Finishing an attic yields a TV lounge, bar and full bathroom in a warm industrial style.
Distinctive Remodeling, LLC
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCStyle. The homeowners wanted a contrast to the contemporary spaces in the rest of the house. “They thought they wanted industrial at first, but when I started sending them industrial images, they found they were not clean-looking enough for them,” Ferguson says. “So I would call what we came up with warm and clean industrial inspired by urban lofts.”
That sliding door to the bathroom is a good example of this, being neither rustic-reclaimed nor vintage. Instead it’s polished and contemporary, with its barn door track nodding to industrial style. That’s also true for the pendant light, one of the first items the couple picked for the space. It’s an industrial-style cage light refined by brass cylinders.
That sliding door to the bathroom is a good example of this, being neither rustic-reclaimed nor vintage. Instead it’s polished and contemporary, with its barn door track nodding to industrial style. That’s also true for the pendant light, one of the first items the couple picked for the space. It’s an industrial-style cage light refined by brass cylinders.
Before Photo
Before. The attic was a raw, unfinished and uninsulated space. This presented a host of challenges since a lot of the mechanical systems needed to remain up here. “We needed space for storage, mechanical equipment and a full bath, so balancing function and aesthetics was very important,” says Eddie Casanave, owner of Distinctive Remodeling.
“Like all construction, there is no project without hiccups. It’s all about how you solve the hiccups,” he says. For example, the original plans included hardwood flooring to match the rest of the house, but due to the height restriction on the top stair, they couldn’t use hardwood without changing the existing stairs. “Instead we opted to go with an engineered floor with a wider plank that ended up fitting the look of the room much better,” he says.
Flooring: prefinished engineered hardwood in Timarron Bronze, Rainbow Home Interiors
“Like all construction, there is no project without hiccups. It’s all about how you solve the hiccups,” he says. For example, the original plans included hardwood flooring to match the rest of the house, but due to the height restriction on the top stair, they couldn’t use hardwood without changing the existing stairs. “Instead we opted to go with an engineered floor with a wider plank that ended up fitting the look of the room much better,” he says.
Flooring: prefinished engineered hardwood in Timarron Bronze, Rainbow Home Interiors
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCTV lounge. One of the striking design elements in this room is a clever solution to that challenge of balancing function and aesthetics. “Ductwork needed to be relocated and boxed in, so we built a chase along the TV wall,” Casanave says. The space is topped with quartz so that guests can set their drinks on it during parties, and it’s covered in textured bevel-cut wood siding. The beveled edges add dimension and depth.
Brick veneer on some walls lends a warm industrial element —think old warehouses and factories.
Shiplap. “Yes, you can have too much shiplap,” Ferguson says. Originally the plan called for shiplap on the ceiling, and while viewing the design on the computer, the homeowners decided that they wanted to add it to both walls of the stairwell and to the entry wall of the bathroom. “After applying the shiplap to the ceiling during the production phase, we quickly determined that if we added the shiplap to the other walls, we were going to make the room feel smaller and too much like a cabin, so we nixed that idea,” she says. Painted drywall balances out the wonderfully knotty wood. “The homeowner’s quick responses and flexibly to changes as challenges presented themselves made us able to work through the challenges together and not hold up production,” she says.
Countertop: Light Silt quartz from Cosmos, Absolute Stone; brick: thin brick in Schoolhouse, Canyon Stone
Brick veneer on some walls lends a warm industrial element —think old warehouses and factories.
Shiplap. “Yes, you can have too much shiplap,” Ferguson says. Originally the plan called for shiplap on the ceiling, and while viewing the design on the computer, the homeowners decided that they wanted to add it to both walls of the stairwell and to the entry wall of the bathroom. “After applying the shiplap to the ceiling during the production phase, we quickly determined that if we added the shiplap to the other walls, we were going to make the room feel smaller and too much like a cabin, so we nixed that idea,” she says. Painted drywall balances out the wonderfully knotty wood. “The homeowner’s quick responses and flexibly to changes as challenges presented themselves made us able to work through the challenges together and not hold up production,” she says.
Countertop: Light Silt quartz from Cosmos, Absolute Stone; brick: thin brick in Schoolhouse, Canyon Stone
Distinctive Remodeling, LLC“Once you enter, you are taken aback by the fact that the attic is unlike any other space in the house. The rich colors and textures in the space draw you in and make you want to stay,” Ferguson says.
A large sectional sofa and a tufted leather chair and ottoman offer plenty of cushy seating. A patchwork cowhide rug grounds the room in light colors, softness and pattern. The homeowners made most of the furniture selections themselves, with Ferguson providing guidance. She advised her clients to soften the hard architectural lines they liked with some curves like the nest artwork in the stairwell (see first photo), the accessories and some of the furniture. “They have a great sense of style, which made the design phase fun and easy,” she says.
Pendant light: Alston with gold interior, Crystorama;
A large sectional sofa and a tufted leather chair and ottoman offer plenty of cushy seating. A patchwork cowhide rug grounds the room in light colors, softness and pattern. The homeowners made most of the furniture selections themselves, with Ferguson providing guidance. She advised her clients to soften the hard architectural lines they liked with some curves like the nest artwork in the stairwell (see first photo), the accessories and some of the furniture. “They have a great sense of style, which made the design phase fun and easy,” she says.
Pendant light: Alston with gold interior, Crystorama;
Before Photo
Ceiling (before). They replaced these existing collar ties with beams, making the vaulted ceiling a dramatic design element.
