Cat Neitzey of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Fredericksburg, VA, in collaboration with Abby Construction, designed a transitional kitchen design featuring Masterpiece cabinetry. The kitchen cabinets are in the Masterpiece Gallina door style in Maple in a Dove White finish for the perimeter and a Midnight Blue finish for the island. The design also features both finishes on tall cabinets designed for pantry, display and coffee bar use. The kitchen also includes Cambria Portrush for the countertops, full height and standard backsplashes. “Cat knew her products and knew good design. She was a great problem solver,” said the client. According to Cat, Abby Construction undertook the transformation of a 1951 home from traditional to modern, open, and accessible, enabling its owners to age gracefully. They reconfigured doors, walls and the façade, integrating the garage into the living space. "The clients' construction background and design expertise positioned them as the ideal team to tackle a project of this magnitude. Throughout the process, we maintained frequent communication, meeting regularly both on-site and in the showroom. Our primary challenge arose from the evolving plan, necessitated by the structural alterations to the existing house, which impacted the future design," said Cat. “Our primary focus was to keep the design accessible. We needed to dramatically increase the amount of storage from the original kitchen. Adding roll trays, drawers, a base microwave and a mixer pop up ensured that everything remained easily within reach.” Photos courtesy of Tim Snyder Photography.

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com Project Entry: Pembrooke Estate Rain Garden 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Sustainable Landscape &60,000-$120,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: The client contracted our company to solve multiple existing drainage problems. In a heavy rain event the existing French drain system would overflow, causing water to pool in the driveway. After investigating the system we found that the capacity of the French drain was undersized for the amount of storm water from the large rain events received in recent years. As a result of our findings and at the request of the homeowner, we designed a storm water management system to capture all storm water from the structures on the property and regenerate the underground aquifers for the volume of a 5.8” rainstorm. In addition to the new drain system, the homeowners wanted a rain garden to provide a backdrop for an existing formal garden, provide a habitat for wildlife, and provide screening from an adjacent neighbor. Throughout the design process many challenges were presented, including an existing gas line, which ran directly through the area that best suited the bioswale. The existence of the gas line caused us to alter the shape and depth of the bioswale in some areas. We also inspected the existing downspouts to make sure there were no obstructions that would impede the system’s efficiency, and then conducted a test pit dig to make sure we had sufficient percolation rates for disposal of storm water. To effectively capture the storm water runoff, the existing downspouts were piped from the main house and the large detached garage to a large catch basin located at the low point in the driveway. The driveway catch basin contains two outlet pipes at different elevations within the basin allowing water from smaller rain events to enter the bioswale and rain garden area to percolate into the soil before excess water overflows into a sediment trap which filters out any debris and is then piped to an underground StormTech® pit to slowly percolate into the ground. The other outlet pipe in the driveway catch basin is used for larger storm water events, taking the water directly to the StormTech® pit. Accepting and slowing the velocity of the storm water, mitigation of erosion, and filtering out pollutants contained in the “first flush” of rainfall are the primary functions of the bioswale and rain garden. Planting these areas with mostly native plant species helps carry out these functions while attracting and providing shelter for wildlife. The ‘Niobe’ weeping willow is the centerpiece of the rain garden, connecting with the axis of the existing formal garden. To screen the neighboring property we chose Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ for its graceful evergreen habit and tolerance of wet sites. ‘Ivory Halo’ dogwood and Panicum ‘Cloud Nine’ were used for screening as well as winter interest. To provide deciduous structure to the garden Taxodium distichum and Magnolia virginiana were used in conjunction with witch hazel. Mostly native wetland perennials were used due to their tolerance of wet conditions and occasional drought. The area above the StormTech® pit provides space for the client’s family to relax. The rain garden and bioswale provide screening, storm water management, a habitat for wildlife, and plants that enhance the adjacent formal garden. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

With stunning views of the Annisquam River, this beautiful first period home was constructed in 1690 for Nathanial Harraden, sailing master of the USS Constitution. It is believed to be the oldest remaining house in this neighborhood of Gloucester. Our extensive historic restoration preserved the integrity and historic details of the original structure, which had been altered significantly over time. Deteriorated structural elements were repaired or rebuilt, and historic elements including beams were revealed. A bright new kitchen and bathrooms provide a functional layout suited for modern living, and use authentic natural materials that will patina and weather in harmony with the rest of the home. The new island counter was hewn from a large decaying tree on the site, and hand-painted marble tiles adorn the backsplash. New cabinetry was hand-crafted using methods authentic to the time. We preserved the kitchen’s existing brick floor, which originally provided a durable surface for milking animals inside during cold winter months. Using authentic materials and craftsmanship of the era, this special house celebrates its historic character and embraces modern updates that will welcome home generations to come.

