J&J Contractors
After the passing of this homeowner’s husband, this family desired an entirely new fresh start. Looking at this as a new chapter in their lives, this family compiled a list of everything they have ever wanted in a home and when they couldn’t find what they were looking for – they created it. This family’s dream home wish list consisted of large, open spaces that were bright and contemporary. Mom wanted a master suite that she could relax and unwind in, as well as an office that was separate from the rest of the home. And the kids wanted a bathroom that was large enough to share.
This dated colonial was brought back to life with a complete facelift. The white siding was replaced with a modern slate 6” smart siding and the red brick was painted black and then whitewashed. Finished off with a black front door and garage door to compliment the new modern look. New windows, landscaping, driveway, patios, and stamped sidewalk completed the new exterior.
The previous front porch was dated and didn’t make the statement that this family was looking for. During design, they pulled inspiration from European lime-washed Italian homes, country cottages, and American craftsman style homes. The task for the design team was how to marry elements from each in a way that was beautiful as well as smart. To do this, the red brick was painted black and then whitewashed over the entire porch area. Then the newly painted brick was distressed by hand to bring the quaint detailing of cottage brick that the homeowners loved but maintained elements of the Italian style homes that sparked their imagination.
In order to bring the craftsman style to the front porch in a way that was sympathetic to the rest of the design, large statement columns were added. These columns bring the character that the homeowner’s desired but in a way that didn’t compete with the brick design. These columns provided support as well as replaced the half wall planter that was part of the previous layout. By removing the wall, the porch now had the open and welcoming layout they were looking for. New concrete was poured and stamped to stylishly finish off the front of the home.
New siding, windows, and accent trim transform the entire exterior of this home. The existing concrete was removed and replaced with a stamped patio, and the interior transformation allowed for the patio to be centered with the new patio doors‐ ideal for optimal indoor and outdoor entertaining.
Open. Bright. Large living space. That was what this family wanted to see when they walked through the front doors of their new home. The original layout of this home was a standard designed colonial with separate family room, kitchen, dining room, and living room. All areas were centered around an L shaped staircase.
Creating the open concept layout they were looking for, came with many support challenges the main one being the center staircase. Since this stairwell was original to the home, it was built in a time when the standard practice for stairwells was that the framing and finish work were the same things; meaning that all the stair treads were routed into the stairs themselves and all built out of solid, white oak. Given that the new open-concept was designed around the customer’s desire to have a straight stairwell, open on both sides, the question became do you remodel the existing, or tear it down and build it brand new? The original construction and need to change wood species from oak to hickory made it easier and more cost-effective to tear out the entire structure and rebuild it. This new construction allowed for both walls of the stairwell to be opened up and a classic wrought iron spindle design to provide a classic focal point for the home.
The stairwell construction was not the only obstacle encountered in creating this open concept home. By removing all the walls, a new support system needed to be added to ensure the home was structurally sound. As expected during this remodel process four support headers were added to the first-floor ceiling, however, what was unexpected was the condition of the existing floor joists! It was discovered that many of the support joists were weakened by a previous contractor, and had several 5 inch or larger holes drilled into them. In addition to the new support headers, these weakened floor joists were also replaced.
During the construction phase of the project, all of the first floor’s subflooring was replaced. The previous subfloor was soft and deemed not safe to proceed with. Instead, new Advantech sub-flooring was installed and glued, as well as screwed, into place. The floor was then covered with a soundproof layer and finished with 5” wide character grade hickory that was laid throughout the first and second floors.
The new living room location gave the opportunity to open the entertainment area to the outdoors. Adding a Plygem patio door to the private backyard was important to the homeowner, as they loved to spend time outdoors. A beautiful linear gas fireplace was added to the home to complete the area. The addition of the patio door also allowed more natural light to fill the space. Can lighting was added throughout the first floor to continue the bright feeling the homeowner was looking to achieve.
