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Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces.
We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem.
Extensive alterations include:
- a completely redesigned floor plan to promote a more intuitive flow throughout
- vaulted the ceilings over the great room to create an amazing entrance and feeling of inspired openness
- redesigned entry and driveway to be more inviting and welcoming as well as to experientially set the mid-century modern stage
- the removal of a visually disruptive load bearing central wall and chimney system that formerly partitioned the homes’ entry, dining, kitchen and living rooms from each other
- added clerestory windows above the new kitchen to accentuate the new vaulted ceiling line and create a greater visual continuation of indoor to outdoor space
- drastically increased the access to natural light by increasing window sizes and opening up the floor plan
- placed natural wood elements throughout to provide a calming palette and cohesive Pacific Northwest feel
- incorporated Universal Design principles to make the home Aging In Place ready with wide hallways and accessible spaces, including single-floor living if needed
- moved and completely redesigned the stairway to work for the home’s occupants and be a part of the cohesive design aesthetic
- mixed custom tile layouts with more traditional tiling to create fun and playful visual experiences
- custom designed and sourced MCM specific elements such as the entry screen, cabinetry and lighting
- development of the downstairs for potential future use by an assisted living caretaker
- energy efficiency upgrades seamlessly woven in with much improved insulation, ductless mini splits and solar gain

This front yard design, a 2018 TNLA Award Winner, elevates outdoor living with its harmonious blend of natural textures and vibrant color. The landscape architecture centers around a symmetrical layout, drawing the eye to the striking turquoise planters anchoring the home's entrance. A mix of heights and textures, from the sculptural agave to the delicate flowering vines, creates visual interest. The stone and brickwork complement the earthy tones of the foliage, offering a welcoming, yet sophisticated curb appeal. This space masterfully balances architectural elements with the organic beauty of thoughtfully curated plantings.
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The foot prints from the previous to new are very similar, just a few minor adjustments to make cabinets more functional for cooking, and improve storage. There is a pull out pantry, a custom wine rack and open book shelf in the island.

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.

Lee Monarch
Small minimalist master brown tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and beige floor wet room photo with a two-piece toilet, brown walls, a wall-mount sink and a hinged shower door
Small minimalist master brown tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and beige floor wet room photo with a two-piece toilet, brown walls, a wall-mount sink and a hinged shower door

Removing that odd roof plane allow us to use the split shed and clerestory to create a taller entryway and expand the upper floor of this tri-level to create bigger bedrooms and a bonus study space along with a laundry room upstairs. The design goal was to make this look like it is all part of the original design, just cleaner and more modern. Moving to a concrete step entryway was a huge improvement from the previous spaced trex decking

This client wanted a custom wrought iron fence so that dogs and children alike couldn't access a dangerous ditch area of their backyard. The end result was a 100' + long, winding wrought iron fence that split the enormous backyard in two with a diagonal streak.
This little piece of wrought iron innovation also included three gates with access to an outdoor patio, and entrances and exits to the other side of the backyard.

www.terryiverson.com
Always wanted a bar? This space has it all: wine cooler, custom wine rack, plenty of storage and a great prep area.
Mid-sized elegant single-wall medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, brown backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, beige walls and an island
Mid-sized elegant single-wall medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, brown backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, beige walls and an island

Custom designed media wall. #twdaz #mediawall #entertainmentcenter
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless open concept family room remodel in Phoenix with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless open concept family room remodel in Phoenix with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Keeping the layout and workflow the same, there were two important modifications designed into the space to give the homeowners the improved functionality they wanted. First, the refrigerator and pantry cabinetry were raised to the ceiling to create a subtle visual interest in the height variation. We relocated the microwave for improved accessibility and replaced the island with an extended top for added seating. The kitchen was further updated with all new custom cabinetry, quartzite countertops, a custom tile backsplash, and decorative lighting.

Beautiful C.H.I. Mahogany Accent Planks Door
Model 3216P with Optional Stacked Long Panel Frosted Glass
Large trendy attached two-car garage photo in Cleveland
Large trendy attached two-car garage photo in Cleveland

Southwest u-shaped multicolored floor kitchen photo in Dallas with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
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Peabody Landscape Group
Columbus' Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

Spanish themed project in Calabasas. Remodel of the rear and side yards. The overhead structure and circular bar areas were existing and maintained while we added the pool, fire pit, built-in seating, deck, side yard entertaining area and made improvements and additions to the overhead. The project has terra-cotta style concrete pavers as well as Spanish style ceramic tiles throughout.

