When Worlds Collide, Custom Home Remodeling Shines Through

What do this traditional style cherry jukebox by Lost Canyon Woodworks …

Traditional Style Cherry Jukebox by Lost Canyon Woodworks at CustomMade.com

and this Victorian town house in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY have in common?

1910 Town House, Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

They both have a surprise on the inside.

Features such as the solid cherry wood, hand carved lions, flashing lights, stained glass, and a model of an old radio station and disk jockey that spins with the music all say yesteryear, but you can plug in your favorite mp3 player and use this unique playback device as a docking station.

Step inside this 1910 town house and you’ll find a bright modern kitchen that shines into a dark formal dining room.  Joyce Wadler recently featured this beautiful remodel in her article, “In Brooklyn, Space and Light Meet Woodwork,” for The New York Times, and this home, like the jukebox, serves as a timely reminder that custom consciousness can help you see beyond exteriors, identify what you want from existing structures and styles, and re-envision the space and furniture you want in your life.

“Overly grand” Victorian paneled dining room meets modern remodeled kitchen thanks to a punched out passthrough. Photo by Trevor Tondro for the New York Times.

While many people may be drawn to the period details and history of a town house like this, the homeowner was attracted to the spacious rooms and available light, writes Wadler.  With the addition of mid-century furniture (a favorite style of the homeowner), bright paints, and custom remodeling projects like the kitchen and passthrough, complete with folding paneled doors that match the formal dining room style for “a contemporary look that wasn’t completely incongruous with the period paneling,” the homeowner created the interior she desired for her home.

Read all the details of this town house remodel in Wadler’s article and check out the slide show for more wonderful views of the home.

Before delving into custom home remodeling, homeowners should ask themselves some basic questions about style and design in addition to the practical questions about budgets, permits, and scheduling.  Start with this question: what aspects of the existing house, if any, do you want to keep: spacious rooms, natural lighting, particular materials or elements like wood paneling or stonework, a color scheme?  Next, decide if you want to stay within the existing style of your home or if you want a radical departure.  Just because you want a new look for your home doesn’t mean everything about your old home has to go, and just because your home may currently be an exemplar of a particular style doesn’t mean you are doomed to repeat it.

Not a design virtuoso from New York? Worried if your choices will mesh? Don’t fret: CustomMade artisans who specialize in custom remodeling projects can help you mix, match, and bend styles, elements, and materials to achieve the look and space you want.

For this Palm Beach kitchen remodel by European Cabinets & Design LLC, artisan Steve Cropper brought a modern flair to a traditional kitchen.  Dovetailed maple drawers meet Blum organizers for the perfect meeting of a classical exterior and a modern interior.  The remodeled office area now includes filing drawers, decorative shelving, a built-in flat screen TV, and workspace for two.  (Multipurpose rooms, like kitchens with office space, may become more popular in the near future).  The kitchen island sports a gas stovetop, bamboo trim, and plenty of storage.

Palm Beach Kitchen Remodel by European Cabinets & Design LLC at CustomMade.com

No matter your style, “Traditional, British Colonial, French, Contemporary or something different,” Steve will bring it to life.  He writes: “We start with a blank sheet of paper, no ‘standard’ sizes to work with, everything is bespoke, made to measure just for you.”  Contact Steve and start discussing your vision for your project, or find a CustomMade artisan in your area who specializes in custom renovation services.