Roger Wade Photography

The attic living space on the top level allowing sweeping views through large windows. Internally, an illusion of greater space has been created via high ceilings, extensive glazing, a bespoke central floating staircase and a restrained palette of natural colours and materials, including timber and marble.

The owners spend a great deal of time outdoors and desperately desired a living room open to the elements and set up for long days and evenings of entertaining in the beautiful New England air. KMA’s goal was to give the owners an outdoor space where they can enjoy warm summer evenings with a glass of wine or a beer during football season. The floor will incorporate Natural Blue Cleft random size rectangular pieces of bluestone that coordinate with a feature wall made of ledge and ashlar cuts of the same stone. The interior walls feature weathered wood that complements a rich mahogany ceiling. Contemporary fans coordinate with three large skylights, and two new large sliding doors with transoms. Other features are a reclaimed hearth, an outdoor kitchen that includes a wine fridge, beverage dispenser (kegerator!), and under-counter refrigerator. Cedar clapboards tie the new structure with the existing home and a large brick chimney ground the feature wall while providing privacy from the street. The project also includes space for a grill, fire pit, and pergola.

3 Season Room with fireplace and great views

An alcove in the sunroom is separated by a chaise that is part of the conversation grouping in both sitting areas.

Troy Theis Photography

The floors are reclaimed wood. French doors into Living room.

Back of home Before

Ayers Landscaping was the General Contractor for room addition, landscape, pavers and sod. Metal work and furniture done by Vise & Co.

We took an existing flat roof sunroom and vaulted the ceiling to open the area to the wonderful views of the Roanoke valley. New custom Andersen windows and trap glass was installed, A contemporary gas fireplace with tile surround was installed with a large flat screen TV above.

Joel Hernandez

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

At Archadeck of Nova Scotia we love any size project big or small. But, that being said, we have a soft spot for the projects that let us show off our talents! This Halifax house was no exception. The owners wanted a space to suit their outdoor lifestyle with materials to last far into the future. The choices were quite simple: stone veneer, Timbertech composite decking and glass railing. What better way to create that stability than with a solid foundation, concrete columns and decorative stone veneer? The posts were all wrapped with stone and match the retaining wall which was installed to help with soil retention and give the backyard more definition (it’s not too hard on the eyes either). A set of well-lit steps will guide you up the multi-level deck. The built-in planters soften the hardness of the Timbertech composite deck and provide a little visual relief. The two-tone aesthetic of the deck and railing are a stunning feature which plays up contrasting tones. From there it’s a game of musical chairs; we recommend the big round one on a September evening with a glass of wine and cozy blanket. We haven’t gotten there quite yet, but this property has an amazing view (you will see soon enough!). As to not spoil the view, we installed TImbertech composite railing with glass panels. This allows you to take in the surrounding sights while relaxing and not have those pesky balusters in the way. In any Canadian backyard, there is always the dilemma of dealing with mosquitoes and black flies! Our solution to this itchy problem is to incorporate a screen room as part of your design. This screen room in particular has space for dining and lounging around a fireplace, perfect for the colder evenings! Ahhh…there’s the view! From the top level of the deck you can really get an appreciation for Nova Scotia. Life looks pretty good from the top of a multi-level deck. Once again, we installed a composite and glass railing on the new composite deck to capture the scenery. What puts the cherry on top of this project is the balcony! One of the greatest benefits of composite decking and railing is that it can be curved to create beautiful soft edges. Imagine sipping your morning coffee and watching the sunrise over the water. If you want to know more about composite decking, railing or anything else you’ve seen that sparks your interest; give us a call! We’d love to hear from you.

Photography Credit - Jay Rush