The Artful masterpiece

Texas historic home remodeling

Not every home remodel is done equally; “The Artful Masterpiece” is a prime example. J. Bryant Boyd's latest home remodel showcases what happens when a design-build team and a client collaborate to create a functional space that reflects the client's personality and individuality. 

This project lets us do what we do best: listen to what our client wants, determine what is feasible, overcome obstacles to the vision, and leave our client satisfied with the result. “The Artful Masterpiece” you will see today during this project spotlight took careful planning and preparation. 

Because of the home's age, we had to work with the client and the local historic commission. The plans we developed had to meet our client's needs while also considering the home's historical significance in Georgetown. 

Although the project was not without its challenges, we take pride in the remodel, and so does our client. Our client expressed their satisfaction, stating: “Extremely satisfied with J Bryant Boyd. We had a complex project, remodeling an old historic home, and they handled every unique situation with professionalism, ingenuity, and ease. They worked with us throughout the project, from concept to completion.  We appreciate their willingness to create with us and their impeccable attention to detail.  The entire team at JBB was fantastic to work with. We highly recommend them.”

On that note, let's explore the creativity and craftsmanship our collaboration brought to life. It might even inspire you to consider home renovation in Georgetown. 

The client’s primary goal for “The Artful Masterpiece” was to renovate and modernize their historic home in Georgetown, Texas, while preserving its unique character and historical significance. They wanted to add functional space, including a kitchen, family room, studies, and a new garage, while addressing energy efficiency by incorporating solar panels and backup power systems. Additionally, they aimed to highlight their extensive art collection by incorporating creative design elements that complemented the home’s aesthetic.

the remodel's challenges and solutions

The client had quite a few priorities regarding their home remodel – as they should. To ensure our client felt like we were taking their priorities seriously, we worked diligently alongside them to incorporate their needs and wants. 

This involved adjusting the budget. At first, they had decided they did not want to remodel the guest bathroom and porch decking, but they changed their mind once the project was underway. We accommodated this change by altering our renovation plans and kept our client abreast of how this would impact their budget. 

A few of the other priorities and challenges encountered included: 

Space

The client wanted more space, specifically for the space created to have a functional purpose. We considered this when choosing materials and building fixtures in the home. For example, we cleverly added space to the ‘split’ column and turned them into enclosed art columns. Not only are these columns beautiful, but the glass encasing acts as a display case built into the columns, allowing our client to display their artwork at the entry point of their home. 

Outdoor Living

The outdoor living space needed to accommodate the additions. We added a walkway that connects the garage to the larger deck, where the couple can entertain friends and family. This deck also leads to the laundry room. The smaller deck gives our client access to their main living room. We also added 795 square feet of conditioned space. 

Energy & Backup Power

In Texas, there have been quite a few intense winter storms in the past few years, making it challenging for electrical grids to keep up. This has led many homeowners to move toward more sustainable and reliable energy sources like solar and battery backups, and our clients have chosen to do the same. 

In addition, we had to upgrade the home's appliances, lighting, insulation, and other relevant materials to today’s energy standards. The biggest element of the house we changed to accommodate this was adding a new air conditioning system and foam insulation. 

Material Restoration 

Since the home is old, we had to work carefully and considerately to ensure we restored as much of the materials in the house as possible. This involved us preserving the home's original materials like its shiplap boarding and gorgeous dooring. Unfortunately, much of the home's shiplap was covered in nails and threading from Muslin backing. Our solution to this issue was to carefully burn off the threads and repair and repaint the shiplap boards. We used a ‘Dutchman patch’ to ensure the doors could handle new hardware and installation. 

However, while restoring, we encountered a few more challenges we needed to fix, like leveling and repairs to the home's pier-and-beam foundation system. 

project highlights:

Before discussing the highlights of “The Artful Masterpiece,” we want to mention that this home's historical significance required us to navigate some challenging waters. The historic commission had specific requirements for its appearance, which we had to take into account when planning the remodel. 

The most significant requirement is that the front of the home continues to appear as if it were built in the early 1900s. We heeded this requirement during the remodel, with most additions happening on the back of the home. We had to adhere to a few other things, but our design-build firm masterfully navigated the historic requirements to bring this home into the 21st century. 

