Architect: Becker Henson Niksto General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
Example of a trendy concrete floor and gray floor powder room design in Santa Barbara with open cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, solid surface countertops and gray countertops

Aluminum siding had completely covered the exterior of this home, located across the street from the Atlantic Ocean, leaving many of its period architectural details hidden from view. We removed the siding and rotten clapboards beneath, wrapped the house to protect from moisture, and then re-sided with pre-painted clapboards and shingles. 30 windows were replaced or restored, including original curved double windows on the front bay. Three kinds of siding were used: western red cedar clapboards on the first floor, white cedar shingles on the second, and white cedar fish scale shingles for the front gables. A new copper bonnet roof and curved copper gutter on the front porch offer additional distinction.

For a small family in the Boston suburbs, their modest sized home was just the right size. But with some smart changes, they wondered if it could be more enjoyable. Working with architect Joseph S. Artley, we came up with a number of solutions: • To make the kitchen a more comfortable work and gathering space, a bay window was removed and the kitchen itself bumped out slightly to allow for the introduction of an expansive island, as well as additional countertop and cabinetry. • The first floor half-bathroom was relocated to the end of the entry hall. This allowed us to connect the kitchen with what had been a three-season porch. • That three-season porch was properly heated and remodeled as a sunny breakfast nook: the perfect spot for the family to gather in the mornings. • Near the entry to the breakfast nook, an existing electrical box could not be moved. To conceal it, we suggested an oversized family bulletin board, which we provided as a gift to the homeowners. Now, it offers a great spot to catch up on the day’s activities and enjoy some family artwork while heading in for breakfast. • This family loves to read and they asked for custom built in bookshelves in the living room that would look original to the home and match existing shelving on the other side of the room. • The den is a favorite spot for the family to watch movies and play games, but the room, which had also been a three season porch prior to an earlier renovation, was drafty in the winter and hot in the summer. We introduced new, energy efficient windows and insulation throughout, resulting in a much more inviting and cozy room. Today, after barely increasing the footprint of the home, the family has a new breakfast room, a usable den, a larger and more inviting kitchen, and a better-situated first-floor bath. Lots of simple fixes = a much happier space for the whole family. Photos by Shelly Harrison

We recently completed three distinct bathroom renovation projects, all located in the same home. Each bathroom — a master, a children’s Jack & Jill bath, and a family/guest bath — was gutted and fully remodeled. We worked on the project with architect Michael Szalaji of Cambridge-based On the Boards Design. The Jack & Jill bath was one of two that needed to be expanded. We annexed an adjacent closet to provide extra square footage. This allowed for the comfortable introduction of a shower stall with a glass Dreamliner door and for the installation of a tall, semi-custom hamper cabinet. The cabinet and vanity were each fitted with Caesarstone countertop. The master bathroom also received an upgrade, with a new shower stall, baseboard and crown molding. The shower features decorative 5” Ogee Drop Tile and an accent border in Natural Stone Pencil. The custom shower door, by Prestige Glass, includes a translucent privacy band etched across the center of the glass. For comfort on cold mornings, radiant heating was installed. On the third floor, adjacent to the family room, a third bath was remodeled. Like the children’s bath, the footprint for this room was also expanded by annexing closet space. We added a shower stall here too, and this one features built-in bench seating. Window glass in the bathroom window was replaced with tempered, frosted glass for safety and privacy. Photos by Shelly Harrison

We recently completed three distinct bathroom renovation projects, all located in the same home. Each bathroom — a master, a children’s Jack & Jill bath, and a family/guest bath — was gutted and fully remodeled. We worked on the project with architect Michael Szalaji of Cambridge-based On the Boards Design. The Jack & Jill bath was one of two that needed to be expanded. We annexed an adjacent closet to provide extra square footage. This allowed for the comfortable introduction of a shower stall with a glass Dreamliner door and for the installation of a tall, semi-custom hamper cabinet. The cabinet and vanity were each fitted with Caesarstone countertop. The master bathroom also received an upgrade, with a new shower stall, baseboard and crown molding. The shower features decorative 5” Ogee Drop Tile and an accent border in Natural Stone Pencil. The custom shower door, by Prestige Glass, includes a translucent privacy band etched across the center of the glass. For comfort on cold mornings, radiant heating was installed. On the third floor, adjacent to the family room, a third bath was remodeled. Like the children’s bath, the footprint for this room was also expanded by annexing closet space. We added a shower stall here too, and this one features built-in bench seating. Window glass in the bathroom window was replaced with tempered, frosted glass for safety and privacy. Photos by Shelly Harrison

Renovation is stressful. Wouldn’t it be nice to let someone else oversee product selections, manage day-to-day issues, and bring your project to a successful completion? The owners of a two-family in Arlington recently did just that, flying off to Florida just as we began renovating their first floor unit. Of course, before they left we thoroughly discussed all aspects of the work order, which included renovating the kitchen and bathroom, painting the bedroom, and adding a laundry closet. We reviewed color and material selections, and set up a schedule for regular briefings. A handful of issues did come up. But because we had planned ahead, we were able to resolve them with very little stress for our clients. For instance, the client had chosen a bright yellow paint color for the kitchen walls, but once the new cabinets, countertop, and flooring had been installed, it was clear that yellow would clash. We suggested a more complementary Benjamin Moore Lancaster Whitewash shade instead. In the bathroom, the clients had selected a deep inset mirrored medicine cabinet. But when the wall behind the vanity was opened, it revealed a pipe running up the wall, too close for the inset model. In this small space, a bump-out medicine cabinet would be awkward, so instead we placed a mirror over the sink and two smaller inset cabinets on either side – a solution that pleased the homeowners, who now have his-and-hers storage spaces. Finally, the homeowners had resigned themselves to the fact that the laundry closet would be too small for storing detergent and other needs. However once the units were in place, we realized that a small custom shelf could be built and had it installed to the delight of the homeowners. Photo by Shelly Harrison

Design / Build project with Charlie Allen Renovations Inc. Shelly Harrison Photography
Inspiration for a large timeless master white tile and subway tile marble floor corner shower remodel in Boston with a console sink

Our clients, a busy husband and wife, live in a top floor condo in an historic brick townhouse. With hectic professional lives, they had not had much time for home improvement but finally felt ready to make some changes. At the top of their to-do list were the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen, a small, enclosed utility space, featured dated tile flooring and backsplash and a floor plan that made the small space feel even more cramped. Meanwhile, the bathroom was also in need of a refresh, and the homeowners hoped to replace their tub with a safer walk-in shower with bench seating. We began by introducing subtle changes to stitch together the home’s living areas. We opened the wall between the kitchen and dining room, which had been mostly enclosed. The small kitchen had featured a traditional work triangle with refrigerator, stove, and sink/prep/cleaning area along three separate walls. Unfortunately the room was too cramped for this particular layout. Instead, we placed the stove on the same wall as the fridge, which allowed a larger opening to the dining room. We kept the overhanging cabinetry in the kitchen but chose a new unit with separate cabinets facing both the kitchen and dining room for extra storage opportunities. With extra countertop at the sink, the half-wall, and on either side of the stove, the homeowners now have plenty of cooking prep space. The homeowners favor a crisp white palette, and the pearl Omega cabinets that they selected are a perfect fit. A mix of brushed nickel and glass knob pulls offer visual and textile variety. For the countertops, we installed elegant white Quartz Calacatta Novus with a graceful dark wave pattern. The backsplash is Feather Gray Manhattan Field Tile. Refinished and repainted moulding creates a seamless flow among the living spaces. In the dining and living rooms, the color-averse homeowners decided to try Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray. We also removed tile flooring from the kitchen in favor of restoring the original oak hardwoods, uniting this room with the rest of the condo. In the bathroom, we removed the tub in favor of a curb-less walk-in shower with built-in marble bench seating. We fitted Vintage Studio’s Starry White wall tile and Bianco Carrera honed floor tile, and installed a new vanity (with a Cambria Queen Anne marble top) and Robern medicine cabinet. We were delighted to work on the project with Elizabeth Tanny – a New York-based interior designer who is also the sister and sister-in-law of the homeowners. Elizabeth worked with our clients on artwork and furniture selections, as well as paint colors. Photo by Shelly Harrison

Our clients, a busy husband and wife, live in a top floor condo in an historic brick townhouse. With hectic professional lives, they had not had much time for home improvement but finally felt ready to make some changes. At the top of their to-do list were the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen, a small, enclosed utility space, featured dated tile flooring and backsplash and a floor plan that made the small space feel even more cramped. Meanwhile, the bathroom was also in need of a refresh, and the homeowners hoped to replace their tub with a safer walk-in shower with bench seating. We began by introducing subtle changes to stitch together the home’s living areas. We opened the wall between the kitchen and dining room, which had been mostly enclosed. The small kitchen had featured a traditional work triangle with refrigerator, stove, and sink/prep/cleaning area along three separate walls. Unfortunately the room was too cramped for this particular layout. Instead, we placed the stove on the same wall as the fridge, which allowed a larger opening to the dining room. We kept the overhanging cabinetry in the kitchen but chose a new unit with separate cabinets facing both the kitchen and dining room for extra storage opportunities. With extra countertop at the sink, the half-wall, and on either side of the stove, the homeowners now have plenty of cooking prep space. The homeowners favor a crisp white palette, and the pearl Omega cabinets that they selected are a perfect fit. A mix of brushed nickel and glass knob pulls offer visual and textile variety. For the countertops, we installed elegant white Quartz Calacatta Novus with a graceful dark wave pattern. The backsplash is Feather Gray Manhattan Field Tile. Refinished and repainted moulding creates a seamless flow among the living spaces. In the dining and living rooms, the color-averse homeowners decided to try Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray. We also removed tile flooring from the kitchen in favor of restoring the original oak hardwoods, uniting this room with the rest of the condo. In the bathroom, we removed the tub in favor of a curb-less walk-in shower with built-in marble bench seating. We fitted Vintage Studio’s Starry White wall tile and Bianco Carrera honed floor tile, and installed a new vanity (with a Cambria Queen Anne marble top) and Robern medicine cabinet. We were delighted to work on the project with Elizabeth Tanny – a New York-based interior designer who is also the sister and sister-in-law of the homeowners. Elizabeth worked with our clients on artwork and furniture selections, as well as paint colors. Photo by Shelly Harrison

We recently enjoyed the opportunity to remodel three floors of a nineteenth-century Cambridge home with our project partners, architect Tom Downer and designer Jayme Kennerknecht/LDa Architects. . • The owners – a family of four that includes both a teenager and a toddler - wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for family together time. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be better connected to adjoining rooms. • Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. • In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. On the same level, we created a separate guest bedroom with a new closet and a window designed to match other windows throughout the home. • The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with an integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with family and guests and have a clear view when children are playing in the yard. Photo by Shelly Harrison

A mudroom with lots of storage space is part of an addition added to this Newton home.
Example of a transitional entryway design in Boston

The kitchen, living room, front entry, playroom, and guest bedroom in this three-story Cambridge home were all renovated. The owners wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for time together for a family that includes both a teenager and a toddler. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be more connected to adjoining rooms. Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. Sensitivity to the home’s period character was also demonstrated in the third level guest bedroom, where a new window was installed to better match the proportions of the house. In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed, instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with nearby family and guests and have a clear view of children playing in the yard. Shelly Harrison Photography

We recently completed three distinct bathroom renovation projects, all located in the same home. Each bathroom — a master, a children’s Jack & Jill bath, and a family/guest bath — was gutted and fully remodeled. We worked on the project with architect Michael Szalaji of Cambridge-based On the Boards Design. The Jack & Jill bath was one of two that needed to be expanded. We annexed an adjacent closet to provide extra square footage. This allowed for the comfortable introduction of a shower stall with a glass Dreamliner door and for the installation of a tall, semi-custom hamper cabinet. The cabinet and vanity were each fitted with Caesarstone countertop. The master bathroom also received an upgrade, with a new shower stall, baseboard and crown molding. The shower features decorative 5” Ogee Drop Tile and an accent border in Natural Stone Pencil. The custom shower door, by Prestige Glass, includes a translucent privacy band etched across the center of the glass. For comfort on cold mornings, radiant heating was installed. On the third floor, adjacent to the family room, a third bath was remodeled. Like the children’s bath, the footprint for this room was also expanded by annexing closet space. We added a shower stall here too, and this one features built-in bench seating. Window glass in the bathroom window was replaced with tempered, frosted glass for safety and privacy. Photos by Shelly Harrison

