Archive for Working with Zimmerman Architects – Page 2

How To Modernize Your Home While Retaining Historical Charm

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 December 8, 2023

Building With Hope and Faith

How To Modernize Your Home
While Retaining Historical Charm

The Coccia house before renovation
Before
The Coccia house after renovation
After

Recently, we designed a modern upgrade for a client while being mindful of keeping to the historical personality and style of the original home. They aren’t alone – many homeowners fell in love with their home specifically for the charm of the design era in which it was built. While we live in the 2020’s there’s no reason we can’t honor the style of the 1920’s if that’s when your house was “born”.

Kitchens today are much larger and full of ample counter spaces, cabinets and electrical outlets galore. Yes we CAN design a spacious and convenient kitchen and bathroom and great room for today’s necessities and trends without looking like a clone of every other home.

If an addition or renovation is on your wish list, but you wonder how that can work with your historic home, we hope these ideas will help you get inspired.

The Conklin house before updating
Before
The Conklin house after updating
After

Take a Deep Dive into History

Knowing in what year your home was built may be a first step if you want to research design styles popular at that time. Understanding what was going on in your local area during that time in history can help you define the home’s original personality. Looking at architectural trends of the time may help you decide what to retain and what can be updated.

Take a good look at all the nooks and crannies of your house to identify the key historic features of the home, such as original moldings, trim, doors, staircase, windows, and any unique architectural details. These elements contribute significantly to the home’s character. When adding on a new room or two, we can incorporate those architectural details in our design so that visitors won’t believe your new rooms are modern additions, rather than part of the original house.

Even in the parts of the home where you’re not planning a renovation, it’s a great idea to see what needs to be fixed or restored. Trims, moldings, doors, shelving – all of these can be repaired or replaced in keeping with their original style. No sense in having spectacular new rooms that reflect the history while your original rooms show damaged, faded, warped or missing pieces.

The Loosemore house before renovation
Before
The Lossemore house after renovation
After

Update the Décor In Keeping With the Style of the Time


Here’s where you can ignore the paint colors “on trend” this year. Research what colors, drapery styles and wallpaper designs were prevalent in the era. Paint colors and wallpaper reflecting the style of the home’s decade can be found to refresh the rooms that don’t need a renovation but are looking tired and worn out. Choosing new colors or coverings throughout the whole home can be a great way to make sure that your new additions and original sections flow naturally.

Select fixtures, finishes, hardware, and cabinetry that evoke a historical vibe. Farmhouse sinks, subway tiles, and vintage-inspired faucets are prevalent today.

Keep It Modern and Vintage Above and Below

Today’s light fixtures can improve the lighting in a space, and can be found in styles that reflect historical trends. Look for vintage-style fixtures that blend seamlessly with the existing décor but can support today’s smart lighting choices. Imagine controlling the bulbs on your “vintage” chandelier with your smart phone!

Keep the floors flowing organically from room to room, in the style of your home’s decade. Refinish the hardwood floors in the rooms that remain unrenovated and match the stain, plank size and species of these floors when doing the flooring in your newly added rooms.  

The Roberts house before renovation
Before
The Roberts house after renovation
After

Beautiful and Cohesive on the Outside

Ever see a poorly planned addition where it “sticks out like a sore thumb?” We take great care that the renovation and addition projects we do improve the overall look of the entire house to ensure that the merging of old and new looks organic and cohesive. We especially enjoy maintaining (or even enhancing) the charm of your home while adding more space for you to enjoy. This may be done by incorporating historical detailing or features such as porches, columns, pergolas or other outdoor features.

The key to successfully modernizing a historic home while retaining its charm is balance and attention to detail. Zimmerman Architects specializes in residential renovations and additions that respect and honor the history and character of your home while customizing the new features to fit your family for years to come.

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list. However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Yes, send me your design tips.

Categories : Exterior Improvements, Renovations, Residential Design, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Will Your Kitchen Keep Up With You For Years To Come?

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 December 3, 2023

Building With Hope and Faith

Will Your Kitchen Keep Up With You For Years To Come?

if you’re like many homeowners, you have started to realize that there are some features that are not as handy or attractive as they once were

Perhaps at one point in your homeownership, you loved your kitchen! It had certain features that brought a smile to your face every morning. It could be the way you enjoyed the view of your garden from the window above your kitchen sink. It could be that the countertop and cabinets flowed in your favorite soothing neutral shades.

