Bath photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer, Kitchen photography by John Herr
Talented designers from Lancaster, York and Harrisburg submitted their most fabulous projects for the chance to see their work in the pages of Susquehanna Style. Read on to discover the prizewinning rooms and learn more about what made these spaces a success.
Bath Winner:
A.K. Interiors, LLC
After her husband passed, Joanne Griffith decided to move back to the Susquehanna Valley to be closer to family. She wasn’t interested in settling into a retirement community or slowing down just yet. So Griffith sold her Frederick, Md., home and began to customize a new abode in Millersville, located right on the greens of Crossgates Golf Club.
“I like watching the golfers. It’s fun to sit out there and relax, having grown up on a farm,” she explains. “I’m a single person and I’m 74, but I’m young at heart. I wanted something like this, multi-generational.”
And while she always had a great eye for color and a sense of style, Griffith wanted a codified look for her new home. She enlisted the help of a local designer: her niece, Alison McIndoe. When her niece was growing up, Griffith would visit McIndoe and show her samples of wallpaper, paint colors and fabric swatches she would use in her own home. It inspired a young McIndoe to become a designer and start her own company.
“We get along very well, taste-wise, and aunt-and niece-wise. I totally trust her,” says Griffith.
“She’s my best client,” quips McIndoe.
By the summer of 2013, the two had begun to collaborate, imagining the space prior to construction. McIndoe wanted to outfit her aunt’s home with gray tones and soothing neutrals, incorporating hints of color. The designer was not only attuned to her aunt’s style, but also considered her needs. For example, after two knee replacements, Griffith had trouble getting in and out of the bath. Thus, there would be no need for a tub; an upgraded shower with seat would suffice.
The tile work in the tall shower was the jumping off point for designing the space. McIndoe chose a striking Flapper Floral glass mosaic tile for the back wall, which pleased her aunt: an avid quilter, Griffith says the pattern reminded her of a double wedding ring pattern.
McIndoe extended the tilework to the 9-foot ceiling, stretching the space. She then used complementary Carrera marble tiles to surround the intricate wall, specifying that the ceiling mosaics be cut at a 45-degree angle. “The tile installer was ready to strangle me,” McIndoe recalls with a laugh.
Inside the shower, a generous seat was installed for stability. Fashioned out of the same natural stone, it is detailed and bull-nosed, edges softened. Below the seat, a linear drain quietly whisks away water that pours from the luxe rain showerhead, without detracting from the design. A frameless glass shower door keeps focus on the blinged-out shower fixture, made of polished nickel with Swarovski Crystal handles. “I like a little bit of bling now and then,” Griffith adds.
Outside the shower, flat-finish, 18-inch Carrera marble tiles were laid for the floor, the corners cut to reveal smaller, polished mosaics that match the shower floor and ceiling. The creamy tiles were again repeated in the backsplash for the oversized vanity. McIndoe loved the concept of recurring elements, natural stone tiles, in the space; she knew varying sizes would add texture and visual intrigue.
Working from a palette of gray-green, white, silver, mink and aloe, McIndoe chose unique pieces, like a semi-flush ceiling fixture from Restoration Hardware’s Baby & Child line. Made of aged metal and covered in crystal pendants, the fixture fills the space and gives ample light. “It’s hard to find a ceiling fixture that has generous size without hanging low,” McIndoe explains. “It’s kind of a balancing act. Nothing matches, but everything coordinates.”
McIndoe also selected accessories that told stories. Several of Griffith’s treasured cameos are featured in gilded, custom frames; secondary mats in metallic shades make the jewelry pop. “The huge mat draws focus on such a small item,” she explains. “We needed something large to fill the space. It’s a more current, updated way to frame.”
The glazed, aged wood vanity with marble top adds to the timeless, vintage appeal of the space, while the polished nickel sink fixture and Swarovski Crystal handles feel modern and chic.
A custom wood cabinet, which serves as a linen closet for Griffith, adds personality and interest. In order to marry the two pieces, McIndoe picked up notch door details from the vanity and painted the cabinet in the Chantilly lace trim of the room.
Flanking the vanity are two tall wall sconces with natural paper half shades. Finished in an antique burnished brass, the fixtures are a bit unexpected for a bathroom, yet they seamlessly enhance the space. “We needed something with considerable height because of tall ceilings, something that drew the eye up,” says McIndoe.
Griffith says the en suite bathroom has turned into one of her favorite spaces in her home: Both elegant and stately, it’s a cozy sanctuary that suits her needs. Her designer niece knew that creating such a sophisticated space all came down to the details. “It’s like a little jewel box. It’s the little, unexpected treasures,” she says, tearing up a bit. “I hope this is a nice retreat for my Aunt Joanne, who has worked hard all her life and been through a lot.”
Resources:
Principal designer: Alison McIndoe, A.K. Interiors, LLC
Senior designer: Angela Stoudt, A.K. Interiors, LLC
Contractor: W.M. Murry & Son
Vanity: St. James in Antique White, Restoration Hardware
Plumbing Fixtures, Shower: Perrin & Rowe Georgian Era exposed shower in polished nickel with Swarovski Crystal handles, Thomas Somerville
Plumbing Fixtures, Sink: Perrin & Rowe Georgian Era faucet in polished nickel with Swarovski Crystal handles
Custom Cabinet: Design by A.K. Interiors, LLC, fabrication by GRP Handcrafted Furniture, Inc.
