Tudor Addition for Today’s Lifestyle

 
“After”
This traditional Tudor style home located in Glencoe desperately needed updating to better accommodate the lifestyle of a young and active family.  Originally built in the 1920’s, the homeowners sought to add additional living space on the first and second floors that would seamlessly blend with the existing historic architecture.

They began working with Normandy Designer Vince Weber to

Original Structure, "Before"

create the plans that would eventually become their newly remodeled home.  “The original layout of the house was typical in many ways of what one finds in vintage homes,” says Vince.  “The homeowners wanted to ensure that the charm of these spaces was not diminished with the addition and that the whole house would blend seamlessly once completed.”

One of the family’s requests was to enlarge the kitchen to create a multi-functional space that would allow for better cooking functionality, eating, entertaining, and doing homework.  The family also wanted an informal gathering area that was connected to the kitchen but still defined as a separate room.  A new powder room, home office and mudroom on the first floor and a true master suite on the second floor rounded out the changes that brought 21st century amenities and spaces to this lovely older home. 

Normandy Designer Vince Weber understood that in a renovation of this type, the success of the project would involve a great deal of focus on the details. “Careful consideration of scale and proportion of these new rooms was paramount in keeping the project true to the home’s original compartmentalized design,” says Vince.  “In addition to feeling proportionate, these new spaces needed to mimic the details of the existing home that included dark stained millwork, decorative beams, rich hardwood floors, and antique light fixtures.”  The exterior details received the same special attention with matching clay tile chimney caps, a smooth stucco exterior, cedar trim detailing and copper gutters and downspouts.

The resulting project so seamlessly blends the old and new spaces, that it is virtually impossible to tell which part of the home was original and which is the addition.  The successful updating of this vintage home enhanced, rather than diminished, the antique nature of the home and was recognized nationally by industry peers with a 2011 Master Design Award.

Green Remodeling Trends

Troy PavelkaNormandy Design Manager Troy Pavelka, LEED Green Associate, discusses some common environmentally friendly choices Chicago area homeowners are including in their remodeling projects. You can also sign up to attend Troy’s FREE Green Remodeling Seminar entitled “Commonsense Green Remodeling“.

 

Normandy Designer Troy Pavelka Earns LEED Green Associate Certification

 

Troy PavelkaYou may have heard of LEED and know it has something to do with being green, but might not know much more beyond that.  Fortunately, Normandy Designer Troy Pavelka knows quite a bit about green building and remodeling, having recently been awarded the LEED Green Associate credential by the Green Building Certification Institute, a branch of the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED certification means that Troy has passed his certification exam and has shown knowledge in green building and remodeling principles.

 If you’re not familiar with these terms, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and was developed by the US Green Building Council as a way to identify and implement practical and measurable green building solutions.  Buildings or homes can qualify for a variety of LEED certifications depending on how well they score on the LEED Green Building Rating System.  A LEED Green Associate certification shows that Troy is knowledgeable about these building methods and has studied and been tested about the extent of his knowledge on the subject.

 As a Normandy designer and licensed architect, Troy understands the benefits of incorporating green principles into the home remodeling projects of his clients.  “Many of the ways to make your remodeling project more green are affordable and easy to obtain,” says Troy.  “There has been this misconception that going green is an all or nothing prospect, which can significantly increase the price of your project.  While it is true that there are many high tech ‘green’ solutions, many of today’s solutions can be found at nearly any price point and can be a part of an affordable remodeling project.”

 Troy Pavelka will be giving a seminar to homeowners on the ways that green remodeling can be incorporated into a home remodeling project on Saturday April 16, 2011 from 10:30AM to 12:30PM at Normandy Builders Hinsdale Showroom.  The seminar is entitled “Commonsense Green Remodeling” and is free to attend for those who register at http://www.normandybuilders.com/seminars.aspx