Like all of my projects, Lincoln House was a labor of love. My mantra is "design feeds my soul"; it brings me joy to watch a design come to life. After so many hours of planning and collaborating, I am often overcome by emotion when a project comes to life. My clients know I am committed to developing and executing each project as if it were my own.
All along the way, Chris came up with brilliant ideas! Nate K.
Lincoln House is a 1905 bungalow-style house in old-town Longmont; it had been remodeled by the previous owner when my client purchased it roughly 12 years ago. He loves his home in the quiet part of town and plans to spend his days here. As a classically trained pianist, lover of the opera, and solid straight geometric lines, my client wanted a modern place to call home. Our main goal was to create an open space with clean, elegant lines. His love of eclectic, very personal art was used throughout.
"I called a couple design companies, including Chris Hains Interior Design. After meeting with them, it was clear that Chris matched what I needed. She had great ideas right off the bat, promised me that she could line up and schedule all the contractors so I didn’t have to worry about that, and she just seemed like a good person and someone I could get along with." Nate K.
We agreed to remove the wall separating the kitchen from the living room, creating an open and airy space, allowing his piano's sound to reverberate. Because we could not remove the structural support beam in the middle of the kitchen, we transformed it into a focal point by wrapping it in the natural beech wood used for the buffet cabinets along the back wall and pantry.
"She wrapped an old crumbly dry-wall-covered pole with wood so that it became a feature, not an annoyance." Nate K.
"The moment when everything came together was when we brought my grand piano out of storage. She had chosen a spot and orientation for the piano that was hard for me to envision, but I was willing to try it out. The spot turned out to be perfect! You can see the whole piano now, and not just the keyboard, which makes it more impressive and gives it more style. And I got teary-eyed the first time I played it, because the sound no longer just reflected back into my face as it bounced off the wall that Chris had suggested removing. Now the sound has a chance to bloom, and I can literally feel the difference on my eardrums". Nate K
Pantry
One of his main issues was the poorly designed and degrading pantry and laundry setup.
The entire existing pantry and laundry were demolished; the storage area was redesigned, resulting in a more elegant, stream-lined wall of storage and pantry. "She turned my washer/dryer 90 degrees to keep space open while I do laundry," Nate K. as well as giving the illusion of it not existing in the kitchen.
AFTER
Kitchen
Inspired by his full-sized piano, we opted to use custom, very modern, sleek custom cabinets in contrasting black and natural beech throughout. Because of our limited kitchen area, we added buffet-style cabinets along the back wall for extra storage. Removing the wall separating the living room from the kitchen allowed for more light, making this very small space feel larger. We repositioned his grand piano so the sound would fill the entire space. A cantilevered cafe-sized table was built around the supporting pole to maintain again an open and airy design not obstructed by typical table legs.
"I was looking for nice materials that would stand the test of time, and something sleek and modern with strong lines and geometric shapes." Nate K.
BEFORE
AFTER
LIGHTING
As with everything, the lighting was dated and needed to be replaced. Continuing with our opera inspiration, so we chose a sputnik style chandelier in the vaulted dining room area. The chandelier fills the space with light and draws your eye to the back of the room. Because we extended the island, we had to add a 3rd pendant light. We chose this beauty for obvious reasons... the bottom 3 inches of this 11-inch tall pendant is made of all glass and reflects light beautifully.
My collaborative approach was used throughout the process, ensuring my client loved the final design.
Watch for the details on the two bathrooms we also renovated.