Nothing about your dream kitchen should be ordinary—that includes your cabinets and shelves. Upgrading your cabinetry and shelving is crucial when taking your kitchen’s luxury and style to the next level.
Nearly every home building or remodeling project, no matter how large or complicated, starts in exactly the same way. It all begins with an idea; a spark of creative vision that says, “What if we…”
The next step is to align yourself with others who have the skills and talents needed to catch sight of your vision and begin crafting it into a reality.
In the case of this Greenwich remodeling project, our clients have no shortage of creative vision. Working in the fashion design industry, an appreciation for style and unique blends of color and texture come naturally.
Their moment, that spark of creative vision, came when they decided to completely remodel this Greenwich property and turn it into their “dream home.” It would no longer just be a house, but a completely customized place that perfectly reflected their personality and met their needs. And, not just their needs, but also the needs of their two young children. While many custom homes are built with an emphasis on the “wow factor,” this house needed to offer the practicality that daily life as parents calls for.
The property is not just a show piece, but a home.
Our client supplied the overarching vision, working closely with well-known architect and designer Robert Couturier. We at Gerety Building & Restoration were invited to help with not only the design work in an aesthetic sense, but also to analyze the plans from a practical construction perspective. This is an area of specialty for us. We’re happy to not only provide design and architectural services, but also to work closely with a professional that our clients are already collaborating with.
In this case, we worked hard to determine how best to make the developing sketches and plans come to life. This included a thorough structural analysis, and we also invited an engineer to come and ensure that this new construction would endure.
“Once the infrastructure is built, we can move forward with confidence that the finished product will provide lasting results and stand the test of time.” -Keith Gerety
This analysis, collaboration, and planning was one of the most involved aspects of the entire project, but it laid the foundation for a build that was successful in every sense.
We’ve all heard the term “curb appeal.” It refers to that feeling you get, whether positive or negative, as you pull up to a home, peer out the car window, and look around.
The curb appeal for this property is undeniably breathtaking.
What exactly did our exterior work involve?
The colors, materials, details, and architectural lines come together to create a simultaneously stunning and warm style. It’s inviting and friendly while still offering more than you can absorb without a second and third look.
No longer seen as a purely utilitarian room, today’s kitchen is often one of the most prized areas of the home. The potential for customization and letting your personality shine through is nearly limitless thanks to the unique combinations of colors, textures, and patterns that you can include in your design.
Remember how we said that one of our client’s goals was to create a blend of beauty and function throughout their home? This kitchen really exemplifies that. Yes, the gleaming countertops and bright, clean look are stunning, but this is also a place where snacks will be prepared for the kids, or friends can gather and chat while the meal finishes cooking.
One of the major highlights of the home is the great room. As we mentioned above, the homeowners wanted a place where they could easily entertain and enjoy time with visiting friends. Their other goal was to have a space where they could feature their artwork. This phenomenal room meets both these needs, and does so in style.
Tall ceilings, exquisite trim, endless natural light, and the central fireplace all work together to make this a functional, beautiful great room.
While this complete, top-to-bottom home remodel had many complexities and moving parts, acquiring the materials for the bathrooms was actually one of the most demanding aspects of the work we did.
To show you exactly why this was, let’s start in the master bath.
The gorgeous material you see above is marble. And, not just any marble, but hand-selected Italian marble chosen by a fabricator that we sent over to Italy. Once custom-fabricated and in place, it creates a smooth, classy interior that really is unlike any other.
One of the guest bathrooms has another very unique and beautiful material incorporated into the design.
Can you spot it?
If the rich flooring jumped out at you, you have a good eye. Although, you still get points for noticing any of the other eye-catching features. This guest bath has a lot of wonderful details to soak in, including:
The flooring in particular, however, is worth highlighting. It’s made from teak, a wood that you often hear in association with boating. Wood flooring in bathrooms is generally frowned upon, but because of teak’s dense, water-resistant nature, it gets along beautifully with wet environments.
