BOSTON, Mass. — Charlie Allen Restorations has been recognized with the Contractor of the Year (CotY) Gold Award for Residential Interiors for its meticulous renovation of an 1853 Greek Revival home in Cambridge, MA. The Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (EM-NARI) presented the award on Wednesday, November 7.
“Receiving this recognition from our peers in the industry is a significant honor,” says Charlie Allen, founder of the Cambridge-based firm. “It’s also a great testament to the craftsmanship and hard work regularly demonstrated by the entire Charlie Allen team, as well as our talented partners on this project.”
The award-winning renovation transforms a row house that had suffered numerous additions and alterations over the years, resulting in an unwieldy floor plan that placed both the homeowner’s master bedroom and a separate apartment, used as a rental unit, on the second floor of the three-story house. The owners, a young, growing family, tasked Charlie Allen Restorations with turning the dwelling back into a one-family, kid-friendly space, while restoring its 19th-century charm.
Working with architect Tom Downer, the team eliminated the rental space and crafted a master bathroom, dressing area, and child’s bedroom and bathroom in its place. Large closets and wall cubbies were introduced to improve storage for the family, and custom-designed, furniture-quality armoires were placed in the dressing area. Period-appropriate hardware, doors, base molding, and wide planked, white oak flooring were introduced to the home’s bedrooms. The new master bath became the protagonist of the floor plan, combining both period detailing and modern amenities like a large, glassed-in shower that doubles as a steam room, radiant floor heating, and an electric towel warmer. Clerestory windows and frosted glass doors flood the bathroom with abundant natural lighting from floor-to-ceiling windows in the adjacent hallway.
In addition to Downer, other partners on the project include the demolition and disposal firm Mark One, Inc., HVAC specialists Keyes North Atlantic, Puccio Electric, and the cleaning firm Surfaceworks.
The 2007 Gold CotY Award marks Charlie Allen Restorations’ fourth such award in the last three years.
The Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry is a not-for-profit trade association committed exclusively to enhancing the professionalism of the remodeling industry and providing ethical and quality service to the region’s remodeling homeowners.
Representing full-service remodeling contractors, design-build firms, architects, designers, subcontractors, product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and those who provide services and products to the remodeling field, NARI stands as the spokesgroup of the industry and an ally to the nation’s homeowners.
Charlie Allen Restorations is an award-winning firm specializing in the seamless integration of modern amenities into period homes while retaining original period details. Charlie Allen Restorations combines expert tradespeople and established 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.
