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R. Cartwright Design

A Full Service Design Studio Located in Des Moines, Iowa and Serenbe, Georgia.

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Client Projects

Hall Bathroom Remodel: From Dark and Dull to Light and Lovely

September 15, 2016 By Jillian Leave a Comment

We have a fun makeover to share with you today. Last summer, one of our long-time clients decided that she wanted to make over her second-floor hall bathroom, which is the one her two teenage children share. The current space wasn’t really that bad, but it was very dark, and the space wasn’t being utilized to its fullest potential.

Before Photos

Hall Bathroom Before

Hall Bathroom Before

Hall Bathroom Before

Floor Plan Before

You can see in the plan of the existing conditions that the long narrow room was divided in two with a single vanity in the first room and the toilet and tub in the second room. There was quite a bit of wasted space in the second room, while the vanity area felt tight and awkward.

Hall Bathroom Before Floor Plan

Proposed Floor Plan

Our goal was to demo the interior walls and open the space up into one big room with a large double vanity. This is the only bathroom in the house with a tub, so we felt we needed to incorporate a tub for resale. After debating free-standing vs. built-in, we ultimately decided on a large garden tub with an integrated shower.

Hall Bathroom Floor Plan After

After Photos

Our client is definitely a new traditionalist and loves mixing vintage, modern and traditional elements throughout her home. We designed a large, double, furniture-style vanity and selected a dark stain to pull out the veining running through the marble-look quartz countertops.

Hall Bathroom Remodel by R. Cartwright DesignInstead of tiling the shower surround, we used large slabs of white quartz with dramatic veining in shades of warm gray. The ship lap walls and ceiling add texture and dimension to the rest of the space. We added the ship lap during a meeting onsite with the client and contractors, and we feel like they unify the entire space. The hexagonal floor tile is a nod to tradition but the soft gray color and larger size are decidedly modern.

Hall Bathroom Remodel by R. Cartwright DesignWe love mixing metals, and this bathroom was no exception. Polished nickel fixtures are complemented by warm brass sconces and accessories. The large recessed medicine cabinets are good looking and extremely functional, being wired for electrical and lit on the interior. No more electric toothbrushes and razors charging on the countertop.

Hall Bathroom Remodel by R. Cartwright DesignEvery room needs art, including the bathroom. We love how these acrylic framed nest prints work in the space. The gold hooks are from Pottery Barn.

Hall Bathroom Remodel by R. Cartwright DesignWe hope you enjoyed this makeover. The remodeled bathroom is so much more functional and looks fabulous too. You can see more photos from this home in our portfolio under New Traditional Home.

Filed Under: Client Projects Tagged With: bathroom, bathrooms, ship lap, transitional, white walls

A Fresh and Fun Boy’s Bedroom Design

July 20, 2016 By Jillian Leave a Comment

For the past two months, we’ve been working on a really fun project with the most delightful client – a single dad who just purchased a townhome for himself and his seven-year-old son. We were so touched by his desire to create a cozy, personalized space that his son could grow into over the years.

We started with one of the son’s favorite colors – red – and his love of airplanes and vintage toys. We selected a fun graphic wallpaper from Schumacher for the bed wall and anchored it with a queen size headboard, upholstered in a soft blue cotton/linen blend reminiscent of chambray. White nightstands with a midcentury modern vibe provide extra storage, and the articulating lamps add some contrast with their black shades.

Boy's Bedroom Concept by R. Cartwright Design

We found vintage, airplane patent prints on Etsy and framed a set of three to hang over the bed. Line drawings of vintage airplanes adorn the pillow shams, which we’ll pair with a simple linen duvet and a red throw blanket.

The dad wanted him to have shelving to house his collections and books, so we selected a white minimalist bookcase that would blend into the walls and allow his objects to pop. Next to it, we left room for a custom whiteboard where the son can draw or leave notes.

A faux sherpa covered beanbag in the corner provides a comfortable spot to read or play on his iPad, and a woven basket can be used to corral smaller toys and objects.

Boy's Bedroom Concept by R. Cartwright Design

Airplane Prints | Vintage Tractor | Basket

We’re really excited about how the concept for this little boy’s room came together, and we can’t wait to see it installed. Kids’ rooms and nurseries are some of our favorite projects to design, and we’d love to work with you on a bedroom for the special little one in your life. Contact us today to get started.

Filed Under: Client Projects Tagged With: bedroom, bedrooms, des moines, furniture, upholstered headboard, wallpaper

Creating a Fresh Look for an Outdated Laundry Room and Mudroom

May 11, 2016 By Jillian Leave a Comment

Last Fall we began working with one of our long-time clients to redesign her back entryway and laundry room. Neither room has been updated since the home was built, and the layout in each space wasn’t working for the busy family of four with two active teenagers. The style of the home is traditional yet fresh and current; however, this space did not reflect her personality or style at all.

