Before the Remodel – Front Facade The front facade was outdated and uninviting. The exterior color did not enhance the house and made it look dull. The roof was old and poorly finished, while the entrance was hidden behind screens that darkened the space instead of welcoming guests. The front door was unattractive and out of place, and overall the facade felt neglected, worn, and in need of a complete transformation.

Here’s a job I completed just before Christmas last year, at a house in Northampton which has a rich history and mix of architectural styles. The run up to Christmas is always popular as people try to get their household projects finished off in time for celebrating the festive season with family so this is always a busy time for Tile Doctor. The photos below show a neglected Victorian Quarry tiled floor in need of repair, with cracked tiles along the edges. These were caused by somebody in the past using brute force to remove carpet gripper rods which had been glued to the tiles. These cracks were present around the edges of the entire hallway, however; this particular type of tile is very hard to get hold of. Furthermore, it is a costly process to replace the tiles as the skirting boards would have had to have been removed. As well as the physical issues the floor had a dull appearance due to the build-up of builder’s dust and the general wearing down of the paintwork over time. I agreed with the client that the best course of action would be to fill the tiles, and paint the damaged tiles using a colour that matched as close as possible. Many of my Tile Doctor colleagues would disagree with this approach opting to source the correct tile and rebuild the damaged section however unfortunately in this case we didn’t have the time or the budget. My first action was to use a brush and vacuum to remove as much loose debris and dust as possible. I followed this by agitating the tiles with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline product and safe to use on tile and stone. I use a combination of a coarse burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine and hand held brushes, in order to get the floor clean. The resulting slurry was then rinsed and removed using a wet vacuum. This process was repeated twice followed by a thorough rinse to ensure any trace of cleaning agent had been removed and the floor neutralised. As this was such an old property, I then used a steamer to heat up the tiles in order to draw out any contaminants and assist with the drying process. I installed a fan to dry the floor before starting repairs, mixing up some coloured grout and filling all holes and cracks along the edges, including the doormat area. I allowed the coloured grout to dry overnight, before hand painting the black and Terracotta tiles. These were then given time to dry (about a couple of hours). Following this, I carefully painted in the other colours: brown and cream. The overall effect was quite convincing and you had to look very closely to notice. Due to the fact that there were other tradesmen working in the house at the time, the floors were sheeted up to protect from additional dust and muck. I then left the house for a week, allowing the floor ample time to dry completely in preparation for sealing. Upon my return, I took damp meter readings, and once satisfied with the dryness of the tiles, I began the sealing process with the impregnating, colour-enhancing sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow. The sealer provides both durable surface protection and an aesthetically pleasing matte finish. The below photos show how the product has enriched the colours with the two coats applied. The process of restoring this wonderful Victorian Quarry tiled floor was certainly time consuming, but very rewarding. I am exceptionally pleased with the results myself, and my client couldn’t have been happier and I’m sure the newly revitalised hallway will have been a talking point for all their visitors during the Christmas break. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

This past winter, PTS staff volunteered time at Mercy Street School in West Dallas. To create a safe environment in which to learn, our skilled climbers and tree care staff donated time and effort to take care of a lot of pruning and clean up so that their trees can be healthy and the property safe for all the staff and students. The property has many very large established trees that were much in need of proper pruning and care. By cleaning up the property, we hope to not only help preserve their beautiful trees, but also give the kids a safe place to play and learn. When trees are neglected, especially on a property where there is a lot of traffic such as a school, it is important to properly prune and maintain trees so they don’t become a hazard. Falling limbs damage buildings and could harm passersby. We love supporting our Dallas community and schools!

In the top floor of the Hopkinson House lived a neglected, dingy corner apartment facing Washington Square. The new owner purchased the unit and undertook a complete gut renovation of the space. With parallels to her own life, the owner craved a new, fresh, light filled, colorful space to call her own. The design centers around a retractable suede wall panel system which when open, draws in the western sun, creating a spacious living area. When closed, it allows for a guest bedroom complete with Murphy bed. Fine finishes accent the space throughout and wood shelving provide displays for an extensive teapot collection.

