Going Up?

We've been watching progress on the kitchen and mudroom renovation that we recently designed. During the design process, a new layout for the second floor of the main house was also designed. The original intent was to do these renovations down the road, but the homeowner decided (and wisely, we think!) that the bulk of the work should be done before they move in and get settled.

The original floor plan of the second floor was a complicated warren of rooms, several of which could only be entered by walking through the adjacent room. Not the best situation for a family!

The client was offered three versions of a revised floor plan, and this is the plan that seems to offer the best solutions.

Due to the size of the family, it was important to keep the number of rooms intact, but the new layout will offer a more efficient and family-friendly use of the space.

Work is ferishly underway to add a new bathroom, closet areas, laundry room and renovations in other rooms.

A lot of work in store, but once again we think the contractor is up to the task. Countdown is on!

Built On-Site

On the recent renovation we've been following, the majority of the kitchen cabinets are in and have been covered up for protection while the rougher interior work continues.

While this is going on, a great trim carpenter is building the cubbies and storage areas into the mud room area. Here are a couple of views of the storage areas, each one carefully designed to accommodate specific needs.

And here are the built-in cubbies, one for each of the kids!

The bead board and trim will continue to wrap each of the mud room's walls. A trim carpenter who is this good is worth his weight in gold!

Bead board is very appropriate to the vintage of the home, and will also add a lot of extra durability to a part of the home that is inclined to take a beating.

Hope you keep checking on this job with us. It's going so fast that it seems like a different house every day we go see the progress!

No Rest For the Weary

The clock is ticking, and work continues at a fever pitch at our kitchen project. Take a look at what's happened since last week's check in.

What started out like this:

Within a few days looked like this:

Cabinet bases are in! Here is the dedicated bar area:

And here are some views of the island:

New doors and windows are installed in the renovated areas,

including the new multi-purpose mud room.

As in all renovations of this magnitude, many hours were spent with the clients determining their specific needs for certain appliances and storage solutions. Occasionally, a trip to an appliance gallery may reveal a need for a certain appliance that you didn't even know existed! As the project moves along, we'll detail some of the specific areas and solutions that will make this kitchen even more special for the clients.

Still work to be done, of course, but our hats are off to this contractor-Jim Lloyd of Lloyd Craftsmen--for keeping the project on target. Can't wait to see where we are this time next week!

Told You So!

I promised that this project was on a fast track, and the contractor is coming through with flying colors! When we last checked in, the walls were just being framed. Now, all walls are in, and the floors and ceiling have been leveled according to plan.

Here is the kitchen area, virtually ready to accept windows, doors and cabinets.

In this home, the mud room will be almost as intense as the kitchen with a pool bath, cabinetry, built-in lockers and cubbies, and closets for laundry and storage areas. At this stage, it looks like a lot of dividers and wing walls, but that will change soon!

Here's a view of the wonderful windows that will light the mud room.

And here are the openings for French doors that will lead from the new kitchen to the screened back porch. (Sorry about this shot, but I couldn't hold up progress by asking the carpenter to move. Every minute counts!)

The openings from the adjoining room in the original house have been widened to the kitchen and mud room, and transoms have been added. The transom on the left will be operational, and the one over the right door will be a "dummy".

And, oh yes...did I mention that we're moving quickly? The cabinet bases have all arrived, and are waiting for flooring to be installed.

This is almost unheard of! But it makes these homeowners very, very happy! (And us too...)

In The Walls

The demolition and structural reinforcement projects have been completed at our kitchen/mud room project, and now the interior framing is well underway. It's always exciting to see a warren of small, illogically used rooms open up into a well thought out space with a sensible flow. Here we can see this process happening.

I know, it looks like a bunch of two-by-fours, right? But if you were able to walk the newly defined space, you would get the feel.

Whenever possible, we like to widen door openings, and give as much new access to the exterior as possible, both visually and for traffic. This remodel affords ample opportunity for that, as you can see in these photos.

While the interior framing, plumbing and electric are going in, the exterior is simultaneously being worked on. The plywood siding has been wrapped in Tyvek, and exterior siding that matches the rest of the house is being applied.

Also, new rafter tails have been fashioned with a pattern made from the existing ones. Ultimately, the newly enclosed porch will be seamless with the rest of the house. We'll keep a close eye on this project. The clients hope to be able to move in in May, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed!

Woman on the Verge

There were a couple of delays due to product mis-ordering, and a lengthy delay due to the contractor being ill...and our client is (silently) pulling out her hair! She was hoping to have the house back to herself after today. Well, that's not going to happen, but if everything stays on schedule now, this time next week she'll be able to have a lovely soak in her new tub...in peace!

The contractor has done a great job of building a beautiful vanity, on-site. It's ready for the finishing touches by the marble installer.

And the tub surround is almost complete. Once all the plumbing is finalized, the final end panel will go on to close up the cabinet.

The WC, and sauna doors are now in place, complete with frosted glass, and the single entry door to the bathroom has been replaced with a pair of narrow doors that adds a lot of elegance to the new room.

Doors are trimmed, and the crown molding is mostly installed.

Though it seems like there is a lot left to do, the final details will happen quickly. Next time we look at this bathroom, I'll show you all the beautiful details and finishes that will make this special room well worth the wait!