Beautiful Warmth
This beautiful bathroom incorporates some of my favorite elements. The clients wanted a sleeker take on “coastal decor” and the rugged beauty of driftwood is mimicked at the floating sink bases with “split wallnut timber”, a very sustainable new door style from Plato Woodwork. The easy care stone look porcelain tile is beach-y with the mixed hues of sand that give a timeless appeal to this new take on coastal. I love it all but one of my favorite elements is the towel warmer on the wall! This sleek piece from Runtal is a radiator as well as a way to get your towels toasty on a chilly morning. The Runtal products come in a wide variety of colors and styles that eliminates so many design dilemmas when remodeling. There are hydronic models as shown in the bathroom above as well as quite a variety of electric models as shown in the pictures below provided by Runtal. Heat is of course a necessity but rethink it and make your warmth beautiful.
🙂 Toni
HouzzTV “Small Kitchen Gets Big Kitchen Style” featuring Toni Sabatino
Creating dream kitchens for single family palaces is a good portion of my work. Giving that expansive feel to a smaller footprint is a challenge I enjoy as well. To do that I really need to feel how you function. I want to feel how you live and interact. I want to create a space that has room for kids’ art, pet bowls, Costco runs, phone chargers, PTA calendars and still suits all your entertaining needs. I want to know who is cooking what and when so we have a tv for the morning news or easy access to the outdoor bar-b-q. I want to know if wine storage is important or if a built-in coffee system would really make your kitchen special and keep you from running out to Starbucks in your yellow fuzzy robe! Feeding our family and friends really feeds our soul and makes us happy. I want to help you outfit your kitchen to make the most of home celebrations and everyday living.
So, here I am with Ellen, talking about how we made her kitchen function for her specific needs.
My great appreciation for the work of Rick Spence and deepest thanks to the team at Houzz.com for featuring me in this promotional video.
Inspiration….. when to go custom……..
I love texture and I love shine…….I am looking forward to posting about this kitchen renovation project when it is done but just had to offer a peek of what is in store……
This custom waterjet glass tile created by Ray Bernard of Finishing Touches in Huntington, NY, is just what we needed to put this kitchen over the top. Sure there are all sorts of inlays and herringbones to do in a backsplash but this art deco inspired glass pattern is clean, shiny and truly out of the ordinary….
JUST LOVE!
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Glitterati…………
Glitz, Glam, love it all!
These pieces
will be starring in an apartment renovation on the East Side……..Supported by lush fabrics and carpets……..sure to be a hit.
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisab.com
516-972-5455
A Touch of Whimsy…….
Playful lighting can really add character to a space. “Woodland Pixie” is what comes to mind….just skipping along….spreading magic dust…….
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
New Traditional….. Toni Sabatino Style
New Traditional is my way of giving traditional an up-to-date vibe without trying to hide it’s conventional nature. In this Connecticut kitchen remodel, I gave a nod to time honored crystal lighting by using a pendant that displays the crystals in a new way. We also took that tradtional classic of crackled subway tile and made that new by adding a contemporary linear strip of stone and glass. The result?
New Traditional that honors the past but brings the present into view….
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Window Seats
Window seats have always held a certain charm to me. They remind me of a childhood I would like to have had! There is some unexplained expectation the outside world offers from the comfy safety of that vantage point. Awkward walls, due to doorways and traffic flow that cannot hold a couch or pair of chairs can become a focal point by adding some shelves and creating that cozy extra seating that is perfect for sitting and dreaming on a rainy day…………
516-972-5455
New Year…..same old stuff?
I love display. (definition: to present or hold up to view)…and I love to arrange the display…. The actual arrangement makes each one of a group or collection special. Looking through your stuff and invigorating a room by creating a display area is a great way to celebrate your life and the New Year. Select the items and then create an array that draws the eye by varying the height and color and make something visually interesting. Artful arrangements of books, photos, momentos of travels, musical instruments, trophies, sculptures, teapots or even antique iron doorstops can be an effective way to give a space an air of intimacy and truly make it personal and inviting. Here is a collection of objects I have had the pleasure to display in a bookshelf I felt would add warmth and declutter a family room mantle. I hope you are inspired to go up to the attic or down to the basement and pull out that stuff you secretly love but have no idea what to do with………
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Red Accents
I love red! The warm, vibrant, spicy feel of red can make such a dramatic difference in a room. Faced with a tall viually imposing wall, I chose to add molding details and touches of red to add visual interest. The pattern on the wall creates relevance and balance by framing the art work and sconces. This staircase had started with an ordinary brown oak and black iron railing. Removing the wood tops of the ballisters and adding decorative glass balls added some whimsical detail to the railing and the red paint with some metallic accenting really give it a custom feel. Repeating this vibrant accent color creates a relationship with the other red accents in the space giving the open floorplan a visual flow.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
HOUZZ.COM ……SLIDE SHOW
In an earlier post, I noted that HOUZZ.COM is not just a website, but an interactive community dedicated to decorating, design and remodeling. I am thrilled to share this slide show widget. I created my first HOUZZ "ideabook" of ventilation ideas as the area above the range is often a kitchen focal point. It is a collection of kitchens I have done featuring various ideas for what we commonly call hoods. Use the arrow tab to see each of my ideabooks. Some are my work and one is photos I enjoyed so much, I saved them in an idea book I called "FUN STUFF", followed by other groups of products for future reference. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to create your own idea books. Happy HOUZZING!!!! It is truly addicting.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
His and Hers…( or house therapy for the therapists…)
Working for a couple that have quite different visions of their kitchen needs is always a challenge but can be a pleasure! In this case, a lovely women wanted a “pretty, country French feel” and her counterpart was looking for something “industrious and manly…..you know, for serious cooking”…(Oddly enough, they are both therapists and have a major impact in helping people make sense of their lives…Could I help them make sense of their kitchen?)…. Here, we have certainly accomplished all goals. The integration of a French patterned golden travertine floor, stunning Blue Bahia counters, stainless appliances (including a “real” commercial range), whimsical pendants and creamy wood tones create a warm, lovely environment that satisfies both “Him and Her”.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Her Room For Everything………….