Located in Church Hill, Richmond’s oldest neighborhood, this very early 1900s Victorian had tons of historical details, but the house itself had been neglected (badly!). The home had two major renovation periods – one in 1950’s, and then again in the 1980s’s, which covered over or disrupted the original aesthetics of the house (think open ductwork, framing and drywall obscuring the beautiful mantels and moldings, and the hot water heater taking up valuable kitchen space). Our Piperbear team had to “undo” much before we could tackle the restoration of the historical features, while at the same time modernizing the layout.

2011 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER This 1970’s split-level single-family home in an upscale Arlington neighborhood had been neglected for years. With his surrounding neighbors all doing major exterior and interior remodeling, however, the owner decided it was time to renovate his property as well. After several consultation meetings with the design team at Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, he settled on an exterior layout to create an Art & Craft design for the home. It all got started by excavating the front and left side of the house and attaching a wrap-around stone porch. Key design attributes include a black metal roof, large tapered columns, blue and grey random style flag stone, beaded stain ceiling paneling and an octagonal seating area on the left side of this porch. The front porch has a wide stairway and another set of stairs leads to the back yard. All exterior walls of the home were modified with new headers to allow much larger custom-made windows, new front doors garage doors, and French side and back doors. A custom-designed mahogany front door with leaded glass provides more light and offers a wider entrance into the home’s living area. Design challenges included removing the entire face of the home and then adding new insulation, Tyvek and Hardiplank siding. The use of high-efficiency low-e windows makes the home air tight. The Arts & Crafts design touches include the front gable over the front porch, the prairie-style grill pattern on the windows and doors, the use of tapered columns sitting over stone columns and the leaded glass front door. Decorative exterior lighting provides the finishing touches to this look. Inside, custom woodwork, crown molding, custom glass cabinets and interior pillars carry the design. Upon entering the space, visitors face a large partition that separates the living area from a gourmet Arts & Crafts kitchen and dining room. The home’s signature space, the kitchen offers contrasting dark and light cherry cabinets. Wide plank hard wood floors, exotic granite counters and stainless steel professional-grade appliances make this a kitchen fit for any chef.

I gave the house a new look; it previously looked gloomy and neglected. I used high-quality materials, including special ones for plant care and to delay the reappearance of mold. With the right tools and my experience, I was able to finish washing it in two days, which helped my client keep costs low.

Brick archway created to carry through arch design and create breakfast nook.Kitchen with Kraftmaid cabinetry, perimeter has cream cabinets, warm chestnut island cabinets, arches connect spans between cabinets to mimic the leaded glass in hutch. Decorative piece on backsplash carries the curves and arches in the limestone piece just above counters. Top to bottom renovation on long neglected and vacated house...

Side yard neglected space

This newly transformed landscape in Evans, GA turned a neglected patch of dirt into a clean, eye-catching centerpiece. We designed and installed fresh stone borders, premium mulch beds, decorative rock pathways, and new seasonal plants — creating symmetry and contrast around the central tree. This Evans landscaping project now delivers curb appeal with low maintenance, perfect for relaxing or entertaining outdoors.

Richard Morris Hunt, the Dean of American Architecture, designed Le Chalet on Bellevue Avenue in Newport in 1870. Hunt chose the Stick Style for the 9,700 square-foot summer cottage after garnering significant attention for his Stick Style design of the Griswold House, now the NewportArt Museum. Hunt’s original plans for Le Chalet called for an ornate Stick Style edifice, extensive porches, cast iron roof cresting, and a large two-story carriage house. However, these plans, especially the interiors, were believed to be scaled back at the time of construction. Le Chalet had a succession of owners, each of whom made minor alterations to the home. When the clients purchased the property the house had lost significant detail on its east elevation, was in a neglected state and warranted a full renovation.

Located in Church Hill, Richmond’s oldest neighborhood, this very early 1900s Victorian had tons of historical details, but the house itself had been neglected (badly!). The home had two major renovation periods – one in 1950’s, and then again in the 1980s’s, which covered over or disrupted the original aesthetics of the house (think open ductwork, framing and drywall obscuring the beautiful mantels and moldings, and the hot water heater taking up valuable kitchen space). Our Piperbear team had to “undo” much before we could tackle the restoration of the historical features, while at the same time modernizing the layout.

