Our homeowner approached us first in order to remodel her master suite. Her shower was leaking and she wanted to turn 2 separate closets into one enviable walk in closet. This homeowners projects have been completed in multiple phases. The second phase was focused on the kitchen, laundry room and converting the dining room to an office. View before and after images of the project here: http://www.houzz.com/discussions/4412085/m=23/dining-room-turned-office-in-los-angeles-ca https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4425079/m=23/laundry-room-refresh-in-la https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4440223/m=23/banquette-driven-kitchen-remodel-in-la We feel fortunate that she has such great taste and furnished her home so well! Bedroom: The art on the wall is a piece that the homeowner brought back from a trip to France. The room feels luxe and romantic. Walk in Closet: The walk in closet features built in cabinetry including glass doored cabinets. It offer shoe storage, purse storage and even linens. The walk in closet has recessed lighting. Master Bathroom: The master bathroom offers a make-up desk and plenty of lights and mirrors! Utilizing both pendant and recessed lighting, the bathroom feels bright and white even though it is a combination of white and beige. The white shaker cabinets are contrasted by a dark granite countertop. Favoring a large shower over a tub we were able to include a large niche for storage. The tile and floor are both limestone.

This collection is an arrangement of beautiful scenes from photography of the Lower Southeastern region of the United States and beyond! Michelle’s ever expanding collection of watery Low Country sea and landscapes are influenced by all those field trips, and the ability to soak up the very unique flavors, up and down the Atlantic coastline. She then translates her travels and impressions onto the canvas just as soon as she returns home to her busy Studio space so near and dear to her heart.

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.

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The Large Flush Hybrid-Fyre™ Wood Insert Rect. Is the cleanest burning, most efficient, large wood insert in the world! This wood insert burns so clean that it produces only 0.58 grams of emissions per hour and tests at over 80% efficiency. Its revolutionary Hybrid-Fyre™ technology is what makes for an incredibly clean burn that emits virtually no smoke or carbon monoxide, all while saving you money and trips to the wood pile. The Large Flush Hybrid-Fyre™ Wood Insert is approved to fit large zero clearance and masonry fireplaces with its 19 inch depth and 3 cubic foot firebox. It features a huge fire viewing area that comes available with decorative rectangular and arched door options. It also includes concealed twin 90 CFM convection fans that powerfully heat up to 2,500 square feet, while producing burn times of up to 12 hours.

Our clients had just adopted a baby girl and needed extra space with a full bath for friends and family to come visit (and help out). The garage had previously been converted into a guest room with a sauna and half bath. The washer and dryer where located inside of the closet in the guest room, which made it difficult to do laundry when guest where there. That whole side of the house needed to be converted to more functional living spaces. We removed the sauna and some garage storage to make way for the new bedroom and full bathroom area and living space. We were still able to kept enough room for two cars to park in the garage, which was important to the homeowners. The bathroom has a stand-up shower in it with a folding teak shower seat and teak drain. The green quartz slate and white gold glass mosaic accent tile that the homeowner chose is a nice contrast to the Apollo White floor tile. The homeowner wanted an updated transitional space, not too contemporary but not too traditional, so the Terrastone Star Light quartz countertops atop the Siteline cabinetry painted a soft green worked perfectly with what she envisioned. The homeowners have friends that use wheelchairs that will need to use this bathroom, so we kept that in mind when designing this space. This bathroom also serves as the pool bathroom, so needs to be accessible from the hallway, as well. The washer and dryer actually stayed where they were but a laundry room was built around them. The wall in the guest bedroom was angeled and a new closet was built, closing it off from the laundry room. The mud room/kid’s storage area was a must needed space for this homeowner. From backpacks to lunchboxes and coats, it was a constant mess. We added a bench with cabinets above, shelving with bins below, and hooks for all of their belongings. Optimum Penny wall covering was added a fun touch to the kid’s space. Now each child has their own space and mom and dad aren’t tripping over their backpacks in the hallway! Everyone is happy and our clients (and their guests) couldn’t be happier with their new spaces! Design/Remodel by Hatfield Builders & Remodelers | Photography by Versatile Imaging

This collection is an arrangement of beautiful scenes from photography of the Lower Southeastern region of the United States and beyond! Michelle’s ever expanding collection of watery Low Country sea and landscapes are influenced by all those field trips, and the ability to soak up the very unique flavors, up and down the Atlantic coastline. She then translates her travels and impressions onto the canvas just as soon as she returns home to her busy Studio space so near and dear to her heart.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.

