Bathtubs, Bubbles and Bliss

Stylish soaks that are sure to inspire your bathroom decor.

Last week’s blog about the high number of clients requesting to replace their traditional bathtubs with showers brought on plenty of discussion and input from people who love a good old-fashioned soak in the tub.  So we decided to dedicate this week’s blog to continuing our thoughts on ideas for bathroom remodels and to focus on bathtubs.

For some, there’s nothing better than a steaming hot bath, a good book and a glass of wine at the end of the day to ease away their stress from a hectic workday. The bathtub has a history of being rather mundane but fear not, you can still have your bubbles and bliss with some of the very inspiring and, dare we say, good looking bathtub models being offered today!

OPTIONS OPTIONS OPTIONS

Often bathtubs are an afterthought and most people don’t realize that you have more options than choosing a plain white recessed, corner or freestanding tub. Modern technology has made it possible for you to not only have choices but very innovative options depending on your personal preferences and needs. There is a wide array of colors and materials to choose from.  One of the latest trends we’ve seen at Design Connection is the desire for a deep soaking tub.  The kind where you can sink in up to your chin and just unwind either in a reclined or upright position.

japanese whirlpool soaking bath

Asian influenced japanese whirlpool bath from Diamond Spas

Taking a page from traditional japanese soaking tubs, there are now several options with a modern twist incorporating beautiful elements such as copper or stainless steel with comforts such as whirlpool jets or stunning ceiling mounted water fixtures. If you are considering incorporating more of an eastern flair, you should definnitely consider an upright soaking tub especially if space is an issue.  They take up less horizontal space than a traditional bathtub but still give you the beauty and comfort of a good deep soak.

Stainless Steel Japanese Soaking Bathtub

Sleek stainless steel soaker from Diamond Spas

Of course if you prefer to recline there are plenty of options there and exciting new offerings from some of the well known manufacturers we often use in our designs.

If you love the look of a freestanding tub but want something other than the traditional claw foot, ivory bath we have definitely got some eye popping tubs for you that are so stunning you’ll definitely want to make one the centerpiece of your bathroom retreat.

Jetta WaterDance Baths

The handcrafted bases and color choices make these freestanding baths by Jetta absolutely stunning

Jetta is a company that is probably most recognized for their innovations in whirlpool and jetted tubs. With their WaterDance Bath

series you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that they have ventured into the realm of artistic and freestanding soaking tubs with plenty of style.

Imagine soaking your stress away in what can only be considered a piece of art. We think you’ll agree that these tubs are just simply stunning with the handcrafted metal bases and designs to suit contemporary to traditional tastes. Freestanding tubs will never be the same!

While soaking is great for many, there are still those of you who love the idea of jets and bubbles to give you that personal spa experience. If that’s your thing, you’ll definitely want to check out the sōk® Overflowing bath from Kohler. They have a great video that shows how the tub works and it’s definitely worth watching. CLICK HERE to watch!

The sōk® bath has a combination of unique options that are becoming popular with bath aficionados. Chromatherapy and Air Bath technology. The Chromatherapy features are based on the idea that light and color can affect bio-rhythms and life balance. Including this with the soothing bath waters, you can get a true spa experience at home with a Chromatherapy tub and even if the color doesn’t affect your mood, the ambiance and the waters will definitely leave you feeling relaxed. They have a great blog about Chromatherapy and how it can affect your mood at the Kohler site that we’d recommend you read if you want more information about the concept.

Kohler Sok Bathtub with chromatherapy

Immerse youself in water, Chromatherapy and Champagne-like Bubbles in a Sok bath from Kohler

Last but not least, we want to talk about bubbles and Air Baths. The idea is to move away from blasting jets and toward a more tranquil experience with thousands of tiny champagne-like bubbles caressing you as you bathe. There are several companies who offer Air Baths including well known brands Jetta, Kohler and Jacuzzi and options definitely abound. With the various features on some where you can control zones and even have your bathtub clean itself it is almost too good to be true.  We have heard some funny stories from clients whom we have installed Air Baths for who have said sometimes when they self clean it sounds like the bathtub is burping! While it makes us chuckle, what makes us smile is the thought  of the bathtub cleaning itself. Now if it would only do dishes and run the vacuum that would be perfect but we’ll take what we can get.

Bellavista Pure Air Bath from Jacuzzi

Jacuzzi's Pure Air® Bellavista Bath

There are countless options out there if you are considering a bathroom remodel, but we think there is a perfect fit for everyone whether you are a fan of showers or baths.  We love both and would invite you to contact us if you want to get even more inspiration and help with planning your home bath retreat to suit you. One thing is for sure, with a bathroom remodel or new bathroom design from Design Connection you’ll probably be so relaxed you’ll never want to leave your bathroom!

New Concepts for Bathrooms – Eliminate Your Tub!

cool showerShowersWe are getting prospective clients calling that are ready to make changes in their master bathroom. They want to eliminate large bathtubs and have great walk-in showers, they have been seeing in the model homes. Most of the time we are able to accomplish what they are requesting. I always remind my clients most things are possible, but there is a price to pay for such a modern large update. 

