Photo Credit: Pura Soul Photography
Alcove shower - mid-sized scandinavian 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and white floor alcove shower idea in San Diego with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and gray countertops

Richard Herman is in the hospitality business and owns several upscale hotels in Florida and in other states as well as cattle ranches in both Florida and Missouri. Their farm in Ocala is by farm their most unique. The property serves as a 4-H demonstration project for the purpose of children’s education. They have been working with the Academy Prep of St. Pete which is dedicated to inner-city youths that are selected on the basis of need and achievement. Wife Diane spends her time on the farm raising Gypsy Vanners, a diminutive draft horse named after the job they did in Eastern Europe, pulling the wagons (vans) for gypsies that wandered across the continent. On the Ocala farm, there are several mules with a unique profession. Richard had visited the Hearthstone display at a Log & Timber Home Shows at the Orlando Convention Center many years ago. He was impressed that Hearthstone had stayed in touch with him over the years by mailings, invitations to shows, and periodic phone calls. When the time came to start serious consideration of the design of barn, Hearthstone responded promptly and professionally to Richard and Diane’s requests for information and a review of their ideas for their barn, which would serve as the centerpiece for their new farm. They wanted a multipurpose facility that could accommodate an educational environment and a large hall suitable for the fundraising events for his charities. Richard wanted a barn that reflected the look and feel of barns built at the dawn of the 20th century. Besides the rustic chicken houses and vegetable gardens, they have completely renovated a 1020’s era farmhouse to be as historically correct as possible and serves as the entry to the farm. “They very careful to feel us out, get comfortable with our capabilities, and be convinced that we could perform as promised,” said Project Manager John Ricketson of Hearthstone. Design Process There were some initial drawings that gave us a start on the basic shape and size of the barn. From there, it was a process of narrowing down the uses of each area and the spans that could be achieved. The barn was going to have the traditional “board & batten” exterior siding and a metal roof. There is a cantilevered ‘hay hood” on the north gable end above the large sliding barn doors that open into the foyer and horse stalls. The wings house a combination of areas, beginning with the large restrooms to accommodate crowds for events. Other parts of the wings have garage areas for the farm vehicles, feed room, tack room, wash rack, storage, offices, and smaller restrooms. Keeping with the look and feel of the turn of the century, Hearthstone developed a process for giving the timbers a surface texture that mimicked the circular cuts of timbers that had just come out of an old sawmill. This was easier said than done. Randy Giles guided his millwright (Wolfgang) in designing a machine that would do this effectively. The barn was delivered in October of 2014 and was erected over the course of two weeks, thanks to a hardworking crew (Eric Foster) and near-perfect weather. After the Hearthstone crew completed the erection and roof dry-in, it was time for the local carpenters to step up and install some light conventional framing on the gable ends before applying the roof fascia and exterior board & batten siding. Next came the big sliding barn doors, plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling. Large rustic fixtures were hung from the great hall roof timbers. Exterior The board & batten siding was cypress and allowed to turn color naturally as rain hit it and the sun started working on it with UV rays. This method causes a much grayer look closer to the ground and less so where the roof overhang provides protection. The North end has some large limestone boulders and planters arranged around the pad with tall pampas grass. The planters provide casual seating before events and during outside receptions. The entire area was sodded with lush St. Augustine grass and split rail fences were added to enclose the barn area. The corrugated metal roof was a special order material that immediately rusted after being exposed to moisture. The layer of rust protects the metal from the elements. Interior The board & batten theme was carried throughout most of the interior with the timbers left natural to show off the circular saw texture. All of the tongue & groove decking was shipped in advance to allow the local painter to pre-stain it with a dark brown transparent stain that is a beautiful background to the light color Eastern White Pine timbers. “Everything was unique in this project” said Project Manager John Ricketson. “The setting on a small demonstration farm close to Ocala, the multipurpose design, the circular saw texture on the timbers.” The Hermans are very proud of their farm’s outcome. Richard sent a note to Randy Giles, owner of Hearthstone: “The Barn is fantastic, not a single problem, period. Next month, we have Jo Dee Messina coming in to help with a fundraiser for a local center for abused kids. Folks love the farm, ...... but that barn gets all of the attention. I would encourage you to use me as a reference for your sales team, feel free to extend my cell phone to any prospective purchasers.”

