It’s not a big-deal house, and renovating it was no big deal either—most homeowners would be happy to post a few “afters” on Instagram and enjoy the applause. But Joan Osofsky, who bought the place the minute she first saw it, then poured her heart and three years into making it her own, is quick to share credit for what turns out to be a deceptively simple-looking whole-house transformation.
Joan tips her hat to her carpenter-contractor, a jack-of-all-trades who goes with the flow. And to the interior stylist who weighed in on which furnishings and paints colors to use, and where. Then there was the kitchen pro, who ventured suggestions on layout, and the cabinet experts at the local lumberyard. Plus the landscape designer and the landscape doer who turned the less-than-a-half-acre lot into layered vignettes. And let’s not overlook Joan herself, coauthor of two lifestyle books and owner of three home-goods shops and an online store (hammertown.com), and a homeowner with five whole-house remodels under her belt. This brings us to another member of the team on this project, Dana Simpson, Hammertown Barn marketing director, and Joan’s daughter.
That’s a pretty big brain trust—make that brain, eye, and gut—for a vinyl-sided 1,173-square-foot Cape in small-town Lakeville, Connecticut, with two bedrooms and one and a half baths. But no matter how small a project is, “collaborating is important,” Joan points out.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mobile kitchen island
TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top
Bathtub tray
TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O'Connor construct a slatted zebrawood caddy to hold grooming essentials, a book, and even a glass of wine, for those who like a long soak
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
Looking to buy—or refinance—and feeling frustrated by lenders’ sky-high interest rates? Here’s how to get the best deal
Graceful grasses
With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden
A better asphalt driveway
It's long-lasting and recyclable, and it weathers extreme temperatures. You can repair small cracks and divots in asphalt, too. Here's what you need to know to get-and maintain-a great-looking asphalt driveway
Modernizing a mid-century house
A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues
Making a house her own
Renovating in stages over nearly two decades, a homeowner transforms a once forlorn bungalow into a cozy, very personal space
A little house that lives large
A reimagined interior and second-story addition double the living area inside a narrow shotgun house, while respecting its historical roots
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements
