Hammer & Key
Homes
LATEST PROJECT
This house got its name from a grove of hemlocks on small hill hiding the driveway from the street. The goal of this project was to introduce a better sense of (woodsy) place to an otherwise bland house. Take a peek at a few of the renovation photos below. You can always find more, along with fun before-and-after photos, on our Instagram page.
Here the living room's large size and boring boxiness had to be overcome. The addition of beams brought the scale of the room down and added much-needed rustic character. New window and doorway openings on all of the walls created features that broke up the otherwise large expanses of drywall.
The dining room was formerly the small breakfast room. With a few minor changes, it became the formal, yet modern and casual, main dining space for the house. This was needed after the original dining room became the new kitchen.
The home's original kitchen was a small pass-through space between a large, formal dining room and a smaller breakfast room. To increase its size, the kitchen was moved to the formal dining space at the front of the house. What was the original kitchen became the perfect butler's pantry connecting the new kitchen with the new dining room.
The former kitchen became a useful butler's pantry, connecting the kitchen and dining room while providing additional storage and small appliance space. There was also room for a small pantry closet for additional food storage.
The primary bedroom, along with a few other rooms, had commercial-grade carpeting which didn't match the original oak found throughout the rest of the home. This was removed and new matching wood floors were added. Awkward bifold doors and other dated fixtures from the 1980s were removed and replaced with modern upgrades.
The primary bedroom's attached bath was renovated by removing a massive two-person jetted tub, replacing a tiny shower with a generous green tile and glass version, enclosing the toilet in a water closet, and providing privacy with new shutters.
The house also features two guest bedrooms. Both have exterior access to the deck space, just as the primary bedroom does. This rear guest room features a color scheme of greens, blues and beiges suited for a natural setting.
The hall bathroom required removal of a large tub which sat upon a step-up platform. Replacing this with a standard tub allowed for a larger vanity. Woodland owl wallpaper and brass sconces add a luxurious touch to the space.
The other guest bedroom also accesses the deck space and features black, white and gold decor with leaf patterns, again reflecting the rustic setting of the home.
The screened porch was upgraded with new screens, removal of carpeting, a new fan, new furniture and new lighting. Pops of color add a bit of fun to the space.
The rear deck features a fire pit with seating for six, a grilling area, a raised planter box with herbs and flowers, and access to the screened porch.
