Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs, Inc.

Lake House Update – Part 6

So, we didn’t move in by Thanksgiving but that’s ok – we are making good progress! I’m still making a mish mash of constant decisions so I thought I’d just share a few with you for Update Part 6!

First of all, ship lap is almost finished!  Let the haters hate and say it’s trendy, farmhouse, blah blah – I love it and I always will. To me it will never go out of style. 

The first coat of paint is also up. I’ve left clear communication for the contractor throughout this process and it has really helped eliminate any drama or last minute stresses. Here you can see my love notes I left a few weekends ago. 

The upstairs gets a lot more natural light than the basement level so I tweaked the colors slightly.  The upstairs walls and ceilings are Sherwin Williams Pure White 7005. The trim and doors are Sherwin Williams City Loft 7631.  Downstairs, the walls are ceilings are SW 7757 Highly Reflective White and the trim and doors are SW 6070 Heron Plume.

My kids are shocked that I didn’t put “color” on the walls. I really wanted the view to take precedence in this house and with so many windows, it was the right choice.

Trim work is also almost finished. I chose a simple shaker/farmhouse look. 

The most exciting update so far – the tile is up in 2 of the 3 bathrooms!! The guys did an awesome job. 

This is the master bathroom (grout not in yet). 

This is the guest bathroom upstairs. I adore the baby window. There’s nothing like taking a shower with a breeze. 

Notice the exterior wood beam details added over the front door. “Kelly – we need a stain color…..” Decision number 782…..

I asked for (3) stain colors – Ebony, Jacobean and Espresso. I chose Ebony. It looks great against the grey and will make sense with the black gutters. 

“Kelly.. what kind of bannister/handrail do you want going down the stairs?”  Decision number 783… 

Here’s my choice (thank you Pinterest) – SO EXCITED!

This weeks decision … what color for the interior beams. I’m working on that now. This is the simple design we will end up with for the vaulted part of the kitchen. I like the simplicity of it. 

Last week I also selected and purchased all of the hardware for the cabinetry throughout the house. Black Friday and Cyber Monday were my friend:) 

I love these pulls and knobs in matte black from Emtek I chose for the kitchen. (And don’t think I didn’t specify on every cabinet drawing what pull/knob goes where for the contractor so there was no confusion – #longdistancedesign). 

 

My job yesterday (before the UGA/Alabama championship game  – but let’s not talk about THAT) was to select toilet paper holders and towel hooks (I really hate towel bars).  The choices are endless. I have to say I am SO HAPPY to see so many matte black choices out there. No more oil rubbed bronze for me. 

I really like bath sheets over bath towels (much bigger) so the hooks have to have a good projection on them to properly hold the towel. (Note: if it seems like I’m particular about a lot of things…. well, I am… it comes from experience (and lots of trial and error) my friends.) I chose these from Rejuvenation. 

To encourage all potty participants to change the toilet paper roll when empty, I’ve made it as easy as possible… 

Next decision (are you tired yet? I am!) – How to handle the fireplace wall. 

I shared in Update 5 that I decided to wrap the wall in shiplap, do a reclaimed timber mantle and a painted brick hearth. 

But, these 8′ ceilings keep throwing me for a loop (my home in Woodstock has 10′ ceilings). 

So I was contemplating this wall for a while yesterday. My fear is that if I install a cool, beefy reclaimed timber beam as a mantle and then the 3″ shaker crown goes in, I’m going to have a whopping 24″ of height remaining for art. Art placement is always a priority for me. Thus – change of plans. 

I think I already mentioned my current obsession with art by Dawne Raulet. This is the piece I covet for over the fireplace which is a 40″ square. (See why these measurements art SO IMPORTANT?) 

So then I was thinking – since I’m loosing the cool funky mantle, why not add two sconces for some extra jazz. Soooo….. if my electrician can slide this change in, I’m leaning towards these new sconces that my friend Denise McGaha designed for Currey & Co. 

How AMAZING would these look with the other selections I made (refer back to Update 3). 

This week Joann and I are heading to Scott Antique Market (my happy place). I will be on the hunt for authentic rugs for some key places. 

Stay tuned!

