Architectural Elements

improve curb appeal

African Mahogany Gable Trellis

Adding a decorative accent on the home’s exterior improves curb appeal. A popular area to do this is at the gable – the triangular area of the exterior wall where two roof pitches come together. Our client’s architect drew the design of this unique trellis, and we figured out how to construct it.

Made from African Mahogany, it’s a beautiful feature that draws in the visitor to this entryway. Since it’s an open trellis design, it’s attractive from the outside as well as the inside.

external protection

Custom Radius Vents

Enjoying the outdoors on your huge, screened-in porch is a relaxing experience. Most often, porches and decks are built with a skirting element to cover up the open area beneath the surface. But proper ventilation is critical to prevent moisture developing wood rot underneath the porch.

This high-end home couldn’t have basic, boring lattice as a vent. The client brought in a small photo for inspiration, and we created custom radius vents that paired nicely with other architectural aspects of the house.

Old doors, new purpose

Double Doors with Leaded Glass

A client wanted repurposed doors for the front of their new home. They found doors they liked, especially the leaded glass, and brought them to the shop.

Unfortunately, the doors were too small for the new opening and the frame and glass were shaky. We carefully removed the leaded glass and handed them off to Craig Pearson at C&P Glassworks for repair.

We straightened, reinforced, and enlarged the frames using old growth material to keep the look. We added a layer of ¼” tempered glass to help with the efficiency of the glass and to protect the leaded glass on the exterior. We stained, blended, and added several coats of UV resistive urethane to protect it. The result: These are still old doors but with new life. Are they as energy efficient as new doors? Not really, but I think they are spectacular!

Reconstruction

Window Decoration Panel

For the past four years, the restoration of Maggard Razors on South Winter Street in Adrian has been taking place. The structure was built in the 1880’s and needed significant restoration.

As the project manager, we have been assisting Brad with his labor of love. One of the elements of the project is restoring the front façade. Trims, doors, glazing, metalwork, are just the are the tip of the iceberg.

One piece that needed restoration was a panel under one of the storefront windows. At some point in its history, someone thought it was a good idea to cut a gaping hole in the highly decorative panel. Luckily, we had other panels as a reference for the restoration. We reproduced all the parts and once completed, the result was spot-on!