Would you believe this is my one hundredth blog post?! Wow.

I don’t get to show off too many bath projects, but the details of this one are pretty stellar. Our dedicated and insightful client, Cody, contributed a lot to this design, which I will discuss in a minute. But first, let’s revisit the state of the bath before renovation, courteous of the previous DIY homeowners with the best of intentions. The improvements were made to help sell the house, but Cody discovered the hard way that things were not built to last.

the bathroom before

Things to note: awkward location of sink and vanity cabinet, brown tile, removal of actual window in favor of complete darkness and lack of ventilation, toilet in ‘rear facing’ position, beige.

the bathroom before

Lastly, plenty of water damage from incorrectly installed shower. They forgot an important detail: waterproofing! Usually one would want a shower pan to capture any water that seeps beneath the tile (note to do-it-yourselfers: tile is not waterproof).

water damage

I hate to sound rude, but I really have no patience for poorly executed construction posing as an improvement. Wisely, Cody committed to a full renovation of the bathroom, so the layout of fixtures was totally up for grabs. We introduced a linear storage cabinet and bench on one side, and the vanity, toilet and shower fixtures on the other.

The tile selections and layout were our biggest decisions. Cody was drawn to the handcrafted feel of Fireclay Debris series tiles, which have a natural red clay body made from 70% recycled tiles and glazed in over 100 colors. Local tile supplier House + Earth was kind enough to loan us the entire sample box for a weekend, and Cody meditated on various color combinations. What he landed on was an earthy, craftsman-inspired mix of  Clover Matte, Emerald Green, Demitasse and Craftsman Green. The selections mix a matte and gloss finish, which I think works really well over a large surface. During construction, I helped him pick the grout color, which is a warm natural grey that has a sandy texture.

At the main floor area and curb, we chose a porcelain tile, Interceramic Glow in Galaxy. AKDO marble mosaic lines the shower floor and niche, which complements the crema delicato marble at the bench and countertops.

We discussed the different shower experience that one gets from a rainhead versus a handheld shower. Ultimately, we decided to have both, sourced by Hansgrohe, with the shower control located across from the entrance to the shower. Cody sourced the Caroma Bondi toilet, which is apparently the best one on the market.

Working with Texas Construction enabled us to pull off some tricky details, as well. We sized the window to match the width of the room, and created the condition where the tile dies straight into the window trim. Peter (the project supervisor) and I had to do a lot of fractional math to figure that one out, since the window is obviously ordered well before the wallboard and tile are in place. Luckily, it worked out! We applied a vinyl film over the lower two-thirds of the window for privacy, but wanted to leave the upper portion open to the view of trees and sky.

Hardware is important in such a small space: these are Alno Euro robe hooks in chrome, and we selected Mockett pulls at the cabinets. And this Sugatsune pocket door pull gives another touch of modern elegance.

Project Team:

Contractor: Texas Construction

Marble: Architectural Tile & Stone

Tile: Fireclay, from House + Earth

Hardware: Mockett

Plumbing Fixtures: Hansgrohe and Caroma Bondi

Window: Andersen 100

Photography by Whit Preston

Anna and Jon lived in their 1939 Travis Heights cottage for over twenty years before deciding to remodel their kitchen. The existing space was fairly functional, in the form of a galley kitchen with the refrigerator on the end wall. Old cabinets were augmented by some IKEA organizers and open shelving, but things like the faulty hardware, vinyl flooring, and lack of ventilation were starting to become a hinderance to cooking.

With the new space, we filled in each end wall with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, at once doubling the storage and creating nicer focal points at either end of the space. Open shelves are incorporated into the design, and are painted a crimson-China red as an accent to Anna & Jon’s many Asian artifacts throughout the house.

the kitchen ‘before’

We reconfigured the doors and windows, shown in their before state above and below, in order to open up to the amazing expanse of live oak trees shading their wood decks out back. Rather than a stacked clerestory over the windows and doors, we brought both up to the full 8-foot height and simplified the window layout with one single fixed pane in the middle. This really brings the detail and color of the oak leaves into the kitchen. We reshaped and narrowed the arched opening to the dining room, a feature that repeats throughout the original cottage.

the kitchen ‘before’

new kitchen floor plan

We relocated the pantry to the end wall with the refrigerator. A reclaimed ‘monkey pod’ wood slab forms a work surface in front of a sliding door appliance garage. Deep drawers below and doors above provide plenty of space for bulk storage and boxed goods. A narrow broom cabinet sits to the left of the fridge, and of course there’s a bundle of storage above in that extra-deep cabinet.

