Fall and spring are always a whirl – there’s something about the temperate weather that makes home improvement seem possible, plus those pesky holidays aren’t in the way.  So I’ve had a raft of consultations and potential client meetings in the past week or so, ranging from a tax credit project down in Hope Valley to an exterior paint color selection on Club Boulevard.  Here are a few snippets of projects 0n the schedule:

A new second floor bathroom will make a proper master

This lovely bungalow has three bedrooms on the second floor and only one bath, so we’re tucking a new bath into the largest one.  The homeowner has done a tremendous amount of planning and imagining already, so I’m acting partially as draftsman, partially as preservation consultant, and a little as designer for good measure. We’re doing tax credits, possibly a certificate of appropriateness from the local preservation commission, and lots of little details that make it fit with the house.

the 1927 Snow House

A tax credit application is all that’s needed for a landmark home down in Hope Valley.  The last owners did a big renovation, so the current folks have been upgrading systems and maintaining the extraordinary Tudor Revival house.  The tax credit will help them recoup some of what they’ve put in to keeping the house in tip-top shape, especially as they wrestle with the distinctive but very damaged chimney that dominates the facade.

the ultimate ‘before’ picture

Finally, I’m thrilled to be helping the new owners of the ‘purple castle’ around the corner for me.  This structure has been neglected for decades and is finally going to get everything it needs at once, inside and out.  I’m working on a tax credit application, but am even more excited to be digging into the history of the property for the new owners.  Rumor has it that an architect built it for his family when the neighborhood was just a twinkle in the eye of the eventual developer, and after only a few years in the house, the architect’s wife decided it was too far from town and insisted on moving.  With some good research, I’m hoping I can prove it.

was this once the front porch?

I’m also curious to see whether the lot for this house originally extended all the way to the next street, as the side porch looks much more formidable than the current front porch, and leads straight to a stair hall – foyer space.  If the property once included access from the main street, then I bet we’re now looking at a side elevation.  We’ll see what some digging can turn up.