I had a bit of a lull in projects this summer. Most people have beach vacations or family outings on the calendar here in Wisconsin where the memories you make in the warm months have to sustain you during the unmentionable ones.

As I usually do during this wane, I decided to turn my attention to The Mothership and its immortal list of repairs and neglected nooks.

It was pretty obvious which room I wanted to start tackling. But before I could justify anything fun, I had to address the raggedy garden shed.

It was rotting away at an impressive pace. One of the doors was hanging on by a single hinge. Aren’t we all.

I got to work rebuilding the doors, but the other more tedious task involved three full days of scraping the surface of loose paint in the summer heat.

In the end, I managed to get a smooth surface, apply two coats of peel-stop primer and two more of some fresh black paint, install some new hinges and a cute little medallion detail on the doors as well as a few planter boxes on the side for an herb garden moment.

I also used the opportunity to clean, purge, and organize the inside for what I can admit was the first and last time.

The shed came out cute and checked off one of the less inspiring items on the list but most importantly, it gave me permission to move on the something less urgent, less necessary, but way more Important.

The 1^st floor sunroom was one of the major selling points of this house. It’s full of windows with a smidge of a lake view surrounded by big trees. It’s a perfect spot to look out at the squirrels and birds fighting and stealing from the garden beds.

There are obvious signs that it was just an open porch when the house was built. The windows to the “back” of the house look into the kitchen and the floors slope slightly for rain.

The original real estate photos show a goldengirlsesque patio set up. The finishes were dated, with ’70s paneling on the walls and that specific ’90s blue color on the ceiling. Someone had started sanding the floorboards but stopped short so there were remnants of blue paint and water stains as the floor went unsealed for at least the decade since we’ve lived here.

Even though it was a little rough around the edges, the potential was obvious. A bright sunny room with 9-foot ceilings, three walls of windows, right off the kitchen (snack proximity is key).

I began dreaming years ago.

These were my goals for the space:

A café table set-up to drink tea or wine and chat with friends, work on my laptop, or have little romantic dinners.

A comfy corner banquette, substantial enough to nap on and easy to clean.

Additional seating with arms for my older people who could use a little leverage. And also for me who could use a little leverage.  I always try to think about usability in all the different ways when I get new furniture. It’s important to have options for everybody who you want to be at your house comfortably. Burned into my brain is a story a friend told me years ago. They are heavier and went to someone’s house and all the furniture was wicker. It was a no-go. They were laughing about it, but I’d rather launch myself into the sun than be a wicker-ass-bitch.

Nick wanted a workstation for planting and garden tinkering and storage for his various planting paraphernalia. He was also interested in coziness because he would sometimes read and fall asleep in the old space.

Temperature control was a big factor too. The room is an ice box in the winter and a brick oven in the summer. To help with airflow and moving that lake breeze a bit, I wanted a ceiling fan and some blackout curtains to cut the sun off when it’s doing too much.

I also planned for a room heater for the colder months. It gets so cold in the winter that it has become tradition to just keep the food out there when we host Thanksgiving like a big walk-in freezer. I could have pumped some insulation into the walls but without replacing all the windows with energy-efficient ones it seemed rather pointless.

One of the things that made this project so exciting is that it didn’t require much to have a major impact. In terms of actual work to be done, it was mostly paint and sourcing new stuff.

Mostly.

The one glaring eyesore and an actual project was the paneling. It was recessed enough that I knew I could simply apply some board and batten-style paneling right on top of it, but that required learning a few new skills at YouTube University.

I got a circular saw and a guide and learned how to cut some 1/8” hardboard panels down and just glued them over the existing panels with construction adhesive. I then ripped down some 1/2” mdf panels into boards and used them to trim everything out. I used my miter saw to cut the boards and some chonky baseboards to size.

I also used a paint sprayer for the first time to spray the walls and trim black. I rolled the ceiling. Of course, I’m impatient so I did it on a hot day, almost perished from the heat and fumes and it took like 3 days to dry due to the humidity. Nailed it.

Anyone who follows along with my antics is unsurprised by my paint color choice on this project but in my defense, this was the perfect room for it. It’s not lacking in natural light or space and in this case, the black sort of disappears everything, creating a picture frame effect for the view outside. Two different people who were in the space before the changes asked me if I added windows. It’s kind of like that optical illusion with painting the chicken wire. Look, I’m no paintologist. I just know it works.  

I brushed and rolled the floor with porch and floor paint to make it more durable and water-resistant.

Another first on this project was installing a ceiling track for the curtains. It came in a big roll and was just flexible plastic with an aluminum core. It was a little tricky to snap into place but honestly not too bad and it just kind of blends in with the ceiling. The curtains glide smoothly and I can easily adjust them as the light changes throughout the day to blast my delicate hermit eyes.

I also switched out all my crank handles for black ones and installed LED strip lighting on top of the window trim pointing up at the ceiling. It gives off a nice warm ambient light and is really vibey at night.

