Renovating an open kitchen can be an exciting project that can improve the functionality, aesthetics, and value of your home. Here are some steps to guide you through the process: Planning and Design: Define your goals and budget for the renovation. Determine the layout of your open kitchen. Consider factors like the work triangle (the relationship between the stove, sink, and refrigerator) and the flow of traffic. Choose a design style and color scheme that suits your preferences and complements the rest of your home. Research and Inspiration: Collect inspiration from magazines, websites, and social media platforms to get ideas for your open kitchen design. Create a mood board or vision board to help you visualize the final look. Hiring Professionals: Depending on the scale of your renovation, you may need to hire professionals, such as architects, interior designers, contractors, and electricians. Make sure to check references and get multiple quotes. Demolition and Structural Work: If your renovation involves structural changes, like removing walls, this is the time to do it. Ensure that the necessary permits are obtained. Plumbing and Electrical Work: Update or reconfigure plumbing and electrical systems as needed. This may include adding or moving outlets, switches, and lighting fixtures. Cabinetry and Countertops: Choose and install new kitchen cabinets and countertops. This is a significant part of your renovation and will greatly influence the kitchen's appearance and functionality. Appliances: Update or install new kitchen appliances, including the refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Flooring: Select and install flooring that is suitable for a kitchen, such as hardwood, tile, laminate, or vinyl. Ensure it complements the overall design. Backsplash and Wall Finishes: Install a backsplash that matches your design and protects your walls. Consider materials like tile, glass, or stainless steel. Lighting: Choose and install various types of lighting, including ambient, task, and accent lighting. Pendant lights above an island or breakfast bar can add style and functionality. Paint and Finishing Touches: Paint the walls and ceiling in the colors you've selected. Add finishing touches like hardware, window treatments, and decorative elements. Furniture and Accessories: Bring in furniture, such as a dining table and chairs, barstools, and any other pieces you need to complete the space. Decorate with accessories like artwork, plants, and decorative items. Final Inspection and Cleanup: Ensure that all work meets safety and building code requirements. Clean the entire area thoroughly. Enjoy Your New Kitchen: Once the renovation is complete and everything is in its place, enjoy your beautiful, functional open kitchen. Remember that open kitchen renovations can be complex and may require careful planning. It's essential to stay within your budget, communicate with your contractors and designers, and be flexible as unexpected issues may arise during the process. Ultimately, a well-executed open kitchen renovation can enhance the heart of your home and improve your overall living space.

Images by Nic LeHoux Designed as a home and studio for a photographer and his young family, Lightbox is located on a peninsula that extends south from British Columbia across the border to Point Roberts. The densely forested site lies beside a 180-acre park that overlooks the Strait of Georgia, the San Juan Islands and the Puget Sound. Having experienced the world from under a black focusing cloth and large format camera lens, the photographer has a special fondness for simplicity and an appreciation of unique, genuine and well-crafted details. The home was made decidedly modest, in size and means, with a building skin utilizing simple materials in a straightforward yet innovative configuration. The result is a structure crafted from affordable and common materials such as exposed wood two-bys that form the structural frame and directly support a prefabricated aluminum window system of standard glazing units uniformly sized to reduce the complexity and overall cost. Accessed from the west on a sloped boardwalk that bisects its two contrasting forms, the house sits lightly on the land above the forest floor. A south facing two-story glassy cage for living captures the sun and view as it celebrates the interplay of light and shadow in the forest. To the north, stairs are contained in a thin wooden box stained black with a traditional Finnish pine tar coating. Narrow apertures in the otherwise solid dark wooden wall sharply focus the vibrant cropped views of the old growth fir trees at the edge of the deep forest. Lightbox is an uncomplicated yet powerful gesture that enables one to view the subtlety and beauty of the site while providing comfort and pleasure in the constantly changing light of the forest.

The project’s starting point was to understand the building’s original post and beam structure and to use that internal logic to formulate a sympathetic remodel. With an emphasis on the upper back unit, the owner’s private residence within this recently purchased Edward Killingsworth triplex, the first order of business was to strip the excess out and to return the complex to something that resembled the original. With a limited budget, the tact was to restore where possible, and to insert where needed, but always with a sympathetic eye. The kitchen quickly became the primary focus and it was soon realized that by removing the division between the existing galley and family room that the essence of the structural system could be revealed. Once opened the datum of the layered beams was adhered to with the kitchen reinforcing this overhead water line. The primary internal wall was then highlighted with a new wood veneer with the refrigerator recessed (borrowing a bit of space from the master closet) and the existing heater chromed.

