The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.

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The historic restoration of this First Period Ipswich, Massachusetts home (c. 1686) was an eighteen-month project that combined exterior and interior architectural work to preserve and revitalize this beautiful home. Structurally, work included restoring the summer beam, straightening the timber frame, and adding a lean-to section. The living space was expanded with the addition of a spacious gourmet kitchen featuring countertops made of reclaimed barn wood. As is always the case with our historic renovations, we took special care to maintain the beauty and integrity of the historic elements while bringing in the comfort and convenience of modern amenities. We were even able to uncover and restore much of the original fabric of the house (the chimney, fireplaces, paneling, trim, doors, hinges, etc.), which had been hidden for years under a renovation dating back to 1746. Winner, 2012 Mary P. Conley Award for historic home restoration and preservation You can read more about this restoration in the Boston Globe article by Regina Cole, “A First Period home gets a second life.” http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/10/26/couple-rebuild-their-century-home-ipswich/r2yXE5yiKWYcamoFGmKVyL/story.html Photo Credit: Eric Roth

This spacious bathroom renovation was featured on Houzz. The toilet and shower stalls are separated and offer privacy using frosted glass doors and divider walls. The light color floor, walls and ceiling make this space feel even larger, while keeping it light and clean.

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The beautiful, old barn on this Topsfield estate was at risk of being demolished. Before approaching Mathew Cummings, the homeowner had met with several architects about the structure, and they had all told her that it needed to be torn down. Thankfully, for the sake of the barn and the owner, Cummings Architects has a long and distinguished history of preserving some of the oldest timber framed homes and barns in the U.S. Once the homeowner realized that the barn was not only salvageable, but could be transformed into a new living space that was as utilitarian as it was stunning, the design ideas began flowing fast. In the end, the design came together in a way that met all the family’s needs with all the warmth and style you’d expect in such a venerable, old building. On the ground level of this 200-year old structure, a garage offers ample room for three cars, including one loaded up with kids and groceries. Just off the garage is the mudroom – a large but quaint space with an exposed wood ceiling, custom-built seat with period detailing, and a powder room. The vanity in the powder room features a vanity that was built using salvaged wood and reclaimed bluestone sourced right on the property. Original, exposed timbers frame an expansive, two-story family room that leads, through classic French doors, to a new deck adjacent to the large, open backyard. On the second floor, salvaged barn doors lead to the master suite which features a bright bedroom and bath as well as a custom walk-in closet with his and hers areas separated by a black walnut island. In the master bath, hand-beaded boards surround a claw-foot tub, the perfect place to relax after a long day. In addition, the newly restored and renovated barn features a mid-level exercise studio and a children’s playroom that connects to the main house. From a derelict relic that was slated for demolition to a warmly inviting and beautifully utilitarian living space, this barn has undergone an almost magical transformation to become a beautiful addition and asset to this stately home.

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Bedroom Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography; Interior Design: Kristin Try Interiors; Builder: Harry Braswell, Inc.
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Designer home by Garrison Hullinger (www.GarrisonHullinger.com). A complete restoration transformed this home into an upscale oasis both inside & out with a mix of contemporary and vintage features expertly merged together to preserve the original historic charm.

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With an ideal location in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, this dated Victorian residence had "beautiful bones" but had been sitting on the market for a year before being purchased with plans to revitalize the interior. Interior designer, Noel Han, explained, "Historical Victorian homes in this area often have beautiful architectural elements that I aim to preserve, but the floor plan and layout tend to be stuffy, not live-able and not light filled. Modern families want bright, light-filled, spacious rooms that take advantage of outdoor views and living spaces, and function well for storage, meals and entertaining." Preserving the architectural integrity and special features of the home was one of Han's goals but at the same time, she re-designed the space, moving walls and adding windows to create an open floorplan that flowed easily between the kitchen and outdoor living spaces. Where the range once stood in the original design, now an entire wall of windows provides panoramic views of the outdoors and fills the kitchen with light. Below the windows, Han designed a long bank of base cabinets with drawers to provide plenty of storage and work surface. Light now pours into the space even on foggy days. The range was moved to the opposite wall so that beautiful window views could be added to the kitchen. Han selected a palette of finishes with an eye toward creating a "soft color aesthetic". "White painted finishes are very popular right now but would have felt stark and cold in this space," she explained. "The French grey paint from Dura Supreme was a perfect complement for this vintage Victorian home, to create a classic color scheme". "This beautiful home already had hardware elements with a vintage brass finish, so I carefully selected antiqued, brushed brass hardware, plumbing and metal finishes to blend with the original elements," said Han. She continued, "The La Cornue French Range adds modern function with a French antique look." "I appreciate working with Dura Supreme cabinetry because of the quality of the cabinetry, fast delivery and the custom options. I'm able to create beautiful architectural details like the pull-out columns on both sides of the range and the curved mullion doors on the furniture hutch, and they offer a stunning palette of finishes and styles," explained Han. For the bath cabinetry, Han created a similar palette of finishes and styles to create a complementary look throughout the entire home. Product Details: Perimeter: Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown in the St. Augustine door style and Mullion Pattern #15 door style with a “Zinc” painted finish. Kitchen Island: Dura Supreme Cabinetry shown in the St. Augustine door style with a Clove stain and Black Accent finish on Cherry wood. For more information about Noel Han, Interior Designer, click to her website here www.atelnoel.com. For more information about Gilmans Kitchens and Baths, click to their website here www.gkandb.com. Photography by: Ned Bonzi www.nedbonzi.com. Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure