Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Take a look inside this inspiring, monotone home

At first look, youd think this sleek, elegant apartment is located in New York. Closer scrutiny of the surroundings will reveal youre actually in Bandra, Mumbai. Spread across 800-square-feet, this chic apartment belongs to architect and interior designer, Jason Wadhwani. Having lived in the same apartment for about 10 years, he decided it was time to spruce up the spaceboth, aesthetically and functionally. The house had to reflect the personalities and lifestyles of my wife and I, so I started designing the space with a very monochromatic palette in mind, which is usually the starting point for all my projects. At the same time, he felt that the house needed to be injected with quirkiness and warmth. This was done by cladding walls and floors and of course, infusing a healthy dose of art. Apart from this, plants around the house ensure that the monochromatic palette is balanced.

Since Wadhwani and his wife entertain a lot, he wanted the combined area of the living and dining room to exude a cosy and comfortable vibe along with enough space for circulation. I added an engineered wooden flooring on the existing white marble flooring to add warmth to a very white space. A green chaise lounge by Josmo Studio along with art by Pratap Morey above the white couch add some colour to the room, says Wadhwani. Adding a quirky touch to the covered bar is a Japanese wallpaper on the shutters. Since the small attached balcony is rarely used, Wadhwani decided to make use of it as a space for entertaining by removing the sliding doors and making the balcony a part of the living room. A cantilevered white marble slab was installed in the dining area owing to space constraints.

Considering the limited space, Wadhwani had specific ideas for the kitchen. Since the space is extremely small, I had to make use of the area in the best way possible, he says. Bearing in mind the theme, a chic black and white striped flooring takes over the kitchen with white subway tiles on the walls. A large white ceramic sink is installed to give the space a country feel.

The master bedroom is dominated by shades of greya grey chesterfield headboard and a grey granite wall featuring artworks by Saubya Chashmawala stand out. The bed is framed by two elegant Flos lamps on either side. Adding an edgy touch to the room is the black snakeskin wallpaper on the TV wall.In keeping with the grey colour scheme, the master bathroom features grey rustic tiles on the walls and black Marquina marble on the floor.

Wadhwani describes the guest bedroom as a warmer space with an oak veneer cladding on the walls. Swathes of monochrome are observed on the headboard as well as the custom black and white armoire and dressing unit.

This South Delhi home is a repository for impressive artworks and sculptures

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This chic Mumbai apartment can give other New York lofts a run for their money - Architectural Digest India

More than 400 artists have worked at Artpace over the past 25 years, but only a handful have left tangible traces of the work they did in the building.

The artists that come through the lauded residency program typically create installations that are on display for just a few months. But some leave things behind that can be seen outside of the galleries if you have permission to roam around and know where to look.

Riley Robinson knows where to look.

Robinson, who became the director of Artpace in 2018 and has worked for it through most of its history, agreed to show off the buildings offbeat hidden treasures on a tour that included the galleries, offices, restrooms and the three apartments where artists live during their residencies.

He even pointed out the reminders left behind from the buildings time as a Hudson car dealership and a Firestone tire shop, including a tire rack tucked high overhead in a space that now is used for lectures and workshops, and a drain in the floor in a space where cars were once washed.

Theres also a Hudson hubcap hanging on the wall at the top of the stairs, but thats not a leftover from the Hudson days: I like to tell everybody we found the Hudson hubcap while we were renovating the building, but we actually got it from a hubcap dealer on Austin Highway, he said.

A bit of a history of the buildings transformation into an art center can be found in the restrooms, where Ansen Seales black-and-white photographs of what it looked like before hang on the walls.

The other artwork scattered throughout the building, which opened to the public in 1995, provides thumbnail illustrations of some of the work that has been created there over the years.

So does a shelf behind the desk in Robinsons office. It holds a hodgepodge of small pieces, gifts and mementos from artists who have come through.

Theyre little bits and pieces of ephemera I dont know if theyre really artwork or not, he said.

The shelf includes a painted 2-by-4 covered in string left behind by sculptor Leonardo Drew, a ceramic plate made by the late Katie Pell and a gag gift of a breath spray claiming to help folks understand modern art.

On ExpressNews.com: Katie Pell remembered for work, impact

Theres also an oversized key It looks like a cartoon, Robinson said that is one of 10 he had made as part of the installation that Regina Jos Galindo created during her 2008 residency. For the piece, she locked herself, her husband and her baby into a jail cell in the gallery.

