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The Masons Co and Dionysian Artificers http://www.themasonscompany.com/ has provided historic preservation consulting and contracting services on countless structures throughout entire Midwest region including several dozen on the National Register of Historic Places. We believe that a multi-disciplinary approach to the planning of all aspects of historic preservation projects is necessary to preserve the heritage of our built environment. As active participants in the preservation community we are appreciative of the limited resources available for the preservation and maintenance of the cultural heritage embodied in historic structures. We endeavor to provide historically appropriate, sensitive, creative, and responsible solutions to the stewards of these treasures. Our solutions are applicable to the repair of all structures including, Brick, Stone, Masonry Restoration, Fountain, Water features - buildings, high-rise structures, parking structures, airports, bridges, tanks, plaza decks, and historic structures.
The Masons Co and Dionysian Artificers is an operated business which provides high quality masonry restoration and fountain repair service in the state of Arkansas, Nebraska, Des Moines IA, Memphis TN, Nashville TN, Denver Co, Oklahoma City, Springfield IL, Dallas TX, Florida and entire Midwest region. Our commitment to quality and a standard of excellence on every level is the foundation the company has been built upon. Our skilled and conscientious craftsmen specialize in the historic repair, renovation, replication and restoration of any structure we are contracted to work on. Our nearly 30 years of experience assures efficiency, safety and quality by using the proper materials and installation procedures. This unparalleled experience has earned us a reputation for providing clients with the highest quality repair and installation services available.

Sometimes we start with a few foundational items and a blank slate. We’ve worked with these Clients on their previous home, and they were ready to make their bedroom suite all their own. Keeping the built-ins was a requirement as was wallpaper, some new window treatments, a closet overhaul, and all the decor and details. We kept the bed and drapes and swapped the rest to create a luxe sleeping retreat.
Phase 2 of this project was to tackle the dining room and adjacent powder room. The dining room had a small sun room attached to it that was not being utilized. We turned it into a luxe home bar with custom cabinetry and a stunning quartz countertop / backsplash. Gold wallpaper on the ceiling completed the room and highlighted all of the fun metal details throughout the space. We ran the color from the bar through the dining room and accented it with bold wallpaper. We added some contrasting colors with the rug selection and brought in wood tones with the furniture to ground the space.
FUN FACT : The art over the fireplace is a vintage photo from District’s Vintage Chicago Project, featuring photos found in vintage furniture over the lifetime of the store.
Bedroom Photography: Dustin Halleck / Dining Room & Bar Photography: Ryan McDonald

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA
When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together.
The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden.
Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover.
Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.
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After tearing down this home's existing addition, we poured a new foundation but kept the original fireplace. We perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. We added a new flagstone patio and paver walkway to complete the area. Inside the addition there is a new kitchen great room, a laundry room and a sitting room.
Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel.
Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

This young couple was ready to make some changes to their master bedroom. They already laid a great foundation for me: beautiful wall color, carpet and trim. We just needed to update their furnishings and make this space feel more like them. They requested a bedroom that was more classic than trendy and a space that feels relaxing and spa-like. I started with the big pieces. I know they liked the light, upholstered bed look, which is awesome because I get so many clients who shy away from this option for fear of it getting dirty. Next up were the case pieces: dresser, night stands, high boy. I know a lot of designers who favor designing a bedroom with non-matching sets, but in this case, I thought opting for matching nightstands and dressers was the most classic choice and will stand the test of time best. They also a requested an area for the wive to do her make up and hair separate from the bathroom with ample light. I found a vanity, replaced the matching stool with an accent chair in a grey ikat print and used a pair of existing lamps. Extra seating is provided at the end of the bed on a tufted grey bench. The inverted pleat drapes are custom made with black out lining. Accessories and wall art were added to infuse personality and warm up the space.

