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Winter has arrived and this means many months of snow and ice are ahead. When trees shed their leaves and go dormant for the winter, this is like how bears hibernate; they are both sleeping through the cold and waiting until the warm spring weather comes back. But unlike hibernating bears, who are safe and snuggled up in a warm cave somewhere, trees are left to withstand the harsh, cold elements throughout the entire winter. This means that they are more impacted than you might believe.
It is easier for mature trees to be able to handle the long winter months due to their extensive root system and thick bark. But saplings and other newly planted trees are not yet fully equipped with these natural defenses to handle the cold. No matter if you have new or older trees, following our tips will help them prosper during the cold Canadian winter ahead. Our team at Five Star Tree Services has come up with some winter maintenance essentials for your trees that will give them an extra hand over the winter.
One Last Water
Getting one last good watering in before the ground freezes is helpful to newly planted and young trees. Always make sure to water your tree slowly and gently. This allows the water to seep down into the root system as opposed to it running off the top and freezing.
Apply Mulch
When you use mulch, it acts like a barrier between the tree roots and the cold snow, it helps to insulate it. When you are applying mulch, make sure you spread it around the base of the tree so that it is no more than 3 inches deep. You also need to make sure to spread the mulch all the way to the drip line surrounding the tree. Make sure to not exceed 3 inches around your entire tree and keep the mulch away from the trunk of the tree.
Wrap Tree Trunks
There is a condition called sunscalding that can occur during the winter months. This happens when there is a temperature change that happens quickly. You might notice it when the sun warms the trees, which thaws the bark but during the night, when it gets cold again, it causes the melted water in the bark to rupture, causing cracks in the tree’s trunk. Young trees are especially susceptible to this happening. To help stop this from happening, it is best to wrap your trees with tree wraps or a plastic guard. It is advisable to wrap the trunk from the ground up and stop just below the first branch.
Shelter Your Trees
Young or newly planted trees are fairly defenseless for the first handful of years. Older and more mature trees have had time to develop a strong root system and hardy bark that help to protect them against things like animals and the freezing cold. If you want to help your little sapling along this winter, you can build a shelter that can handle having snow piled on it. You can also periodically use a broom to brush off the snow that accumulates on a tree’s branches. But try to avoid breaking off any ice that has formed on the branches, as this can actually end up hurting the tree if you accidentally break one of its branches instead.
Keep Road Salt Away
It’s no big secret that the use of road salt is detrimental to trees. When it gets on them, the end result come springtime is a dead tree, or at least, a severely damaged one. As much as you can, protect your trees and limit their exposure to salt over the winter.
Protect Your Trees
Winter is not only limiting for trees, but for a lot of other animals as well. This includes rabbits, mice, moles, squirrels, and other furry little creatures, who like to use trees as a food source during the summer months. During the winter, this food is now cut off when the trees go dormant. This only leaves the tree’s bark as an alternative food source for these critters. They seem to especially like young tree bark to chew on over the winter. In order to stop this from happening, you need to protect the bark with things like a fence surrounding your tree, wrapping the trunk with a plastic guard or hardware cloth.
Winter Pruning
The best time to prune any tree is during the winter months when the tree is dormant. Pruning allows you to rid the tree of any excess branches and control disease. Winter pruning is highly beneficial and lets your tree improve branch development in the spring.
Don’t Use
Always make sure to avoid products that are known to hurt trees, especially ones containing sodium chloride. Products like that cause negative reactions in trees or any plants, as it hinders their water intake. Instead, look for products that have potassium, calcium, and magnesium chloride.
How Five Star Tree Services Can Help
For newly planted and young trees, it is especially important to help them through the winter as best you can. We here at Five Star Tree Services are here to help you get your trees through the winter. If you require Toronto Tree Care, make sure to give us a call at (416) 990-3355.

