Todd Farm

KITCHEN + BATHROOM REMODEL

This farmhouse, constructed in c. 1811 and once owned by the Todd Family estate, needed an interior and exterior facelift. Our clients, who purchased the home a few months prior, were eager to update this historic home. However, the clients hoped to maintain some of the home’s rustic features, including the original posts, fireplaces, and floors. Starting with the first floor, and while respecting the home’s history, we addressed minor structural issues in the entryway and kitchen and reconfigured the first-floor bathroom to improve functionality. We expanded the second-floor bathroom upstairs and built a dedicated laundry nook with extra storage and working space.

DETAILS

Project Type: Kitchen + Bathroom
Size: 500+ square feet
Location: Rowley, MA

PROJECT TEAM

Architect: Vesta Architecture
Builder: BLB Design / Build
Photographer: Aeropex Media

1. EXPANDED KITCHEN

2. UNIVERSAL DESIGN

3. FARMHOUSE LIVING FOR THE MODERN FAMILY

4. BUILT-IN LAUNDRY NOOK

5. OPERATIONAL ANTIQUE SINK

The Modern Farmhouse incorporates tradition with a contemporary flair. These homes often include neutral color schemes and clean lines paired with rustic, salvaged material like reclaimed wood or matte-black hardware and fixtures. Modern Farmhouses are cozy, clean, tactile, and inviting.

Before the renovations, the first-floor bathroom was the single interior basement access point. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom stored the washer and dryer rather than a shower or bath. We relocated the basement access point to the hallway to improve functionality and installed a new, custom interior door. The laundry appliances were moved upstairs between the two bedrooms, eliminating the need to walk up and down the stairs with a heavy laundry bin. Lastly, we reconfigured the kitchen and bathrooms to increase mobility, adapt to a universal design, and optimize storage space.

The scope included various elements that married the old with the new to maintain the farmhouse’s historic charm while updating the spaces. In the mudroom, an inoperable soapstone sink initially used to wash farm produce was salvaged, restored, and re-installed. We installed slate floor tiles on new, structurally-sound floor joists to pair with the soapstone. We preserved select posts in the kitchen and bathrooms and stained the exposed wood to blend with the new white oak beam and post wraps. Lastly, we installed heart pine flooring to match the existing and refinished the floors with satin polyurethane – a modern approach to rustic flooring.