From a cramped Ranch house to a spacious Craftsman home
December 29, 2009
Halcyon Homes’ Newest Renovation in South Tampa
From small closed-in rooms to a spacious, open floor plan, this recent renovation in South Tampa by Chris Bates, contractor and owner of Halcyon Homes, fulfills the dreams of a Florida family. Raising the ceiling provides natural light and a feeling of spaciousness which was much desired by our clients. The new kitchen flows into the family room where a wall of glass doors opens onto the pool and landscaped back yard. This provides a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor living spaces so popular for Florida style living.
“The secret of the success of a good renovation is to optimize the space you have, and create a floor plan to suit the family’s needs,” says Cristi Schultz of Red Rooster Design, architect for the project. By gutting the interior and re-designing the layout, it was only necessary to add 400 feet of heated space to the original house to accomplish this goal.
Much needed seating and storage space were provided by a large island in the beautifully re-designed kitchen featuring all the upgrades. The clients received rebates for installing Energy Star appliances and also had significant savings by taking advantage of the lowered costs in building materials available now.
The present competitive market is a benefit to anyone thinking of building or renovating. By taking advantage of the downturn in the market, money is saved on material costs as well as labor. Subcontractors are able to schedule crews without delays because the work force is eager and available and finishing the job quickly saves money.
Before the roof line was changed it was a simple ranch house
After the craftsman style porch have been added and a second garage too!
- The entry was hidden in the corner
The new entry and paver walkway leads to an inviting front door beckoning you in
Kitchen Renovation that Utilized Wasted Space
November 25, 2009
A Kitchen Remodel with a New Laundry Room Carved Off Too!
Halcyon Homes has just finished a kitchen remodel that not only brings our clients a beautiful upgraded kitchen, but it also adds a new laundry room/ mudroom. This project, designed by Red Rooster Design, incorporates all of the clients’ desired improvements without adding physical space and therefore keeping costs down. The kitchen was opened up to the rest of house (including a pass-through over the sink) creating better flow and allowing for more natural light. The custom built island distinguishes itself from the surrounding cabinets anchoring it as a focal centerpiece and doubles as a breakfast nook. A laundry / mud room was carved out behind the kitchen and leads to the garage. The end result is greater functionality and better use of space.The new cabinets offer all kinds of modern conveniences and space- saving options. New energy star appliances were installed, which are not only modern and sleek, but will result in substantial energy savings. The new tankless water heater will qualify for the maximum government rebate. This renovation brings new life and vitality to the entire house. Although the home is small, the opening up of walls and the kitchen gives the home a new spacious feel.
Roof Renovations Can Be Complicated
August 8, 2009
Halcyon Homes is in the final stages of a renovation that involved a very complicated roof line. As the Housing Inspector walked around the house to view the progress of the changed-out flat roof design by overlaying a new pitched roof system without disturbing the interior space, he gave his nod of approval. Aside from feeling relieved that we passed the inspection, as any contractor knows these guys can be tough, we felt quite proud of his complimentary comments regarding the complicated roof design and a job well done. He was particularly impressed with the craftsmanship of our framer and noted that only few contractors could be trusted with such a task. Another hard days work pays off!!
If you have any questions about raising your roof or altering a complicated roof line, leave us a note.
Red Rooster Design Joins Our Team
July 13, 2009
Halcyon Homes is pleased to introduce a new team partner, designer Cristi Schultz . She is the owner of Red Rooster Design, an award winning design firm, and has worked with us on various projects over the last ten years. Red Rooster Design will be offering services to clients seeking innovative designs to add space to their home, or re- design the space in their home to make it more efficient and updated. If you are interested in constructing a new home it would be hugely advantageous to consider using a green design and the latest technology. Cristi Schultz of Red Rooster Design is LEED certified and has been recognized and published for her “green” design. Read more