The 300-acre Jewell Hill farm spans a broad hilltop in Ashby, MA. Under the care, now, of the Trustees of Reservations, it's a key piece of a broader 3,500-acre contiguous area permanently protected for public enjoyment.
Our colleagues at Colonial Barn Restoration were asked by The Trustees to find a new home for Jewell Hill's early 19th-century sheep barn, and found a buyer in the hills above Fitchburg just a mile South. On an idyllic hilltop of their own, this buyer's retirement homestead has developed a broad landscape of productive and recreational gardens and fields, all around the remnant foundation of a long-gone larger barn.
From the Jewell Hill barn's mortise and tenon bones, and the remnant foundation on the Fitchburg site, Studio InSitu designed a new hybrid barn. The restored foundation anchors the smaller timber frame over its West half, and brackets a pair of ramps to Main floor and undercroft in its East half. The ramp down serves storage, and the ramp up serves the barn's main room - which may periodically host social gatherings.
Into this assembly of pedigreed timbers and structural stone, we made one conspicuous intervention. The cupola and observation room penetrate the barn's roof like a periscope. A slender steel stair is suspended and sheathed by a wooden latticework, which provides both a foil for light and a comforting sense of enclosure. The assembly is meant to invite visitors into a tactile and intimate experience of the barn's and the landscape's contrasting volumes and scales, ultimately rewarding climbers with sweeping views of the hillside fields and valley below.

Timex Metals is a reliable Wire Mesh Manufacturer in India, offering high-performance mesh products for industrial, commercial, construction, engineering, and infrastructure applications. We manufacture our products using quality materials and precise production methods to achieve excellent strength, durability, dimensional accuracy, and long-term performance. As an experienced Wire Mesh Supplier in India, we cater to diverse project requirements with dependable solutions designed to meet demanding industry standards.
Our product portfolio includes Expanded Metal Mesh for walkways, safety barriers, partitions, ventilation, screening, and industrial protection, along with Stainless Steel Wire Mesh for applications requiring superior corrosion resistance and durability. We also provide Welded Wire Mesh for structural, construction, and fabrication requirements, while our Sintered Mesh is suitable for precision filtration, separation, and screening applications where consistent performance and reliability are essential. Each product is developed to deliver efficient operation, reduced maintenance, and lasting value.
With a strong emphasis on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, Timex Metals continues to serve domestic and international markets, including Qatar and the USA, while expanding its presence across South Africa and Nepal. We are also recognized as a Triply Circles Manufacturer in India, supplying products aligned with evolving industrial requirements and international quality expectations.
Find the right local pro for your project

In many instances, Colorado home owners are unaware that their roofing system needs certain roofing repairs. When you neglect to have your roof repaired you can run into expensive damages down the road, even if your roofing problem seems insignificant. The tiniest roof leak can quickly develop into a large, costly problem. Our team of professional roofers has years of knowledge and experience when it comes to repairing your roof leaks. We can provide long term roofing repairs in Fort Collins that that will stop any leakage and prevent any further damage from occuring.
Our professional contractors can inspect your Colorado roof and determine if there is any damage that needs to be repaired. If you want to make sure that your roof stays in the best conditioning possible, then contact Severe Weather Roofing & Restoration for all of your roof repair needs. We can provide you with expert advice regarding the condition of your roof and what repairs, if any, may be required.

The owners desired a modest home that would enable them to experience the dual natures of the outdoors: intimate forest and sweeping views. The use of economical, pre-fabricated materials was seen as an opportunity to develop an expressive architecture.
The house is organized on a four-foot module, establishing a delicate rigor for the building and maximizing the use of pre-manufactured materials. A series of open web trusses are combined with dimensional wood framing to form broad overhangs. Plywood sheets spanning between the trusses are left exposed at the eaves. An insulated aluminum window system is attached to exposed laminated wood columns, creating an expansive yet economical wall of glass in the living spaces with mountain views. On the opposite side, support spaces and a children’s desk are located along the hallway.
A bridge clad in green fiber cement panels marks the entry. Visible through the front door is an angled yellow wall that opens to a protected outdoor space between the garage and living spaces, offering the first views of the mountain peaks. Living and sleeping spaces are arranged in a line, with a circulation corridor to the east.
The exterior is clad in pre-finished fiber cement panels that match the horizontal spacing of the window mullions, accentuating the linear nature of the structure. Two boxes clad in corrugated metal punctuate the east elevation. At the north end of the house, a deck extends into the landscape, providing a quiet place to enjoy the view.
Images by Nic LeHoux Photography