A friend came through and installed the ceiling fan and switch and changed out my outlets for black ones. I don’t like ceiling fans. I have scoured and know basically all of the not-too-ugly options out there and they just are not very attractive compared to the endless options for gorgeous light fixtures in every price range. I scoured for one that felt a little old-timey and had a light. I wish it was black instead of bronze but I’m satisfied with it and use it daily.

Another little add-on I decided I needed is a retractable clothesline, so I don’t have to hang my delicate lady things in the dungeon anymore. 

My mom finally quit playing and gave me the worktable that I’ve been aggressively coveting from her garage. She rescued it from the curb years ago and also used it for yard and garden tool storage. It was rusty and had flaking paint, so I used some wire brush attachments for the drill to scrape it down and primed and painted it. I also added casters to elevate it a bit and make it portable for Spring. Nick wants to use it for plant starts in that good Southern sun on the other side of the room. I put some drawer organizers in it and stuffed them with seed packets and tools.

After that, it was just a matter purchasing a few things over the next few months and assembling a few Ikea finds like this BBQ cabinet that works well to hold garden stuff and has the same stainless steel worktop as our heirloom curb table.

One of the big-but-totally-worth-it splurges was the vinyl floor mat that I 10/10 absolutely love.

I was all over the place with ideas for the floor. I thought about painting a pattern, going wall to wall with my beloved Flor tiles, or even refinishing and sealing the crap out of it. But it needs to be water and snow and slush and dirt ready. It needs to be able to hold up to some real slop cuz it’s a bit of a drop zone in the winter and a buffer between garden and yard shenanigans and the house. These mats are just like any vinyl floor but in rug form. They would be amazing for a basement or covered porch or maybe a kitchen with wood floors. They come in so many sizes and the pattern was pretty impossible to choose from so many good ones. In the end, I picked one that referenced the foyer floor in the front entry. So far, it’s not showing any signs of wear or scratching even with moving furniture around and it sweeps and wipes up great. Winter will be the real test.

I sourced some outdoor patio armchairs which should hold up well in the sun, a little rolling cart for the corner, and I finally found a home for my trumpet guy painting that I got a year ago. It was done by an artist named Jerry Jordan and came to me by way of Mahogany Gallery in uptown Racine. It was a birthday present last year from my friends and family. Art is one thing I would spend recklessly on if I was a gazzillonaire. Not for the usual money laundering reasons but because it’s just so cool to have one-of-a-kind pieces that your fellow humans made with their brains and hands and I love how personal it is. Like, I’m well aware that some people will be as perplexed by some of my art as I am of theirs and I love that we can all be on such different pages about something so instinctual.

This space transformation has actually changed my day to day. I work in this sunroom now. I have meals here. We have weekend oatmeal with our parents out here. I’m inviting friends over more. It’s the only place I wanna be right now.

It’s still amazing to me, even as a design professional, how design can change the way we act and live in our spaces. I’ve spent more time in the last month in this room that I’m typing from than I did in the last 9 years in this house.

Before and After…

The seasons are changing and pretty soon this room is gonna ice me out for a little bit.

But for now, you know where to find me and probably a friend or two.

This large sunlit bedroom just needed a little love and a fresh start. The goal of this short and sweet project was to make the space more cohesive and grown-up, a little bolder, and a little more refined.

I kept the same basic layout, but edited out some of the furniture that wasn’t necessary for storage.

I picked a bold navy color drench and included two of the closets to minimize how the space was broken up. The effect makes the room feel more expansive.

I sourced some light curtains for the windows that are mostly meant to be decorative and coordinate with the existing shades.

I decided to stick with a white mod theme for the lighting. I think it balances the dark walls and feels poppy and cool. I also sourced the Billy bookcase to replace the existing one but in navy blue to feel slightly built-in because of the way it blends with the wall color.

The bed, side tables, and decor have some modern funkiness as well with a huge emphasis on textural interest rather than bold pattern.

Overall, I think the update feels sophisticated, luxurious, and exciting.

A big shout out to my client for her trust and adventurous spirit!

By now you might already know the process. I like to start with some positives. It’s a tried and true way to approach a transformation. The client and I try to figure out what they want to honor and bring out about their space. Even when there’s extensive demolition required, I like to think of it like weeding a garden to better highlight the best features.

The Considerations

In the case of this kitchen, even with some obvious room for improvement, the vibes were there. The space did feel good and that goes a long way!

-The natural light was pretty

-The minty pastel color felt fresh and bright

-The vintage feel of the checkerboard floor pattern and subway tile felt like a good jumping off point

-The room itself was actually pretty spacious

The client also had a pretty essential list of problems they wanted to solve:

-A layout that wasn’t functional

-An awkward work triangle (Sink-Stove-Refrigerator) The fridge was tucked around the corner in a nook

-Lack of adequate storage

-Almost no counter space or work surface

-Insufficient lighting

The only real style guidance from the client was, nothing too fussy, fru fru, or hard to clean, and she was dreaming of light blue or green for the cabinetry. I love a client who’s not afraid of some color! Since she is an OG client and friend, I had the added benefit of being somewhat familiar with her personal style.

