the blog
Photo By Phil Mansfield CLIENT: Since this project was a design showhouse and fundraiser for Ulster County Habitat for Humanity, we were encouraged to let our creativity run wild. BUT…we also kept in mind the fact that this ca-1901 Queen Anne was home to a family, three generations living under one roof, that needed comfort […]
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CHALLENGES: Virtually untouched for decades, the house revealed its evolution from simple farmhouse to stately Arts-and-Crafts home, with many of its original features intact—two-over-two double-hung wood windows (behind shabby aluminum storm windows), wood clapboard siding, oak floors and staircase, delightful (and practical) built-ins, paneled doors and distinctive hardware. It suffered from deferred maintenance, dated kitchen […]
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CLIENT: Our second project for my mother—together we saw the opportunity to rehabilitate another highly visible but sadly neglected historic house and defray the costs by making it an income-producing rental. ASSIGNMENT: We had all noticed this little gem right up close to the county route that turns into Germantown’s Main Street. To most eyes, […]
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With one rehabilitation project under our belts (see Our House), we were looking for a challenge. This house on Germantown’s Main Street, slightly outside of the hamlet center that was just beginning to crackle with new energy (thanks to Otto’s Market), frankly frightened us. Over 3,000 square feet, broken up into three apartments and before […]
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Our Hudson Valley adventures began here in Linlithgo: an abandoned ca.-1900 house, probably built for workers at the nearby Hudson River waterfront, once a busy landing and railroad depot, or the mine at Iron Mountain (now the global document-storage facility). While modest, the house was a time capsule, its layers revealing a history of working-class […]
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We’re back in the basement (and other parts of the house) with Desiree Lawlor from Hart Water Conditioning. Winter 2023 was pretty mild, but there were a few cold snaps that put everyone on high alert for frozen pipes, a destructive (not to mention expensive) nightmare we all want to avoid. Even in fair weather, […]
