Closeup of the ridge cap and hip valley on this architectural asphalt re-roofing job on an expansive Wilton, CT contemporary home. As this project featured a SureStart 5-Star 100% CertainTeed Roofing System, the ridge vents and ridge caps (as well as the underlayment, WinterGuard ice & water shield and 5,000 square feet of Landmark Architectural Asphalt shingles in Pewterwood shade) were all CertainTeed products. In conjunction with our status as a CertainTeed Credentialed contractor, purchasing these products enabled the homeowner to qualify for the 5-star CertainTeed SureStart warranty program, which provides 50 years of coverage for tear-off, new materials, and installation labor, and disposal. What's more, this warranty is transferrable from the property owner at time of installation to the first subsequent owner.

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.

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

Tucked away in a lovely little side street in Greenwich, this London townhouse is beautiful and elegant, and so unassuming from the exterior! When the homeowners purchased the property in 2016, it was divided into three separate flats and in desperate need of some TLC! Two years on, stepping through the immaculately painted charcoal front door was an absolute pleasure, and it is certainly one of those houses that make you say 'WOW!'. Burlanes were commissioned to design, handmake and install an industrial style kitchen, with all the benefits of contemporary living.

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath. Joe Nowak

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

The homeowners of this beautiful craftsman designed home purchased a beautiful country property for their dream home. Located just outside of downtown Chattanooga, sits this livable luxurious open floor plan craftsman home. Great for entertaining, or just relaxing with the family. The home has lots of added storage cabinetry to hold all those special items that a family collects over the years. Philip Slowiak Photography

Photos by ©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2019 A passion for the Southwest inspires one couple to turn their garden into a vibrant showcase for Sonoran Desert flora. By Nancy Erdmann | Photography by Steve Thompson For someone who loves to garden and has done so in many areas of the U.S., taking on the challenge of a rocky, boulder-strewn hillside lot in the Sonoran Desert is something that Carey Bertsch relishes. “I was born in Scotland but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband, Robin, is from Indiana. We have always loved everything about the Southwest. The sunny, arid climate; the lifestyle; the flora; the fauna—they all resonate with us,” she remarks. As such, the couple, who are based in Colorado, decided to purchase a part-time residence in Arizona. They found a Santa Fe Territorial-style home that’s tucked into the base of a steep slope in North Scottsdale’s Estancia community. Populated with natural boulder outcroppings, the property’s landscape was rudimentary at best. “But we saw the potential and knew it could be so much more,” recalls Carey. She and her husband lived in the house for several years before making any major changes; they recently completed a total exterior remodel.

After sitting on the market for three years, this property was purchased by a visionary client who understood that the right landscape designer could turn the unusable landscape into highly comfortable outdoor spaces. db Landscaping LLC designed a series of tiered outdoor living spaces, gardens, and access to the lake that responded to the steep lakeshore terrain of the property. Larger areas for entertaining were complimented by smaller, more intimate spaces for relaxing. The new landscape incorporated lake views and water access while utilizing environmentally responsible materials such as aged local stone and drought tolerant native plants. Storm-water runoff was also engineered to mitigate erosion and allow water to return to the ground rather than entering the lake directly. The resulting outdoor rooms and gardens were balanced, relaxing, and in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

NYC designer Megan Pflug and her husband J. Penry purchased a 1962 mid-century lodge in Greenville, New York and revived the tired property to become the Woodhouse Lodge. Threading through it all are natural materials reflective of the environment, starting with the soapstone countertops quarried in Virginia and then fabricated on site with nothing more than a steel straight edge, a measuring tape, a wet saw and a few other basic tools. "In decorating the space, we were really interested in working with a lot of local vendors and makers," Pflug said. "I thought it was really cool that we were able to source soapstone from the east coast. I also think that regional materials are often the most appropriate choice. If I was in Santa Fe, maybe soapstone wouldn't make the most sense architecturally." Like Pflug, Hudson Valley based fabricator Anson R. Tollefson, of A.R.T. Restoration and Remodeling, has a background in art. Working with just two slabs of Alberene Soapstone, Tollefson, crafted the countertops, backsplash, shelving and supports. A job he describes as, “Like a very heavy puzzle.” Photo: Genevieve Garruppo