Kelly 

Lake House Update – Part 5

On Saturday I went up to the house for the first time in 5 weeks and it was SO exciting to see the progress!  Electrical and plumbing rough ins are complete and sheetrock is up! The siding is 80% complete and the new shingled portion of the roof is complete along with the metal portion too. 

I’m dying for the black gutters and yellow door to be installed!

You can’t really see the black metal roof on the new bump out but it’s cool. 

This is the light fixture going to the right of the door that I bought from Build.com. 

It’s so nice to finally have walls and to feel the plans on paper coming to life.

The main living room will be getting ship lap but all the windows are in! It’s so exciting to see this wide open space we have created. PARTY TIME!

The fireplace wall is really wide so I’ve been working on the design with my contractor Kyle at RCM Robbinsville. 

A few inspirational ideas thanks to Pinterest: 

I like the thought of a wrap around mantle but after seeing the house today, we don’t have room on the right side to wrap around.  I’m also a big fan of painted brick so I liked the combo of the ship lap and brick. 

Photo Via

I’m also a big fan of penny tile and reclaimed beams so this photo appealed to me. 

Photo Via

Unfortunately, I don’t have enough inset room for this idea without pulling the fireplace out more into the living space (which I don’t want to do).  

I’ll report back on the final result.

Hint: It will be a combo of ship lap, a flush painted brick hearth and an old reclaimed timber floating mantle. 

The other thing we’ve spent a lot of time discussing are the ceiling beams – how they should look (truly reclaimed timbers or made to look old) and where they should be placed. We have straight beams going up in the living room and dining room and then more interesting ones going in the vaulted portion of the kitchen. 

Photo Via

I’m struggling with exactly how I want the kitchen beams to look. There will be three.  I’m totally in love with this look but I think it’s a budget breaker (because of the rounded wood) and I fear I don’t have enough height (remember the vaulted portion of our ceiling was a surprise revelation and it’s sort of shallow.) Oh the limitations of a renovation!! 

I think we are headed towards this idea but my gut keeps telling me it’s a tad on the boring (i.e. expected) side of things….

Photo Via

I keep gravitating towards arches. I love the simplicity of these.

Photo Via 

I could paint them and make them a little more contemporary looking like this. These choices are keeping me up at night! I need to hire a designer to make these decisions for me. HA!

Photo Via

Meanwhile, I’ve been draining the checkbook with some cool purchases.

I bought this bed and (2) bedside tables from Classic Home for one of the guest bedrooms and the lamps from Currey. 

I bought these (2) stools from World Market for the living room for flexible seating and/or ottomans.

 

I bought this dining room table and chairs from my local Woodstock Furniture Outlet (self storing leaf for big parties) but then gave it a little jazz with black custom wicker chairs at the heads of the table from my friends at Mainly Baskets. (Hi-Lo design is my motto after all)

See a neutral theme going on? A very new design aesthetic for me but I’m loving it.

These stools from Uttermost are going at the end of the bed in upstairs guest bedroom.

When I can afford it, I’m dying to commission a piece of art over the fireplace from artist Dawn Raulet. There is a farm down the street from our house full of cows and horses. They are beautiful creatures. 

Mike asked what kind of Nest thermostat I wanted. Black and brass of course!

As you can see, my mind is going in 20 different directions at once with this house. Like I said, I wish I could hand this all over to a designer so I don’t have to deal with it. LOL. Joann? Are you free? 

Until next week’s Saturday visit, 

Kelly

 

Lakehouse Update – Part 4

This house has become my second job! I’m like a crazy person in the evenings making selections and evaluating decision opportunities so that we are prepared for our contractors when they need to move forward in a particular area. (Note: I know I’m a picky client but hopefully I’m a good one:))  So here is update #4 of the lakehouse renovation journey!

Let me remind you how BLAH the house is from the outside.  BLAH as in ZERO exterior architectural interest! Just being honest… 

Initially, we knew we would be replacing the roof and gutters but we were going to keep the white vinyl siding. 

I wanted a metal roof but had to save some money here so went with the shingles. I actually love this shingle – a mix of black and grey. 

After slicing and dicing the white vinyl siding to make room for lots of new windows, our contractor quietly asked us to consider replacing the vinyl.  Haha.  I looked at the pile of vinyl he was going to try and resurrect and I couldn’t be mad at him for asking. Budget buster #1. 

