Sid Kumins, Inc. - General Contractors

Project 1: Add romance and breathe new life and light into a traditional single family 50's ranch in a suburban neighborhood.

Our Solution: Creatively reconfigure the floor plan of the kitchen and living room: remove windows to ensure privacy; transform a drafty porch into an all-weather sun porch.

“So how do you take a perfectly non-descript house with no details and turn it into a traditional, warm, romantic home?” asks a Brookline, Massachusetts homeowner.

Team-up contractor Rod Gilbert of Sid Kumins, Inc. and interior designer Karen O'Brien of Bloomingdale's and stand back. Working together, they set about to improve the basics of the house inside and out and produce a wholly fresh and vital take on traditional, from the home's main floor, to its two bedrooms and den upstairs, and a totally integrated lower basement area.

By moving doors, windows, sink, and building cabinets in the kitchen; adding a sixteen foot closet with down-lights; creating an all new master bath with Jacuzzi; moving a doorway and a half wall to create openness and light in the living room; transforming a drafty porch to an all weather sun porch with seven new windows; and totally replacing the siding, gutters, and small casement windows, Kumins created the traditional character and elegance everyone was searching for. The owners knew the project could have been a nightmare. They now sleep very comfortably in their romantic home thanks to Sid Kumins, Inc.

Project 2: Modernize a 40 year old suburban residence to take advantage of the natural beauty of the environment - 2 phases over 12 years.

Our Solution: Envision a master plan with the owner/developer and contractor; design and construct the improvements to pace the owner's changing lifestyle.

Foresight and listening were the keys to the success of this project. The owners of a multi-level frame residence located in Newton, Mass. wanted a complete renovation of their property. Their idea was to start with the recreational uses of the house first, then a major upgrade of the living area. A critical factor that guided all decisions on this job was the challenge to maximize the natural beauty of the 1.4 acres where the home was located.

Kumins had a previous relationship with the owner in renovating commercial properties in the Boston area. Working together, Sid Kumins, Inc. laid out a construction plan that would accomplish their goals in a two-phase program.

The first phase of the renovation started in 1986 and called for the pouring of over 2000 cubic yards of concrete for a regulation size tennis court, an in-ground swimming pool and a large patio area. In addition to the main house, construction plans called for interior cabana/sauna rooms--along with a spacious recreational den; making the back of the house a great summer retreat!

The second phase, completed in 1998, was a major renovation and reconfiguration of the interior rooms in the upper level of the house. Over 1000 sq. ft. was added by upgrading the kitchen, dining room, master bedroom and bathrooms. This construction phase also included a large ‘home office’ with custom built bird’s eye maple desk, credenza and cabinets. To take full advantage of the environment; floor-to-ceiling windows were figured for two walls of the new office, allowing more daylight to enter.

Now, inside or out, in all seasons, this family can enjoy the natural beauty of their suburban residence.