When sustainability meets style, innovation takes shape in every line. Techo-Bloc’s Aquastorm™ is not just a paver. It is a statement. A modern solution for eco-conscious driveways that does not compromise on design.
Aquastorm™ is a high-performing permeable paver system engineered to handle stormwater naturally, reducing runoff and recharging groundwater. With its sleek geometric pattern and bold linear aesthetic, it transforms functional drainage into a visual feature. Its smooth finish and contrasting textures bring contemporary curb appeal while complying with permeability standards in urban and residential developments.
Imagine stepping outside and seeing a driveway that works for the planet, not just your vehicle. Aquastorm™ helps reduce erosion, manage water responsibly, and protect the beauty around your home, all while looking like a magazine cover.
Designing with Aquastorm™ means investing in performance, durability, and architectural elegance. It is the perfect fit for luxury homes, modern landscapes, and forward-thinking clients who want their surfaces to be as smart as they are beautiful.
Let’s explore how this material can bring your outdoor story to life.
Schedule your consultation today: 516-522-8249

In many instances, Colorado home owners are unaware that their roofing system needs certain roofing repairs. When you neglect to have your roof repaired you can run into expensive damages down the road, even if your roofing problem seems insignificant. The tiniest roof leak can quickly develop into a large, costly problem. Our team of professional roofers has years of knowledge and experience when it comes to repairing your roof leaks. We can provide long term roofing repairs in Fort Collins that that will stop any leakage and prevent any further damage from occuring.
Our professional contractors can inspect your Colorado roof and determine if there is any damage that needs to be repaired. If you want to make sure that your roof stays in the best conditioning possible, then contact Severe Weather Roofing & Restoration for all of your roof repair needs. We can provide you with expert advice regarding the condition of your roof and what repairs, if any, may be required.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
We Design, Build and Renovate
CHC & Family Developments
Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, Ohio

The 300-acre Jewell Hill farm spans a broad hilltop in Ashby, MA. Under the care, now, of the Trustees of Reservations, it's a key piece of a broader 3,500-acre contiguous area permanently protected for public enjoyment.
Our colleagues at Colonial Barn Restoration were asked by The Trustees to find a new home for Jewell Hill's early 19th-century sheep barn, and found a buyer in the hills above Fitchburg just a mile South. On an idyllic hilltop of their own, this buyer's retirement homestead has developed a broad landscape of productive and recreational gardens and fields, all around the remnant foundation of a long-gone larger barn.
From the Jewell Hill barn's mortise and tenon bones, and the remnant foundation on the Fitchburg site, Studio InSitu designed a new hybrid barn. The restored foundation anchors the smaller timber frame over its West half, and brackets a pair of ramps to Main floor and undercroft in its East half. The ramp down serves storage, and the ramp up serves the barn's main room - which may periodically host social gatherings.
Into this assembly of pedigreed timbers and structural stone, we made one conspicuous intervention. The cupola and observation room penetrate the barn's roof like a periscope. A slender steel stair is suspended and sheathed by a wooden latticework, which provides both a foil for light and a comforting sense of enclosure. The assembly is meant to invite visitors into a tactile and intimate experience of the barn's and the landscape's contrasting volumes and scales, ultimately rewarding climbers with sweeping views of the hillside fields and valley below.

