Tag Archives: cape cod homes

The Perfect Fit: Three Levels to Renovating Your Cape Cod Kitchen

January 31, 2020 Jen Kain Defoe

Your kitchen is the heart of your home. This all-important space is often the focus of our Cape Cod home renovations, and for good reason. Renovating your kitchen can completely transform your entire home, with the added benefit of increasing resale value. When you work with the team at C.J. Riley Builder, your renovation is in expert hands, whether you’re looking to make a few thoughtful changes, completely revamp the space, or anything in between.

The Entry-Level Remodel

If you’d like to update your kitchen but keep disruption and cost to a minimum, we can maintain the original layout of the room. With cabinets and countertops, appliances, windows and doors staying in the same place, there’s no need to move any plumbing or gas/electrical lines, which helps control costs. And with the windows and doors retaining their original positions, the permitting process is streamlined because there are no alterations to the exterior of your home.

Photo: Pinterest

Though they won’t be moving, replacing your cabinets can work wonders in transforming your kitchen. (And if the boxes are well built and still in good condition, we may only need to replace the cabinet doors!) Making updates to the room’s lighting and swapping out dated faucets can make a major impact. If there is enough room in your existing kitchen, a small center island with a breakfast bar can be installed. Add new flooring and countertops, and your kitchen will look brand new.

The Mid-Range Makeover

If a mid-range renovation is in your budget, we can explore the possibility of removing a wall between the kitchen and an adjacent room to open up the space. Though your doors and windows would stay in the same spots, as would the sink and stove, removing the wall would create a brand new visual footprint.

Opening up a kitchen space

A mid-range renovation would also include new cabinets (opting for stock or semi-custom cabinetry, rather than fully custom, reduces costs), counters, appliances, flooring, and lighting to create a significant transformation. To take your mid-range kitchen makeover to the next level, consider adding a tile backsplash, and going with not-quite-chef-appliances. There are some great options that bridge the gap between GE and Wolf.

The Dream Kitchen

Finally, with a high-end renovation, our team can fully gut your existing kitchen and create your perfect version from the ground up. (It’s the most used space in your home—it’s worth the investment!) The doors and windows can be moved to more desirable locations, improving the flow – such as important consideration when entertaining – and light in the space, and we can create a new layout for the room to maximize functionality.

A C.J. Riley dream kitchen

This can include changing the layout of cabinets and counters, as well as moving the sink and stove. If space permits, having a center island plumbed, to allow a sink and cooktop to be installed in it, gets the cook out of the corner and into the action, another important factor for those who frequently entertain. With new chef-grade appliances, beautiful custom cabinetry, and thoughtfully selected counters, flooring, and fixtures, your dream kitchen will become a reality.

If you’re ready to renovate your Cape Cod kitchen and transform your home, we’re ready too! Please contact us for a consultation.

Holiday Gift Ideas from a Cape Cod Builder (Seriously!)

November 6, 2019 Jen Kain Defoe

With Halloween in the rearview mirror, the holiday season is officially upon us, bringing with it another surge of gift-giving anxiety. If your loved ones absolutely don’t need any more knickknacks, scarves, or gift cards, we suggest opting for meaningful, practical gifts from your favorite custom builder on Cape Cod. We’ve got a few ideas:

For your friend who spends all year looking forward to grilling season, a barbeque shelf like the one we installed above is a space-saving way to up their outdoor entertaining game, plus a time-saving route for passing food items and serving pieces from the kitchen to the patio. Plating burgers at next summer’s cookouts will be easier than ever.

For your loved ones who keep busy households running smoothly, creating a secondary laundry room can be a serious game-changer. Adding a laundry space on the floor of the home where most of the laundry originates will save time, hassle, and that dreaded one-too-many trip up the stairs.

For your most organized friend, a custom-made, built-in TV cabinet, like the one we installed in the home above, will help corral clutter and complete the visual feel of their living space. Coffee tables strewn with stuff will be a thing of the past.

For the one in your life who can’t resist a bit of luxury, there’s this decadent dual outdoor shower. Just after a long day at the beach and just before a fabulous summer dinner, there’s nothing like relaxing, rinsing off the sand, and not having to take turns!

Finally, for your loved one who’s always reading classic novels and browsing antique stores, a gorgeous gas-burning lantern is an eye-catching way to add some Old World elegance to their home. Makes you want to drive up in a horse-drawn carriage, doesn’t it?

This year, skip the so-so presents and give the Cape Cod homeowners in your life gifts that will last a lifetime. Contact us today for a holiday consultation!

Cape Cod Custom Builder

Questions to Ask a Cape Cod Builder

September 27, 2019 Jen Kain Defoe

You know that moment at the end of an important meeting when you’re asked, “Do you have any questions?” and your brain draws an inescapable, panic-inducing blank? I absolutely have questions, you think to yourself. Probably several! But now you’ve put me on the spot and I can’t remember a single one.

