Chrysalis Award Winners in Qualified Remodeler Magazine's June 2009 Issue

Thank you Qualified Remodeler Magazine for listing the 2009 Chrysalis Awards winners in this past June's issue.

We were listed as the Western Region Winner for 2 Categories: Kitchen Remodel Under $50,000 and Bath Remodel Under $40,000.

To see more of Good Home Construction's work, click here.

1920's-Era Craftsman Bungalow Bathroom Remodel

We are just wrapping up a master bathroom remodel in a California Craftsman bungalow - here are a few "before" pictures and a few sneak peak pictures of it "almost done."

We removed the acrylic shower stall and constructed a walk-in shower with a shower seat. We also built a custom vanity with 2 sinks and a Caesarstone countertop, and a custom wood transom window. The bathroom is designed with 1920's period-appropriate subway tile, ribbon tile, hexagonal floor tile, and wood wainscoting.

Check back later for final pictures!

BEFORE Pictures

DURING Pictures

To see more bathrooms we've done, click here to go to Bathrooms under the Project Photos section.

Good Home Construction Wins Two 2009 Chrysalis Awards

This was our first national remodeling competition, and we are honored to win two regional awards, one for Best Kitchen Under $50,000 and the other for Best Bathroom Under $40,000.




To see the award-winning kitchen remodel, click here.

To see the award-winning bathroom remodel, click here.



See our press release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:

(714) 743-5053 (tel)

info@goodhomeconstruction.com

GOOD HOME CONSTRUCTION WINS TWO 2009 CHRYSALIS AWARDS

ANAHEIM, Calif. – July 06, 2009 – Good Home Construction, a small general construction company that specializes in restoring and renovating historical and architecturally significant homes in Southern California, is honored to win two 2009 Chrysalis Regional Awards for Best Kitchen Under $50,000 and Best Bathroom Under $40,000.

“This is our first time entering in a national competition, and to win in these highly competitive categories is quite an achievement,” said Chuck Kensicki, responsible managing officer. “This is a testament to our abilities to create award-winning spaces. We look forward to continue delivering high quality craftsmanship and exceeding the expectations of our clients.”

Since 1993, the Chrysalis Awards have been recognizing the finest remodeling projects around the country that reflect the professional excellence of the residential and commercial remodeling industry. Judged by editors and writers of Better Homes & Gardens, Woman’s Day Home Remodeling & Makeovers, Southern Living Magazine and Sunset Magazine, this year’s winners were selected from over 504 entries. The entries were judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original structure.

“Winning awards in multiple categories is difficult to do. Not only does this speak to Good Home Construction’s versatility, but to their commitment to quality on every project. Additionally, this was the first year they have entered the awards, and to take home top honors on their first attempt is impressive,” says Ken Kanline, director of the Chrysalis Awards.

The company’s award in the kitchen category is for a newly renovated, period-appropriate kitchen incorporating modern appliances in a 1934 Tudor Revival. The award in the bathroom category is for expanding and upgrading a dilapidated bathroom with all the vintage styling typical in the 1920s-era of a Craftsman Cottage Bungalow.

About the Chrysalis Awards
The Chrysalis Awards program, begun in 1993, recognizes the nation’s best work in seventeen general categories of residential remodeling, as well as regional and national Remodeler of the Year winners. Pictures of the 2009 award-winning projects can be seen on the internet at www.chrysalisawards.com beginning in late June. For more information about the Chrysalis Awards, contact Ken Kanline at 800-854-7736.

About Good Home Construction

Founded in 2004, Good Home Construction is a small Orange County-based design-build general contractor business that specializes in the renovation, restoration and remodeling of vintage historic homes. The company’s founders and management team, husband and wife, Chuck Kensicki and Katherine Wu, have a real passion for preserving and restoring historical homes built before 1955. They have developed a stable list of clients who have benefited from the company’s hands-on approach to quality and architectural detail. Good Home Construction’s small staff of two to five full-time employees has worked diligently on a number of impressive historical residential projects, including historical Mills Act homes throughout Orange County. For more information about Good Home Construction, please call 714-743-5053 or visit www.goodhomeconstruction.com.

To see more of Good Home Construction's work, click here.

June 2009 Money Magazine - How to Haggle with a Contractor

Thanks Money Magazine for quoting Chuck in the "How to Haggle with a Contractor" article in this past June's issue. To read the article for tips on how to negotiate on your home renovation, go to: http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/28/real_estate/haggle_contractor.moneymag/index.htm.

Rose Park Restoration Trade Fair Last Sunday

Last Sunday, we attended the 2nd Annual Rose Park Restoration Trade Fair as a vendor. It was scorching hot, but the attendance turned out great! We met lots of restoration-friendly vendors and like-minded homeowners. If you missed this event, check out the Restoration Trade Fair's website for more information about the vendors.

A few pictures of our tent and the fair...