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCCeiling (after). They could have dropped the ceiling to the beam level to conceal this ductwork, but thanks to the nods to industrial design throughout the attic, the ductwork fits right in. To save money, they used paintable spiral ductwork instead of stainless steel. The ceiling is covered in 1-by-8-inch pine shiplap with a Golden Oak satin finish.
Bar. “The homeowners wanted a bar area but did not want that to be the focal point of the room,” Ferguson says. So she tucked it underneath a slanted ceiling.
The brick walls, the light fixture’s Edison bulb, brass hardware and dark finishes give it a throwback speakeasy feeling.
The brick walls, the light fixture’s Edison bulb, brass hardware and dark finishes give it a throwback speakeasy feeling.
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCThe bar has a square copper sink and a bronze faucet. There is also a microwave drawer and a beverage refrigerator.
Pendant light: Silverlake, Troy Lighting; cabinets: Hanover inset without bead in Maple Bleu, Wellborn Cabinet; cabinet hardware: A874 vintage brass pulls, Atlas Homewares; bar sink: Bostonian 16-inch square, Sierra Copper; bar faucet: Artesso single handle, Brizo.
Pendant light: Silverlake, Troy Lighting; cabinets: Hanover inset without bead in Maple Bleu, Wellborn Cabinet; cabinet hardware: A874 vintage brass pulls, Atlas Homewares; bar sink: Bostonian 16-inch square, Sierra Copper; bar faucet: Artesso single handle, Brizo.
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCThe countertops are steel-gray leathered granite, and the ceramic backsplash tile has a roughly textured glaze accentuated by the pendant light.
Backsplash tile: Kyoto Steel, Artistic Tile
Backsplash tile: Kyoto Steel, Artistic Tile
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCBathroom. The bathroom has a somewhat brighter palette of black, white and dark grays.
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCThe same clean industrial style continues on the shower door, which has the look of factory windows (super-clean, brand-new factory windows, that is). Subway tile with medium gray grout continues from floor to ceiling, while a metal vanity and mirror frame and matte black faucets complement this bold move.
There’s a pleasing play of pattern and scale with the tiles — subway tiles in a running bond pattern on the walls, large rectangular tiles in a herringbone pattern on the floor, and a grid of small square tiles on the shower floor.
Wall-mount toilet: Duravit; flooring: Neostile in Grafite, 6 by 24 inches, Happy Floors; shower doors: Carolina Glass & Mirror
There’s a pleasing play of pattern and scale with the tiles — subway tiles in a running bond pattern on the walls, large rectangular tiles in a herringbone pattern on the floor, and a grid of small square tiles on the shower floor.
Wall-mount toilet: Duravit; flooring: Neostile in Grafite, 6 by 24 inches, Happy Floors; shower doors: Carolina Glass & Mirror
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCPerhaps you’re wondering why they bothered with a full bathroom instead of a powder room off a lounging and entertainment space. Adding a full bathroom gave the attic versatility for future plans. The homeowners or future homeowners may decide to add a guest bedroom up here or convert this floor into a lofty master suite. As it is, this floor can accommodate overnight guests comfortably and give them their own space.
Vanity: La Salle collection, RH; countertop: Frosty Carrina, Caesarstone; faucet: widespread in matte black, Jason Wu for Brizo; sconces: 20th C. Factory filament clear glass cloche, RH; mirror: Bristol with frame in Aged Steel, RH
Vanity: La Salle collection, RH; countertop: Frosty Carrina, Caesarstone; faucet: widespread in matte black, Jason Wu for Brizo; sconces: 20th C. Factory filament clear glass cloche, RH; mirror: Bristol with frame in Aged Steel, RH
Distinctive Remodeling, LLCBudget saver. The shower enclosure has the look of a true divided grid with separate glass panes, but the grid is actually applied on top of the two large sheets of glass. They painted the grid in the same paint (Sherwin-Williams’ Iron Ore) they used on the rest of the trim. They also used a similar system on the window in the stairwell to give it the look of having mullions without having to replace the window.
“Originally our clients wanted a place to entertain, but this space quickly turned into an oasis from their busy lives,” Ferguson says. “It is now their favorite spot in the house.”
Takeaways. This project offers these suggestions:
“Originally our clients wanted a place to entertain, but this space quickly turned into an oasis from their busy lives,” Ferguson says. “It is now their favorite spot in the house.”
Takeaways. This project offers these suggestions:
- Think about putting in a full bath when it’s the only bathroom on a floor to give you versatility for future plans.
- Remember that there is such a thing as too much shiplap.
- Be prepared to make quick design decisions during the construction phase as unexpected challenges can arise.
- Soften a lot of hard straight lines with circles and other curves.
- Use an applied grid instead of true dividers on a shower stall to get a similar look for less.
- Think about tiling from floor to ceiling throughout a bathroom to make it look larger and more cohesive.
Finishing an attic yields a TV lounge, bar and full bathroom in a warm industrial style. (cited)
Attic at a Glance
What happens here: Lounging, TV watching, entertaining, mixing drinks, working on laptops
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Size: 675 square feet (63 square meters)
Designer: Distinctive Remodeling
This couple loved the clean lines and cool-toned finishes throughout their North Carolina home, but they were craving a warm, casual spot that would feel like a vacation getaway. So they looked up to the unfinished attic. “They wanted a warm space for entertaining and relaxing,” says designer Stephanie Ferguson of Distinctive Remodeling. The program also included a few must-haves — a wet bar and a full bathroom.
Wall paint: First Star, Sherwin-Williams; pendant light: Lagrange, Hudson Valley