The view from the kitchen extends beyond the rainforest green marble countertop. Bronze hardware and even a bronze-colored sink take the kitchen away from the standard shiny metals, and tie in more to the oak limbs beyond. A glass backsplash behind the cooktop brings the reflections of the trees to the opposite side of the kitchen.

The cabinet construction is incredibly well-built (by Steve Tull, working in collaboration with the builder, Craig Parker). Rift-sawn white oak cabinets were chosen to complement the dark-stained oak flooring, which continues from the rest of the house into the kitchen. The wood grain is matched carefully across drawer fronts, separated by precise 1/8″ gaps between drawers. Pulling this off in an out-of-level historic house is not easy, folks! (Secret of the trade: Craig’s crew squared off the room by shimming out the existing framing and leveling the floor before cabinets were measured and installed.)

The sink drawer fits snugly around the drain pipes but provides all that extra storage for sponges, towels and dish soap. I know Anna and Jon are thrilled at this level of craftmanship throughout the kitchen.

Project Team:

Contractor: Craig Parker Homes

Cabinetmaker: Steve Tull

Photography: Whit Preston

Styling: Creative & Sons

See the project description here.

We recently completed Erin and Taylor’s kitchen, which is in a more traditional language for Hello Kitchen, but shows some of our favorite color tones, materials, and design with natural light. The project is in a 1951 cottage in Westlake, which had seen various improvements throughout the years, including a master wing addition and garage enclosure in the 1980′s. The kitchen is designed to complement the best assets of the house: the wood floors, existing detailed trim, double hung windows, and brick fireplace dividing the large and small living rooms.

While Erin and Taylor liked the general aesthetic of the house, the arrangement of walls and doorways created some problems with the flow and functionality. The existing kitchen lacked workspace, and the appliances were all in awkward, crowded locations. The image below shows the kitchen before renovation, with the old location of the stove, refrigerator, and pantry wall on the left. This shows how completely shut off the dining room was from the kitchen, as well as the view to the street through the front windows.

the kitchen before, looking to the dining room

The kitchen layout widened to increase the space between counters and connect better with the breakfast and dining areas at either end. Since the kitchen is buried in the center of the house, this was an important move to bring in more natural light to the kitchen.

Taken from roughly the same direction facing the breakfast table, the photo below shows the ‘before’ kitchen, with the original cabinetry, retrofitted flourescent lighting, vinyl tile, and popcorn ceilings. The refrigerator was in a particularly unfortunate location and blocked the central aisle with its depth. And take note of the drapery on the left, covering the garage window… actually, it wasn’t a window, but a half-hearted attempt of a previous owner to fill in a window with black paint.

the kitchen before, looking to the breakfast table

From the opposite corner of the breakfast table, the refrigerator side was the most prominent feature. The main goal of our renovation was to dramatically open this corner and create a better connection between this adjacent living room and the kitchen cooking area.

the kitchen before, from the adjacent living room

A view during construction shows exactly what was going on inside those walls. We introduced new beams to pick up the load from the wall that was removed, and added a structural column in that wall near the door to the back hall. We also closed in the ‘window’ that opened into the garage.

the kitchen during construction

We emphasized the new beams with a stepped trim and crown molding to create a coffered ceiling affect. I think the division helps divide the space and control the scale of the open plan room, which is more in tune with the traditional style of the cottage aesthetic.

This ‘before’ image shows the existing blue wall separating the kitchen from the front living room, which was less often used since it felt disconnected from everything else.

the living room before

We created an arched opening in this wall with bar seating facing in toward the kitchen sink and cooktop beyond. The swinging doors to the dining (on left) and back living room were removed, and new cased openings extend to the underside of the beams. Erin worked with designer Blair Burton to select the neutral color palette, with Revere Pewter at the walls, Silver Satin trim, and natural linen upholstery. The fireplace brick was repainted to match the new crown molding in the room, tying these elements together visually.

We located the microwave below counter height in an open shelf, so it stays out of the way. A glass door bar cabinet at the end of the peninsula is a handy spot for cocktail mixers, glassware, and ice bins. Company tends to gather around this end and it makes a nice social center in the kitchen.

We designed this retractable door cabinet that sits on the marble counter for storing small appliances. Erin is so happy that she decided to go with the marble – it’s been a great surface to work with that she enjoys seeing every day! So far, just a few tiny etch marks that you can only see at eye level.

