To say that last week was frustrating, aggravating and disappointing is an understatement! The good news is Ritchie ALWAYS knows how to make it better. Today he surprised me with vanities!
1) We started with this:
Amanda's scribble
2) Then signed off on this:
Custom vanity
3) And like magic, we got this!
Mrs S vanity
Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Me either, I am so pleased. And you cannot see it real well in the pictures, but the custom cabinet shop nailed it with the blue piping. Remember this?
The blue comet incident
For those of you just tuning in, I wanted a pinstripe of blue painted into the lines of the cabinet for an elegant detail. This photo shown above was far from elegant. And the painter tried to convince me that I wanted this look. The stripe was uneven, blotchy and too thick. Actually looked like a three year old did it! Not at all what I had in mind. In order to get what I wanted, the finished vanities were sprayed with an automobile airbrush sprayer, creating the finest pinstripe of blue, fit for a Queen!
Blue pinstripe
It’s all in the details:
Mr S vanity
Too often homeowners want to try their hand at remodeling, convinced that DIY is the way to go. While DIY suits many homeowners, you can miss out on some of the most spectacular “wows” of a space. The benefits of hiring a professional team ensures skilled detail, and finishes that most DIY’ers are not capable of doing. Skilled professionals, especially those that often work together produce remarkable projects. Combined experience is exponential and it can also help avoid costly mistakes.
Detail one
Case in point. When I showcased this photo below back in week 10, my inbox was FLOODED with emails. Why you ask? Everyone wanted know why on earth I would use 12″ tiles, in a day when 18″-20″ is the norm. I knew right off the bat that larger tiles would not work. The design I had in mind with a border and alternating tiles would not allow for larger tiles, and I refused to sacrifice the design for the “norm.” As a DIY’er you may succumb to the “norm” because of pushy sales people, glossy magazines and inexperience, which in the long run costs you time and money!
Dry tile run
The results? A beautiful tile design and a luxurious border. Larger tiles would not have fit, nor would they have looked correct in such a small space!
Tile layout
Detail two
Detail number two. When Ritchie and I discussed how we could make the tile design even better, we knew that the vanities would play a serious role in performance. I wanted the tile to have that extra special detail, similar to a well made outfit that has detailed stitching and oozes quality. So we bordered the bathroom as planned
Amanda's chicken scratch tile design
But added diagonal tile just behind that:
AB HOME Interiors tile design
Why on earth did we do that? Well I wanted a tailored shirt that oozed quality, and custom style……..the results?
Customer designed vanity by Amanda Burdge
A lovely little peak under the petty coat….so to speak. A nice little surprise in design and detail.
Vanity by Amanda Burdge
This added bonus in design is custom and unique. It adds texture and dimension to the space and makes the vanities and floors extra special. In order to achieve results like this it is necessary to plan ahead and always work with professionals. In order to get results like this it required a team of experts: design experts (umm, that would be me!) a skilled contractor, and a very talented tile installer to get it right! This required a whole lot of math that without Ritchie and his team would never had happened.
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About Amanda Gates
Bootiful!
Gorgeous, Amanda! It is gorgeous!! I love your constant attention to detail — it truly shows in the final product.
Amanda, bless you for doing this series! I am having a framed shower replaced with frameless glass and the grout redone. Sounds simple, right? I actually have a contractor and asked him to handle because I didn’t want to deal with the glass manufacturer, glass installer, tile person, etc. As the shower installer was finishing carrying the new glass upstairs, the tile man was walking out and the phone rang. It was a dear friend asking if they could come for the weekend and I said “yes”, secure in the knowledge that we would have two fully functional showers by the end of day. When I went upstairs later, I could only laugh – the glass installer was on the phone with the manufacturer in full cry because the glass had been mis-cut and the tile man had left a note saying that he hit a snag and would have to come back in two days. That means the shower is useless, even if the new glass is here before then. The contractor was most apologetic and all I could say was, “A wise decorator has taught me that it is what it is!” Thank you, Amanda, for preparing me to not lose my mind
Kate! I am so glad that you have been following this series! Hiccups always happen and no job is perfect. You have to learn to roll with the punches. Getting upset gets you know where and trusting in divine timing is all you can do. As my mother says “everything happens for a reason”…other than a story to share over wine, I never know what that reason is….but I am glad you were able to see it for what it was and know that your hiccup was not in vain….we ALL FACE them!