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• Consider using a console furniture-type (of-the- foor) vanity to visually expand the space. • Use as narrow a toilet as possible. Consider a wall- hung fxture if plumbing modifcations are possi- ble. The smaller the shape and profle of this fxture, the bigger the "feeling" of the bathroom space. • If a tub/shower combination is used, consider a ceil- ing-mounted shower curtain, rather than a door sys- tem. This allows the overall openness of the space to extend to the back wall of the tub enclosure. Of special note: Be sensitive to the family's medicine man- agement needs. If you have a more mature client downsizing from a large, stately, stand-alone house to a condominium, planning a private wellness center as part of the master bath- room/closet might be a good idea. The client may need space to keep medical records for diabetes management, an orga- nized way to keep pill boxes and food supplements arranged as well as accessible storage that is needed infrequently. ELECTRONIC STORAGE A new need we must plan for in a small space is where to lo- cate all of the electronic equipment even a "tiny house" needs. Everything from the Internet router or the cable box to a home- based printer and accessible charging stations for wireless speak- ers, personal tablets (and more) must be located somewhere. Ask the client if they have a tall furniture piece that can be repurposed, or if you can wire a shelf area in the laundry room to serve as the electronic hub of the house. Remember to also check where the current Internet/TV cable is located, and help the client decide where they want it to be in the new furniture arrangement. If you want to move it, consider hiding the cable behind new baseboard if you cannot snake it through the walls (those pesky concrete columns may be blocking a clear path inside a wall to the new location of the entertainment center!). THE LAUNRY ROOM You can get more creative in the laundry room, as well. • First, switch to stacked units in place of side-by-side ones. • Learn more about storage systems originally ofered as garage solutions – they are an excellent way to outft a small utility room. One system (Gladiator by Whirlpool) Idea #3: Use the millwork and the door detailing to defne the style of the space and impact the overall perceived visual nature of the space. • Eliminate swinging doors wherever possible. If the wall thickness does not allow pocket door installation, consider surface-mounted hardware (oftentimes called "barn door hardware") as an option. Doors swinging into rooms and single-purpose hallways "eat up" important square footage in smaller spaces. Therefore, try to elim- inate halls, and minimize or eliminate swinging doors. • Realize the impact the door and molding details can have on the overall design. Look at the door panel design and evaluate all the millwork in the home: baseboard, casing, crown. An interesting way to increase the visual size of a smaller space is to use over-scaled millwork that is very simple in its design. • Another interesting design "trick" is to paint all of the casings, doors and walls the same color so there is no separation. Or, just a slight change in tone will accomplish the same goal, but add some diferentiation in color, as well as sheen between the doors, trim and wall surfaces. A special tip: Even if you will not be working with the entire space, measure the condo and give a set of the scaled drawings to the client to help them evaluate what pieces of furniture they can take with them and which ones they cannot. Show them how to create templates of their furniture: You will be thanked! DETAILING STORAGE CENTERS Once you have a clear idea of what items the clients will be bringing to their new home, the space planning can begin. Including special storage systems that have multi-purpose features will really help the new home meet the family's needs and wants. Following are some suggestions for stretching smaller condominium living spaces. In the master bathroom, consider using one vanity cabinet coupled with a pedestal sink, rather than two cabinet sections. This is great way to make a small space look bigger. Float the cabinets of of the fnished foor. Select a pedestal with some counter space and use an extra-wide recessed medicine cabinet above it (an excellent one fts in a 24"-wide space). In the hall bathroom, you can make the space seem larger by featuring a monochromatic color scheme and small-sized fxtures. Here are a few fxture ideas: A pull-out pantry was added in the pedes- tal cabinet, which has LED lights built-in that are activated when the door is opened. Photo: Courtesy of Häfele America Co., www.hafele.com/us A special base cabinet keeps the knives out of sight, but close to the cook. Photo: Courtesy of Rev-A-Shelf, www.rev-a-shelf.com Pay close attention to new sink solutions. In this design, a layered arrangement of sink accessories maximizes the efciency of the sink itself. Photo: Courtesy of Kohler Co., www.kohler.com 44 Kitchen & Bath Design News • April 2016 DESIGNER'S NOTEBOOK