Her “room for everything” is a room that incorporates attractive storage for the “stuff” that just happens……..a desk to keep the clutter of catalogs, recipes and scrapbooking projects out of the kitchen, a place to sew, a place for toys to amuse the granchildren, a place not far from the kitchen to print emails, new cooking and entertaining ideas, a place for household files, a place for post cards and notes………well, simply “everything”. We chose a rich dark walnut wood complemented by happy light teal fabric corkboard and wallpaper to create her soothing space. The innocent looking desk consists of custom cabinetry that incorporates a rollout printer station, a place for the sewing machine with it’s own hidden rollout table and plenty of other storage. We also incorporated lots of open shelving for family photos, trophies, figurines, momentos and books. Our finished product is visually inviting and super functional.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Kitchen Cohesiveness
I like to think of decorating as creating an outfit for a room. Of course, it does have to be an outfit you will not mind wearing for a good, long while. Seriously, though, the care one takes to coordinate an outfit is quite similar to room decorating. Just because you “like it” doesn’t means it works! Too many accessories, more than one large bold pattern and colors that are not complimentary will take down even the best of the individual items being used. Cohesive design where each item has not only a purpose but is in proper scale and has a good relationship with the other items in the room, will make a room inviting no matter what the style. The selection of flooring, cabinetry, counters, backsplash, and wall color can really be done in any order as long as each element builds upon the last. Take into account colors and themes from adjoining rooms as well. This will help to create a flow in the home that really shows off a sense of style. Kitchens require special attention as plumbing and electric codes as well as appliance clearances all have to be taken into account while creating a visually pleasing, functional space. It is my opinion that a good ” kitchen designer” will guide you to find your style and showcase your unique treasures while creating that cohesion that makes a room really special.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
The pallette to the left incorporates soothing neutral tones of cream for walls, tile flooring and cabinetry, while adding color and texture with the gold stone for the counters and stone and glass linear mosiac for the backsplash.
Butler’s Pantry
You can almost hear him pouring the champagne and slicing the strawberries……this butler’s pantry is used to store wine, glassware and serving pieces, as well as preparing canapes and hors d’oeuvres and all the luscious bits of “tipple and snack” that make for truly opulent living…….. ah,salut……la bonne vie!
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Bathing In The Opulence of a Single Family Palace
This luxurious home can truly be described as a “single family palace.” With vast open expanses, state of the art electronics, fabulous art and furnishings, it gives a feeling of understated opulence. This master bath was created in calm tones of tea green and taupe with particular attention to detail. The “T” shaped inlay pattern in the floor along with the columns, ceiling vault, light fixtures and taupy, maple woodwork invite you in to relax. A seperate toilet and bidet room and a large steam shower with seat create the full spa at home experience.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
R & R…..A Reading Room
Amazingly, this entire library was built and prefinished by a “factory custom” cabinet manufacturer some 2000 miles away from it’s suburban New York location. On this project, I was working in the capacity of designer, salesperson and project coordinator at delivery and installation. After the initial approval of the design concept (furniture placement, closed storage capacity, book display, lighting and panel detail), by the homeowners came measuring, measuring and more measuring, as well as tight factory communication and verification. Every piece of millwork floor to ceiling, including window sill and door, had to fit together like a New York Times crossword puzzle. Even the electrical outlet covers were crafted in matching glazed maple wood. We pressed the “factory custom” mentality of Dura Supreme Cabinets to manufacture something special for us by creating our own custom pieces to coordinate with the facory standards. The result is an American made, warranteed, cost effective piece of design and a happy, relaxed homeowner.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
tonisab 