Shes a conceptual artist and doesnt usually end up with an object other than the record of the show. So I was like, Hey, Regina, lets go ahead and make a copy of the key, Robinson recalled. So that is a copy of the jail cell key. This is what a real jail cell key looks like.

A framed light switch plate hangs above working light switches on the wall beside the door. Beyond documentation, its all that is left of Kim Jones 2003 installation Flatland Wars, which depicted battle scenes. The plate is covered in tiny, detailed pencil drawings, as were the walls of the gallery.

When the exhibit closed, Jones told Robinson to just paint over the mural. Robinson got his OK to keep the light plate.

So I took it off the wall and saved it, and this is whats left over, he said. Its part of Artpace.

Another part lies under the floor of that wing of the building. As Artpace founder Linda Pace recounts in her book Dreaming Red: Creating ArtPace, artist Paula Santiagos 1996 residency coincided with the construction of that area. Santiago inserted works of art bits of plaster casts and clippings of her hair into the wet concrete foundation of the directors office.

Robinson noted that there is no sign documenting the pieces presence.

For a long time, other works affixed throughout the building didnt have labels, either. That changed starting with the two small urethane balls that Elizabeth McGrath left embedded in the ceiling, an extension of please watch your step, the installation she created during her 1996 residency. The balls can be seen by looking up in the first floor atrium.

On ExpressNews.com: Southwest School of Art show digs into colorism

Were not a collecting institution, but theyve been there a long time, Robinson said. About six or seven years ago, I said its time to own it. So we finally put a label on it. So were claiming it as artwork. I wrote her and told her, Youre the longest exhibiting artist in Artpace.

Theres also a label for Waddle and Daub, a piece suggesting two vessels, one nestled inside the other, that was embedded into the wall just below the stairs by Lily Cox-Richard during her 2016 residency.

And theres a label for a single window pane on the landing between the first and second floors thats coated in delicate silver leaf, a call-back to Rebecca Hollands 2000 residency. The artist painstakingly covered the ceiling of her space with silver leaf, creating a glowing effect. She left behind the window pane as a gift to Artpace.

The original work is still there, too, Robinson said: When she left, it was time to bring the next artist in, we just painted the ceiling over. Theres a layer of silver there; you just cant see it.

A few works upstairs rarely are seen by anyone other than artists and staff, since theyre in areas not accessible to the public. One can be found on the windows of the cozy apartment where Tony Feher stayed during an Artpace stint in 2012. Feher, who died in 2016, typically worked with everyday materials, including the strips of blue tape he used to cover three panes of glass with geometric patterns.

If you know Tony Fehers work, this is a signature blue tape piece, Robinson said. Im not taking this down.

Another hidden work is a series of window panes with small holes drilled into them. Theyre what remains of Rivane Neuenschwanders 2001 piece Omission Points, for which she drilled those holes all the way around the gallery.

I saved em, Robinson said.

Hes also left up a single clay bird in a room just off the Main Space, the downstairs gallery that faces the street. It was part of a collection of birds that Kate Terrell created for an installation about 10 years ago. At the end of the exhibition, Robinson said, we took em down, gave the birds back. But then we noticed we missed one. And its been hanging ever since.

The bird, the silver leaf and all the other pieces left serve as a reminder of Artpaces history, Robinson said, as well as a reminder that the building itself is a catalyst for new work.

Its an envelope that lets people do what they do best, he said.

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN

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Hidden treasures trace the history of Artpace in San Antonio - San Antonio Express-News

Work to build the Isle of Wights latest Premier Inn hotel continues, but the opening has been pushed back from Spring to Summer 2020.

The frame of the 100-bed hotel on Sandown Esplanade has now been completed and temporary weatherproofing has been introduced to allow the internal fit-out of the hotel rooms and corridors. Water and electric supplies have been installed and the installation of both mechanical and electrical systems on all the upper floors is now underway.

Contractors are starting from the top and working their way down, with the ground floor currently being used as a delivery and loading hub. Work on this level will commence in February.

The on-site crane is expected to be removed in March.

Until now it was hoped that the hotel and restaurant would open in Spring 2020, but the current programme of works targets completion by Summer 2020.

