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Steve Kennedy lives in a barn. At least that's where he spends a great deal of time when he's not at work running Kennedy, Inc., manufacturers of sterling silver corporate gifts. After all, that's where he keeps his baby - a 1954 Chevy half-ton, step-side pickup with a short bed and 5-window cab.
Steve restores vintage trucks at home in a special building out back - equipped for just that occasion. But don't let the barn boards and beams fool you. As someone who knows the value of high-end merchandise, Steve works on his latest project with the help of Lista drawer storage cabinets. He uses them to store and organize all the parts and tools he needs to keep his truck's 235 cubic inch straight 6 with four-on-the-floor purring like a kitten.
This is Steve's country.
"We have Lista products in our factory, so I've become accustomed to that level of quality - other products seem like junk in comparison. Lista is the premium product, and when you compare pricing, you appreciate Lista's value."
Steve adopted the Chevy truck five years ago. It was solid with minimal rust at the time, but it was sorely in need of a cab-off restoration. Now that it's looking sweet, it gets all the attention almost.
"The first thing people look at when they come to the barn is, obviously, the Chevy truck. But right after that, they start staring at the Lista cabinets. They say, 'Oh man, Lista - that's the best!' "

This cramped 1970s master bathroom was in need of an organized overhaul with modern selections. A custom barn door with mirror on both sides and unique overlay on one side creates a beautiful invitation to this retreat. The particularly designed bathroom floor provides an eye catching iridescent tile strip that is repeated in the shower as the vertical band. Opposite of the new shower fixtures is a tall bump-in with shower shelves where the lowest shelf doubles as a toe ledge for shaving. The new sink vanity cabinets offer optimal organizational areas including a drawer that incorporates a USB plug-in for a charging station and an outlet for all the hair styling tools. Outside this bathroom area is a special dressing area with custom cabinets to incorporate storage and organization for laundry hampers, clothes, jewelry and purses. This beautiful retreat was photographed by Michael Hunter Photography.

coCraft homes are built with precision manufacturing tools and techniques including: laser leveled jigs, overhead cranes, and elevated framing tables. Skilled craftsmen working in a climate controlled specially designed facility build every one of our homes, providing an unparalleled quality of construction.
All EcoCraft new homes feature an airtight and continuously insulated building enclosure which maximizes energy efficiency, health, comfort, and durability.
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This gazebo area, behind the guesthouse, was once a catch-all area for lumber and old tools. When the peonies bloom is a time of special splendor. Emblematic Butterflies and Dragonflies appear on the stepping stones inlaid in the gravel path

Bathed in natural light, this English Cottage kitchen addition honors the charm of the home’s 1938 architecture while perfectly framing sweeping garden views. From the apron-front farm sink, you look straight through the garden arch into the shade garden and orchard beyond, a daily reminder of the home’s idyllic garden.
The kitchen’s flow creates a natural gathering place for family and loved ones, sitting just off the living room and anchored by a custom island modeled after an antique dairy table. Its classic turned legs and warm wood give the island a timeless, heirloom charm. Deep drawers generously accommodate pots and pans, while a clever rollout above stores lids neatly in place, making every piece easy to find. A bespoke glass-front hutch in a soft greige accent color showcases the homeowners’ collected antique serveware treasures, adding both contrast and personality.
To give the space a sense of grandeur, the ceiling was raised a foot higher than the rest of the home. Tongue-and-groove paneling and hand-hewn beams lend a feeling of intention and history to the added height. Arched openings—echoing the home’s original architecture—frame the breakfast nook, dining room, and entry to the living room.
The breakfast nook itself is pure cottage charm, with built-in bench seating, a replicated arched niche for display, and a view that invites cozy mornings and quiet evenings. An antique crystal chandelier hangs above the island, each crystal catching and giving a special sparkle, while a leaded diamond-glass transom gracefully frames the entry to the butler’s pantry.
Custom inset cabinetry brings nostalgic detail, complemented by unlacquered brass hardware and lighting. A French-made bridge faucet and pot filler in polished nickel introduce a refined mix of metals. The classic marble-inspired quartz countertops pair seamlessly with a handmade ceramic subway tile backsplash, while the Italian Ilve range stands as both a culinary tool and a statement piece.
Every inch of this kitchen is designed for beauty and purpose, from integrated storage that keeps everything in its place to architectural details that make it feel as if it has always been part of this storybook English cottage.
Photos by MK Photography

coCraft homes are built with precision manufacturing tools and techniques including: laser leveled jigs, overhead cranes, and elevated framing tables. Skilled craftsmen working in a climate controlled specially designed facility build every one of our homes, providing an unparalleled quality of construction.
All EcoCraft new homes feature an airtight and continuously insulated building enclosure which maximizes energy efficiency, health, comfort, and durability.