But Is It Standing Up to the Test of Time?

Over the years, your tastes and needs changed. Of course, painting the walls and switching the hardware are easy ways to quickly jazz it up. But if you’re like many homeowners, you have started to realize that there are some features that are not as handy or attractive as they once were.

We All Love a Great Kitchen Island, But…

At first you loved your kitchen island, with the range in the middle. It was so convenient! But with time you realized there’s not a lot of counter space on either side of the range and the oven is across the room – a little dangerous when transporting a hot dish from stove to oven. Is there a way to build a bigger, roomier island with plenty of work and storage space, and move the cooktop close to the oven? Of course there is, but it’s not exactly a weekend do-it-yourself project!

Or you’ve always wanted a kitchen island, but your narrow room precluded the addition of one. Your kitchen island can be a flat all-workspace or it can incorporate a second sink to help with food prep. Wouldn’t it be great if you could move a wall here or there to restructure the layout of your kitchen and fit an island, and whatever else you want, in your kitchen? 

Loving the Idea of a Coffee/Wine Bar

Many of today’s modern kitchens incorporate a separate cabinetry station that stores coffee mugs and wine glasses, has a wine fridge below and a small countertop above to hold the coffee maker. It’s not just cute, it’s super-efficient! Above the counter you can imagine beautiful glass-front cabinets that show off your sparkling wine glasses. Wouldn’t it be great to add this to your kitchen without the room feeling crowded and interrupting the flow?

Below counter spaces can be used for more than drawers - why not add other functionality like a beverage fridge and a microwave?

Making Your Stove Area More Efficient

A pot filler over the stove could be a safety and a convenience feature.
A pot filler over the stove could be a safety and a convenience feature.

For anyone who has filled a large pot with water at the sink and then had to carry those sloshing gallons of water across the room to the stove, you’re probably wishing and hoping to someday incorporate a pot filler faucet. Built into the wall over the stove, the pot filler faucet has an articulated arm that swings out over the stove burners to fill pots with water. You can also extend the arm to reach pots on the counter just beside your range area.

Without taking up any counter space at all, home chefs love pot filler faucets because of the higher water pressure and flow, leading to less time and effort spent filling. It’s a great safety and efficiency feature that many modern home chefs love.

Perhaps you’d prefer to move your microwave away from the stove and over by the wall with the oven. And then you can have room above your stove for a beautiful range hood. Not only venting the food smells and heat, range hoods come in a variety of designs, colors and materials and can add a wow piece to your kitchen. 

Adorn your stove area with a beautiful and functioning range hood with venting and lights.
Adorn your stove area with a beautiful and functioning range hood with venting and lights.

Accommodating Your Family Evolution

Build your microwave into your kitchen island to save space.
Build your microwave into your kitchen island to save space.

Will you be living with other family members in the future? Will someone in the family need special accommodations? Besides simply enlarging the kitchen space, we can also incorporate specific designs such as varying counter heights and a microwave built into the base of an island. We can design the kitchen for a much larger commercial size stove or an expansive island.

Another new trend in floor plans is bridging the space from the back door through the mudroom and/or laundry room to the kitchen. You’ll wonder why all kitchens weren’t designed like this.

add access to outside through the kitchen

Wishing Won’t Make It So

Don’t you wish you could just pick up your kitchen and shake it all out, like a rug, so you could reassemble all the pieces to where they should go?

 It’s one thing to update your cabinetry or counter or backsplash. It’s a whole new ballgame to completely redesign your kitchen’s floor plan to reshape it and reconfigure where all your cabinetry and appliances are located.

 And if you’re like many of our clients, you stare at these four walls, convinced it just can’t happen for you. But when we listen to your needs and wishes as we tour your space with you, we often see possibilities you’ve overlooked.

 Our favorite client expression is, “we never thought we could have exactly what we wanted, but you helped us make that happen!” Our years of experience have given us the ability to match your dreams to your new awesome kitchen.

update your kitchen to match your lifestyle

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list. However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Yes, send me your design tips.