The previous layout left the home feel smaller than it actually was. By removing walls and existing storage the living area was able to span most of the first floor and allows the new fireplace with a custom stained mantle to be seen from almost any angle in the home.
A home office was a must for this homeowner. The sunroom attaching the home and garage was the perfect opportunity to not only achieve a truly attached garage but was a great space for a home office that provided privacy that the newly opened first floor lacked. To turn this previous sunroom area into a functional area of the home, that included access to the attached garage, the entire structure had to be torn down and rebuilt on the existing concrete slab. In addition to framing and insulating the new walls, the ceiling was spray foamed creating a “hot roof”. The hot roof design allowed the vaulted ceilings to stay in the space a wow factor, as well as help the room stay warmer for year‐round use. The windows were replaced with a privacy height transom window.
Part of this room’s transformation included raising the floor levels to be flush with the rest of the home. To complete the light and bright color scheme of the space, the ceiling was replaced with shiplap and lightly whitewashed to provide a statement and textural element to the room. Heated travertine tile was laid in a Versailles pattern to further emphasize the neutral palette. Completing the dream office was a custom locker system and landing zone as well as leathered granite countertops.
The larger patio doors were replaced with a full pane glass door, this allowed for more useable wall space in the room but still provided ample light to flow into the space. The larger, drafty windows were replaced with a small Plygem bay window. For complete convenience, this home office includes its own beverage station!
This oversized island provides additional seating and storage as well as houses the family’s microwave making it beautiful as well as multi-functional. The granite countertops act as both an accent piece within the kitchen and also a connecting feature to the countertops in the adjoining dining room. Large and unique pendant light adds attractive task lighting to the area.
The kitchen was relocated from the original location and moved to the opposite side of the first floor. This allowed for a larger kitchen area that included an oversized island, a must for this homeowner, seating. Custom painted maple cabinets flowed from the kitchen into the dining room providing a seamless transition in the large open space. Granite countertops, under cabinet lighting, tile backsplash, and matte black fixtures complemented the modern look.
Formal dining that wasn’t formal; that was the desire of the homeowner. They were looking for an area that the family was able to eat together that was clearly defined but not separated from the rest of the first floor. This “formal” seating area transitions from the kitchen with matching cabinetry and countertops, as well as coordinating design elements from the kitchen to connect the two spaces together.
The first-floor powder room remained the only area of the remodel that didn’t have any drastic structural changes. The bathroom was updated with a new energy-efficient Plygem window as well as coordinating granite counters and custom cabinetry to further connect the room to the rest of the home.
The second-floor hall bath was remodeled and turned into a more functional bathroom for the young children in the home. The small and dated shower was replaced with a larger tub and tiled shower, that features a large accent niche. As an unexpected and unique feature was the makeup station that was added to surprise her young daughter! Each child has their own area at this granite-topped, maple vanity as well as their own medicine cabinet mirror. Matte black hardware coordinates with the finishes of the first floor, further tying the home together.
Coordinating hickory flooring as well as open banister designs transition seamlessly from one floor to the next in this home. New interior doors and word work were run throughout the home as well.
The main objective for this second floor remodel was the homeowner’s desire for a large master suite. She needed an area to unwind and relax that was just hers. This was achieved by combing two bedrooms in order to create one larger bedroom, walk-in closet, and spacious en-suite.
This large bedroom was repurposed into an expansive master en-suite that featured a large, curbless walk-in tiled shower. Waterfall accent tiles coordinate to the shelved niches and are flanked by oversized subway tiles. The previous window was replaced with a more private transom window which combined with the added can lighting fill the space. New tile flooring, custom maple cabinets, and an oversized dual vanity add to the elegance and emphasize the size of the space.
New flooring, woodwork, and Plygem windows refreshed the bedroom space. To enhance the symmetrical feel of the windows, sconce lighting was suspended from the ceiling for a unique take on traditional bedside lighting.