And since the Caledonia project pretty much solidified my title as the official designer to the pets of Racine, I also made sure to account for the ever-discerning Hunter in the final designs. (More on that later.)

 So, with a lot to consider and a lot to work with, the contractors got to business pulling those weeds to reveal some fabulous blooms!

The Plan & The Process

For the layout, we focused on creating a better workflow, increasing counter space, and considering specific storage needs. Given that the house has an adjacent sit-down dining room and the breakfast nook wasn’t being utilized, we decided that ditching the nook was the easiest way to gain real estate and counter space. The main zones would be:

-The refrigerator zone with a pantry and spice storage beside it

-The floor-to-ceiling built-ins with toe-kick drawers

-The corner prep area with a hidden microwave, magic corner, and open shelving for display

-The range (same as existing location), sink (relocated to opposite wall), and dishwasher with ample counter space and pull-out utensil storage

-The back hall pet zone with accent wallpaper and more open shelving

The heat register was inconveniently blocked by the range so we opted to relocate it to the empty wall on the other side of the doorway.

The goal was to keep things bright but also use lots of color and warm tones. I initially chose a powder blue for the cabinetry, but the client wisely pivoted to a sage-y green on second thought. We carried over the black and white details from the original kitchen in the flooring and backsplash and sourced deep walnut butcher block countertops for contrast and old world charm. We also decided to balance the cool cabinets with rich warm tones, bronzes and antique brasses, for the hardware and lighting.

The floor is an outdoor-rated (durable) matte porcelain tile that maintains the checkerboard pattern from the previous floor but with larger squares that are oriented on a diagonal for a more interesting overall effect. It was grouted in dark gray for cleanability.

We landed on some pendants with traditional details and filled them in with recessed fixtures to make sure there were options and adequate lighting in the various workspaces.

In the old refrigerator spot in the back hall, I designed a custom cabinet configuration for a dog station. The small bottom drawer pulls out for food and water bowls and the larger drawers are for food/toys/etc. There’s more open shelving on the wall above, to store small appliances, cookbooks, vases, and any other display items.

The wallpaper was a saga. I do not blame the client for finding it difficult to narrow down a pattern from the 20 gazillion options. To be honest, even as a designer, this is the hardest finish to source. The options are actually too limitless and if you don’t have something very specific in mind, you can easily get lost in the wallpaper wilderness. In this case, we wanted something with a vintage feel that also tied in the cabinet color but introduced some more accent colors. We were leaning towards florals, but nothing too sweet or poppy. We went all over Tarnation (the internet) looking for the perfect one and we landed on one of our first picks, of course.

All the cabinets, countertops and shelves were custom-made and installed by the same amazing local company. It was the best option, given the non-standard ceiling height and our wacky storage ideas. They did a phenomenal job with the storage and details.

The original footprint had a non-negotiable wall that jutted out next to the old sink. We utilized it with a shallow spice cabinet in front to appear flush with the rest of the cabinets on that wall. The client’s spice collection is the stuff of dreams, so it was warranted. There’s a pantry with a trash pullout to the right of that with a paneled fridge and a cabinet above it.

The counters and shelves are walnut with a decorative ogee edge to them feel more traditional and less rustic or farmhouse than a flat edge. I think that little detail made a huge difference.

We used a jumbo white subway tile installed all the way to the ceiling for a really rich look. The larger size makes the room feel grand and also minimizes grout lines. We also landed on a marble mosaic feature tile above the range with a little bit of an iridescent glimmer. It serves to frame the pot filler, which was on the client’s must-have list, and anchor the custom hood.

One practical way to make the kitchen feel older was hiding the modern appliances (dishwasher/ microwave/ fridge).

The client fell in love with a gorgeous antique white range that feels both historical and brand new and is pretty much the star of the whole show, if you ask me.

The team did an amazing job of implementing the shared vision, working in all the details, and adjusting to changes along the way!

The Results

This collaboration was probably my favorite to date. The client’s vision and trust and the unbelievable work, problem-solving, and craftsmanship from the multiple skilled contractors along with my scribbles and hare-brained ideas culminated in a beautiful kitchen that still has elements of its former self but is now flourishing in its potential.

Many Thanks!

Shout out to the folks who made it happen:

Beth Pramme, client extraordinaire!

Scott Hanson

Don and Nick

Scott Goebel

Jim at Conscious Decorating

Check out my socials for some fun videos of this project!

I recently sat down with Coppersmith to recount my Caledonia projekt. Take a tour of the Kitchen Living Room and Dining Room and watch me gush over that beautiful hood!