The Roanoker Nov/Dec 2024 - 97

Homes
PRAGMATIC CHANGES
A NEW FAVORITE ROOM
As principal architect, John made structural changes to improve
how the space is organized and utilized. He noticed Mar didn't
have a coat closet near the front door, so he added one.
He also added a powder room off the front hallway. Before
the renovation, guests had to walk through the master bedroom
to use the master bathroom, as that was the only bathroom on
that level of the house. When John first suggested it, Mar didn't
think it was a big deal, but now she's grateful for his foresight.
Mar notes that " Guests are a lot happier - and it feels much
less awkward - that they can use the bathroom without going
through my room. "
Circle also renovated the main bathroom to give Mar a
soaking tub and separate shower with bamboo tile underneath.
When redoing the tub, Circle moved the faucet to the outer
corner of the tub rather than leaving it connected to the wall.
Because the team thought ahead in this way, Mar can replace
the faucet at any time without having to tear into the wall if
any plumbing issues arise.
The other big win for Mar is her new double sink in the
bathroom, so that she and her partner can have their own.
Outside of the bathroom, Circle turned what was just an
indent in the wall into a proper linen nook.
KITCHEN FOR FAMILY
Because Mar is Chinese, she wanted food and family to have
a prominent place in her home. Theresa is half Asian herself
and " immediately got it, " according to Mar.
Her family members all live in different states and rotate
whose home they visit for the holidays. Mar needed a " monster "
island because the family cooks simultaneously during their
get-togethers.
Along with the luxurious island, Theresa updated the countertops,
backsplash and cabinets. Mar loved the look of large,
single slabs when exploring design concepts but knew that
giant slabs of material are more expensive.
Circle worked around this without sacrificing the look Mar
wanted. Theresa paired a subtle vein in the countertops with a
bold vein in the backsplash. The Georges ensured that the angle
of the veining all lined up, carefully cutting and positioning the
tiles and extending the backsplash throughout the kitchen for
a more dramatic look.
The original stove was from the '70s and " made the whole
house smell like food, " according to Mar. The new stove has
ventilation and fits with the clean, modern look of the rest of
the renovation.
The kitchen meets all of Mar's needs for cooking and spending
time together, as the open concept design allows the family
to carry on conversations while prepping food.
The other bonus Mar received when she hired Circle is that
her sunroom has become an all-purpose room for exercising,
crafting and enjoying her plants. The space was unusable before
the renovation because it wasn't insulated and the temperature
fluctuations were extreme.
Circle insulated the space with foam insulation, thereby
upping the value of the house by adding square footage to the
home. When Mar's sister saw the home post renovation, she
announced, " This is my favorite room in the house. "
A TIDY HOME
Mar knew that she wanted the renovation to achieve a look
that was " streamlined, neat and tidy. " The result is a home that
looks tidy because of how it's designed, even if the homeowner
doesn't have time to clean every day.
Mar gushes that this perfect design is possible because the
crew at Circle was " amazing. " From beginning to end, she is
satisfied with her decision to hire them as her contractor.
She has encouragement for anyone who may be hesitant
to do a renovation: " Any renovation is going to be somewhat
stressful, but Circle has the experience and knowledge to tailor
the house to you. When you're working with a group as
professional as Circle, the outcome is going to be worth it. " I
To achieve the raw wood beam look of a Japandi-style ceiling, Circle used
foam that looks like raw wood but is obviously much more lightweight.
STACEY MANGANELLI is a tenderhearted writer living in Hollins with her husband and son. She writes an interactive lifestyle blog at teaandtenderness.com. She would love to hear your
responses to the questions she poses there.
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