 We are enlarging showers and upgrading to body spray systems or integrated custom showers. Kohler has some really great new and updated products that can turn your outdated master bathroom into something magical and spa like. For inspiration on bathrooms visit our portfolio.

Tip: We have been told by realtors that you should still have one bathtub on the same floor.

We are at your service, how can we help you? www.designconnectioninc.com

Hardwood Trends

DesignTips KC: Adding a medallion in your foyer creates a special detail that creates a great first impression of your home.

DesignTips KC: Adding a medallion in your foyer creates a special detail that creates a great first impression of your home.

Deep, dark, rich colors like chocolate and espresso are the new way to go with your hardwood floors. Things to consider with flooring – in addition to color - are plank width, wood texture and layout patterns. Your floors are an important consideration in the design of your home. They visually tie your rooms together, don’t take them for granted.

We work with www.svbwoodfloors.com for their quality attention to detail.

If you are interested in an interior design consultation contact us! www.designconnectioninc.com

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What is a Kitchen Face Lift?

I am getting requests for kitchen face lifts. Many of my clients are choosing to darker their cabinets, change hardware, update their appliances, change countertops and back splash. This could easily make the budget around $15,000 or higher. To gut a kitchen and reinstall all of the above will run $35,000 to over $100,000. It is clearly less expensive to have the face lift.

I am of the opinion that when my client’s go to sell their homes they will get their money back from a kitchen face lift. With the market as competitive as it is, home buyers are optioning for the homes that have updated kitchens and are willing to pay a higher dollar for them.

I tell my perspective clients be aware. There are very few faux painters that can repaint kitchens cabinets and have them look nice after a year or two. They are not willing to take the time to strip and sand the cabinets back to the original surface. I am hooked up with painters that I personally over see to  make sure that the prep work is done and completed correctly before the paint or stain is applied.

I have more to do now. Design Connection, Inc. is now on Face book. I will continue to blog on my website for I think that is really important, but also catch us on Facebook for news, photos of projects, and other happenings.

Arlene’s thought for the day. “Do your homework before you have any work done on your home”.

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied ASID

www.designconnectioninc.com

Spring Is Here!

It’s hard to believe that spring is here. It seems to have been a long winter.

I have many a client ask me about ceramic or hardwood floors, and what would be my preference. I have had both in my main living areas. I had tile while living in Switzerland and they had water running throughout the flooring system. It was warm and wonderful. I enjoyed the easy care of tile and it did not show dog stains or scratches. I now have wood and I love the beauty of it. I had my floors refinished a few years ago and with 2 dogs and children they could use to be refinished again. It is really personal. I love both styles of flooring.

I think it depends on the style of your home and what kind of traffic you have. I would spend time asking friends and neighbors which they prefer and you will come to your own conclusion. I will say that carpet in kitchens and bathrooms is not in vogue at this time.

Enjoy the sunshine.

Arlene

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Mobile 913 593 6919

 

Updating Your Staircase

Updating your staircase can be a great accent to your home. I recommend using an accent runner or carpet that compliments your existing flooring. This can be a pattern with multiple colors or a simple one color cut loop.

Iron spindles are very much in style and can cost as little as $5.00 a piece. I sometimes recommend wood painted spindles if it compliments the style of the home.

Slab wood stairs are beautiful but costly. You may faux paint and darken the handrails for around $250.00 to $400.00.
Changing your staircase can be a dramatic change and a great accent to your home and it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Arlene

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Updating existing cabinetry

It’s hard to believe that we are in the last days of summer. I have been invited into 2 homes in the last few weeks to deal with the pickled cabinets of the 1980’s. I have successfully stripped cabinets and faux painted them to a dark wood stain. The clients selected new tile, granite countertops, added new trim mould at the top of the cabinets and saved about $15,000 dollars or more. My clients still had use of their kitchens while the process was going on. We can also add new appliances and fill in the spaces with additional wood fillers if the sizes are different. Many of my clients are not wanting to do the whole deal, but want a new look without the big mess and money outlay. I am an experienced, certified interior designer in the state of Kansas and am able to help my clients through this process.

Above you will see a before and to the right is an after of one of our client’s kitchens.

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Inexpensive tips to remodel your home

Countertops can make a huge difference in updating your kitchen. There are many materials besides granite that still give a rich look. When you change out the countertops you will also be required to replace the sink to an under mount style and often change out the faucet. You may use a tile backsplash or like I choose to do in my office a solid slab backsplash to give a more integrated look.

Another instant upgrade is to change out the appliances. I love stainless appliances and I have them in my own home, but they are a lot of upkeep. I still specify black appliances, but I have not used white in about eight years. The new colored appliances are fun, but are they going to look like the avocado and harvest gold of the the seventies.

Paint is about the least expensive of the remodeling and redecorating tips I can recommend. I am always amazed when we change the trim color and the wall color to deeper tones how cozy and wonderful my client’s home will feel. We have also been refinishing the floors to a much deeper tone and that sets off the new deep tones on the walls,

What I love most about my job is that each client’s home is different and every new decorating challenge is fun and certainly not like the last project. Our client’s have all sized budgets and we can accomplish a new look using many of these decorating tips.

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Arlene

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Mobile 913 593 6919