The exterior of this home was update to reflect the farmhouse style with new board and batten siding, Marvin windows and doors and updated landscaping and entry featuring bluestone.

The owners of this 1956 ranch home in Atlanta partnered with Copper Sky Design + Remodel to modernize the space while enhancing its mid-century character. The standout feature of the project is the kitchen, where a custom curved wood tambour island adds a striking retro element. This open-concept space is warmed by wood ceiling beams and tongue-and-groove planks, creating a blend of mid-century charm and modern functionality. The adjacent breakfast nook offers a cozy spot for morning coffee, while geometric tile patterns and asymmetrical designs throughout the kitchen honor the home's original era. The remodel included reconfiguring the floor plan to add practical spaces like a laundry room, jack-and-jill bathroom, and pantry. The primary bathroom was updated with retro-inspired hexagon tiles, tying the room's design into the home's mid-century aesthetic. In the entryway, a vibrant front door and modern tile work, paired with clerestory windows, create a bright and welcoming atmosphere. On the exterior, new wood-look garage doors and vintage breeze blocks enhance the home's curb appeal, while a fresh coat of paint ties everything together. These thoughtful updates to both the interior and exterior reflect a harmonious balance between mid-century nostalgia and modern living.

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Jim Westphalen
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Design by Beth Keim, owner lucy and company, photo by Mekenzie Loli
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Haris Kenjar
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Photo: Margot Hartford ˙© 2016 Houzz
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Photography: Agnieszka Jakubowicz / Design/Build: Level Up Remodeling
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The formal living room now includes a custom bar in black. the cane fronts and glass doors are lit from behind, giving extra mood. The chandelier is certainly a scene stealer from every view.

A historic home in Alexandria get an updated traditional makeover.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel in DC Metro with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Middlefork was retained to update and revitalize this North Shore home to a family of six. The primary goal of this project was to update and expand the home's small, eat-in kitchen. The existing space was gutted and a 1,500-square-foot addition was built to house a gourmet kitchen, connected breakfast room, fireside seating, butler's pantry, and a small office. The family desired nice, timeless spaces that were also durable and family-friendly. As such, great consideration was given to the interior finishes. The 10' kitchen island, for instance, is a solid slab of white velvet quartzite, selected for its ability to withstand mustard, ketchup and finger-paint. There are shorter, walnut extensions off either end of the island that support the children's involvement in meal preparation and crafts. Low-maintenance Atlantic Blue Stone was selected for the perimeter counters. The scope of this phase grew to include re-trimming the front façade and entry to emphasize the Georgian detailing of the home. In addition, the balance of the first floor was gutted; existing plumbing and electrical systems were updated; all windows were replaced; two powder rooms were updated; a low-voltage distribution system for HDTV and audio was added; and, the interior of the home was re-trimmed. Two new patios were also added, providing outdoor areas for entertaining, dining and cooking. Tom Harris, Hedrich Blessing

A historic home in Alexandria gets an updated traditional makeover.
Example of a mid-sized transitional master beige tile and ceramic tile travertine floor, beige floor, double-sink and wallpaper alcove shower design in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a bidet, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, beige countertops and a built-in vanity

Sustainable design helps environmentally conscious clients update their house and simultaneously balance their own needs and desires with an eye to future buyers. Their intention was to have a fresh, new and thoughtful design, adding value to their home and eliminating any additional negative environmental impact. Their concerns were to reduce waste and eliminate impact on landfills by reclaiming, repurposing, reusing and updating all of their existing fine but very dated furniture and furnishings with a new and contemporary design. The project budget was informed by the prevailing real estate values in their neighborhood.

After years of enjoying their backyard, the clients of this property enlisted our firm to improve the original landscape we had completed over ten years ago. Our goal was to update the patio and further develop their backyard by creating a garden with a variety of color and texture. Over time the existing patio had settled, plantings grew, and an existing Oak thrived. During the initial home and landscape construction our clients were particularly concerned about the health of the mature Oak located just off the home. Special care was given when the patio was first built. Precautions were again taken in working around the Oak as the existing patio was removed and replaced. Surrounding trees and shrubs had grown and enclosed the backyard limiting access. This required almost all work and transport of material to be done by hand. The old concrete paver patio was replaced with bluestone. Existing mortared limestone around the edges of the patio levels were cleaned and tuck-pointed. A new stoop was constructed with mortared limestone risers and bluestone treads. A built-in grill and fireplace further updated the backyard space. The fireplace was designed to follow the organic curve of the patio. Mortared limestone and bluestone material were repeated on all elements, tying them together. Along with the updated patio, many additions were made in transforming the modest backyard into a lush garden. Masses of annuals, ornamental grasses, and perennials along with mixed shrubs created sweeps of color and texture in front of a new arborvitae hedge and other existing trees and shrubs. After careful planning and execution the completed landscape gave our clients the updated landscape they desired. The completion of the project was a rewarding and fulfilling experience as we transformed a good past project into a fantastic new project.

Contractor: Dovetail Renovation Interior Design: Martha Dayton Design Photography: Spacecrafting
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