Project Spotlight: A Newly Renovated Newlywed Home

They say that a home is a clear reflection of those who live in it and this recently updated Holmdel, NJ residence is the perfect example of that sentiment. From modern rustic feels and cultured collections of artwork and wine to earthy textures and warm tones, this home is just as inviting (and stylish!) as the homeowner who greeted us at the door. NEMO Tile + Stone Red Bank worked closely with designers Dana Faulks and Krysti Kyle, owners of Drafting Table Studio in Neptune, to select tile for the master and guest baths, double-sided fireplace, mudroom and wine cellar. The homeowners enlisted the help of the ladies at Drafting Table Studio to begin updates immediately after purchasing the home in the spring of 2017. The home was built in 1968 and the goal was to bring the one half of house up to date with the already renovated other half. The updates were completed over the summer months and by September, the soon-to-be-married homeowners moved in just in time for their walk down the aisle.

Master Bath and Fireplace

When it came to the master bath, the homeowners originally envisioned a purely stark black and white bath, but due to the design of rest of house and the greenery outside, Dana and Krysti steered them toward warmer greys and creamier whites to enhance the nature outside and blend aesthetically with the rest of the house. The designers built out the entire master bath, which was previously another bedroom/‘above-the-garage bonus room’ and converted the whole space into a master suite. The homeowners wanted a fireplace in the master bedroom and the redesign allowed them the perfect opportunity to have a two-sided fireplace that shared the master bedroom and bath. The 12x24 Oxy Deep Gray tile used in the master bedroom creates a feature wall where the television hangs and frames out the fireplace while bringing the outdoors in and picking up on some those natural elements. On the other side of that wall is the tranquil fireplace in the master bath, seamlessly situated as the backdrop of the stand-alone soaking tub. NEMO’s Black Dimple Razor Metal Pennyround Tile created the perfect dark charcoal grey accent that the homeowners were looking for and added a stylish pop to the space. The homeowners loved the rustic wood-look tile and the designers again sought to refine it a bit which led them to find NEMO’s Yaki Stucco tile—which was the perfect blend of both the homeowner and designer’s vision for the master bath. “We wanted to create something that has that rustic element but is also reminiscent of a more peaceful Japanese, spa-like bath as well,” says designer, Krysti. The homeowners also wanted a vanity that looked more like furniture, so the design team worked with Omega Cabinetry to achieve just that, complete with LG Quartz countertops. When it came to designing the shower in the master bath, the homeowners wanted a ‘cave-like’ shower combined with the look and feel of being in a luxurious hotel. It was also important to them that there was no shower glass. Given the spacious layout, the designers decided it would be logical to place the walk-in shower behind the vanity wall. Although the location was unconventional, it allowed for the large double shower the homeowners were looking for complete with a marble shower bench and black fixtures. The Black Dimple Razor Metal Pennyround Tiles were also used in this space for the recessed shower shelf.  And bringing together all of the tones and textures, the shower floor features NEMO’s Dark Gray Mars Stone, a textured mosaic porcelain which perfectly complements the light and dark shades used in this space. The walls of the master bath consisted of a custom layout using both the Yaki Stucco Natural tile as well as the Yaki Stucco Rtisan Gloss tile. The designer's hand-selected each tile specific to its locations, using both 6x48 matte and 6x12 polished versions to give it a nice texture. Especially noticeable in the shower, where the reflection of the glossy tile adds a nice textural touch to it. “It was three days of me (at six months pregnant!) crawling on my hands and knees, laying out each tile on the floor of the master bedroom while they were installing it in the bathroom to make sure it was perfect,” says Krysti. The bath was complete with one of the many pieces of artwork collected by the homeowner that hung on the wall. NEMO Materials used: 12x24 Tread Oyster Natural (floor) 6x48 Yaki Stucco Natural (walls) 6x12 Yaki Stucco Rtisan Gloss (walls) ¾ Razor Black Penny Dimple (master bath fireplace surround accent) 2x2 Mars Stone Dark Gray Mosaic Textured (shower floor) 12x24 Oxy Deep Gray Natural (master bedroom fireplace)  

