The Maidstone Renovation: South Elevation
The Maidstone renovation was a complete remodel of a 1980's home in South Florida. The design was inspired by the incredible sub-tropical landscape of South Florida. The new design and materials create a calm atmosphere that emphasize the beautiful views and encourage residents to go into the landscape--the home acts a threshold to the garden. The warm and neutral pallet of ivory and taupe were inspired by the home's original Navona marble floors that were kept. We opened walls and added windows to embrace the expansive quality of the home's original plan and allowed more light to enter the north facade.
The project was dedicated to conservation and health. Green Building for a residential renovation takes thoughtful planning and commitment, but the rewards are immediate. Even if you do not go through the LEED certification you can use green building practices, so your choices are as environmentally friendly and safe as possible. Before we began demolition, we deconstructed the home. We donated as much of the house as we could. Habitat for Humanity said everything from the home's pink toilets to the driveway pavers were great products for their ReStore. Part of the renovation included upgrading the windows to code required impact glass--we also insisted on low-e insulated glass because of air conditioning use. We upgraded the HVAC and added whole house dehumidifiers, water sense plumbing fixtures, a rain water collection system for drip line irrigation, LED lighting, energy star appliances, used zero and low VOC paints and finishes for walls and cabinets, used locally made terrazzo counters and tiles, locally made driveway and pool pavers, porcelain tile with recycled content, NAUF MDF products for interior doors and trim, and hybrid water heaters. Some of the interior fabrics are GreenGuard certified and contain renewable, recycled resources. The project took a year and half to complete. More pictures to come! Please email me at susanjkolber@gmail.com for any questions regarding green renovations.