Colonial Reimagined

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Originally built in the late 1970s by the client’s grandfather, this multigenerational colonial home carried decades of history within its walls. The goal of this full renovation was not to replace that history, but to carefully preserve it while transforming the home for a new era of living. The project included a complete interior rebuild with all new plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems, while intentionally retaining and restoring the original brick exterior. New window openings were added throughout the home, thoughtfully integrated with reclaimed brick to feel original to the structure. The home doesn’t follow a single style, but instead reflects a deeply personal design process and vision shaped by how the family wanted to live in each space.

DESIGN VISION & PROCESS

The design and construction of this home evolved in tandem, requiring an iterative, collaborative approach. Many spaces were refined multiple times as layout, function, and aesthetics were tested together in real time. While each room has its own identity, from the expressive kitchen and pantry to the vibrant theater room and serene primary suite, a unifying design motif was carried throughout the home. This detail appears in door profiles and wall treatments, subtly tying the entire house together and creating continuity across otherwise distinct spaces.

The CNC limestone fireplace surround was one of the earliest defining elements and ultimately set the tone for the home. Its stepped geometry was echoed in trim profiles, cabinetry, and millwork throughout the house, becoming a quiet architectural language that grounded the design.

Art Deco influences appear throughout in lighting, hardware, and detailing, but are interpreted in a modern and highly customized way. Bold color choices further distinguish each space, especially in shared sightlines like the entry, parlor, and dining room, where palettes needed to work in conversation with one another. Every detail was designed specifically for this home and how the family lives within it.

CRAFTSMANSHIP & CONSTRUCTION

The renovation required a high level of technical precision and custom fabrication. Multiple trade partners contributed to the level of detail required, including masonry, millwork, metal fabrication, flooring, and finish teams. 

Original Baldwin door hardware was salvaged and reinstalled throughout the home to preserve a familiar connection to the home’s history. Two curved staircases were carefully preserved and updated, including the integration of modern railings while maintaining original treads.

One of the most complex moments was the curved two-story foyer wall, which required custom curved trim, detailed wallpaper installation, and precise coordination to support a centrally hung chandelier. Throughout the home, custom millwork, paneling, and ceiling details were executed with exacting precision, including a coffered dining room ceiling with fully concealed diffused lighting.

The kitchen, pantry, and basement spaces highlight a wide range of custom craftsmanship, from stained cherry millwork and hand-forged metal hardware to a sculptural theater bar and integrated technology systems. In the green bathroom, custom brass inlay detailing introduces another layer of craftsmanship, adding warmth, texture, and a refined custom touch. Material selections were equally intentional, from cork flooring in the basement to hardwoods upstairs, unified by warm tones carried throughout the home.

The paint execution on this project reached one of the highest levels of detail we’ve ever undertaken. With complex trim profiles, paneling, and highly articulated drywall surfaces, the preparation was just as critical as the finish itself. Because the walls and trim function almost like sculpted elements, every transition had to be refined to ensure consistent sheen and seamless visual flow throughout the home. Darker ceilings and bold color selections required sprayed application in many areas to eliminate roller marks and reduce any chance of visible imperfection, as deeper tones tend to reveal texture and variation more easily. Significant time was spent ensuring trim joints were seamless, and surfaces read clean rather than constructed. The result was a true wet-finish process pushed to its limits.

During demolition, the team carefully salvaged the home’s original cherry mantle. Rather than simply preserving it as a keepsake, a new purpose was envisioned. The mantel was milled down and repurposed as the custom trim detail on the feature wall behind the breakfast nook, creating a meaningful connection between the home’s history and its reimagined future.

Custom millwork by Stoll’s Woodworking plays a significant role throughout the home. In addition to designing and installing the custom cabinetry, they crafted the dining room table, breakfast nook table, and the sculptural kitchen island legs, which carry forward the home’s signature stepped design motif. Their craftsmanship is perhaps most striking in the theater room, where a specialty high-gloss lacquer finish was applied to the custom cabinetry, creating a dramatic and highly polished focal point.

THE RESULT

The finished home is both highly expressive and cohesive. While each space carries its own identity, a recurring door and wall motif connects the entire home, bringing continuity to an otherwise eclectic and highly personalized design. From kitchen to bathroom to dining room, these shared design choices tie the home together without limiting the individuality of each space.

What began as a 1970s family home is now a fully reimagined multigenerational residence, one that honors its history while fully embracing the present. The result is a home defined not by one style, but by craftsmanship, collaboration, and a clear design language carried through every detail.

WORKSHOP CUSTOM DETAILS

• Curved Handrails
• Custom Black Locust Reclining Bench
• Entry Door Surround Renovation
• Custom Trim Pieces and Feature Wall

Photography: Nolan Calisch