It was backin December 2015thatIsland Echo exclusively reported that the Carlton Hotel would be demolished to make way for a third Premier Inn on the Isle of Wight. Planning permission for the scheme was granted in late 2016 and demolition of the former Carlton Hotel took place in 2017 and early 2018. At one point it was hoped that the hotel would open in 2017.

Geoff Cook, Senior Project and Programme Manager, has said:

Despite recent challenging weather conditions, were pleased to be making steady progress with the construction of Premier Inn Sandown.

Construction of the buildings frame has been completed and were now moving onto weatherproofing the building, installing mechanical and electrical systems and beginning the internal fit-out of the hotel.

Were currently on course to complete construction and open our doors to the new hotel and restaurant in summer 2020.

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CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES AT PREMIER INN SANDOWN BUT OPENING PUSHED BACK - Island Echo

Food at Yoshii Gallery, New York: installation view;photo: Chiu Ng (all images courtesy Yoshii Gallery)

Many contemporary still lifes depict food. The 22 works on display at Yoshii Gallery under the inclusive title, Food, provide a good selection.

They include sculpted fruit Tadao Andos Green Apple (2018), Ugo Rondinones Still Life (one pear) (2012) and Gen Saratanis Strawberry (2019) along with Chocolate Bar (2012) by Adam McEven and a cooked breakfast, Claes Oldenburgs sculpture Pancakes and Sausages (1962).

These works represent actual food, while others depict cooked or packaged foodstuffs: Big Mac Box (2007) by Tom Sachs and, on the wall, his Krusty Os (2019), a painting of a boxed cereal; Paul McCarthys large photograph Propo (Ketchup) (2002); and Campbells Tomato Juice Box (1962) by Andy Warhol.

Some artworks tell jokes Gavin Turks Core (2005) is an apple core sculpture made of oil paint on bronze and others make historical allusions. Elaine Sturtevents Oldenburg Store Object, Bacon and Egg (1967), a chickenwire, cloth, plaster, and enamel reconstruction of an early example of the Pop masters work, is set alongside two genuine Oldenburg sculptures.

Some years ago, when Darren Jones and I were gathering examples for our study, The Contemporary Art Gallery: Display, Power and Privilege (2016), we were interested in how much that institution had changed since the heyday of the white cube, as memorialized in Brian ODohertys famous book Inside the White Cube (1986, adapted from articles that appeared in Artforum 10 years earlier).

Nowadays galleries might have natural overhead lighting or even windows on the outside world; some complement the art with brightly colored walls. Many prefer austere installations, with lots of space between the individual works. But occasionally there are dense, Salon-style hangings.

And gallery entrances, too, have now become very varied; sometimes, for example, the front desk is not in the front, and at least one Manhattan gallery was in a basement. We were particularly interested in contrasting these commercial spaces to those in public art museums. By the time we finished, however, we thought that we had exhaustively catalogued all of the present options.

Now, however, I realize that this belief was mistaken. Food offers something new. What makes this an extraordinary exhibition, a truly virtuosic curatorial performance, is the presentation. The Yoshii Gallery is on the third floor of a Madison Avenue building, just downstairs from Larry Gagosians massive two-floor space. To get to this small gallery, you must walk through a narrow corridor, and then turn to enter the main room. And there you find that almost all of the art in Food is gathered together in one relatively small space.

Some works are wall-mounted: Tom Wesselmanns collage Little Still Life #7 (1963) is one, and Warhols Large Campbells Soup Can (1964), a silkscreen, is another. But you are mostly surrounded by sculptures on high and low pedestals Warhols silkscreened sculpture, Campbells Tomato Juice Box, and Rirkrit Tiravanijas We Said (frackfort no frackfort) (2012), to name two so you need to be very careful when you move.

You will find Tom Friedmans 3/8-inch Untitled (Pea) (2013), the smallest contemporary artwork I have ever seen, high on the right wall. And in a corner on the floor sits Rondinones trompe-loeil, Still Life (one pear), a cast bronze with yellow paint. Look straight ahead, turn to either side, and then look behind you to find still more artworks. The gallery isnt cluttered for there arent a great many objects, and many of them are small, but because they are positioned throughout this art-filled room, as I said, you have to be careful. I found it best to look by twisting and turning while standing in the center, keeping my feet motionless.

