CK Valenti Designs, Inc.

Bed & Bath Renovation: Bathroom Reveal!

CK Valenti Designs — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:19:06 +0000

This small master bathroom underwent an amazing change! The dresser-style vanity with dark brown stain makes a statement, especially with the extra wide, modern sink with dual wall faucets. The floating shelves, which are both functional and beautiful, match the handsome walnut vanity countertop.

Due to the design of the vanity, the drawers have been notched to allow for the plumbing underneath. This retains maximum drawer space.

Here’s the post with the “before” pictures: http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-bath-renovation-design-demolish/

April 2013 Newsletter

CK Valenti Designs — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:14:01 +0000

April 2013 edition

Welcome! In this issue: One home, four unique custom designs

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Custom Designs

CK Valenti Designs was founded to provide consumers with *custom* cabinetry, furniture, and art designs.

In a recent survey by Houzz.com, the biggest challenge Houzz users have when it comes to renovation & design is finding the right products for their projects. When you’ve exhausted catalog and online searching,
but have not found the perfect item for your space, commissioning a custom design is a great option.

In this month’s project spotlight, we’re highlighting four unique custom projects for a home near Prescott, Arizona. Designed by Interior Designers at IMI Design (http://www.imidesignstudio.com) and built by CK Valenti Designs, the built-ins were created for four rooms of the house.

Upper left: Antique Vanity Retrofit in Powder Room
Click to view portfolio page

Upper right: High-gloss Dining Room Buffet with Steel Countertop
Click to view portfolio page

Lower left: Built-in Desk and Shelves for Young Man’s room
Click to view portfolio page

Lower right: Built-in Desk and Shelves for Young Woman’s room
Click to view portfolio page

Special Details

Besides overall design and fit for a specific space, custom built-ins often have special design elements.
Here are a few of the elements from the spotlight projects, close up…

What can we create for you?

We’d love to work on your custom project – contact us today!

How to Rock a TV & Fireplace Combo

CK Valenti Designs — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:34:49 +0000

A timely article from Houzz, considering the last portfolio entry we added to the site was an entertainment center wall with fireplace! If you missed it, click here.

7 Ways to Rock a TV and Fireplace Combo

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Bath Products on Houzz- For Example:

Bath Mats · Bathroom Faucets · Bathroom Sinks · Bathroom Vanities And Sink Consoles · Shower Caddies · Shower Curtains · Showers · Towel Bars And Hooks ·

February 2013 Newsletter

CK Valenti Designs — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:08:03 +0000

February 2013 edition

Welcome to the February 2013 edition of the CK Valenti Designs Newsletter
In this issue: A renovation update! The Master Bedroom project is finished!

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Master Bedroom Renovation

Finally! The master suite renovation we started to share with you last summer is ready for viewing. This month we’re highlighting the bedroom and the results are stunning!

The best renovation stories include a “before” picture. The photo below shows the bedroom space shortly after the renovation began.

In total, the renovation consisted of the following:

Ceiling retexturing & recessed lighting
The 1980′s acoustic ceiling was removed, and the ceiling was retextured smooth. The ceiling fan was replaced by recessed lighting.

New flooring
Due to allergies, the homeowners choose to replace the carpet with a tile floor. This porcelain tile simulates a wood floor and makes quite a statement in this room.

Built-in headboard and “floating” nightstands
Two of the custom projects designed and built by CK Valenti Designs were the custom headboard and nightstands. The headboard was designed in the style of Craftsman wainscot and hand-finished in satin white. In contrast, the floating nightstands, made from white oak and finished with a tobacco-colored stain, lend a modern touch to the room’s focus wall. The electrical outlets on the bed wall were relocated higher on the wall to align with the placement of the nightstands. The result: no visible wires from alarm clocks and iphone cords!

Paint & Millwork
The walls were dressed in two shades of Benjamin Moore grays, and the crown and base moulding add a crisp design element to the space.

Special touches
The chrome reading lamps on each side of the bed, as well as the oversized silver-framed wall mirror, add to the elegance of the room.

Custom fabrics: roman shades, bedding, and bench upholstery
To finish the space, we worked with Colleen Simon of By The Yard in Tempe, Arizona to design and create the custom fabric projects for the room. The fabrics for the roman shades, euro shams on the bed, bedskirt, and bench upholstery were chosen to coordinate in color and texture. The traditional, not trendy, patterns bring balance and warmth to the modern room.

EDUCATION CORNER

As a special feature this month, the Education Corner is a Q&A session with Colleen Simon, designer and manager of By The Yard in Tempe. We could not be happier with the service and end products Colleen and her team provided for this master bedroom’s custom fabrics projects.

Tell us a little about By The Yard
By The Yard began over 25 years ago, still at the original location in Tempe at the
southwest corner of McClintock and Warner. We are more than just a fabric store because we also have our own custom workroom in Tempe as well. We do everything from just one pillow to draperies for your entire home.

