Finished renovation of Early American Farmhouse. Photo by Karen Knecht Photography
Mid-sized farmhouse porcelain tile and beige floor sunroom photo in Chicago with a skylight

Contemporary style four-season sunroom addition can be used year-round for hosting family gatherings, entertaining friends, or relaxing with a good book while enjoying the inviting views of the landscaped backyard and outdoor patio area. The gable roof sunroom addition features trapezoid windows, a white vaulted tongue and groove ceiling and a blue gray porcelain paver floor tile from Landmark’s Frontier20 collection. A luxurious ventless fireplace, finished in a white split limestone veneer surround with a brown stained custom cedar floating mantle, functions as the focal point and blends in beautifully with the neutral color palette of the custom-built sunroom and chic designer furnishings. All the windows are custom fit with remote controlled smart window shades for energy efficiency and functionality.

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

This Condo was in sad shape. The clients bought and knew it was going to need a over hall. We opened the kitchen to the living, dining, and lanai. Removed doors that were not needed in the hall to give the space a more open feeling as you move though the condo. The bathroom were gutted and re - invented to storage galore. All the while keeping in the coastal style the clients desired. Navy was the accent color we used throughout the condo. This new look is the clients to a tee.

Sunroom - mid-sized traditional limestone floor and beige floor sunroom idea in Other with a glass ceiling

Published in the NORTHSHORE HOME MAGAZINE Fall 2015 issue, this home was dubbed 'Manchester Marvel'. Before its renovation, the home consisted of a street front cottage built in the 1820’s, with a wing added onto the back at a later point. The home owners required a family friendly space to accommodate a large extended family, but they also wished to retain the original character of the home. The design solution was to turn the rectangular footprint into an L shape. The kitchen and the formal entertaining rooms run along the vertical wing of the home. Within the central hub of the home is a large family room that opens to the kitchen and the back of the patio. Located in the horizontal plane are the solarium, mudroom and garage. Client Quote "He (John Olson of OLSON LEWIS + Architects) did an amazing job. He asked us about our goals and actually walked through our former house with us to see what we did and did not like about it. He also worked really hard to give us the same level of detail we had in our last home." “Manchester Marvel” clients. Photo Credits: Eric Roth

Mark Zelinski
Sunroom - mid-sized traditional porcelain tile sunroom idea in Boston with a skylight

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless limestone floor and beige floor sunroom remodel in Atlanta with a skylight

This blue and white sunroom, adjacent to a dining area, occupies a large enclosed porch. The home was newly constructed to feel like it had stood for centuries. The dining porch, which is fully enclosed was built to look like a once open porch area, complete with clapboard walls to mimic the exterior. We filled the space with French and Swedish antiques, like the daybed which serves as a sofa, and the marble topped table with brass gallery. The natural patina of the pieces was duplicated in the light fixtures with blue verdigris and brass detail, custom designed by Alexandra Rae, Los Angeles, fabricated by Charles Edwardes, London. Motorized grass shades, sisal rugs and limstone floors keep the space fresh and casual despite the pedigree of the pieces. All fabrics are by Schumacher.

Mid-sized elegant porcelain tile sunroom photo in Richmond with no fireplace and a skylight

Complete remodel of an existing den adding shiplap, built-ins, stone fireplace, cedar beams, and new tile flooring.
Sunroom - mid-sized traditional porcelain tile and beige floor sunroom idea with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Relaxing Sun room in this French Normandy Tudor. Floor to ceiling windows allow light to enter the space. Architect: T.J. Costello - Hierarchy Architecture + Design, PLLC Photographer: Russell Pratt

The Conservatory was finished with a fresco wall treatment in soothing tones of blue & green to complement the client's orchid collection. Taylor Architectural Photography

Robert Benson For Charles Hilton Architects From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Sunroom - large eclectic porcelain tile and multicolored floor sunroom idea in St Louis with no fireplace and a glass ceiling

Large transitional porcelain tile and gray floor sunroom photo in Chicago with a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace

Example of a mid-sized transitional porcelain tile sunroom design in Chicago with a standard ceiling and no fireplace

Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian porcelain tile sunroom remodel in Chicago with a glass ceiling

Randy Bookout
Inspiration for a small craftsman porcelain tile and orange floor sunroom remodel in Dallas with no fireplace and a standard ceiling