www.atlasgreenhomes.com

Room at a Glance
 
Location: Austin, TX
Size: About 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)
  

BEFORE: The ’80s called Pirl and they wanted their bathroom back. When she arrived at the scene, she was greeted by outdated violet tile, low-quality cabinets and a dark and cramped space.

Her clients had a few immediate and future uses in mind for the first-floor bathroom project. Because it was adjacent to two guest rooms, it would immediately serve as a guest bath, but should they need to move their master bedroom downstairs in the future, it would serve as the master bath. Also, it is the only bathroom on the main level, so they wanted it to serve as a pretty powder room when they entertain.

BEFORE: The wall at the end of the shower stall chopped up and darkened the small room.

Two main factors drove the design. One, making sure her clients could age in place — they wanted a shower that would be easy to use should they have any mobility problems in the future. Two, they wanted a space that was light and bright. “The best way to accomplish this was to remove the bulky tub and divider wall and add a larger glass shower stall,” Pirl says. Her clients had no interest in adding a tub since they already had one in another part of the house. Pirl notes that many of her clients are less interested in bathtubs lately and instead focus on luxurious spa-like showers.

“The window was existing, but it was very basic with no mullions. It felt very bland and dated,” Pirl says. She kept the window size the same but replaced it with a window that has Craftsman-era mullions.

Because there is a lot of beautiful millwork throughout the rest of the home, the designer knew wood wainscoting was the way to go. She placed beadboard at a height that created a high backsplash. “The relationship between the window and the wainscoting was very important, and luckily the height of the window worked perfectly with the wainscot,” she says.

Wall paint: Mt. Rainier Gray; wainscoting paint: Alabaster, both Benjamin Moore; toilet: Kohler

Pirl layered in a mix of elements from the first few decades of the 20th century. “The pedestal sink, black and white floor tile and white subway tile are classic early 20th century; the wood elements like the wainscot, window mullions and custom built-in medicine cabinet fit in really well with the Craftsman style of the house; and the vanity mirror and chrome cabinet hardware reference the 1920s and Art Deco style,” she says.

Sink: Barclay; faucets: Pfister; mirrored medicine cabinet: custom

The shower surround is classic white subway tile, but with a modern touch: a glass mosaic accent band. “We wanted just a touch of color and texture, which we brought in with the accent band in the shower,” the designer says. She and her clients chose a mix of white, blue and black tiles to coordinate with the black and white tile floor and the gray-blue wall paint.

Floor, subway and shower floor tile: Daltile; accent tile: Bedrosians Tile and Stone

Glass above the wainscoting on the right shares light between the shower stall and the rest of the bathroom and keeps the views open.

Because she opted for a pedestal sink rather than a vanity with cabinets, Pirl knew she’d need to give her clients more storage elsewhere. Also, her client wanted a separate station for hair and makeup. Rather than building a tall cabinet for storage, the designer cleverly created a high countertop with a dresser-like cabinet chock full of storage. She added great makeup lighting and an octagonal mirror. This area has the Art Deco-style elements she mentioned. Mixing eras makes it seem as though the bathroom has evolved over the decades.

Call Atlas Green Homes    713 545 2429 for free consultation with  over 30 years of experience in constructions

The post Craftsman Bathroom Gets Its Good Looks Back appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

More than 100,000 people injure themselves each year doing home improvement jobs. So add medical bills to your DIY budget, and you ending up spending the same, or more, than if you hired a pro.

We’re not suggesting that you call a plumber each time you need to plunge a toilet. But think twice about what DIY might really cost you. Here’s how to decide.

Stick to routine maintenance for savings and safety

Seasonal home maintenance is ideal work for the weekend warrior because you can tackle these jobs when your schedule permits. Because these are routine maintenance projects, your savings will add up. Mowing your own lawn, for example, saves $55 to $65 a week for a half-acre lawn. The bigger the lot, the bigger the savings: with two acres, you’ll pocket around $150 per week.

When it pays:

• Snow removal

• Pruning shrubs

• Washing windows (be careful on that ladder)

• Sealing decks

• Painting fences

• Fertilizing lawns

• Replacing air conditioner filters

• Cleaning gutters

When it costs: Unless you have skill and experience on your side, stay off any ladder taller than six feet; according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency rooms are filled with people with ladder injuries. The same goes for operating power saws or attempting any major electrical work—it’s simply too risky if you don’t have the experience.

Become your own general contractor

If you’re more comfortable operating an iPhone than a circular saw, you could act as your own general contractor on some home improvement projects. That means you hire, schedule, and pay the carpenters, plumbers, and other tradesmen yourself. You’ll save 10% to 20% of the job cost, which is the contractor’s typical fee.

When it pays: If it’s a small job that requires only two or three subcontractors, and you have good relationships with top-quality professionals in those fields, consider DIY contracting.

When it costs: When you don’t have an established network of reliable workers, time to supervise, construction experience to spot problems, and the skill to negotiate disputes between subcontractors, your project and budget are at risk.

Invest sweat equity on big jobs

Contribute your own labor to big jobs being handled by a professional crew and cut hundreds, even thousands, off construction costs. For instance, tear out kitchen cabinets and appliances before the contractor gets started, and you might knock $800 off the cost of your remodel. Make sure you negotiate cost savings with your contractor before pitching in.

When it pays: Jobs that are labor-intensive but require relatively little skill make perfect sweat equity jobs. Perform minor interior demolition, such as pulling up old flooring, daily job site cleanup, product assembly, and simple landscaping.

When it costs: If you get in the crew’s way, you may slow them down far more than you help. Make your contributions when the workers aren’t around; mornings before they arrive, or nights and weekends after they’ve left.

Add finishing touches

Unlike the early phases of a construction job–which require skilled labor to frame walls, install plumbing pipes, and run wires–many finishing touches are comparatively simple and DIY-friendly. If you paint a basement remodel yourself, for instance, you can save up to $1,800.

When it pays: If you have skill, patience, or an experienced friend to teach you, setting tile, laying flooring, painting walls, and installing trim are good DIY jobs.

When it costs: The downside to attempting your own finish work is that the results are very visible. Hammer dents in woodwork, or sander ruts in hardwood floors will annoy you every time you see them. So unless you have a sure eye and a steady hand, don’t perform the tasks that only a skilled tradesperson will get right.

The post When It Pays to Do It Yourself – appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.