Pictured: Family room, kitchen, dining and bar area in the DIaz home.
Recently, Forefront Designs had the pleasure of transforming a stunning Dutch Colonial home in a historical section of Westfield, NJ. An addition to the rear of the home, as well as interior renovations, created an entirely new flow resulting in a fresh, open feel and a more functional layout to the first and second floor.
The aesthetic of the rear of this home turned out just as beautifully as the front and the special elevation feature is something Forefront Designs is renowned for being able to accomplish. We love transforming homes into something completely new and functional, while also improving upon the natural beauty that was already there. Working with our clients to help bring their visions to life is our most important aspect of work.
After completing this project, we asked our clients a couple of questions about their experience; we love hearing what made their time working with us special!
Here's what they had to say:
Q: What made you choose Forefront Designs for your architect on your home renovation/addition project?
A: We choose Forefront Designs because David Bailey has a great eye for design, experience working on historical homes and is very easy to work with.
[We love to hear this so much!]
Q: Would you recommend working with an architect and an interior design consultant to other clients renovating their home?
MR. & MRS. DIAZ: Absolutely. We quickly learned that hiring an experienced architect was key in achieving our goal. Robin's interior expertise in architectural elements enhanced the details and was instrumental in ensuring the design fit our needs and budget. David and Robin also provided support and guidance throughout the construction process. Ultimately, the expertise and coaching provided by David and Robin throughout the entire process provided us with the home we dreamed of.
Forefront Designs and RWB Designs are delighted to have been able to work on this project with the Diaz family and hope to continue fulfilling our clients' wishes beyond expectations.
Pictured: View from entryway into Foyer, Dining Room and Kitchen.
David Bailey
Forefront Designs
Amy Canary
Canary Custom Closets
Rick Fiorito
Richard Fiorito Carpentry
Q: What features do you like best about your completed project both inside and out?
MRS. DIAZ: We love the design of the back of the house. David really brought the Dutch Colonial style to life with his design. We have received so many compliments on the actual addition part of the home. It fits in perfectly and blends into our home style as if it were always there. We love the open feel of our home and the extra living space both upstairs and downstairs. The addition of the open concept kitchen/family room is great for entertaining and everyday living as a family of five. The master suite has provided the closet space that we had been lacking and the design set up is beyond what we could have imagined.
Pictured: The stunning and multi-functional kitchen in the Diaz home.
By Nicole Kopchak
Photography Emily Bailey & Nicole Kopchak
Published September 13, 2018
Pictured above: Rear exterior elevation of the porch addition.
Q: What were your two objectives in renovating your home?
MRS. DIAZ: Our family of five was quickly outgrowing our 1920's home. We wanted to add some modern day functionality with a main floor open design and a master suite, while maintaining the integrity of the 1920's Dutch Colonial.
Pictured: Master Bath.
Team Credits:
Tom Colicchio
Colicchio Construction
Jules Duffy
Jules Duffy Designs
Mark Arthur
Ideal Kitchens Inc.
Before of the rear exterior of the Diaz home.
Q: What are your favorite parts of your completed project that have made your home what it is today?
A: David’s creativity and practicality shines in our covered porch, new access to our back patio and mudroom areas. Prior to the renovation, our back entry was narrow with steps and multiple doors opening into the same small spaces. Now, our back entry is an open light-filled multifunctional mudroom which leads outside to a fabulous covered porch. We also have beautiful French doors in our living room that give us additional access to the covered porch and patio, improving our home’s flow and function.
[By opening up this area of the home, we created an entirely new layout that resulted in a much more practical design that our customers were looking for. Even small improvements can make a huge difference on the overall feel of a home.]
Q: Can you share something about the construction process?
A: David was readily available to come onsite and consult with us and our builder. There was always prompt follow up with both David and his team at Forefront Designs.
[We love to hear this! We truly value customer service and making sure the needs of our clients are always met. We wouldn't be here without them.]
Pictured: Dutch Gambrel roof line.
Pictured: Before of the rear exterior of the home.
When you first step into your future home, you instantly get a rush feeling of “this is where I’m going to raise my family”. The home may not always be exactly what you envisioned from the start, but you have your vision and all you need is execution.
Finding the right architect and designer is almost like a mini marriage. They are your better half. You are the visionary and they are the artist. When that relationship clicks perfectly, something beautiful happens. The home you’ve always dreamed of comes to life. Having that overjoyed reaction from a family is what every designer strives for. It means you’ve done your job.
This past week we were able to interview one of those families. We are beyond delighted with how the project turned out and how happy the family is with their new home. The Diaz Family really helped us bring this project to fruition and we had the pleasure of asking them some questions about their experience. Here is what they shared about the process.
Q: Can you tell us more about the Dutch Colonial style we brought to life on the back of your house?
MRS. DIAZ: We bought this house 10 years ago because we absolutely love the Dutch Colonial design. It was our goal to maintain the beautiful charm and character of the home. David's design speaks for itself. It's gorgeous, and is beyond what we had envisioned. The entire team including David at Forefront Designs, Robin at RWB Designs and our contractor, Shoreline East, had a very thoughtful approach to maintaining the Dutch Colonial style while vastly improving the functionality. It's all in the details, and none were missed by design or craftsmanship.
Forefront Designs, LLC - David Bailey, Architect AIA
cLASSIC RESidential & commercial architecture
Pictured: Mudroom that leads into the Kitchen.
Pictured: Kitchen.
Hearing nothing but positive responses from the people we have worked with is always amazing in this industry. It makes us happy to know that we are going above and beyond for our clients and seeing the end result of homes we design is always so rewarding!
We'd like to thank our clients for allowing us to feature them in our blog post and for the kind words expressed towards our business. The project goals were met and the aesthetic speaks for itself. We are truly happy our client is getting great enjoyment out of their home. This makes us so overjoyed and we are so thrilled our clients are pleased with the outcome!
As always, we look forward to our upcoming projects!
Happy Holidays!
Pictured: After of the rear exterior of the home.
Dutch Colonial in Westfield, NJ Comes to Life from the Inside Out.
Pictured above: Large walk-in Master Closet.
After of the rear exterior of the Diaz home.
Dutch Colonial Transformation
Pictured: Mudroom details.
Pictured: Children playing in the family room.
Q: How did you like the design process of working with Forefront Designs and the zoning variance process?
MRS. DIAZ: Honestly, we couldn't have done this without Forefront's help. Within the first ten minutes of our meeting, we were amazed with David's knowledge and his ability to pinpoint exactly what we could do and the variances that would be required. He was also upfront about the timeline and estimated project cost start to finish, which ended up being almost exact. It was also important and helpful that David was able to speak on our behalf at the town's zoning meeting to get our project approved.
Pictured: The Diaz Family in their new and improved kitchen.
Pictured: The beautiful entryway of the home.
By Nicole Kopchak
Photography by Susan Debbie
Published 12/18/18
Q: How did the design process go in respect to zoning?
A: The design process went very smoothly because David was professional, worked collaboratively with our decorator and builder and was very responsive throughout our entire project. His understanding of zoning in Westfield and the surrounding towns was something we heard about and value. He was able to accomplish our project without a variance, which was a plus for us.
[We take pride in communicating with our clients whenever needed and checking the process of the project every step of the way. Zoning is an area Forefront Designs is very well respected for.]