Categories : Kitchen Renovation, Renovations, Residential Design, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Bringing Your Home into the Future

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 November 29, 2023

Building With Hope and Faith

Bringing Your Home into the Future

As we hope and plan to stay in our homes for the long term, we know that our houses should fill our needs 10 and 20 years from now, not just next month. It’s smart to consider features that we’ll appreciate in the coming decades. Your home is your sanctuary, your party hosting domain, and the place you can continue to explore new hobbies, learn new things, and really enjoy your retirement years the way you want to. Let’s look at possibilities that might take your house comfortably into the future.

Easy Access

Consider relocating your master suite to the main floor.

While the homes of the past featured the master suite at the top level, there’s no rule that says your bedroom has to stay up there. It’s becoming popular to relocate your master suite to the main floor. Your guest bedrooms can be upstairs, so when your adult children come to visit, they can “make the hike” to their bedroom.

Bigger Garages For Different Reasons

Consider redesigning your garage to fit your current vehicles

No one envisioned SUV’s back in the 60’s and 70’s. If your house was built prior to the age when everyone in the house had their own car and then some, you’re likely stuck with a 1 car garage, or even a too-narrow 2 car garage. We have redesigned garages that fit your vehicles and your new lifestyle without making it an eyesore from the street.

Beyond Repurposing Bedrooms

An unused bedroom can become a craft room, yoga studio, dressing room, library or art studio of your dreams

While your empty nest may no longer host your teens, and you have your eyes set on transforming their bedrooms into other uses, you may want even more room! The craft room, yoga studio, dressing room (see above), library and art studio of your dreams can be yours even if you believe you don’t have enough rooms available right now. An addition doesn’t have to be massive – just designed correctly to look stunning and give you the space you want.

Kitchens Get Larger and More Functional

It seems that every year, kitchen design trends encourage larger kitchens! We want you to have all the space you want and need. Your kitchen can be open to adjacent spaces so you can interact with family and friends without being “stuck” in the kitchen, feeling isolated while you’re cooking.

With the popularity of home cooking (have you seen all the cooking competitions on TV??) people are not only wanting more room to spread out to roll out pie dough and shape homemade pasta, but also store all these gleaming newfangled kitchen counter appliances.

Let’s create a kitchen for you that has the space, the storage, the counter height, the mobility features that you’ll love for years to come.

Building Spaces Where They Make Sense

Folks are bringing their washer and dryer into spaces adjacent to their expanded kitchens for more efficiency, creating a mudroom by the back door that leads to the laundry room that leads to the kitchen. It’s beautiful and it’s super-efficient, helping you and your family to flow through your day and love your space, too.

Do you have a backyard with a lovely deck, swimming pool, garden and patio – but no bathroom anywhere near the back door? Let’s fix that and give even more enjoyment to the back yard life, while eliminating the extra work created when the back yard gets tracked through the house.

Here’s the deal – your home was designed years ago, in a different time, when people simply lived differently. Back then, they couldn’t envision what life would be like now. So why leave your home in the past? Let’s explore how you want to enjoy your home next month, 10 years from now, and beyond.

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list. However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Yes, send me your design tips.

Categories : Interior Renovations, Renovations, Residential Design, Working with Zimmerman Architects

The Renovation Transformation

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 July 31, 2023

Building With Hope and Faith

The Renovation Transformation

Renovation and transformation of Cape Cod style home

Zimmerman Architects takes on a variety of home renovation projects of every size. In this design story, we’re giving you a guided tour of a major transformation that we will reveal over the course of two emails. First, we’ll show you the exterior. Stay tuned for next time when we usher you through the doors of the interior.

In this home, the rear of the property was spacious and lovely. Their backyard was a true retreat, with swimming pool, patio and lawn area. It was the hot spot for entertaining friends and a place of relaxation for family and guests. What more could they want? Let’s walk around to the front of the property. The home was (and still is) a modest Cape Cod style house.

What is a Cape Cod Style House?

In early America, Cape Cod homes began as single story houses with a low and broad rectangular profile, a central chimney, and a pitched, side-gabled roof. As time went on, Cape Cod homes began to feature dormers and second stories. 

Front of house before transformation

While our homeowners loved their 2-story cape, they wanted to add more curb appeal to the front of the house, including new siding and new windows.  

