Mountain Lakes House

Substantial alterations to the structure and original floor plan of the home created a more open space accommodating a new, custom kitchen and dining room.  The removal of a wall and enlargement of entryways were required to improve flow between rooms.  An enclosed porch was returned to its original function as an open porch.   Entrance doors and windows replacement added light to the newly reconfigured first floor rooms as well as improving energy efficiency.  The original style of the interior was kept in mind when replacing wood details such as flooring, moldings, railing, cabinetry and doors.  Infrastructure alterations included upgrades to electric, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and communication/media wiring.

The doorway between the kitchen and dining room was enlarged to match the wider trimmed openings  (found elsewhere on the first floor) between the center hall and living room and the center hall and dining room.  This created a larger and more open kitchen and eating area while maintaining the “feel” of separate rooms.  The new kitchen includes Craftsman style quarter sawn white oak cabinetry, Verde Peacock granite countertops, new appliances included a Wolf 6-burner range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Kitchen Aid microwave and dishwasher and Uline wine refrigerator, new ash wood trim moldings were fabricated and installed to match the profile of the original chestnut wood moldings. 

Throughout the entire project, special care was taken to maintain the integrity and the look of the older style construction.  The wood flooring throughout the first floor had been sanded so many times it needed to be replaced.  New oak strip flooring with a walnut border and flush wood registers were installed.

A section of the second floor stair hand rail installed by the previous owner, was removed and a new railing was fabricated, installed and stained to match the original.

The front entrance door and side-lites were replaced with mahogany door and side-lites with insulated glass to match the original style.  The rear entrance was updated and improved by removing the existing stairs and replacing them with new masonry stairs with mahogany wood railing, built to current building codes, and reoriented to the large side yard where a future patio and landscaping are planned.  The rear entrance door and trim were also replaced with an energy efficient door and trim to match the existing original trim.

The old, drafty, single-pane double-hung windows and storm windows were replaced with Marvin windows with insulated glass that matched the original window lite configuration.  Alterations were made to the front porch to return it to the original design as an open porch. The storm windows and door were removed allowing more natural light to flow into (the newly reconfigured) dining room and kitchen.  New ceiling lights were added and the bead board ceiling was repaired.

A new, energy efficient Trane forced heating and air conditioning system was installed on the first floor and the old boiler and radiators were removed.  The existing air conditioning condensing unit for the second floor was moved away from the newly opened front porch to the rear yard and repositioned alongside the new unit for the first floor creating a quieter, outdoor living area.