Bob and Chris Vila are in the back spaces of the Manhattan Brownstone floor-through apartment to check on finish details. The refurbished bedroom space has cove molding at the high ceiling, finished with bed and picture molding for visual interest. The boxy closets and enclosed daybed space have been removed to make a large, open bedroom, with symmetrical boxes at the back end to hide pipes and create a visual frame for the view through the French doors to the balcony patio beyond. Architectural details like the moldings, window framing and apron, and the custom radiator covers from Thomas Bump recall the grandeur of 1890s Brownstone living. Bob and Chris Vila step through the custom nine-foot Pella full-pane French doors onto the balcony patio of the apartment. The doors are hinged in five places, making them extremely secure. The masonry around the doors has been rebuilt and repointed, and will be painted come spring to match the surrounding brickwork. Old concrete and brick has been removed from the patio floor and replaced with frost-proof, Durango Stone for a clean, soft-green look. Bendheim's Satin Tech tempered, etched glass is used as a privacy screen for the patio, and will be supported by a stainless-steel railing that is invisible from the patio side. The installation is designed to look like floating glass. Alternating etched lines give an opaque look and provide visual privacy for the residents, who will enjoy stepping outside without leaving their city home. The patio is completed by Frontgate with a stainless steel grill, iron table and chairs, and a decorative planter to give a winter-garden feel to a year-round space.

A half bathroom and a laundry were also installed in the basement of the Melrose home. These systems were installed using a pump system because the room is below street level and needs to have wastewater pumped up to the sewer lines. A SwanStone Deep Laundry Sink was put in place with a Moen faucet. A Whirlpool front-loading washer and dryer set was also installed. In order to fit so much material in a limited space, the homeowners shopped for appliances using Brandsource.com, which gave the couple detailed information on different brands, including sizes and shapes. Brandsource carries information from over 2,500 retail outlets and features $10 billion in products. The appliances were installed by a local dealer. The washing machine is a Whirlpool Duet, which features extra-large capacity, is energy efficient, and has storage in the bottom. A large freezer from Amana was installed along with a refrigerator-freezer and a GE microwave. A GE wine cooler chills beverages in the other room. The TV is a 50-inch Samsung flat panel. A 42-inch plasma Samsung TV was also installed in the master bedroom. A smaller television set was installed in the children's room. A stainless-steel grill was put in the backyard.

Bob closes his review of the Rowley Victorian remodel with a look at the barbecue station that sits below grade and is accessed by inset western red cedar stairs. The retaining walls and barbecue station are faced in Cultured Stone by Owens Corning. The barbecue station is topped with granite counters. The centerpiece is the built-in Vermont Castings Signature gas grill for elegant outdoor grilling and entertaining.

The concrete-block retaining wall for the deck and yard transition is complete. The walls curve as they flow into the yard and carry the steps from the deck to the yard and grill station below. Bob meets Tim Berky, the general contractor, who is attaching the western red cedar decking. Berky explains that he started with a solder board of cedar that is mitered to give a clean edge to the deck. The overhang is for the 1-by-12 cedar board that will face the pressure-treated front and sides of the deck. Berky shows Bob the stainless-steel, self-tapping square-head screws that he is using to attach the decking. Berky points out that stainless steel fasteners are recommended for use with cedar. Berky is driving the screws by hand rather than using a nailgun because he feels it gives a better, more solid installation. Berky uses his framing square rather than a 16-penny spike to space the deck boards and create an even reveal. Berky prefers the framing square to mark the spacing because it will not leave an indentation in the soft cedar boards.

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… Scott and Caroline Sundberg stand outside their ICF home that survived Hurricane…
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