Tile and Solid Surfaces: Natural Stoneworks
Custom Framed Cameos: The Right Angle, cameos from personal collection
Wall Fixtures: Cawdor Stanchion sconce antique burnished brass with natural paper shade, Circa Lighting
Ceiling Fixture: Dauphine Crystal Pendant in aged metal, Restoration Hardware Baby & Child
Kitchen Winner:
Kitchens by Eileen
When Marie Mooney moved in with her partner, Bob, she immediately fell in love with his 1929 farmhouse home, situated on 80 acres of land in a rural area of Berks County. What she didn’t love, however, was the kitchen. Built for her mother-in-law 20 years prior, it was small and well-suited for a single cook. But Mooney craved a more open kitchen, filled with light and people.
“I knew how I cook and how I function, and I had a vision for the space,” she says. “The main thing I wanted was to have what I needed in a small area for cooking that was easily accessible.”
Mooney also wanted a larger area for friends and family to congregate, sharing the space while not infringing on her culinary conquests. She thought that the adjacent sunroom, an under-utilized space, could serve as the perfect spot for an updated kitchen; she hoped to hire a kitchen designer who could turn the vision into reality. After interviewing several pros who she felt weren’t considering her idea, Mooney met Eileen Riddle, CKD.
“I clicked with her immediately,” she says. “She listened to me. She wasn’t there to tell me how they were going to design it for me. I wanted someone whom I could collaborate with.”
With Riddle’s help, Mooney and her partner found a contractor in August 2010 and began the complicated conversion process, ripping out everything from the sunroom. Two columns that held a large beam were removed; a steel beam was installed to carry the load. Then, homeowner and designer exhaustively pored over each detail, ensuring that the new traditional-style kitchen design would suit the family’s needs.
Riddle was partial to that style herself. After over 20 years in the business, she had grown to love traditional concepts interspersed with clean lines and industrial elements. She was ready to tackle the challenge and give Mooney the updated kitchen she imagined.
“It’s all about how you function in your space,” Riddle explains. “That’s one of the main goals in kitchen design: that it functions well.”
After visiting the home and taking measurements, Riddle began to plot out the “zones” of Mooney’s kitchen. She knew Mooney loved to cook and have family around as she prepared large meals. She also knew that the homeowner was sentimental; Riddle hoped to include a butcher’s block table from Mooney’s father into the design as well. So the designer established distinct areas for cooking, cleanup, baking and gathering.
For the cooking area, Riddle installed a gas and electric combination cooktop, using a barn beam from the family’s property as a hood. Soapstone countertops conjured up an old world look, while a natural stone backsplash with fossil fragments matched the designer’s palette.
“It played off the island color and tied it in,” she says of the area. “And with the barn beam and natural stone, it just fit. It felt like a win.”
Flanking the cooktop, upgraded appliances were built into painted cabinetry, the integrated design enhancing the pantry or furniture look of the room. Three satin nickel lamps hang over the island, as industrial stools give space for a breakfast bar.
For the baking center, Riddle took advantage of the extra deep walls, fashioning doors to hide small appliances, like the food processor and mixer. She also installed two ovens and a warming drawer, and incorporated open shelving to display ingredients in containers.
In one corner of the spacious kitchen, a traditional table and chairs are butted up beside a corner banquette; eight tall windows allow light to stream in and warm the nook. This zone allows family and friends to gather while Mooney cooks. “I like to create a friendly barrier,” explains Riddle, “where the cook can function in her space and still have visitors in the space.”
Elsewhere, a cleanup area features a deep, soapstone farm sink, an integrated dishwasher and a beverage center for wine and coffee. A built-in pantry with two glass doors houses Mooney’s glassware and utensils, allowing for easy access and better organization.
“It was one of the largest kitchens I’ve ever done. Each client is different, and this is definitely Marie. It’s just her,” Riddle says. “One of my main joys from kitchen design is hearing the clients say that they love their kitchen, that they function well in the space. This is what I try to achieve.”
Mooney says her kitchen not only functions well, but it has quickly become the most popular room in her home. Guests lounge in white wingback chairs and talk to her while cooking; others take to the oval table in the corner to relax.
As she thinks back to the start of the project, Mooney remembers Riddle’s freehand drawing on a rendering sheet of what her new space would look like. Years later, she is still amazed. “If you looked at it now, you would think it was drawn after the kitchen was built,” she says. “It was the best choice I could’ve made. I’d never have that kitchen without her, and I’d work with her again anytime…except I don’t need any kitchens for now.”
Resources:
Design: Layout, cabinetry and concept inspirations by Kitchens By Eileen; additional contracting work by Steven L. Edris
Cabinets: Painted cabinetry, white and stone sage
Countertops: Soapstone
Flooring: Refinished oak
Backsplash: Natural stone
Light fixtures: Satin nickel fixtures
Stools: Restoration Hardware
Hardware: Antique pewter, hand finish
Faucets: Delta Victorian
Pot filler: Delta
Refrigerator: Thermador
Freezer: Thermador
Dishwasher: Bosch
Cooktop: Gas/electric combo by Wolf
Baking center oven: Thermador
Steam oven: Thermador
Beverage cooler: KitchenAid
Warming drawer: KitchenAid