Porch and terrace repaired, redesigned, and revived for sunny, year-round space. These homeowners had an existing porch in their home, but it was failing. Both the porch and adjoining terrace were over the garage, which added technical complexity to building this project. The terrace had been redone and the structure was fine, but the porch structure was failing. It needed to be completely repaired. Since the space needed to be completely redone, the homeowners decided to not just recreate the old space, but redesign it and make it the bright year-round space they dreamed of. The final design choices include floor heat, to keep the space warm and cozy year-round, and full windows, to keep the bitter winter winds outside. What the homeowners most love about the room is that while the rest of the house is traditional and a bit darker, this room is always bright and cozy, with lots of light, year-round. The windows can open up during the summer season to let the sounds of the birds and scents of the grills in, or stay closed to enjoy bright sunlight during the winter. Year-round sunlight - without even needing to wear socks!

This staircase is a truly special project to come out of the MW Design Workshop. We worked extensively with the clients, architect, interior designer, builder, and other trades to achieve this fully integrated feature in the home. The challenge we had was to create a stunning, aesthetically pleasing stair using MPP – a structural mass timber product developed locally here in Oregon. We used 3D modelling to incorporate the complex interactions between the CNC-milled MPP treads, water-jet cut and LED lit bookcase, and rolled steel handrail with the rest of the built structure. Photographer - Justin Krug

The project’s starting point was to understand the building’s original post and beam structure and to use that internal logic to formulate a sympathetic remodel. With an emphasis on the upper back unit, the owner’s private residence within this recently purchased Edward Killingsworth triplex, the first order of business was to strip the excess out and to return the complex to something that resembled the original. With a limited budget, the tact was to restore where possible, and to insert where needed, but always with a sympathetic eye. The kitchen quickly became the primary focus and it was soon realized that by removing the division between the existing galley and family room that the essence of the structural system could be revealed. Once opened the datum of the layered beams was adhered to with the kitchen reinforcing this overhead water line. The primary internal wall was then highlighted with a new wood veneer with the refrigerator recessed (borrowing a bit of space from the master closet) and the existing heater chromed.

Richmond Commercial Painting provides full-service Milwaukee commercial interior painting for commercial buildings.We are skilled at applying all types of floor and wall coverings. We perform electrostatic painting for heat registers, bathroom stalls, or elevator doors and frames. There is a lot more to commercial interior painting than just brushing, rolling or spraying a coating on a substrate. Preparation for painting, particularly on rehabilitation jobs, can be very involved and require elaborate equipment and technical expertise. In commercial painting and repaints there is usually production and office equipment and furniture to protect. There is a need for project coordination to assure the smooth, non-disruptive flow of the work. Milwaukee commercial interior painting often calls for specialized coatings because of environmental and high traffic concerns. The right equipment and expertise are required for the proper application of highly technical coatings. Unlike some of the other painting companies in the area, these production elements are readily available at Richmond Painting. The highly experienced staff of project coordinators and applicators is familiar with the equipment and coatings materials to assure owners of the best possible experience in any commercial interior painting project. Our commercial painting pros apply coatings to ceilings, walls and floors with attention to detail and care for the surrounding elements of the room. They apply acrylic ceiling and wall textures as well as latex paints. They finish floors in a wide variety of materials formulated to provide attractive, durable, high-traffic surfaces. Richmond Painting is a one-stop source of all commercial interior painting projects, large or small. Our successfully completed projects list includes schools, hospitals, hotels, nursing homes, office complexes, warehouses, factories, high-rise apartment buildings and a host of others. We have experience in every type of commercial structure between Racine and Milwaukee. commercial interior painting in milwaukeeRichmond Painting is in Racine, WI and from this central point we dispatch crews to projects throughout the Milwaukee area, including the northern suburbs of Washington Mequon, Grafton, Cedarburg, and southern areas like Pleasant Prairie, Sommers , Racine, Oak creek, and even as far south as Libertyville, IL in some cases. We serve any professional commercial coatings needs within Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Waukesha , Walworth, Washington and Ozaukee counties. The estimating and project coordination experts at Richmond Painting and Decorating are available to assist in every step of a Milwaukee commercial interior painting project. We work with owners on budgeting, with general contractors on the critical flow chart for the coatings part of their contracts and with designers on materials and color selections. Where coatings are the majority of a contract, we assume the overall project coordination and completion responsibilities. We take pride in our work and do everything humanly possible to assure a successful completion of the job. When a project is done right the first time, the proper material is used by highly qualified applicators and the job is done with a minimum of disruption to an active business, it is well worth the money spent. It really costs no more to get the very best. Again, we provide commercial painting services to a wide local area including; but not limited to: Bethesda, Alexandria, Potomac, Arlington, Great Falls, Vienna, Silver Spring, Fairfax, McLean, Rockville, and Woodbridge.