This Circa Bryant Sconce is a beautiful accent at the arched opening, as it casts light upward along the curve.

The new bridge faucet is Grohe, in polished chrome.

We designed the custom vent hood cover to harmonize with the trim details and emphasize the bright white of the cabinets. This style is called ‘flush inset’, meaning that the frame of the cabinet box is exposed and the door sits inside the opening. It’s a little harder to build since the gap around must be pretty dead-on, but our cabinetmaker did a fantastic job.

The backsplash is a simple white beveled subway tile. The drop in gas cooktop allows the marble to extend from wall to wall, making a clean, continuous line.

Drawers are full-extension with concealed glides, and made of baltic birch plywood. Erin lined each drawer with a different style mat – I love that little surprise of pattern and color!

Erin and Taylor sound like they’re enjoying the kitchen and cooking up a storm for family and friends! I’m so glad to see it lived in and well cared for. And thanks to Tonianne for another project beautifully executed!

Project Team:

Contractor: Tonianne Soster of TAS Construction

Cabinetmaker: FAB Shop

Design: Blair Burton

Appliances: Bosch

Light Fixtures: WAC, Ballard Designs, Circa Lighting

Plumbing Fixtures: Kohler, Grohe

Photos by Allison Cartwright of Twist Tours

Carrot Soup with Harrissa

1 lb carrots, washed and cut into large dice (not peeled… I think this preserves flavor)
2 tbsp butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
4 cups low-salt organic vegetable broth
kosher salt
1/2 cup half and half
Les Moulins Harissa

1. In a large sauce pot, sautee carrots and onions in butter until slightly softened; add salt to taste. Cover with vegetable broth (the quantity may vary, but I think I used 4 cups. Pour in the broth just until the veggies begin to float). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

2. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into sauce pan and stir in half and half until well blended. Serve with harissa and a bit of olive oil on top.

Enjoy!

If you’ve read a number of posts on this blog, you’ll see my trend of excitement as spring weather approaches. One of my favorite way to spend a Saturday morning (and sometimes Saturday afternoon and Sunday) is gardening. We’ve been in our house ten years this September… that’s amazing! Longer than I’ve ever lived in one place, which means that I’ve seen more than a few growing seasons and weather cycles in our garden. When we moved in 2004, we experienced some severe storms… one of those those kinds that kept me awake, watching from the upstairs window at the rising waters along our street and wishing we had set our foundation about 3 inches higher. In 2007, the year our son was born, it rained almost every day in the summer; 2011 brought the worst drought I’ve experienced in my lifetime.

It’s these kinds of meteorological anecdotes that linger in the mind of a gardener every year – and the consequences of these that play out in the garden’s thriving species each season. Year 2008: white fly and spiky armored beetles consumed my dwarf pomegranate, and the annual pruning became so miserable that I finally ripped it out of the herb garden for good. Year 2006: planted the upright rosemary hedge, which was 4 inches tall at the time and now stands at least 6 feet. Year 2011: the horrible drought that decimated the weak and old, including our neighbors’ incredible 85 year old Amercian Elm. It’s absence left a blast of sun for our front yard vegetable potagers. Year 2013: ladybugs!

From the beginning of our garden’s evolution we’ve had an herb potager (it was even noted on the site plan). I love cooking with herbs and always planned to have the basics in ground: thyme, rosemary, sage, basil & bay. All these have thrived in our Texas climate, so I’ve experimented with annual herbs like dill, fennel, sorrel, rue, lemon balm, verbena, mint, chives, chervil, chamomile, parsley, cilantro, daisies, savory, marjoram, lavender. It’s amazing to see all them written out here, and to think of the huge range of tastes and dishes they can inspire. One that comes to mind is Lemon Cornmeal Lavender Madeleines, which is basically this recipe with a spoonful of chopped lavender blossoms thrown in. Or this Kale & Apple Salad with Winter Herb Vinaigrette, which I wrote about in 2010.

The Herb Garden, circa 2010

This cannellini bean & chard soup is another recipe that came to me after realizing the combination of herbs and veggies that were at their peak in the garden. Our swiss chard is absolutely going nuts this year, making me look like some sort of crazy green thumb. In reality, I’ve tried chard every fall for the past three or four years with meager results… until now. I believe the success of each plant depends on the immediate circumstance of rainfall, sun, heat, insect population, date planted. It’s almost as if I have nothing to do with it all, and I just look on amazed at the results.

