Housewright took this classic cottage style home circa 1940s and gave it a fresh new look! We started the project by removing a wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room area. When we removed this wall, we discovered an old, long ago buried brick chimney. We removed a window and added a sliding patio door to allow more natural lighting within the kitchen. In addition we also widened an adjacent stairwell and updated lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms. Housewright made the home more efficient by improving the home insulation envelope, the lighting fixtures and updating the heating system.

Inspiration for a kitchen remodel in Los Angeles

In Merion Station, PA, we completed an extensive home renovation project that enhanced every aspect of the property. Our upgrades included new framing, drywall, and insulation throughout, ensuring compliance with PA building codes. Interior and exterior painting refreshed surfaces, while new two-piece crown molding added elegance. The highlight was a fully renovated kitchen with custom cabinets, quartz countertops, and Viking appliances. Bathrooms were modernized with double vanities, frameless glass shower doors, and updated fixtures. We also installed new hardwood floors, updated stairs, and refurbished three fireplaces with marble and mantels. Additional improvements included a new roof with gutters, three HVAC units, and a partially finished basement. Exterior enhancements featured a new driveway, landscaping, patio, and fence. This comprehensive renovation has transformed the home into a stylish and functional living space in Merion Station, PA.

Renovations of this 100 year old home involved two stages: the first being the upstairs bathroom, followed by the kitchen and full scale update of the basement. The original basement was used mainly for storage. The ceiling was low, with no light, and outdated electrical and plumbing. The new basement features a separate laundry, furnace, bathroom, living room and mud room. The most prominent feature of this newly renovated basement is the underpinning, which increased ceiling height. Further is the beautiful new side entrance with frosted glass doors. Extensive repairs to the upstairs bathroom was much needed. It as well entailed converting the adjacent room into a full 4 pieces ensuite bathroom. The new spaces includes new floor joists and exterior framing along with insulation, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. The bathrooms are a traditional design with subway tiles and mosaic marble tiles. The cast iron tub is an excellent focal feature of the bathroom that sets it back in time. The original kitchen was cut off from the rest of the house. It also faced structural issues with the flooring and required extensive framing. The kitchen as well required extensive electrical, plumbing, and HVAC modifications. The new space is open, warm, bright and inviting. Our clients are most exited about now being able to enjoy the entire floor as one. We hope Stephan, Johanna, and Liam enjoy the home for many years to come along with the other improvements to the house. Aristea Rizakos

In Merion Station, PA, we completed an extensive home renovation project that enhanced every aspect of the property. Our upgrades included new framing, drywall, and insulation throughout, ensuring compliance with PA building codes. Interior and exterior painting refreshed surfaces, while new two-piece crown molding added elegance. The highlight was a fully renovated kitchen with custom cabinets, quartz countertops, and Viking appliances. Bathrooms were modernized with double vanities, frameless glass shower doors, and updated fixtures. We also installed new hardwood floors, updated stairs, and refurbished three fireplaces with marble and mantels. Additional improvements included a new roof with gutters, three HVAC units, and a partially finished basement. Exterior enhancements featured a new driveway, landscaping, patio, and fence. This comprehensive renovation has transformed the home into a stylish and functional living space in Merion Station, PA.

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Inspiration for a kitchen remodel in Orange County

Artisan vintage horseshoe barn door hardware.
Farmhouse two-story exterior home photo in New York

This project in Blue Bell involved a thorough renovation, including plumbing upgrades in multiple bathrooms and the addition of a tiki bar in the existing garage. We facilitated various plumbing installations, such as running gas pipes and adding an exterior faucet. Within the garage, we transformed spaces into a movie room, a powder room, and a tiki bar, complete with custom features like shelving and a gas fireplace. We also tackled flooring, doors, trim, and windows throughout the property, ensuring a cohesive aesthetic. Bathroom renovations included custom glass shower doors and unique design elements like cedar accents. Exterior improvements, such as door replacements and deck construction, were also part of our scope. Throughout the project, we adhered to building codes, completed necessary insulation and fireblocking, and applied paint according to the owner's preferences.