A 6,000 square foot 2-story new home complex in Milpitas was designed to facilitate the owners’ large business parties and gatherings, to have rooms for the kids to come back to upstairs, and a ground floor master suite with a huge walk-in closet. Several separate structures make up the dwelling: The main house, 3-car garage with carport for overflow parking, and a separate entertainment and recreation building separated by a courtyard from the main house. The business activities include gatherings in the hundreds of people, so parking was maximized and guests can flow in through a separate gate to party in the courtyard and recreation building. Inside this structure is a wet bar, billiard room, workout gym and home theater. The main house ground floor has formal and informal living rooms, open kitchen and master suite with views and expansive windows in every direction. The house is sited on the crestline of a hill with views of the San Francisco Bay and private golf course below. The indoor-outdoor aspect of the house is further accentuated with outside living and dining areas. High ceilings and expansive glass walls dissolve the sense of enclosure taking advantage of the site’s openness and privacy. The owner’s suite is downstairs in anticipation of aging-in-place, and upstairs there are three bedrooms and four bathrooms plus a sitting area lounge and casual TV loft area. The house sits on one acre at the top of a low hill range overlooking Milpitas. The city was very cognizant of the importance of keeping a low profile at this crestline and required extensive story poles and photo evidence of the proper height and siting so as not to be seen from certain selected vantage points. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: JCD Builders Inc. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Morf Chang Landscape Architecture / ODS Architecture PHOTOGRAPHS: Paul Dyer Photography

A 6,000 square foot 2-story new home complex in Milpitas was designed to facilitate the owners’ large business parties and gatherings, to have rooms for the kids to come back to upstairs, and a ground floor master suite with a huge walk-in closet. Several separate structures make up the dwelling: The main house, 3-car garage with carport for overflow parking, and a separate entertainment and recreation building separated by a courtyard from the main house. The business activities include gatherings in the hundreds of people, so parking was maximized and guests can flow in through a separate gate to party in the courtyard and recreation building. Inside this structure is a wet bar, billiard room, workout gym and home theater. The main house ground floor has formal and informal living rooms, open kitchen and master suite with views and expansive windows in every direction. The house is sited on the crestline of a hill with views of the San Francisco Bay and private golf course below. The indoor-outdoor aspect of the house is further accentuated with outside living and dining areas. High ceilings and expansive glass walls dissolve the sense of enclosure taking advantage of the site’s openness and privacy. The owner’s suite is downstairs in anticipation of aging-in-place, and upstairs there are three bedrooms and four bathrooms plus a sitting area lounge and casual TV loft area. The house sits on one acre at the top of a low hill range overlooking Milpitas. The city was very cognizant of the importance of keeping a low profile at this crestline and required extensive story poles and photo evidence of the proper height and siting so as not to be seen from certain selected vantage points. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: JCD Builders Inc. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Morf Chang Landscape Architecture / ODS Architecture PHOTOGRAPHS: Paul Dyer Photography

This staircase is a truly special project to come out of the MW Design Workshop. We worked extensively with the clients, architect, interior designer, builder, and other trades to achieve this fully integrated feature in the home. The challenge we had was to create a stunning, aesthetically pleasing stair using MPP – a structural mass timber product developed locally here in Oregon. We used 3D modelling to incorporate the complex interactions between the CNC-milled MPP treads, water-jet cut and LED lit bookcase, and rolled steel handrail with the rest of the built structure. Photographer - Justin Krug

