Hotel Emma - San Antonio's Special Gem

This fabulous hotel, located in the old Pearl brewery in San Antonio, TX, opened last November. I was so excited to finally go for quick weekend stay. Click HERE to see more pics and some of the amazing details that make this hotel such a fabulous design destination!

Hotel designer: Roman and Williams

Before and After: An amazing remodel with drama, style, and an edge!

Want to see an amazing transformation? Yes, that's the before shot above.

Want to see a dowdy, dreary, tired Scottish flat turned into an edgy, sophisticated, eclectic, cool environment that just oozes style?

Click through for some incredible design eye candy!

Here's a peek.

Are you gobsmacked yet? You will be.

Click HERE.

A Fresh Bright New Look For My Upstairs Bath

See the "Before" images and some more "Afters" HERE. 

Revealed: My Remodeled Home Office

Come have a look.

carlaaston.com

More Project Photos

After - Living Room

More before and after photos of my remodel project today.  I posted previously HERE and HERE about this job.

Before - Living Room 

That big chunky crown at the window really bugged me. It divided the view in half. I also didn't care for that wide flat board surrounding the arch. Simpler, smaller mouldings painted the color of the walls take your eye right out the window to the view beyond.

After - Fireplace

We kept the fireplace surround and had it finished to be similar in color to the walls.  (It was mauve before!) Adding a new, distressed wood mantel in a color and finish to match the floor brings the wood element up into the room and makes for a beefier mantel. Now she can actually put something on the mantel without worrying about it falling off.

Before - Living Room Fireplace

We removed those sconces beside the fireplace.  The homeowner really wanted to hang her art and there wasn't much wall space in this house!  The wood floors made such a tremendous difference in the feel of this house.  The warm white on all the walls, ceilings, and mouldings freshened everything up.

After - hallway

New wood doors and bronze hardware were added.

Before - hallway

After - Master Bath



Limestone on the floor and counter introduces some nice texture in the bath.  Kept the details very simple here.  The statement is coming.

Before - Master Bath

After - Tub

Directly across from the entrance....the beautiful, sculptural tub with an exotic pendant.  We had plenty of room for the limestone ledge behind the tub after tearing out the large cultured marble surround.  The curve of the ceiling is repeated in the tub and the bulbous shape of the old Moroccan fixture. You should see the pattern of light it creates at night.

Before - Tub

Excess mouldings and columns were removed to reveal the nice bones of the room.....a soft, curve to the ceiling and a roomy bathing alcove.



Now for the special place for the cats!

Before - the unused knee space

After - Kitty litter box is enclosed in the cabinet

The cats have their opening to pass in and out through the wall.  Just open the cabinet doors and remove the litter tray for cleaning!

Lots of nice little visual moments in this house.  I'm so happy to add this one to the portfolio!

Many thanks to Susan Fox of Love Where You Live blog for featuring a recent bathroom reno project!  Susan is a field editor for Meredith Publishing and she does such a great job describing design work.  Please check it out!

Progress at the Job Site

Construction is under way on one of my remodel projects.  While many people dread this aspect of a job, I love it.  I really enjoy seeing everything we've planned get pulled together and start to come to life.  At this point, you can really see how making material selections, laying out tile work, lighting, electrical, etc. is so important to do before you start.  I've spent many hours on the design of this large remodel and my time spent up front is paying off.

This was a 1990's contemporary.  It had a very good floor plan, but the chunky, bullnosed style was dated.  It had some unique details like that stepped sheetrock design (which was everywhere!) at the ceiling that made the space seem very horizontal and oppressive.  The 12" x 12" slate (too little and too busy for the wide open space in this house) has been busted out. The dark oak kitchen cabinets and heavy, plain style just had to go. 

The homeowner wanted a traditional style with a light warm color scheme.  She likes beautiful wood mouldings and travertine floors.  A simplified, rectangular island shape and new cooktop location on the end wall of the kitchen, helps the bring the layout up to date and give the kitchen a nice focal point.



It's so nice to see those dark cabinets out and the stepped sheetrock gone.  The space already seems so much brighter and more uplifting.

New crown moulding going in where the sheetrock steps once were.

Travertine floor has begun.  



The larger tile is so much more appropriate for the size of the rooms.  Laying tile on the diagonal opens up the room and the tile appears even larger than it would run straight.

Before - Master tub deck with steps.  It's really very difficult to get into a tub with steps up to it.  It's much easier to sit down on the edge of a tub and swing your legs over to get in.  Even if you step into the tub, at least you're not climbing over the steps or stepping down into the tub from the deck.  I suppose it's to make the tub look grand????

New tub deck without the steps!  We will have some beautiful tile work to come.

Before - The living room fireplace.  Rather lackluster and there are those steps at the ceiling again.

I think it looks better already!

If you're ready to take on a big remodel, contact Aston Design Studio for a timeless interior, custom made for you!

Ten Tips Everyone Should Know Before Remodeling

Time is ripe for remodeling! There are great contractors out there looking for work and eager to jump on a project. Take advantage of this opportunity to get good value and good quality workmanship for your money. If you've been thinking about remodeling, now is a great time! I've compiled a list of ten tips that everyone should know before they start a remodel in their home. There are many more, but these seem to always come up as something my clients should know and that I should always review with them before they begin.

1) Plan your project carefully! Spending two months planning and designing your new master bath, kitchen, etc., is critical for getting the smoothest possible construction period and the best price and value for your money. Taking time to lay out the function of the room, select your finishes and fixtures, and design all the details that will make your room work and look the way you want will give you peace of mind once the construction begins and will give contractors a concrete idea of what to price out. The more vague the plan and product selections are, the less accurate your pricing will be. I see so many homeowners that call in several contractors right off the bat to give them pricing on remodeling and with no selections and just some verbal direction given, there's no way you will really be able to compare their pricing. Hiring a competent interior designer to help you in this phase is an expense that pays for itself in the long run!

