before
& after
Master Suite Makeover Bright solutions turn on the charm in a once-drab and dated space BY JOETTA MOULDEN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET LENZEN
Sheryl Horton, a kitchen designer, called me because a company she used to work for advertised in Houston House & Home. “I needed an extra set of experienced eyes when we were readying our former house to sell,” Sheryl explained. “You helped keep me on track and spend money on projects that would enhance the sale and not get hung up on projects that would not matter to buyers. Since the previous house sold quickly and I had worked with you before, I really trusted your recommendations.” The couple’s plan was to buy a much smaller foreclosure—a fixer upper—to live in and remodel while they searched for a retirement home in Hilton Head, SC. “You came out the day our slab was being jack hammered and didn’t miss a beat!” Sheryl recalled.
ed by building legs onto new frameless custom cabinets. To further increase space, the couple mirrored the fronts of two closet doors on each side of the built-in linen cabinet and trimmed the wall around the doors to resemble a built-in armoire (opposite the sinks). The mirrored doors bounced a lot of light around the once-dark room and made the room feel wider. Two opaque, glass pocket doors (special ordered from Home Depot) eliminate awkward, space-gobbling door swings into the bathroom and shower area and further flood the room with light.
TIP: If you are handy, do as much physical work as you can to save thousands and not “overbuild the neighborhood.”
Because she did not want the maintenance of stone, Sheryl chose neutral Dal-Tile 20-inch porcelain tile in Capriccio Aria Crema for the floors to coordinate with the granite and paint colors. The same tile was used in several sizes in the shower for interest and continuity. Sheryl likes the fact the tile flows underneath the raised vanities and is not dark in color, so it expands the space. Sheryl's husband Charlie installed electrical GFCI outlets inside the
They refer to their former master bath as the “worst room in the house.” It had nasty carpet that had been used as a doggy bed, and the room was small, dark and dingy. I immediately suggested elevating the cabinets to increase the feeling of more space, which her husband Charlie creat18
TIP: Use mirrors and translucent glass to bounce light around, reflect garden views and visually increase space.
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