Built-in rollshutter application on a home in Massachusetts in the open position. Rolling Shutters are the ultimate solution when you want to protect what’s behind your windows and doors. With Rolling Shutters, enjoy peace of mind knowing that your home has a sturdy layer of hurricane protection and storm protection. Rolling shutters shield against wind-blown debris, sand blasting and water penetration. Strong, secure, and durable, our Rolling Hurricane Shutters are proven to reduce energy and maintenance costs while making your home more comfortable to live in. Hurricane Shutters Hurricane Shutters are the premier protection against snow and ice storms, driving rain, high winds, and flying debris. We have huge selection of Hurricane Protection products for all types of applications. We specialize in new construction, retrofit projects and custom applications designed around more complex installations. Hurricane Shutters protect your windows and doors from water penetration and breakage during hurricanes and Nor’easters bringing you comfort and protection. Even when you are not physically at the location of the storm, rolling shutters can offer you peace of mind. Homes and businesses not equipped with rolling shutters may experience glass breakage and door failures during high winds. Ultimately, those openings in the structure’s envelope can cause complete devastation to the home or business. Once the air pressure enters a building, no matter the type of construction, the likelihood of other windows and doors failing rises. If the pressure grows beyond a certain point, walls and and roof components begin to fail. Security Shutters Security Shutters are one of the best ways to discourage intruders from attempting to enter your home or business. This deterrent measure is just where rolling shutters start. While in the down position, rolling shutters can be locked in place by a motor, a gear, a keyed switch or by a separate locking device. Rolling Shutters have been used as security shutters all over the world for decades with incredible success. Sometimes labeled as metal shutters and metal security shutters, they all have subtle differences, and the differences can’t be seen with the rolling shutter in the down position. Security Shutters typically have end-retention pins that lock into the guide rails from the top. These pins are located throughout the entire curtain and are protected from manipulation while the curtain is in the close position. Storm Shutters Storm Shutters are the broad category of Storm Protection products. Of course, they come in all types of sizes, features and functionality. We have a full line of rolling shutters, hinged storm shutters and storm panels for you to to explore on our website or we would love for you to swing by one of our showrooms to see live demo models. Storm Shutters are specifically engineered and designed for high hinds, flying debris protection and ultimately given a rating for Hurricane Protection. A little known fact: The most damaging type of wind value is not the force of the wind blowing directly on your home. This force is called positive pressure, and typically, many believe this is the strongest force against their home or business. Believe it or not, the negative pressure, or, the air passing by your windows and doors, has far greater power. Many low-grade storm shutters and hurricane protection products fail under this pressure. Solar Shutters Solar Shutters have a double wall construction and filled with a specialized polyurethane foam designed to increase R-factor and deflect solar penetration. Many rolling shutters can perform this function, but not all are created equal. The energy efficiency of exterior rolling shutters is up to 95% more effective than interior solar shades. Solar Shutters have many unique and positive “side effects” from their dense foam-filled curtain profile. Many homeowners have taken advantage of energy savings by using these types of rolling shutters in both the summer and winter seasons. Reducing heating and air conditioning expenses throughout the entire year is not always our first thought, but many home and business owners have expressed massive savings. Not only do they block up to 90% of heat gain and loss, they also provide incredible noise control opportunities. Privacy Shutters Privacy Shutters are a great way to close of areas of your home or business from others. Some rolling shutters are equipped with perforations allowing ambient light to pass through when needed. Privacy Shutters have many uses and are creatively used throughout the world in homes and businesses for all kinds of reasons. Close off food preparation areas, work shops, stock rooms, gun safes, closets, liquor cabinets and bars. Some business owners use rolling shutters to close off the outside world after working hours, to protect the last few employees as they finish money counts, paperwork, and prepare bank deposits. If you have any questions or need additional information, our Product Specialists are available 800-522-1599