After tearing down this home's existing addition, we poured a new foundation but kept the original fireplace. We perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. We added a new flagstone patio and paver walkway to complete the area. Inside the addition there is a new kitchen great room, a laundry room and a sitting room.
Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel.
Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

After tearing down this home's existing addition, we poured a new foundation but kept the original fireplace. We perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. We added a new flagstone patio and paver walkway to complete the area. Inside the addition there is a new kitchen great room, a laundry room and a sitting room.
Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel.
Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

Sponsored
Delaware, OH
Buckeye Basements, Inc.
Central Ohio's Basement Finishing ExpertsBest Of Houzz '13-'21

This project hits very close to home for us. Not your typical office space, we re-purposed a 19th century carriage barn into our office and workshop. With no heat, minimum electricity and few windows (most of which were broken), a priority for CEO and Designer Jason Hoffman was to create a space that honors its historic architecture, era and purpose but still offers elements of understated sophistication.
The building is nearly 140 years old, built before many of the trees towering around it had begun growing. It was originally built as a simple, Victorian carriage barn, used to store the family’s horse and buggy. Later, it housed 2,000 chickens when the Owners worked the property as their farm. Then, for many years, it was storage space. Today, it couples as a workshop for our carpentry team, building custom projects and storing equipment, as well as an office loft space ready to welcome clients, visitors and trade partners. We added a small addition onto the existing barn to offer a separate entry way for the office. New stairs and an entrance to the workshop provides for a small, yet inviting foyer space.
From the beginning, even is it’s dark state, Jason loved the ambiance of the old hay loft with its unfinished, darker toned timbers. He knew he wanted to find a way to refinish the space with a focus on those timbers, evident in the statement they make when walking up the stairs. On the exterior, the building received new siding, a new roof and even a new foundation which is a story for another post. Inside, we added skylights, larger windows and a French door, with a small balcony. Along with heat, electricity, WiFi and office furniture, we’re ready for visitors!

This Pacific Northwest boathouse retreat was designed to create a strong connection between the home and the surrounding waterfront environment. Natural cedar siding, expansive outdoor decks, and modern detailing help blend the structure into the wooded shoreline while maximizing views and outdoor living opportunities.
Pacific Home Source worked closely with the homeowners to develop a functional and inviting design that balances modern architecture with the relaxed feel of waterfront living. The project emphasizes entertaining, indoor-outdoor flow, and durable materials suited for the Pacific Northwest climate.

Step into the Moroccan Kitchen in Ontario, where a captivating blend of cultural inspiration and modern design awaits. This space embraces the rich colors and intricate patterns of Moroccan aesthetics, transporting you to a world of beauty and warmth.
Let’s set the Mood
The wood panel flooring sets the stage, adding a natural and inviting foundation to the kitchen and dining area. Recessed lighting illuminates the space, casting a soft and ambient glow that highlights the thoughtful design elements.
A focal point of the kitchen is the custom blue kitchen island, designed with an overhang for additional seating. The island boasts a custom quartz counter and elegant bronze fixtures, creating a harmonious balance of style and functionality. Pendant overhang lighting gracefully suspends above the island, adding a warm and inviting ambiance.
Moroccan Charm
Custom white kitchen cabinets with bronze handles offer ample storage while adding a touch of classic charm. A farmhouse-style kitchen sink with an apron brings rustic elegance to the space, complemented by a bronze sink faucet. The custom white cabinets continue with a quartz counter, providing a durable and beautiful surface for food preparation and display.
A new stove and kitchen hood elevate the functionality of the kitchen, combining modern convenience with a tasteful design. The white, blue, and gold Moroccan-style backsplash tiles become a striking focal point, infusing the space with the allure of Moroccan craftsmanship and artistry.
Personalized Coffee Station
Continuing the design theme, the custom white cabinets with bronze handles extend to a personalized coffee station, tailored to the client’s preferences. A quartz counter adds a sleek touch, creating a dedicated area for indulging in coffee delights.
As you bask in the kitchen, every detail enchants with its thoughtful integration of colors, textures, and cultural elements. This space seamlessly blends the allure of Moroccan aesthetics with contemporary design, offering a vibrant and inviting kitchen and dining area that captures the essence of global inspiration.