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Charlotte.

Located on a wooded site, a single-story 1950s house with an awkward floor plan was strategically remodeled to provide living spaces that connect to the outdoors and respond to the needs of a young family. This home had undergone successive alterations over the years, resulting in a fragmented, confusing layout. With only minor changes to the footprint, the architects redesigned this midcentury home to blur the boundary between indoor living and the landscape beyond. The new design effects a dramatic change by reorganizing the space into linear zones, raising the roof in key places, and making two small additions. A concrete wall links a new music studio and detached garage to the main house, forming an entry court that welcomes visitors and screens the private bedroom spaces nearby. The entry is marked by a series of round skylights, while the living room has been opened up with taller ceilings, a new fireplace and walls of glass. A series of long colored boxes provides storage and utility spaces, while planar elements draw the eye through the house to the landscape beyond. Teak cabinets, blackened steel and Douglas fir contrast with more modest materials such as painted MDF panels, fiber-cement siding and painted gypsum wallboard. These spaces are designed to accommodate both intimate family gatherings and large parties. Select Furnishings provided by INForm Image by Nic LeHoux

Salisbury, CT This 4,000 square foot vacation house in northwest Connecticut sits on a small promontory with views across a lake to hills beyond. While the site was extraordinary, the owner’s existing house had no redeeming value. It was demolished, and its foundations provided the base for this house. The new house rises from a stone base set into the hillside. A guest bedroom, recreation room and wine cellar are located in this half cellar with views toward the lake. Above the house steps back creating a terrace across the entire length of the house with a covered dining porch at one end and steps down to the lawn at the other end. This main portion of the house is sided with wood clapboard and detailed simply to recall the 19th century farmhouses in the area. Large windows and ‘french’ doors open the living room and family room to the terrace and view. A large kitchen is open to the family room and also serves a formal dining room on the entrance side of the house. On the second floor a there is a spacious master suite and three additional bedrooms. A new ‘carriage house’ garage thirty feet from the main house was built and the driveway and topography altered to create a new sense of approach and entry.

In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

This Atlantic holiday cottage is located in the unique landscape of the creek at Towd Point, in Southampton, one of only 28 Federal Ecological Preserves in the US. Caterina and Bob, a design couple who owns the architecture firm TRA studio in the city, chose the property because of their historic ties to the area and the extraordinary setting and its precise location within it: it is the only house whose site is at the bend of the Towd Point peninsula, right where the views of the protected creek are at the widest and where a little beach naturally occurred. Although the views are open and vast, the property is minimal, way too small to even consider a small pool or spa: the pristine creek is the house water feature, the recreation expansion of the diminutive back yard. We often joke that at TRA we can make small spaces feel big, which is, exactly what we did. As often happened with TRA’s renovation projects, as well as with the most recent art pieces by Robert Traboscia, one of the Studio’s founders, the house is an “object trouve’’, originally a modest fishing outpost, that went through many alterations, to finally find a refreshed life as a modern cottage for a New York family. A vintage busted kayak, repurposed as a planter, completes the process. The cottage is actually a collection of objects: the original Bayman’s cottage now houses two bedrooms, the adjoining deck soon afterwards was enclosed to make space for the kitchen/dining volume and a newer living room addition was later built to complete the compound.’ The compactness of the volumes contributes to the environmental quality of the house, whose simple natural materials have been carefully restored and insulated, while the simplicity of the volumes, which has been respectfully retained, talks about a nostalgia for the past Long Island seaside retreats. The single level recognizable gabled roof silhouette sits comfortably on the private beach, the greyed cedar deck acting as a platform to connect with the landscape. The informal weathered materials and the reductive color palette weave effortlessly from the exterior to the interior, creating a serene environment, echoing the coastal landscape, which emphasizes the line where the water meets the sky, the natural beach, tall breezy grasses and the multitude of happy birds who call the creek home. The restoration process started with the modest goal of cleaning up the walls and replace the worn uneven floor, it soon turned into a forensic research for the original elements, uncovering the historic foam-green siding gabled façade that is now the backdrop of the dining pavilion. The renovation respected the history of the place: everything changed and everything stayed the same. In an area known for vast, affluent, estates, the house is often the place where friends and family gather: the size of the house, the largeness of the creek, the wild life coexisting in harmony with the visitors, the availability of a swim in the bay or kayak adventure, are all interesting and inviting. We often observed that people do not want to leave our interiors, we love the little house because is a place that you never need to leave, this is definitely a house where there is always something to do. In the Hamptons, the question is often “what you are looking at”, usually the pool or landscaped nature, here it is easy to respond: our private beach and protected nature. The landscaping simply aims at enhancing the existing: three sculptural and weathered trees were given new life, the natural arch of the Creek, further outlined by the bulkhead, is amplified and repeated, similarly to rock stratifications, to connect to the house and define the different modes of the landscape: native grasses, private beach, gravel lawn, fence and finally Towd Point Road. Towd Point Little Beach is a habitat meant to be shared with birds and animals.

