Front elevation before
Smart Project
West Prentiss Princess
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The West Prentiss Princess’s great revealing
Cool Details to Upgrade Your Greenville Home
Modernist Twentieth Century architect Mies van Der Rohe famously said “God is in the details”. That is an idea Rare Design fully subscribes to- we say – Good design is in the details. Remodeling projects offer unique opportunities to create out –of- the- ordinary clever details that make living in your home a pleasure.Click any picture for a larger view.
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- The front elevation. Transformation of this study, brick cottage to an open, airy, shingle-style home well suited to this active, bustling family of six.
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- The four foot addition for the upstairs bedroom added a small covering for the inviting front porch.
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- Copper gutters and detailing add elegance, brighten and define the cream colored house.
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- A mudroom entered at new side door has plenty of cubby space for individuals and leads straight into the pantry for quick after school snacking.
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- Recycled bric-a-brac from a Victorian porch becomes a new hanging rack in the new mudroom entry.
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- This right-side wing of the main floor was also a long, narrow porch that has kid’s gaming, dad’s office and the music room was replaced with a pantry on the other side of the mudroom.
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- Stunning furnishing light the living room.
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- At the end of the living room, a study room featuring three specific home-work stations (and master closet and bathroom) has replaced the multi-purpose sun room (which was the original porch).
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- Glowing lamps soften the atmosphere and intensify the beauty of the heirloom piano.
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- Note the dramatic style changes in the formal dining room. This is indicative of how this whole house changed her attitude thanks to the amazing Elizabeth Mann and Angela Hornish.
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- A custom beverage station and refrigerator is placed immediately to the left of the formal dining room for easy access to beverages during formal meals as well as the kitchen island.
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- The ceiling jumps up to follow the roofline and two large windows are put in the left side of the kitchen to allow for lots of natural light. The back wall is tiled with robin’s egg blue, white and grey that makes the wall shine where ever you look.
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- The stove boasts a punch of color with it’s bright red knobs while the cabinetry, sweet tile backsplash brighten the atmosphere with clean, homey energy.
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- The view from the formal dining room; exposing an open space great for social interaction and family time.
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- The sculptural forms in the ceiling are an added staircase leading to the boy’s wing add character to the ceiling above the sink and bar.
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- Custom hanging light fixtures lighten the atmosphere and give it gentle playfulness.
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- This kitchen is funky, elegant and overall a practical design for an active family that enjoys entertaining.
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- A huge wall of windows line the back of the added family room, drawing the eye outside. Intensifying the drama, ceiling coffers add terrific detail.
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- A built-in banquette lines the staircase leading to the basement.
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- Heirloom glass bowls and ashtrays create an enchanting mosaic (designed by the charming and delightful homeowner) for the powder room that receives light from the open and bright living room.
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- Master is only slightly architecturally modified. The door to the former porch and exercise rom now leads to tricked out closet, complete with its own laundry that leads to the master bath.
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- Master bath is awash in elegance. Note the vaulted ceilings that follow the new roof lines above the shower and tub.
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- Antique salvage doors outfitted with mirrors cover the toilet room. Custom vanity and shelving add to the beauty.
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- Stair hall
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- The tight master bathroom (used by all the kids too) became an easily accessed powder room with the most amazing stained glass window ever.
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- A custom light fixture inspires and enchants the mind as you enter the realm of the children.
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- The before picture shows a hallway with a door at the far end of it. This lead to a low sloping attic, that was, with an addition of only four feet turned into a welcoming, bright bedroom for the oldest daughter.
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- The baby’s room was replaced with an upstairs laundry room; complete with shelving and hanging space for each child.
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- A window and light colors make the room super airy and light.
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- A double vanity and extra cabinet space for the girl’s wing adds much needed room in the bathroom the girls share.
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- Serene boy’s bedroom with built-in bed and headboard.
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- A wall full of windows with Bermuda shutters allows for a lot of natural light while retaining privacy. The area of the built-in headboard formerly was the door to the bedroom that was shared by both the boys and led into the main hall.
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- Modern and hip bedroom for the oldest boy. Room is an aerie perched high above the addition, creating a perfect opportunity for zip-lining.