Photos by ©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2019 A passion for the Southwest inspires one couple to turn their garden into a vibrant showcase for Sonoran Desert flora. By Nancy Erdmann | Photography by Steve Thompson For someone who loves to garden and has done so in many areas of the U.S., taking on the challenge of a rocky, boulder-strewn hillside lot in the Sonoran Desert is something that Carey Bertsch relishes. “I was born in Scotland but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband, Robin, is from Indiana. We have always loved everything about the Southwest. The sunny, arid climate; the lifestyle; the flora; the fauna—they all resonate with us,” she remarks. As such, the couple, who are based in Colorado, decided to purchase a part-time residence in Arizona. They found a Santa Fe Territorial-style home that’s tucked into the base of a steep slope in North Scottsdale’s Estancia community. Populated with natural boulder outcroppings, the property’s landscape was rudimentary at best. “But we saw the potential and knew it could be so much more,” recalls Carey. She and her husband lived in the house for several years before making any major changes; they recently completed a total exterior remodel.

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.

Tucked away in a lovely little side street in Greenwich, this London townhouse is beautiful and elegant, and so unassuming from the exterior! When the homeowners purchased the property in 2016, it was divided into three separate flats and in desperate need of some TLC! Two years on, stepping through the immaculately painted charcoal front door was an absolute pleasure, and it is certainly one of those houses that make you say 'WOW!'. Burlanes were commissioned to design, handmake and install an industrial style kitchen, with all the benefits of contemporary living.

https://genevacabinet.com Primary Bath freestanding tub with stone slab shower and back plate. Originally on the market for five years, the property was purchased by a new owner who partnered with Lowell Custom Homes and Geneva Cabinet Company to completely remodel its 15,000 square feet. This remodel included a new open kitchen plan and multiple bathrooms along with snack bar areas in the rec room and between guest bedrooms. The design transforms a once traditional mansion into a modern, inviting lakefront home that embodies today’s casual elegance and focus on indoor-outdoor living.

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.

The home was purchased as a vacation property and needed to be completely remodeled inside and out. Being from New Jersey, the homeowners wanted to capture a tranquil, tropical look with as little maintenance as possible. We removed a lot of hardscape from the front yard, to soften the curb appeal and introduce color and texture. The homeowners wanted the backyard to be a retreat where they could sit and enjoy the space, and fully embrace the 'vacation' aspect of the home. We created a two-level deck and patio, with outdoor kitchen, retractable screen, and pergola for entertaining. Raised planters soften the space, and an accent wall buffers noise from the air conditioner. We re-roofed an existing tiki hut, where the homeowner practices yoga, and incorporated statues found on site. Full property landscape lighting and drip irrigation were introduced and we re-landscaped the entire yard. Photo by Pono Visual Expression

The homeowners of this beautiful craftsman designed home purchased a beautiful country property for their dream home. Located just outside of downtown Chattanooga, sits this livable luxurious open floor plan craftsman home. Great for entertaining, or just relaxing with the family. The home has lots of added storage cabinetry to hold all those special items that a family collects over the years. Philip Slowiak Photography

The homeowners of this beautiful craftsman designed home purchased a beautiful country property for their dream home. Located just outside of downtown Chattanooga, sits this livable luxurious open floor plan craftsman home. Great for entertaining, or just relaxing with the family. The home has lots of added storage cabinetry to hold all those special items that a family collects over the years. Philip Slowiak Photography

The homeowners of this beautiful craftsman designed home purchased a beautiful country property for their dream home. Located just outside of downtown Chattanooga, sits this livable luxurious open floor plan craftsman home. Great for entertaining, or just relaxing with the family. The home has lots of added storage cabinetry to hold all those special items that a family collects over the years. Philip Slowiak Photography