Way back in the late 1970s, the owners of an 1894 Victorian in Somerville hired Charlie Allen Renovations to renovate and restore their home, a landmark property that had been divided into apartments and lost some of its period charm. This was a memorable project and it was a shock when the homeowners called in December 2014 to let us know that their home had been badly damaged by a fire. They asked if we could once again restore it to its original prominence. This time nearly every original element of the home needed to be restored or rebuilt. We began the process by carefully removing all original moulding and paneling, which was then catalogued, thoroughly cleaned, and stored away. Belfor, a property restoration firm, was hired to remove soot and smoky odors, which required opening the walls and then rebuilding them. Numerous decorative elements throughout the home, including an intricate stained glass window in the dining room, had been too badly damaged to be restored; these were carefully remade by both our talented team and by an exceptional group of project partners, to match their original design. All of the windows in the house had to be replaced, and all of its floors needed to be refinished. Tile hearth surrounding the dining room fireplace and the living room fireplace mantel and surround were removed, cleaned, and replaced. The homeowners also took the opportunity to have some long-desired renovations accomplished, including remodeling the outdated kitchen, which now features an expansive island, pantry closet, new cork flooring, backsplash, and greenhouse window. Today, the house is fully both meticulously restored and remodeled, and the owners are happily back home. At its conclusion, the project was awarded with the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission’s 2017 Directors Award and a 2018 Contractor of the Year Gold Award. Along with Belfor, additional project partners include Jackson Schillaci Woodworking, master finisher Wayne Towle, and Jim Anderson Stained Glass. Photo by Shelly Harrison Photography

We recently enjoyed the opportunity to remodel three floors of a nineteenth-century Cambridge home with our project partners, architect Tom Downer and designer Jayme Kennerknecht/LDa Architects. . • The owners – a family of four that includes both a teenager and a toddler - wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for family together time. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be better connected to adjoining rooms. • Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. • In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. On the same level, we created a separate guest bedroom with a new closet and a window designed to match other windows throughout the home. • The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with an integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with family and guests and have a clear view when children are playing in the yard. Photo by Shelly Harrison

The master bedroom had only one small closet. With two adults sharing the space, more storage was desperately needed. We introduced bump out closets on either side of the windows, adding shelving within (eliminating the need for bureaus) and placing inset mirrors in the doors. We painted the room in Benjamin Moore’s Santa Fe Pottery shade. Our partner on this project was Woodworth Architects in Newton, MA. Photo by Roberto Farren Photography.

Radiators on all three floors were weathered and in need of repair. Stripping and painting them in a hammered bronze color brought them back to life, adding great period character throughout the building. We worked with Woodworth Architects in Newton, MA on this project. Photo by Roberto Farren Photography.

On the second floor, the owner asked us to renovate the kitchen for his long-time tenants. Our design moved the main cooking, cleaning, and prep stations to the exterior wall. Previously, the room’s access to windows was almost entirely blocked by a passage, making for a cramped and dark room. Into this remodeled space, we placed a new Postform Smokey Topaz laminate countertop, new Kemper Whitman style maple cabinets in a coconut finish, added new Richelieu cabinet hardware, and painted the room (Benjamin Moore’s Cameo White). New appliances were also installed. Our partner on this project was Woodworth Architects in Newton, MA. Photo by Roberto Farren Photography

We recently enjoyed the opportunity to remodel three floors of a nineteenth-century Cambridge home with our project partners, architect Tom Downer and designer Jayme Kennerknecht/LDa Architects. . • The owners – a family of four that includes both a teenager and a toddler - wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for family together time. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be better connected to adjoining rooms. • Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. • In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. On the same level, we created a separate guest bedroom with a new closet and a window designed to match other windows throughout the home. • The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with an integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with family and guests and have a clear view when children are playing in the yard. Photo by Shelly Harrison