The story below is from our November/December 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
A minimalist Japandi-style renovation allows its owner to rest and recharge every day at home.
Kip Dawkins
Simplicity; natural elements such as wood, stone and bamboo; comfort and sustainability are defining features of Japandi style.
After years of work-related travel, one homeowner has the perfect space for relaxation. Thanks to Circle Design Studio, Gina Mar’s home in Hunting Hills is now Japandi design, a blend of Scandinavian and Japanese interior design rooted in minimalism. Mar’s exuberance for the home and the team that executed the renovation is almost palpable, as the design updates perfectly suit her lifestyle.
Kip Dawkins
Developing Design Preference
When Mar joined the military as an army dentist, she didn’t know her experiences would influence a future home renovation.
Mar explains, “I developed minimalism tendencies partly because of the military. When you’re moving all the time, you have the opportunity to curate what you own. With each move, I asked myself, ‘Should I donate this, throw it away or keep it?’ I still keep that mindset even though I’m settled now. I go through my closet every year and discard things I haven’t worn. I also have a rule that I discard something if I make a new purchase.”
This tendency to curate her own possessions has served her well, as being unencumbered by excess is the defining feature of Japandi style. As a dentist who specializes in root canals, she also needs a place to unwind after work and finds the style “very calming.”
Choosing to Work with Circle
As Mar researched contractors, she discovered that Circle Design Studio had renovated other homes with Japanese design influences. This Asian design flair made her think they’d be a good fit for her.
When John and Theresa Dorlini, the owners of Circle, visited the home, they took time to ask questions about what Mar liked and what she didn’t. They were very clear about making the house hers, not influencing Mar with their own preferences.
Mar initially wanted to redo the kitchen, fireplace and front walkway. But through creativity and thinking outside the box, Mar got more than she anticipated out of the renovation while still staying under budget.
Kip Dawkins
Tile is made in batches, and if you don’t order enough and have to reorder, the batches might be slightly different colors. This was one of the things that made Mar think, “I have no idea how much tile to order,” and convinced her she needed to hire a contractor even though her aunt is an architect.
Cost-Saving Initiatives
During the renovation, Mar wanted to correct some DIY projects from previous homeowners. One of these was a discrepancy in the dining room door frame of about five inches. A father-son duo, George Vega Sr. and Jr., was able to help.
Replacing the door was beyond the budget, but George Vega Sr. was able to instead add pieces of trim to make everything flush. George Sr. wrestled with the trim for a while, but the result is a seamless correction of the misalignment. Mar beams, “Their commitment to quality and attention to detail were outstanding.”
One of Mar’s other pain points before the renovation was the fireplace. Mar disliked the “dingy, brown stone that felt very ‘70s,” but tearing out the fireplace would have been costly and potentially decreased the home value.
Theresa consequently came up with the idea of whitewashing the stone instead. George Jr. grabbed a paintbrush and applied the paint, resulting in grayish stones and deemphasized spacing between them. George Jr. then painted the metal of the fireplace matte black for a crisp look.
Other aesthetic changes include replacing the original black railing around the stairs with clear glass and installing ceiling beams that look like wood (but are actually foam) in the vaulted ceilings. These further aligned the look of the home with Japandi design principles.
Pragmatic Changes
Kip Dawkins
The Japandi color palette is layered neutrals with black accents.
As principal architect, John made structural changes to improve how the space is organized and utilized. He noticed Mar didn’t have a coat closet near the front door, so he added one.
He also added a powder room off the front hallway. Before the renovation, guests had to walk through the master bedroom to use the master bathroom, as that was the only bathroom on that level of the house. When John first suggested it, Mar didn’t think it was a big deal, but now she’s grateful for his foresight. Mar notes that “Guests are a lot happier — and it feels much less awkward — that they can use the bathroom without going through my room.”
Circle also renovated the main bathroom to give Mar a soaking tub and separate shower with bamboo tile underneath. When redoing the tub, Circle moved the faucet to the outer corner of the tub rather than leaving it connected to the wall. Because the team thought ahead in this way, Mar can replace the faucet at any time without having to tear into the wall if any plumbing issues arise.
The other big win for Mar is her new double sink in the bathroom, so that she and her partner can have their own.
Outside of the bathroom, Circle turned what was just an indent in the wall into a proper linen nook.
Kitchen for Family
Kip Dawkins
To achieve the raw wood beam look of a Japandi-style ceiling, Circle used foam that looks like raw wood but is obviously much more lightweight.
Because Mar is Chinese, she wanted food and family to have a prominent place in her home. Theresa is half Asian herself and “immediately got it,” according to Mar.
Her family members all live in different states and rotate whose home they visit for the holidays. Mar needed a “monster” island because the family cooks simultaneously during their get-togethers.
Along with the luxurious island, Theresa updated the countertops, backsplash and cabinets. Mar loved the look of large, single slabs when exploring design concepts but knew that giant slabs of material are more expensive.
Circle worked around this without sacrificing the look Mar wanted. Theresa paired a subtle vein in the countertops with a bold vein in the backsplash. The Georges ensured that the angle of the veining all lined up, carefully cutting and positioning the tiles and extending the backsplash throughout the kitchen for a more dramatic look.
The original stove was from the ‘70s and “made the whole house smell like food,” according to Mar. The new stove has ventilation and fits with the clean, modern look of the rest of the renovation.
The kitchen meets all of Mar’s needs for cooking and spending time together, as the open concept design allows the family to carry on conversations while prepping food.
A New Favorite Room
The other bonus Mar received when she hired Circle is that her sunroom has become an all-purpose room for exercising, crafting and enjoying her plants. The space was unusable before the renovation because it wasn’t insulated and the temperature fluctuations were extreme.
Kip Dawkins
Circle insulated the space with foam insulation, thereby upping the value of the house by adding square footage to the home. When Mar’s sister saw the home post renovation, she announced, “This is my favorite room in the house.”
A Tidy Home
Mar knew that she wanted the renovation to achieve a look that was “streamlined, neat and tidy.” The result is a home that looks tidy because of how it’s designed, even if the homeowner doesn’t have time to clean every day.
Mar gushes that this perfect design is possible because the crew at Circle was “amazing.” From beginning to end, she is satisfied with her decision to hire them as her contractor.
She has encouragement for anyone who may be hesitant to do a renovation: “Any renovation is going to be somewhat stressful, but Circle has the experience and knowledge to tailor the house to you. When you’re working with a group as professional as Circle, the outcome is going to be worth it.”
The story above is from our November/December 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!