COTE DE TEXAS BLOG

Showing posts with label Bathrooms. Show all posts

Spring Cleaning!

Its that time of year! Time to roll up your sleeves, tie back your hair and open the windows for some fresh air. Spring cleaning is here!! So, put on some music and get your mops and buckets out to get your Jewel Box® Home ready for spring weather.

Spring Cleaning Tips:

1. Get Organized!

Eliminate clutter. Sort through old mail, stacks of paper and magazines. Don't be afraid to throw things away that have no significance or value. If you don't love it or need it-pitch it, donate it or give it away! All the odds and ends that you keep, store in decorative, labeled boxes or baskets and file them away.

2. Transition out your wardrobe.

Have winter clothes and coats cleaned and box them up for lighter jackets and short sleeves. Yeah for sunshine and warmer weather!

3. Freshen up bedrooms.

Flip and vacuum mattresses, hang pillows outside to freshen. Wash your mattress pad and bedskirt. Clean the bedroom windows and vacuum draperies.

4. Scrub the floor!!

Wash tile and wood floors. Have rugs and carpets professionally cleaned. Don't forget the baseboards!

5. Light fixtures and ceiling fans!

Now is the time to clean light fixtures, ceiling fans and lampshades. Using a vacuum attachment with a brush or a microfiber cloth works wonders.

6. Don't Forget About Bathrooms.

Yes, I know we all clean our bathrooms every week...but we don't deep clean them! Now it's time to battle clutter and refresh old products. Go through your medicine cabinets and safely discard any outdated products. Replace worn bath mats, shower curtains, and liners, or wash and dry shower curtains and liners.

7.Organize the kitchen.

Clear out your pantry, cabinets and drawers. Replace shelf paper and wipe down cabinet faces. Donate equipment you don't use regularly. Discard dated spices and canned foods. Clean your refrigerator and freezer. Don't forget the top of the fridge!

8. Wash those windows!

Best glass cleaner ever: 2 Tablespoons of vinegar in one quart of water. Use squeegie and a lint-free cloth! Sparkling clean.

If you were really industrious you could also extend your spring cleaning to your car and give it the seasonal scrub it needs as well! When you are finished with your heavy work regime, put on the coffee pot, put your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your labors. A sparkling home full of love for friends and family members!

Happy Cleaning!

~Amber

All Photos Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Master Bath Before and After

Design projects always looks best when photographed professionally, but I was so pleased with how a recent project turned out, I had to share a little "before and after" peek. I am blessed with really wonderful clients, and the young couple who own this house are no exception. We are working together to refresh all of the interiors while the exterior is also getting a facelift. The Master Bath is the first room to be completed.

The house was built in the 20's and the original bathroom was in need of an update. The goals were to add storage, expand the shower if possible, and create a fresh, classic, and pretty bathroom. I was also asked if two sinks would fit.

I created more storage with a custom made vanity, and also by fabricating medicine cabinets using twin mirrors from Restoration Hardware. I chose antique brass sconces and ceiling mounted fixtures from Circa Lighting, the finish picking up on the gilt detail on the mirrors. There was even a little drawer in between the tub and shower. Classic Polished nickel plumbing fixtures, Calacutta Marble Counters, and marble mosaic floor finish off the design. Thanks to a very talented contractor, Eloy Tapia of GTO Construction, everything came together beautifully!

Here is a little peek at the "before", actually very nostalgic and cute (check out the sweet little vanity!), but very "dysfunctional":

By relocating a window to over the toilet, I was able to grab more wall space for the medicine cabinet mirrors.

We were able to reuse the tub, which was resurfaced. The shape was irreplaceable and actually left room for a larger shower, as well as room in the budget for the beautiful finishes!

The wall around the shower was replaced with frameless glass and enlarged, making the whole bathroom feel much larger.

Best part? Very happy clients!!

There are a couple of details to finish up: art and accesories, and window coverings. When it is all done and photographed by someone who is better with a camera than I, I will give you an update!!

Master Bath Design Debut on Bath Crashers

The Vanity Close-up for Bath Crashers, designed by Katie Denham Interiors

The last year has been a very busy one for me and my design studio. The results are coming to fruition, and it has been very exciting!

I had the opportunity to design a Master Bath for Bath Crashers, a DIY Network TV show all about bathroom remodeling, and it airs for the first time tonight at 9:00.

The methods for designing for a residential client and designing for television show were quite different. Even though there is a real homeowner who gets to enjoy the final result, my real clients were the producers of the Bath Crashers episode. There was a whole different set of criteria to consider, which made for a very interesting experience for me. I will be blogging all about it tomorrow....before and after photos and all!

I hope you all have a chance to catch the show! It will be my first time seeing it as well, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. (Thank goodness my participation is behind the scenes, or I would be a nervous wreck!!!)