Aquatica True Ofuro Freestanding Stone Japanese Soaking Bathtub
Inspired by ancient Japanese traditions of soaking in Ofuro tubs, the True Ofuro Japanese style bathtub is a ‘sit and soak’, solid surface bathtub, featuring a deep design for a full-body immersion. Crafted in Italy, this immaculately sculpted tub is available with an optional inline water heater and digital control panel with temperature display, which will reduce water consumption and provide for a prolonged soaking experience at very comfortable temperatures.
One of the True Ofuro's key features is it's carefully designed elevated rim for improved bathers neck and head support, and the convenient ergonomic seating, which allows the body to be comfortably emerged to maximum water capacity.
The international industrial design team, commissioned by Aquatica to create this product, used advanced CAD tools, modeling and repeated testing with real size prototype units, in order to reach the optimal balance between ergonomic comfort and visual appeal for this one of a kind bathtub.
Thanks to the AquateX™ material, this Japanese soaking tub retains heat for much longer and has a silky and smooth surface. Besides being one of our most space conscious bathtubs, the freestanding and petite construction of this Japanese style bathtub means that it can be installed pretty much anywhere in your bathroom.

BEFORE: A massive star pine (behind bottlebrush) dominates this garden. Between the shade and water restrictions, the owners realized the lawn was a lost cause. The existing flagstones did the job, but a safer, more attractive route to the front door would improve access and appearance. And the hard soil and sloping soil around the crown of the star pine made it impossible to bring in any horticultural interest.

Example of a large transitional master white tile and porcelain tile slate floor freestanding bathtub design in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, a two-piece toilet, gray walls and a vessel sink

Sponsored
Delaware County, OH
Whisler Home Improvement
Franklin County's Committed Home Improvement Professionals

Above the Gameroom
Quality Craftsman Inc is an award-winning Dallas remodeling contractor specializing in custom design work, new home construction, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, room additions and complete home renovations integrating contemporary stylings and features into existing homes in neighborhoods throughout North Dallas.
How can we help improve your living space?

Remodel-Kitchen & Family Room: Quiet Luxury with a Natural Palette
This remodel reimagines the heart of the home by seamlessly integrating the kitchen and family room into a refined yet inviting open-concept space, grounded in a “quiet luxury” aesthetic and a natural palette.
Kitchen Transformation:
The kitchen layout is completely reworked for improved flow and functionality. Major appliances have been reassigned for efficiency:
• The refrigerator is built in and anchors the focal wall providing improved access to both prep and serving areas.
• The range has been centered on the back wall, framed by two- toned cabinetry and a low-profile custom hood accented with brass that blends seamlessly into the wall for an understated look.
• The dishwasher and sink have been relocated to the new central island, allowing for uninterrupted views across the room and better interaction with guests or family.
At the heart of the space is a large central island, topped with Taj Mahal quartzite in soft beige and taupe tones. The island serves as a multi-functional hub.
The cabinetry is custom-built in white oak, finished in a matte clear coat that highlights the wood’s natural grain. Hardware is kept minimal, in brushed brass for a touch of subdued elegance.
Natural Palette & Materials:
The entire space embraces a natural color scheme—warm whites, layered pastel beiges and natural wood tones—accented with natural stone. Leathered Taj Mahal backsplash with subtle texture adds quiet visual interest without overpowering the calm atmosphere.
Family Room Integration:
The kitchen flows effortlessly into the family room, unified by wide-plank oak flooring and soft lighting. A fluted marble-clad fireplace anchors the space, surrounded by, built-in shelving with the same oak finish inside as the kitchen cabinetry. Furnishings follow the same philosophy: clean lines, neutral fabrics, and a mix of soft textures. Think boucle armchairs, a deep linen sectional, and a reclaimed wood coffee table.
Lighting & Finishing Touches:
Soft, layered lighting—including recessed lights, sculptural clear pendant lights above the island, and concealed LED strips—enhances the serene mood.

Decorative rock can be a beautiful and practical choice for landscaping, particularly when it comes to storm management. In addition to adding visual interest and texture to your landscape, decorative rock can help to control erosion and improve drainage. By using landscape stone to redirect water flow and manage excess runoff, you can protect your property from damage and maintain the integrity of your landscape. Decorative rock is also a low maintenance choice that requires minimal upkeep, making it a convenient and cost-effective option for storm management.
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