With stunning views of the Annisquam River, this beautiful first period home was constructed in 1690 for Nathanial Harraden, sailing master of the USS Constitution. It is believed to be the oldest remaining house in this neighborhood of Gloucester. Our extensive historic restoration preserved the integrity and historic details of the original structure, which had been altered significantly over time. Deteriorated structural elements were repaired or rebuilt, and historic elements including beams were revealed. A bright new kitchen and bathrooms provide a functional layout suited for modern living, and use authentic natural materials that will patina and weather in harmony with the rest of the home. The new island counter was hewn from a large decaying tree on the site, and hand-painted marble tiles adorn the backsplash. New cabinetry was hand-crafted using methods authentic to the time. We preserved the kitchen’s existing brick floor, which originally provided a durable surface for milking animals inside during cold winter months. Using authentic materials and craftsmanship of the era, this special house celebrates its historic character and embraces modern updates that will welcome home generations to come.

Salisbury, CT This 4,000 square foot vacation house in northwest Connecticut sits on a small promontory with views across a lake to hills beyond. While the site was extraordinary, the owner’s existing house had no redeeming value. It was demolished, and its foundations provided the base for this house. The new house rises from a stone base set into the hillside. A guest bedroom, recreation room and wine cellar are located in this half cellar with views toward the lake. Above the house steps back creating a terrace across the entire length of the house with a covered dining porch at one end and steps down to the lawn at the other end. This main portion of the house is sided with wood clapboard and detailed simply to recall the 19th century farmhouses in the area. Large windows and ‘french’ doors open the living room and family room to the terrace and view. A large kitchen is open to the family room and also serves a formal dining room on the entrance side of the house. On the second floor a there is a spacious master suite and three additional bedrooms. A new ‘carriage house’ garage thirty feet from the main house was built and the driveway and topography altered to create a new sense of approach and entry.

With stunning views of the Annisquam River, this beautiful first period home was constructed in 1690 for Nathanial Harraden, sailing master of the USS Constitution. It is believed to be the oldest remaining house in this neighborhood of Gloucester. Our extensive historic restoration preserved the integrity and historic details of the original structure, which had been altered significantly over time. Deteriorated structural elements were repaired or rebuilt, and historic elements including beams were revealed. A bright new kitchen and bathrooms provide a functional layout suited for modern living, and use authentic natural materials that will patina and weather in harmony with the rest of the home. The new island counter was hewn from a large decaying tree on the site, and hand-painted marble tiles adorn the backsplash. New cabinetry was hand-crafted using methods authentic to the time. We preserved the kitchen’s existing brick floor, which originally provided a durable surface for milking animals inside during cold winter months. Using authentic materials and craftsmanship of the era, this special house celebrates its historic character and embraces modern updates that will welcome home generations to come.