Normally, except at openings, most art galleries are not crowded. Just as some dogs walk in circles before sitting down, gallery visitors often slow down upon entering, to get the feel of the space before settling down to look.

And of course some installations make this task more complicated. Fred Sandbacks dangling rope sculptures are hard to see, which makes it easy to get entangled in them. But once you have located your position with some care, so that you dont bump into a sculpture when moving back to view a painting, you are safe.

At Food, however, you needed to remain mentally alert. Normally almost anything in a gallery could also be shown in a museum. But no public museum could handle this exhibition.

What, then, does the form of this presentation reveal about its content, food? I puzzled over that question for a long time. You couldnt do a convincing show like this of landscape paintings, portraits, or abstract artworks. What then, I wondered, made this display of contemporary still life so obviously successful?

Here a historical perspective is essential. When critics praised Jean-Baptiste-Simon Chardins fruit, Edouard Manets asparagus, or Paul Czannes apples, they contrasted the banality of these subjects with the artists skill at presenting them. In his great essay Chardin, for example, Marcel Proust writes:

You will be a Chardin, less great, to be sure, but great to the extent to which you will love him, to which you will re-constitute yourself to be, like him, one for whom metal and pottery will come to life and fruits have language.

Most of the food-art in Food really comes from a different world. Theres hardly anything that would draw your eye unless you were really hungry. Now, however, what can still attract your attention is a magnetic display, a collective work of art created by a curator. Who would have thought that still lifes would create such a strong reaction? Compelling you to look closely at things you would ordinarily scarcely notice is a real achievement.

I couldnt stop thinking about this novel experience of space long after I left the gallery. Few exhibitions inspire such a lasting response. What might have happened as the crowds entered at the opening? I wish I could have been a fly on the wall, or, better still, on the ceiling.

Note: The Proust quote is found on page 326 of Marcel Proust on Art and Literature (Carroll & Graf, 1984).

Food continues at Yoshii Gallery (980 Madison Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan) through January 25.

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When the Exhibition Becomes a Work of Art - Hyperallergic

On the evening of Jan. 14, 1990, Doug Seyle knocked on his employers front door at Savannahs stately Mercer House on Monterey Square. Receiving no response, he let himself in and found the historic homes locally famous resident, 59-year-old Jim Williams, lying dead in the study.

He died from a simple case of pneumonia, but the location of his death was remarkable. In that same room on May 2, 1981, Williams shot and killed 21-year-old Danny Lewis Hansford. Williams, an accomplished antiques dealer, building restorer, and Savannah socialite, insisted that hed shot the young man his part-time assistant and occasional lover in self-defense. Within a few weeks, Williams was indicted for murder.

Three decades after his death, Jim Williams is famous far beyond Savannah. The circumstances of the Hansford shooting, and the four trials that Williams endured to clear his name, provided the primary plot for "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", John Berendts 1994 bestseller. Known locally as "The Book", it later served as the basis for a Hollywood movie, and became a driving force behind modern Savannah tourism.

However, Williamss legacy extends beyond the provocative anecdotes that made Berendt a multimillionaire. Williams was a leading preservationist of historic Savannah buildings, revamping over 30 edifices citywide. His projects included the Olde Pink House on Reynolds Square, the Hampton Lillibridge House on East Saint Julian Street, and the Mercer House now called the Mercer Williams House Museum where he lived and died.

This palatial Italianate mansion, constructed just after the Civil War for General Hugh W. Mercer (the great-grandfather of musician Johnny Mercer), now ranks among Savannahs most popular landmark museums. Owned by Williamss sister, Dorothy Kingery, the museum is currently receiving a thorough external refurbishment, in what she considers an effort to preserve her brothers restoration legacy.

"People really enjoy learning about Jims history," Kingery said, noting that Williamss antique collection within Mercer House paints a tasteful portrait of his life. "To carry this on, it means a lot to me and my family, and we are pleased to be able to do it."

"He took it in stride"

While Williams worked on many impressive buildings, Mercer House was his masterpiece. After completing its initial restoration in 1970 and making it his personal home, Williams hosted legendary parties there and used it as a showcase for his finest antiques. During his trials, it also became a place of refuge.

"We spent a lot of time in Jims house," said Atlanta-based attorney Don Samuel, who served on the Williams defense team. "It was somewhat museum-like even then."

Most anyone standing trial for murder would be forgiven for letting the ordeal overwhelm their decorum. However, this wasnt Williamss style, Samuel said.

"He was a very charming guy, unlike 99% of people on trial," Samuel said, adding that Williams carried himself with grace and good humor while working on his defense. "He took it in stride."

When Williams was finally found innocent after his fourth trial in 1989, Samuel recalls that his client was "completely exuberant, of course."

Nonetheless, Williamss passing just months after his exoneration made the courtroom victory bittersweet for Samuel.

"That was very tragic and sad that he didnt get to enjoy his freedom," Samuel said.

"Its a huge job"

Kingery remembers sitting with her mother and Williamss lawyers at the dining-room table soon after his death, and being asked what the family would do with the historic home.

"I said, We will keep it, of course," Kingery recalls.

Although maintaining such a grand estate was no small endeavor, Kingery felt that her brothers extensive efforts to preserve Mercer House would help considerably.

"Jim had just finished a restoration," Kingery said. "I was confident that we were dealing with a house that was in excellent shape."

For the next 14 years, Kingery maintained Mercer House as a private residence for herself and her daughter Susan, who now manages museum operations despite initial reservations about her mothers plan to turn the mansion into an exhibition.

"She said, Im going to turn it into a museum, and I said, Youre crazy," Susan Kingery recalls with a laugh.

Dorothy Kingery, who earned a history masters and a sociology PhD from the University of Georgia before establishing and directing UGAs Survey Research Center, was confident that the family could open Mercer House to the public.

"I knew how to hire and supervise people," Dorothy Kingery said, and in the years that followed, the mother-daughter team turned Mercer House into a premier Savannah attraction, although they declined to reveal specific visitor totals. "You would be amazed at the number of people who come here."

Still, museum operations require a great deal of work, and the elements also present challenges to the nearly 150-year-old building. With paint chipping on the trim and areas of the brick facade requiring cleaning, last year the Kingerys decided to refurbish the entire exterior. The restoration began in December, and is expected to continue through March, with the Savannah branch of Choate Construction handling the project.

"Its a huge job," Dorothy Kingery said.

"Its really a family home"

While Williamss untimely passing created an unwanted bookend to his lengthy legal difficulties, his family takes comfort in the final verdict.

"Im so grateful that he did clear his name before he died," Dorothy Kingery said.

At times when the Mercer House is closed to the public, Williamss family continues to gather there and enjoy the magnificent setting and all of its finery. On this past New Years Eve, Dorothy and Susan Kingery joined friends in the dining room to drink champagne from Williamss Baccarat crystal glasses that visitors view during tours.

"Its really a family home," Dorothy Kingery said. "We still love it and enjoy it. I think he knows."

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30 years after death of Jim Williams, his iconic Savannah home is being restored - Savannah Morning News

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) The Wabash Valley experienced heavy rainfall this past weekend.

This may have caused water damage for some.

News 10 talked to Paul Davis Restoration about what to do in the event of an emergency.

It's important to immediately stop wherever the water is coming from.

That might mean tarping off an area.

Make sure your sump pump is working. You may want to have a back-up power supply in place.

Check your insurance policy to see what coverage you have in the event of a flood.Make a list of the items in your home. While it may seem tedious, it will help if you have to file a claim.

General Manager of Paul Davis Restoration, Ken Bovenschen shares why it's important to reduce the damage quickly.

"We can extract a lot more of that standing water and speed up the drying process,Bovenschen said. Once again, what we would normally refer to as mold can start growing in as quick as 24 to 72-hours."

The company says they did not respond to as many calls as they expected this weekend.

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How to handle water damage in your home - WTHITV.com

SILSBEE, Texas Some in the city of Silsbee are hoping to get a helping hand from the crew of one HGTV show looking to revitalize a small town in the US.

Silsbee Economic Development Corporation shared a Facebook post on Monday, inviting the community to be part of the effort to be selected for 'Home Town Takeover.'

"What an awesome way to see some of our dreams come to fruition...from restoring our movie theater, revitalizing downtown, improving parks and beautifying our entire community," the post says. "We are working on a submission video and we want you to be a part of it!"

A news release from HGTV says the selected town will 'witness the rehab of multiple individual family homes and the revitalization of public spaces, such as parks, local diners and recreation centers.'

