In the Restoration or Renovation category we have our #EastBranch project. Here are just some of the many pictures of this colonial beauty. Photography credit Aimee Mazzenga.
Deadline is February 5th. Thank you in advance for your support!
Year in Review: 2020
As we look back on the year, January and February seem like distant memories.
One highlight does still stand out, though. Brandie, E&B’s founder, was accepted into the Female Founder Collective, or FFC. The FFC is an organization created by Rebecca Minkoff and other women business owners dedicated to enabling and empowering female-owned and led companies. It’s an honor to be included and has been a great resource to help us through this crazy year.
Because as we all know, in March everything changed.
It’s been a sobering and stressful time, but we continue to be thankful for our health and wonderful clients who have reached out for updates to their homes. With everybody working from—and frankly, stuck at home—our business has fortunately become top of mind for many.
While in past years we concentrated on design-build/remodeling, this year our interior design business grew. We designed patio areas for families to enjoy and safely spend time together outdoors. We also updated many living spaces, offices, and bedrooms, focusing on keeping our clients cozy and relaxed in their homes as the weather turns cooler.
But the E&B Studio in downtown Glen Ellyn takes the prize as one of our most special rooms completed in 2020. We planned to celebrate it with cocktails and treats at a Spring open house, but our party remains on hold for now.
We welcome you to make an appointment and stop by in a mask to see our sitting area, kitchen-dining area, as well as our workstation. If you are in the market for custom dining chairs, stools or a sofa, we’ve expanded our in-house samples so customers can touch and “feel the sit” of various seating options before purchasing.
As many of you know, High Point Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, and we were eager to return to North Carolina to seek out trends and new vendors. It wasn’t in the cards for 2020, but we held our own “virtual market,” holding Zoom calls with several companies. One local rep even held a mini market with rug samples in her garage!
So we all creatively adapted as needed in 2020. Thanks for following us through this year, and cheers to a more hopeful 2021!
Gambrel Roof Dilemma
If I have not said it before… Space planning is my jam. So when I see a balcony that is too small for even a chair, situated awkwardly off of a bathroom- I immediately look forward to using that space more efficiently.
I mean, why was this a good idea??
Not only is it an awkward space inside, the disrupted roof line outside looked like an after thought.
We re-configured the entire bathroom and closet to make a master bathroom worthy of this beautiful home. Here is one more before photo of the bathroom footprint for posterity.
Hard to believe this is the same bathroom, but here you have the finished product! The balcony door became a window between two sinks.
I assume you are all busy staring at that gorgeous walnut grain. I get it. We found a marble remnant large enough for the top and backsplash, it even runs into the deep window sill. The marble is as lovely as the walnut, detail picture below. Perfect colors and pattern!
Shower was relocated to make room for a bench and larger standing room. The walls are covered in a porcelain slab. Easy maintenance and zero grout.
Toilet stayed put. In most cases, the toilet is the most expensive plumbing item to move, so when we can, we leave it in the same location. In the new layout we were able to close it in it’s own private space and add more linen/ closet storage where the shower once was.
Lastly, outside we trimmed up the new windows to match the others, created some symmetry, and extended the bottom of the roof line.
Inside and out, we love how this bathroom remodel came together!
Hello #BriarKnoll !
We wrapped up the remodel at our #BriarKnoll project just in time for the holidays last year. We scheduled a photoshoot for March that had to be re-scheduled, like so many things in 2020! When we returned to this home recently, we fell in love all over again. I am excited to finally share the finished project with everyone.
The clients had a modern taste with appreciation for timeless traditional. Their home had artifacts collected through generations and family travels, as well as clean crisp furniture pieces. It was a great mix of tastes to start from. The homes architecture was mid-century modern, with large open windows that let in an amazing amount of natural light.
However, the existing kitchen was small and dark, with very little functionality.
So you know we had to take a wall down…
We moved the dining area to make space for a larger kitchen. This might be the largest island to date for E&B. It is glorious.
We used a modern door style in the kitchen with a mix of cherry and white cabinets. Large crown molding ties in some traditional tones, while the marble-like quartz waterfall edge on the island brings in some more modern flair.
These home owners love to cook! So add in an amazing range cave with a 60” Wolf range and you have a chef’s dream kitchen.
On the perimeter we have a beverage station. Coffee, wine, non-alcoholic gin… it’s all here! The floating shelf and seamless quartz veining from top to backsplash make this one of my favorite photos.
Lastly in the kitchen, making use of a window niche, we added built in shelves for a cozy seating area. I could easily see myself enjoying my morning coffee here.
The powder room got an update as well. We changed up the wood floor pattern to chevron in here and it makes such a subtle, but fun impact on the room.