For our full gut renovation of this Manhattan loft penthouse, we partnered with architecture firm Todd Zwigard Architects. Many of our clients know us as experts in the full design-build approach, where we handle every aspect of the project. But in this case, architectural plans were already drawn, the full schedule was finished, and our clients needed a partner to execute on the architectural plans – enter Gallery. Construction management is as vital to a project as the design phase, so we’re happy to offer our expertise in this type of scenario. A DIFFERENT APPROACH Construction and design are often the face of most renovations, but the planning and follow-through are naturally just as necessary to make it all come together. The project itself was a fairly straightforward gut renovation of the loft. Everything was included: new floors, a new kitchen, new bathrooms, new lighting. Our task was to manage every aspect of the construction, ensuring that the planning work of Todd Zwigard Architects was executed to the exact vision imagined for this Manhattan loft renovation. CONTEMPORARY GOES ECLECTIC Although we didn’t contribute to the aesthetic of the interior design in this project, we did carry out the plans that brought it life. The tone was very modern, with some eclectic touches. The kitchen, featuring an island with a baby blue lacquered finish, blends contemporary clean lines into an industrial-tinged, almost futuristic aesthetic. Reclaimed wooden doors and art pieces collected throughout the years are an ode to the client's travels, an artistic touch from Todd Zwigard Architects. LET’S TALK Quality of work is of course important, but there are several components of construction management that are equally vital: communication; processes that make sure you're able to adhere to schedules; protocols with both safety and communication. You might say this is the nerding out of the construction process. It’s not often the face of a project, but it’s absolutely massive in terms of carrying out a successful renovation, whether it’s a penthouse loft in Manhattan, a condo in Prospect Heights, or a kitchen in a Brooklyn brownstone. Quality construction management is probably one of the biggest ways to separate professional contractors from those who aren’t. ART FROM CHAOS This was such a large project, so our ability to procure and source all the finishes and fixtures was hugely important to our clients. The sheer number of floors, tiles, and plumbing fixtures alone that need to be ordered, in addition to everything else, plus figuring out lead times, shipments, deliveries, and inspections. It can quickly become chaotic, but there’s an art to the planning and organization, and we’ve mastered it. The larger a project is, the more likely that havoc will rear its head. The antidote is not only really proper planning and construction management, as we achieved in this Manhattan loft penthouse renovation, but also a great working relationship with everyone else involved in the project: contractors, architect, and clients alike. GET IN TOUCH Is a loft renovation in New York in your future? We’re experts in renovating New York homes, from apartment combinations in managed buildings to kitchens and bathrooms in co-ops and condos to gut renovations of historic spaces and landmark renovations. ‍ Contact us to learn more about our approach as a design-and-build firm, where all aspects of your project are handled under the same roof. In addition to construction management, you’ll get our in-house architect in-house and the added renovation benefits of experts in design, material selection, and paperwork.

Danielle Robertson Photography
Mid-sized trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen photo in Boston with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and gray countertops

Bathroom photo in Other

Corner shower - small transitional 3/4 white tile and marble tile pebble tile floor corner shower idea in Miami with beige walls and a hinged shower door

This unfinished basement utility room was converted into a stylish mid-century modern bath & laundry. Walnut cabinetry featuring slab doors, furniture feet and white quartz countertops really pop. The furniture vanity is contrasted with brushed gold plumbing fixtures & hardware. Black hexagon floors with classic white subway shower tile complete this period correct bathroom!

Kitchen - transitional l-shaped kitchen idea in Cedar Rapids with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Master Bath with new indoor/outdoor shower. Interior architecture and design by Lisa Tharp. Interior shower walls are waterprooof plaster. Shower floor planking that blurs lines between indoors and out was salvaged from the Coney Island boardwalk. Exposed plumbing fittings in unlacquered brass. Photography by Michael J. Lee

outdoor BBQ area
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard patio remodel in Los Angeles with a bbq area

Our clients came to us looking to remodel their condo. They wanted to use this second space as a studio for their parents and guests when they came to visit. Our client found the space to be extremely outdated and wanted to complete a remodel, including new plumbing and electrical. The condo is in an Art-Deco building and the owners wanted to stay with the same style. The cabinet doors in the kitchen were reclaimed wood from a salvage yard. In the bathroom we kept a classic, clean design.

