It’s all about the kitchen. They aren’t just for meal prep and storage, either. They’re for families. For gathering. For entertaining. For time spent together. These homeowners were lucky enough to spend their quarantine in a kitchen constructed for that very purpose. Once tucked away into the back corner of the 100-plus year old home, the kitchen is the new centerpiece of the home, opened up to a cozy living area filled with original woodwork and details.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

The cook now gets to be part of the action and the family gets to gather around an island so large that it seems unfair to call it an island. An island, by definition, is a piece of land surrounded by water, and is often thought to be isolated, separated from the mainland action, where space is at a premium. That’s why this structure is called The Continent.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

Once you see the details of this kitchen, you’ll want to swap out your kitchen island for a continent too. The Continent is the focal point not only of the kitchen, but of the living space of the home. It’s a place to dine. A place to sit and work (especially now). A place to gather. And it offers plenty of storage, too. The countertop has enough overhang to accommodate comfortable seating and underneath is a ton of hidden storage. Can your kitchen table do that?

With a palette of black and white, this kitchen is clean and bright. Upper cabinetry was eliminated to keep everything feeling open and airy. Plus, all that wall space gives the chance for this backsplash tile to make a statement. The geometric pattern of the tile is reminiscent of a modern Art Deco stye. The metallic black and brass light fixture only adds to that motif.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

We’d be remiss not to mention this open shelving, custom made for the space and mounted directly over the new black-framed window. This corner nook is the perfect place for some shelves and we love how the homeowner accessorized them with rose colored glasses. What a beautiful display of a collection that only adds to the Art Deco feel.

The countertops in this space are another element that add interest, while continuing with the neutral palette. White cabinetry is topped with a beautiful, black leathered granite. The Continent, on the other hand, has a base of grey cabinetry and is topped with a sparkly white quartz.

The Continent, however, has utility beyond seating and storage. It’s equipped with hidden outlets that appear at the touch of a button, convenient for cooking tools and charing a smart phone, but it also makes this surface turn—presto, change-o, into a conference table.

The sink, too, is worth mentioning. The elegantly-shaped brass faucet so beautifully coordinates with the lighting and cabinet hardware. The elongated, stainless steel sink is fitted with a removable cutting board, providing additional work space, and, in a pinch, to hide a stack of dirty dishes.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

A kitchen that was once an after thought, hidden in the back of this older home, is now the crown jewel, adding modern style with an Art Deco aesthetic. And following the pandemic trends in home design, this room serves many purposes: meal prep, family gathering, entertaining, and work. At a time where so many of us are spending more time in our own homes, a room like this is quite the antidote for quarantine living.

Has the extra time spent in your home revealed the need for a renovation? We’re just the people to call. Projects in the works now need some extra lead time for materials to be sourced and delivered, so now’s the time to get started for mid-year projects.

Quarantine caused a lot of us to change our plans. Working from home, stockpiling supplies, with frequent hand washing and face masks as the new norm, life looked a bit different. Without a commute to the office and free time spent at home, it was also a time for people to take up new hobbies. Some learned a new language. Some started baking bread. Some purged every closet and drawer.

And some people’s productivity put us all to shame. Like this homeowner, who designed and renovated an entire home. We were proud partners in the process and are still in awe of her style and design sense.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

The English Contractor team was originally tasked with a simple kitchen remodel and we were well into that project as the world slowed down. With proper precautions in place, we just kept going, until this house was entirely transformed. We’ll take you through this project in three parts over the next few weeks: kitchen, dining and living area; bathroom, and basement. Prepare to be inspired.

You might describe the house in its “before” state as a scoop of vanilla ice cream. In a dish. No cone. No whipped cream. Certainly no rainbow sprinkles or a cherry on top. It looked just fine. It was in good working order. But when you have a vision and a team with a talent, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is not for you.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

The new space is a vision to behold, in each and every corner. Gone is the small breakfast bar in favor of a wide opening into the newly repainted dining room. Hughes of pale blue and brass accents repeat throughout the home. These are at the same cabinets, repurposed with a coat of light blue paint and door knobs and pulls from Restoration Hardware.

Photo : Ross Van Pelt

This cozy kitchen once had a second opening into the hallway. In the reconfiguration, that doorway was closed off in favor of some contiguous counter space, a luxurious marble. The backsplash is marble, too, adding a layer of richness. New new range is from Samsung, topped with a custom wood ventilation hood. The dishwasher and refrigerator were reused in the remodel.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

A door once separated the kitchen from a steps leading to a back door and the home’s basement. With the door now gone, the kitchen is washed with light and the basement seems less like a basement and fully integrated into the flow of the home. The existing flooring remains, with the kitchen floor patched where cabinets were removed and reconfigured.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

The new sink is an elegant white porcelain, sourced from Wayfair. It’s paired with a Kohler deck-mounted, bridge kitchen sink faucet with level handles and side spray in a polished nickel. Here you get a close up of the marble counter and backsplash. Under cabinet lighting is paired with a flush mount from Circa Lighting to further brighten this rejuvenated kitchen.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

The kitchen flows into this elegant dining space. The blue hues from the kitchen repeat here, thanks to a gorgeous Sisal wallpaper from Schumacher. The texture and color add to the richness of this space. The ceiling was painted in an Alabaster semi-gloss with matching crown molding. The floor trim was installed and painted in Stonybrook from Benjamin Moore, an unexpected detail that adds to the elegance of the room.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

The dining room opens up to this beautiful living space. We can’t take much credit for this room, beyond some paint and crown molding, but we wanted you to see the new flow of this home, made possible both through the kitchen reconfiguration and the home owner’s sense of style. If she ever decides to open up her own design business, we want you to remember that you learned about her from us!

