A stunning restoration and renovation of a historic plantation home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia by Stephen Muse and William Kiwan of Muse Architects, this project was awarded because of its meticulous attention to detail, authenticity and preservation.

Originally constructed in 1784 and expanded in 1829, the brick-ended clapboard structure with twin Georgian entry porches follows a one bay deep linear plan typical of Tidewater homes.

Along with complete renovation and restoration of the original house, the scope of work included removal of recent out-of-character additions and construction of additional living space capturing the view of nearby Hungar’s Creek.

To accomplish this, the twin porches from the drive side of the house were replicated on the waterfront side and a new kitchen with breakfast bay was connected to the existing structure by a one-story hyphen.

Additional work included the restoration of all outbuildings, construction of a new garage and the restoration of all driveways, walkways and gardens.

Marvin products used in the project included Ultimate Double Hung Windows, French Casement Windows, Ultimate Casement Windows, Stationary Windows and Transom Windows.

To see more winners and learn more about the Architect’s Challenge, please visit Marvin.

Welcome to 2012, MLuxe readers! It’s a new year and a fresh start. We want to know if you have any New Year’s Resolutions for your home. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Get organized! Getting rid of clutter will automatically make your home look better, and what better time to get motivated for organization than in the New Year?
• Tackle a DIY project. Just remember to take an honest look at what your capabilities are and start small. A good rule of thumb is that if you think you might need a pro, then you probably do.
• Start planning for a big remodel – a kitchen, a bathroom or even a new addition to your house. You might not get it done in 2012, but you’ll be on your way! Planning is an extraordinarily important part of the remodeling process. You need to think about what you want. You need time to get inspired. And of course, you need to figure out the practical financial aspects. Make 2012 the year to get your remodeling planning in place.

Need some more help with your home plans? Try out the Online Remodeling Planner.

Here’s to 2012 being the best year ever for you and your home!

This meticulously considered renovation by Douglas Larson of Larson and Paul Architects transformed a decrepit 19th-century farmhouse in Stanfordville, N.Y., into a weekend retreat for a New York City family. It also was a winner in the 2011 myMarvin Architect’s Challenge.

A plan to preserve the original structure as well as harvest as many reusable materials as possible, resulted in the creation of a comfortable, modern, green design while maintaining the simplicity and charm of the home’s history.

Of particular note, restoration of the original post and beam framing allowed for installation of an open wall of glass featuring Marvin Wood Ultimate Sliding French Doors to showcase a stunning mountain view on one of Duchess County’s most scenic country roads.

Marvin products used in the project included in sash wood polygons, Ultimate Casement windows, the Ultimate Sliding French Door, Ultimate Double Hung windows and Tilt Turn windows.

Learn more about the project on Marvin.com.

Is there EVER a good time to remodel your kitchen? No matter what, it means major disruption, dirt, dust, inconvenience and expense. The trade off for all this is a beautiful new kitchen at the end that will fit your lifestyle, add value to your house and maybe even save you some money with energy-efficient appliances. But in the meantime, there’s the pain.

Many people prefer to remodel their kitchens in the spring and summer. With the warm weather, it’s easy to grill out and dining out options become a little more numerous with restaurant patios. Plus, if you’re cooking, summer is the perfect time for low-prep salads and other no-heat food.

Winter can be a little bit more of a difficult time to tackle a kitchen remodeling project. Besides the reasons above, there’s the holidays. Coming right after Halloween is Thanksgiving and then Christmas and Hanukkah and New Year’s  and Valentine’s Day…

What do you do when your kitchen consists of a hot plate and a roll of paper towels? Luckily, our friends at CalFinder have a few tips to help you keep your sanity:

• The right contractor is key. Find someone who not only can work within your budget, but who will listen to you and find creative solutions to problems that will inevitably crop up.
• We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Failure to plan is planning to fail. You can save yourself a lot of stress when remodeling you kitchen around the holidays if you have not only carefully planned what you want out of your kitchen, but also planned for the ways it will affect your life.

Check out the rest of the post for more tips and here’s one from us: Make this the year you veer away from tradition. Maybe you always cook a big Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe this year you and your family could volunteer at a food shelter.

If you always host on Christmas Eve, find someone else to take the reins this year. And the Christmas Day turkey might end up being Chinese takeout. Whatever your solution, the holiday when the kitchen is being remodeled will be memorable!

It sits atop most houses, confined to a space for storage and cobwebs, dark and dreary. But if you have an attic, it’s a great way to add some extra space to your house.

Need an extra bedroom or two? How about a bathroom? Maybe an office or art studio? Or a playroom for the kids? Your old attic can be your salvation. But let’s face it, attics are often weirdly shaped spaces with little light. There are things you need to remember when remodeling.