It happens to the best of us. When you first meet with a builder, a lot of important information is exchanged, which can make it hard to remember the burning questions you had right on the tip of your tongue as you drove to the meeting. But fear not: We’ve gathered some of the most asked (and most important) questions to have at the ready when you start your relationship with a Cape Cod builder, so you can leave that first meeting feeling confident and enthusiastic:

“Could you provide some references?”

While a helpful word-of-mouth recommendation can get you on the phone with a builder of your choice, you want to make sure they have plenty of positive feedback from clients to back up their reputation. Referrals from homeowners they’ve worked with in the past, subcontractors with whom they collaborate, or other professionals in the industry will set your mind at ease.

“Are you insured and licensed?”

When it comes to Cape Cod, there’s no guarantee that every homebuilding professional is, in fact, licensed and insured. Make sure the pro you’re thinking of engaging is by taking a look at the necessary licenses and proof of insurance for yourself. You don’t want to wake up in a cold sweat mid-project wondering if you’re covered in the event of a very specific and wildly unlikely potential mishap. Raccoons probably won’t stage a coup and attack the site of your new custom addition, but you never know.

“Could I see an itemized proposal?”

Before you move forward with your project, your builder can and should provide you with an itemized proposal with estimated costs for the work you’re considering. This document is incredibly important to have on hand through every stage of the process, both for builder and client. It is as sacred as Belichick’s playbook.

“What’s your history with meeting budgets?”

One of the reasons that itemized proposal is so important? Your project’s budget. For many homeowners, if a builder they’re considering tends to finish projects over budget, it could be a deal breaker. Whether budgets have been met on projects past can speak volumes about a builder, so be sure to get that info.

“When can you start this project?”

Even if your potential builder can’t give you a firm start date, it’s a good idea to ask about the general timeline you can expect with your proposed project. If business is booming but you need your basement refinished ASAP, for example, you may need to look elsewhere.

“How long will this project take to complete?”

While your kitchen is being remodeled, how long will you be eating takeout? Will your new mudroom be ready by Halloween? Will you have passed away peacefully in your sleep before you ever set foot in the converted apartment above your garage? These are important questions.

“Do you have an online presence? Can I take a look at your website?”

You probably took at least a brief look at your builder’s website before setting up a consultation, but you should also ask if their online presence extends elsewhere. Their social media pages, including profiles on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, can provide greater insight about their work and how satisfied their clients are. Don’t be afraid to do some Google-hunting for customer reviews, either.

Do you have a project in mind for your Cape Cod home that you’d like to get off the ground? The expert team at C.J. Riley is at the ready with answers to these key questions (and any others you remember on your ride home).

Bathroom Design, Cape Cod Custom Builder

Renovating a Bathroom with Aging in Place in Mind

August 28, 2019 Jen Kain Defoe

It’s not much fun to think about getting older, but for homeowners, making aging-in-place preparations early can save you a lot of worry down the road. If you plan to someday retire to your Cape Cod home, or you’ve already settled down on the Cape for the long haul, you can make thoughtful home renovations that will simplify your golden years without sacrificing your design aesthetic.

Aging-in-place considerations are particularly important when it comes to bathroom design, and the expert team at C.J. Riley Builder can renovate your home so it’s ready for the years ahead.

First-floor accessibility: First things first: If your master bath isn’t currently on the first floor of your home, you may want to consider a change. Climbing the stairs could become overwhelming as you get older. If your children recently moved out on their own, now is a great time to reconfigure where your master bedroom and ensuite bathroom are located in your home. Making the transition to the first floor now could spare you a lot of work later on.

Zero-threshold options: While it may seem like no problem currently, there’s a possibility that stepping over the lip of your shower or edge of your tub could become trying in the years to come. With a zero-threshold walk-in shower, the problem is solved. If you’re more a bath person (and who could blame you?), there are also bathtubs that allow for walking in, providing a watertight seal when the opening is shut behind you. With these options, you can make spa-like bathing a lifelong experience.

Slide and grab bars: Bars that will help with mobility in the future are one of the easiest elements to install in your bathroom right now. Slide and grab bars in the shower, and near the tub and toilet, can be stylishly incorporated into your bathroom design. (We promise, your space will not look like a public restroom with these safety elements.) An adjustable shower head that can accommodate a seated bather is a helpful addition as well.

Updated tech: There are many design upgrades that incorporate helpful technology to facilitate aging in place. You may want to install a toilet that includes bidet-like features, making it easier to stay clean in case of limited mobility. Kohler and other luxury bath design brands offer toilets that make sitting and standing easier as you age, faucets that don’t require too strong a grip, and more.

