A Better Backyard

In the Atlanta-area this week, summer paid a visit. The warm air brought visions of poolside siestas, lake breezes, and ice cold margaritas on the deck. Or maybe you got a whiff of baking concrete, the feeling you need another shower by the time you arrive at work, or the listless feeling of laying on your couch waiting for your struggling A/C to keep up with the Georgia heat. A common theme emerges.

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Farmhouse Kitchen: Demo

A swift perusal through the latest home remodeling magazines will give a taste of the very diverse ideas trending in kitchen design right now. However, it seems that no matter the style, in design there is something that unites the current trend in kitchen remodels -- the open floor plan.  What have we learned from the past? Walls are confining; they separate. Upper cabinets aren't really necessary for storage. The work of the kitchen doesn't have to be separated from relaxation or talk or togetherness. The result? Kitchens that are more connected to the rest of the home. Moms & dads rejoice! We can work AND play, talk AND cook, wash AND help with homework. 

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1950's Remodel

Long before HGTV or Discovery channel became interested in the drama of renovation, the remodeling profession has been painting, adding, sanding, refinishing, and removing. At the heart of a remodel is the desire to preserve and renew. It also requires a vision -- the ability to see past the outdated, dark, or too small. Thom saw such a vision when he walked into the 1950's ranch home in Atlanta and thought, this is it! It wasn't everything that he wanted, though the home had been renovated since the 50's. He wanted to make the house into his home. In his own words, 

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A Firm Foundation

A firm foundation is absolutely necessary when building secure & stable structures meant to house our families, those we love and cherish. Even the Sunday School dittie picks up on this theme, "The wise man built his house upon the ROCK!" with emphasis of fists pounding each like a hammer driving nails. 

A strong foundation is no less important when adding on to a house. A proper foundation for a remodeling project may consist of additional footers or concrete being poured. It may consist of proper architectural renderings for your project. It might consist of an efficient and experienced contractor making detailed plans to get your project done in the least amount of time with the fewest number of days on the job all the while caring for your property as though it were his own. Or, it might mean all of those things. 

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Uncovering Remodeling Gold

For anyone in the business or even someone who has watched television shows about the remodeling business, the words, "We ripped up the carpet and found. . ." is a dramatic sentence opener. And found mold? And found rotten subfloor? All of those hidden costs for repair can be a homeowner's nightmare. But the answer everyone DOES want to hear is this. . . we found original hardwoods. 

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This Old House

If these walls could talk, right? Old homes have their own character and appeal. The very quality of having been lived in and enjoyed beyond our lifetime gives us a sense of connectedness to the past. With that connection and history, it's no wonder our homeowners wanted to preserve the history of their home and the stories the walls had to tell as they brought their 1930's Craftsman style home up to date.  Still rooted in the past, but open and inviting to the present. 

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Whole Home Remodel, Part 2

Our 80's remodel is coming along -- this week we focused on finishing up flooring. It's amazing what an effect the change of one surface in a room can make. We finished laying hardwoods in the redesigned open concept kitchen and dining area, and replaced all of the carpet upstairs for a simple but total upgrade of the bedrooms. 

As we walk through the changes from this week, keep an eye out for another amazing 80's holdout that is getting a boost into this century. 

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