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- A new boy’s bathroom is tucked under the new roof that accompanied the additions of mudroom and kitchen.
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- Custom light fixtures welcomes you down to the basement…not so foreboding anymore!
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- Before and after. Gloomy unused basement becomes a game, TV watching, hangout space.
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- An open den replaces scary basement.
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- Brick walls from the original basement are kept throughout to enhance character and texture.
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- A cheerful, full-service kitchenette replaces an ordinary storage space.
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- Reused, original (circa 1932) concrete laundry sink doubles as a giant ice chest during parties.
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- Space under the deck is transformed into a screened-in porch.
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- Complete with fireplace. Mantel was custom milled from a dead tree from the property.
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- French doors lead to the home office.
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- A run of the mill old deck was torn off and an outdoor kitchen was created from recycled brick and patio from slabs of the former driveway. This is all just outside of the lower level screened porch.
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- More basement storage space is transformed into an office (and escape) for dad.
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- All custom shelves with a Murphy bed hiding among them.
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- Former drive way becomes a cart path and walk way made of recycled brick and oyster shell tabby in a nod to the homeowner’s Charleston roots.
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- A golf-cart shed is fit in a corner the end of the master bathroom and screened-in porch.
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- A horse-shoe pit and fire-pit keep all ages busy and entertained.
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- The back elevation. While being a very large addition the scale does not overwhelm the yard and the original house and is in keeping with the neighborhood. Change can be so so good.
Lake Keowee Get-away
You wake up and meander to the sun room at the end of your bedroom. You lay back on the day couch and look out the window and see layer upon layer of the most beautiful and alive green. The hills roll and cross over each other, each hill a different color. The biggest mountain you can see is quite far away but is the deepest blue and purple. The sun is shining down on the shimmering grass and leaves, making everything sparkle. You close your eyes for a moment; taking a photograph of the scene with your mind.
The same view can be seen from the living room, dining room, kitchen, master bath and family sun room.
The winding gravel driveway meanders through a green and lush forest area. You start going up and hill and then you see it. The grey of it is like the mist that gathers at dusk over the sea before a storm. The white custom-designed window wood panel detailing around the windows makes the house inviting and enchanting while the dark grey roof adds to the smokiness. Based on a romantic cottage style heavily influenced with East Coast shingle style beach houses, which are not the ones of South Carolina. Although it is quite spread out on the site, the house is very functional and not as cavernous as you might think.
Unique home design in the Acadia Community
Left side elevation coming around the curve of the road.
Left side elevation.
Rear elevation
Front elevation
Stairs
Dining room and study, all open to kitchen and living room.
West Prentiss Princess
This adorable house, on a notable street, was delightful but overflowing. When the family first bought the house they only had one child but one turned to four and there were only two official bedrooms upstairs and the family room had been converted to a master bedroom. The house was overflowing with people.
With a tiny addition of only four feet, we added to the front porch but, most importantly, added a dormer on the second floor to create a large bedroom for the oldest daughter. This subtle addition, as well as the reworking of doorways and the stair landing, created four bedrooms upstairs, two full baths, a lounge and a laundry room. This created a boys wing and a girls wing.
The three story addition on the rear of the house incorporates a family room, the eldest boy’s bedroom, the game room and screen porch. This big tower barely makes a dent in their big backyard. With all the windows, light pours in from everywhere, creating a bright, happy, open space for the kitchen, breakfast area and family room.
The Little Cottage
This little cottage on a prominent street had been remodeled in its past but lacked a cohesive plan. It had choppy rooms, poor circulation and was rather blah. The new owners are full of exuberant personality~ empty nesters whose children come to visit, party givers that love to have folks over as well as studious thinkers requiring office space. rareDesign set out to create a home that satisfied all these needs.
The house was given more space by creating additions on the front and back. At the front the door was relocated and a welcoming porch enhanced the curb appeal. A mere four feet was added to the living room – with a raised curved ceiling – but it allowed a reorientation of that space so the whole room opened up, joining with the dining room to create the entertaining area.
A guest suite was created and a library which was converted from a former hall bath. The kitchen was created anew in the old family room and a new space added with access out the screened porch and fabulous “alley”. We squeezed in a large breakfast room, pantry, mudroom as well as offices for both owners. Check it out!