This client loves to entertain and wanted lots of space for people to gather. The back yard backs up to several large Redwood trees and she loves to hike in the Redwood forests so she wanted her yard to be rustic, woodsy, full of native plants, trees, birds, and butterflies. She enjoyed our field trip to the rock store to choose these large boulders some of which double as seats around the fire pit. People siting at this fire pit area are situated perfectly to enjoy the stream we built with several lit-up waterfalls.

The Brahmin - in Ridgefield Washington by Cascade West Development Inc. Every area of this home is designed to be spacious and accommodating. Its supersized nook area, the extra-large Pantry area to handle all the trips from Costco, down to the oversized Mud Room with benches, cubbies and large closet, to the spacious Guest Room with a private bath all of which are on the Main floor, but wait there is more! Head through the corner of the kitchen and you’ll find the “12th man Room” an incredibly cozy sized room, that features a 2nd Fireplace, Vaulted Ceilings, a Wet Bar with an under cabinet refrigerator, a sink, microwave for the popcorn and last but not least the Big Screen for Game Day! Be the Fan! Sit down, immerse yourself into the couch and turn it up! Commercial or Halftime?, …..just head outside and enjoy a breath of fresh air in the oversized back yard and throw some ball to remember the old days or drift into your favorite athlete’s stance and get geared up for the second half! Cascade West Facebook: https://goo.gl/MCD2U1 Cascade West Website: https://goo.gl/XHm7Un These photos, like many of ours, were taken by the good people of ExposioHDR - Portland, Or Exposio Facebook: https://goo.gl/SpSvyo Exposio Website: https://goo.gl/Cbm8Ya

This client wanted to brighten up their living room. They had an upholstered brown sectional they wanted to keep. To lighten up the overall room, the paint color was changed from a medium tan to a pale gray. A light gray area rug in an animal print texture was placed under the sectional. Custom blue, teal, and gray throw pillows, as well as cozy blue throws, were added to the sectional. A glass and wood coffee table allowed the texture of the rug to show through. Brass and steel decorative accessories were added to the coffee table for storing remote controls and coasters. Additional brass figurines (including an alligator...a common sight in Louisiana!), books, and a blue tray also decorated the coffee table. Abstract art was hung above the fireplace and the mantle was decorated with an antique clock, framed art, a ginger jar, a foo dog, and candlesticks. The multiple bookcases in the room were decorated with framed photos from family trips, navy decor, and copper accessories. Photo Credit: Oivanki Photography

Our clients had just adopted a baby girl and needed extra space with a full bath for friends and family to come visit (and help out). The garage had previously been converted into a guest room with a sauna and half bath. The washer and dryer where located inside of the closet in the guest room, which made it difficult to do laundry when guest where there. That whole side of the house needed to be converted to more functional living spaces. We removed the sauna and some garage storage to make way for the new bedroom and full bathroom area and living space. We were still able to kept enough room for two cars to park in the garage, which was important to the homeowners. The bathroom has a stand-up shower in it with a folding teak shower seat and teak drain. The green quartz slate and white gold glass mosaic accent tile that the homeowner chose is a nice contrast to the Apollo White floor tile. The homeowner wanted an updated transitional space, not too contemporary but not too traditional, so the Terrastone Star Light quartz countertops atop the Siteline cabinetry painted a soft green worked perfectly with what she envisioned. The homeowners have friends that use wheelchairs that will need to use this bathroom, so we kept that in mind when designing this space. This bathroom also serves as the pool bathroom, so needs to be accessible from the hallway, as well. The washer and dryer actually stayed where they were but a laundry room was built around them. The wall in the guest bedroom was angeled and a new closet was built, closing it off from the laundry room. The mud room/kid’s storage area was a must needed space for this homeowner. From backpacks to lunchboxes and coats, it was a constant mess. We added a bench with cabinets above, shelving with bins below, and hooks for all of their belongings. Optimum Penny wall covering was added a fun touch to the kid’s space. Now each child has their own space and mom and dad aren’t tripping over their backpacks in the hallway! Everyone is happy and our clients (and their guests) couldn’t be happier with their new spaces! Design/Remodel by Hatfield Builders & Remodelers | Photography by Versatile Imaging

