A recent luxury home remodel in the prestigious Bonita Bay Golf and Country Club community came about when the new owners contracted custom estate homebuilder Harwick Homes to repurpose a seldom-used and dated entertainment center and create a showcase for an exceptional collection of Indian artifacts and heirloom art pieces.
According to vice president Shane Klepko, Harwick Homes worked with interior design firm Collins and DuPont to redesign the existing space to modernize and update the look and feel of the family room. A new modern looking linear fireplace was installed and a custom designed wooden built-in decorative display was added, incorporating a stone façade and integrating a flush mounted flat screen high definition television. The new design combines Old World craftsmanship with modern technology and provides additional storage without being intrusive, bringing new energy efficiencies and generating a “big statement” when family and friends walk into the room.
“While some people want a fireplace just for the romance of it, a fireplace is also a good investment,” says Klepko, citing a recent study by the National Association of Realtors® reporting that a fireplace adds value to a home. In fact, almost all new single-family luxury homes are built with some sort of a fire feature, he adds.
A key remodeling challenge in the Bonita Bay project involved working around original finishes and flooring in a residence built in the mid-1990s while maintaining the new fireplace’s overall safety features and structural integrity. Another complex challenge was properly venting the fireplace, as truss modifications were required to ensure appropriate ventilation. A flexible vent system was selected to allow installers to maneuver around obstacles such as joists, beams and wall supports.
“The project was a well-executed fit and finish. Dramatic “before and after” photos show how the fireplace completely transformed the space – taking the room from mundane to magnificent,” says Klepko.
About Harwick Homes
Press coverage by WCG. Harwick Homes has been creating and remodeling homes of distinction in Southwest Florida for over 25 years, building new luxury homes priced from $1 million to more than $10 million in many of the region’s most exclusive neighborhoods and communities. The company also builds private residences on individual home sites along the Gulf of Mexico and offers full-service interior and exterior renovations, additions and space-planning services.
Harwick Homes is located at 3368 Edge Circle, Unit 101 in Bonita Springs, Florida. For more information, call (239) 498-0801, email info@HarwickHomes.com or visit online at www.HarwickHomes.com.
