Transforming a Traditional Home: An Open, Modern & Inviting Space

Warm and inviting home remodel

This traditional home began with a compartmentalized layout and features that haven’t been updated since the 90s. The homeowners’ top priorities were to create an open floor plan that allows the family to feel more connected and to modernize their home with high-end finishes that are inviting and warm.

Southern Green Builders partnered with Houston-based architect 2Scale Architects and designer Nancy Lane Interiors, to reach this home’s fullest potential for beauty, charm, and functionality.

What was originally a cramped galley kitchen now overlooks the great room and includes a stately island to distinguish the spaces. In the kitchen, the custom cabinetry, with a mix of Shaker and glass panel cabinet fronts, gives a nod to its traditional roots while updating the entire design.

To keep the kitchen light and airy but also deliver personality and interest, a soft light blue was chosen for the island, wave-textured glossy subway tile for the backsplash, and statement designer pendants over the island. The inside of the pendant lights is lined in antique gold that coordinates beautifully with the cabinet hardware. The homeowners also chose Wolf and Sub Zero appliances, high-end marble countertops, and a farmhouse porcelain sink with a designer gooseneck faucet for the space.

The open floor plan the homeowners desired was definitely delivered with this incredible great room. Custom-built exposed beams stretch across the entire space to add natural warmth and coordinate with the red oak wood floors used throughout much of the home. Southern Green Builders created the expansive custom built-in shelving and cabinets that flank the timeless marble-clad fireplace.

Just off of the kitchen is a breakfast nook that cleverly offers loads of storage in the built-in wraparound bench. In the far corner is a convenient beverage station with storage, a beverage cooler, and a small sink. The single light fixture in the center is reminiscent of a traditional light fixture with a contemporary edge. It’s details like these that add personality to every space without taking attention away from the home’s perfectly cohesive design.

Every home needs a mudroom that’s carefully designed with a massive amount of storage to keep everyday items from cluttering the rest of the home. It’s a fantastically planned space for every member of the household–including the family dog–to stow away shoes, bags, leashes, and coats. The cabinets, shelves, and lockers are all custom-designed.

The home office is one of the few rooms that received an allover color that really sets the tone of the space. The blue chosen is muted but rich, calming but vibrant, and timeless but trending. By coating everything from the custom built-ins to the window frames, the designer avoided a distracting contrast and instead delivered a room that was visually grounded.

A small addition on the back of the home allowed enough space to add a game room with a custom bar. Brass accents, glass shelving, classic pendant lighting, and a brick accent wall give the homeowners an authentic barroom feel right at home. It’s the perfect functional and well-designed space for anything from having friends over to watch a game to hosting a cocktail party.

This large multi-purpose room over the porte cochere covers a lot of bases: a craft room, laundry room, and guest bedroom. The full wall of custom-built cabinets conceal a Murphy bed for weekend guests as well as an incredible amount of storage. Drawers, counterspace, and pull-out shelving create lots of opportunities for stowing away every odd and end.

Each bathroom in the home has its own personality. Contrasting colors, carefully chosen design lighting, tilework, and vanity designs are all unique to each space.

The primary bathroom is the epitome of luxury and tranquility. A frameless glass wet room encompasses the freestanding tub, dual rain shower heads, and a handheld shower fixture. The entire bathroom features a variety of marble surfaces: marble subway tile on the shower walls, geometric tile on the shower floor, large format tile on the bathroom floor, and marble-topped vanities. The space offers plenty of room and storage for two, with separate sinks, plenty of lighting throughout, and even a separate vanity area. An adjoining walk-in closet houses lots of custom-designed storage and both natural and recessed lighting.

After the interior of the home was masterfully renovated, the exterior needed to be updated with durable yet appealing materials, as well as extending the front and back porches. On the exterior of the home, Southern Green Builders added new and durable 30-year Timberline HDZ shingles on the roof of the house and standing seam metal over the porch. The windows were replaced with high-end Jeld-Wen Siteline Clad-Wood windows. Every mechanical system in the home was also replaced to bring the family comfort and efficiency.

Southern Green Builders took the home down to the studs to give the family the functional floor plan they needed, while carefully retaining the home’s original charm. The exquisite finishes, thoughtfully chosen color palettes, needed additions, and carefully planned layout resulted in a home that’s tasteful and timeless but also fresh and vibrant. If your family needs more space, your home’s finishes are dated and worn, or your historic home needs a knowledgeable and exacting team to introduce more comfort with updated amenities, contact Southern Green Builders for a consultation.

West University Addition & Remodel

Houston, TX

Warm and inviting home remodel

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