This project focused on creating an open floor plan and new living spaces in an existing two story residence. The expansive kitchen now flows between a lofted living area with vaulted roof line and a large gathering space in the semi formal dining area. Other amenities include a pantry and update laundry room.
Milkhouse Design Studio has extensive experience providing design services for medical and business office fit outs including: dental facilities, eyecare institutes, wellness centers and veterinarian offices. Working with your equipment supplier, we provide individually tailored spaces for unique client experiences.
Frescos Produce Market is located in the heart of Avondale’s business district and provides a walkable grocery option to the neighboring town. The Market is housed in a renovated gas station service center and its industrial roots are reflected in the large, airy window bays across the front of the store. The renovation also included the addition of a commercial kitchen for fresh made products and to go meals as well as an extensive cold box and beverage cooler. This family owned store takes great pride in providing the surrounding community with fresh produce and home made meal options.
Milkhouse Design Studio and Workshop, llc has been a journey that has not only encompassed learning to run a small business that provides architectural services to the surrounding community, but has also served as a path to try old and new construction techniques to renovate a forgotten structure. Located in Avondale, PA, Milkhouse Studio’s office was originally built to serve as a train station and freight depot in 1860. After years of modifications and then subsequent neglect, the original stone building was in a critical state of disrepair with a collapsed roof structure.
We have lovingly repaired the remains of the original structure and have paid homage to the history of a second floor and wrap around porch with a decidedly modern flare. The porch features hand cut timber joints and a frame that serves to protect the exterior face of the stone while also providing support for the second story.
This project is still evolving and we are looking forward to continuing the adventure as the blend of new and old techniques continues.
West River Community Project is a nonprofit community center dedicated to promoting local agricultural, economic and social activities, located in West Townshend, Vermont. The WRCP is housed in a historic country store and has become a gathering point for weekly community events including a farmers’ market, old time music jam, and a Friday night pizza cook in their wood fired oven.
As the Friday night event grew, a larger pizza pavilion was designed to house a new oven with in a timber framed structure. This workshop was conducted to support their growing community effort while providing a timber framing experience for women and underserved individuals in the trades. Led by timber framers Liz Johndrow and Ariel Burns, this week long workshop utilized hand tools to cut the timber frame allowing for each participant to explore woodworking at a slower, more traditional pace. The project’s culminating point was the raising day where, surrounded by the community, the frame was assembled and lifted into place by hand.
Being part of this team was a privilege and a great learning opportunity for both wood working skills as well as community planning. Visit the WRCP website here https://westtownshend.wixsite.com/wrcp for more information and stop in for a pizza if you are passing through southern Vermont on a Friday night!
Situated near historic Kennett Square, PA this project is a unique twist of old and new. After converting the existing barn into a residence, the owners were looking to increase their outdoor space for entertaining. The new rear deck spans over the existing barn yard and provides a hidden garden below in addition to the bright and open space above.
During the late 1940’s the station was heavily altered by removing the second floor. Since that date, the memory of what the original layout contained inside was lost to time. After removing the floor boards, each board contained many holes which is a sign that the flooring has been reused from another location or that it had been pulled up multiple times for repairs. The fact that the floor boards contained these “extra” holes was a curiosity but was not given more thought until the additional wall openings below the floor began to be investigated and repaired. Could there be more below the surface? The new design called for a small area to be dug out for a crawl space. That small dig lead to an all-out effort to explore the existing structure, leading to the revelation of a complete basement… with a concrete floor! The rubble that filled the area was from the removal of the second floor. It appears that the floor boards were taken up, the rubble thrown down, and then the supporting piers built on top of the rubble before entombing the basement under the re-laid floor.
[foogallery id=”2301″]
Any old building is sure to have secrets and the station certainly did not disappoint. The original floor was suspended by a series of beams pocketed directly into the stone walls. These beams had been modified over the years and even doubled up in one section presumably to mitigate the effect of the rotting joists. A beam centered under the floor also added support in this area and was anchored on either end by a brick and stone column. This stage of the project revealed several small openings in the walls which would have been supported by heavy timbers originally. The wood had since rotted away, leaving the stone in an unstable condition. New concrete lintels were installed to provide modern support to the old walls.
The original floor plan layout of the station is unknown. After many alterations, the existing interiors had been severely damaged by water infiltration. The interior stud walls were most likely installed in the mid to late 1940’s and several areas of the exterior walls had been patched and re plastered. Removal of the walls was essential to the restoration because it allowed for the next phase- removing the flooring system.
After close to 30 years of neglect and vacancy, the station building was in pretty rough shape all around. The sloped roofing placed during the mid 1940’s renovations had begun to leak near an existing chimney located in the center of the space which ultimately lead to the partial collapse of the surrounding roof structure. By removing the sagging and broken joists, the gravitational strain was taken from the stone support walls before further damage occurred. Temporary roof joists as well as a standard tin roof were applied to stabilize the building until the new roof structure can be fabricated. A big thank you to Green Valley Construction for their assistance in this phase!