The 300-acre Jewell Hill farm spans a broad hilltop in Ashby, MA. Under the care, now, of the Trustees of Reservations, it's a key piece of a broader 3,500-acre contiguous area permanently protected for public enjoyment.
Our colleagues at Colonial Barn Restoration were asked by The Trustees to find a new home for Jewell Hill's early 19th-century sheep barn, and found a buyer in the hills above Fitchburg just a mile South. On an idyllic hilltop of their own, this buyer's retirement homestead has developed a broad landscape of productive and recreational gardens and fields, all around the remnant foundation of a long-gone larger barn.
From the Jewell Hill barn's mortise and tenon bones, and the remnant foundation on the Fitchburg site, Studio InSitu designed a new hybrid barn. The restored foundation anchors the smaller timber frame over its West half, and brackets a pair of ramps to Main floor and undercroft in its East half. The ramp down serves storage, and the ramp up serves the barn's main room - which may periodically host social gatherings.
Into this assembly of pedigreed timbers and structural stone, we made one conspicuous intervention. The cupola and observation room penetrate the barn's roof like a periscope. A slender steel stair is suspended and sheathed by a wooden latticework, which provides both a foil for light and a comforting sense of enclosure. The assembly is meant to invite visitors into a tactile and intimate experience of the barn's and the landscape's contrasting volumes and scales, ultimately rewarding climbers with sweeping views of the hillside fields and valley below.

A stainless steel refrigerator is framed by light wood-look cabinetry in this custom Scarborough kitchen.
An open tall cabinet reveals adjustable white pantry shelves beside the fridge. Upper cabinets and base drawers extend the coordinated storage wall, with protective tape still visible on the appliance. Part of Cedarstone Group Inc.’s 2024 whole-home renovation and second-storey addition in Scarborough, Toronto.
This custom kitchen is part of a complete main-floor renovation and whole-home remodel. Coordinated kitchen cabinetry, carefully planned storage and continuous work surfaces support the layout of the renovated home. For homeowners researching a kitchen renovation in Scarborough or a custom kitchen remodel in Toronto, this project shows how cabinet design, appliance placement and interior finishing can be developed together within a larger home transformation.
Explore this project and Cedarstone Group Inc.’s renovation work at cedarstonereno.com.

This custom-made concrete farmhouse sink was handcrafted for a minimalist master bath renovation in the heart of Topanga Canyon, CA. Designed with an emphasis on Wabi-Sabi principles, this piece balances a rugged, organic texture with the clean, sharp lines of Japandi architecture.
The Design
The basin features a deep, single-bowl integral design, hand-cast using high-performance GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete). Unlike mass-produced fixtures, this artisanal sink is finished with a specialized matte sealant that protects the surface while allowing a soft, natural patina to develop over time. Its heavy-duty construction is softened by a warm, earth-toned palette that mimics the surrounding canyon stone.
Technical Details
Style: Modern Farmhouse / Organic Minimalism
Basin Dimensions: 48"
Material: Architectural GFRC Concrete
Finish: Hand-burnished Matte Beige
Installation: Compatible with floating vanities or custom cabinetry.
Artisan Note
Every sink in this project is made-to-order in our California studio, ensuring that no two pieces are exactly alike. This project highlights how high-performance materials like concrete can provide "subtle drama" and a tactile, grounded feel to a modern minimalist space.

Before Photos shows etched and scratched surface:
Installing,Refinishing, Repairing and Maintaining of Natural Stone and Other Man Made Solid Surfaces in Both Commercial & Residential Settings
Company Overview
Marble Doctors are a specialized company that has been perfecting the stone trade for many years and has developed a reputation for true craftsmanship. As an individually owned company since 2008, the Marble Doctors will give you the personalized service you need and the expertise you desire. We understand that stone is an investment and a luxury, so we want to help you protect your investment and keep your stone looking its best for the longest time possible
Description
Dull Spots - Marble, Travertine, Granite, Terrazzo and other solid surfaces. Polished out to return a mirrored finish
White Spots - Stubborn spots removed once and for all via marble, limestone and travertine polishing and restoration
Scratches - Honed out to restore a smooth mirrored appearance.
Chips & Cracks - Repaired and blended to virtually disappear.
Grout - Repaired and cleaned.

Named for its poise and position, this home's prominence on Dawson's Ridge corresponds to Crown Point on the southern side of the Columbia River. Far reaching vistas, breath-taking natural splendor and an endless horizon surround these walls with a sense of home only the Pacific Northwest can provide. Welcome to The River's Point.

