Sidings and Trims

At our home renovation project underway, once the windows are in and the water vapor material wraps the structure, the siding and window trims are installed.  The windows are trimmed to match the existing windows of the home, and consist of a labor-intensive process of trimming boards and profile trims precisely. Once the flashing is installed over the window trims, the siding is installed.  The siding, too, has been ordered and installed to match the width of the siding on the rest of the home.

All of these steps are a time-honored system that effectively wraps the home in a water-shedding shell.
Though today, a combination of wood and Hardie board is used (fiber-cement siding material), once painted, all of these surfaces will look like they've been a part of the home forever!

In addition, a new railing has been installed that wraps the perimeter of the roof over the family room and covered patio extension.  This railing helps to visually tie the addition to the home.

While all this has been happening on the exterior of the home, great progress has been made on the pool renovation, and interior walls and cabinetry are being installed.  Wait till you see!

Buttoning Up

Getting new construction buttoned up against the elements is always an immediate goal during the process. You want to be sure that nothing on the interior is exposed to rain damage, so nothing that has potential for major water damage is installed before the exterior is sealed.  This means the roof is shingled, exterior walls wrapped, and windows and doors in place.

Aside from the very practical elements that window and door installation satisfy, once they are in place the true character of the home or addition starts to unfold.

Custom windows and doors would be ordered at the start of construction, and delivered as a package. Here they come!

And as soon as they arrive, the installation begins.  Fingers crossed that all measurements were accurate, and all were made to order!

Looks great!  With windows in place, the interior can start to be closed in with sheetrock, and before you know it the space will be livable...well, almost.  A ways to go before it's ready to use, but great progress has been made!

Construction/Destruction

In a project like the one we've been following, since opening up the exterior walls of a home is involved, the rebuilding very quickly (if not simultaneously) occurs after the demolition.  Here, most of the back end of the home was removed for the new windows, patio and addition.

 

 

New piers for the addition are poured, and the constructions begins.  This will be buttoned up and waterproofed within a few days time.

Windows go in next, then the more tedious interior work starts; running all new electric in the renovated areas, new AC....and as is almost always the case in these older homes, a surprise or two...!

Solutions On Paper

Last week we started following a new design project we're currently in the midst of.  We saw pictures of the "before" conditions....not bad!  The design process always begins with meetings to discuss program and expectations.  We really focus on details of their dream spaces, and what it will take to get there, in hopes of satisfying as many of those conditions as possible.

If more than one design solution really makes sense, we often present a client with two or even sometimes three or more options for their space.  Sometimes there is a definite standout, and often the next phase of the design process will be to combine elements from one or more of the floor plan options into a final plan.

Since this renovation adds more floor space to the home, and affects the exterior views--and due to the fact that the property is in an historic district--elevations showing the existing exterior conditions and the roof plan were created.

Here are two new floor plan options that were presented to the client.  The new footprint is the same in each, but the kitchen orientation is shown in two completely different ways.

This shaded drawing shows the new areas being added to the home, part as a family room and part will a covered patio area.

A final plan was chosen, and detailed elevations were created for each and every wall.  Now the fun can start!  Demolition time!

Making Okay Spaces Better

Not every design project has the same starting point.  Often, we're called in to a make sense out of a chaotic space...but sometimes we get to take a space that looks pretty good, and take it to a whole new level.  A project that is currently underway is just that sort!

This historic property has beautiful, spacious living areas, but the kitchen and adjoining breakfast room were under scale by comparison, and though they had undergone a renovation from their original form, they could still use a fresher, more up-to-the-minute look.  Here are some interior before shots.

Likewise, the garden area was in need of updated finishes that would bring it in line with what the stately home deserves.  Here are before photos.
 

Next week we'll start taking a look at some of the design solutions, and watch this project as it takes shape!

Tear Out and Clean Up

For the courtyard project we've looked at over the past couple of weeks, as I mentioned previosly, the homeowners pretty much started demolition the day after the design was presented.  Once all of the old plantings, walkways, steps and railings were out of the way, they came in and ran the necessary electrical and pipes for irrigation.  Then, the "hard part" could begin!

We chose a rustic, man-made paver in an "Autumn blend", to coordinate with the Mediterranean colors in the house, and the existing walkway down the side of the house that will connect with the new paving.  But first, the pergola was constructed at one end of the courtyard area.  This pergola spans from the house to the apartment behind, and was carefully designed to fit precisely between and under the eaves of these two structures.

Though we most often recommend painting pergolas and arbors, this one will be sealed, but left natural for a more rustic appearance.  Here are more detail shots of the paver installation.

These areas along the side will be bordered with additional brick pavers to create the planting spaces.

And this centrally located circular area will house the fountain.

Several details of the project are still being finished up, so the final photographs may not appear for a couple of weeks.  But while we wait, we'll take a look at a large renovation project, also currently under way.  See you there!

Taming the Wild Things

Last week we took a look at a courtyard project where the old plantings had pretty much gone wild.  In meeting with the client to discuss their program, these were the goals we came up with:

1.) Remove the Tiki hut
2.) Create a new, larger partially shaded area
3.) Remove and simplify the plantings
4.) Create larger, clean space for entertaining
5.) Provide area for grilling
6.) Provide space for kitchen garden
7.) Provide space to potty dog
8.) Tie into existing paving in side yard area

A plan was devised that incorporates mostly paving, with simple, symmetrical planting spaces along the side.  A new pergola structure was designed that spans one end of the courtyard from the house to the apartment behind.  Raised planters were placed at one end of the courtyard which would add to the European feel.  Here is the proposed plan.

The very next day, these go-getter homeowners started the arduous task of tearing out brick and concrete walkways, metal railings and plantings.  It was a bear, but necessary to start laying out the plan.  We'll look at more of the process in the coming weeks!

Where the Wild Things Go!

Over the past year, we've had the great pleasure of working with a client on several projects in their home.  What started out as a consultation on ideas to treat a fireplace wall developed into a complete refurbishing of the living room, followed by the dining room, and a kitchen overhaul.  We were recently invited back to assist with an outdoor project.

Their Spanish bungalow has a small open area behind that connects to a separate apartment.  This area--which included a small palm covered tiki pavilion--had become a little wild, as you can see from these photographs.

Overgrown beds and mismatched hardscape materials have all but rendered the space unusable.  Their goal was to turn the space back into a useful area for entertaining that would also be easy to maintain.  Next week we'll take a look at the design solutions, and start watching the project come to life!