Built shortly after the 2012 Olympic games in a vacant London lot, the Caravanserai was an urban oasis deigned as a platform for community exchange. This temporary installation sought to bring together makers, musicians, gardeners and performers and served as a spring board for local interaction. Volunteer groups and individuals were encouraged to participate with area gardens and kiosk fitouts which added to the rich and diverse flow of ideas circulating through the space and served as creative exploration to take forward into new ventures.
For more information, visit https://caravanserai.org.uk/
“The interest in creating contemporary forms of the commons has grown and grown over the last few years in the UK. This comes both from a realization that we are losing a set of social, cultural and living spaces, which have always been in need of more attention but now their very existence must be justified. Simultaneously we are amazed by a new richness in the ways we can meet outside the normal channels and have vague desires to do more with each other. We wonder what collaboration means in these new places where digital encounters lead to face-to-face experiences. These experiences are not real dates with a road map but informal encounters that require repetition to become strong and meaningful. Temporary places can play a critical role in strengthening neighbourhoods they leave networks behind them with a shared set of cultural experiences.”
“The Caravanserai was designed as a critical piece of missing infrastructure in the city. It was called the Caravanserai as it was designed to be a network such as the Silk Road, a safe haven with journeymen and communities meeting for sound reasons in a place where skills and trade could be exchanges of experiences and is a vision we need in London.”
Project design by Ash Sakula Architects
Located in the heart of the scenic Brandywine River Valley, this master bedroom addition seeks to capture a holistic, modern approach to the exterior spaces by providing clean lines as a backdrop to the surrounding cherry trees adorning the property. Ample light is gathered from both the expansive rear sliding doors as well as filtered light which gracefully falls through the cherry blossoms into the clerestory windows. The private and sheltered light from above accents the room when the graceful curtains are drawn. A his and her shower and spa complete this enchanting get away retreat.
Originally built in c.1860, the Avondale Railway Station was part of a flourishing railroad network which spread across the U.S. throughout the 19th century. Avondale was home to two separate rail lines, the Pomeroy and Newark (which later became part of the Pennsylvania RR) and the Philadelphia & Baltimore Central Railroad. The stone building that remains on the property today serviced as both a passenger and freight building.
While the exact history of the structure is rather unclear, a series of modifications over the years led it to go from a two story building with adjoining support structures to a one story structure with a different roof line. The second story was removed in the mid 1940’s during a refurbishment of the building as well as the removal of the overhangs and support brackets. A door way and several windows along the front facade were also removed at this time.
This quaint addition is located in a residential district originally built by P.S. DuPont to house Longwood Gardens staff. Since then, residents in the neighborhood have continued to beautify the area by creating unique backyard gardens of their own. The addition compliments the original homestead while providing views into the cherished garden spaces. A tree removed during construction was sawn and used as flooring to keep its legacy on the property.
The Asheville DesignBuild Studio, a program of the Asheville Design Center, is a multi-disciplinary, hands-on, educational experience. Participants have the opportunity to affect a lasting and positive impact on Asheville’s vibrant and diverse communities. Individuals come together as a team, draw upon their wide range of design and technical disciplines to gather community input, define a project type, design and develop the concept, and then build their design. The DesignBuild Studio addresses issues of social justice, community sustainability and good design, not simply by watching, but by doing.
This project worked with the University of North Carolina-Asheville to build a “bee nursery” near an established pollinator garden on campus. With bee populations declining, there has been a call for the building of bee hotels, man-made contraptions that act as a resting place and nursery for solitary pollinators. While they may not produce honey, these pollinators still play a vital role in the growth of fruits and vegetables, plants and flowers. The studio worked with UNC-Asheville’s Office of Sustainability, as well as their Biology Department to design and build a structure that will serve as a model for bee-friendly communities around the country.
Milkhouse was pleased to provide lead instruction for this course teaching students the value of community design, tool safety, fabrication techniques and project delivery.
From our large spatulas to our tiny “T” spoons (2.5″ long), these natural cherry spoons will add zest to any kitchen. Each spoon is organically designed by following the grain patterns found in each piece of wood, creating one of a kind serving utensils.
The Heirloom toy box is a project that spans over four generations of craftspeople and tells the story of multiple generations working together for a collective outcome. It all started when my grandfather, Joe, built a small toy box for his young, great granddaughter as a Christmas present a few years ago. After a new addition was made to the family, the question of a toy box for this new great granddaughter circulated through the family. Unfortunately, Joe was not able to make a second box due to his health.
After his passing, I was able to recover some of the boards from his small woodworking shop which had been marked for the original toy box, but had been laid aside in favor of other boards from the same trees. While the plain pine boards looked simple and rustic in nature, they were special to the family because they came from trees that were located in front of my grandfather’s church. My parents were married there in the mid 70’s and their wedding photos were taken standing beside those trees.
After recovering the boards, I took clues from the original box to design the new one with similar elements but with a feel all its own. This project carefully saved Joe’s handwritten notes still visible on the wood and followed after his style of workmanship with strap hinge details and simple clear varnish.
