Living in the past can be a good thing

My wife and I recently met a husband and wife at their lovely home on the lake. It was like stepping back in time to see the original Westinghouse dishwasher in lemon yellow, the huge, dated entry doors and retro furnishings, and an incredible view of the lake right out their west-facing picture windows. The expansive rear patio had no doubt entertained many, many families and groups over the years.
When first approaching the house the husband met us outside. He warned us that his wife was in a bad state of mind after the last contractor, who had just left. It seems the fellow walked around the home making statements about why they should tear the place down and start over. He was referring in part to various issues of water intrusion and potentially expensive repairs that in his mind would be more easily accomplished with new construction.
These are owners who love their custom, unique, architect-designed home. They don’t want to modernize it, except for where it is really necessary. They want to restore it. His comments may have been technically correct, but his presentation was terrible.  
Tami and I found this couple to be very down to earth and friendly once they let their guards down realizing we were a different sort of people. The previous contractor, describing himself as a new home builder, was rude and offensive in his remarks. He showed little appreciation for what they were trying to achieve and presented himself in an arrogant and self-serving manner. They felt he only wanted to line his pockets while destroying the features that made their home so appealing. Their web page and related reviews rave about the fact that one steps back in time when staying at the home, now a vacation rental.
The point in telling this story is this: This is your home. This is your castle. It is your safe space, your investment, and in this case, the owner’s delight. If you want to keep a feature in your home, whether it is outdated or not, my goal is to help you achieve that, not deride you for wanting to keep the very feature that gives your home its uniqueness. There are times when building codes and modern techniques must apply and be used, but they can often be achieved discreetly, hidden within the project.
This remodel, should we be awarded the contract, will indeed be a challenge. It will be done with the goal of maintaining the unique, vintage nature of the dwelling while restoring, replacing, and if necessary hiding the more modern upgrades behind the facade of the 1970’s contemporary look.
I enjoy my wife’s input on projects like this. She has designer’s eye for detail, and we both love retro-features in our own home, even preserving the old cabinets, light fixtures and such. If you consider us for your project, know that we do our best to honor your request, whether it is to modernize the appearance, or to upgrade in a subtle manner, keeping the flavor of the past.