Manoa Remodel - New Front Entry
Manoa Remodel - Dining Area
When this long-time Zen retreat was put up for sale, my clients purchased this 1913 Dutch Colonial that was suffering from decades of neglect.
At first observation, the home appeared to have a single, unadorned door to address the street frontage. It was then learned that the original front entry became the back porch due to the abandonment of a "right of way" easement at the rear of the lot. The original "back door" then became the "front", without any new architectural treatment to indicate this new function.
My design challenge was to seemlessly change the exterior to accomodate this new entry orientation and restore both exterior and interior finishes and details such as doors and windows to preserve the "period's" style integrity.
This family moved to Honolulu from their historic Pasadena craftsman style home and purchased this property because of its traditional past in a lush and established neighborhood. Authenticity was a key word in the project, and every design decision was made with a respect for the building's past while, at the same time being able to function in their modern lifestyle.
The major exterior design element that had to be added was a new front entry porch to acknowledge the new front entry door that fit into the original design of the house. On the interior, moulding was added and/or restored, carpet was removed and underlying wood floors were refinished, windows were replaced and their hardware replaced with historic designs. Paint colors were chosen from historic palettes.