A home on Nantucket, Massachusetts equipped with built-in roll shutters. Rolling Shutters are the ultimate solution when you want to protect what’s behind your windows and doors. With Rolling Shutters, enjoy peace of mind knowing that your home has a sturdy layer of hurricane protection and storm protection. Rolling shutters shield against wind-blown debris, sand blasting and water penetration. Strong, secure, and durable, our Rolling Hurricane Shutters are proven to reduce energy and maintenance costs while making your home more comfortable to live in. Hurricane Shutters Hurricane Shutters are the premier protection against snow and ice storms, driving rain, high winds, and flying debris. We have huge selection of Hurricane Protection products for all types of applications. We specialize in new construction, retrofit projects and custom applications designed around more complex installations. Hurricane Shutters protect your windows and doors from water penetration and breakage during hurricanes and Nor’easters bringing you comfort and protection. Even when you are not physically at the location of the storm, rolling shutters can offer you peace of mind. Homes and businesses not equipped with rolling shutters may experience glass breakage and door failures during high winds. Ultimately, those openings in the structure’s envelope can cause complete devastation to the home or business. Once the air pressure enters a building, no matter the type of construction, the likelihood of other windows and doors failing rises. If the pressure grows beyond a certain point, walls and and roof components begin to fail. Security Shutters Security Shutters are one of the best ways to discourage intruders from attempting to enter your home or business. This deterrent measure is just where rolling shutters start. While in the down position, rolling shutters can be locked in place by a motor, a gear, a keyed switch or by a separate locking device. Rolling Shutters have been used as security shutters all over the world for decades with incredible success. Sometimes labeled as metal shutters and metal security shutters, they all have subtle differences, and the differences can’t be seen with the rolling shutter in the down position. Security Shutters typically have end-retention pins that lock into the guide rails from the top. These pins are located throughout the entire curtain and are protected from manipulation while the curtain is in the close position. Storm Shutters Storm Shutters are the broad category of Storm Protection products. Of course, they come in all types of sizes, features and functionality. We have a full line of rolling shutters, hinged storm shutters and storm panels for you to to explore on our website or we would love for you to swing by one of our showrooms to see live demo models. Storm Shutters are specifically engineered and designed for high hinds, flying debris protection and ultimately given a rating for Hurricane Protection. A little known fact: The most damaging type of wind value is not the force of the wind blowing directly on your home. This force is called positive pressure, and typically, many believe this is the strongest force against their home or business. Believe it or not, the negative pressure, or, the air passing by your windows and doors, has far greater power. Many low-grade storm shutters and hurricane protection products fail under this pressure. Solar Shutters Solar Shutters have a double wall construction and filled with a specialized polyurethane foam designed to increase R-factor and deflect solar penetration. Many rolling shutters can perform this function, but not all are created equal. The energy efficiency of exterior rolling shutters is up to 95% more effective than interior solar shades. Solar Shutters have many unique and positive “side effects” from their dense foam-filled curtain profile. Many homeowners have taken advantage of energy savings by using these types of rolling shutters in both the summer and winter seasons. Reducing heating and air conditioning expenses throughout the entire year is not always our first thought, but many home and business owners have expressed massive savings. Not only do they block up to 90% of heat gain and loss, they also provide incredible noise control opportunities. Privacy Shutters Privacy Shutters are a great way to close of areas of your home or business from others. Some rolling shutters are equipped with perforations allowing ambient light to pass through when needed. Privacy Shutters have many uses and are creatively used throughout the world in homes and businesses for all kinds of reasons. Close off food preparation areas, work shops, stock rooms, gun safes, closets, liquor cabinets and bars. Some business owners use rolling shutters to close off the outside world after working hours, to protect the last few employees as they finish money counts, paperwork, and prepare bank deposits. If you have any questions or need additional information, our Product Specialists are available 800-522-1599

The project’s starting point was to understand the building’s original post and beam structure and to use that internal logic to formulate a sympathetic remodel. With an emphasis on the upper back unit, the owner’s private residence within this recently purchased Edward Killingsworth triplex, the first order of business was to strip the excess out and to return the complex to something that resembled the original. With a limited budget, the tact was to restore where possible, and to insert where needed, but always with a sympathetic eye. The kitchen quickly became the primary focus and it was soon realized that by removing the division between the existing galley and family room that the essence of the structural system could be revealed. Once opened the datum of the layered beams was adhered to with the kitchen reinforcing this overhead water line. The primary internal wall was then highlighted with a new wood veneer with the refrigerator recessed (borrowing a bit of space from the master closet) and the existing heater chromed.

