October 14, 2016
It’s A Georgian Renovation In Rothesay
This project story starts-off when we were in high school.
Not really, but we’ve known the clients since high school and when they called for us to be part of their home search and then asked us to help make the space their own with a renovation – we were beyond thrilled to get our hands on those good bones within their home. A little bit about it, this Georgian-style 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home lies in the heart of Old Rothesay on a quaint lane-like street with tons of wooded area and trails surrounding. Between its unique layout and spaciousness in most areas (especially the foyer and dining room) this dwelling didn’t need potential, it already had it and then some. During the conceptual stages, our clients initially wanted a slight traditional flair to the renovation; but then quickly discovered their tastes are quite warm and modern.
It’s a Georgian Renovation in Rothesay project began this past May and took exactly 3 months from the first hammer to completion. Shockingly for an older home, not many walls came down (just two). The clients were eager to keep the galley style kitchen (they’re coming back) and decided to place the kitchen island where the dining room initially was – in the living room! It was a bold move to place the island next to the living area and as you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking that’s crazy talk; scroll down to the photos and you’ll see it works and is oh so functional.
The high points of the renovation were ripping-out the old kitchen cabinetry and replacing with new up-to-the-ceiling white shaker-style cabinets and Carrarra-esque quartz countertops. Adding an 8 foot kitchen island with a KitchenAid mixer stand and sleek wine fridge, tearing-out wood paneling on the dining room walls and ceilings and replacing with drywall. Keeping the exposed beams in the dining room and painting them black; in addition to having a local craftsman create a custom walnut table with fabricated black metal legs that can seat 10 people. Refinishing the original hardwood to match the new hardwood that was laid in the kitchen and dining room areas. In the foyer, that built-in closet wasn’t always a built-in but a large pine unit that was distracting to the eyes but made sense to keep. So our carpenters built it in, added moulding, white paint and matte black hardware and boom, this unit looks like it was always meant for this place.
Replacing the terracotta tile surrounding the propane fireplace with simple 4” x 4” white subway tile freshened-up its look. The powder room was updated with new paint, tile, toilet, pedestal sink and sliding barn door with modern hardware. The foyer, living room, kitchen, powder room and dining room were all painted in the sophisticated Classic Grey by Benjamin Moore that lends a subtle warm look to these spaces.
The greatest thrill with this project? To see the clients and their recently added-to family enjoy their new home and taking full advantage of the lifestyle it offers (golf, dinner with friends, mountain biking, dog and baby walks…check!).