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The front of the house came together so beautifully that we all just kept on going. The project was small enough that only one or two (socially distanced) team members were ever on site at a time. Quarantine has added on some delays to product sourcing, but luck was on our side when it came to ordering. So we kept on going. There’s more to come and you won’t want to miss how this whole home remodel came together.

In the meantime, if you’re inspired to start renovating your own home, send us a message today. Many suppliers are still experiencing product delays from the shut down this spring, so extra advance planning is necessary to keep projects moving smoothly. We’ll walk you through the process, every step of the way.

When touring the HGTV home, many people ask us specifics about the finishes and furniture. From working on the project from the beginning to end, we can answer a lot of these questions. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the HGTV Urban Oasis home, we can take a lot of credit for the craftsmanship of the project. But our job was really to bring the vision of the designer, Brian Patrick Flynn, to life.  And while our project managers receiving training from all different suppliers—from Subzero, Wolf and Cove to Marvin Windows—and have exquisite taste to match, our job is to our job is to listen carefully and lend our expertise to give structure to a designer’s or home owner’s plans. 

That’s the beauty of working on a team of contractor, architect and designer. All of us have the goal of ultimately making the homeowner’s dream come true. As contractors who specialize in high end home renovations, we are constantly exposed to best practices in kitchen and bathroom finishes. We can make recommendations on a counter surface—marble, granite, soapstone, or butcher block—depending on your kitchen use. We’re up to date on the latest technology in the loo—from electronically controlled showers to touchless toilets. By attending trade shows and training, we know what’s coming down the pike. So it’s not all about swinging a hammer. We can certainly work with you and your designer to help you build your dream home—from the studs down to the paint.

Are you ready to tackle a major renovation? The team at The English Contractor is here and ready to help. Let’s connect to discuss your plans. We’d love to be part of your dream team to make the magic happen.

We’ve discussed that the role that each partner plays in a home renovation or custom build. But what if you have a smaller project, like updating a bathroom or renovating a kitchen? How do you know who to call to help with your project? There are many projects that only require a builder or a contractor, like The English Contractor. There are plenty of times, though, when it makes sense to call in the additional professionals, like an architect or an interior designer. Here in the Cincinnati area, there are so many talented professionals. We are here to help you navigate your home renovation projects and are happy to make recommendations when additional partners are needed to manage your new build, addition or renovation.

Do you. . . 

• Know what you want to accomplish?

• Want to update your existing finishes and maybe replace some cabinetry and appliances? 

• Feel confident in selecting finishes, hardware, appliances and more? 

• Generally, want to keep the structure and function of the room the same? 

• Have a general idea of budget and timing? 

• Just want to add bespoke detail to an existing room or structure?

• Have a home problem that you’re trying to solve? 

Then give us a call! We’re a perfect first call to make when you start thinking about a home renovation project. We have a keen eye for design and detail, yet we know when to call in additional professionals.

Do you. . . 

• Want to make a major layout change, like moving the location of a kitchen? 

• Have an idea for a project that may involve moving gas and plumbing lines?

• Want to make major structural changes to your home, like changing the footprint, height of ceilings or grade of the property?

• Own a landmark or historic home?

Then it may be time to call in an architect. An architect can help you identify your approach, solidify an initial budget and create thorough drawings to help your contractor both price out, manage build your project. Do you need a recommendation for an Cincinnati-based architect? Give us a call!

Do you. . . 

• Need help selecting finishes? 

• Want help in planning the functionality and layout of a room? 

• Want to make small tweaks to your layout? 

• Want a professional to help you with interior design? 

You may want to add a designer to the mix. They can help guide you, along with your contractor, in the final finishing touches for your project. We’re happy to help you find a great interior designer to work along side us as we begin your remodel.

Depending on the size, scope and scale of your project, the perfect mix may very well be an architect, contractor and designer. But there’s more to the process than a simple check list. Let us understand your project more and we’ll point you in the right direction. Give us a call and lets get started!

A major home renovation project is often the result of an amazing partnership, a combination of craftsmanship and art, a shared vision, and a well-honed relationship between contractor, architect and designer. Although there are many types of projects of different scope and scale that The English Contractor can act as your full-service provider, there are certain projects that depend on this beautiful partnership. But how do you know what professionals to call in for your home renovation project? First, it is important to understand which role that each professional will play in the process. It’s so much more than a business transaction—it’s an ongoing partnership!

Architect

For large scale home renovations, additions or completely new builds, we recommend that you start with an architect. They’ll listen to you for an understanding of what you hope to accomplish for your new space, as well as your budget, so they can help put together a plan to make it all happen. Additionally, you can hire an architect to manage your project from start to finish, making sure that your initial vision remains in the forefront throughout the process.

Designer

A designer can take your architectural plans to the next level by adding beauty and style to form and function. A designer can help you finalize and customize your floor plan with the addition of details like built-ins or cupboards. What’s more, a designer can often help with color and material ideas—including furnishing the finished product.

Contractor

The job of the contractor is to bring all of these plans to life. Once they have the architectural and designer plans in hand, they can help you nail down the final cost of the project, including labor and materials. They will manage the nuts and bolts of the project, bringing in the right people at the right time, like carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. A contractor will oversee the project from beginning to end, at times working with the architect and designer to tweak final designs. Your contractor is on the front lines of the project, bringing it to completion and tackling hurdles along the way. That’s why we think it’s important for a contractor to have an eye for detail and a bit of creativity, in addition to skilled craftsmanship.

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Of course, there are plenty of home projects that don’t require a complete team. Are you wondering what types of projects are best for the architect/designer/contractor triumvirate and which ones a builder like The English Contractor can handle on our own? If you’re ready to start planning your Cincinnati-area home renovation or new build, give us a call!