Grand Award Winners in last year's
Remodelors' Showcase, Paul and Stephen Gidus walked away from
the March 26 awards presentation with both Grand Award and First
Place Award for a home that received the highest possible score
and judges said should be in a category all its own. The home
was also award the national Renaissance Award at the 1997 Remodelors®
Show in Kansas City, Missouri.
Judges were comprised of builders
and architects from areas outside Orange County. Entries were
judged on quality of workmanship and design including exterior
carpentry features and wall finishes, interior trim work, wall
and ceiling finishes, roof structure and finishes, unique and
creative details, traffic flow, compatibility with the existing
building and improvement of the original layout.
Located
on Lake Jessamine, the entry was transformed from an ordinary
2700 sq. ft. 70's ranch into a 6400 sq. ft. (9000 sq. ft. under
roof) two-story with a rustic hunting lodge theme.
PSG
Construction teamed with Lucia Custom Home Designers to give
the home a lodge-like flavor on the lakefront property embellished
with pine trees and canopied oaks draped with Spanish moss. Great
care was taken to accomplish the goals of the homeowner without
disturbing the property's existing trees.
The
home features luxurious benefits including a four-car garage,
basketball half-court with NBA regulation maple floor, front
doors custom designed in mahogany and inlaid stained glass. The
great room showcases an 18-foot-high vaulted ceiling and a wall
of soaring glass windows that picturesquely frame the lake and
towering oaks. The beams are constructed of authentic beams salvaged
by PSG Construction from a barn built in the late 1800's in upstate
New York. The fireplace mantle also makes use of the barn beams.
The
kitchen was remodeled using the same square footage, but holds
no resemblance to the original space, now conveying a rustic,
country feel with brick flooring, tumbled marble countertops,
and distressed hickory cabinetry. Under the staircase in the
dining area is a brick wine cellar with custom-designed iron
gate that matches the entry gate at the front doorway. The stairway
railing was hand-whittled from a hefty log. The dining room stairway
leads to a loft and guest suite with French doors opening to
a balcony offering a panoramic view of the lake.
An
oasis for the homeowners, the master bedroom suite is equipped
with French doors leading to a private patio, and a storage center
custom crafted of cherry wood that includes a bookcase, television
compartment with retractable doors and display case. The master
bathroom is a luxurious spa anchored with flooring of Ubatuba
travertine and black granite inserts. An oversized shower and
separate tub with spa jets offer an instant reprieve from everyday
stress. Plenty of story space is provided by a set of spacious
walk-in closets and a linen closet.
Although
the rustic nature of this whole-house renovation encourages a
relaxed attitude, it also provides uninterrupted ease at every
turn. The homeowner's goals have been successfully met by cleverly
mixing the best of both worlds. PSG
