Amazing clients like those of the Briar Hill House don't come along too often, and boy, am I ever feeling lucky that I got to work with these ones! Not only was this young family so sweet (with two adorable little 2 girls, plus a new baby boy!), but it was important to the homeowners to respect the character of the existing house, which I LOVE!
The goal was to update the (very) dated post-war bungalow to suit the modern needs of the clients' family, while still preserving the historic charm. We started by replanning the house: knocking out a few non load-bearing walls to open up the kitchen/dining/living room and turning the stairs that lead to the basement 180 degrees (to be accessed from the upstairs hall, rather than through the kitchen). Since there is only one bathrooms on the main level, we stole some square footage from the adjacent 3rd bedroom to make it more comfortable. The basement was retrofitted to make it a walk-out, with 2 good-sized bedrooms, a full bathroom and a generous playroom/media room for the family to enjoy.
We settled on a "transitional" approach to the style of the renovation. The open concept, and airy palette feels modern, while beautiful details, (such as the refinished hardwood floors, and antique doorknobs and fixtures), speak to the origins of the house. The mix of old and new made my heart so happy, and I can't express how pleased I am with the outcome!
A big thanks to Ranger Homes for their work on the construction, and the homeowners of the Briar Hill House for being such dream clients :)
These "before" photos (above) leave no question why an extensive renovation was required!
