using Porcelanosa wainscot tile, a custom 8" thick concrete countertop with trough sink, and a custom vanity with polished chrome inlays on the legs. Having to work around the existing flooring was a challenge.  However, the material and color ch ..read more

I've posted in the past that water jet technology is making its way into stone and tile manufacturing. It's allowing the manufacturers to cut really intricate designs into the stone and create some very elegant mosaic patterns. Below, a quick shot of a water jet natural stone mosaic (created out of thassos and calcutta gold marble) that I received in my office this week. We are using 8 of these beautiful mosaic tiles to create a 2' x 8' mural in a shower in Cherry Hills Village. I will post photos of the finished bathroom once we are done and include some detail shots of the mosaic as well ..read more

A bathroom project that I finished about a year ago is featured in this month's 5280 Home Magazine. Here is a link to the article: TotalTranquility_June2013_5280Home ..read more

"What is the difference between a thermostatic valve and a pressure balance valve?" I get this question pretty often.  In fact, I get this question so often that I am writing a post about it.  You'll most likely be given the choice of one of these types of valves when you plan your new shower or tub.  Here are the basics: Pressure Balance Valves (PB) A pressure balance valve has a single control that regulates the ratio of hot to cold water that flows out of the fixture.  There is no true volume control with a PB valve.  When the valve is turned on, 100% water volume p ..read more

Well planned out temp kitchens make life much nicer for you when your real kitchen is ripped apart. It's been a little over four years since I wrote, "8 Steps for a Successful Kitchen Remodel".  I received a lot of positive feedback about it.  That article was meant to provide a very basic look at what to expect during a kitchen (or bathroom) remodel.  There is a lot of information pertaining to expectations, responsibilities, and order of events.  So if you have never remodeled before - OR perhaps you just want to find out a little bit about my process, click on that link ..read more

It is quite easy to overlook the placement of GFCI receptacles (outlets) and light switches in your kitchen design.  We use these items so often that they become an oversight because they're always just "there" when you need them.  However, somebody had to think about where to put that light switch or that GFCI outlet.  It didn't just appear there... I use a few simple guidelines for switch and outlet placement when designing my clients' spaces.  Simply spending a few minutes in the design phase to lay out these items can make a big difference in the overall function of a ..read more

After a few concepts exploring different configurations, our homeowners decided that a free-standing tub, his and hers vanities, and a spectacular shower were tops on their list. BEFORE PHOTOS After photos ..read more

Week 1 Interested in following one of our kitchen remodels from start to finish? Good! You're in luck. We're going to be posting entries here as often as possible – shooting for weekly updates – following one of our kitchen remodels in Boulder.   Today is the first entry – and I'm going to use a few photos and drawings to illustrate the old house footprint and what we aim to accomplish with the kitchen remodel.   Here is a drawing of the existing house – pre-remodel.   Existing Floor Plan As you can see, the kitchen currently occupies the smallest room on the main level of ..read more