Our design kept to the traditional look of a cape by adding 3 dormers. We also added a front porch and enlarged the garage. While new siding, windows, dormers, front porch and larger garage added up to give them the wow factor, the house did not look dramatically bigger from the exterior front view. The new addition to the house is at the rear, which we’ll describe in our next email.

house front after renovaton
House front after transformation

Expanding the Garage

Garage before expansion
Garage - Before

Their existing garage was snug for their 2 cars and provided no direct entry to the house. In addition to being able to walk into the garage from the house, their wish list also included making it large enough to easily fit 3 vehicles.

We know that a “large garage” could easily overshadow this modest house. So we designed it to comfortably fit 3 cars while maintaining the character and charm of the house.

Garage after Expansion
Garage - After
Rear of house before renovation

The Rear Before

House View after Transformation

The Rear After

Another New Entrance

From the swimming pool in the backyard, the only access to a bathroom was by walking through the house. As you can imagine, during summer pool use, wet and slippery floors leading the way to the bathroom was a safety hazard and a nuisance.

Our design included a new entry to the renovated section of the basement from the back yard. Their downstairs bathroom was already in great shape, but now they gained access to it straight from the yard. Much neater, safer and more convenient!

And while their new home addition took up some backyard space, their entertainment areas were already far enough away from the house that none of it was impacted.

It all added up to a Cape Cod house that looked lovely from the front exterior with an amazing back property.

We can’t wait to show you the inside next time!

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list. However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Yes, send me your design tips.

Categories : Exterior Improvements, Renovations, Residential Design, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Thinking Ahead – Should I Stay or Should I Move?

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 July 3, 2023

Building With Hope and Faith

Thinking Ahead – Should I Stay or Should I Move?

Our specialty is helping homeowners fall in love with their home. People at or nearing retirement age are often faced with the quandary of staying in their family home or downsizing to a small home or condominium. In the past few years, it’s been a popular trend to “downsize” – but a trend is not a rule, so the option of where you live is always completely up to you!

Deciding whether to move to a new home or to renovate your current house is a significant decision. One huge factor is your own financial situation, so you’ll want to consult with your financial advisor to help you understand your options.

Other than the financial, here are some things to consider.

Lifestyle and Recreation

If you’re planning on retiring soon and have made it a priority to be in a living situation where you’re close to the golf course, pool or tennis court, then you should look at a place to live where these recreational choices are convenient.

You’ll want to be careful of the freedom you’re giving up, however. Condo and townhome living means adhering to the rules of the Home Owners Association, so you’ll want to be crystal clear about those rules before you make the leap.

Mobility and Safety

Some retirees move to single-level living because stairs may become hard to manage, or having your laundry in the basement is becoming tricky. We want you to stay safe but that doesn’t mean leaving a home and neighborhood you love. We have created designs to move your laundry room to where you want it, and to accommodate elevators and other mobility installations. Renovation of a house you love may be a wiser choice than moving to a new area just because of stairs.

Zimmerman Architects can assist you in designing a beautiful and safe shower

Left:  a shower designed with beauty and safety in mind.

Right: an elevator right in your home.

Neighborhood and Relationships

One important contributor to a long and healthy life is cultivating personal bonds and relationships. If you have strong community connections or proximity to family and friends, moving will cause an emotional disruption. Some retirees and seniors moved because they thought they should have a smaller or easier place to live, yet regretted the friendships they left behind after their move. 

Modern Appearance and Convenience

Simmerman Architects can design a kitchen with a modern appearance and convenience

Your old home has an outdated kitchen, tiny bathrooms and never enough electrical outlets and lighting. We get it! This is why we love planning new rooms and modern convenience features with our homeowners. We can arrange the floor plans so they actually work for you, and you can have the modern and spacious rooms you’ve always admired – right in your own home.

BETTER Should Be Defined by YOU

A deck for relaxing can add to your retirement way of life

Everyone has an opinion, and people often say that moving to a smaller place will be easier – better. But is it? For some, sure, but not for everyone. If moving to a smaller place means giving up your sewing room, your den with a piano, your sunroom where you like to sip your coffee, your deck for having a glass of wine with friends, then how is that better? You deserve the space you want, the rooms you want, to live life how you want.