Making the decision to replace the vinyl siding opened up a whole new pandoras box. For budget and easy long term maintenance reasons, we decided to stay with the vinyl.  However, the choices available these days was a very pleasant surprise! 

I turned to Pinterest and Houzz for some visual assistance. 

I loved the mix of cedar shake and vinyl siding on this house. 

But I figured if we really wanted to take this opportunity to make the house look different, we should do some board and batten siding like this: 

So I ended up choosing a white board and batten vinyl siding mixed with a cedar shake vinyl in color FLINT ( a light grey) for the upper gables of the house.  I chose the type of cedar shake that is more even in size and texture for a more contemporary look. 

My contractor, Kyle with RCM in Robbinsville, then reminded me I needed to select the front door (see what I mean? Endless decisions!) Let me remind you all that I am an expert at making swift, skilled decisions for my CLIENTS. When it comes to selections for my own home I am a paralyzed deer in the headlights!!

But I got no time to be dily dallying so here we go! I chose a Craftsman style door with a 3-Lite glass from Pella. 

BUT LET’S REMEMBER WHO’S HOUSE THIS IS…. 

WHAT COLOR WILL THE DOOR BE? 

WOOHOOOO!

LET’S RECAP…..  Black and grey shingles, white board and batten siding, light grey cedar shake vinyl in the gables, yellow craftsman door.   What next?

Black Gutters of course!!!

And this black lantern at the front door I found on Build.com. 

Some more exciting news… the front was bumped out to make room for a “real staircase” on the interior so now the exterior isn’t quite so BLAH.  Mike and I are kinda arguing about that tree in the front. I think it has to go. I hope I win…. Update to follow:) 

I’ve spend SO MUCH TIME selecting furniture a) before our manufacturers cut off for holidays deliveries b) to allow a 6-8 week lead time and c) to have one big delivery with my movers (there isn’t exactly a plethora of receivers and movers in the tiny town of Robbinsville so everything is coming from Atlanta.)

COUNTDOWN TO A THANKSGIVING MOVE IN!

Next up on the decisions list: 1.  Which fireplace logs? 2. Kitchen cabinetry layout 3. Hardware for all cabinetry 4. Approving the Fantasy Brown marble slab for the master bathroom 

Did I mention that we are leaving for Europe in 1 week for a long awaited family adventure?

Yeah, I’m feeling a little crazy right now…

Stay with me on this journey!

Kelly 

 

Lakehouse Update – Part 3

The lakehouse reno is moving along! The interior framing is almost finished so Mike and I drove up to the house Friday for our electrical walk.  In order to be prepared for our walk, I went ahead and selected the light fixtures for the house.  I went round and round with myself because I love the current modern farmhouse trend but at the same time I want my selections for this house to stand the test of time. 

Let’s start with the kitchen. Remember the countertop (MSI Portico Cream Quartz) and the Cabinet (Decora Maple with Kindling stain):

I haven’t shared this yet but here’s the beautiful Brizo faucet I chose for the island. I’m SO IN LOVE WITH IT.

So that’s the background on why I chose these (2) pendants for over the island from Hudson Valley. Fashioned after the gas lamps from the whistle stop depots in small dusty towns in the 1850’s, I thought they were beautiful AND appropriate! Gorgeous right?

In the master bath, we have a 72″ vanity with (2) sinks. . I chose these (2) lights from Troy Lighting. 

I think they partner well with the industrial vibe of the Brizo Litz faucets I chose.

In the upstairs guest bathroom we’ve got a 42″ single vanity so I chose this bath light that is 29″ wide from Hudson Valley. 

Again, I tied my selections to the Brizo faucet I selected. 

I’m not a fan of ceiling fans but who can sleep without one? I love this one for our master bedroom on Build.com – the headboard has black nailheads in it (hee hee) and I like the barn yard look. 

In the dining room, I chose a driftwood colored farm table so the Darlana Lantern from Visual Comfort was the perfect choice for that balance of farmhouse trendy/classic I’m trying to achieve. I love the openness of the fixture because I don’t want to block any views of the lake. The dining room is all windows so this is important! Notice the touches of black being weaved thru the house? That is very intentional:)

The basement has a very low ceiling and little natural light so we will be flooding the space with 4″ square LED recessed cans. Goodbye 6″ round cans!

