Tag: open floor plan

Your Beach House Bathroom Can Be Sleek + Stylish

Peter Salerno Inc.

Your Beach House Bathroom Can Be Sleek + Stylish

The phrase “beach house bathroom” has conjured up the wrong images for far too long. Ratty throws, sandy floors, and outdated showers and tubs once dominated the bathrooms of summer homes, as homeowners were preoccupied with all the things that could go wrong with its design.

Instead, why not focus on what can go right? The start of summer is the perfect opportunity to update your beach home’s bathroom to a sleek, stylish appearance that reflects the pride and presentation that you’ve built into the rest of your space.

Update your beach house bathroom to be sleek, stylish and inviting.
Update your beach house bathroom to be sleek, stylish and inviting. (Credit Peter Rymwid)

Many of the questions that beach house owners have about updating their bathroom designs seem logical.

“Why should I invest in the bathroom; it’s just going to get dirty!” “What happens when family and guests track sand all over?” “Shouldn’t I just consider my beach home’s bathroom as a glorified mud room?”

The answer to all these concerns is a simple one. Your family, friends and guests will inherently assign the same value to any room in your home that you do – bathroom included. If you invest the time, focus and proper design elements towards making your beach house bathroom sleek, stylish and beautiful, its users will treat it with the same care and respect.

Great views and open floor plans can maximize your beach house bathroom's space.
Great views and open floor plans can maximize your beach house bathroom’s space. (Credit Peter Rymwid)

Great views and open floor plans can maximize the space in your beach house bathroom. As Ren Miller, editor-in-chief of Design New Jersey magazine, stated in our Summer interview, “Views are important – get some big windows in your vacation home!” Make sure the designer handling your bathroom space values clean, functional design.

Also, don’t be afraid to trade in those ratty rugs and throws for tile floors. They’re much easier to clean and maintain, and once again – if you present a beautiful space, it is bound to be respected by your guests.

Finally, if you are dealing with an interior or narrow bathroom space, and space is at a premium, there are still creative design solutions! In our photo example at the top of the article, note the use of floor-to-ceiling mirrors to present the illusion of a larger space. Also, our design team was sure to stack as much functional storage as possible within the beautiful vanity and mirror combination on the far wall.

A great designer or design firm can make the most of any beach house bathroom, large or small. For more information on how Peter Salerno and his team can be of service, please visit their website.

Your Spacious Summer Kitchen Design Tips for 2017

Peter Salerno Inc.

Summer Home Kitchen Design Tips To Maximize Your Space

So you’re thinking about creating the perfect summer kitchen. That’s fantastic! What better way to share one of the most intimate rooms of your home with friends, family and guests than by creating an inviting, warm summer kitchen in which to share meals and memories?

Updating your kitchen, of course, can seem daunting. Where do you start? What should you value? And what special design elements can you implement to add the warmth and joy of summer into your kitchen – whether it’s for a vacation home, or all year round?

Create an inviting summer kitchen with open floor plans and a splash of color.
Create an inviting summer kitchen with open floor plans and a splash of color. (Credit Peter Rymwid)

Our expert design friends at Peter Salerno Inc. are here to help with a few design tips (and some great photography, courtesy of Peter Rymwid). With our help, you can transform your kitchen into an inviting space sure to please your loved ones and guests for years to come.

Tip #1: Utilize an open floor plan.

Make sure your kitchen has enough space to accommodate as many guests as you may have. This doesn’t just include comfortable seating – there needs to be space in which to maneuver. Also, it’s important that the person utilizing the kitchen feels just as much a part of your gathering as anyone else, so make sure he or she can easily see and be seen by your guests!

Tip #2: Multiple seating areas.

The same summer kitchen design, from another angle. Notice the added seating!
The same summer kitchen design, from another angle. Notice the added seating! (Credit Peter Rymwid)

Take a look at this second photo. Surprise – it’s the same kitchen as above! Adding a center island with bar-style seating is a fantastic way to provide your guests with more areas to relax and enjoy themselves. It also provides the “chef du jour” with the opportunity to interact more intimately with your guests. Creating this island seating space also ensures that you can accommodate more people without detracting from your open floor plan.

Tip #3: Have fun with summer color(s)…

…but don’t go overboard! Pick one or two bright, friendly summer tones to accent your kitchen (notice our combination of clean white and light nautical blue). You can easily add color to your space by setting out fresh fruit and vegetables, bringing in fresh flowers, and/or setting out enticing foods and drinks (like a great bottle of red wine or a tall pitcher of rosemary lemonade – you can find the recipe for that here!).

Of course, when it comes to designing your dream summer kitchen, there’s no better place to start than a visit to your trusted design experts. With 30 years of custom, award-winning kitchen and cabinetry design experience, turn to Peter Salerno and our top-notch team to create your ideal summer kitchen with love and care.

For more information on Peter Salerno Inc. and their award-winning summer kitchen designs, please visit their website.