Johnston-Rear Remodel
The owners of this iconic hidden gem, which was designed by noted architect De Unthank Jr. in the early 70s, wanted a refresh to make the home more in tune with today’s lifestyle, but done in a way that paid homage to the architect’s original intent.
At the entry we removed trellises and shrubs to open it up, replaced the at-grade planter with a raised concrete one, replaced the painted cedar shingles with yellow cedar siding to add some warmth, and replaced the wood entry deck with new sand-finish concrete stoop with a steel “skeleton” railing made from a byproduct of the clients’ farm equipment company.
In the kitchen we reconfigured the powder room to gain some square footage, added corner windows to get more light and views, moved the range and refrigerator to get better flow, and added an angled eating bar that references the angled balcony above the living room.
In the dining room we moved the access to the library and slid the table down, moved the access between entry and dining to center on the stair and the new dining table placement, and on either side of this access we created recessed storage to house the clients extensive cookbook collection as well as table linens and serving items.
We finished things off by adding a large storage cabinet in the laundry and a small woodstove in the fireplace. Now the home better suits the clients’ needs while complimenting De Unthank’s original vision.
Working with Rainbow Valley to walk through ideas for change in our home was a personal exploration of what-ifs. The design and modeling process gave us confidence in our plan. Alec, Andrew and Dean were very generous with their creative and construction experience- their open communication during all phases of the project (surprise discoveries during the demo stage) really kept our design plan a priority and improved the underlying structure for our new spaces. The respectful and supportive relationship this cooperative of builders has for their team and their subcontractors ensures caring attention for all details right through the final punch list. We are so happy we chose Rainbow Valley as a partner to realize this project.
-Seve Johnston and Mike Rear