The Herb Garden, circa 2013

So here’s an Italian soup to transition from winter to spring, at once hearty and sprightly. You can throw in any amount of herbs, but I prefer the combination of rosemary, thyme, bay and marjoram / oregano.

Cannellini Bean and Swiss Chard Soup

1/2 cup dried cannellini beans, not soaked (see below)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 leek, white parts only, sliced thin
2 medium carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
kosher salt & ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 sprig each of rosemary, thyme, and oregano, leaves stripped from the stem
2 bay leaves
2 cups canned tomatoes, whole
8 large leaves of red swiss chard, large stem removed and the rest chopped
6 cups vegetable or beef broth, depending on your mood
dusting of parmesan reggiano

1. Instead of soaking beans overnight like you’ve always been told, try this (adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone): cover beans with 4 times their volume in water, bring to a boil for a full minute, and leave to soak for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain, rinse with fresh water, and set aside to add to the soup later.

2. In a wide pot, bring salted water to a boil and add swiss chard. Simmer for 4 minutes and drain.

3. In a dutch oven or enamel pot, heat olive oil over medium high. Add leek, carrot, celery and saute until tender but not brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and herbs, and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook over medium heat until the liquid evaporates and becomes somewhat caramelized, about 10 minutes.

4. Add drained beans, broth and chard and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. The skin should remain in tact. Season with salt & pepper right as the beans begin to soften, after about 30 minutes (otherwise the beans take forever to cook).

5. Serve with a dusting of parmesan. Enjoy!

A few weekends ago I put the lil’ Weber grill back in action and experimented with a new grilling method: smoking with wood chips. Last year I pretty much focused on charcoal direct grilling without using the cover. If the heat is high enough, and the grill properly oiled, most everything ends up tasting good. I was a little more skeptical about introducing a smokey flavor to the food, but I had a relatively inexpensive meat on hand (chicken thighs) and some very fresh looking bok choy to test out.

After considering cherry or mesquite wood chips at the store, my eyes landed on the single remaining bag of pecan wood chips. I imagined the flavor to be somewhat sweet and nutty, without that overpowering ‘mesquite bbq’ flavor. The wood chips are soaked in water for 30 minutes, then placed in a foil pouch (I used about 1/2 cup wood chips which expanded in size). I use a charcoal chimney starter to get the coals burning, and then place the foil pouch next to the hot coals.

Obviously smoking involves putting on the cover, which takes a bit more time to cook. But the results were amazing. With only kosher salt and pepper as the seasoning, the natural flavor of the pecan smoke infused the chicken and created a tandoori-like taste. I swear, I will never marinate in yogurt and spices for 24 hours again (which always just scorches over high heat anyway). The chicken was not at all scorched, but had a nice crispy texture and pinkish hue. I made a Coconut Scallion salsa from Planet Barbecue, which brought in the spicy and lemony tastes to balance out the sweet smoke.

So I’m committing this one to writing, with plans to make this again soon!

Grilled Pecan Chicken and Bok Choy with Coconut-Scallion Salsa

1 lb boneless chicken thighs
1/2 cup pecan wood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
kosher salt & pepper
2 large bok choy, cut lengthwise and brushed with peanut oil
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3 green onions
serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
tortillas, warmed on a cast iron, for serving

1. Preheat lump charcoal and place on bottom of grill. Place soaked wood chips in a foil pouch, and lay on top or just next to the hot coals. Cover the grill and let the wood chips begin to smoke.

2. Season the chicken thighs with salt & pepper. Brush the grill with vegetable oil, and make sure it’s super hot (test by putting your hand about 3 inches above the grate… if you can only stand it for 1-2 seconds, it’s ready). Place chicken thighs on the grill, but away from the direct flame. Cover the grill and close the vents to lower the heat.

3. After 10 minutes, check the chicken for grill lines and turn. Add bok choy and green onions to the grill, also away from the direct flame.

4. In a bowl, mix the coconut, serrano paper, and lemon juice. After the green onions have browned, chop and add to the bowl.

5. The chicken may take a few more turns, but it will be done when it feels firm to the touch and has crispy skin. I think I cooked mine for 25 minutes total, but this is not an exact science. It’s best to stay near the grill, with a glass of wine in hand, to ensure even cooking.

6. The bok choy will be done when it starts to tenderize around the thick white part. Serve everything together with the salsa and warm tortillas.

Enjoy!!

I’m glad to see two other Austin architects, McKinney York and Loop Design, on this list as well!