Ultimately, the decision to move or renovate depends on your unique circumstances and preferences. It may be that moving is the right thing to do, but do your homework first. We welcome a phone call so that you can tell us about your situation and your preferences.

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!

Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list.
However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Categories : Interior Renovations, Renovations, Residential Design, Rightsizing for Retirement, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Converting Your Empty Nest to a Professional Work From Home Space

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 April 17, 2023
Building with Hope and Faith

Converting Your Empty Nest to a
Professional Work From Home Space

Whether you start out with a midsize or a large home, when family members move out, it suddenly feels palatial. What do you do with the newly emptied rooms? It’s a natural time to turn to thoughts of renovations and making your longed-for dreams materialize. But just because someone’s bedroom is now empty, doesn’t mean you’re confined to reusing that exact volume of space as defined by its current walls.

Were you running a business or working from home in a finished basement? Most basement spaces provide a limited amount of sunlight, and noise from the house activity above is less than optimal. Plus, you often share that space with the family’s storage areas, laundry room, and even a party area. Not an ideal working environment on many fronts.

If you’ve arrived at a stage in your family life with newly vacated bedrooms, this is your opportunity to design the beautiful, spacious and functional workspace you need and deserve.

Home Office exterior View

Convert Your Empty Nest into Professional Work From Home Space

The space formerly used as bedrooms for family members who no longer live with you can now be transformed into a full-sized, comfortable work area. Who says a home office just needs enough space for a desk and a bookshelf? Let’s get to work designing your new office with everything you need and what you really want.

A complete office can be created right inside your home. For anyone who can work remotely, this is heaven! Imagine showing your client into your new office, with mini-kitchen area, bathroom, and comfortable conference room. Yes, let’s make that happen.

A Comfortable and Professional Office Has More Than a Desk

A coffee bar in your home office

Perhaps existing space and rooms can be reconfigured to add a ½ bathroom adjacent to your office with entry from the hallway and/or from the office. Next to your work area, walk into your private conference room for a meeting with your team or your clients. Offer your guests refreshments or have lunch right from your mini-kitchen with sink, microwave, fridge and coffee bar.

A Dedicated Home Office Space with Separate Entry for Privacy

Private entrance to your home office adds privacy for your clients

To accommodate easy access to your work area for your guests, we’ll want to situate your new office so that it has access to an exit. This gives convenient entry to your office without your guests walking through your private living area. Whether we create a new separate entrance or reutilize your current back or side door, a dedicated entryway is optimal to make everyone more comfortable. This is the perfect time to add that new porch or deck to add beauty, usable space, and convenience to the entrances to your home.

Adding Natural Light to Your Professional Home Office Space

Added light increases the efficiency and comfort of your home office

Any work space where you’ll be spending several hours at a time needs abundant natural light. We will design a plan to add or enlarge windows (perhaps even skylights) to brighten the room, let nature in, and help circulate fresh air. Nature’s greenery has been shown to improve mood and productivity, so sufficient natural light and views of your yard and trees can help make your work environment peaceful and pleasant.

Of course, sufficient room lighting continues through the use of recessed lighting and even a beautiful pendant light over your conference table and in your refreshment area.

A Professional Work From Home Space Can Be Yours

If you have trouble imagining this happening in your current design, that’s where we come in. We have already designed stunning workspaces for our clients who love “coming to work” every day with zero commute. It all starts with a Design Consultation, so if a professional home office is on your wish list, let’s get it going!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list.
However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.


Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

 

Categories : Interior Renovations, Renovations, Residential Design, Work From Home, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Rightsizing for the Next Chapter of Your Life

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 February 14, 2023
Building with Hope and Faith

Rightsizing for the Next Chapter of Your Life

As you approach your mid-fifties and early sixties, you suddenly notice retirement-related junk mail appearing in your mailbox. Among the invitations to a steakhouse lunch to hear about investments; selecting Medicare options; adding walk-in bathtubs and choosing hearing aids, there are invitations to tour the 55+ townhomes and condos near us. It seems as though society has planned out how the next chapter in our lives will go, without even asking us what we want!

