Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2020 - 63

CHALLENGE 3: PULLING TOGETHER THE PANTRY

Valdez said that even though her client knew a walk-in pantry was a stretch,
in her wildest dreams she wanted one. Because of the expense of adding onto
the home's clay tile roof and moving the existing deck, the design team elected
not to increase the kitchen's footprint.
"Instead, we focused on what seemed to be the world's tiniest screened-in
porch off of the kitchen, which housed only a toilet and the hot water heater,"
said the designer. "We would move the heater to the home's exterior and
build a few walls to enclose the space; there was even already plumbing in
there for a small sink."
Valdez drew up the plans and presented them to the homeowners, but
they originally decided the cost would be too far out of budget to include the
pantry, although they were shocked at the idea they could actually have the
pantry they so desired.
"Once the clients saw how amazing the rest of the kitchen renovation was
coming along, they couldn't resist adding the pantry back into the plan,"said
the designer. "We also added an additional window in the pantry to bring
in more light."
CHALLENGE 4: PRESERVING HISTORIC DETAILS

Because of the previous remodel, Valdez and her team were only able to keep
the original flooring and window trims; they were unable to use the original
windows once those were removed.There were, however, some solutions she
came up with that were historically accurate.
"We dug through several doors at an antique shop until we found two for
the entries to the deck and the pantry that looked original,"said the designer,
who explained that they took out the upper wood panels and added glass.
She also specified two cast-iron apron sinks, inset cabinet doors and
period-appropriate latch hardware. Soapstone was chosen for the island and
pantry countertops, and the perimeter countertops in quartz complement
the soapstone, which is unusually white. A thick walnut countertop for the
island seating area is echoed in the walnut banquette table - an item Valdez
designed herself.
CHALLENGE 5: GUEST BATH MISSION

This historic space was rife with issues before the team even got started.
The owners had roped off a dysfunctional shower with tacky, X-shaped
tape so no one would use it. A sagging floor under the shower made it a
hazard to walk on.
More minor issues included dated cabinets with doors and drawers that
wouldn't close, a cracked and unlevel mosaic floor and a closed-in shower
space surrounded by three full-height walls.
"When the previous remodeler turned what was an exterior porch into the
guest bath several years ago, they did not support it properly," said Valdez.
"When my husband and the construction team began to demo the kitchen
- which is under this bathroom - they cut a hole in the ceiling, and 400 lbs
of concrete fell down. This would have been a major safety hazard with the
grandkids eating right below."
The construction team replaced the ceiling and all the floor joists and
modified the plumbing to provide a working shower. Valdez cut one of the
shower walls into a half wall to eliminate its cave-like feel and was able to
preserve the original windows and medicine cabinet. Custom inset cabinets
are period appropriate, and the designer elected to restore the existing beadboard wainscoting.
"We also changed the door swing to the bathroom to swing into the bedroom to provide better access to the corner shower," said Valdez. "Although
the layout of the bathroom did not change much, the newly designed space
is far more functional than it once was." 


RIGHT Valdez said the handpainted marble tile floor was
the inspiration for the guest
bath design. She chose a pale
blue color for the walls and a
penny round tile in the same
shade for the shower floor.

A beveled mirror between the
windows makes the room
seem larger, and polished
nickel fixtures add sparkle
and visual interest.

SOURCES
DESIGNER: Jana Valdez,

Haven Design and
Construction
PHOTOGRAPHER: Matthew
Niemann Photography

KITCHEN

BACKSPLASH: The Tile
Shop; BARSTOOLS:

Ballard Designs;

DISHWASHER: Asko;
FAUCETS: Kohler & Rohl;
HARDWARE: Rejuvenation

& Restoration Hardware;
LIGHTING: Aidan Gray,
Gabby & Shades of Light;
PANTRY TILE FLOOR: Stone
Impressions; PERIMETER
COUNTERTOPS: Corian;
POTFILLER: Signature
Hardware; MICROWAVE
& RANGE: Wolf;
REFRIGERATION: SubZero; SINKS: Maidstone
& Rohl

GUEST BATH

COUNTERTOP & SHOWER
CURB: Corian; FAUCET
& SHOWERHEAD: Delta;
FLOOR TILE: Stone
Impressions; HARDWARE:

Restoration Hardware;
SCONCES: Cystorama;
SHOWER TILE: Travis Tile;
SINK: Kohler; VANITY
STOOL: Ethan Allen

63
62-63_KBB_0220_Solutions.indd 63

2/12/20 4:52 PM
Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2020