How long have you been working with fabrics?
I began working as a designer for By The Yard 16 years ago when I moved here from Ohio. I love working with fabric. It is amazing how the smallest items in just the right fabric can change a whole room.

You mentioned BTY is more than a fabric store. What kind of services do you offer?
By the Yard offers many custom services. We make draperies, valances, bedding, pillows, tablecoverings, cornices, throws, chair cushions, window seat cushions, etc. We make custom upholstered pieces as well as reupholster existing furniture. We also have a wide variety of hard window coverings as well including plantation shutters. Our installer does a final measurement on the job and installs when complete.

Does BTY sell to residential customers only?
We work mostly with residential customers however we have also done many commercial projects as well. We do have many Designers we work with also. The Designers enjoy just being able to come to one place and we can do it all from measuring ,designing, manufacturing, installing.

What should a customer provide you at the start of a custom project?
When a customer comes into the showroom to start a new project it is always helpful if they have a photo of the space or piece of furniture. I always recommend bringing anything from paint colors, carpet, existing fabrics that are in the room, tile , etc. These items help us guide the customer to the best choices.

Do you offer in home consultation?
We do offer courtesy In Home Consultation. This is very helpful for a lot of customers who may be overwhelmed by the amount of fabric choices we offer. It is also helpful for our designers to see the space they are working with.

Can you explain your proposal/purchase process?
In the final proposal for the customer we will do drawings as well as list the labor charges, fabric amounts, hardware and installation or delivery charges. We require a 50% deposit to generate an order and our turnaround is typically 6 weeks.

What was your experience like working with CK Valenti Designs?
One of my most ideal clients is Kate Valenti. She came to me having an idea of what she wanted but also took my thoughts and recommendations and between the two of us the room is fabulous!

By The Yard
1761 E Warner Rd Tempe, AZ 85284
(480) 831-1800
www.bytheyard.com

November 2012 Newsletter

CK Valenti Designs — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:31:56 +0000

November 2012 edition

Welcome to the November 2012 edition of the CK Valenti Designs Newsletter! WAIT…November? What happened the past few months? We have been extremely busy with a couple of large projects and have been remiss in sending out newsletters this fall. Our apologies!

In this issue: Art Gallery for Chicago High Rise; preview of next month

Living room with gallery wall | Marcel Page Photography

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Art Gallery for Chicago High Rise

This year, CK Valenti Designs’ copper patina artwork has made its way into homes across the country, from Washington DC to the state of Washington! One of the projects we are most proud of is the highlight of this newsletter: an “art gallery” for a Chicago high rise. We worked with Jan Cregier of Interior Expressions by Jan to create a gallery of pieces with the color and movement to fit the client’s space.

Project Testimonial

“When looking for artwork for a high rise Chicago condo, Interior Designer Jan Cregier of Interior Expressions by Jan knew she and her client wanted art that was unique. Starting with a gray color scheme with pantone orange accents, the transitional design plan needed artwork to pull together coloring from the clients existing rug and an asian inspired cabinet that was chosen. The color of the chest was primarily blue, which also brought out the small amount of blue in the area rug. The goal was to add balance to the room by adding blue into the accessories and artwork.

One large wall was being added to the space, that didn’t originally exist when the homeowner took possession of the condo. The designer wanted to add a line of art that drew you into the room and kept your eye moving down the wall and towards the amazing 47th floor Chicago view. Simply put, a small art gallery in the main living space of the condo.

Art close up | Marcel Page Photography

To achieve this effect, copper patina art panels were commissioned in mostly 16 X 16” squares. Smaller sections were made to fit the end of the art exhibit wall as well as a unique panel that was shaped into a 90 degree angle to fit the room entrance corner. A larger 18 X 48” panel was also added in the entrance hallway next to the angled copper piece in a slighter darker toned patina.

The effect the artwork achieved in the space brings out warmth, texture and plays with the natural light that comes from full wall wrap around windows in the room. Both the designer and client couldn’t be happier with the copper patina artwork that Kate Valenti created. What an addition to the finished room!”

Looking into the condo | Marcel Page Photography

Credits

Interior Design by Jan Cregier of Interior Expressions by Jan
Photography by Marcel Page of Marcel Page Photography

DECEMBER PREVIEW

We have several new project photos to share, including a built-in entertainment wall and mantel and several unique commissions for a custom home in Prescott, Arizona. We also owe you an update on the master bedroom and bathroom remodel we started blogging about this summer. We promise to deliver in December!