This young couple was ready to make some changes to their master bedroom. They already laid a great foundation for me: beautiful wall color, carpet and trim. We just needed to update their furnishings and make this space feel more like them. They requested a bedroom that was more classic than trendy and a space that feels relaxing and spa-like. I started with the big pieces. I know they liked the light, upholstered bed look, which is awesome because I get so many clients who shy away from this option for fear of it getting dirty. Next up were the case pieces: dresser, night stands, high boy. I know a lot of designers who favor designing a bedroom with non-matching sets, but in this case, I thought opting for matching nightstands and dressers was the most classic choice and will stand the test of time best. They also a requested an area for the wive to do her make up and hair separate from the bathroom with ample light. I found a vanity, replaced the matching stool with an accent chair in a grey ikat print and used a pair of existing lamps. Extra seating is provided at the end of the bed on a tufted grey bench. The inverted pleat drapes are custom made with black out lining. Accessories and wall art were added to infuse personality and warm up the space.

This extensive Tiburon interior and exterior remodel required numerous major structural retrofits to the framing and foundations to bring the home from the original 1970s structural codes to present standards. It also included infrastructure upgrades to all utilities: electrical, data, HVAC and plumbing. A new elevator was installed, along with remodeled bathrooms and kitchen.
This exterior remodel saw all new landscaping as well as a system to collect rainwater for irrigation. The new outdoor kitchen by the re-finished pool made the backyard a self-contained destination spot for the enjoyment of the spectacular bridges-and-city views.
The original waterproofing infrastructure had also failed and so required significant repair and restructuring, including over 1000 square feet of decking, new stucco for the entire home, and extreme waterproofing details for the windows and deck railing attachments to manage the near-horizontal rains experienced on the hilltops in the area. BSI also installed a fully engineered gravity drainage system to manage the spring water coming up into the center of the home with a completely automated pump back-up system to ensure a warm, dry home for the client.

This young couple was ready to make some changes to their master bedroom. They already laid a great foundation for me: beautiful wall color, carpet and trim. We just needed to update their furnishings and make this space feel more like them. They requested a bedroom that was more classic than trendy and a space that feels relaxing and spa-like. I started with the big pieces. I know they liked the light, upholstered bed look, which is awesome because I get so many clients who shy away from this option for fear of it getting dirty. Next up were the case pieces: dresser, night stands, high boy. I know a lot of designers who favor designing a bedroom with non-matching sets, but in this case, I thought opting for matching nightstands and dressers was the most classic choice and will stand the test of time best. They also a requested an area for the wive to do her make up and hair separate from the bathroom with ample light. I found a vanity, replaced the matching stool with an accent chair in a grey ikat print and used a pair of existing lamps. Extra seating is provided at the end of the bed on a tufted grey bench. The inverted pleat drapes are custom made with black out lining. Accessories and wall art were added to infuse personality and warm up the space.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Hope Restoration & General Contracting
Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

After tearing down this home's existing addition, we poured a new foundation but kept the original fireplace. We perfectly aligned the cupola on top of the roof, with the upper story windows and those with the lower windows, giving the addition a clean and crisp look. Using granite from Chester County, mica schist stone and hardy plank siding on the exterior walls helped the addition to blend in seamlessly with the original house. We added a new flagstone patio and paver walkway to complete the area. Inside the addition there is a new kitchen great room, a laundry room and a sitting room.
Inside, we customized each new space by paying close attention to the little details. Reclaimed wood for the mantle and shelving, sleek and subtle lighting under the reclaimed shelves, unique wall and floor tile, recessed outlets in the island, walnut trim on the hood, paneled appliances, and repeating materials in a symmetrical way work together to give the interior a sophisticated yet comfortable feel.
Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

