Countertops

I picked the stone for the countertops before I chose any other building materials for the house and based the entire  color scheme around that selection. I had three requirements: 

1) I wanted to use a natural material; 

2) I wanted to use a material that was very light in color -- preferably white; and

3) I wanted a material that could hold up to heavy use. 

Carrera marble is the obvious choice for a natural white surface and is seen frequently in old home remodels.  However, Carrera marble stains and scratches easily.  Spills, especially alcohol and citrus juices, have to be wiped up immediately (not good for stress-free entertaining); and you can't put hot, abrasive or wet objects on the surface.  Caesarstone was another option but looked too "modern" and "manufactured" for a historic home.

Princess White Slabs

Crystals Embedded in the Slabs

I found Princess White Quartz at Arizona Tile in (where else?) Arizona.  The stone is mined in Namibia and they had secured a limited amount before the mine was closed.  Quartz is extremely hard -- harder than granite.  Using a similar QC test that I used to determine the durability of the painted cabinetry, I found the quartz to be absolutely impervious to any caustic materials and abuse.  It's beautiful with large embedded iridescent crystals that glisten under incandescent lights and sparkle in the sunlight streaming through the windows. 

Kitchen Island Countertop Being Installed

Master Bath Countertop Installation



Master Bath Tub Deck




West Bathroom Countertop

Basement Vanity Countertop

Cabinetry

The original house did not have built in cabinetry. There were no cupboards or shelves in the kitchen -- just an old Youngstown kitchen sink/cabinet that offered a bit of space for a few dishes and cleaning supplies. Without lower cabinets, there was no counter space adjacent to the free standing stove. There was a little walk-in pantry with a furnace pipe running through its center and a single tunnel of a closet barely 3' wide and 6' deep.

I love cabinetry. I like to be able to organize my life and love the "structure" built-in cabinetry provides. It's not just the functionality -- for me, cabinets are the foundation and the starting point for the interior style I want to create. With custom cabinetry, I can design spaces that meet our family's specific requirements.



John Condolora Installing Cabinets


To get the look and functionality I wanted, I turned to John Condolora of Acorn Woodworking in Denver. John is an amazing craftsman and worked with me to get every detail right. I would sketch and he would make samples. We reconfigured drawers and cabinets until they were just right. He supplied multiple paint samples that I put through my very own QC tests -- testing them with vinegar, hair spray, red wine and perfume to see which finish could withstand the most abuse. John researched cabinet interior storage and organization products and found solutions to every challenge I posed. I am John's biggest fan and feel fortunate to have been referred to him.

Wait till you see the finished products!!

Kitchen Base Cabinets

Living Room Base Cabinets Flanking Fireplace

Dining Area Base Cabinets Flanking Window Seat

Master Bath Base Cabinets

Art Wall Built-ins

Office Alcove Built-ins with Bookcase

Tile Work

The Boulder Project moves along at a quickening pace.  With the hickory floor installed and most of the trim work completed, bathrooms and kitchen were prepped for tile.  Beneath the tile in the bathrooms, thermostatically controlled heat mats were installed.  This will keep the floors nice and warm on cold winter days in Colorado.

Electric Heat Mats

Tile selections were laid out and the exact layout was determined. Each bathroom will receive a different tile treatment while maintaining style continuity throughout the house.

Bathroom Tile Selections

The master bathroom floor gets a basket weave mosaic tile treatment of polished Carrara and black marble.  This design seemed appropriate for the age of the house and introduces a bit of elegance to the room.  The shower will be more contemporary and definitely dramatic.  Here we are using 12" X 12" honed black marble and will inset the same basket weave tile on the floor.  We'll use slab quartz for the seat and threshold.  This will tie in with the vanity countertop and tub deck.

Master Bath Being Tiled



Master Bath Shower



Niche in Master Shower

Threshold to Master Shower

The west bedroom's en suite bath has similar floor tiles set in a "cordoba" pattern, this time using honed marble with Ostrich Grey tumbled quartz as accent.  Unlike the stone we chose for the master bath, this tile has a matte appearance.  It provides a nice contrast to the glazed subway tile walls and polished quartz countertops that will be installed in this bath.

Tiling the West Bathroom

Shower Niche

Quartz Seat in West Bathroom Shower

Threshold to West Bathroom Shower

Tile Completed in West Bathroom

The hall/guest bathroom gets the same tile treatment as the master bath.  Here, we have inset a 4" border of honed black marble that gives the floor a very vintage look.  The walls are tiled in the same 4"x 12"glazed subway tile used in the west bathroom and capped with a marble bullnose.

Guest Bath Mosaic Floor Tile

Subway Tiles in Guest Bath

Quartz Shelf Spans the Wall Above the Tub

In the small basement bath, we used the same "cordoba" pattern tile treatment used on the floor of the west bathroom but downsized the subway tile to a 3" x 6" size.

Setting the Subway Tile in the Basement Bath

Working in Tandem

A Quartz Shelf Caps the Subway Tile

The washing machine is located on the main floor instead of the basement.  Backups and leaks are known to happen and putting a shower pan with a drain under the unit seemed like a no-brainer.  We'll use leftover tile from one of the bathrooms to finish this area.

Laundry

It's in the Details

With selection of trim for doors and windows, the character of the house begins to take shape.  In order to stay true to the original details of the house, tall baseboards and simple trim around windows were called for.  To dress up the main room – the original part of the house – crown molding would be applied.  A modified version of this detail will be repeated around the kitchen exhaust fan hood and adjoining shelves as well as the fireplace mantle.

Window Trim Mock Up

Selecting Crown Molding

Fireplace Mantle Detail

The house was abuzz with activity as trim carpenters went about their work.  Windows and doors were trimmed, crown molding was applied to the main rooms and the staircase began to take shape.

Finishing the South Window

French Doors are Framed

West Bedroom Windows

Transom in West Bathroom

Relocated Antique Fretwork Window

Simple Base Trim is Applied

Following the simple lines of the house and the design of the fireplace surround, stairs were trimmed and construction of the stair railing began. 

Determining the Layout

Trim Detail

Planning the Newel Post Configuration

Newel Post Construction

Planning the Rail Configuration

Stairway Leading Up

View of Staircase from Upstairs

With the kitchen located in the front of the house, the hood surround in the kitchen is a major design component.  Glass shelves, suspended by steel rods flank the hood on both sides.  In order to support the weight of the shelves, a structural steel support is concealed in the upper shelf.  This is hidden by the crown molding detail.

Steel Provides Support for Shelves

Crown Molding is Added

Corbels Add Elegance

Completed Hood Trim

Using the reclaimed fir from the floor of the old house on the ceiling upstairs makes an interesting transition from old to new.  Imperfections exist even though the planks were re-milled.  Once whitewashed, these little flaws will add texture and interest to the vaulted ceiling.

Spacers Being Removed from Between Planks

Finished Plank Ceiling

View of Plank Ceiling through Fretwork Window from Master Bath Interior

The old front door that was so prized by Ray Calabrese had been taken off site for restoration.  It needed a lot of work.  Parts of the applied carved detail were missing and, over the years, holes had been drilled to accommodate various locks and door hardware.  Its edges were battered and layers of paint obscured delicate carving.  Now it was back home, refreshed and ready to resume its rightful place.

Restored Front Entry Door