Guest Bath

Down the hall in the guest bath, the original design footprint was kept for this project and the shower subway tile from NEMO’s Industry Porcelain collection was the first real design element that was chosen when updating this space. The designers worked off of the Cemento gray tile in the shower and blended it with natural wood tones and industrial elements to give it that fresh modern feel. With a decent amount of space next to the toilet, the designers opted for open shelving for towels and toiletries as opposed to adding a linen closet to stay true to the modern-rustic vibe. The rain glass in the vanity pendant lighting also helped to play up the natural textures. “The pendants add a unique design detail versus sconces which you’re always used to seeing,” explains Krysti. NEMO’s Build floor tile in Vision Natural perfectly complements the style of the guest bath picking up on both the warm and cool tones throughout the space. “Blending the industrial feeling and metal elements with the warmer rustic tones really helped give this bathroom its place in the home.” NEMO Materials used: 18x36 Build Vision Natural (floor) 3x12 Industry Cemento (shower wall)  

Mudroom/“Dog’s Quarters”

When designing the Mudroom, located off of the kitchen, the homeowners had only one thing in mind—their German Sheppard, Sheba, who the room was designed around. The Mudroom was designed not only to be used as an entrance from the garage but also for Sheba who “tends to make a mess when drinking out of her water bowl.”  As a result, the entire space was tiled from floor to ceiling with NEMO’s 12x24 Arcadia Porcelain Tile in Flamed Gray Matte to allow it to be “Sheba Proof,” aka waterproof. The room previously served as the front door entrance to the home and although the door was removed, the long narrow window remains to bring in natural light from outside to brighten up the dark tile. A stylish custom-made dog bowl was created by local furniture maker Frank Toth and installed for Sheba directly in front of the window, to allow her to eat and drink at a comfortable height while having a nice view out the window. On the opposite wall hangs floating live-edge wood shelving and coat hangers as well as a custom wood bench that was also created by Frank Toth. NEMO Materials Used: 12x24 Arcadia Flamed Gray Matte

Wine cellar

With a wine collection of nearly one thousand bottles, adding a wine cellar was a must for this wine connoisseur when renovating. One of the early starting points that set the tone for whole project was the beautiful front door that once stood as the entrance of the home in the Mudroom. It was repurposed and used as the main design inspiration for the wine room. Located in the basement where a smaller existing closet was located, the wall was set back a few feet to allow more space for the wine cellar. For this space, the homeowners wanted to stick with the rustic elements seen throughout the house. They visited the NEMO Red Bank showroom where they found the Via Emilia wood-looking porcelain tile and fell in love the charred distressed look of it.  The 24x24 tile was used for the floor, while the 6x48 size was laid vertically on the wall. According to Krysti, “This tile choice was completely different from the natural field stone look that the homeowner originally wanted. He loved the black element and the beaten-up look which was perfect for a modern looking wine cellar versus the traditional Tuscan style wine cellar that you usually see.” The tile colors perfectly complement all of the items in the wine cellar, with the lighter tones in the porcelain that really pickup on the wooden wine racks and wine cases. The completed wine room allowed for the homeowner to organize each bottled meticulously with each location categorized via spreadsheet. “This home has an emphasis on natural, earthy materials and textures and NEMO’s tile selection has been great for that because a lot of the porcelain we chose perfectly portrays that feel and was much more budget friendly.” NEMO Materials Used: 24x24 Via Emilia Dark (floor) 6x48 Via Emilia Dark (wall)   Vendors: Drafting Table Studio - Designers Dana Faulks and Krysti Kyle Frank Toth – Furniture Maker Local (Dog Bowl and Bench) Ferrous Hardware – Mud Room dog bowl & bench cabinetry legs Custom Wood, LLC - Omega Cabinetry – Custom Cabinetry (Custom Wood Vanities in Baths) Custom Wood, LLC – LQ Hausys – Quartz countertops Phoenix General Construction – General Contractor Hudson Valley Lighting – Master Bath Lighting George Kovacs – Guest Bath Lighting Brizo – Plumbing Fixtures in both Baths Top Knobs – Cabinetry Hardware West Elm – Guest Bathroom Mirror Made Goods – Master Bathroom mirrors   Drafting Table Studio Social Media Tags: Facebook: @DraftingTableStudio Instagram: @DraftingTableStudio