Dream Home Makeover in Chestnut Hill
Extract from the Philadelphia Enquirer—photography by Jose F. Moreno
Hannah Dee wanted her dream home makeover to be undertaken by professionals she knew, liked and trusted. But she also required that they have the skills and experience to fulfill her enthusiastic vision for the Chestnut Hill home she’d fallen for within minutes of seeing it.
Photograph by Jason Varney
She chose Ernst for the complete interior demolition and whole-house renovation that created a perfect canvas to showcase her own vivid design aesthetic and beloved antiques and art pieces. Owner of Hannah Dee Interiors in Chestnut Hill, she’d frequently partnered with Joe and Tim and their talented team on projects in the area—including other dream home makeovers. So she knew what to expect: exceptional quality, innovative problem solving and the ability to play well with other professionals, including herself, when challenges arose. And there were challenges a-plenty. Hannah went into the project wanting to make it her style, her own dream home makeover, not anticipating how much the original builder hadn’t done correctly that she’d need to fix. As Ernst discovered issues, the scope of the work expanded.
Photograph by Jason Varney
The home, built in 1999 by architect George von Scheven, had not held up well to time and the elements. First and foremost, water damage had caused rotting and mold behind the exterior’s stucco that needed to be remediated. However, the walls of prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs), a commercial building material rarely used in homes, couldn’t be replaced and had to be worked around for repairs. The SIPs also limited plans for renovations and the significant redesign Hannah wanted for her dream home makeover. Hannah decided to capitalize on the industrial look of the home, with its bold trusses and oversized metal-framed windows. Tim Ernst: “While the cables, plates and other reinforcement were necessary to the wooden beams’ structural integrity, it also looks pretty great enhancing the industrial aesthetic.”
Photograph by Jason Varney
The Ernst-Dee collaboration pulled the original staircase to the loft out of a corner and gave it a starring role in the center of the living area. “Transparent” steel stairs with open risers and a deceptively delicate cable “rail” now make a statement without overpowering the first level. A new steel beam supports the loft, its richly patinaed finish eerily matching the original beam running perpendicular to it.
Photograph by Jason Varney
Both Hannah and the Ernst team are very pleased to see her gorgeous dream home’s makeover featured as a “haven” in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s real estate section! Click on this link to read the renovation story in the Philadelphia Enquirer.