Having an eye for great interior design yet no clue on where to start or how to narrow down their aesthetic vision, a young family turned to Décor Aid to bring their drab pre-war Upper West Side apartment to life. With two young daughters in tow, our clients were looking for high style décor grounded in practicality and function – namely for their foyer, living room, dining room, and den.
Armed with a variety of inspiration from traditional to ultra-modern, they knew that they wanted their apartment’s interior design to look put together and thought through, but were short on a concise design direction.
In comes Décor Aid interior designer Gabrielle G. to revive their stark home with inspired design. After their initial in-home consultation, Gabrielle honed in on key decorative touchstones the couple had interest in and compiled a list of must-haves as an aesthetic foundation for the home.
Starting with fresh coats of pure white paint to liven up and brighten each room, Gabrielle took advantage of the apartments closed floor plan and gave each room it’s own design signature rather than having to ensure that everything flowed together – in turn, giving her more freedom.
Save for a china cabinet and formal dining table, Gabrielle was tasked with sourcing furnishings and accessories and went for clean simplicity as the couple also expressed that they’d like to have pieces that can move with them as their family grows while also being conducive for family life.
As you can see, the space is grounded with soothing neutrals so Gabrielle brought in pops of color and texture through accessories and abstract art for a sophisticated yet casual vibe.
The end result boasts concise design and pulled together everyday glamor for this modern family home that our clients adore, and so do we.

Step into the Moroccan Kitchen in Ontario, where a captivating blend of cultural inspiration and modern design awaits. This space embraces the rich colors and intricate patterns of Moroccan aesthetics, transporting you to a world of beauty and warmth.
Let’s set the Mood
The wood panel flooring sets the stage, adding a natural and inviting foundation to the kitchen and dining area. Recessed lighting illuminates the space, casting a soft and ambient glow that highlights the thoughtful design elements.
A focal point of the kitchen is the custom blue kitchen island, designed with an overhang for additional seating. The island boasts a custom quartz counter and elegant bronze fixtures, creating a harmonious balance of style and functionality. Pendant overhang lighting gracefully suspends above the island, adding a warm and inviting ambiance.
Moroccan Charm
Custom white kitchen cabinets with bronze handles offer ample storage while adding a touch of classic charm. A farmhouse-style kitchen sink with an apron brings rustic elegance to the space, complemented by a bronze sink faucet. The custom white cabinets continue with a quartz counter, providing a durable and beautiful surface for food preparation and display.
A new stove and kitchen hood elevate the functionality of the kitchen, combining modern convenience with a tasteful design. The white, blue, and gold Moroccan-style backsplash tiles become a striking focal point, infusing the space with the allure of Moroccan craftsmanship and artistry.
Personalized Coffee Station
Continuing the design theme, the custom white cabinets with bronze handles extend to a personalized coffee station, tailored to the client’s preferences. A quartz counter adds a sleek touch, creating a dedicated area for indulging in coffee delights.
As you bask in the kitchen, every detail enchants with its thoughtful integration of colors, textures, and cultural elements. This space seamlessly blends the allure of Moroccan aesthetics with contemporary design, offering a vibrant and inviting kitchen and dining area that captures the essence of global inspiration.

Layered in warm, natural tones, this newly furnished home in Bend’s Caldera Springs neighborhood is a welcome retreat for our clients, their family and friends.
In the great room, we laid a delightful foundation with a grassy green area rug and added rich leather and upholstery to the seating arrangement. The custom designed nesting coffee tables, a collaboration with Portland’s Garage Goods, allow for flexibility in playing a game, serving up snacks or kicking your feet up.
Our texture story continues with woven leather counter stools, a sculpted entryway console and stone lamp, wabi-sabi artwork, and luxurious layers of bedding in unique palettes in each bedroom.
A custom sectional and ottoman invite you to stay a while in the loft-style bonus room, and the rich pop of green in the den secretary desk makes sitting down to work feel more like play. The beautiful custom sofa is a hide-a-bed, welcoming even more guests with an additional private sleeping space.
Outside, we encourage year-round gathering with inviting, low maintenance lounge and dining furniture that looks beautiful through floor to ceiling windows, inside and out, in any of our stunning Central Oregon seasons.
Photos by Kayla McKenzie Photography

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Snider & Metcalf Interior Design, LTD
Leading Interior Designers in Columbus, Ohio & Ponte Vedra, Florida