Incorporating Client Artwork

“The Artful Masterpiece” had several project highlights, but the most impressive was the detailed planning to highlight the artwork our client had collected over the years. We had to find spaces in the home where the client could display their impressive art collection. This involved exact measurements for shelving and the creative use of existing home elements like the split column and art lighting placements.
 

The Studies

In the primary study, we created a custom bookcase, as our client wanted the room to have a ‘mini library’ feel. We also removed the faux-finished ceiling to reveal the gorgeous original shiplap ceiling, which we painted and restored to its original condition. 

We had to enclose the original kitchen and convert the space to create the secondary study. One of the distinguishable features of the secondary study is its magnificent sheetrock fireplace. The owners added comfortable seating in front of the fireplace and a TV fixed on the wall to make the area feel even more relaxed. 

Master Bath

In the master bathroom, we tastefully decorated and added stone Navona Sabbia flooring tiles with maple ivory grouting. The shower floor was adorned with Glazzio Mayan Garden tiles, and the shower walls featured Ricket tiling laid horizontally. 

A pony wall was also added in the master bathroom to allow privacy at the shower bench. Our clients also requested luxury fixtures, including a wall-mounted shower head, a handheld shower, and a rain head. 

We also removed the master tub, which was in disrepair, and the former home of squirrels to install the spacious shower. In addition, after relocating the window, we added lighted mirror changes to provide our client with more space for a bidet toilet and a bigger vanity. Lastly, we consolidated the linen cabinet to make it easily accessible, and restoration of shiplap wood ceilings was also undertaken in this room.

Main Kitchen & Kitchen Addition

The newly added kitchen is designed with functionality in mind but includes beautiful design choices like the gorgeous kitchen backsplash tiles. We designed the kitchen layout to allow the homeowners to easily engage with guests while cooking. 

There is now ample counter space and a large quartzite kitchen island provides plenty of room for food preparation. Appliances are conveniently located, leading to a hallway with access to a bar sink, pantry, and laundry room. Outdoor dining on the deck is just steps away through the French door, while cabinets showcase glasswork collected from around the world.

Another highlight of the kitchen remodel is the 48" professional range and vent, complete with a custom cover, which is truly a chef’s dream. Additionally, a long bank of drawers and custom countertops offers plenty of storage and additional serving space, while large windows fill the room with natural light and offer a beautiful view of the backyard.

Family & Dining Room

Per our client's wishes, the primary living room has been transformed into a music and dining room. It features a unique lighting combination of a Hungarian lantern, and a cherished family heirloom, alongside a modern chandelier. The custom floating shelves and the fireplace add a gallery-like feel, highlighting the art on display. 

Structural changes have also redefined the layout. A wall and doorway were added to the right of the fireplace to create a secondary study out of the old kitchen. This change allows for privacy in the guest bath and bedroom. 

The back of the home opens into the addition, seamlessly connecting the living room, kitchen, pantry, and laundry room. The family room, once an enclosed sunroom, was expanded by removing the exterior walls of the original home to accommodate the new addition. 

The open-concept design floods the room with natural light, thanks to a bank of windows along the back wall that brings the outdoors inside. French doors offer easy access to the covered deck and backyard, making the space perfect for relaxation and entertaining.

design build challenges faced and conquered

One of the challenges we faced on this project was the evolving requirements from the local jurisdiction. As the city is rapidly growing, a few surprise regulations could have significantly impacted the budget. Fortunately, we leveraged our strong relationships with the city and worked out solutions that satisfied our client and the permitting authorities. 

Another hurdle involved the existing fireplace, where we uncovered a second fireplace behind the sheetrock. Since the home was being foamed, we needed to install an enclosed insert, but no “see-through” units would fit. We ultimately placed two inserts back-to-back, creating drafting issues due to the chimneys being positioned back-to-back. We resolved this by designing a custom chimney cap with a divider. 

Let Georgetown tx custom home builders j bryant boyd take on your next renovation.

“The Artful Masterpiece” has earned a special place in our hearts. We are so thankful that our clients chose us to restore and remodel this historic home. If you are looking for historic home restoration or would like a more modern remodel, you should consider J. Bryant Boyd. 

We often complete home remodeling in Georgetown, Texas, and are known for being one of the best Georgetown, Texas, home builders. So contact us here and let us turn your dream into a reality.