Kitchen & Bath Details That Make A Splash
ABOUT JAMIE GOLDBERG
Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS is an NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designer and a freelance design journalist. Her articles have appeared in Signature Kitchens & Baths Magazine, Fine Homebuilding, BobVila.com, KitchenBathIdeas.com and many others. She is also a regular contributor to Kitchens.com, where her Sensible Style blog appears each month.
Jamie currently lives and works in San Diego, California, where she writes her own Gold Notes blog and serves as the Design & Marketing Director for Italian Kitchen Design and Distribution, an importer of quality European cabinetry, based in the San Diego suburb of Escondido.
DESIGN IS IN THE DETAILS
Last month we looked at hardware. This segment focuses on those last little details that sometimes go unfunded or get overlooked. Think about the last time you walked into a darling powder room, only to notice plastic clips on the mirror or an ugly white switch plate cover.
Try to imagine this spa bath with plastic towel holders! How would they look with the elegant tile and sleek faucets?
Bathroom designed by Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS
Talk about a letdown! Design is in the details. So this edition of Details focuses on finishing touches. These are easy ways to upgrade your home without a major remodel.
WHAT DOES YOUR MIRROR TELL YOU?
We look at them every morning when we comb our hair, but when was the last time you really looked at yours? Are the edges chipped or rusting? Does your mirror lack a frame? Mirrors glued to the wall are tricky and hazardous to remove, but can be framed for a richer look. Clip-on mirrors or builder grade medicine cabinet mirrors can be more easily replaced. For a couple of hundred dollars or less, you can give your bathroom a much, much better look!
Pottery Barn‘s Kensington Mirror creates an instant bathroom upgrade.
Check out more mirror upgrades on Gold Notes.
FAST, EASY and STYLISH KITCHEN & BATH ACCESSORY UPGRADES
Chances are, your home has some permanently-installed accessories in one or more room that are taking away from their appeal. Examples include dime store kitchen paper towel holders, plastic flush levers on your toilets, plastic towel bars in your bathroom and builder basic switch plate covers. These are easy DIY upgrade opportunities on their own, and should be factored into any larger remodel plans you’re making.
Flush out ugly tank levers with coordinating versions, like this Brantford model from Moen.
Check out more accessory upgrades on Gold Notes.
SHOW YOUR DECOR
This is the easiest, most affordable, no tools or handyman required, update you can make to a kitchen or bath. If your canisters or drinking glasses are looking dated, visit your favorite home goods store or web site for an instant upgrade. They tend to be smaller, lower cost items, so changing out every few years isn’t a budget buster. (Donate your old set to a charity, please!) They’re also a great way to add color, texture and a new style component to your space.
Give your bath modern, international flair with Jonathan Adler‘s Berlin accessories
See more countertop accessories on Gold Notes.
COUNTER TOP REVOLUTION
What is your toaster or coffee maker saying about your kitchen? I’m tired… I’m old… I’m bargain basement? Countertop appliances are also easy upgrades, albeit a little more expensive. The first principle of countertop appliances, however, is to store the ones you don’t use daily. The only appliances that should sit on your counters are those that are part of your morning or dinner routine. If the food processor or stand mixer only gets used once a month or so, it doesn’t need to take up room on your countertops. For those essentials you do use daily, consider models that add functionality and style to your kitchen.
Give your kitchen coffee bar style and flexibility with this Cuisinart Coffee on Demand system at Williams Sonoma.
See more countertop appliances on Gold Notes.
This is the last installment of a five-part, first week of the month series with The Decorating Diva. Each edition focuses on a single room detail that can make a huge difference in the success of that space’s style.
Enjoy the entire Details series!
- Details #1 – The Lighting Edition
- Details #2 – The Faucet Edition
- Details #3 – Fabrics and Fibers
- Details #4 – The Hardware Edition
- Details #5 – Finishing Touches
