Lalo Salon
In the last four years, this salon has successfully grown to a point where they were busting at the seams. They needed to expand the space to accommodate more stylists and clients a well as a more functional makeup station.
Chesterfield, MO
Designer
Jennifer Chapman
Photographer
Karen Palmer
In the last four years, this salon has successfully grown to a point where they were busting at the seams. They needed to expand the space to accommodate more stylists and clients a well as a more functional makeup station.
When they opened the salon, they only built out a portion of the space to accommodate their needs at the time, with the hope that they would eventually need to build out the remaining portion. While this portion of the space was technically finished- it was basically an empty shell ready for design and finishes. We needed to connect these spaces with a common theme so that it felt like one cohesive space, but we also wanted to change up the design a bit to address some of the things that were just not working for them on the other side of the salon.
There were three main things that they wanted to improve on- the amount of counterspace, the amount of storage, and the quality of lighting. We wanted to use the same reclaimed wood they had on the other side so we worked with the original fabricator, Reclaim Renew, to create the cabinetry, wall cladding and even the metal countertops and metal frames for the mirrors.
The 28' long metal countertop is a showstopper, but it also makes the space feel much larger and it gives the stylists the counterspace they were looking for. The reclaimed wood cabinets provide more ample storage and each has a tilt-out to hold their styling tools. When designing the metal framed mirrors, we decided to hold them off the wall to create some dimension to this long, linear space. The metal legs seem to run right through the countertops to the floor, which helps to ground the dark metal frames.
The small reclaimed wood shelves underneath the countertop provide clients with a place to plug in their phones and set their belongings. We added a custom framed wood make-up mirror with plenty of front facing lighting as well. We added both pendant lighting and recessed lighting at each station to provide them with adequate lighting. In addition, we added some additional track lighting down the main pathway. We created a recessed wall niche with matching reclaimed wood cladding to hold hair products. This keeps the countertops much less cluttered.
Overall, we achieved the rustic, industrial feel of the other side and were able to address the stylist's needs in a creative way. The space feels warm and inviting- just the space to pamper yourself!
Arsenal Basement
Our clients wanted to turn their century old, unfinished basement into a living space the whole family could enjoy. There is a little room under the porch that had exposed, original masonry. We wanted to leave the masonry exposed so we cleaned it up a bit — it is a cozy space for an office and it is a reminder of the home's 100 year history.
Arsenal St., MO
April, 2019
DESIGNER:
Jennifer Chapman & Rochelle McAvin
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Palmer Photography
Our clients wanted to turn their century old, unfinished basement into a living space the whole family could enjoy. We set out to create a family area where they could play games, watch tv, and hang out with family and friends as well as a separate bedroom and bathroom. They love clean, modern lines and cool, serene colors.We started by selecting a luxury vinyl tile that had a very linear pattern with cool gray tones. This helped to keep the basement feel light and bright and the LVT is a durable material for an old leaky basement. We wanted to take advantage of some of the architectural elements in the space. There is a little room under the porch that had exposed, original masonry. We wanted to leave the masonry exposed so we cleaned it up a bit- it is a cozy space for an office and it is a reminder of the home's 100 year history. We didn't want to lose the space under the stairs to dark, never used storage so we created a niche with open reclaimed wood shelving. We wrapped the posts with matching wood to add warmth and character to the space. We used the same wood for the floating shelf at the bar area, as well. In the bathroom we used a sleek gray, high gloss floating vanity & oversized white subway tile. It feels fresh and bright and keeps with the clean and modern aesthetic we set out to create.
Kehrswood Basement
Our clients' finished basement needed to be brought to life! A bar made out of glass block, lack of overhead lighting, dark finishes and an old drop ceiling made for a really uninviting space. Our clients now use this space all of the time and love having friends and family over to enjoy it with them!
Chesterfield, MO
August, 2018
DESIGNER:
Jennifer Chapman
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Palmer Photography
Our clients' finished basement needed to be brought to life! A bar made out of glass block, lack of overhead lighting, dark finishes and an old drop ceiling made for a really uninviting space. Not only did the basement need to be updated, but they really wanted to make it a family entertaining space — somewhere they could hang out with the kids everyday and also somewhere they could easily entertain friends and family. This family is well-traveled and has collected many items from all over the world. They wanted to incorporate that global vibe and marry it with a nautical theme to remind them of their lakehouse in Michigan.
We started by drywalling the ceiling and adding a lot more light! We increased the number of recessed can ceiling lights and added vintage looking handmade sconces at the posts. We painted the walls and ceilings all of the same light gray color to make the ceilings seem taller and the room lighter. We removed the dark, outdated carpeting and replaced it with a neutral colored carpeting with a modern texture.
This basement has a soffit and post structure running down the center of the living space. It is a natural divider, but the space was not being utilized to its full potential. We added a bar height reclaimed wood countertop in between the large posts to create more seating for entertaining. The posts at each end created an "L" shape that did not seem to have any purpose. We added floating reclaimed shelves in this space to make it look purposeful and add an opportunity to display the items they have collected in their travels. The entertainment unit was all black and it made the space seem smaller and darker.
We painted the upper cabinets white and wrapped the TV shelf in wood to match the reclaimed wood at the bar seating and the wet bar. We reduced the footprint of the wet bar to add more space for kids to play and make the room feel bigger.
The clients really loved the idea of doing navy blue cabinets at the wet bar, which tied into the nautical theme of the space. We fell in love with the uniquely shaped white tile and used a medium gray grout to make the shape stand out even more. We used reclaimed wood countertops and a floating shelf above to display bottles or glassware. The brushed nickel pulls with exposed screws look like jewelry against the pretty navy cabinets! Our clients now use this space all of the time and love having friends and family over to enjoy it with them!
Before and After
Eclectic Kitchen and Living Space
This 120 year old home has beautiful exposed brick walls that we felt necessary to leave as a design element in the space. The homeowners wanted a relaxed, eclectic design that didn't feel too formal or too trendy.
Eclectic Kitchen and Living Space
St. Louis Missouri, 2018
DESIGNER:
Jennifer Chapman
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Palmer Photography
Our clients wanted their outdated kitchen gone! It did not function well at all for their family of four — there was limited counter space, a tiny dishwasher, small sink, and the design was a mix of hodge podge of materials that did not really go well together. We worked together to create a plan that was well thought-out and provided them with a place where family and friends could gather. We started by creating a large island that provided seating for six and allowed for a better connection between the living room and the kitchen. We closed up the doorway to their back hallway in order to add even more storage and counter space. The quartz countertops will will be durable enough to withstand their kids' homework and art projects and are easily cleaned after family meals.
This 120 year old home has beautiful exposed brick walls that we felt necessary to leave as a design element in the space. The homeowners wanted a relaxed, eclectic design that didn't feel too formal or too trendy. They wanted the island to be different than the rest of the cabinetry and our homeowner fell in love with deep teal for the island. We used a traditional cup pull on the drawers, but we selected a brushed brass finish to make it a bit more modern and warm up the cool gray and teal. Our clients were determined to uncover the old fireplace that had been plastered over so they did exploratory work to discover it was, in fact, still there. We removed all of the plaster, did a bit of repair work on the brick, and added a marble hearth and a reclaimed wood mantel. The brick and the reclaimed wood help connect the living room and kitchen. We used matching reclaimed wood floating shelves on the range wall as well. Overall, the space feels relaxed and comfortable and is now a great place for entertaining.