Next door to the kitchen is the main entry from the garage. In this hall used to be a long run of coat closets. We all know with a family, coat closets are not the most organized places for storage. We fixed that here with some modern built in locker-type storage.
We love a mix of finishes and styles! #BriarKnoll has the best of both, in our opinion.
#EastBranch Reveal Part II
I really left you on hold with this one! As everyone knows it’s been a hectic year (understatement), but I will make you wait no longer. Here is Part II of our #EastBranch Reveal.
After we wrapped up the second floor of this beautiful 2 story colonial, the clients informed us they were ready to tackle the ground floor. This included a kitchen, dining room, living room, family room, and powder room. The kitchen was tiny! So of course we had to address that.
We moved the dining wall and the walls creating an awkward hallway outside the kitchen to make more room for their dream kitchen.
This is a historical home that has seen two additions in its lifetime. This presented it’s own set of obstacles. The larger kitchen though…. Worth. It.
The open hutch gives each room more light while making the rooms feel more spacious and less broken up. The new window above the range allows the homeowner a view to the backyard and a ledge for herbs or flowers.
Can we just agree more people need to paint their ceilings blue?
The powder room got an upgrade as well. The countertop edge detail was something I had seen on a cafe table in NYC. I had been dying to find an application for this element for months. It fits perfect on this console.
The entrance from the garage now has functionality and purpose. The left side of the cabinets double as coat, shoe, bag and whatever else you need to shed at the door storage.
The right side opens up to a small serving area. Across from this lives a seating area perfect for a workspace, cup of coffee escape, really the uses are endless.
This leads us into the family room, where… let me tell you, we found a much better spot for the TV.
Before.
After.
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Wait for it…..
This was an engineering feat that the E&B team will not soon forget. I’m sure our carpenter and electrician won’t let us either, ha!!! It is always tough when you are trying something new and complicated, but as usual, results were worth it!
Last, but not least, the living room. This was a simple update. The fireplace had great bones, just needed a little love.
With a few small changes, lighting and fresh paint, this room looks brand new!
From top to bottom, we adore this project and we hope you did too!
New Studio Space
Late March of this year we completed the build out of our very first studio space. Clearly an Open House event is a ways off, but I can’t wait to show off our new studio. Ember & Brune finally has a brick and mortar home!
We are located in the heart of downtown Glen Ellyn. Although we have projects in Chicago and other burbs, finding the perfect spot in Glen Ellyn is bittersweet. Early 2016, in our first year of business, we started the renovation of a historical home on Main Street for clients who were new to Glen Ellyn themselves. This home was later featured on a house walk and has resulted in a lot of great community connections.
Our new studio is open by appointment only. We have a fun kitchenette featuring a Miele coffee maker… which was a must!
A living area featuring furniture from Wesley Hall and other great vendors we met at High Point Market in North Carolina last year. Our wainscot wall is complete with art from a local artist, Emmy Star Brown.
A cozy banquette corner.
We also have a long conference table perfect for spreading out beautiful material samples and reviewing plans. And office space… where the magic happens… Ha!
This space is a dream and the E&B team looks forward to seeing you here!
Above: A photo I took in April of our neighbors. This was the week we had planned to have our big open house event. The message resonated.
#EastBranch Reveal Part I
When our soon to be clients at #EastBranch saw our #SmithBarrow project on the 2018 Glen Ellyn House Walk they knew immediately Ember & Brune was a good fit. They had been searching for a designer/ builder that could update their 100 yr old colonial home, while maintaining the historical charm they fell in love with when they bought it. To be honest, that is our favorite kind of project!
We tackled this whole home remodel in two phases. Phase one was the second floor. We updated flooring, paint, and electrical throughout. The master bedroom was redesigned with furniture, window treatments and accessories. The hall bathroom received a face lift but the real challenge was the master bathroom.
You can see in the existing layout, the bathroom had no water closet privacy and a tiny tub/ shower combo. So much space was wasted in the middle of the room.
Not to mention the blue fixtures….
Space planning is our favorite! As nerdy as that sounds, it really comes in handy when converting historical homes that have had two additions over the decades into functional spaces.
In the new floor plan we created a private area for the water closet, including a transom window to allow natural light. A much needed larger shower space and a lot of storage and amenities they did not have before.
A view from when you enter the room.
Heated towel bar and transom window into water closet.
You also see the exposed thermostatic shower valve and custom tile work, which pulls in some vintage charm.
The black doors and trim in this room really set it apart. Striking contrast between black and white throughout this room is classic and timeless.
We run into a lot of short vanities in remodeling. Standard height of a vanity now is 36”. Here we made the sink areas standard height and kept the center storage cabinet lower to fit under the window. We added furniture like details to the sink cabinets to set them and add depth.
