After the Storm: Ready to Help

We’re back in the office today and hearing from many folks with houses and decks hit by fallen trees, as well as flooded finished basements, as a result of Hurricane Sandy. We’ve also spoken to others who had forgotten routine home-maintenance issues that raised their heads during the storm.

Please be assured that we are here to help by providing a full array of storm repair services throughout Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties, as well as areas in NJ, including the shore points. Please call for information and assistance.

We’re Simplifying and Streamlining the Website

We’re making some changes to the organization of our website, to streamline and simplify our content, and make things a little more uniform. You may notice some minor disruptions as such things as menus change, but we think you’ll enjoy the result.

The Prize Installation

Monica B. is the proud winner of our recent George Nelson Bubble Pendant Lamp giveaway. Our team recently visited her home in Drexel Hill to install the pear-shaped light fixture in one of the corners of her charming living room. The simple lines and sculptural quality of this lamp will add interest and visual warmth to this corner of her home for years to come. And a tip of the hat to Electrical Wizardry, which did the installation.

Sorry About That….

Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!

The website was offline a bit during the last couple of hours, as I attempted to upgrade the backend WordPress version to 3.4. Without success. And then had to downgrade the website to version 3.3. Very carefully. Sometimes it takes a little while after an upgrade is released for all the various interacting parts to be upgraded too, so that everyone plays nicely together.

I’ll try again in a few days, after my blood pressure returns to normal.

Nelson Lamp Giveaway

We are excited to announce that we’re partnering with Design Within Reach’s Princeton Studio to provide and install a lovely George Nelson Pear Bubble Pendant lighting fixture for one lucky winner.

Architect George Nelson developed this fresh solution to lighting design in 1952 by spray coating a skeleton of steel wire with a layer of translucent plastic that allowed light to shine softly through and protect the eye from glare. The tautly stretched plastic emphasizes the simple form and sculptural quality of the lamp, making it an ideal fit for many different styles of home design. This giveaway, including installation, is valued at $750.

For a complete list of giveaway rules and to enter for your chance to win, please visit our Facebook page. Tell a friend!

Video Clip: Tamara Myers Interview

Tamara, who serves as Chair of the Membership Committee for the DelChester chapter of NARI, recently sat down with NARI’s Morgan Zenner at the National NARI 2012 CotY judging to discuss Myers Constructs, and the role NARI membership and certification plays within the company.

Watch it here.

Project Slideshow: Center City Kitchen Upgrade

With their five children grown and leaving the nest, our clients in this Center City rowhome are preparing for the next stage of their lives — and those plans include a brand new kitchen to replace the 30-year-old builder grade space they had been using. The clients wanted newer, more savvy appliances and fixtures, as well as a room that would accommodate their changing lifestyle, which includes entertaining their grown children and extended families. Even though the footprint of the kitchen was on the smaller side, they needed to max out its performance!

After removing everything from the old kitchen, we ran all new wiring and vented the oven hood exhaust to the outside (something the original builder had failed to do). We then installed Euro-styled flat-panel cabinets in a dark wood stain, along with new Bosch appliances that the homeowners had selected. We replaced the old kitchen floor with a comfortable cork product and added a wine and book storage area next to the kitchen in the dining area. Glass backsplash tile edged with chrome and polished chrome hardware on the cabinets provided a little “bling” for the finished space.

Updated Project Slideshow: East Falls Kitchen Renovation

This home is a lovely, large 1920s stone single in East Falls. The homeowners, who are now “empty nesters,” asked us to renovate their large kitchen, laundry, and breakfast areas at the rear of the house. They felt that these rooms, last remodeled in the late 1970s, were very cold and poorly designed and fitted. In talking to the clients, we learned that they planned to live in this home for many more years before considering selling. We also discovered that they often entertain their children and grandchildren, so it was important to have room for everyone, even though moving walls would not be possible. The couple wanted traditionally styled, long-lasting, high-quality materials in their new spaces.

Our designers’ first step was reorganizing the layout inside the existing walls for maximum comfort and use and reconfiguring the spaces for better circulation. They selected cabinetry that better fit the minimal, but large-scale features in the home, which still contains many of the original modest Quaker-inspired trims and details.

We next installed hard-wearing Marmoleum tile with under-floor heating to warm up the spaces, as well as high-end Thermador appliances and added lovely finishing touches like shiny silver pendant lighting and subway-style backsplash tiles.

View the slide show here.