WHOLE HOME REMODEL
Breathing new life into a family home in Chapin, SC
Client Vision & Motivation
Our clients first came to us with a phrase we will never forget: “We want to feel like we live in a
brand new house without having to move.” Having built the house in 2000 on family land, our
clients knew it was time to breathe new life into their home. Apart from normal upkeep and
maintenance, our clients hadn’t updated the home since it was built, so this project was a long
time coming!
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Our clients brought our team in to work on almost every space in the home, and
the project involved: kitchen/living area remodel, repurposing a dining room into a true pantry,
full bathroom remodel, primary bathroom remodel, powder room remodel, revamping the
staircase, replacing many exterior/interior doors and windows, and updating things like
flooring/paint/light fixtures/hardware throughout the home.
Prior to construction starting, we teamed up with Phase One Design and Massey Engineering to
lay out the proposed, updated structural game plan. One of the biggest components of this
project was removing a load-bearing wall between the existing kitchen and living room, so
ensuring that was done purposefully and in a structurally sound way was critical. We also
collaborated with Haven + Harbor Interiors on the remodel spaces’ functional/aesthetic design.
Two spaces that took a considerable amount of intentional design conversations between our
Team, our clients, and Haven + Harbor was 1- the new kitchen’s custom layout as related to the
new pantry and 2- the primary bathroom in order to fit all of the functional “wants” our clients
had of the space.
Here were the big things we tackled as a part of this project:
- Fully remodeled and opened up kitchen, living room, and eat-in area, complete with
custom cabinetry including an appliance garage, custom island with seating, new
fixtures, hood vent, new appliances - Remodeled primary bathroom with new walk-in tile shower, standalone tub, custom
vanity, new lighting/plumbing fixtures, tile floor, and new toilet (*we did get to keep our
clients’ existing linen cabinetry, just replaced the doors/drawers/hardware and repainted
the cabinetry box to fit the new space’s aesthetic) - Remodeled full bathroom with walk-in shower, repurposed custom vanity and linen
storage cabinetry (new countertop, doors, drawers, and hardware and repainted
cabinetry boxes), tile floor, new lighting/plumbing fixtures, new accessories, new toilet - Updated flooring throughout; hardwoods in main living spaces and carpet in bedrooms
- Updated staircase with new treads, railing, and balusters to match the home’s new
Aesthetic - Paint throughout (walls, trim, and ceilings)
- New light fixtures/electrical functionality throughout
- Replaced the home’s front exterior door, rear exterior doors with new French Doors, and
various windows throughout the home - Fully renovated powder room
- Updated laundry space (tile flooring, paint, electrical)
Location
Project Goals
- Transform the home so it felt updated, but stayed true to the home's special history
- Enhance the home's overall functionality by opening things up
- Effectively utilize the home's existing footprint to better fit everyday life
Project Description
PRE-CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS
Phase One Design & Massey Engineering - project’s structural design direction
Haven + Harbor Interiors - project's aesthetic/functional design direction
AWARDS
Building Industry of Central South Carolina's Columbia Remodelers Awards
Best Full Renovation (1,800 - 3,999 SQFT)
CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME
- A major component of this project was removing a load-bearing wall between the
Kitchen and Living Room, all while keeping the existing home’s tray ceiling in the living
space. We utilized engineering guidance to ensure we carried this piece out in a
structurally sound way. Tackling this included: some work to the home’s foundation by
building additional footers and piers through the crawlspace, removing areas of subfloor,
and fitting a 3-ply 20’+ LVL beam into an existing house, all while keeping as much
drywall as possible to avoid unnecessarily replacing material. - Our clients love to bake and cook, so a truly functional Kitchen was a big priority in terms
of how they would actually live in and utilize the space. Ensuring the custom cabinetry fit
the functional goals our clients had (both in the Kitchen and Pantry) was essential and
took a lot of time and attention. - Keeping a tub in the primary bathroom with the new layout was a priority for our clients.
There were a number of exploratory conversations around this as there were points
where we did not think one would realistically fit, but in collaboration with everyone
involved, we were able to work out a design/layout that allowed for a smaller-sized
standalone tub, which thrilled our clients! - Our clients had an operable fireplace in the Living Room that they did not ever use.
They wanted the space to be more functional/purposeful, so we landed on a custom
solution that involved removing the fireplace and creating an entertainment wall where
their TV would hang, alongside some shelving and storage cabinetry. - The size of the island in the Kitchen presented a unique problem in terms of getting the
oversized countertop slab inside. Our countertop partners slowly and carefully got the
slab inside eventually, but it took a TON of thought/effort to get it in the home and onto
the cabinetry without damaging anything! - Our clients found a very special obscured glass for the front door called “Flemish” glass
that they wanted to match with the pocket door into the pantry. No interior door
manufacturer made a door with that glass, so we searched high and low to find one that
was a close match, finally finding one with Stier Supply. - Our clients are involved with retirement communities for their work so they were very
aware of Universal Design and aging in place considerations. Because they plan on
staying in the house for the rest of their lives, they wanted these things considered as
much as possible. We upsized the entry door to the primary suite to a 3 foot wide
doorway, which meant cutting the casing down on both sides to make it fit. We also
removed and widened doors into the bathroom and the water closet where we couldn’t
get a wider opening with the door. Our clients wanted a curbed shower for water
protection, but we installed the curb as low as possible and ensured the opening was at
least 3’ wide for access.
BEFORE PHOTOS
COMPLETED PROJECT PHOTOS
COMPLETED SPACE HIGHLIGHTS
There were a number of little details we got to incorporate into this project with our clients:
- Custom-built appliance garage for our client’s baking equipment
- “Desk” space in the Pantry for administrative tasks life brings
- Drop zone/charging station in the Kitchen near the garage door
- Previously unused piano room/formal dining room transformed into a functional, practical Pantry off the Kitchen, accessed by a pocket door to conserve space being taken from either room
Every detail of the project was intentional and we’re grateful we got to be a part of giving our clients’ home a second life!
OUR TEAM’S FAVORITE PART
There were a ton of talented experts that came together on this project. From Pre-Construction to project completion, our local partners stepped up with us in big ways to ensure our clients were thrilled with their new space. One of the more memorable scopes of work was countertop installation. The Kitchen's island is rather large, so getting the leathered granite countertop slab from the truck to the island was an "all hands on deck" situation that took almost an hour!
FUN FACT
Our clients had to temporarily relocate for the duration of this project because of the amount of SQFT we were touching & due to the high-use spaces we remodeled (kitchen, bathrooms, etc.). Although our human clients relocated, their sweet outdoor pups got to stay on the property, so our Team & partners were greeted by happy four-legged friends each day!
Feeling INspired? Get STarted Today.
Take the first step today by reaching out to our expert team. Fill out our contact form for a detailed discussion about your specific project needs and to receive a tailored estimate. Let’s make your dream space a reality!