Some materials work like a signature in a design. They leave a lasting impression through subtle detail and structure. Holland Stone has that timeless quality, rooted in simplicity and strength. Belgard Holland Stone is a classic rectangular paver that brings structure, rhythm, and versatility to any outdoor space. Its smooth finish and balanced scale allow for endless layout possibilities, from traditional running bond to striking herringbone patterns. Durable and dependable, it is ideal for walkways, driveways, borders, and decorative inlays. Now picture a space where every path has purpose and every line creates movement. Whether leading to a fire feature or outlining a garden lounge, this paver turns simple geometry into timeless style. It is a design element that brings balance to complexity and order to creativity. Great outdoor spaces are not always about grand gestures. Sometimes, they are built on the quiet strength of the details we choose to repeat, refine, and remember. Let’s explore how this material can bring your outdoor story to life. Schedule your consultation today: 516-522-8249

Located on the south side of Dune Road, facing the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, this existing house required a complete exterior re-design in addition to partial interior renovation work. The original structure was a somewhat complex composition of volumes that stepped in and out, vertically and horizontally, combined with sloped glass roofs in several locations. All exterior walls were clad in white composite paneling, which gave the house a massive appearance divorced from its context. It was clear that mere cosmetic improvements would not suffice, so the new design stripped the entire exterior down to the structure. The house was then reshaped and reformed to simplify the overall geometry, while expressing the key volumes in the parti. Within the newly articulated massing, windows are either cut or chiseled into the elevations to create relief. From the street the house is three stories high, including the basement, whereas from the beach it has only two stories. Sapele hardwood siding was selected for it’s durability and weathering characteristics. All the cladding is vertically oriented, with an open slat format for the upper two levels and a closed joint board format for the lower level. The open wood slats allow light to filter through the façade, especially at the large sloped skylight over the double height entry where a slatted screen provides privacy at night and solar control during the day.

A 6,000 square foot 2-story new home complex in Milpitas was designed to facilitate the owners’ large business parties and gatherings, to have rooms for the kids to come back to upstairs, and a ground floor master suite with a huge walk-in closet. Several separate structures make up the dwelling: The main house, 3-car garage with carport for overflow parking, and a separate entertainment and recreation building separated by a courtyard from the main house. The business activities include gatherings in the hundreds of people, so parking was maximized and guests can flow in through a separate gate to party in the courtyard and recreation building. Inside this structure is a wet bar, billiard room, workout gym and home theater. The main house ground floor has formal and informal living rooms, open kitchen and master suite with views and expansive windows in every direction. The house is sited on the crestline of a hill with views of the San Francisco Bay and private golf course below. The indoor-outdoor aspect of the house is further accentuated with outside living and dining areas. High ceilings and expansive glass walls dissolve the sense of enclosure taking advantage of the site’s openness and privacy. The owner’s suite is downstairs in anticipation of aging-in-place, and upstairs there are three bedrooms and four bathrooms plus a sitting area lounge and casual TV loft area. The house sits on one acre at the top of a low hill range overlooking Milpitas. The city was very cognizant of the importance of keeping a low profile at this crestline and required extensive story poles and photo evidence of the proper height and siting so as not to be seen from certain selected vantage points. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: JCD Builders Inc. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Morf Chang Landscape Architecture / ODS Architecture PHOTOGRAPHS: Paul Dyer Photography

