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In Good taste | September 2019
As we say goodbye to summer, we also say goodbye to our clients and now dear friends at Elms View — our historic Newport restoration project completed in June. The family returns to their primary home in Chicago, full of short-but-sweet summer memories made in their re-imagined home, and ready to start the new school/work year.
It’s incredible, even to us, to recall that construction started on this project just one year ago this week. The extensive renovation (and some new construction) of the 1877 home designed by architect Dudley Newton was a pleasure to be a part of, with project partners Patrick Ahearn Architects and Parker Construction Company.
Not only were we on a compressed timeline for completion of Elms View so our clients could enjoy Summer 2019, the scope of work was complex. We completely gutted the interior, removed a back staircase, added three baths and a Powder Room and rebuilt the stairs. Add to that, we expanded the home with new spaces/buildings including the gallery and mudroom, the garage and the Cabana, and the exterior living areas.
Perhaps my favorite aspect was working on a historic property with original fabric throughout the house we wanted to save or replicate during our work. The newel post and the hardwood floors on the first floor, for example, are original to 1877, as are many of the windows facing the street. When we couldn’t save an element, we replicated it to a tee, including the interior doors, the front door and the balustrade.
To celebrate, our gracious clients co-hosted a Tastemaker Talk with me at Elms View for 75 of our friends and clients – just one month after completion/move-in. Designer/host/fashion extraordinaire Danielle Rollins inspired us to live authentically and stylishly in our homes. It was an incredible experience we feel so honored to have created and shared. (Plus, we were able to test Elms View’s ability to host a large gathering – without a glitch to report.)
Photos during and after the project follow below, along with party pics from the Tastemaker Talk. We’ll photograph the house later this year. For now, enjoy the virtual walk through and your own sweet memories made during Summer 2019.
Only the best,
Kitchen | Before, During, After
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Dining Room | Before, During, After
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Master Bath | Before & After
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Exterior | Before, During, After
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With a little fun & happy clients along the way…
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Tastemaker Talk with Danielle Rollins | Hosted at Elms View, July 2019
