Reader's home - Fiona's kitchen and bathroom redo

Fiona sent us an email about her bathroom and kitchen renovations that she did on a budget. She even included a breakdown of costs and the after photos are a big improvement, particularly the bathroom which you'llsee after the jump. First up, Fiona's kitchen. 

I couldn't afford $20-$25K for a brand new kitchen, so I spruced up what I already had. My blue laminate bench top was covered with 12mm thick stone (fitted in a few hours), the kitchen splashback tiles were removed & the same stone was fixed to the walls. I had an overhead cupboard made which included a hidden under cupboard range hood. I scoured Google images to find a design I liked and had it made by a cabinet maker. I had the floor tiles replaced (and extended to include the dining & entrance way). Finally, I had my oven and cook top professionally cleaned to fit in with my 'new' kitchen. I kept all my appliances and existing sink with mixer to keep costs low. My price breakdown was:-

* Kitchen, entrance & dining floor tile removal & laying $1950
* Kitchen floor tiles & grout $1012
* Range hood including ducting kit $442
* Stone bench top & splashback $3830
* Floating cabinet $3500 (included installation of cabinet, installation of range hood & removal, patching & painting of old ceiling fan)
* Kitchen wall tile removal $400

BEFORE

AFTER

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Kitchen

Just had to share one more from Feldman Architecture. I loved the kitchen in the Old Bernal House in my previous post and I really like this one too. It's in a 1950's ranch house in the SF area and stays true to the original home. Actually I'm taken by a lot of their kitchen designs. (I know you will be too when you click on over to their website.) Light, bright, contemporary and not at all MacMansion. Understated, sensitive, practical and stylish.

Feldman Architecture

Contemporary with an understated beauty. Open plan with light and space. Indoor outdoor connection. The Old Bernal House, San Francisco by Feldman Architecture. A family home with space for all. Love the open kitchen/dining with its large windows to the outside and the office wall of books connecting the upper loft space. A modern extension that enhances the original home.

  

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Rock star Miami kitchen

Ruben D Gutierrez of Errez Design sent us photos of one of yet another of his latest projects. (See previous projects here, here and here). Here are some details: I wanted to share some images of a kitchen we just renovated in Miami, FL. This kitchen was designed for a fun creative guy who loves rock and roll and gourmet food. We wanted to make the kitchen feel like it belonged in a 1930's house but still pop with bold colors and edgy patterns. We used a yellow and grey geometric wallpaper from Jonathan Adler on the ceiling. The yellow tones are also found on the hardwood floors. Classic charcoal grey cabinetry was paired with white marble and white ceramic tile for contrast. Vintage library lamps illuminate the open aluminum shelving. What a fun, bold kitchen! Love it all - the yellow accents, door hardware, wallpaper on the ceiling(!!!), subway tiles.... 

It's all in the detail

New from Irish interior designer Gail Wall Morris of Wall Morris Design. (See my previous post here.) A beautiful renovation and of course it's all in the detail. I'll let Gail explain.

It's my own home, a 100 year-old, renovated workman's cottage, in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

When I bought the house, it needed complete renovation and rebuild, in order to re-layout and optimize the space, raise ceiling heights up to the roof line. The new extension is clad in the original bricks, taken from the demolished interior walls. I allocated budget on designing an interior joinery package, so that all the detailing matched: ie - the kitchen , the external and interior doors, the trim work and architraves all tie in together. Most of the furniture I also designed. Everything is bespoke. The interior layout is built in a 'U' Shape and surrounds a courtyard, so that the sunlight comes into the house all day long. The colour scheme is tone-on tone caramel with accents in black glass, black granite and black-stained furniture.

Photography Derek Robinson.

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