Sponsored
Sunbury, OH
J.Holderby - Renovations
Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

Believe it or not, this award-winning home began as a speculative project. Typically speculative projects involve a rather generic design that would appeal to many in a style that might be loved by the masses. But the project’s developer loved modern architecture and his personal residence was the first project designed by architect C.P. Drewett when Drewett Works launched in 2001. Together, the architect and developer envisioned a fictitious art collector who would one day purchase this stunning piece of desert modern architecture to showcase their magnificent collection.
The primary views from the site were southwest. Therefore, protecting the interior spaces from the southwest sun while making the primary views available was the greatest challenge. The views were very calculated and carefully managed. Every room needed to not only capture the vistas of the surrounding desert, but also provide viewing spaces for the potential collection to be housed within its walls.
The core of the material palette is utilitarian including exposed masonry and locally quarried cantera stone. An organic nature was added to the project through millwork selections including walnut and red gum veneers.
The eventual owners saw immediately that this could indeed become a home for them as well as their magnificent collection, of which pieces are loaned out to museums around the world. Their decision to purchase the home was based on the dimensions of one particular wall in the dining room which was EXACTLY large enough for one particular painting not yet displayed due to its size. The owners and this home were, as the saying goes, a perfect match!
Project Details | Desert Modern for the Magnificent Collection, Estancia, Scottsdale, AZ
Architecture: C.P. Drewett, Jr., AIA, NCARB | Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ
Builder: Shannon Construction | Phoenix, AZ
Interior Selections: Janet Bilotti, NCIDQ, ASID | Naples, FL
Custom Millwork: Linear Fine Woodworking | Scottsdale, AZ
Photography: Dino Tonn | Scottsdale, AZ
Awards: 2014 Gold Nugget Award of Merit
Feature Article: Luxe. Interiors and Design. Winter 2015, “Lofty Exposure”

Door #10
FP3190
Flat 3 Panel Interior Door with Farmhouse Sticking
Solid Poplar stiles and rails
MDF panels
Painted White
1 x 4 door casing
1 x 6 baseboard
Bravura 336B door knob
Call us for a quote on your door project
419-684-9582
Visit https://www.door.cc