To see more of Good Home Construction's work and activities, click here.

Interior Update for a 1940's-Era Bungalow

We had a lot of fun working on this fantastic 1940's era bungalow - we widened the doorway between the dining room and kitchen, added some chair rail in the dining room, enhanced the fireplace, and painted all the interior walls, ceilings, doors and windows. The color scheme really made this bungalow cozy and inviting! See some of the before and after pictures below:

A few BEFORE Pictures

A few AFTER Pictures

To see more interior work we've done, click HERE to see Interior work under the Project Photos section.

Spanish Revival Wood and Iron Railing

This Spanish Revival home previously had an all-wood railing (which was built very low and unsafe). We removed it and then replaced it with wood newel posts and railing, and iron rods. See before and after pictures below:

BEFORE Pictures




AFTER Pictures

To see more interior work we've done, click here to go to Interior under the Project Photos section.

What's Your Style?

Ever wonder what your true personal home style is? If you're like us, we like many different styles, but sometimes it's hard to really qualify our style - is it eclectic, traditional?? We came across this site, called Sproost, which has a free quiz you can take to determine which style matches you based on whether you like or don't like a series of pictures.

The quiz will return 3 results, with the first result being closest to your true personal style. Check it out and see what style you are.

2009 Fisher Park Playground Build - Giving Back to the Community

Last year, we volunteered our time to the Paint Your Heart Out organization in Anaheim, helping to paint a house for low-income qualified individuals (see last year's post). This year, we volunteered for the Fisher Park Playground Build event, serving as one of the Team Leads to build a larger playground for older kids.

Parents in the Floral Park/West Floral Park neighborhoods and surrounding communities came out to help prep, build, and clean up over several days, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on the official launch of the new playground on Saturday, May 9th.

It was hard work but it was well worth it to see the community getting together to give all the kids a bigger playground to enjoy!

The new playground from a distance

Old asphalt on the sidewalks were broken out

Close up of the new playground set

Chuck talking to the Project Organizer


Team Leads and Community Volunteers

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

2009 Restoration Trade Fair in Long Beach, CA

Mark your calendars!! Coming up on June 28th is the 2nd Restoration Trade Fair sponsored by the Rose Parks Neighborhood Association. This year's theme is "Do It Yourself/Do It With Help."

This is a one-day, one-stop event to help homeowners of historic homes restore their homes. There will be specialty home improvement vendors (we will be having a booth there), guest speakers, classes and workshops, exhibits and prize drawings for this event.

The details:

Date: Sunday, June 28th
Time: 9 AM - 4 PM
Location: Lutheran Burbank Elementary School, 4th and Junipero, Long Beach
Website: www.rpna-tradefair.org

For more information, go to: http://www.rpna-tradefair.org/2009/restoration-tradefair-committee-organizes-for-09/

Contemporary Custom Kitchen

We finally finished this contemporary custom kitchen! It is definitely a modernist, with a slight Zen feel to it, and probably one of the most unique kitchens we've ever built. We took it from the old mustard-yellow and brown Seventies charm to a beautifully functional kitchen made for the 2000's. All the upper cabinets, trim, stove vent hood and even the paint are custom-made. See before and after pictures below.

BEFORE Pictures of the Kitchen

AFTER Pictures of the Kitchen(with Views from Different Angles)

To see more Kitchens we've done, click HERE to see Kitchens under the Project Photos section.

Upcoming Edith Heath Exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

The Pasadena Museum of California Art is presenting an exhibition on Edith Heath, founder of Heath Ceramics, starting May 31, 2009. This exhibition focuses on her life and the influences she's had on California design through her pottery and ceramics (we are huge fans of her modernist tile designs - especially the dimensional tile!!).


For more information on the Edith Heath: Tabletop Modernist exhibition, go to: http://pmcaonline.org/upcoming-exhibitions.html.

Heath Ceramics recently opened up a studio and store in Los Angeles. Click here to check out their website.

Upcoming Events and Estate Sales

We're passing along some upcoming events and estate sales that may be on interest to vintage home enthusiasts:

May 1, 2009, Friday - Ruby's Antiques in Old Towne Orange Liquidation Sale

11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Address is 14191 Elystan Cr., Westminster, 92683. After 25 years at the circle, she has closed her doors and moved her inventory to her home. Tons of antiques and collectibles. Visa, MC, and Discover credit cards accepted at this liquidation estate sale.


May 1 and 2, 2009, Friday and Saturday - 1920 Craftsman Estate Sale

Starts at 9:00 AM both days. Address is 2707 N. White Ave., La Verne, CA. This large 1910 Craftsman estate sale includes a phonograph, Mahogany secretary, china and collectibles, trains, teacup and teapot collections, etc.


May 9, 2009, Saturday - Save Historic Old Torrance's Mother's Day Grand Tea

Tea times are 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM and will be hosted at the Fox Home, a Spanish-style historic home on 1313 Beech Ave., Historic Old Torrance, CA.