This weekend house in the rolling fields of the Hudson Valley was designed around a farmyard. We incorporated the ruins of an old barn foundation into one side of the farmyard and grouped new buildings around two other sides to define an arrival court. The new centerpiece of the arrival court is a tower clad on its lower story with red barn boards. On axis with the driveway, the tower serves as the entrance and links the main wing of the house to the guest quarters. The entry under the tower is like a breezeway with big barn doors on each side and the dark interior finishes of a tack room. The tower is a vertical foil to the main wing of the house, whose emphatically horizontal all-encompassing hipped roof allows the house to nestle comfortably into the hillside.
The main house presents a private face to the courtyard but opens up on the other side with expansive bay windows that command a view of a new pond in the middle distance and the rolling hills beyond.
Our client was enthusiastic about taking advantage of renewable energy sources such as geothermal heat and photovoltaic cells, which are out of sight in the bushes. We incorporated these green technologies without calling attention to them.
Photography by Robert Benson

"After" - This project was designed to remodel an existing living room / red brick fireplace surround to provide a more contemporary and brighter look to the room. The existing room featured a central fireplace / wood mantelpiece surrounded by floor to ceiling dark oak bookshelves. The color choice above the mantle was a rich maroon color and the whole combination achieved a rich and warm but pretty dark tone that made the room feel small.
The design concept involved completely changing and lightening the look of the fireplace in a style similar to the painted brick style seen often in colonial Williamsburg and similar areas in and around the Tidewater region of Virginia. Of the various colors featured in many “Williamsburg palettes”, the Client wanted to brighten the room with a neutral off-white scheme.
The bookshelves came out altogether, and the previous look of crowding and clutter gave way to a broad light allspice featuring the light colored brick fireplace. Above the mantle if the main feature on the wall - the abstract painting named “Mystére”.
Mystére is the commissioned artwork portion of this remodeling project. It is a member of the Galactic Series of my paintings. It is painted on a foundation of jet black. The contrasting colors were inspired (roughly speaking) by the six colors in a friend’s eyes that seem to change depending on the light. Mystére combines those base colors with metallic powder emulsion to achieve the shimmering effects. It is displayed in a jet black floating frame, and was briefly displayed as part of an exhibit at Arts on Main in Gloucester, Virginia prior to finding its permanent home in Virginia Beach.

Photography by Carlos Esteva.
When this private client, a married couple, first approached Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón to build ‘the house of their dreams’ on the grounds of their sprawling family estate, the first challenge was to identify the exact location that would maximize the positive aspects of the topography while affording the most gracious views. Propped up on scaffolding, juggling digital cameras and folding ladders, the design team photographed the property from hundreds of angles before the ideal site was selected.
Once the site was selected, construction could begin.
The building’s foundation was raised slightly off the ground to disperse geothermal heat. In addition, the designers studied daily sunlight patterns and positioned the structure accordingly in order to warm the swimming pool during the cooler morning hours and illuminate the principal living quarters during the late afternoon. Finally, the main house was designed with functional balconies on all sides: each balcony meticulously planned ~ and precisely positioned ~ to
both optimize wind flow and frame the property’s most breath-taking views.
Stylistically, the goal was to create an authentic Spanish hacienda. Following Old World tradition, the house was anchored around a centralized interior patio
in the Moorish style: enclosed on three sides ~ yet
open on the fourth (similar to the Alcázar of Seville) ~ to reveal a reflecting pool ~ and mirror the water motif of the home’s magnificent marble fountain. A bell tower, horseshoe arches, a colonnaded,vineyard-style patio, and
ornamental Moorish mosaic tilework (“azulejos”) completed this picturesque portrait of a faraway fantasy world of castles, chivalry, and swordsplay, reminiscent of Medieval Spain.
Shortly after completion, this showcase home was showcased on the TVE Spanish television series Spaniards Around The World (Españoles Alrededor
Del Mundo) as a prime example of authentic Spanish architecture designed outside the peninsula. Not surprising. After all, the story of a fairy-tale retreat as
magical as this one deserves a happy ending.
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