A complete metamorphosis was needed to bring out the buried treasure hidden beneath this yard, and a family of five rattlesnakes had to find a new home! Here’s the short list of the awkward elements that had to be remedied: First, the neighbors’ living room window peered perpetually (like, all the time) and directly into the yard with no privacy whatsoever. None. Second, the vast deep end swallowed up the patio and provided no place for furniture, or walking. Only tripping and treading water was allowed. Third, the sunken lawn must have been an arena of some sort! Intentionally excavated from natural grade a full -42″ from the patio, for no good reason. Fourth, the not-worth-a-visit ramada was the focal point for the entire yard. See it up close! It’s gone. Fifth, the spa was shoved against the farthest wall and provided no invitation. It was so bad, it never had a photo taken! See the statue peeing between the two short columns? It’s over there. Peeing in the corner as all little boys are want to do. Sixth, the bbq and fire place were non-functional and equally uninviting, and here’s a better view of just how crowded the furniture is. Don’t fall in! Last, we will not mention the boulder pile droppings distributed around the yard. Oops! Sorry. The first order of business was to spend several weeks tearing out everything but the pool shell. Then another few weeks were spent wheelbarrowing in a few hundred yards of top soil (there was no access) to fill the matador pit flush to a more relatable -18″. The large gaping trough was then discretely hidden with large removable stones, so it was out of sight but still serviceable. Second, the neighbor was screened instantly with a row of mature Texas Ebony trees in a raised planter, that also housed a sculptural ironwood tree as the focal point of the property, soon to be reflected in the pool’s richer Midnight Blue pebble tec finish. A hundred or so yards of shotcrete filled not only the reclaimed deep end, but also created a sun shelf and spa ledge, now the focal jewel in the foreground as a 360 overflow vanishing edge spa clad in Pewter glass tile from Oceanside Glass, and viewed from all the interior living spaces. The BBQ was tucked around the corner out of sight but still easy access. The fireplace for two gave way to a large inviting built in banco, with a splashes of colorful fabrics to draw one out. The fire pit serves about 10 people easily, for hours at a time. Last but not least, the foreground of the pool became a sweeping entry shelf extending the full length of the pool, bedecked with fiberoptic starlights and six glowing bubblers set low, to just barely break the surface of the water, giving a lovely and tranquil sound while sleeping away with all retractable doors wide open. Simple. Serene. Self-evident. That is the remedy. If your project needs a similar touch, more or less, drop me a line and we’ll figure out a plan.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Artwork: Custom 'Low Tide Artwork' This collection is an arrangement of beautiful scenes from photography of the Lower Southeastern region of the United States and beyond! Michelle’s ever expanding collection of watery Low Country sea and landscapes are influenced by all those field trips, and the ability to soak up the very unique flavors, up and down the Atlantic coastline. She then translates her travels and impressions onto the canvas just as soon as she returns home to her busy Studio space so near and dear to her heart.

This client wanted to brighten up their living room. They had an upholstered brown sectional they wanted to keep. To lighten up the overall room, the paint color was changed from a medium tan to a pale gray. A light gray area rug in an animal print texture was placed under the sectional. Custom blue, teal, and gray throw pillows, as well as cozy blue throws, were added to the sectional. A glass and wood coffee table allowed the texture of the rug to show through. Brass and steel decorative accessories were added to the coffee table for storing remote controls and coasters. Additional brass figurines (including an alligator...a common sight in Louisiana!), books, and a blue tray also decorated the coffee table. Abstract art was hung above the fireplace and the mantle was decorated with an antique clock, framed art, a ginger jar, a foo dog, and candlesticks. The multiple bookcases in the room were decorated with framed photos from family trips, navy decor, and copper accessories. Photo Credit: Oivanki Photography

DONATE NOW: https://www.paypal.me/SAVVYGIVINGTAMPA Cadence’s family monitors her closely every single day for evidence of bleeds. If she wakes up with a bruise, or splotchy marks on her skin, it can mean a trip to the hospital for infusions to bring her platelet levels up. Often, the process of an infusion leads to other infections and complications, which can lead to long hospital stays for Cadence and her family. As a result, Cadence has limited exposure to external activities and her families daily goal is to keep her safe and protect her from bumps. A tall order for any sweet and bubbly five year old.

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.