It is always exciting to get the opportunity to work with one of Wilmington's Historic homes. It is even better to work with enthusiastic homeowners who are vested in their project, and a delight to work with. Both came true on one of our latest project at 212 S. 2nd Street.
Built in 1830, the Wright-Murphy House is a two story Federal/Greek Revival that was ready for some updating! What started as the addition of a master bath soon grew to include the kitchen, converting a miss-fortunately placed bathroom back into a formal study, and adding a half bath. All done within the original footprint of the home, we were able to save, restore, and re-use much of the original trim, doors, and flooring. Modern conveniences have been added in historical character, and the resulting home is more than ready for another hundred years of service.
Full Bath:
Without a full bathroom on the second floor to accompany the master and guest bedrooms, Curt and Sharon Stiles approached the Balding Brothers to design a solution to the problem. With just enough room to incorporate a full bathroom with a custom tiled shower and maintain an ample landing, the design came to life. Incorporating classically designed fixtures, tile and wainscoting with custom reproduction moldings helped blend the old and the new. The floor plan is now much more accommodating to a modern lifestyle and creates separation between the public and private parts of the home.
Click here to view a larger sideshow.
Kitchen, Den and Half Bath:
Half way through the upstairs bathroom remodel, the decision was made to take on the downstairs bath and kitchen as well. The existing downstairs bathroom was originally a study/den. Presumably in the more recent past this room had been divided into a utility closet and the homes only full bathroom. With fireplace and all, this beautiful room had been cut up and distorted to accommodate modern conveniences. The Balding Brothers again went to the drawing board and created a design that removed the utility closet, returned the study/den to its former glory and relocated a less obtrusive half bathroom. In the process an original doorway from the living room to the study was discovered and reused.
Click here to view a larger sideshow.
Keeping the original walls and floor plan was a decidedly critical aspect to maintaining the homes original character. Custom Cabinetry was the perfect solution to a very small kitchen. Staying inside of the small space was challenging, however we were able to incorporate an unobtrusive refrigerator, a dishwasher, and a new farmhouse sink. Bringing the cabinetry all the way to the ceiling added additional storage, and the utility closet was relocated just outside the kitchen and doubles as a pantry.
Click here to view a larger sideshow.
Approaching a remodeling project as a collaborative effort is one of the keys to a successful project. This was exemplified by the Stiles and lent to the projects success. We leave their home with another friend and satisfied client.
"We own a circa 1830 house downtown with plenty of charm as well as challenges. These brothers are talented craftsmen that were able to enhance the charms and also honor the eccentricities to make our house the best that it could be.
It was wonderful having three brothers committed to seeing that our house was restored as well as renovated. They were creative, with fresh ideas and yet a deep respect for old world quality and professionalism. They did all this and still managed keep us on budget.
We can hardly Express how happy we are with not only the results, but also the whole experience."
Sharon Stiles
Fantastic job
ReplyDelete