Pretty patina Etsy Treasury

CK Valenti Designs — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:54:03 +0000

One of our copper patina art panels was featured in an Etsy Treasury list today!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTQ3MDg0N3wyNzIzNTI5NTk2/pretty-patina-gifts

June 2012 Newsletter

CK Valenti Designs — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 05:40:19 +0000

June 2012

In this issue: residential and commercial furniture, scrollwork, a renovation snapshot

Customer-designed metal scrollwork

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Three unique designs

The three most recent galleries we’ve posted on our website demonstrate how diverse our projects can be: a residential coffee table, a commercial built-in bench frame, and outdoor metal scrollwork. Click below to access each gallery:

Contemporary coffee table

Metal patio scrollwork

Industrial restaurant bench seating

RENOVATION IN PROGRESS

CK Valenti Designs is lending its design & build talents to a Chandler master bedroom and bathroom renovation. We’ve been involved from the inception of the project, which started with a detailed design of the new spaces. We have posted several updates on our blog of the progress of the renovation, and there’s much more to come. Here’s a recap!

http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-bath-renovation-design-demolish/

http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-bath-renovation-behind-the-walls/

http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-bath-renovation-tile-reveal/

http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-and-bath-renovation-floor-to-ceiling/

http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/bed-bath-renovation-low-voc-paint/

Subscribe to our blog feed so you don’t miss the rest of the renovation action.

Blog feed URL: http://www.ckvalentidesigns.com/feed/

EDUCATION CORNER

Heard of Houzz?

Set aside some time to browse the incredible collection of home design photos on Houzz.com!

Houzz is the leading online platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality.

CK Valenti Designs has just joined the Houzz community and will be building out our professional profile over the coming months. Visit us at http://www.houzz.com/pro/ckvalentidesigns/ck-valenti-designs

Bed & Bath Renovation: Low VOC paint

CK Valenti Designs — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:25:43 +0000

Work progresses on the bed and bath renovation, but we haven’t had exciting photos to share in the last week or so. We promise to post an update soon!

As we approached the paint stage of this project, with the homeowners having chosen Gray Owl and Sea Haze from the Benjamin Moore palette, we decided to give a new paint line a try. Benjamin Moore touts its “Natura” paint line as a continuation of its “commitment to providing the most environmentally friendly paint. Natura Paint emits lower total VOCs than other national zero-VOC products on the market, all without compromise to performance or color selection.”

As one of the homeowners for this bed/bath renovation has a paint/chemical sensitivity, we chose Natura with the goal of limiting the chemical distribution inside the house. We are happy to report that this paint line delivered on its promise. The paint smell is nearly undetectable compared to “regular” paints, and the homeowner did not have any issue with the fumes inside the house. The color is rich and beautiful, with primer included in the base coat. Really, what more could you ask for?

Natura costs approximately $5 more per gallon of paint, which, if you ask us, is totally worth it.

Have you used Natura, or another line of low/no VOC paint? What did you think?

Bed and Bath Renovation: Floor to Ceiling

CK Valenti Designs — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:33:20 +0000

And the renovation continues! There are floor to ceiling updates this week… literally! The ceiling in the bathroom, bedroom and closet have been coated and slightly textured (an “eighty-twenty” coverage in drywall terms, which means 80% is smooth and 20% is textured). The bedroom ceiling has come a long way in this photo – weeks ago this ceiling was a “popcorn” or acoustic-textured ceiling with an ancient ceiling fan. The removal of the popcorn texture was fairly easy but extremely messy. It’s amazing what a different the smoothed ceiling and recessed lighting make in modernizing this room.

Now to the floor! After the bathroom tile was finished, our expert tile installer moved to the bedroom floor and here’s the result:

That’s right – this is tile, not wood! The tile is an Italian plank tile called Misingi (color: Suber). The product is described by Arizona Tile as “a rectified color body porcelain that is produced to emulate natural wood. Because this material is a porcelain product, minimal maintenance is required, while sharing similar, beautiful visual characteristics of a natural wood. Misingi is available in two, plank-style sizes. It is available in five natural hues, each of which provides significant tonal contrasts between pieces, imitating the exceptional qualities of wood.”

Next will be the final wall paint in the bathroom, bedroom and closet, and after that, the millwork (doors, door & window casings, base & crown moulding, and wainscot). There’s still plenty to do, but the rooms are really starting to shape up. What do you think?

Bed & Bath Renovation: Tile Reveal!

CK Valenti Designs — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:50:06 +0000

In every project there is a point when the first bit of “finishing” work starts to happen – and the vision really starts to come together. We reached that point in the bathroom renovation this week! The shower, floor, and wall behind the toilet/sink have been tiled and the vision of a clean, modern room is forming in a real way now.

Shower tile progression

The wall behind the toilet and sink is tiled primarily because of the wall faucets. Whenever you have a “wet area” like a faucet, you want to be sure it is supported by materials that will not be damaged by water.

Sink wall tile progression

Next up for this room: paint! The walls are getting the gray treatment with Benjamin Moore’s “Sea Haze”, and the ceiling will be covered in “First Snowfall” (another Ben Moore color). Stay tuned!

What do you think of the renovation so far? We welcome your comments!