tackling the hard stuff-without breaking a sweat

tame the mess — renovate the outdated — organize the treasures — make use of wasted space — and most of all, make room for peaceful, purposeful living

Trim and Wainscotting

Project: Make a therapist’s office Fresh & child friendly

Project: renovate the basement. Update the powder room and make the Large room inviting for watching movies, while using the existing furnishings.

PROJECT: MASTER CLOSET

Closet space—that ever-elusive resource. To gain some storage space we added closet wardrobes, shelving (with the option for drawers), and a gorgeous granite countertop (it was another remnant), to an open space between the master bedroom and bathroom. An additional closet was carved out of the cavity in the wall behind the stairs.

Design: Lori Tyson

Cabinetry & Installation: Scott D. Tyson, LTD

PROJECT: MASTER BATH BUILT-IN

Added three cupboards with doors to the end wall of a master bath to store the laundry and cleaning supplies. Covered the back wall with a marble “leaf” tile for interest. The counter top is a white marble remnant. The glass knobs are reclaimed from an old Philadelphia Mainline home.

Design: Lori Tyson

Cabinetry, Tile & Installation: Scott D. Tyson LTD

PROJECT: Small Powder room

An outdated and strangely awkward hall bathroom was given a new life with a marble and metal washstand, a pretty mirror, and elegant but simple sconces. The backsplash is a carrara marble subway tile with a marble pencil surround. The floor is tiled in 4”x12” slate, sealed to retain a glossy, dark finish.

Design: Lori Tyson

Installation: Scott D. Tyson LTD

PROJECT: BOY’S BEDROOM

This bedroom was scary! To make it a welcoming place we painted the walls Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray and replaced the dirt-colored carpet with a blue-gray Berber. We used a headboard with built-in shelves since there wasn’t enough room for a nightstand next to the bed. A world map and framed poster add interest—and help this young man with his geography! The duvet is from Pottery Barn Teen.

PROJECT: LIBRARY FACE-LIFT

What to say about the pink and rose library with the large brass track spotlights? We said, Cover it Up! The bookshelves and paneled fireplace wall were painted a deep denim blue, Benjamin Moore’s Van Duesen Blue. The fireplace received a makeover with a marble herringbone tile. The track lighting in the center of the room was replaced with a fun capize shell chandelier from the Pottery Barn Outlet, and the track lighting on the bookshelves was replaced with smaller, more efficient track lighting. With the addition of the comfy sectional sofa from Horchow, and a playful lobster-claw rug, the library is now a perfect spot for reading and hanging out.

Project: Completely Renovated Master Bath

In this project the room was taken down to the studs and we were able to design from scratch. By extending the bathroom wall into the bedroom by 16” we gained a tremendous amount of space in the bathroom without sacrificing much in the bedroom. There was ample room for a tub, shower, and double vanity. The towel rack doubles as the room’s heater. The counter top, sills, and surrounds are white marble, the subway tile is Arabescato marble (it was surprisingly inexpensive), and the shower floor is a Thassos marble herringbone.

Design: Lori Tyson & Scott D. Tyson LTD

Installation: Scott D. Tyson LTD

project: teen bedroom

This large, bright room had recently been renovated and had plenty of space to include all the essentials: a queen bed, a desk, a love seat, end tables, a tall book shelf and a large dresser. The walls are painted Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore and the curtains are dark gray linen with industrial pipe curtain rods.

Project: Quick Kitchen Makeover

This kitchen looked dated, but was really a simple and relatively inexpensive fix. We painted the cabinets Benjamin Moore Dove White. (We used their Affinity line which is great for an even coat on cabinetry.) Replaced the light fixtures with two bell shaped pendants that were a bargain from Home Goods, and peeled the wallpaper and painted the walls Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray. Carrara marble subway tile replaced the wallpaper on the backsplash.

Projects in Progress

A lofty office

This dark and cramped loft is being opened up with a view to the family room below. The carpet was replaced with a dark hardwood flooring that makes the 11’x11’ (with 3’x3’ stairway cutout) footprint seem larger. The space will be repainted white on the ceiling to match the connected family room ceiling, and BM Gray Owl on the lower and back walls. The struggle in this space will be to find a way to light it with the low ceiling and sloped walls.