Realtors look forward to selling your family home and helping you “downsize” into a little condo. But this doesn’t mean it has to be your path. Is it true that your family home is now “too big” for you in your 50’s and beyond?

welcoming open concept kitchen for family gatherings

Welcome the Family Over For the Holidays

This might be the time of our lives when we can host holiday dinners for our adult children and our grandchildren in our home. Without the stress of a job, you now have more time to enjoy planning recipes, baking and cooking; but is your dining room large enough to accommodate 2, 3 or 4 families? If the family holiday dining experience includes a plastic portable table set up at the end of the real dining table, complete with folding chairs spilling into the living room, it’s time to think about designing an entertainment space with the proper dimensions to fit everyone comfortably.

And when out of town relatives and friends come over for the holidays, will they have to drive to the local hotel, or can you show them to their guest bedroom(s)?

How Do You Prefer To Keep Fit?

As you age you want to be as fit as possible, keeping your muscles and bones strong. But driving to the gym every day is a hassle. No one wants to go out in the rain or freezing temps. Yes, those adult living communities have a “fitness room”. It is most often a small room with 2 cardio machines and a weight rack. Unless your unit is close to the clubhouse, you will often have to drive there, so how does this save you time?

Do you have a large enough space in your home for a comfortable and lovely gym? A new dedicated fitness room in your home can accommodate larger equipment such as an elliptical and a treadmill or exercise bike, along with free weights and a TV, plus a floor space to stretch and do yoga.

Imagine a room with mirrors on the walls to check your form, well lit to see all the settings on your machines, and windows bringing in every ounce of sunlight. A home gym can look far more pleasing and welcoming than the public gym down the road, or the tiny workout room in the condo clubhouse, with the added benefits of convenience, privacy and cleanliness.

room for work and playNeeding More Room to Work and Play

Whenever you decide to retire, you’ll be spending less time going to the office, but having a home office for your computer will always be essential. Is there enough room in your house for a home office and a room for your new crafts and hobbies? Do you have a space for gift wrapping and to store the holiday presents? Whether you’re learning new musical instruments, quilting, or working on multiple puzzles, you’ll want enough room to spread out your tools and materials and papers, and perhaps add a TV and music device.

We Are Here to Help With Your Transformation

None of these living spaces require you to build a mansion, but all are meant to give you a happy, lovely, and comfortable home to enjoy the next chapter of your life. If you can’t see how to make it happen, schedule a design consultation with us. We have helped many clients in their fifties and beyond turn the family home into their dream forever home.

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list.
However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.


Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

 

Categories : Interior Renovations, Residential Design, Rightsizing for Retirement, Working with Zimmerman Architects

Are You Afraid Your Home Renovation May Be Too Stressful?

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 January 11, 2023
  · No Comments
Building with Hope and Faith

Are You Afraid Your
Home Renovation May Be Too Stressful?

There are areas in your home you just don’t love and are anxious to fix – but – what about the stress of a home renovation? You may have heard nightmare stories or watched those overdramatic home improvement shows.

Would it surprise you to learn that our clients have a very different experience? Any endeavor or transformation worth doing should involve an element of good stress – from excitement and anticipation. Much like getting married, buying a new house or going on vacation.

In this video, we want to show you that “good stress” is very manageable, and we’ll be your partners every step of the way.

Hint: the winning combination involves teamwork among the homeowner, architect and contractor.

Listen to what our clients have shared with us!

Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel,Subscribe to Zimmerman Architect's YouTube Channel
so that you don’t miss one of our upcoming Project Prep Episodes!

 

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list.
However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.


Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

Categories : Renovations, Videos, Working with Zimmerman Architects

“Moving” Within Your Home

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 December 8, 2022

Building with Hope and Faith

“Moving” Within Your Home

The master bedroom - before

Can you imagine waking up to the sounds of people chatting outside your bedroom window at 6am? How would you feel when you realized this unwelcome sound becomes a daily ritual?

For our homeowner clients, they thought that buying a house beautifully situated by a hiking trail was a rare and beautiful find! But when the hiking trail opened for the season and hikers congregated at 6am at the entrance, which was just a few feet from the couple’s bedroom window, it was literally a rude awakening!

The master bath - before

Another glaring issue was the odd layout of their large master bathroom. While the room was expansive enough to walk through (or even bike through!), the toilet was tucked away inside what felt like a small closet, and the shower was stuck in a dark, small space.