This house had a large water damage and black mold in the bathroom and kitchen area for years and no one took care of it. When we first came in we called a remediation company to remove the black mold and to keep the place safe for the owner and her children. After remediation process was done we start complete demolition process to the kitchen, bathroom, and floors around the house. we rewired the whole house and upgraded the panel box to 200amp. installed R38 insulation in the attic. replaced the AC and upgraded to 3.5 tons. Replaced the entire floors with laminate floors. open up the wall between the living room and the kitchen, creating open space. painting the interior house. installing new kitchen cabinets and counter top. installing appliances. Remodel the bathroom completely. Remodel the front yard and installing artificial grass and river stones. painting the front and side walls of the house. replacing the roof completely with cool roof asphalt shingles.

This house had a large water damage and black mold in the bathroom and kitchen area for years and no one took care of it. When we first came in we called a remediation company to remove the black mold and to keep the place safe for the owner and her children. After remediation process was done we start complete demolition process to the kitchen, bathroom, and floors around the house. we rewired the whole house and upgraded the panel box to 200amp. installed R38 insulation in the attic. replaced the AC and upgraded to 3.5 tons. Replaced the entire floors with laminate floors. open up the wall between the living room and the kitchen, creating open space. painting the interior house. installing new kitchen cabinets and counter top. installing appliances. Remodel the bathroom completely. Remodel the front yard and installing artificial grass and river stones. painting the front and side walls of the house. replacing the roof completely with cool roof asphalt shingles.

Building materials are one of the primary sources of indoor air contaminants that negatively affect the health of our living spaces The EcoCraft team has meticulously selected building materials that are healthy, recyclable, and free of harmful contaminants thereby improving the health of our homes. Consider also that consistent temperatures between floors, rooms, and surfaces plays a critical role in how humans experience true comfort. Our advanced airtight continuously insulated building envelopes eliminate drafts and cold surface to ensure consistent air and surface temperatures. Individually zoned floors and spaces provide occupant control for added flexibility and individualized temperature settings. Our extra thick walls and energy star windows reduce sound transfer between the interior and exterior spaces, while our state of the art mechanical systems run quietly to provide an experience you can feel, but can barely hear.

Back yard improvements New inground pool and Jacuzzi New patio cover Installed pavers Installed new sod Built garden walls
Example of a mid-sized minimalist backyard brick and custom-shaped natural pool house design in Los Angeles

Hammer & Hand and architect Mitch Snyder transformed a hot, cramped, non-code-compliant attic space into a bright and functional master suite. The existing upstairs attic space had two small and hard-to-access bedrooms and a dangerous staircase. The team added a new dormer on the west side of the house which added an additional 195 square feet to the home. The new space includes a master bedroom, master bathroom with vanity and shower, separate water closet, laundry, walk-in master closet, and option to add a small bedroom (the space is currently being used as an open office area). Additional improvements to the home include an upgraded building envelope, insulation, high efficiency water heater, and minisplit heat pump. Photos by Mitchell Snyder Architecture.

