Fireplace Repair

Purchasing an older home can be filled with romantic ideas of entertaining family, friends and late night dinner parties or soirees. The reality...it may take a little work before those dreams come to fruition if the home wasn't previously updated.

In this case, the previous owners promised to repair the fireplace as part of the sale agreement. The last thing you want is a carbon monoxide issue or a fire hazard, so the interior box and damper had to be repaired resulting in a decreased opening by 4" on all three sides. In this case, smaller means safer.

Before

Hearth tiles were removed to make way for new tiles. A new interior has been installed and painted so the box looks like it's always been there.

FYI - I normally add 10% waste on top of what the tile project calls for if I'm not doing a custom cut stone for the surround. 

A little more sanding of the thinset mortar to prepare the surround, then the and hearth will be ready for tile!

A must see in person! This tile is now one of my favorites!

Here's our tile installed. Floors next!  

~Michelle

New beginnings for a 1930's home

Earlier in the year a lovely home was purchased by a client in the Greater Boston Area of Braintree, Massachusetts...a suburb south of Boston Proper. Here are a few facts about Braintree if your not familiar. The town was settled in 1625 and has a great lineage of history. Most notably, it is the birthplace of two past Presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer was also from Braintree and the Father of the United States Military Academy at West Point. A few great reasons to live in Braintree.

Although not as old, this home possesses some really great characteristics and charm of Braintree in the 1930's. It has great curb appeal and feels like an era gone by as you enter the home, but before you do, the front entry welcomes you in with a triple arched porch! How lovely is this? I see so many possibilities!

Before pictures of our current project.

I love a corner lot and the many mature trees surrounding this home.

Looking forward to improving on the walkway and landscaping at some point.

The side entry and it's arched door is especially lovely. This door is right off the kitchen. I have great plans for this little spot...Big things can come in small packages as they say. It's going to be filled with many textures and global flair!

 The kitchen needs a lot of love. A luxury kitchen is not in the budget at the moment, however we are going to spruce it up in the meantime and make it feel like home.

Great original paneling dress the walls of the dining room!

The color and textile possibilities are endless.

A clear visual all the way through from the side door. I'm imagining beautiful paper in the hallway and jewel tones in the living room. While we're at it, let's give the fireplace a new lease on life, with a new surround and screen.

 Original French doors!

The previous owners viewed their television over the fireplace. We are going to relocate it to this area and mount it on the wall out of view. I would like to see the fireplace become a focal point again.

The design concepts are in place and now I'm just wrapping up the details. Next time I'll share what's going on in other areas in the house. This should be great fun! I hope you follow along for the ride! Thanks for stopping by!

Hello friends! It has been a long while since I've shared from this writing place. Last year was a world wind and with so much going on it was hard to find time to stay in touch. Projects took me to Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, Plymouth Ma. and locally from residential to commercial. In addition we had two weddings in the family, topped off with a little traveling. So yes, a very busy year.

Here are a few images from 2016 just for the sake of catching up. These projects have not been visited for photography but will be by spring for a complete visual story. Just a peek for now so you can see what been keeping me away.

Three ladies And A Condo

A stunning Queen Anne chair I found at Fiddleheads Consignment. I actually liked the original yellow, however it would not have worked in the clients new color palette. It was hard to part with this one. Chairs are my weakness and I grew to love this one.

Stripping it down to make way for an entirely new look. Gold and navy for a sophisticated and timeless look. SHE is the head of the family, so her chair should look important, don't you think?

Here is the finished product in Meredith Heron's fabric. I love it and thankfully so does the client!

She gets a new tufted sofa, and grass cloth is repeated on this side of the room.

This rug is so beautiful in person. It was customized for the space so that the furnishings would all fit properly on the rug. The look repeats the tufting in the sofa. I requested it be cut on a soft curve for a gently blend as it crosses over into the dining area. The edges are beautifully surged for a clean but handwoven look.

The plush navy sofa filled the cozy niche so nicely, it just needed

a few custom pillows to add a bit of energy.  

 Custom Dunes and Duchess table. Gorgeous!

Thibaut grass cloth wall covering added to the newly installed paneling. The paneling helps to add interest to this long visual expanse.

Up close and personal,this color is truer to the actual paper. Panels and grass cloth dress up this dining space. Adding clarity to the rooms scale, while defining the dining area in this open floor plan. 

 Across from the cozy nook, a Dunes and Duchess custom table anchors the room. It's flanked by two rows of dotted grey on crème Louis chairs, while fuchsia boucle captain chairs make a statement at each end. The floors in this space are charcoal stained maple. The stain is repeated on the tabletop.

 Crystal leaves dangle from the bronze branches above the table. Coordinating sconces flank the center panel.

Unwrapping this beauty wore me out!!! Yup, that's me...all worn out!

 Worth it! The lighting over the kitchenette table is not predictable! A roman shade in animal print create a nice canvas for the delicate lighting. Organic and luxe all at the same time.

The Church

Before

After

Saint John's church after with added new draperies and rugs. A much needed refresher after 20 years.

The Bank

The gentleman's room is all I can share for now. More to come...

Quincy Ocean Side Home

A peek at one of the bathrooms.

This custom home was all about the details. More to come....

The Plymouth Oceanside Home

The master bathroom shower is a combination of Bardiglio and Carrera marble. A free standing tub is centered on a window overlooking the ocean. Can't wait to share!

The Brooklyn Apartment

Sit back and relax. A cozy urban apartment near the Verrazano Bridge designed for a single lady.

Marbleized fabric flank the windows in the living area.  

Beautiful bedding from Anthroplogie complete the look for this Parisian look in Brooklyn.  

Kitchen lighting meant for a "Pied A Terre." This kitchen is open to the living area so it had to rise up to the rest of the space. No matter where you are in this space, it has a strong feminine vibe.   

A West Elm "Waterfall" chandelier hangs in the center of the living space. Feels like 1940.

The Consignment Chairs redone

Feel in love with this pair, even though they were in apricot!! That color hurts my eyes so I'm showing you in black and white:)

Reupholstering was the next step using two different fabrics. One to invite you to sit and one to envelope you once your in. This beauty is dressed in a tone one tone combination in a grey/lilac Crypton fabric. It resist stains but is soft to the touch and luxurious.

Flowers always take a space to the next level.

The Plymouth Lakeside Home

A family bought this originally 30 years ago as a summer home retreat. However now that the children are all grown up, some with children of their own, it was time to increase the living space. This sweet little cottage was torn down to make way for a larger gathering space on the lake.

After

The result, a beautiful lakeside home with a vast team contributing to the outcome.

Bathroom tile and cabinet materials.

I love working with Rooms Scapes. The result is always fantastic! More images to come when it's completely done.



The Wedding

My son was wed and the day was divine. It was and amazing year!



Here are a few things coming up in 2017... 1930's home being completely made over. A spa haven that would never make you want to leave your home. Large renovation for a growing family. Master bedroom that makes you forget where you are.

Coming up next...
The 1930's Home Makeover

See you soon! Thanks for stopping by!