Tickets are $30 per person. For more info, click here to go to their website.



June 27, 2009, Saturday - Redondo Beach Historic & Architectural Home Tour

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This year's tour features several landmark homes, a church celebrating its 100th anniversary, and a gorgeous contemporary Craftsman, among others! There will also be booths set up at Heritage Court at 298 Flager Lane.

Tickets are $15 per person in advance or $20 day of the event. For more info, click here to go to their website.

Last Weekend's Floral Park Home Tour in Santa Ana

Although this was our 3rd year of advertising in the Floral Park Home Tour, this was our first year participating in the Antiques and Collectibles street fair. The weather was beautiful, the homes and gardens on the tour were fantastic, and the tour drew more than 2500 people.

Below are a couple of snapshots of our booth, and the neighboring booths on historic Victoria St.

To check out the tour booklet and read up on some of the homes featured in this year's tour, click here.

Craftsman Bungalow Wood Front Door

Here are a couple of pictures of the new Craftsman-styled front door we installed for this adorable cottage bungalow (see previous posts of the kitchen and bathroom we renovated for this bungalow).

Exterior View of the Front Door


Interior View of the Front Door

Patio for a Tudor Revival Bungalow

We're back again at the lovely Tudor Revival in the Floral Park neighborhood, where we renovated the exterior, kitchen and bathroom at the end of last year.
This time, we constructed a backyard patio with paved concrete flooring and 3 colonial-styled columns. We also created a doorway from one of the back bedrooms so that the new door would open directly onto the patio, and added a porch light and a redwood step. See before, during and after pictures below.

BEFORE Pictures of the Back of the House

DURING Pictures of the Patio and Doorway

AFTER Pictures of the Patio and Doorway

To see more exterior work we've done, click HERE to see Exterior work under the Project Photos section.

Charming 1920s Bungalow Cottage Kitchen Renovation

After we renovated their bathroom (see earlier post), the clients asked us to stay on and renovate their kitchen. We removed the laundry room entirely and relocated the washer/dryer unit to the exterior, moved the previous doorway to where the kitchen window was, added a telephone nook, refinished the kitchen cabinets with new paint and hardware, painted the walls and ceiling, installed all new flooring and period-appropriate tile, installed a new dishwasher and microwave vent hood, custom-built 2 cabinets above the refrigerator and stove, and installed all new vintage-style lighting and fixtures from Restoration Hardware. It went from a cramped kitchen with almost no room to sit to a bright, charming kitchen with enough room for a table and 4 chairs, and space to move around comfortably. See before, during and after pictures below:

BEFORE Pictures of the Kitchen

DURING Pictures of the Kitchen

AFTER Pictures of the Kitchen

To see more kitchens we've done, click HERE to go to Kitchens under the Project Photos section.

Custom Curved Gate with Lattice Fence

Here's another custom gate and fence we recently finished. The gate, though simple, has a gracious upside curve and is attached to 2 fence panels with lattice-like paneling. Both the gate and fence panels are made of redwood and left unstained to age naturally.

BEFORE Picture (with gate posts just installed)



AFTER Pictures -Front and Back Views of the Fence Panels

AFTER Pictures -Front and Back Views of the Gate

To see more gates and fences we've done, click HERE to see the Gates and Fences section under the Project Photos section.

A 1920s Vintage Bungalow Bathroom Renovation

We recently transformed this 1922 bungalow bathroom from a small dark space to a bright, spacious-looking bathroom fit for 21st century living! Just shy of 35 sq. ft., we extended one wall out an additional 2 ft. and removed a ceiling soffit to fit a new shower with shower seat, new toilet and square pedestal sink, and a new medicine cabinet (that matches the original medicine cabinet). Combined with all new but period-appropriate subway and hex tiles, vintage-styled fixtures and faucets, and classic lighting, this bathroom turned out beautifully! See before, during and after pictures below:

BEFORE Pictures

DURING Pictures - Demolition and Prep

AFTER Pictures - The Transformation

To see more bathrooms we've done, click HERE to see Bathrooms under the Project Photos section.

Upcoming Julius Shulman Exhibition in Fullerton

Coming soon to Fullerton....an exhibition of some of the famed mid-century photographer's work of Fullerton.


Fullerton Museum Center
Forever Fullerton: Julius Shulman
April 9 - July 19

"Julius Shulman is one of the best known architectural photographers in the world. In the 1950s and 1960s, he did extensive work in Fullerton documenting houses and other buildings in town. The 40 images in this exhibition come from his massive portfolio, now housed at the Getty Research Library, and will include scenes from mid-century interiors and exteriors."

The exhibition will also include period furniture and decor provided by Out of Vogue (a vintage furniture and decor shop in Fullerton). If you want to experience mid-century living style, you don't want to miss this exhibit!