2. Be realistic about a schedule. I've had clients that come to me with very unrealistic expectations about the time it takes to do a remodel. It doesn't matter if you are doing a powder bath or a large kitchen, you have to go through the same steps with the same sub-contractors. If you are doing a total gut on a kitchen or bath, a minimum of 8 weeks should be allowed and if you are adding in some unique features, special products, or rearranging everything, you should allow more time. I've seen homeowners expecting things to be finished in 2 weeks! Real life isn't HGTV!

3. Order your plumbing fixtures, appliances, lighting, and finish products before you start construction. Most contractors do this but if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you will see why right away. Some products have long lead times, electricians and plumbers need to know where to locate lighting and electrical in the walls when they are opened up at the beginning of the project, and cabinetry cannot be built or ordered until exact appliance dimensions are specified. Until you buy the product, you can always change your mind and clients have been known to do that. :)


4. Remember if you are doing a bathroom remodel to order the accessories when you order your plumbing products. Most plumbing showrooms know to ask this, but it's good to go ahead and order the towel bars, towel rings, toilet paper holder, hooks, tank lever, etc. when you order your fixtures. We always try to match the accessories with the fixtures and if you wait they might be backordered or out of stock.


5. Prepare for the inconvenience. For a kitchen remodel, plan a temporary kitchen somewhere in the house with a microwave or hotplate available. Do not plan on sleeping in your bedroom during a master bath remodel. The dust is everywhere in this vicinity of your home and if you leave the furniture in the room during the remodel, cover your bed with heavy plastic drop cloths to keep the dust out of the mattress. All clothing should be removed from dressers and other furniture. Empty your closet in a master bath remodel. Again, the dust gets everywhere, in all your clothing, etc. It can creep inside drawers and into plastic bins. If you must leave things in the closet, put items in plastic bins and then cover the bins with plastic drop cloths.

6. Have the contractors use the the exterior door that is closest and most accessible, then make sure the path is totally covered with drop cloths that will stand up to the test of time. Watch out about taping paper down to the floor. Some tapes leave a sticky residue that is impossible to get off or will peel up a finish after being down for two months. Remove any miscellaneous furniture or accessories that might be close to this path. A plumber coming in with your new tub might bump into something. It's just better to have these areas as clear as possible for the duration.

7. Remember that contractors are people too. They have needs like stopping for breaks and going to the bathroom. It's nice to have a bathroom in the house they can use and if you tell them about it up front they are always grateful. Then they don't have to ask or leave work to go up to the gas station.

8. Know that there will not always be someone at your house working on your project every minute of the day. People get anxious when there is no one at the house working, but trust me it doesn't mean your contractor has forgotten you. If subcontractors are scheduled too tightly then if one takes a bit longer to finish it throws the whole schedule off. It's better to have a little time between subs and give them space to do their work. They don't like working on top of each other and I believe it is a good idea to keep your contractors happy when they are working in your house.

9. Remember to allow 10% extra in your budget for unexpected expenses. It is almost surely to be spent. Remodels are full of unexpected surprises and if you are mentally prepared for that and have budgetd properly, you will handle them with much lower blood pressure. This is just the nature of the beast.

10. Trust your contractor with the key to your house. I know this is hard for most people, but if he's insured and reputable, this will make the "waiting for workers to arrive or leave" annoyance disappear. I find this to be the most irritating of all for clients. They can't understand how the tile guy can be 45 minutes late! First of all the tile guy or any other worker on the job is not on your schedule. They may be working between several jobs, have a crew elsewhere and need to check on them, need to pick up supplies, etc. Usually they get delayed because their work on other jobs is delayed or is taking them longer to finish up. This is another one of those "the nature of the beast" things. They need access to your job when they are ready to work on it and if you want your project finished in a timely manner and you are a busy person who doesn't like sitting around the house all day long, this will give you some freedom.

11. Okay, one more tip....relax! Remodels are an adventure that can be enjoyable. You have a front row seat to a fascinating show. If you've selected good people to work with, you will find yourself involved in a unique learning experience that will enrich your life and open your eyes. Whether it's interacting with the workers, learning about construction techniques, or just shopping for all the beautiful products to go in your home, a remodel project can a fun and exciting experience!

If you'd like to start your own remodel with the perfect plan, contact Aston Design Studio today!

Bathroom Remodel Progress

We are making progress on this master bath remodel and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out! The limestone tile is in and I love the natural texture and random variation on the floor.


Here is my design sketch and how it will look when finished. A short wall was constructed along the back for wall mount plumbing and a ledge for bathing items. Limestone tile wraps up the short wall from the floor and a limestone counter will be installed this week on the ledge. A smooth, creamy soft wall surface with all mouldings same color as the wall will envelope the space and in the middle of all this will sit a gorgeous solid surface soaking tub.



Beautiful, creamy white smooth tub to sit on top of all that texture. It's a subtle difference in textures that is the key design element throughout this house and in the bathroom.


Here's what we started with! It had good bones....a lovely arched ceiling, nice window, ample space, etc., it just had some bad applied details. The columns that support nothing, the mauve pink walls paired with a yellowed cultured marble tub surround, and the chunky applied moulding destroyed the space. Very bland and just....wrong.

Demo....yea! Get that stuff out of there!

Short wall is built, plumbing stubbed in, walls primed, tile begun. You can see the feel of the room changing. The ceiling feels higher with no moulding and the curve of the ceiling really softens the room and envelopes the space.

Here we are today. Can't wait for the limestone counter to arrive and then paint. House Beautiful here I come! :)