Because this remodel involved the entire house, we wish we could take you on a complete walk-through. There’s something to see around every corner, from the children’s wing with its bedrooms, bathrooms and playrooms, right to the beautiful new turrets. Every inch was carefully planned to maximize style and function.
This project took 18 months to complete, from conceptualization to the finished product. We truly enjoyed this experience and appreciate being entrusted with such an incredible home transformation.
If we can help answer any questions you might have regarding home building, remodeling, and design, why not contact us at Gerety Building & Restoration? This is what we love to do, and we make sure our passion shines through every detail.
Oftentimes when people think of building an addition, or remodeling, they assume that for a valuable difference to be made, a huge addition is required. And, depending on the specific goals you have and the objectives you need your new space to accomplish, a big change might just be in order.
On the other hand, you also could be surprised by how much of a transformation can be made possible by even a relatively small, but well-planned, project.
With spring around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning your home renovation projects. Take the next several weeks to analyze, research, and evaluate your current home to find out what you really want and need. This will save you from wasted time and potentially costly mistake down the road.
Whether it’s that gourmet kitchen you’ve been dreaming about, the outdated master bathroom you’ve been putting off, or the new bedroom addition you desperately need, winter is for planning and spring is for building.
Following this five-step approach will take the stress and anxiety out of the home renovation process, at the same time saving you valuable time and money.
1. Dream It!
Assess Your Situation: Taking a realistic look at your current situation will make all the difference between a good home renovation project and a great one! What problems need to be solved? Walk through your home room by room and take great notes along the way.
Inspiration File: Educate yourself on the materials, finishes and appliances that are available to you. Check out the design magazines and the plethora of home design shows to gather ideas that inspire you in some way. You’ll see a pattern beginning to emerge.
Wish List: Creating your wish list will influence the overall concept and design that you ultimately want your home to reflect. Gathering all of this information will help you determine the overall scope of your project.
2. Plan It!
Budget and Financing: If you plan on staying in your home for ten years or more, then budget what you can to create the home of your dreams. Be realistic, as your lenders will let you know exactly how much you’re qualified to borrow.
Professionals: Hiring the right design professionals will definitely save you valuable time and money, and eliminate any planning mistakes down the road. Pre-planning is undoubtedly the biggest money saver!
The Contract: Once you’ve committed to a licensed contractor review the bid and contract line by line and make sure that the scope of your project is documented throughout. If you’re unclear on a item, ask for clarification.
3. Design It!
Floor Plan: Designing the floor plan is where you begin to see your dream
take shape. Try to visualize this space three dimensionally.
Details: Whatever your style, focusing on the details will set your space apart from the rest and will provide you with a true reflection of your
personality.
Shopping: Selecting the perfect materials, finishes, appliances and fixtures
is what will infuse the detail and character into your project. Take your
plans, samples and photos with you on every single shopping trip. You never know what you’ll find.
4. Do It!
Demolition: This is chaos at its best. If you want to release some deep seeded aggression now’s the time to grab a hammer and crowbar and help the demo crew. I highly recommend it!
Construction: The most exciting phase of the renovation process. This is where you begin to see all the pieces of the puzzle come together. Attending weekly site meetings and following an agenda will keep your project
running smoothly.
Coping with Construction: Be realistic and plan for delays. It will reduce the level of stress and anxiety you could potentially feel. Be flexible.
5. Live It!
Punch List:
Do a final walk-through with your contractor and list all the outstanding minor repairs and completions that still need to be done before your project is one hundred percent complete.
Clean Up:
Even if your stipulated a clean up clause in your contract, hire your own cleaning crew to come in just before you move back in. Just remember though – it will take weeks for the dust to settle.
Moving Back In:
It’s all behind you and you’ve made it through the renovation process relatively unscathed. Now roll up your sleeves and put your personal signature on everything. Invite some family and friends over for that dinner party you’ve wanted to host – and start living the dream.
