CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Charlie Allen Restorations, the Cambridge, MA – based full service design-build firm, has won a 2008 Chrysalis Award for the best residential interior renovation in the Northeast United States. The company previously won Chrysalis Awards for Best Historic Renovation Design-Build in 2006 and Best Commercial Historic Renovation in 2004. “Winning awards in multiple categories is difficult to do. Not only does this speak to Charlie Allen Restorations’ versatility, but to their commitment to quality on every project,” says Ken Kanline, director of the Chrysalis Awards.
The firm’s latest award is for a master bath with adjacent dressing area that was newly built within an 1853 Greek Revival house. Previously a hallway/bedroom, the new space was desperately needed.
“The owners of the home had suffered with an awkward floor plan that placed their only bathroom on the ground floor-downstairs and on the other side of the home from the master bedroom,” says Charlie Allen. “They asked us to craft a master bath that would provide all necessary modern amenities while still complementing the historic character of the home.”
The resulting bathroom features a glass-encased shower with generous rain-shower style showerhead and steam jets placed throughout. A transom window can be opened during a regular shower or easily closed to take advantage of the steam function. White subway tiles line the shower stall, which includes a seating area with handheld showerhead to make tasks like leg shaving easy and comfortable.
The room features two wash sinks, including one in the private toilet closet. An electric towel warmer and radiant floor heating make the room cozy even on cold winter mornings. Abundant storage is provided with a handy closet, accessible both from the bathroom and from the dressing area outside the bath, allowing freshly laundered towels and other necessities to be placed without entering the bathroom.
Although placed against an interior wall, the space is well lit, with clerestory windows and a frosted glass door letting in abundant light from tall windows lining the adjacent hallway/dressing space.
This project was previously named Boston Globe Magazine’s 2007 Bathroom of the Year award and won a 2007 Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award.
The Chrysalis Awards program, begun in 1994, recognizes the nation’s best work in seventeen general categories of residential remodeling, as well as regional and national Remodeler of the Year winners. This year’s winners were selected from more than 536 entries, which were judged by a team of design editors and writers. Entries were judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original structure.
Charlie Allen Restorations is an award-winning full service design-build firm specializing in the seamless integration of modern amenities into period homes while retaining original period details. Charlie Allen Restorations combines expert tradespeople and professional project management techniques to deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.
For more information about Charlie Allen Restorations, please call 617/661-7411 or visit http://www.charlie-allen.com.