Nestled in the hills of Orinda, California, this 1951 residence is one of only seven extant homes, now known as “The Magnificent Seven”, designed by architect Olof Dahlstrand, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright. With its low-slung rooflines, natural materials, and deep integration with the sloping landscape, the home is a pristine example of mid-century modern design inspired by Wright’s organic principles. Over the years, prior homeowners have emphasized preservation, ensuring that the house remained relatively untouched. Each owner has respected the original architecture and stayed true to Dahlstrand’s intent. When a family of five—two college-aged sons and a middle school-aged daughter—acquired the property, they were captivated by its history, legacy of care, and architectural significance. While they appreciated Dahlstrand’s original vision, they also recognized the need to adapt the home for contemporary living while preserving its design integrity. The remodel was conceived as a thoughtful response to the past—an effort to bring the house into the 21st century without compromising its soul. The primary mandate was to maintain architectural continuity while improving the functionality, comfort, and livability for a modern family. The design team—architects and contractor alike—worked with a shared reverence for the original architecture, allowing that mindset to guide even the most technical or pragmatic decisions. A key objective was to increase natural light in the kitchen—a departure from Wrightian principles of enclosed, intimate cooking spaces—while maintaining the home’s architectural language. The kitchen was reconfigured to foster a stronger connection to adjacent living spaces while retaining the underlying concept of spatial separation. One of the most transformative architectural changes was the removal of a ridge beam that was originally planned to remain visible through the kitchen. During construction, the team collaborated on a better solution: a wide-flanged steel beam concealed within the roof envelope. This subtle move preserved the clean lines and ceiling continuity, a modern update carried out with utmost respect for the existing framework. The home’s original powder room, previously accessible only through the kitchen, was relocated for better flow and privacy. A new powder room was carved out of former kitchen cabinetry—a narrow, interior space that could have felt dark and enclosed. To avoid this, the design extended the line of original transom windows into the new powder room and added a skylight above the vanity. The result is a bright and airy space that feels consistent with the rest of the home. Other updates included the installation of new solid-core interior doors with veneers carefully matched to the original mahogany, enhancing the continuity of the interiors. Even smaller decisions, such as placing the door knobs at 42 inches high, mirrored the original proportions. Every choice reflected a shared belief between the architect, contractor, and client: that new work should serve the integrity of the old. The home’s extensive interior redwood millwork and paneling was meticulously restored. Where new materials were introduced—such as the replacement redwood soffit paneling—the contractor took pains to find finish nails that matched the original, rather than using modern equivalents. This level of craftsmanship and collaboration defined the project. It extended even to the detailing of a blind door to the new powder room, which had to disappear into the existing redwood board-and-batten wall. It was a team effort: the owner found a suitable handle, the architects devised the custom in-swing mechanism, and the contractor executed it so the door aligned precisely with the battens. Throughout, the homeowners were deeply engaged in the design process. One, a meticulous design enthusiast, focused on aesthetic integrity and historic detail. The other brought a practical and function-driven perspective, ensuring that new fixtures and materials would be durable and require minimal maintenance. While the home’s location posed no major site challenges, sustainability was a key concern. The team upgraded the roof insulation, installed solar panels with battery storage, and added ductless mini-split cooling systems. Lighting was another area where modern technology was woven into a historic framework: new square LED fixtures echo the original custom perimeter soffit lights, maintaining the design language while offering advanced performance. A planned expansion of a bedroom into suite with a bathroom had to be shelved due to budget constraints and the high cost of below-grade foundation work. Still, the team focused their efforts on making the most of the existing footprint, resolving constraints through design ingenuity rather than adding square footage. This renovation represents a collaborative achievement in preserving and evolving a historically significant home. Every decision was shaped by a shared ethos among clients, architects, and contractor: to maintain the home’s architectural soul while updating it for contemporary life. The result is a timeless modernist residence that continues Olof Dahlstrand’s legacy, remaining grounded in nature, craftsmanship, and human-scale design. Klopf Architecture Team: John Klopf, AIA, Klara Kevane, Fernanda Bernardes
Interior Architectural Design: Klopf Architecture
Structural Engineer: Daniel Bastiao
Contractor: Don Larwood, Larwood Construction Photography: Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022

Client desire: Bring back the original splendor of the master bathroom in her 1905 four-square mansion, including a low profile bathtub for her mother, a separate shower for herself, and plenty of storage. Design challenges: The bathroom had been part of a poorly constructed 1960’s addition with a narrow passage and a substandard foundation resulting in a room that was always too cold. The original part of the house had a foot of concrete for the sub-flooring so we were unsure about the ability to move fixtures. The window size and location had to remain fixed due to architectural details on the outside of the home. Solutions: We removed the addition subfloor to repair the weak footings and added closed cell insulation. We widened the passage and added a floor to ceiling armoire and shallow base cabinets with a curved end for storage. Inside one of the base cabinets we concealed a new larger radiator and we added in-floor heat. Functionality and flow were improved by switching the placement of the vanity and bathtub. The arched doors throughout the house were the inspiration for the curved glass shower door, arched medicine cabinet, and curved cabinetry. The antique wall sconces were purchased by the homeowner on her quest to find lighting in keeping with the era of the home. But the pièce de résistance is the beautiful Carrera marble and basket weave tile flooring achieved by a master tilesetter who worked meticulously to create the perfect result from my design.

Example of a kitchen design in Los Angeles

Project Objectives: Enhance spatial dynamics to support modern living standards. Integrate cutting-edge fixtures and smart home technologies for enhanced convenience. Boost the home’s energy efficiency with advanced insulation and HVAC solutions. Revitalize the exterior façade and landscaping to improve outdoor enjoyment and aesthetic value. Execute the renovation in compliance with the latest building codes, within budget and on schedule.