This American Foursquare built in the early 1900’s needed a complete restoration. The back two story porch was rotten from years of neglect and needed to be torn down and completely rebuilt. Inside, the kitchen and bathrooms needed full renovations, and the trunk room was turned into the master bath in order to create a true master suite. Piperbear also handled the staging and assisted with the marketing of the property.

The existing garden had been neglected for several years.
Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic drought-tolerant and full sun backyard gravel garden path in Sacramento for spring.

This Dutch Renaissance Revival style Brownstone located in a historic district of the Crown heights neighborhood of Brooklyn was built in 1899. The brownstone was converted to a boarding house in the 1950’s and experienced many years of neglect which made much of the interior detailing unsalvageable with the exception of the stairwell. Therefore the new owners decided to gut renovate the majority of the home, converting it into a four family home. The bottom two units are owner occupied, the design of each includes common elements yet also reflects the style of each owner. Both units have modern kitchens with new high end appliances and stone countertops. They both have had the original wood paneling restored or repaired and both feature large open bathrooms with freestanding tubs, marble slab walls and radiant heated concrete floors. The garden apartment features an open living/dining area that flows through the kitchen to get to the outdoor space. In the kitchen and living room feature large steel French doors which serve to bring the outdoors in. The garden was fully renovated and features a deck with a pergola. Other unique features of this apartment include a modern custom crown molding, a bright geometric tiled fireplace and the labyrinth wallpaper in the powder room. The upper two floors were designed as rental units and feature open kitchens/living areas, exposed brick walls and white subway tiled bathrooms.

•Architects: Aires Mateus •Location: Lisbon, Portugal •Architect: Manuel Aires Mateus •Years: 2006-20011 •Photos by: Ricardo Oliveira Alves •Stone floor: Ancient Surface A succession of everyday spaces occupied the lower floor of this restored 18th century castle on the hillside. The existing estate illustrating a period clouded by historic neglect. The restoration plan for this castle house focused on increasing its spatial value, its open space architecture and re-positioning of its windows. The garden made it possible to enhance the depth of the view over the rooftops and the Baixa river. An existing addition was rebuilt to house to conduct more private and entertainment functions. The unexpected discovery of an old and buried wellhead and cistern in the center of the house was a pleasant surprise to the architect and owners.

This American Foursquare built in the early 1900’s needed a complete restoration. The back two story porch was rotten from years of neglect and needed to be torn down and completely rebuilt. Inside, the kitchen and bathrooms needed full renovations, and the trunk room was turned into the master bath in order to create a true master suite. Piperbear also handled the staging and assisted with the marketing of the property.

A family of passionate athletes and sports aficionados embarked on a remarkable endeavor alongside our team and Studio M Merge. Their vision? To breathe new life into their outdated mid-century modern home and neglected pool, resulting in the dramatic “Sports Enthusiasts’ Hideaway.” The transformative journey focused on opening the interior spaces out toward the beautiful gardens and amenities. The renewed house features expanded open-plan living areas, a new bedroom, and a reimagined primary bath. An attached ADU added a sports bar and a flexible office space that can double as a private guest bedroom. The outdoor spaces were brought to life with the addition of expansive decks, inviting patios, a horseshoe pit, a basketball half-court, refreshing plunge pools, and a lush sports lawn. A pool house artfully frames the view from the pool to the neighboring golf course. This family of five finds themselves immersed in their expanded home and experiential outdoor hideaway. Every element has been thoughtfully designed to cater to their favorite activities, providing a peaceful haven where they can fully indulge their shared passion for sports. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova, Geoff Campen
Interior Architectural Design: Klopf Architecture
Landscape Architect: Studio M Merge
Contractor: Flegels Construction
Landscape Contractor: Frank & Grossman (phase 1), Garden Group (phase 2)
Photography: ©2013-2023 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2012 through 2020 Location: Los Gatos, CA

To anchor a modern house, designed by Frederick Fisher & Partners, Campion Walker brought in a mature oak grove that at first frames the home and then invites the visitor to explore the grounds including an intimate culinary garden and stone fruit orchard. The neglected hillside on the back of the property once overgrown with ivy was transformed into a California native oak woodland, with under-planting of ceanothus and manzanitas. We used recycled water to create a dramatic water feature cut directly into the limestone entranceway framed by a cacti and succulent garden.