This property was in theLadbroke Grove area of West London near Kensington. The client had found an old and probably original black and white checkered pattern Victorian tiled floor under their cork tiled flooring. They also reported that it was badly damaged so I thought it would be best if I paid them a visit first to see how extensive the damage was and whether it was repairable. The floor was in a quite a state, the tiles were covered in glue from the cork and had several areas had been back filled with cement.
I reassured them that the damage could be rectified, and that it would be possible to completely restore the floor back to a good standard. I would have to remove the glue, remove the cement that had been used to level the floor and replace with reclaimed tiles to match. They were relieved to find out it could be done and happy with my quote I was instructed to go ahead with the work.
We started by taping up the skirting boards to protect the woodwork. With this done attention was turned to the glue which was softened using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go so it could be carefully scraped off. Multiple techniques and tools were needed to remove the glue including hand-held scrappers and a black pad fitted to a buffing machine. For the stubborn areas steam was applied to help lift the adhesive out the tile.
Once all the glue was removed the floor was rinsed and the alkaline cleaner neutralised with Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up which further cleaned the tiles and removed old traces of grout from the floor. Old floors like this generally don’t have a damp proof membrane underneath so the acids in the Grout Clean-up also counter any efflorescent salts trapped in the tile.
Once this was completed the slurry was removed with a wet vacuum and left to fully dry out overnight.
The following day focus turned to repairing the areas of the floor where the tiles were missing or broken. The main issue being the cemented areas, we see this a lot with Victorian Hallways and generally what happens is a heating engineer digs out the floor to install pipework. Not being tilers, your average plumber then repairs the floor with a self-levelling cement that brings the level up to the surface of the tile so it can be covered with lino, carpet of in this case cork.
The sub floor was then rebuilt with rapid setting self-levelling compound but this time to below the level of the tile.
Once the new base was dry it was a just a question of re-tiling with the replacement tiles to match the original checkered pattern. The replacement reproduction tiles were sourced from Original Features in Crouch End North London. After grouting we left the floor to dry out over the weekend.
When we returned to seal the floor our first step was to check the floor was dry using a moisture meter. This is critical as the sealant will not cure correctly if there is too much moisture in the floor. In this case the extra two days we had allowed had done its job and the test had confirmed it was ready to accept a sealer.
The client wanted the floor finish not to be too shiny once sealed so we opted to seal with two coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. This is good choice for old Victorian floors such as this example as it’s special acrylic-based formula allows for moisture vapour transmission which as mentioned previously is a concern where no damp proof membrane has been installed.
I’m please to confirm my clients were delighted with the result, as you can see from the pictures the black and white floor restoration makes for a dramatic entrance well in keeping with the style of the property. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will keep the tiles in good condition going forward without damaging the new sealer.
Jackson Davis
Central London Tile Doctor

Sponsored
Delaware, OH
Buckeye Basements, Inc.
Central Ohio's Basement Finishing ExpertsBest Of Houzz '13-'21

1200 sq.ft addition with exterior make over.
Modern glass garage doors really changed the curb appeal of this home.
Special thanks to Architect Perry Cox

Bathed in natural light, this English Cottage kitchen addition honors the charm of the home’s 1938 architecture while perfectly framing sweeping garden views. From the apron-front farm sink, you look straight through the garden arch into the shade garden and orchard beyond, a daily reminder of the home’s idyllic garden.
The kitchen’s flow creates a natural gathering place for family and loved ones, sitting just off the living room and anchored by a custom island modeled after an antique dairy table. Its classic turned legs and warm wood give the island a timeless, heirloom charm. Deep drawers generously accommodate pots and pans, while a clever rollout above stores lids neatly in place, making every piece easy to find. A bespoke glass-front hutch in a soft greige accent color showcases the homeowners’ collected antique serveware treasures, adding both contrast and personality.
To give the space a sense of grandeur, the ceiling was raised a foot higher than the rest of the home. Tongue-and-groove paneling and hand-hewn beams lend a feeling of intention and history to the added height. Arched openings—echoing the home’s original architecture—frame the breakfast nook, dining room, and entry to the living room.
The breakfast nook itself is pure cottage charm, with built-in bench seating, a replicated arched niche for display, and a view that invites cozy mornings and quiet evenings. An antique crystal chandelier hangs above the island, each crystal catching and giving a special sparkle, while a leaded diamond-glass transom gracefully frames the entry to the butler’s pantry.
Custom inset cabinetry brings nostalgic detail, complemented by unlacquered brass hardware and lighting. A French-made bridge faucet and pot filler in polished nickel introduce a refined mix of metals. The classic marble-inspired quartz countertops pair seamlessly with a handmade ceramic subway tile backsplash, while the Italian Ilve range stands as both a culinary tool and a statement piece.
Every inch of this kitchen is designed for beauty and purpose, from integrated storage that keeps everything in its place to architectural details that make it feel as if it has always been part of this storybook English cottage.
Photos by MK Photography
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