The town will be part of a six-episode series set to premiere on HGTV in 2021.

Ben and Erin Napier host the show, and say this is a new feat for HGTV.

HGTV has never, ever taken on a whole town renovation and restoration project and were so proud and excited to be leading the team that will get it done. Show us those photos and videos," Erin Napier said. "Tell us what makes your town special and how youd like us to help make it better. You may see us in your town soon.

Silsbee's estimated population as of July 2018 was 6,651.

Silsbee EDC Mission and Values The mission of the EDC is to support economic and community development projects that will improve the business climate, strengthen the economy, create jobs, and enhance the quality of life in the city of Silsbee, Texas.

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Silsbee looking to be part of HGTV's 'Home Town Takeover' - 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC

PERRYSBURG, Ohio Over two inches of rain impacted a portion of our area Saturday, leading to residential flooding and water damage for some home owners.

Cousino Restoration in Perrysburg has been dealing with emergency damage situations for decades. Co-owner Michael Cousino said water damage is a problem many homeowners face every year.

"Every 100 homes, there's going to be about two of them homes per 100 that are going to flood a year," he said.

Cousino said the two main problems people face is a failing sump pump or a clogged drain.

A sump pump is a common way to remove water from your home and Cousino said investing in a good one is some of the best insurance you can have, in addition to homeowners insurance. He said people should check on them ahead of heavy rain events.

"I recommend dumping five gallons of water down into the sub-crack," he said. "Just to flush and make sure it keeps flowing."

Cousino suggests that property owners keep an eye out for clogged drains as well.

"I recommend that people make sure that they clean their drains every three years," he said. "Especially if there's a tree growing in line with the drain."

If you wake up to water in your basement and want to clean up yourself, Cousino said the number one thing to know is safety. Since it can be a hazardous environment, wear protective gear like rubber gloves, boots, a body suit, etc.

"A lot of the way that pathogens get into our bodies is they're ingested through our breathing through our nose and as things are dried and cleaned up, they become airborne and we don't want to ingest those," Cousino said.

Cousino said homeowners can handle most minor cleanups and investment in prevention could save you thousands of dollars.

RELATED: First Alert Forecast: Warm start to the week ahead of weekend rain, snow

RELATED: Steady rain floods roads and basements throughout area on Saturday

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How to prevent and treat home water damage after heavy rain, flooding - WTOL

Ranger Michael Marion talks about the history of Baker Island in Acadia National Park while leading a tour. Friends of Acadia has provided funds to help preserve the islands historic structures/FOA, Julia Walker Thomas

A visit to Acadia National Park can take you back to the 19th century if you make the journey out to Baker Island. Home to a lighthouse at the southern entrance to Frenchman Bay, the island was also a backdrop to generations of the Gilly family, which lived on the island for 123 years running. But time has taken a toll on the island's structures, some of which contained hazardous materials.

During the past year the Park Service staff at Acadia began tackling some of the restoration work at Baker Island. Provided with funding raised by Friends of Acadia, the agency was able toassess the presence of hazardous materials, including lead paint, asbestos, and universal waste such as petroleum products and mercury switches. Licensed contractors removed asbestos roof shingles from the oil shed, enabling the park service to repair the leaking roof with cedar shingles and prevent further degradation, according to the friends group.

Asbestos was also found in the keepers house in floor tiles, pipe insulation, and the stove thimble, notes a story in the winter issue of the Friends of Acadia Journal. A treatment or removal plan has not yet been decided.

According to Friends of Acadiam "(T)he historic structures on the island date mostly from the mid- to late 1800s and have been closed to the public due to hazardous materials and conditions. Great strides were made in 2019 by the National Park Service toward protecting the historical integrity of these structures and making them safer for the public to enjoy."

In addition to the funding provided for the restoration work, the friends group also provided $34,242 toward the production of detailed drawings and a conditions assessment report of the lighthouse tower, the keepers house, the oil shed, and the fuel house. That funding in turn leveraged $28,000 in federal contributions from Acadias entrance fees.

The National Park Services Historic Preservation Training Center will be working through February 2020 to document the conditions of the facilities and prepare recommendations for treatment and future uses for each building. The report will serve as the roadmap for future stabilization and restoration.