Salisbury, CT This 4,000 square foot vacation house in northwest Connecticut sits on a small promontory with views across a lake to hills beyond. While the site was extraordinary, the owner’s existing house had no redeeming value. It was demolished, and its foundations provided the base for this house. The new house rises from a stone base set into the hillside. A guest bedroom, recreation room and wine cellar are located in this half cellar with views toward the lake. Above the house steps back creating a terrace across the entire length of the house with a covered dining porch at one end and steps down to the lawn at the other end. This main portion of the house is sided with wood clapboard and detailed simply to recall the 19th century farmhouses in the area. Large windows and ‘french’ doors open the living room and family room to the terrace and view. A large kitchen is open to the family room and also serves a formal dining room on the entrance side of the house. On the second floor a there is a spacious master suite and three additional bedrooms. A new ‘carriage house’ garage thirty feet from the main house was built and the driveway and topography altered to create a new sense of approach and entry.

Cat Neitzey of Reico Kitchen and Bath in Fredericksburg, VA, in collaboration with Abby Construction, designed a transitional kitchen design featuring Masterpiece cabinetry. The kitchen cabinets are in the Masterpiece Gallina door style in Maple in a Dove White finish for the perimeter and a Midnight Blue finish for the island. The design also features both finishes on tall cabinets designed for pantry, display and coffee bar use. The kitchen also includes Cambria Portrush for the countertops, full height and standard backsplashes. “Cat knew her products and knew good design. She was a great problem solver,” said the client. According to Cat, Abby Construction undertook the transformation of a 1951 home from traditional to modern, open, and accessible, enabling its owners to age gracefully. They reconfigured doors, walls and the façade, integrating the garage into the living space. "The clients' construction background and design expertise positioned them as the ideal team to tackle a project of this magnitude. Throughout the process, we maintained frequent communication, meeting regularly both on-site and in the showroom. Our primary challenge arose from the evolving plan, necessitated by the structural alterations to the existing house, which impacted the future design," said Cat. “Our primary focus was to keep the design accessible. We needed to dramatically increase the amount of storage from the original kitchen. Adding roll trays, drawers, a base microwave and a mixer pop up ensured that everything remained easily within reach.” Photos courtesy of Tim Snyder Photography.

Shingle-style guest cottage addition with garage below and interior connector from the main dining room of an early 1900 existing house. Sited so that garage entrance and drive works within the existing landscape elevation and orientation, the guest cottage connects directly to the first floor of the main house. This results in an interesting structural dynamic where the walls of the second floor addition are square to the main house, and the lower garage walls corkscrew at a forty-five degree angle to the walls above. Inspired by their fond memories of travels to the island of Malta, the client requested warm neutral finishes and chose honed cream marble flooring with tight fitting grout lines and an intricate pattern of a Walker Zanger marble tile for the fireplace surround. "Dove White" walls with "Antique White" trim were selected in traditional simplicity to replicate the standard of the existing house and create a seamless transition to the addition. Locally handcrafted copper sconces gently illuminate the space and maintain the period-style of the home.

Main Line Kitchen Design is a brand new business model! We are a group of skilled Kitchen Designers each with many years of experience planning kitchens around the Delaware Valley. And we are cabinet dealers for 6 nationally distributed cabinet lines like traditional showrooms. At Main Line Kitchen Design instead of a full showroom we use a small office and selection center, and 100’s of sample doorstyles, finish and sample kitchen cabinets, as well as photo design books and CAD on laptops to display your kitchen. This way we eliminate the need and the cost associated with a showroom business model. This makes the design process more convenient for our customers, and we pass the significant savings on to them as well. We believe that since a web site like Houzz.com has over half a million kitchen photos any advantage to going to a full kitchen showroom with full kitchen displays has been lost. Almost no customer today will ever get to see a display kitchen in their door style and finish there are just too many possibilities. And of course the design of each kitchen is unique anyway.