Height considerations: Many bathrooms cannot accommodate wheelchairs or walkers, and in the event you may someday use one, you’ll want to be sure there’s enough clearance built into your bathroom design. Consider installing a lowered or cantilevered vanity, with appropriate space beneath so a wheelchair can be rolled right up to the appropriate spot. While we’re renovating, we can also determine if your bathroom door could be widened to better allow for wheelchair or walker access.

Safe flooring: You may love your marble bathroom tiles, but your older self may find that the risk of slipping isn’t worth the visual appeal. We can retile your bathroom with a material that’s less likely to become slick, such as vinyl, greatly decreasing the risk of a fall.

Helpful lighting: While your bathroom may already be effectively lit, overhead lighting can become more difficult to manage as you age. Consider adding sensor lights that turn on when you enter the bathroom. And lights that are positioned lower, like those on either side of a vanity, are much easier to reach for cleaning or replacing bulbs.

When you work with C.J. Riley, you can renovate with the future in mind without sacrificing your home’s distinctive style. Contact us today to get started on your own bathroom renovation.

Cape Cod Custom Builder

Renovating a Historic Cape Cod Home

April 25, 2019 Jen Kain Defoe

At one of the charming historic homes on Cotuit’s famed “Loop,” the loose circle comprised of Main Street and Oceanview Avenue, we took what had been a little-used sitting room and created a space that works as both a family room and a guest suite for the homeowners’ frequent summer visitors. Along with bathroom and window updates, our work maintained the home’s history while incorporating tasteful modern touches.

Like so many antique homes on Cape Cod, this one had been added onto several times over the years. The space we renovated is a wing that juts off the back of the home that is likely more than a century old.

Working within the existing footprint of the space, we gutted it in its entirety, with the exception of a wood-burning fireplace. The inner workings of the fireplace – which we had restored – remained, as did its brick façade. We created a new, custom-milled mantle and surround with a clean, simple design that is period appropriate to the home.

After gutting the space, we left the ceiling open. While the once-low ceiling made the room feel cramped, the new cathedral one lends an airy feel, which makes the space feel larger, as does the neutral palette of light gray and white. The flooring, a ceramic tile that resembles white-washed wood flooring, adds to the open feel and is a durable choice for this summer beach home.

At the end of the wing, we added an array of floor-to-ceiling windows with a sliding door. The windows flood the room with natural light and maximize the view of the pastoral, private backyard. A small deck just outside the sliding door is just large enough for a pair of Adirondack chairs, creating a peaceful space for a slow summer evening.

An additional entrance opens onto an adjacent stone terrace.

Arranged around the fireplace, which is set in the middle of the room, is a pair of comfortable chairs. At the end of the space closest to the sliding door is a casual arrangement of wicker furniture. At the opposite end of the room is a sleeping alcove, with a bed tucked into the corner next to an additional window.

A full bathroom, with a soaking tub and shower, opens off of the sleeping area. We installed a durable porcelain floor with a classic wood appearance, in keeping with the traditional look of the home. A period-appropriate lantern fixture and sconce mirror lighting lend a sense of history as well.

Finally, the home’s windows needed updating. Combining modern hardware and a traditional aesthetic, we installed historically correct 6-over-6 panes with a true mullion. Best of both worlds!

Do you own a historic home on the Cape that could use some updates? Our expert team is ready to make your vision a reality. Contact us today for more information.

Cape Cod Custom Builder

Spring Ahead With Small Projects

February 20, 2019 Jen Kain Defoe

Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow. There’s still a bit of daylight when you get home from work. We “spring ahead” as we change the clocks in less than a month. Spring is coming, which means summer won’t be far behind. In preparation, consider some minor upgrades that will allow you to make the most of your summer fun.

Maximize Outdoor Living

Imagine sipping your morning coffee on a new deck as the sun comes up, or enjoying dinner al fresco as it sets. Adding a deck, like the one above that we built, is easily done and surprisingly affordable.

Already have a porch? Consider installing new flooring as we did at the home above.

As far as outdoor upgrades go, even an especially small yard has huge potential. Below, we added a terrace, with a copper spa, dual outdoor showers and storage, and privacy fencing: beautiful and space-efficient!

Do you find yourself saying, “I don’t want to grill tonight,” because it means slogging back and forth to the kitchen too much? We can solve that problem by installing a simple shelf just outside a window, as we did below.

And if you find yourself saying, “I don’t want to grill tonight,” because your freestanding, 10-year-old Weber just isn’t cutting it anymore, it’s time to consider an outdoor kitchen. This one, from one of our projects, includes a grill, refrigeration, storage, and prep space.

Small Projects to Add to Summer Fun

Kids in and out from the pool all day. Guests wandering around in search of a bath when you’re entertaining outside. Tracking mud through the house when you’re working out in the garden.

If you don’t have a first-floor powder room, or you do, but it’s nowhere near your back door, adding a strategically located one is the solution to all of the above.