In the before plan, there was a built-in desk and closet to the right of the garage entry with a bench to the right over which hangs a chalkboard in a vintage frame. The client wanted to keep the bench and chalkboard but eliminate the desk in favor of built-in lockers.

Mudroom and Laundry Room Before PlanIn this photo, you can see the entry from the garage and the chalkboard that hangs over the bench.

0510-Mudroom-Before-02Here you can see the desk and built-ins to the right of the door.

0510-Mudroom-Before-03In the view below, we’re standing at the desk and looking towards the laundry. You can see the smaller closet as well as the opening into the kitchen.

0510-Mudroom-Before-04The laundry room was dated with oak cabinetry and white vinyl floor tile.

0510-Mudroom-Before-07This is the third closet and the other side of the laundry room. You can see that large space wasn’t being utilized as well as it could have been.

0510-Mudroom-Before-06We proposed eliminating two of the three closets to create a larger laundry room and to make space for custom cabinetry. We selected a palette of soft whites to keep the space feeling light, bright and clean and a new black slate floor to replace the vinyl.

On the right-hand side, we kept the closet facing the garage door to use as storage for out-of-season coats and jackets, but we planned to demo the desk and built-ins. The client also wanted to install a larger window to let in more light and provide a view to the backyard.

Plan-201501103_1-LayoutBelow is our “after” plan. You can see how removing the two closets on the laundry room side helped to open up the space. On one side, we designed a row of built-in semi-custom cabinetry to function both as a butler’s pantry/pantry and as a mini-office. On the other side, we were able to add a broom closet cabinet and add some additional countertop space at the sink. By demo-ing the desk, we were able to create a mudroom with a locker area for each family member.

Plan-201501103_1-LayoutThis elevation depicts the laundry area in the newly enlarged space. We selected a simple Shaker style cabinet with a two-part crown and had it custom colored a soft off-white by Sherwin Williams.

Laundry Room Elevation DrawingOn the butler’s pantry side, we incorporated deep drawers in all of the base cabinets for maximum storage. The bottom drawer on the far right is a custom configured filing cabinet while the drawer above features a hidden drawer for corralling small items like pens and paper clips. We originally specified a pocket door for the wall cabinet above so that there would be easy access to the printer but switched it out for a lift-up model. We specified a magnetic, linen look wallpaper for the backsplash so that our client could pin up important papers, photos, and other items.

Butler's Pantry Elevation DrawingIn the mudroom, we designed simple lockers with open storage below for shoes. The bench tops are white quartz to match the countertops in the laundry room. The space above the hanging storage was intended for large baskets to hold things like hats, scarves, and mittens.

Mudroom Locker Elevation DrawingWe specified the lockers, which were mostly built on-site, to be painted the same color as the cabinetry in the laundry room. The backs of the lockers are beadboard, which adds a little texture and dimension.

Mudroom Locker Elevation DrawingFor the finishes, we paired a white quartz that resembles Carrara marble with the custom painted cabinetry. We recommended painting the walls an off-white that was slightly lighter than the cabinetry but deeper than the white trim in order to create a soft and calming look.The black slate floor creates a dramatic contrast with the lighter cabinetry. The natural fiber runner and woven baskets add texture and depth to the mudroom. Polished nickel hardware on the laundry cabinets acts as the jewelry of the room.

Laundry Room Design and Mudroom plan by R. Cartwright Design - Des Moines Iowa Interior Designer

We have a couple quick iPhone snapshots of the space in progress. It’s about 95% there but still needs a few of the finishing touches.

Laundry Room Design Built-In Cabinetry

laundry room design - sink with quartz backsplash

Mudroom Lockers - R. Cartwright Design, Des Moines IowaWhen the family enters from the garage, these two rooms are the first thing that they see. Before the remodel, both the laundry room and mudroom were not only outdated and underwhelming but they didn’t function well for their lives. Now, they are greeted by a cheerful, pleasant and well-organized space.

We hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek into a design project for one of our favorite clients, and we’ll be sharing more posts like these in the future. If you have any questions or are interested in working with R. Cartwright Design, please email us.

Local partners: Showplace Kitchens, Aronson Woodworks, Bertini Stone and Tile

Filed Under: Client Projects Tagged With: cabinetry, des moines, traditional

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About R. Cartwright Design

R. Cartwright Design is a full service interior design studio, based in Des Moines, Iowa and Serenbe, Georgia, serving clients all over the United States. Founded over twenty years ago by Rebecca Cartwright, we are dedicated to providing our clients with the highest levels of creativity, design and service. Read More…

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Locations

2005 NW 100th Street
Clive, Iowa 50325

(t) 515.309.5006

10625 Serenbe Lane, Suite A
Chatt Hills, Georgia 30268

(t) 515.309.5006

Recent Client Projects

  • Classic Brick Four Square
  • New Traditional Home
  • Clear Lake Cottage
  • Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles
  • AIR Serenbe
  • European Inspired Remodel
  • Naturally House
  • Bohemian Modern Townhome

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