Original staircase remained, and received a fresh coat of paint and stain. All millwork through out the house was updated to match the original profiles. Nothing is worse than an addition on a home that does not match the rest of the house. Why. Just why?!
Hall bathroom received an aesthetic makeover. New floor tile, vanity, mirror, lighting and plumbing fixtures. Design Tip: When there is not enough room for two sinks, add a long sink with two faucets. You’re welcome.
Phase 2 was the first floor, and hold on to your hat… That was an even bigger transformation. To be continued in #EastBranch Reveal Part II.
#Artdevivre
Repeat after me, “Galley kitchens are not boring…” Or at least they don’t have to be. The art of living, or art de vivre, was accomplished in this remodel with warm materials, vivid pops of color and a range fit for royalty.
Let’s start with the range. This is the Cornufe made by La Cornue. Modern cooking with all the vintage feels. A range this beautiful is always a focal point.
Walnut can warm up any space. The countertops and floating shelves were crafted locally out of black walnut.
Nothing compliments walnut better than warm brass hardware.
We turned a small void behind the wall into usable storage space for large appliances. With a little engineering and creativity, we made a door covered in backsplash tile that recedes behind the refrigerator.
While we were remodeling the kitchen, the mudroom got an update too! Closed storage to hide clutter and matching brass hardware. We painted the walls in Benjamin Moore’s Evening Sky which complimented the brass tones perfectly.
Penny the puppy agrees, this new space is quite amazing!
Design Chicago 2019
Design Chicago is an annual gathering of interior designers to learn, collaborate and in my case- eat amazing food. I’m so lucky that this happens at the Merchandise Mart, so close to home.
This year the NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association, asked me to by a #StyleSpotter. What an honor! In case you missed it in my instagram stories, I’m going to share with you my top picks from Design Chicago.
Cabinetry:
It’s all about texture and natural elements! For example, take this detail on the back of an island at New Style Cabinetry.
The rest of the kitchen is very sleek and modern, but they’ve added this gorgeous 3D sculpted wood piece on the island. This was made right here in Chicago on New Style’s CNC machine. The art deco style and depth of the piece caught my eye immediately. I learned that it was inspired by the El Capitan theater’s ceiling in Hollywood, which sent me down a rabbit hole of inspiration and research myself!
Appliance:
True Appliances Residential
These commercial appliances have come a long way! This year they introduced ‘ultra matte black’ which is pure velvet to the eye and touch. They also added ‘emerald green’ which has me ready to design a whole space around it.
Plumbing:
The Brizo Litze Collection offers a ‘knurling’ detail option that I love! Overall texture is a really big theme for me this year in design and the knurling not only is nice to the touch, it catches light in beautiful ways.
Lighting:
Showroom: A. Rudin. Maker: Siemon & Salazar
The LED Iris Sconce is more of a sculpture than a light fixture. The hand forged look of the glass and metal along with the artistic shadows it created on the wall made this piece more than a light fixture, but a piece of art.
Tile:
Paris Ceramics
These 3D marble tiles had texture and depth that I have not seen in a tile before. The rectangular tiles had what they call, “a picque texture” on the surface which I thought was beautiful. Natural stone is gorgeous on its own and adding these textural elements really added something unique.
I learned so much in the 2 days I attended. I’m inspired and ready to share the new tricks up my sleeve. The Chicago design community is truly the best!
If you want to see the other NKBA Style Spotter picks, her is their blog post:
What a charmer this house is. From the moment we first set eyes on it with our clients and their Realtor, we knew it could be transformed into a dream home for this family. After seeing our 3D renderings, our clients agreed and purchased the home.
We added a 2 story addition with basement onto the back of the home and completely renovated the existing space. Throughout the process, integrating the original historical details into the new space was priority. Our goal is always to transition seamlessly from new to old.
The home already had charming moments within it’s walls that we were able to play off of in our new design. The arched doorway to the right of the fireplace gave inspiration to add an arched opening to the left, creating a more open flow between living room and kitchen.
While we were at it, we added another arched opening between dining and kitchen, hiding the support beam as well as adding architectural interest.
The existing sunroom received a makeover with new tile and heated floor, keeping this room comfortable year round. Which is great, because couldn’t you just live here year round?
1st floor addition consists of a large kitchen (fit to entertain), dining room, breakfast nook and mudroom.
Concrete countertops and other “green” materials were used throughout this project.
We kept the foyer with it’s black stone floor and swoon worthy arched front door. Second story addition made room for a master suite and larger upstairs hallway. The master bathroom and bedroom are not short on natural light or charming details. We added windows wherever we could and the glass French doors allow light to flow freely between the two spaces.
We could go on forever about #ModernCottage. And we just might. Follow the hashtag on our social for more details to come!