Jennifer and Dan have lived in their Deer Park Illinois home for 15 years, slowly making minor fixes like painting and decorating; but they had a new plan for their kitchen the entire time. An awkwardly placed garage door, and an island cooktop with a terrible downdraft made a full-scale kitchen remodel an absolute must. Jennifer had many ideas in mind and wanted to work with a company that could provide high-end work, while partnering with a designer that would tailor the kitchen to her ideas.
She was intrigued by the phrase “Common Sense Remodeling” in Advance Design’s feature she discovered while perusing an issue of the community’s Quintessential Barrington Magazine. Doing further research on the company’s website, as she looked through project profiles and read about Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy, she promptly scheduled an appointment to see if the people and ideas she read about were truly who they said they were. The more she read, the more she knew that the “Common Sense” approach to remodeling they described was exactly the type of company she was looking for.
The partnership was sealed after an initial consultation with Owner Todd Jurs and Project Designer Michelle Lecinski. They displayed a combination of friendliness, professionalism and respect that was unmatched by any of the other companies Jennifer talked to. She knew that with Advance Design, she would be able to retain the vision that she had in mind with high-quality craftsmanship.
“I reached out to Advance Design because of the ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ tagline,” Jennifer said. “That’s what lingered for me”. “Advance Design was the most respectful- of the house and of my design ideas, and the most professional of the handful of companies that looked at my project”.
Soon after the meeting Jennifer began working with Michelle on the project design. They quickly developed chemistry. Jennifer loved how Michelle researched and located every detail that Jennifer wanted for the kitchen. Between the two of them, every concept and idea was worked through and perfected. “Jennifer had definite ideas about what she wanted the new kitchen to look like, she just didn’t know how to bring it all together. We worked together really well to make her ideas into the practical reality necessary for a well-functioning kitchen, with the look and feel that she had envisioned”, says Michelle.
“Michelle was wonderful in using the CAD system she would show me new drawings every time we changed the layout while working through the design,” Jennifer said. “She was a really wonderful partner in execution, she made sure everything happened quickly and easily.”
The finished design drew out elements of Jennifer’s style and personality. The pair call the look “sophisticated farmhouse” to describe the kitchen renovation to family and friends. The result was a beautifully crafted, authentic-feeling space that satisfied Jennifer’s dreams 15 years in the making. The whole project consisted of a kitchen remodel, mudroom upgrade with powder room, and garage entry relocation. “The projects I personally like the best, are the ones that put the client’s dreams on display,” Project Designer Michelle said. “And this is one of those projects.”
The main focal point of the kitchen is custom zinc and brass ventilation hood with a vintage sheen, which was hand made to order by a small company in Indiana named Vogler Metalworking. “It’s like sculpture, a true work of art”, says Jennifer. Your eye is immediately drawn towards this elegant yet practical hood that eliminated the home’s downdraft problem and added a striking conversation piece at the same time. The carpenters had to use special gloves when transporting and installing it, so they didn’t smudge it with fingerprints. The beautiful hood centers proudly over the stunning black enamel and brass LaCornue Range. “I had a friend who had a LaCornue range and after learning how easy it was to cook perfect meals, I was convinced I wanted to have one”, says Jennifer. This unique, breathtaking combination anchors the entire kitchen and is apparent immediately as you walk into the great room the surrounds the space.
DuraSupreme Crestwood cabinets with a Kendall Panel add function and sophistication. A custom gray paint color paired with a storm blue was developed so that the new kitchen looked like it belonged to the existing space. Unlacquered brass faucets and hardware were important to Jennifer because she wanted the living finishes to age over time. Remarkable brass diamond mesh cabinet door inserts imported from the UK continue to add this one-of-a-kind kitchen renovation; giving it a “you won’t see this everywhere” quality. The use of old railcar flooring for the coffee bar countertop and reclaimed oak for the open shelving gives an authenticity to the space uncommon in kitchens today.
Jennifer and Michelle fell in love with the Limestone Grey Stone while they were investigating unique island countertop ideas. They liked the fact that the limestone as a living finish will age and change over time. Calcutta Miel Quartz countertops made for an excellent pairing around the perimeter, as it’s durable and perfect for cooking preparations. A textured white subway tile backsplash that runs to the ceiling keeps your eye moving towards the open shelving, and to the main focal point of the stunning range hood combination.
“The kitchen functions beautifully, and it’s gorgeous,” beams Jennifer as she gestures with both hands while smiling ear to ear. “The most important thing was I wanted a kitchen that had a wonderful flow, cooked beautiful meals and was a great gathering place for family and friends, and this space does that perfectly! Beauty wise, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned. I felt the function part was the hardest part, and that was nailed”!
Relocating the garage entry to the new mudroom was a huge priority and has finally separated the family’s arriving home functions from their kitchen. Now coats and shoes and bags have their own area for dropping once members arrive home. Matching gray DuraSupreme cabinetry helped create gorgeous, purposeful lockers for the family. A reclaimed vintage sink and custom wall paper were added to the tiny powder room to beautify the once previously only functional space. Advance Design was even able to create a custom space for their dog to sleep while the family is away.
“It was unbelievable that a project of this size was completed in such a short time, and I think that’s because of the large amount of planning and preparation that went into it,” Jennifer marveled, “When we started, we were ready, and everything was prepared”.
When it came to execution, Project Manager Justin Davis and his crew were quick, accessible, and organized. Projects like this kitchen are typically completed in as little as 8-10 weeks. Jennifer’s kitchen however despite the relocation of some challenging HVAC in a soffit and moving of an exterior door was completed remarkably fast in part because the team was working with an existing tile floor that ran throughout the first floor that the client really loved.
“You get to know these people really well because they’re living in your house while you’re living in your house. They were so fast and really good, it didn’t take as long as even planned” reported Jennifer. “I would text Justin and he always responded almost immediately. I got to know all the guys who were working in our house and they were all wonderful people”.
Details in a customized kitchen like this one require skill and care from the people who install it. “All the guys on the job were skilled at what the did. I wanted small details like little feet to look like furniture, that is where their carpentry skill came in to make these all perfect”, said Jennifer. “The tile guys were wonderful. They even let me determine how I wanted the texture with the grout to appear for a salt and pepper look; now that is a very skilled trade person making it custom”.
In Jennifer’s interview, she continued to reference Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling”, so I took a minute to ask her exactly what that phrase meant to her and how it played out in her experience with her project and the Advance Design team. Here is what she said: “I was intrigued about Common Sense Remodeling and in my head that there would be clear costs and prices, great communication between the design team, the execution team and me”, said Jennifer. They did deliver on that, it was so clear about the cost breakdown, what I could expect from everyone who came to my house, and everything that we had ordered. That to me is the Common Sense”!
It’s great to see a client take literally our assertion that a well-planned remodeling project is simply “Common Sense”! She anticipated each step of the way would be clear, concise, and predictable, all the while protecting the outcome due to the careful upfront planning. “Advance Design delivered on their ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ promise,” Jennifer said. “From the design team, to the execution team - everything was straight forward like I imagined. The project turned out exactly how I envisioned, I enjoyed this process and absolutely would recommend Advance Design Studio to anyone.”

