The owner of this suburban townhouse was looking to decorate her space in a clean contemporary style. Her main priority was to accommodate her large extended family in the tiny family room off the kitchen where everyone always gathers. We maximized the seating with an apartment sized sectional that seats six, added a compact armless occasional chair in the fourth corner of the room and provided two ottomans that can be stored against the wall and brought out for extra seating when needed. A palette of grays and warm walnut wood tones are punctuated with hits of orange and fuchsia in changeable items like toss pillows and throw blankets. Interior Design by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography.

Wall mount fireplace, travertin surround, tv wall, privacy-filmed windows, bookshelves builtin

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.

Our clients needed more space for their family to eat, sleep, play and grow. Expansive views of backyard activities, a larger kitchen, and an open floor plan was important for our clients in their desire for a more comfortable and functional home. To expand the space and create an open floor plan, we moved the kitchen to the back of the house and created an addition that includes the kitchen, dining area, and living area. A mudroom was created in the existing kitchen footprint. On the second floor, the addition made way for a true master suite with a new bathroom and walk-in closet.

Remodel of a den and powder room complete with an electric fireplace, tile focal wall and reclaimed wood focal wall. The floor is wood look porcelain tile and to save space the powder room was given a pocket door.

Custom media cabinet, custom sectional sofa, custom cocktail ottoman, custom area rug, stone-clad fireplace, gray, purple, black, fusia, blue, beige, cream

We love a sleek shiplap fireplace surround. Our clients were looking to update their fireplace surround as they were completing a home remodel and addition in conjunction. Their inspiration was a photo they found on Pinterest that included a sleek mantel and floor to ceiling shiplap on the surround. Previously the surround was an old red brick that surrounded the fire box as well as the hearth. After structural work and granite were in place by others, we installed and finished the shiplap fireplace surround and modern mantel.

Caitlin Abrams

Great Room

Jeff Herr

Bleached oak built-in with leather pulls.

Not your average Loft. We've created a fun and unique space in this Loft with a hanging acrylic chair, modular sofa and floating back-lit panels