Serena’s kitchen project was part of a complete restoration of a 1920 historic bungalow in the charming Old West Austin neighborhood.  Serena had recently purchased the house, which was about half-way through a renovation by the previous owner. The kitchen was void of plumbing fixtures and appliances and had vinyl parquet flooring and new drywall. We were all thankful for this blank slate, with many of the original craftsman details preserved.

existing 1920 bungalow; the kitchen ‘before’

1920 is a great year for the bungalow – in Austin, they are usually distinguished by more interesting porch railings and column capitals, built-in bookcases and armoires, five-panel doors, and distinctive room shapes and sizes (as opposed to the 1940 ’6-pack’ with less character). Serena’s house is distinctive in that it had two sunrooms lined with windows: one off the front bedroom facing the side yard, and the other adjacent to the kitchen facing the back yard. A new deck was built as part of this project, making the back yard and ‘kitchen lounge’ (as we called it) more useful and better connected to the landscape.

Kitchen Floor Plan

Another fun and unique space is the breakfast nook, which is just big enough for a seating booth (soon to be reconstructed in its sunny corner), wood wainscot walls and built-in pantry cabinet. This room forms a vestibule between kitchen and dining room and doubles as a butler’s pantry. The Elmira 1950 refrigerator in Buttercup Yellow becomes a focal point as seen through the cased opening and millwork details.

One of the more transformative changes for the house was to bring this much light into the kitchen area. We worked with the original window locations, but opened the wall to the sunny kitchen lounge for increased daylight. The walls are painted ‘Vanilla Milkshake’ white to bounce light of all the surfaces. A new cast-iron sink with extended drainboards and gloss white subway tile add to the gleam of the kitchen.

The cabinets turn to form a peninsula and bar top area facing the lounge, with open shelves facing the kitchen. One of my favorite accents is the mosaic floor border pattern, which was laid out around the cabinet base and toe kick detail. Serena sourced this material from American Restoration Tile, who pointed her to a tile that is manufactured within 500 miles of Austin. This contributed to her goal of sourcing 100% sustainable materials for the project, not to mention the effort and dedication to restoring a historic house.

The reclaimed cast iron sink is typical of this era, with its drainboard (pre-dishwasher feature!) and raised backsplash.

Reclaimed long leaf pine beams become shelves, supported by new brackets. Serena decided to keep their original rough-hewn texture to show the story of their use over time. This bit of character offsets the polished nickel Reed sconces from Rejuvenation – these are a good alternative to under-cabinet task lighting if one wants to stay a little more traditional.

On the opposite wall is the new range and built-in vent hood. The original design showed reclaimed shelves on either side of the vent hood, but during construction Matt’s crew and Serena discovered an old ironing board niche that had been painted tumeric yellow. She loved the idea of revealing this bit of history, so the shelves were scrapped and the new / old niche took its place.

Since an original 1920 house would definitely not have had a shiny new vent hood, we decided to downplay this detail with a drywall surround. This recalls a plaster fireplace hearth from an earlier era and is a bit more ambiguous in its purpose. I also like how the simplicity of this form leads the eye over to the original millwork of the windows and doors.

We developed a unique cabinet design to play off the historic millwork details: the painted cabinet frame is 3″ wide throughout, and flush inset doors and toe kick panels are made of reclaimed long leaf pine sourced by our cabinet maker. The cabinet boxes are constructed from FSC certified GreenPly, and the drawers are solid maple. We used no-VOC Benjamin Moore Aura paint throughout, which is completely odor-free and much friendlier to the environment. I’m starting to standardize these materials on all the projects since it’s so much more responsible.

DeVos Woodworking had these Sipo Mahogany countertop remnants left over from another job, so the pieces were templated and cut for Serena’s kitchen (another reclaimed resource). The knife slot is incredibly handy and simple to create: a 1/8″ slot was cut into the butcher block top, and the drawers are shortened a tad to allow room for the knives to hang below countertop. I love it and will definitely use this detail again!

Serena has become a great steward for this old house and deserves a lot of credit for committing to its restoration. So many people would have just torn it down, or tried to double its footprint for resale. There’s always so much to learn working on historic houses; in this case, the scale and individuality of each room, quality of the daylight streaming in through the huge double hung windows, and craftsman details give me an appreciation for this traditional architectural style.

Local Resources:

Contractor: Matt Davenport of Home Source Construction

Countertops: DeVos Woodworking

Appliances: Callahan’s

Tile: Restoration Tile

Photography: Whit Preston