tile

That’s a Wrap! Fairmount Major Renovation – Phase 1

by

1501171200_kitchen.backsplash.tile_

In the next couple of weeks, we’ll be wrapping up Phase 1 of a comprehensive renovation of a 19th Century twin home in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood. As you may recall, this project started with the restoration of a storm-damaged cupola, then grew to encompass a kitchen and breakfast room remodel/addition, laundry room redesign, new windows and lighting, exterior paint, and a reconfigured outdoor patio space. We are currently completing painting, tile, and other finishes, disassembling scaffolding, and removing the wraps from the beautiful new light fixtures. The homeowners, who have been living off-site during this project, are anxious to see the finished results of Phase 1, and they’re also eager to dive right into Phase 2, which will involve renovating the third floor, adding a small deck, and building a large dormer that provides access to the deck. We will also address some some window, roof, and ceiling issues in the first-floor living room. Beyond that, there are some HVAC and other mechanical issues that may need our attention.

After the unveiling of Phase 1, the homeowners will not only have beautiful and functional new kitchen and breakfast areas, they will also have meeting space that serves as “Ground Zero” for planning the remainder of their whole-home renovation. This is a big house with lots of projects happening at the same time. While this may be a daunting undertaking for some homeowners, breaking it into distinct phases has helped to keep it very manageable for our clients. We simply came up with a viable plan that fit their lifestyle and budget.

Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page — we’ll soon be posting Phase 1 “after” shots!

Random Thoughts on “Big Box” Styling

by

When you walk through the home furnishings aisles in any of the “big box” retail stores, you will find that textiles, lighting and accessories are all offered in a general color range of brown, beige, or off-white. You may find the occasional splash of low-grade red or green in items like curtains or rugs, but that’s as much diversity of style as you will find.

We find this limited color scheme off-putting, especially when there are so many wonderful small boutique suppliers online and in most towns where you can find better quality items in a much broader color scheme that are created to work with the era of your home.

The following are some pointers on finding good quality, “out-of-the-big-box” materials:

  • Tile. Tile is made of clay with some color added into the mix of the glaze. Better colors, even earth tones, cost more than listless tans and beiges. Similarly, a deep glaze tile costs more than the thin surface on a cheap tile. However, a quality white tile doesn’t cost very much more than an inferior tan tile, yet it looks so much better!
  • Cabinetry. Cabinets that are made of natural materials, like wood, should look like real wood. The finish on a cheap wood cabinet will look more like plastic and will not be deep or interesting to look at. Need a point of reference? Go to any good antique furniture store and examine what the wood looks like. You’ll see French polish, milk paint, varnish, oil or waxed finishes … with no “plastic” on display. Those old pieces have served generations of people and actually increased in their value! If you are looking at painted cabinetry, the signature advantages of good quality products are that they will age gracefully and retain their crisp color over time. Conversely, cheap painted cabinetry will discolor, and the finish will be hard to keep clean.
  • Metal Finishes. Metal is another material group that should never look like plastic. A well-crafted item made of metal will last generations. For example, a 1910 nickel faucet can still be in great working order after it gets a new washer. With age, it will get a soft patina, while a new, high-gloss brass or low-end chrome fixture will have no depth of color, and the surface will quickly pit.
  • Plastic Accessories. Plastic has its place and is perfectly fine for certain uses, as long as it is stable, long-lasting plastic, such as Bakelite, which became popular for use in fashion and industrial design items in the 1920s. New plastics, such as the recent makeover of the classic aluminum Emeco chair, incorporate fewer petrochemicals and more recycled and organic components.

Construction Pros Who Study/Think

by

At our company, we are curious. We are always on the lookout for new and better ways of doing things.

In the modern world, many of the old ways of building no longer work. The building materials of old are no longer available. People live in their homes now very differently than they did 20 to 50 years ago. These changes are even more apparent when we work on an 80 – 100-year-old home. Kitchens are no longer in the shed out back to prevent fires from consuming the whole home. Bathrooms have moved from the back yard or back porch into the sleeping quarters and near new kitchen locations inside, thanks to indoor plumbing technology — which is amazing if you think about it.

Read more

Some Kitchen Facelift Photos to Enjoy!

by

Here are some snaps of the kitchen facelift project we are doing. In these photos you can see;

1. How the tile backsplash looks in process. We miter the outside corners for a nice finish! Our guys’ tile saw was freezing up in the cold!

2. The electrician in installing all new switches and outlets, now that he has corrected the dangerous wiring problem. It could have started a fire!

Project highlights include replacing counters, backsplash tile (insulating first here since there was none!), repairing dangerous wiring to the outlets and appliances, replacing the fake wood floor with a real pre-finished one, installing a new patio door, installing new and better lighting, painting, and reworking the cabinet trim. We had a custom table built in stainless steel as well. Check in later to see more photo updates!