Hey, all! It’s been a few months, but now that the literal dust has settled on our Amazing Space project, the show has aired, (AND, the series was officially picked up!) I wanted to share a little more about our home renovation!
Wow – what a whirlwind!
We have to say that even though Connecticut is far away from lots of our friends and family, we have felt SO loved through this process! It was an amazing experience to have the opportunity to have our home renovated, and get those 15 (okay, maybe 22 minutes….) of fame, but it has also been a blast to talk about the project with our friends and neighbors, new and old, near and far.
| T enjoying the filming equipment! |
(The local media in Milford picked up “our story”, and it was shared more than 100 times, with more than 200 “likes”, and this little blog almost doubled it previous readership record!)
So, particularly because it is snowy and cold outside, I am excited to share a few warmer-weather throwback “behind the scenes” pictures, and to show you more of our renovations in future posts!
Focused on our second floor (and now THIRD floor loft!) Amazing Space truly transformed our home. A rather dark sitting room – painted spring green when we moved in, and with no distinct function – now is a bright, airy focal point of our home!
Left: The sitting room when we moved-in Center: Sitting room before renovation Right: Sitting room after HGTV magic!
And, a largely unused walk-up attic, magically has become the cheeriest spot in the house! An office space, desk for our little one, a hidden bed/reading nook AND the most lovely fairy-tale-esque spiral staircase you can imagine.
BUT: The BEST thing about Amazing Space, besides the actual space that was amazing, of course, were the folks we got to work with…
|The Husband, Producer Mark Philips, Host Eric Griffin and I on “Reveal Day” |
They made the process – though the dust and mess and some stress is inherent – streamlined and enjoyable! Even with the time crunch of filming, and the pressure of making a great first show, they were considerate of our family, our home, and our tastes.
Donna, of Donna Benedetto Designs was our amazing
designer – the decor she chose for our new space flowed seamlessly (with a little added flair!) with the rest of our home. A detail I LOVE that they didn’t show was the little chair that Donna hand painted for T! It was in the house when we moved – another treasure from a different era.
Denis, of Guiltec Development, was our contractor, and his attention to detail still astounds me. His company has specialized in historic and reclaimed spaces, and he was in his element! Throughout the entire project, his team was efficient, and went above and beyond in a million ways.
| Vintage rail finishes, meticulously matched by our construction team |
Some of my favorite details: The wainscoting in the loft, the rail finishes that were matched to the original in the second story (apparently a funky, old method that
|Storage view |
they’re going to try in future projects, as well!), and the sliding door made of the original flooring from the attic! Also, the Irish accent. Of course.
| Our sliding barn door and bed “nook” made from the antique flooring of the original attic |
Steven, of Keedle and Lee Architects, who also had an amazing – British, this time – accent, by the way, was also fantastic! He and his team had wonderful ideas, and made us feel so secure that all decisions that were made were the right ones for our family, and our home. And, his illustrations and animations of the house were so fun, too! He answered a million questions, and worked tirelessly to find creative solutions to our home’s unique space needs.
|Hudie and Ricky watch filming taking place in the yard from our kitchen|
And, of course, the show’s host, Eric Griffin, who not only knocked on our door and handed us this amazing opportunity, but who also pioneered the idea of the loft and spiral staircase! Producer, Mark and Hudie of MPPT and his team, who came from L.A. to take a chance on our home, and with their impressive resume of television successes and endless creativity, made Amazing Space a hit! And, Rick of NYLAC, who made most of the magic happen behind the camera (and drone!) and whose chill attitude made even stressful filming a breeze. And finally, head production assistant, Eric Mathis, who handled every scheduling detail, on-camera cue and the no-so-easy task of walking two newbies through what it takes to make a successful tv show. These guys, and every other person that walked through the door were truly great people. Even during the early mornings, or when it was 90 degrees outside, or when the ceiling fell down faster than anticipated… We couldn’t have asked for a better group to have in our home!
We are so happy that we were able to be a part of the birth of a new series, and look forward to watching coming episodes! Our home has truly felt complete since this project was finished, and our space makes me smile every time I walk into the room – no joke!
In the coming weeks, I hope to show a few more details of our other home renovations, including our big kitchen project, and even more before-and-afters… ’cause everyone loves a good before-and-after ;)
FreshlyMinted 