By MBAKS Content Strategist James Slone
A home is not truly complete until its unique details are
set in place. Crystalline shower doors, eye-popping
accent walls, and ornate tile floors transform mere
rooms into showpieces offering a lifetime of delights.
It’s not easy putting on the finishing touches. Tile, glass, and
paint may be surfaces, but the work they require is anything
but skin-deep. I spoke to three trades professionals to find
out how they make functional spaces extraordinary.
Bath project showing off the painstaking work, masterful skill, and artisanal creativity that goes into Mohler Design’s vividly eye-catching tile creations. Photo credit: Cindy Apple Photography
Mohler Design—Striving for Happy Customers
There is nothing like a glimmering backsplash beckoning from the
kitchen or intricately patterned entryway tiles inviting you home.
Since 2001, Mohler Design has offered exquisitely detailed tiling
services throughout the Seattle area that make everyday spaces
stand out.
Founder Bill Mohler tells me that when he started the company in
2001, “It was just me and two other installers.” But skill, talent, and
ambition quickly attracted a highly skilled team of craftspeople
united by a passion for creating inspiring designs for kitchens,
bathrooms, flooring, and an array of other surfaces.
“We pride ourselves on education and training and making sure all
our [tile] setters are updated on current installation methods,” says
Mohler. “We work with all types of tiles from classic to modern to
genuinely unique designs.”
Custom work is a pleasure for Mohler Design and the company never
lacks for exciting new projects. “We typically complete over 100 a
year,” Bill explains. A project can require as few as one installer, or
several if it’s a large custom build. Either way, “It is essential that we
work together with other contractors to ensure that projects run
smoothly and on time.”
For Bill, there’s never a dull moment working with individual
homeowners or designers and builders on a diverse spectrum of
projects. “Our projects can vary greatly in size and detail from a small
backsplash to a large custom home build with tiling in multiple rooms.”
With two decades of experience and a reputation for excellence,
Mohler Design has established strong working relations with
the finest tile and stone distributors in the industry and have
collaborated with top designers, builders, and general construction
firms in the area.
Bill takes great pride in the company’s long-standing relationships
throughout the community. “We have been honored,” he says, “to
work on some very cool projects over these past 20 years.” Quite a few
have netted significant accolades, including several Trades Excellence
in Remodeling Awards from MBAKS.
Awards are great, says Bill, but they’re not the biggest motivator.
“When all is said and done, we strive to ensure our clients are happy.”
Distinctive Glass—A Legacy in Glass
Custom glasswork courtesy Distinctive Glass. Highlights include shimmering glass shower walls and doors showcasing a minimalist rack wine room.
For a quarter of a century, Distinctive Glass Inc. has offered glass
design, fabrication, installation, and sales services to homes
throughout Washington, specializing in iridescent shower doors
and luminous mirrors. Their production team handles everything
in-house, with an eye for accuracy and efficiency.
Principal Brian Bergstrom says that every project is given careful
consideration. “We set up a site visit with the client or the team of
designers, architects, and contractors to help understand what they’re
looking for in terms of design and product specifications.”
“We ask a lot of questions, listen carefully, and do our best to help
the client get what they envision. It’s so fun to see [a client’s] dream
bathroom completed with a really nice shower door or mirror. It puts
that finishing touch on their home.” The effort involved is worth it
but takes time.
“An average shower door takes about four to five weeks to fabricate,
but some custom showers can take as long as eight. With sales,
estimating, production, and installation, it takes seven to nine
different people to finish an install. We complete about 15 per day.”
The company has a sixth sense for what the customer wants, and
experience means they can deliver. “We have 10 employees who’ve
been with us for 20 years,” says Brian. “What makes the company is
the quality of people we have working with us.”
Brian’s passion for glass is a family legacy. “I’m a third-generation
glass guy,” he says. “My father and grandfather were lifelong glass
guys. Both of my boys are now in the industry and love it. My
co-founder and business partner Dennis Vogt started in the 1970s.
“Dennis and I had a vision of being known for the highest-quality
glass work in the state. We try very hard for that.” Now, says Brian,
they’re doing it in more than one state.
A longtime Distinctive Glass employee Matt Dunston recently
opened a new location in Arizona to bring the shop’s high-quality
work to the Grand Canyon state. “It is doing very well, and we are
excited about what the future will bring.”
Hedlund Painting put the finishing touches on this stunning Kirkland update with gorgeous interior and exterior paint that makes the home seem lighter than air.
Hedlund Painting—Picture-Perfect Finishes
A house is just a structure before you add paint. With vivid colors and
tactile textures, Lynnwood-based Hedlund Painting transforms mere
collections of floors, walls, beams, and ceilings into homes brimming
with vibrancy and life.
Their luminous work has won numerous awards, including several
Best of Houzz Awards and Angi Super Service Awards in 2019, 2020,
and 2021.
Hedlund Painting doesn’t just paint. They offer a full range
of services, including interior and exterior staining, cabinetry
refinishing, millwork, drywall repair, and wall texturing—and they
do it all on point. But the power of their work is about more than
mere craft and artistry. It’s also a matter of pride.
The company’s success, says owner Christopher Whitman, lies in
their dedication to customer service and quality results. With years
of experience painting thousands of households, the company has
developed highly efficient work processes that keep projects on-time
and on-budget.
Their website declares, “We are not looking for a single job; we build
relationships that last.” This is accomplished by “showing up when
we say we will, respecting the job site and everyone we interact with,
and by being honest and ethical.”
To ensure that the end result meets or exceeds client expectations,
Hedlund maintains strong lines of communication with clients,
emphasizing punctuality, cost-effective technique, and perfect finishes.
Whitman says that Hedlund’s team, both office and field staff,
work closely together. “Office Manager Carmen oversees internal
operations while Charlie, Rigo, and Zak provide estimates and
other customer-facing services. Vince and Erika handle day-to-day
field tasks such as scheduling the crews, material orders, and onsite
customer relations. All in all, it’s a team effort and we strive to
emphasize that to each other and our clients.”
From the moment they contact the client, Hedlund initiates a
“very friendly and informative” process. “When conducting the
walk-through, we provide the client a detailed and organized list
of their requests and our tasks.” The client agrees to the work to be
completed before a single brush is dipped.
“Upon agreement, the task list is given to the project managers
who execute all the details and tasks discussed during the initial
walk-through.” The work is always aligned with the customer’s
wishes. What they dream up is what they get.
Christopher loves the process. “I have a lot of fun helping clients
achieve the changes they’re looking for. Painting as a whole is a
reasonably cost-effective way to make huge aesthetic changes in your
home. I personally find making that connection on a personal basis
very rewarding.”
For Hedlund Painting, that human connection is the real
finishing touch.