Chaucer Place II
Chaucer Place II
Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part because you know you want something different, you just don’t know what that is. Our clients were forced out of inaction by a leak….new carpet in one area of an open floor plan meant new carpet in other areas. If you’re going to re-carpet, you might as well finally repaint the walls. And then there’s all that tile you’ve wanted to get rid of forever….leading back to inaction.
That’s when our clients called us in. Our brief was to design space that reflected who they were and their interests at this time in their lives, keeping resale in mind. They intended to remain in this home they’d raised their family in for another five or so years. While a good bit of the furniture was dated, we kept select pieces that worked with the overall style and helped keep the budget in line. Since the house, overall, functioned well for the clients, we tackled the features that dated the house and lacked style, specifically, the flooring, kitchen, fireplace and lack of light in the family room, and infused the home with a modern European elegance that reflects the clients’ love of travel to Europe.
Two game changers in this house were the kitchen and family room. This kitchen was functional, but very dated. We opted for a refresh rather than complete remodel to stay within the budget. Removing the cabinet over the cooktop, adding new appliances, countertops and hardware as well as repainting the cabinetry completely changed the look of the kitchen. In the family room, we shorted the hearth that spanned the full width of the room allowing us to add a new French door to bring additional light into the space and added a new fireplace façade. New furnishings, art and window treatments tied together the family room, breakfast room and kitchen into one unified large living space.
In the living room and dining room, we re-used larger pieces that would eat into the budget (sofa, mirror, dining table, buffet) and mixed in more contemporary pieces and new lighting to bring the eclectic feel of a Modern European interior to life.
The architectural changes we made to the home reflect a timeless style that could lean contemporary or traditional as a new buyer might envision. For our clients, the home now has a unified style that reflects their love of Europe and who they are at this time in their lives.