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
We Design, Build and Renovate
CHC & Family Developments
Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, Ohio

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours
The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents.
Early History
The earliest
St. Simons Island Village
record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini.
Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned.
Colonial History
As
Fort Frederica
early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat.
Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service.
Plantation Era
By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war.
Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton.
Between
Ebos Landing
the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing.
One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863).
Another
Retreat Plantation
large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves.
The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall.
The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church.
Civil War and Beyond
The
St. Simons Island Lighthouse
outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned.
After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations.
By
St. Simons Lumber Mills
1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross.
The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island.
Twentieth Century
The
St. Simons Island Pier and Village
opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development.
In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s.
The
St. Simons Island
outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents.
Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa.
Since
Epworth by the Sea
1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant.
Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

Details: The integrated stainless steel sink was custom fabricated by the countertop craftspeople. It has crisp corners, a lowered center divider (to minimize splash from the faucet) and offset drains (to push back the plumbing so as to allow for better cabinet storage below). To the right of the sink is a subtle detail (look closely at the reflections to see it), but one that adds great functionality: a sloped, recessed drainboard directs water back into the sink. The window is trimmed tight to the cabinets on either side with custom maple millwork, and has a built-in shelf above--again with trim up to the ceiling. The shelf provides a nice spot for favorite curios and mementos. The pendant light above the sink is actually an LED fixture with an Edison style bulb. Stainless steel outlet and switch covers over black devices pull the design together. Under-cabinet xenon lighting highlights the tile.

The owners desired a modest home that would enable them to experience the dual natures of the outdoors: intimate forest and sweeping views. The use of economical, pre-fabricated materials was seen as an opportunity to develop an expressive architecture.
The house is organized on a four-foot module, establishing a delicate rigor for the building and maximizing the use of pre-manufactured materials. A series of open web trusses are combined with dimensional wood framing to form broad overhangs. Plywood sheets spanning between the trusses are left exposed at the eaves. An insulated aluminum window system is attached to exposed laminated wood columns, creating an expansive yet economical wall of glass in the living spaces with mountain views. On the opposite side, support spaces and a children’s desk are located along the hallway.
A bridge clad in green fiber cement panels marks the entry. Visible through the front door is an angled yellow wall that opens to a protected outdoor space between the garage and living spaces, offering the first views of the mountain peaks. Living and sleeping spaces are arranged in a line, with a circulation corridor to the east.
The exterior is clad in pre-finished fiber cement panels that match the horizontal spacing of the window mullions, accentuating the linear nature of the structure. Two boxes clad in corrugated metal punctuate the east elevation. At the north end of the house, a deck extends into the landscape, providing a quiet place to enjoy the view.
Images by Nic LeHoux Photography
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