During our design process, we listened to all their challenges, their ideas, their goals. For this couple, this house was to be their forever home, so they wanted to be sure it was custom designed for their use and their personality and would age with them.

Bedroom Transformation

New bedroom

Our newly designed layout switched the location of the bathroom with the bedroom, so now their master bedroom windows faced the peace and quiet of their private backyard. High windows were added over the bed and new French doors led to the yard, with the goal to welcome more light.

The bathroom didn’t need to be as large as it used to be, so we grabbed some of that space to enlarge the master bedroom walk-in closet. While it had been large to begin with, after the renovation, it’s now glamorously huge. Even the new master closet has accessibility features: there are 2 tiers of rods, where the upper rod pulls down for easy access.

Expanded master bedroom walk-in closet

Bathroom Makeover

The bathroom is now at the front of the house, with the bow window retained from when it was the bedroom. Each window has its own top-down shade, so they could adjust for light and privacy.

Master bathroom relocated to front of house

The toilet is in a private alcove behind a small wall which no longer gives you the feeling of being ensconced in a tiny closet. Turning the corner at the end of the sink, you can step into the shower, which does not have a door or curtains. Instead, a glass partial wall separates the shower from the sink vanity, letting the light through to the shower.

Accommodations for the Future

Our clients asked for the house to accommodate any future aging needs, so we designed a walk-in shower with no threshold – this means that a wheelchair could roll in comfortably, should one be needed in the future.

The shower drain was cleverly devised to meld into the design of the wood-mimicking tile floor.

walk-in shower
updated vanity in new bath
Zero-threshold shower

Ready for Future Needs

looking toward bedroom

Throughout the house, there are spacious hallways for using a walker or wheelchair.

Entry to master suite

There is now a new large closet built specifically to accommodate a future elevator, should they need one.

This new closet was carved out the master suite space, with a door facing the front entry foyer. If an elevator should be installed one day, the owners can drive into the garage, walk into their finished basement, and take the elevator to the main level and enter the master suite.

Embracing Custom Design

Not content with the cookie-cutter layouts and designs you’d find in the magazines, this couple knew they wanted the house to reflect their personal preferences. The bathroom features a custom-painted floor that appears as though you’re walking on water, complete with look of water “pooling” around the corner. As you can see in the image of the bathroom windows, the floor underneath the bow window appears to show the reflection of light, until you realize that “reflection” is painted on!

Custom-painted floor
Custom painted floor

What’s In Your Future?

When you own your home, you get to decide if this is a short-term living space, or your forever home. When you decide to age in place, there are many ways to ensure that you’ll be safe and happy for years to come. If you don’t feel confident about the features or layout of your house today, we welcome a phone call to learn about your needs.

It all starts with a phone call – even if you are years away from starting, it’s never too soon to have a conversation.


Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!


Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

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Categories : Interior Renovations, Renovations, Residential Design, Working with Zimmerman Architects

It’s Still Summer

Posted by Faith and Hope on
 September 6, 2022
Building with Hope and Faith

It’s Still Summer

In NJ sometimes we go weeks without really seeing our yards, buried under all that snow in the deep winter. So, when spring and summer finally arrive, we relish our time outside.

Now that we’ve dipped our toes into August, we can enjoy the outside of our properties well into the coming fall. It gets you thinking…

What are your wishes and dreams for the outside of your home? A porch to read in? A patio to enjoy coffee after dinner? A deck descending to your yard or pool?

While we help families fall in love with their indoor living spaces, we enjoy building fun outdoor spaces as well.

Take a peek at some outdoor projects we love. We hope they inspire you to enjoy every inch of your home and property!

Multi-Level Deck

multi-level deck

multi-level deck

Patio

patios

Patios

Patio

Porch

Porch
Porch

It all starts with a phone call – even if you are years away from starting, it’s never too soon to have a conversation.

Your surroundings can totally affect your life,
your spirit, your emotional well being!

Do you have transformational dreams for your house and
simply can’t “see it happening?”
Click below to get started.

I would love to talk!

If a friend forwarded this to you, this does not mean that we have added you to our list.
However, if you would like to receive our updates, click below.

Categories : Exterior Improvements, Porches, Working with Zimmerman Architects
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