We can often carve out space within your home to add a powder room, but if a small “bump-out” addition is needed, consider taking things a step further. By making the addition two stories, we can easily give you a second-story laundry room. Imagine not having to haul laundry up and down the stairs! Shown below is C.J.’s own laundry room addition, which includes dual washers and dryers as well as ample storage.

Please contact us to get started on your own summer-fun small projects.

Bathroom Design, Cape Cod Custom Builder, kitchen design

New Year, New Style: Homebuilding Trends for 2019

November 30, 2018 Jen Kain Defoe

With 2018 winding to a close, now is the time to plan your Cape Cod home’s 2019 transformation. Resolutions don’t have to revolve around dieting or bad habits—why not focus on revamping your space instead? With the current tight real estate market, renovating a Cape Cod home is more appealing than ever. If you’re ready for something new and fresh, take a look at these trends the experts are predicting will be big in the coming year.

Unique Fixtures

Source: Decor Aid

The fixtures in your home in 2019 should tell a story. Artisanal, local pieces are going to be big. Whether it’s a bold lighting design or sleek chrome cabinet pulls, the new year is all about sustainable picks that work as grounding elements in your home.

Metallic Accents

Source: Gates Interior Design

According to Décor Aid, copper and brass are the metals to watch in 2019, but metallic in general is having a moment. Kitchens and bathrooms will both benefit from an eye-catching touch of metal in what can often be an otherwise-bland landscape. Elle Décor, too, advocates for mixing metal accents in the upcoming year. It’s never a bad idea to add some thoughtful shine to your surroundings.

Bold Geometry

Source: Decor Aid

Make a strong statement next year with bold geometric patterns. The tile trend isn’t going anywhere, so make it your own with some shapely inspiration. Whether it’s revamping your bathroom flooring or reinventing your beloved kitchen backsplash, adding some dimension will transform your tile game.

Rustic Sinks

Source: Decor Aid

Could your space use a homier, farmhouse feel? Look no further than bucket sinks. These rustic pieces stand out and enhance comfort, often while saving you space (especially if you do away with a bulky bathroom sink/cabinet combo). As for the sink’s look, Gates Interior Design says the more intricate and metallic, the better.

Black is Back

Source: Elle Decor

Okay, black never truly left, but if you prefer sleek and spa-like over farmhouse rustic, there’s no need to worry. Luxurious black bathroom fixtures are making a comeback, according to Elle Décor. Embrace the dark to give this room a sophisticated, elevated vibe. Same goes for the kitchen, where black fixtures will lend a sharp contrast to the very light, very white trends of the past few years.

Light Wood Flooring

Source: Elle Decor

Wood flooring will be lightening up in 2019. Avoiding darker wood tones will help to make your rooms more airy, open and bright without sacrificing coziness. Think birch, hickory, red oak and the like for your floors next year. And good news: lighter wood flooring is much kinder than its darker counterparts when it comes to showing dirt.

Warmed-Up Countertops

Source: Elle Decor

Speaking of cozy, sterile, cold countertops are officially out. In the new year, countertop tones will be going warmer and darker, giving kitchens a more inviting, friendly feel. Whether you’re sticking to old favorite polished granite, branching out with laminate or wood, or mixing it up with a combination of materials, warm, rich tones are the predicted MVP next year.

Colorful Appliances

Source: Gates Interior Design

It looks like it’s finally time to bid farewell to stainless steel. Colorful fridges with rich finishes are stealing the show in 2019. The same goes for stoves. Appliances no longer need to be exclusively sleek and shiny. A pop of color and warmth is just what many kitchens need.

Goodbye, Upper Cabinets

Source: Gates Interior Design

Also according to Gates Interior Design, the upper cabinet is a thing of the past. Minimalism is in, and as a result, eye-level storage space is out. Let your countertops breathe, opt for simple shelving instead of overbearing cabinets, and lower the storage center of gravity in your kitchen. Feel like you can’t give up your precious cabinet space? Consider compensating for lost storage space with a built-in or butler’s pantry.

Open Kitchens

Trends come and go, but you simply can’t go wrong with an open kitchen. You’ll never look back on a spacious, breathable floor plan and cringe the way you may have done with say, shag carpeting or avocado green. Spending time with family and/or actually being able to enjoy your guests’ company while cooking will never go out of style. Trust us on this one.

Aging in Place

While you’re in renovation mode, if there’s a chance your current Cape house will be where you spend your golden years, it’s never too early to begin addressing aging-in-place concerns. Get ahead of the game now by opting for a zero-threshold shower, moving a master bedroom to the first floor, or installing some subtle grab bars and other aids.

The expert team at C.J. Riley Builder is ready to celebrate 2019 by updating your Cape Cod home. Get in touch today to get started with renovations for the new year!