Description: In early 1994, the architects began work on the project and while in construction (demolition, grading and foundations) the owner, due to circumstances beyond his control, halted all construction of the project. Seven years later the owner returned to the architects and asked them to complete the partially constructed house. Due to code changes, city ordinances and a wide variety of obstacles it was determined that the house was unable to be completed as originally designed. After much consideration the client asked the architect if it were possible to alter/remodel the partially constructed house, which was a remodel/addition to a 1970’s ranch style house, into a project that fit into current zoning and structural codes. The owner also requested that the house’s footprint and partially constructed foundations remain to avoid the need for further entitlements and delays on an already long overdue and difficult hillside site. The architects’ main challenge was how to alter the design that reflected an outdated philosophical approach to architecture that was nearly a decade old. How could the house be re-conceived reflecting the architect and client’s maturity on a ten-year-old footprint? The answer was to remove almost all of the previously proposed existing interior walls and transform the existing footprint into a pavilion-like structure that allows the site to in a sense “pass through the house”. This allowed the client to take better advantage of a limited and restricted building area while capturing extraordinary panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood Hills. Large 22-foot high custom sliding glass doors allow the interior and exterior to become one. Even the studio is separated from the house and connected only by an exterior bridge. Private spaces are treated as loft-like spaces capturing volume and views while maintaining privacy. Limestone floors extend from inside to outside and into the lap pool that runs the entire length of the house creating a horizon line at the edge of the view. Other natural materials such as board formed concrete, copper, steel and cherry provides softness to the objects that seem to float within the interior volume. By placing objects and materials "outside the frame," a new frame of reference deepens our sense of perception. Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.

This bathroom in Chicago's Rush & Division high-rise condo was in need of an update due to its outdated features and lack of cohesive storage solutions. While the layout of the bathroom couldn't be drastically altered due to site constraints, the space was opened up as much as possible to create a more open and inviting feel. One of the major changes in the bathroom was the addition of a freestanding tub, which not only adds a touch of luxury but also creates a more cohesive look in line with the overall aesthetic of the home. In addition, the use of a luxurious bronze finishes helps to elevate the space and create a more sophisticated and high-end looking bathroom. The end result is a bathroom that is not only more visually appealing but also more functional and efficient in its use of space.

Description: In early 1994, the architects began work on the project and while in construction (demolition, grading and foundations) the owner, due to circumstances beyond his control, halted all construction of the project. Seven years later the owner returned to the architects and asked them to complete the partially constructed house. Due to code changes, city ordinances and a wide variety of obstacles it was determined that the house was unable to be completed as originally designed. After much consideration the client asked the architect if it were possible to alter/remodel the partially constructed house, which was a remodel/addition to a 1970’s ranch style house, into a project that fit into current zoning and structural codes. The owner also requested that the house’s footprint and partially constructed foundations remain to avoid the need for further entitlements and delays on an already long overdue and difficult hillside site. The architects’ main challenge was how to alter the design that reflected an outdated philosophical approach to architecture that was nearly a decade old. How could the house be re-conceived reflecting the architect and client’s maturity on a ten-year-old footprint? The answer was to remove almost all of the previously proposed existing interior walls and transform the existing footprint into a pavilion-like structure that allows the site to in a sense “pass through the house”. This allowed the client to take better advantage of a limited and restricted building area while capturing extraordinary panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood Hills. Large 22-foot high custom sliding glass doors allow the interior and exterior to become one. Even the studio is separated from the house and connected only by an exterior bridge. Private spaces are treated as loft-like spaces capturing volume and views while maintaining privacy. Limestone floors extend from inside to outside and into the lap pool that runs the entire length of the house creating a horizon line at the edge of the view. Other natural materials such as board formed concrete, copper, steel and cherry provides softness to the objects that seem to float within the interior volume. By placing objects and materials "outside the frame," a new frame of reference deepens our sense of perception. Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.

Salisbury, CT This 4,000 square foot vacation house in northwest Connecticut sits on a small promontory with views across a lake to hills beyond. While the site was extraordinary, the owner’s existing house had no redeeming value. It was demolished, and its foundations provided the base for this house. The new house rises from a stone base set into the hillside. A guest bedroom, recreation room and wine cellar are located in this half cellar with views toward the lake. Above the house steps back creating a terrace across the entire length of the house with a covered dining porch at one end and steps down to the lawn at the other end. This main portion of the house is sided with wood clapboard and detailed simply to recall the 19th century farmhouses in the area. Large windows and ‘french’ doors open the living room and family room to the terrace and view. A large kitchen is open to the family room and also serves a formal dining room on the entrance side of the house. On the second floor a there is a spacious master suite and three additional bedrooms. A new ‘carriage house’ garage thirty feet from the main house was built and the driveway and topography altered to create a new sense of approach and entry.