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Baker Island Restoration Work Helped By Friends Of Acadia - National Parks Traveler

WHEN Christian and Ana Cox found this Georgian townhouse, tucked behind Windsor Castle, in 2010, it was a shadow of its former self. One of three houses that had been clumsily converted into offices for an insurance company, its glorious original features had been stripped out and it had no floors and no roof.

The only original feature was an ornate fanlight above the front door and the mahogany staircase, recalls Christian, who runs a property development and design company. It felt like the bones of a fish, once youve finished eating it. But we fell in love with the Georgian faade and the staircase.

It was only after the couple met the landlord of the nearby 16th-century pub, Two Brewers, who produced pictures and paper cuttings of everything to do with historic Park Street, that they were able to piece together images of the original cornicing, the shade of the mortar and the shape of original bookshelves and cupboards. Scaffolding had been holding the house up for around seven years but was now unsafe.

A few weeks into the refurbishment, we had a message from a member of staff at the castle that the Queen was delighted the scaffolding had come down and her view of Park Street had improved vastly, Christian says. We took that as a joke.

It then took us almost a year to refurbish it and create this nearly 3,000sq ft home. It was a lot of work.

Today the exquisite Grade II-listed, four-bed property is a comfortable home to Ana, Christian and their children, James and Clara. It has been restored to its magnificent origins, with lofty 13ft-ceilings in the hall and lavish living rooms, and has been beautifully adapted to modern living. All the bathrooms, and the tiled living areas on the lower-ground floor, have underfloor heating and theres air-conditioning in the splendid master bedroom, with its enormous dressing area (once a separate room), outdoor terrace and elegant en-suite bathroom. At the back of the house, an incredible double-height glass atrium has been added, with sliding doors leading into a lush and leafy landscaped garden.

Then in 2012, when the Coxes received an answerphone message, from the castle to inform the couple that they were to receive an award from the Royal family for the beautiful home they had recreated, they thought it was a prank.

I told my wife about it, but deleted the voicemail, Christian recalls. I thought it was a friend playing a joke.

But 12 days later, a lovely chap from the 2012 Windsor Facelift came to the house concerned we hadnt RSVPd and explained we were receiving an award for works in improving Park Street.

Two days later the Coxes received the award from Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. The photo now sits among a gallery of family pictures in their hallway. But it is the recreation of this glorious house that continues to give them the greatest pleasure a home which sagely nods to the past but has all the facilities desirable for contemporary living.

The grand living room boasts original working fireplaces, engineered oak floors, exquisitely recreated coving, and enormous sash windows to front and rear. There are two vast mirrors one of which craftily conceals the television and a grand piano.

Huge sash windows at the front overlook the stables block at the back of Windsor Castle where the Coxes have often seen Prince Philips carriage horses being exercised.

The kitchen has large, slabbed porcelain floor tiles, an island and classic Corian work surfaces.

In the dining room, within the vast glass atrium, a 19ft x 5ft bespoke picture, created on perspex, depicts family and friends in front of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona the couple once lived in the city for six months.

From the top of the atrium, a Bocci pendant light-fitting, with hand-blown glass globes, adds sparkle and drama.

A nearby snug or playroom features a panel of wallpaper showing an 1850s map of Windsor, while another wall boasts an historic map of Notting Hill, another former home for the couple.

On the landing to the top floor, there are two further bedrooms, one with expansive views of the nearby Great Park, and a study.

A Holloways of Ludlow Swan chandelier holds pride of place, while a galleried family bathroom has a remote-controlled velux skylight, which is a constant delight to the children. The greatest challenge in creating this outstanding family home was the sheer amount of dirt we had to remove from the garden says Christian, as some 300 tonnes of mortar, rubble and dirt were taken out to restore it to its former level. He happily admits, however, that he left much of the day-to-day negotiations with builders down to his wife.

Ana runs the builders, he says. Im far too easy going, Im told. Im happy to leave early to the pub and tell them to get on with it.

The couple is selling with great reluctance and because they now have a third child on the way. It has been wonderful here, but it is a townhouse, Ana says.

I feel with a larger family we need a different kind of home. But it will be a wrench to leave this one.

Park Street is on the market for 2.95million, struttandparker.com

See more here:
Property: How the restoration of one Windsor home met with a Royal seal of approval - Metro Newspaper UK