Owner designed and remodeled small half-bathroom in south Atlanta suburb. Gut remodel with updated (corrected) electrical, updated (corrected) plumbing, Kohler toilet, IKEA Silveran vanity (partial-wall mount; mounted to be 37" high to top of sink, my preference), IKEA Silveran medicine cabinet, IKEA Silveran cabinet, and retrofitted an IKEA Lillangen sink (which normally goes with a different vanity). Paint is Olympic One "Thin Ice" (paint not recommended, was disappointing for the "best" Olympic sells at Lowe's; color is great, though). Chrome fixtures with faucet by Glacier Bay (unknown model; Home Depot clearance find) and chrome door knobs (also from Home Depot). Blinds are from SelectBlinds.com and are Bamboo 1" faux wood. Wall art is from Etsy.com (look up dictionary prints if you want to find similar). Tile is from Lowe's, by Style Selections, and called Skyros Gray (highly recommended, good quality). Grout color is Silver by MAPEI (Lowe's). Silver MAPEI grout-look cauking along top and bottom of baseboard tiles (upper floor home so can't use grout). Unfortunately the sink and toilet were a different shade of white but the toilets were all fairly new and it's more noticeable in the photo than in real life. Used 3 LED new work IC recessed lights, LED under-cabinet light from Home Depot off of same switch as the lights but with a switch on-board, and a basic contractor-grade ceiling fan with some Dynamat-like material applied to the casing which reduces its noise significantly off of its own switch. GFCI outlet has a nightlight built in and, not shown, is another GFCI outlet retrofitted into the medicine cabinet. Don't worry, that silicone caulking around the toilet has been improved to a professional look with the Silver caulking over it to blend better since this photo, so don't hold that against me! In fact, don't hold anything you don't like against me... just posting this to give folks some ideas WITH the actual units used, unlike most postings on Houzz. ©Kil|Photography

Example of a transitional living room design in Los Angeles

Michael J. Lee Photography
Example of a trendy master blue tile gray floor bathroom design in Boston with flat-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Jim Bartsch
Example of a mid-sized trendy master beige tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile walk-in shower design in Santa Barbara

Photo © Bruce Damonte
1950s bathroom photo in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, multicolored walls and a console sink

This Bathroom was designed by Tiasha from our Salem showroom. This bathroom remodel features Cabico Essence Vanity Cabinets with Maple Cartago door style (Raised Panel) and Brazilia (Brown) stain finish. This bathroom remodel also includes Cambria Quartz with Canterburry Color with an Ogee edge, double bowl vanity with reduced depth linen tower and matching mirrors. Other features include FloridaTile Mingle 12x12 soft Rock (flor, walls and shower), FloridaTile Mingle Warm Listello (Border in shower), Kohler Archer (Tub) and for faucets and hardware; Kohler Devonshire Brushed Bronze.

Clear globes were chosen for the light pendants and recessed lighting in the ceiling so that there was no visual interference with the wall tile. The installation of the backsplash tile on this extremely large exposed wall had to overcome the wall’s significant lack of plumb which had to be corrected and made perfectly straight.

This 1914 family farmhouse was passed down from the original owners to their grandson and his young family. The original goal was to restore the old home to its former glory. However, when we started planning the remodel, we discovered the foundation needed to be replaced, the roof framing didn’t meet code, all the electrical, plumbing and mechanical would have to be removed, siding replaced, and much more. We quickly realized that instead of restoring the home, it would be more cost effective to deconstruct the home, recycle the materials, and build a replica of the old house using as much of the salvaged materials as we could. The design of the new construction is greatly influenced by the old home with traditional craftsman design interiors. We worked with a deconstruction specialist to salvage the old-growth timber and reused or re-purposed many of the original materials. We moved the house back on the property, connecting it to the existing garage, and lowered the elevation of the home which made it more accessible to the existing grades. The new home includes 5-panel doors, columned archways, tall baseboards, reused wood for architectural highlights in the kitchen, a food-preservation room, exercise room, playful wallpaper in the guest bath and fun era-specific fixtures throughout.