Looking for a little way to spice up that party table? Why not tuck into one of these edgy gems! The “Little Miss Cleaver” is sure to please and is great for tapas, meat and cheese displays or for placing small bowls of finger nibbles upon. Even June Cleaver would be jealous of your swaggy style.
Fashioned from sustainability harvested, quilted wild cherry and finished with food safe oil, this 25” x 5” server has sassy beveled edges and a smooth, curved handle with a hanging slot. Due to the nature of the material, each board will have slight differences. Each board also comes with a short history of where the wood was sourced as well as care instructions.
Please contact us at Milkhouse for additional information and ordering.
.
The Schoolhouse project is a collaborative, student engaging project based on the campus of Burlington Danes Academy located in North London. The project teaches junior high-school and high-school students hands on construction techniques through the building of a small house on school grounds. It assists their education by students earning credits towards trades certifications as well as building self-confidence and teamwork skills. Brain child of then Head Mistress Dame Sally Coates and Roderick James Architects, the project has encouraged not only participation from the student body, but has also extended out into the community who support both the school coursework and the after-school programming.
We were more than happy to assist in providing courses in design and fabrication as well as helping to build this motivational project. We can’t wait to hear how these students will use the building in the future and the impact their new skills will have on their self-esteem and future career goals! See below for the media attention these young designers are receiving.
click here for more info
Click on the photo below to read about the opening ceremony of this fantastic accomplishment in Get West London.
Click on the photo below to read about the topping out of the Schoolhouse in Construction Manager – Magazine of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Salvaging red oak, white oak and ash from a small forest struck by inclement weather.
Repointing is the process of removing old, deteriorated mortar and replacing it with new mortar, strengthening the joints and sealing the wall against moisture infiltration. In older homes of this time period, local masons would often source sand and other materials from neighboring stream beds since concrete based mortar mixes were not available until the early 1900’s. A mixture of sand, water and lime served as the base for the majority of these homes and in time, the mix becomes powdery. Left unattended, the powdery mix can lead to serious structural damage as the stones become loose.
To celebrate the restoration of the fireplace, it was given a “test run” and preformed wonderfully. The fire place is a key element in older structures not only because it provided warmth and a place to cook, but it also served as the main gathering spot for family and friends. “Pulling up a chair to the fire” was a sign of hospitality, much like today.
.
Please click on the photos below for additional information on these pieces.
Mountain Dulcimer Mountain Lark
Please click on the photos below for additional information on these commissioned pieces.
One of the more interesting places in the Colonial House is non other than the half submerged story known as the basement. Often forgotten spaces where holiday decorations and family relics pile up over years, basements are usually set aside for storage or a secondary living room to set up a pool table or pull out bed for guests.
When this house was built however, the basement was a vital nerve center containing the home’s main cooking fireplace and water source. The stones were carefully placed to form openings and self supporting arches which have stood the test of time with grace. The photo above shows the main cooking stove and smaller bread oven to the upper left as the original white wash is being removed and cleaned to allow for the stone work to be re-pointed.
Construction on the new wood bending steam box has commenced! This little beauty will be used for steaming furniture grade lumber into pliable shapes once it has been completed. This age old process will allow Milkhouse added design freedom to explore new structural shapes for both our furniture line and for our interior installations. We can hardly wait to get her fired up!
The Watchtower challenged the idea of creating an ad hoc construction deep in the hilly woodlands of Dorset in only three weeks. The goal was to achieve a view of the sea located seven miles away over top of the dense tree canopy situated 30 feet over the woodland floor. The tower is constructed of all natural materials, forest thinnings and hemp rope, to protect the surrounding woodland.
photography by Carlos Chen
Situated in the bucolic countryside of southeastern Pennsylvania, this Colonial era home transports visitors back to a simpler way of life. The property is currently being used as a rental unit and after many years of heavy usage, a delicate face lift was needed to bring this beauty back to her full grandeur.
The project also became an archaeological dig as layers of paint and years of soil were removed to reveal that our forefathers used some interesting paint colors in their homes. Repairing and restoring sections of the home’s joinery revealed the time honored traditions of skillfully crafted woodwork that has maintained its careful lines over these many years. Hats off to those craftsmen of yore!
The Student House is a small residential unit intended for two individuals and was fabricated from recycled materials and local timber both sourced with in a few miles of the project’s site. The house is split into a public kitchen/living space and a private bedroom/bath area by a covered exterior porch. This allows for social gatherings in the main space while providing maximum privacy and security for the resident’s personal spaces. The structure floats above the natural site on piers to provide a “light touch” approach within the flora of the surrounding plant life.
This project received awards for:
project team included: Carlos Chen, Steph Cramer, Sarina Da Costa Gomez, Joseph Dacoronias-Marina, Liz Lawrence
“Windows are the eyes into a building’s soul” is a perfect way to define this small gem nestled in the countryside of north eastern Dorsetshire. Milkhouse was pleased to render services to this Grade II listed building which is currently protected under English Heritage council ordinances.
The project involved a stringent survey and documentation of the existing windows for their sizes, glazing types, joinery and hardware detailing. Working closely with local craftsmen and joiners, the project allowed the owners to update their historic home while adhering to its visual context.