Here are some of Re-Nest’s attic tips, and a few ideas of our own:

• Ceiling fans are your friends in an attic. They help regulate the temperature in both the winter and summer.
• Attic floors are notoriously noisy. Carpet is an easy solution, but Re-Nest also suggests “beefier floor joists” if you want hardwood flooring.
• Put bathrooms above lower-floor bathrooms. This might take a little design maneuvering, but can save money in the end.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, says the description of this remodel case study video from Lou Manfredini’s HouseSmartsTV. And who’d argue?

In this segment, HouseSmartsTV talks with an interior designer about a recent remodel that gives a bland kitchen space back its soul. The most significant change was to remove a peninsula that unfortunately cut the space in half and to add a stylish stone island.

A drawer-style microwave and refrigerator (with panels to match other cabinetry) are a clever way save space that can be better used for other purposes. Other nice touches include under-cabinet lighting and glass decorated with gold leaf. Watch the video to see the before and after photos, and see more from HouseSmartsTV on YouTube.

If you’re one of our readers who’s a remodeler by profession, then you might be interested in this: Professional Remodeler is starting the search for its 2011 Remodeler of the Year, to be unveiled in the December issue of the magazine and on HousingZone.com.

“We’re looking for companies that excel in all aspects of remodeling, have made innovations in operations to deal with the current market and uphold the highest standards of the remodeling industry,” they explain.

Do you think your remodeling operation has what it takes to win this honor? Fill out the form here to get started with the submission process. Good luck!

The bathroom is probably the only room in the house that you absolutely can’t get along without. In addition to its practical uses, it has also become a sanctuary and haven from the busy world and some people prefer it to be as spa-like as possible.

For those reasons, the bathroom has a tendency to be one of the top items on a homeowner’s remodeling wish list. CalFinder has covered some ideas for when you want a bathroom upgrade but are short on cash. Here are a few of their ideas we especially like, and you can check out the rest of the post here.

• Try a quick fix: Maybe a coat of sky-blue paint on your white walls will give it that serene feeling you’ve been craving. And if it doesn’t? Then you can always look at more spendy ways to reach your goal.
• Leave some jobs to the pros: Plumbers know plumbing and electricians know electricity. Do you really want to deal with an exploding toilet because your knowledge of pipes is rudimentary? No matter how cheap your bathroom remodel is, save some money to hire experts for certain parts of the job.
• Reface the cabinets you already have–far less expensive than getting them entirely replaced!

Karim Rashid & Soda Stream: A Bubbly Match
Shelter Pop
“The award-winning designer has a new kitchen device — and he’s giving his only US interview to ShelterPop! With the at-home soda craze in full swing, it’s only natural that SodaStream — maker of the DIY soda maker — would bring some design cred to their machines by teaming up with award-winning designer Karim Rashid. Together. they’ve created a fun and bubbly limited edition home soda maker that us seltzer-aholics here at ShelterPop are crazy about. So when he agreed to give his one US interview to us, we jumped at the chance to talk not only about the DIY soda trend, but inspiration and good design as well.”

3 Smart Ways to Pay for Your Home Remodel
CalFinder
“As you may have noticed, the remodels with the greatest return often come at the highest price tags. Window replacement, for instance, costs an average of $11,066, bathroom remodels go for $16,634, and minor kitchen renovations ring in at $21,695. If you lack the cash up-front to cover materials and labor, how can you afford the work your home needs this year?”

Rooftop Gardens
Design*Sponge
“Outdoor space is most New Yorkers’ ultimate real estate wish. We initially hunt for more light, bigger rooms and better locations, but even after you’ve found a great apartment, it’s impossible to not eventually hope for a place to plant a garden to sit outside. While the reality of an amazing rooftop garden feels about a hundred years away for me, for some New Yorkers, it’s sitting right in front of them.”

DIY: Make a Sewing Kit in a Mason Jar
Casa Sugar
A picture guide to keeping sewing equipment for clothing emergencies in an adorable mason jar.

Why You Should Get an Energy Audit
Old House Web
“The right place to start is with an energy audit, a top-to-bottom look at your house by a trained professional who can then make suggestions on which upgrades can do the most good.”

We ran across an article with some interesting tidbits about what homeowners want in 2011. Are any of these on your radar?

• Outdoor living areas: Are you paying more attention to things like porches and patios? An outdoor kitchen (from simple to grand) and a fireplace can add a whole new dimension. Who doesn’t love an extra room in the great outdoors?
• Green features: Green is hot right now, but homeowners are demanding practical things like energy efficient windows and water and electricity-saving appliances.
• Open kitchens: If the hearth is the heart of the home, it makes sense people want to be in it. Open kitchens allow that cozy feeling while allowing the cook some additional space to maneuver.
• Smaller homes: To go along with the green theme, smaller homes are easier to heat and cool, easier to clean and discourage the mindless filling of rooms.

Do you see these trends in your house hunting and remodeling plans?