A luxurious en suite bath was created within this classic 1925 Portland bungalow by reconfiguring the second story’s original small bedrooms and tiny half bath. In this welcoming new urban boho space, eclectic finishes mingle harmoniously, integrated through subtle repetition of shapes and materials. A furniture-style vanity sets the tone for this luxurious space, introducing materials, colors, shapes, and textures that repeat throughout. Individual walnut hexagons join to create distinctive vanity doors, offset beautifully by horizontal-grain drawers. Topping the cabinetry is a simple concrete countertop with integral sinks. An expansive framed mirror above enlarges and brightens the room. Within the mirror, sconces float, their globes a nod to the hexagons below. Champagne bronze fixtures reflect the warm walnut glow. Nestled into the back corner, a stunning shower features waterjet tiles in a double herringbone pattern, each precisely cut and laid to maintain design integrity at every surface transition. Teak floor tiles and a pebbled niche hint at the classic spa experience. Across from the shower, a large hexagonal window provides a treetop view from the free-standing tub below. The gentle oval of the tub and the beaded chandelier above provide a pleasing contrast to the strong lines surrounding it, as do the softly-shaded pebbles in the full-length niche. Shiplap wainscotting wraps the room, creating an illusion of height in the compact space. Subtle flooring and soft green walls create an understated backdrop for the bold mix of materials, unifying them into a serene oasis. Asking a century-old home to accommodate a modern luxury bath is a tall order. Asbestos-laden plaster and flooring had to be abated. The subfloor had to be leveled and reinforced to increase strength and prevent deflection. Water lines and multiple electrical circuits had to be brought across and up without disturbing a beautifully-paneled ceiling, something we accomplished by firring out stair walls to hide the chases. Our client had visions of a leafy view from her tub, but the new layout eliminated existing windows. Placing a new window was complicated by deep eaves and flat soffits. By pushing the header into the roofline, however, we were able to accommodate a picture window. The flat soffit was replaced by an inverse hip lined with stained tongue and groove cedar, tying it to the bathroom finishes. Bringing materials up a narrow staircase became truly challenging when it was time to install the big items. However, strategic removal of drywall around the landing got the job done. Our attention to detail is showcased in the shower tile, where precise cuts were required at surface transitions to maintain the integrity of a complex double herringbone lay. The project was delivered on time. Savvy layout choices minimized spending on structural changes. Because we were dealing with dormer space, head height was an issue. Raising the ceiling would have been complex and expensive so our design accommodated the constraints – tub on the low outside wall, shower on the full-height interior wall. The vanity spanned the spread, accommodating our petite client on the exterior side and her taller husband on the interior side. An under-eave closet was closed off to create room for both a freestanding tub and a separate shower. Rather than building replacement storage elsewhere, we simply added a new door into the closet from the primary bedroom. This was made possible by absorbing the short hallway separating the existing bed and bathroom into the primary bedroom. This new layout also created an en suite relationship between the primary bedroom and the new bath. We saved additional dollars by selecting a furniture-style vanity rather than using custom cabinetry, and the countertop with integral sinks provided a cost savings over a more traditional quartz countertop with undermount sinks. Affordable shower tiles allowed us to put more money into a dynamic tile layout. The project was delivered within budget.

The project’s starting point was to understand the building’s original post and beam structure and to use that internal logic to formulate a sympathetic remodel. With an emphasis on the upper back unit, the owner’s private residence within this recently purchased Edward Killingsworth triplex, the first order of business was to strip the excess out and to return the complex to something that resembled the original. With a limited budget, the tact was to restore where possible, and to insert where needed, but always with a sympathetic eye. The kitchen quickly became the primary focus and it was soon realized that by removing the division between the existing galley and family room that the essence of the structural system could be revealed. Once opened the datum of the layered beams was adhered to with the kitchen reinforcing this overhead water line. The primary internal wall was then highlighted with a new wood veneer with the refrigerator recessed (borrowing a bit of space from the master closet) and the existing heater chromed.

Located on the south side of Dune Road, facing the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, this existing house required a complete exterior re-design in addition to partial interior renovation work. The original structure was a somewhat complex composition of volumes that stepped in and out, vertically and horizontally, combined with sloped glass roofs in several locations. All exterior walls were clad in white composite paneling, which gave the house a massive appearance divorced from its context. It was clear that mere cosmetic improvements would not suffice, so the new design stripped the entire exterior down to the structure. The house was then reshaped and reformed to simplify the overall geometry, while expressing the key volumes in the parti. Within the newly articulated massing, windows are either cut or chiseled into the elevations to create relief. From the street the house is three stories high, including the basement, whereas from the beach it has only two stories. Sapele hardwood siding was selected for it’s durability and weathering characteristics. All the cladding is vertically oriented, with an open slat format for the upper two levels and a closed joint board format for the lower level. The open wood slats allow light to filter through the façade, especially at the large sloped skylight over the double height entry where a slatted screen provides privacy at night and solar control during the day.