The Challenge
The semi-detached two-story home had accumulated decades of wear, including layers of paint blobs on trim, notched and damaged stairs, cracked plaster walls, and squeaky floors. In addition, the basement suffered from insufficient headroom due to a shallow floor elevation and obstructive ductwork.
Our Approach
Spent six months in collaborative planning with the semi-retired clients before spending six months on-site. Lowered the basement floor slab by 6 inches and rerouted all mechanical ductwork to maximize vertical clearance. Throughout the home, the team made strategic wall adjustments and upgraded finishes to a classic Edwardian architectural style customized for cooking, entertaining, and media.
What We Did
- Lowered the basement concrete floor by 6 inches to gain usable ceiling height
- Rerouted basement ductwork to eliminate low-hanging obstructions
- Repaired cracked plaster walls, squeaky subfloors, and stair notches
- Stripped and restored woodwork and trim previously layered in paint
- Executed full Edwardian architectural design tailored to cooking, music, movies, and entertaining
The Outcome
Restored the architectural character of the home to pristine condition while providing functional, modern living spaces tailored to the owners' retirement lifestyle, including a fully livable basement with generous headroom.
