Restored Entry
View of restored entry looks like we hardly did a thing; everything seems typical for age and style of house. For owners, entry was first phase of a larger restoration. They used it to work through details and finishes that could be used throughout. Photo is courtesy of Vista Estate Imaging.This is how the entry appeared when we began work. Original front door was missing, as were French doors into living room. We replaced doors, wall and trim. Owners stripped paint from woodwork. Natural finishes were restored, blending new and existing elements together.New bench was built from our drawings by Brian Gregory in his Woodinville shop. Here it is, ready for delivery to site.View of front porch includes new entry door. It was not difficult to imagine how the original door might have looked, given cues from windows and pattern of lights.
back
Some clients prefer to focus on a discrete project, like restoring a single room, and fully realize it before moving on to the next.  This can be a good strategy to limit chaos, not break the bank, and increase Wow! factor.  Owners of this large (1915) Craftsman house in Seattle's Leshi neighborhood decided to redo entry as their first project, and set the standards for later work.  We added new doors, bench and stair railing, and restored original finishes.