The vaulted ceiling, structural beam in the living room and openings for the upper and lower levels created many challenges for the new kitchen design. We enclosed the lower level entry with partition walls, creating an entry to that staircase with a frosted glass door and walk-in pantry in the new kitchen area. The pantry gave the illusion of a symmetrical interior, but actually hides that partition. Additionally, the pantry opening creates the lines for the kitchen with dual islands. On the opposite end is the cooking area, surrounded by Thermador refrigerator and freezer towers. Flattening out the ceiling in the foyer area and adding custom shelving gives the foyer its own space, leaving the remainder for a harvest table and sitting area. Alicia Gbur Photography

DIGIgraphics Photos Inc.

Echoing a fusion of modernity with elements of traditional design, this penthouse within a towering high-rise artfully pairs contemporary elegance with meaningful nods to its family’s Indian heritage. The 4000-square-foot home spread across two floors and four bedrooms has been designed for a couple in their early 40s, their daughter, and their parents who visit regularly. Upon entering the front door, one is greeted in the foyer below a floating staircase. The crystal light with brass detailing gives a visual peek into the brass accent points across the rest of the home—from the grouting within the marble flooring and brass inlay on the walls to the table legs and knobs on the furniture. A trio of gilded mirrors and a hand-carved console table sit beside an intricate Indian shoe cabinet—the first of many thoughtful fusions of new and old. The foyer features warm golden oak floors and custom brass inlaid tiles, setting the tone for refined materials to come.

Ono Island Dream Coastal Lifestyle Magazine June - July 2018 Designed by Bob Chatham

These clients reached out to Hillcrest Construction when their family began out-growing their Phoenixville-area home. Through a comprehensive design phase, opportunities to add square footage were identified along with a reorganization of the typical traffic flow throughout the house. All household traffic into the hastily-designed, existing family room bump-out addition was funneled through a 3’ berth within the kitchen making meal prep and other kitchen activities somewhat similar to a shift at a PA turnpike toll booth. In the existing bump-out addition, the family room was relatively tight and the dining room barely fit the 6-person dining table. Access to the backyard was somewhat obstructed by the necessary furniture and the kitchen alone didn’t satisfy storage needs beyond a quick trip to the grocery store. The home’s existing front door was the only front entrance, and without a foyer or mudroom, the front formal room often doubled as a drop-zone for groceries, bookbags, and other on-the-go items. Hillcrest Construction designed a remedy to both address the function and flow issues along with adding square footage via a 150 sq ft addition to the family room and converting the garage into a mudroom entry and walk-through pantry. - The project’s addition was not especially large but was able to facilitate a new pathway to the home’s rear family room. The existing brick wall at the bottom of the second-floor staircase was opened up and created a new, natural flow from the second-floor bedrooms to the front formal room, and into the rear family hang-out space- all without having to cut through the often busy kitchen. The dining room area was relocated to remove it from the pathway to the door to the backyard. Additionally, free and clear access to the rear yard was established for both two-legged and four-legged friends. The existing chunky slider door was removed and in its place was fabricated and installed a custom centerpiece that included a new gas fireplace insert with custom brick surround, two side towers for display items and choice vinyl, and two base cabinets with metal-grated doors to house a subwoofer, wifi equipment, and other stow-away items. The black walnut countertops and mantle pop from the white cabinetry, and the wall-mounted TV with soundbar complete the central A/V hub. The custom cabs and tops were designed and built at Hillcrest’s custom shop. The farmhouse appeal was completed with distressed engineered hardwood floors and craftsman-style window and door trim throughout. - Another major component of the project was the conversion of the garage into a pantry+mudroom+everyday entry. The clients had used their smallish garage for storage of outdoor yard and recreational equipment. With those storage needs being addressed at the exterior, the space was transformed into a custom pantry and mudroom. The floor level within the space was raised to meet the rest of the house and insulated appropriately. A newly installed pocket door divided the dining room area from the designed-to-spec pantry/beverage center. The pantry was designed to house dry storage, cleaning supplies, and dry bar supplies when the cleaning and shopping are complete. A window seat with doggie supply storage below was worked into the design to accommodate the existing elevation of the original garage window. A coat closet and a small set of steps divide the pantry from the mudroom entry. The mudroom entry is marked with a striking combo of the herringbone thin-brick flooring and a custom hutch. Kids returning home from school have a designated spot to hang their coats and bookbags with two deep drawers for shoes. A custom cherry bench top adds a punctuation of warmth. The entry door and window replaced the old overhead garage doors to create the daily-used informal entry off the driveway. With the house being such a favorable area, and the clients not looking to pull up roots, Hillcrest Construction facilitated a collaborative experience and comprehensive plan to change the house for the better and make it a home to grow within.

Echoing a fusion of modernity with elements of traditional design, this penthouse within a towering high-rise artfully pairs contemporary elegance with meaningful nods to its family’s Indian heritage. The 4000-square-foot home spread across two floors and four bedrooms has been designed for a couple in their early 40s, their daughter, and their parents who visit regularly. Upon entering the front door, one is greeted in the foyer below a floating staircase. The crystal light with brass detailing gives a visual peek into the brass accent points across the rest of the home—from the grouting within the marble flooring and brass inlay on the walls to the table legs and knobs on the furniture. A trio of gilded mirrors and a hand-carved console table sit beside an intricate Indian shoe cabinet—the first of many thoughtful fusions of new and old. The foyer features warm golden oak floors and custom brass inlaid tiles, setting the tone for refined materials to come.

Complete Townhome Remodel- Beautiful refreshing clean lines from Floor to Ceiling, A monochromatic color scheme of white, cream, gray with hints of blue and grayish-green and mixed brushed nickel and chrome fixtures. Kitchen, 2 1/2 Bathrooms, Staircase, Halls, Den, Bedrooms. Ted Glasoe

Stair metal / glass railing. The house includes large cantilevered decks and and roof overhangs that cascade down the hillside lot and are anchored by a main stone clad tower element. dwight patterson architect, with domusstudio architecture

Milroy and McAleer Photography

Modern addition to 1950's home. Includes an open riser staircase, home office in tower over new family room and incorporated into master bedroom suite. Lots of full length Jeldwen windows and doors allowing lots of natural light in. Featuring the private patio - sitting area is under the new addition, but open on two sides to let in a comfortable breeze - an unexpected bonus for the owners.

This sophisticated space takes the under-the-stairs concept to new heights — while proving our original W Series wine rack remains uniquely relevant in modern wine cellar design. Using an upscale two-tone palate and refined Luxe finish, the wine racking follows the contour of the staircase, behind a glass wall, and provides a delightful view heading upstairs. Details: W Series Wine Rack with Frames and Angled mounting Evolution Wine Tower (custom) W Series Perch Various Depths 400 Bottles Two-tone Golden Bronze Luxe and matte Black finishes Design: Envy Homes

Detached office tower; Photo Credit: John Linden

The Saint Elias Ukrainian Church Parish House uses key elements of the existing Church and Bell Tower designed by the late Robert Greenberg. As part of the larger Master Plan to be implemented in stages over the coming years, the objective with this project was to blend contemporary detailing and building technology with an already defined aesthetic of Western Ukrainian architecture. The solution is an example of old meets new. Architectural elements from the church, including post-and-beam construction, are juxtaposed with such details as double-height windows and an open staircase. Private areas are compact so that square footage is available for flexible common areas.

Doreen Wynja