Mr. and Mrs. Evans lived in a multi-floor home in Pittsburgh for more than 40 years, where their vibrant personalities were reflected in their decor, furniture, and many precious mementos.
When an unexpected life event necessitated they downsize to a single-floor home, they enlisted our design expertise to ensure their new space — while practical and accessible — exuded all the warmth, color, and character that defined the life they had built together.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans thrive on social connection and enjoy entertaining family and friends for meals. Their new kitchen was sequestered, so we set out to remove a wall and open the kitchen up to the dining and living spaces.
This proved to be a greater challenge than expected when we learned that several unmovable water pipes ran straight through that wall. Inspired by the Evans’ unique tastes, we devised a solution: we proceeded to open the space and expose the pipes (ensuring proper insulation, of course). Mr. and Mrs. Evans were delighted by the whimsical flavor those pipes added to the space. Additionally, we created a custom backsplash infusing the kitchen with the same vibrant palette mixed throughout the rest of the home.
Proudly displaying photos, mementos, and collections is how Mr. and Mrs. Evans celebrate life, but this can be difficult in a small space.
We ruminated on how to incorporate this aspect of their personality into the home in a practical, space-conscious way. When Mrs. Evans expressed her desire for a fireplace, it clicked: mantelpieces are perfect for displaying prized possessions, so we gave them an electric fireplace with a generously sized mantelpiece. We proposed it as a “kaleidoscope wall” — a wall whose colorful contents could rotate and renew with each season of life — and their eyes lit up! To this day, the mantelpiece houses an ever-changing display of their treasures, from photos of their travels, to artwork, to every holiday tchotchke imaginable.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans acquired their single-floor home to ensure safety and accessibility for this chapter of their life, and we worked with them to enhance the home’s accessibility even further.
While renovating their two bathrooms, we converted the tub into a shower with a wall-mounted, flip-down seat. They also had a strong preference for carpet, so we minimized tripping hazards by installing carpet all throughout the house, except for the kitchen and bathrooms. Finally, having optimized the home’s accessibility, we embraced another opportunity to highlight the Evans’ colorful taste. The home came with several built-in pieces of furniture, including a buffet, casework, and a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall wardrobe. By repainting these pieces and installing new hardware, we transformed them to integrate seamlessly with the eclectic environment.
If you’re ready to get your next design project off the ground, we want to hear from you! Contact us today for a free consultation to determine if J.A. Lott Design & Associates can bring your vision to life.
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