Historic Family Home Renovation

The Client Experience

Living in a home on the water is a life-long dream for many, but for Lance & Aimee, it was a futuristic dream with a fond return to the past. After all, Aimee grew up in the home that was originally built in 1899. Taking a phased approach to the process, Parker and his team designed a plan to modernize the home’s features while preserving much of it’s past. Here is the story of a waterfront renovation in Maryland, on Middle River.

While the home was historically old and updated a number of times over the years, it still had a lot of outdated design and mechanical elements.  Aimee’s dream was to return the home’s charm and revive it with modern conveniences more suited for Lance and Aimee’s family and lifestyle. That mission was accomplished with the help of Parker Design Build Remodel.

The project began with the desire to enlarge the small kitchen, which barely had enough room for the cook, let alone meal consumption. So, an addition was added to expand the footprint of the kitchen and allow for a large island with seating. Modern appliances, tile, fixtures, and marble and granite countertops beautifully introduce a newer design and, paired new hard wood flooring, blend with some of the home’s original elements that recapture the charm and nostalgia of the old like the original brick fireplace.

“We had our own design ideas, but with the help of the team at Parker, we were able to tweak and improve each idea along the way,” comments Aimee. With the kitchen expansion, Chris had the foresight to suggest expanding the width and height of the door openings in the living and dining room areas. By raising the height and width of the openings, the flow of the space was much more inviting.  The Design-Build process was critical to the overall experience.

When working on older homes, there is a natural tendency to preserve while updating. Such was the case with the wood flooring in the entire home, which was white oak hardwood throughout. When new spaces are added or doorways are enlarged, new flooring must be adapted. Parker’s team was able to sand and finish the old flooring while seamlessly integrating the new wood flooring to match. “It’s almost impossible to tell where the old floor ended and the new floor begins,” commented Lance.

In addition to the major kitchen remodel, Parker’s team completely renovated the first-floor bathroom, moved the old laundry space to a new location, and added a full bathroom on the second level of the home. Painting and trim were also updated throughout the home to provide a fresher, modern decor.

The second floor bathroom is a story unto itself. The original space accommodated a bedroom on the second floor, but Lance and Aimee desired a large bathroom versus a fourth bedroom. Parker and his design team were certainly able to accommodate that! However, there was one catch – Aimee wanted to restore the original porcelain clawfoot tub, that had been part of the home for decades. After years of wear and tear, she wondered if the tub could be salvaged? Once again, Parker had the answer. The tub was completely refinished and now serves as the focal point of the new master bath, with breathtaking views of the river beyond.

Parker reflects on the project, “With a project of this scope, it can be a real work in progress. You never know what is going to be hidden behind an old floor joist or wall. It’s impossible to get 3 contractors to bid or estimate a project like this the same way. Our design-build approach allows us to work side-by-side with our clients, to accomplish their budget and design goals.”

Aimee and Lance also commented on the design-build process and their satisfaction at selecting Parker to perform the work. “Chris had a calm approach every step of the way. It was very reassuring to know that he could take the original concept and transform it, during the build process, as challenges arose. His design conceptions provided us with practicality for our budget and the best designs for our lifestyle.”

Lance and Aimee are elated with their new space and the photographs from this project speak for themselves!

Looking for ideas?  Download our Free Guide to Renovating Older Homes to learn about how you can renovate  a home and double your square footage!