And finally, because my husband is totally obsessed with this renovation, he compiled our meeting decisions into a lighting plan to make sure we don’t miss anything. HAHAHA I hope our contractor Kyle and the electrician Scott are impressed:) 

I’m still working on the exterior selections – that will be for next week’s post! Stay tuned!

Kelly 

Lakehouse Update – Part 2

Thanks for the great response to this series! Rather than bore you with what I did this week (select siding, roofing and front door (ok that was fun), I thought I’d back up several weeks and share with you all of my tile selections for the kitchen and bathrooms. So.much.fun!

Even for me this can be overwhelming so I headed over to MODA Floors & Interiors on the westside of Atlanta to meet with my tile expert Tasha.  A little background on me:  Left alone in a showroom, I will immediately and innocently go straight to the most expensive item sold in the showroom. However, for this project Tasha knew that despite my champagne taste, I am on a beer budget so she was really good about steering me towards the look I wanted for less. 

The bathrooms in our cottage are not very big so I was looking for a lot of WOW in small doses. 

Here’s what I chose for the master bathroom: 

The pebbles will be on the shower floor and in the niche in the shower wall where all the shampoo etc. products will go. *** Note: I caught the framers in time to tell them I wanted the niches to run horizontal 12″x24″ – plenty of room for my stuff and Mikes too!

The tile looks like it has a peachy tone to it but it doesn’t.  So the floor of the bathroom will be in the matte tile (12″x24″) and the shower walls will be in the same tile but the polished version.  In the event that the grey trend goes out the window (which one day it will), I’m sticking with stones/tiles in a grey/creme/tan palette.  The cabinets in this bathroom will be a deep, warm, brown.  I haven’t picked the countertops yet. 

Note: I did the practical thing and decided on LVT (luxury vinyl tile) for all of the floors (with the exception of the 2 upstairs bathrooms).  It looks like a great wide plank hardwood, it’s waterproof, scratch proof, lake house approved (and super economical).  This was a big sacrifice for me to not do real wood floors but I am super OCD about my house and I really need to chill out. Hopefully this will help me when the house if full of wet kids and dogs:)

The upstairs guest bedroom is my favorite bathroom. Not sure why I didn’t put this in MY bathroom!

Here’s the floor:

Here is the shower floor and the 12″x24″ horizontal niche in the wall (love me some penny tile):

The shower walls will be in a 4″x 8″ white subway tile with a light grey grout. I think subway tile and penny tile are two classics that will never go out of style. The custom cabinets will be white. I am SOOOOO excited to pick out these countertops. 

The basement bathroom will have the LVT hardwoods as the flooring (remember it’s waterproof).  Here is the tile (in 10″x14″ tiles) for the shower walls and a marble mosaic for the niche. This bathroom has a tub (the only one in the house).

Here is another look at this marble. Yumminess in small spaces doesn’t break the bank:) Pulls in the LVT floor coloring pretty darn well huh?

Note: I ordered samples of every tile I selected and marked them with a black sharpie where they are going in the house. Since the house is 2.5 hours away and I can’t be there every day to supervise, I will put the samples in each space for the installers so there is no confusion about what goes where. 

Next up: The kitchen!

My contractor, Kyle Garland, with Robbinsville Custom Moulding, said he uses Decora Cabinets a lot. (Note: Sometimes it just makes life a lot easier to go with a line your contractor likes and has relations with). I had never used this custom cabinetry line before so I went to check it out at my local ProSource. I’m pleased to report that I fell in love with the Prescot cabinet in Maple and then stained in Kindling.  Then I found this Portico Cream Quartz from MSI (another company Kyle recommended).  And that was a wrap!!!  (Let me remind you again about the LVT hardwood finish and how well this partners with my choices). 

Teaser: When you see the hardware and kitchen faucet I selected to go with this, you will scream (hint: they are matte black). 

The backsplash will be a subway tile in a soft white in 3″x12″ (note: much wider than you would usually see). Notice the hand poured edges. The grout will be dark brown.

I chose the dark brown grout not only because it’s a super cool contrast (and unexpected) but because I’m going to do floating shelves instead of top cabinets to the left of the window.  Live edge or straight edge? That will be my next decision (of many).

That’s if for now.  Next week I think we will discuss plumbing fixtures:))))

Stay tuned! Kelly