Oswego Bathroom Renovation

We just recently wrapped up a bathroom remodel in Oswego.  The picture to the right is a before shot I took on the day we started.  The bathroom is very small (only 4′ x 10′) but it still has a full shower, vanity and toilet.  We also managed to find space for a utility cabinet next to the toilet when it was done.  The new shower is a combination of slate and porcelain tiles.  The shelves in the shower are made of solid slate – really cool.  The shower has a custom base to best use the space available.   The shower door is a frame-less glass door using glue chip glass to give some privacy to the shower.  The new vanity is from Fieldstone Cabinetry and is made of cherry.  It was customized to make it shallower than a standard vanity to increase the floor space of the room.  The countertop and the shower threshold are a variety of granite that closely resembles soapstone.  The sink is stainless steel.  All the plumbing fixtures are from Kohler.

Overall, we were able to pack a lot of function into a very small room.

Interior Renovation Will Create A Slice of Heaven in St. Charles

If this was the view out your back window you would never want to leave!  Well that’s exactly the attitude of the homeowners on our newest project in St. Charles.  They have a beautifully secluded piece of property and they don’t want to give it up.  Unfortunately, the house, built in the 50’s, doesn’t fit the dream. Therefore, they have hired Crimson to give all the bedrooms and bathrooms in the house a major overhaul.  Over 1000 square feet of the house will get a face lift to make better use of space.  One of the bathrooms will be a new luxurious master bathroom complete with walk-in shower.  Additionally, the master bedroom will get a new walk-in closet and a large sitting room with a view through a newly installed twelve foot wide patio door.  What a great place it will be to sit and read on a spring or fall afteroon.

As you can see, everyone is hard at work demolishing the old.  With 1-1/2″ thick plaster walls in the two bathrooms that hasn’t been easy.  As you can see from the picture, the shower and tub would have made a great fallout shelter.  But after two full dumpsters (sent to Hoving for recycling) the old is out and it’s time to start building new.  This week the framing will be completed and the new rooms will take shape.

Watch for new updates as this project progresses.

Bolingbrook Addition Completed

It’s been a few weeks since we completed our addition project in Bolingbrook.  I thought I would get some photos up that I shot with my phone.  The homeowners are still busy moving all their belongings back into the house.  In a couple of weeks maybe we can get some good after pictures to add to the gallery.  Until then these will have to do.

On this project we added fourteen feet to the back of the house to double the size of the kitchen, add a laundry room and double the size of the master bedroom.  We also added a large deck and a three car garage and a full basement under the new addition.  The project took about six months to complete.  During that time we had to work with the city of Bolingbrook to obtain a zoning variance to allow the new garage structure to be built in its current location.  All-in-all a very challenging project.

Work Begins on Batavia Mother-in-Law Suite

We recently started the renovation of an existing basement in Batavia to accommodate a mother-in-law suite.  As you can see in the photo, the first step was to add a new exterior basement stairway.  This is not as impossible as most people think.  The stairs took about two weeks to get to the point you see in the photo.  We still need to add a railing and some landscaping to complete the stairs.

Inside work is underway to create a full bathroom, kitchenette, bedroom and living room.  It’s almost a complete house in a basement.  Because of Batavia zoning regulations there are some things we cannot add to make it a fully independent home.  However, it’s still a great way to have an older relative live independently will still having them close if help is needed.

This project has been a great way for Joel to put to use his Certified Aging in Place designation (CAPS) from the NAHB.  CAPS takes into account everything from shower grab bars to locations and style of light switches.   As people age and their physical skills become less agile many things can be done in a home to make living there more convenient.  This is something we have seen a lot in the last couple of years as the baby boomers plan for their future.

We’ll keep you updated on this project.

Work Continues on Bolingbrook Addition

The foundations are all in and framing has begun. As you can see, it is really starting to take shape. The back wall of the house is coming out to connect the existing house to the addition. I’ll get some more photos of this major remodeling project up soon.

Bolingbrook Home Addition Underway

Spring has finally sprung and it’s time to build something! We recently got started on an addition in Bolingbrook. In this picture Bill is preparing to cut the existing concrete foundation wall to allow access to the new addition’s basement. Bill is standing where the new basement will be.

Naperville Basement Finish With A New Twist

We just finished a basement in Naperville where we did something new for us. We left the ceiling alone and painted it flat black. All the joists, ductwork, and pipes are still visible but the flat black paint makes it all disappear. It really is quite amazing!

By leaving the ceiling exposed the client gained valuable ceiling height in a house built before a 9′ basement was more common. Not only did they get an extra 4″ of ceiling height but it feels like even more because you can see up into the spaces between the joists.

The painted ceiling costs less than a traditional drop ceiling and quite a bit less than a drywall ceiling. On the other side, you have to be comfortable with the urban/industrial look of the black. No other color would work as well. The flat black hides all the pipework exceptionally well.

Naperville Basement Renovation

Naperville Master Bathroom and Aurora Bathroom Renovations

Stephanie recently took some photos of a couple of projects that we just completed. The first photo is of a Master Bathroom in Naperville. We used a cherry cabinet from Fieldstone Cabinetry and Kohler fixtures.

This is the shower from the same bathroom. Stephanie selected all the tile and and the coordinating fixtures.

This is the bathroom in Aurora that we recently completed. Stephanie selected a multi-shaded green glass tile that is really cool and contemporary. Note the matching green cabinet knobs. The shelves in the shower are made of Corian for a sleek low profile look. Again, the cherry cabinet is from Fieldstone Cabinetry and the fixtures are Kohler.

Update on Oswego Kitchen Renovation

As part of the ongoing kitchen remodel in Oswego we are building a curved wall to serve as an eat-in seating area. I thought I would take some time to show how a curved wall is built and how it turned out.

The first step is to construct curved top and bottom plates from plywood. We used the dimensions from the plans to layout the arcs on a full size template and traced that onto sheets of plywood. Next, studs are cut and spaced every couple of inches on the tight curves and further apart as the shape changes. Now we apply a layer of thin flexible plywood over the frame using glue and staples.

Becuase this plywood is so thin (1/8″) we add a second layer using contact cement to give the wall more strength and rigidity. Lastly, we cover everything with the final layer of cherry veneer shown here. As you can see it is extremely flexible. Again it is attached using contact cement.
Now the wall is set in place where it flows smoothly from one cabinet to another. Later the painters will stain and varnish the cherry veneer to match the Fieldstone Cabinetry.

Now that the granite counters are installed you can see that the curved wall follows the curve of the counter. Also note how the counter flows right into the window. All together a lot of nice details that will make this kitchen very special and perfect for the needs of the family that live here.

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