Amy and Barry Finegold’s Andover home felt huge when they first moved into it from their respective apartments in 2001.
“Without any furniture, and brand-new from the builder, it felt so cavernous, I thought we could go rollerblading in it,” Amy says.
Fast-forward to last summer, though, and the home no longer felt so big. Since first moving to their house, the busy couple had welcomed three children into their family; Amy opened her Andover boutique, dresscode; and Barry had served in the Massachusetts State Senate, in addition to running his law firm.
“Three children later and a house always filled with guests, we felt like we were outgrowing the space,” Amy says. “And even more…the way it was laid out was no longer complementary to how we lived in it.”
So the couple tapped Howell Custom Building Group, which is based in Lawrence’s Riverwalk complex, for a renovation that opened up their existing downstairs, added a two-story addition, and replaced the deck. The result is a wide-open, welcoming space that’s at once warm and sophisticated.
The Finegolds and Howells had actually worked together before in their volunteer work for Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity. “I think as couples with local businesses that are committed to helping the local community, we really connected over that,” says Susan Howell, co-owner and marketing director for Howell Custom Building Group.
Their volunteer connection led to their professional connection. “I knew when I first met them that their level of expertise and taste was a perfect match in terms of my aesthetics,” Amy says. “I like things to be beautiful, but nothing so precious that my four-year-old can’t tear through the rooms on his scooter.”
That perfect match combined Amy’s clear vision for her home with the Howell team’s eye for important details. Amy already knew that she wanted to open up her downstairs to make the kitchen even more of a gathering place for family and friends. Her plan was to combine the house’s separate kitchen, formal living room, and dining room into a single space where they could entertain but never feel crowded. She also wanted a space where her children could spend time together.
“I knew we were going to take down all of the walls to create one big eating, prep, and hangout space,” Amy says. “My goal was really to make our home open and welcoming for friends and family.”
That clarity of vision, along with her high energy and ability to make—and stick with—important decisions made the project run smoothly on a tight and fast-paced three-and-a-half-month schedule, says Steve Howell, Howell Custom Building Group’s president.
The renovation also included a two-story, 500-square-foot addition to the back of the house, with a playroom upstairs and a guest bedroom in the finished basement.
The result is an overall layout that connects the kitchen to all the home’s major spaces, including the family room, and the outdoor deck, and a semi-private playroom for the kids that can be closed off with a sliding barn door. The kitchen and dining areas are now combined into an L-shaped space.
“It’s separated enough that they can set the table so it’s not in the mess of the kitchen,” Steve says. “But it’s close enough that if people are lingering around the table before and after dinner, they’re still connected and can talk to the cook in the kitchen.”
The renovation has improved everything from the house’s usability, to its traffic flow, to the way the family entertains, but it’s the details that really put the design over the top.
The kitchen is sleek and unfussy, combining white cabinets and gray-veined, white quartzite countertops with dark refinished oak floors that Steve says make a “bold statement.” Throughout the downstairs special decorative details, such as custom drapery by Paula McIlveen and a long, barn-wood dining table that Amy had made in Maine, add unique touches to the space. The décor is personal, too.
“The artwork consists of pieces I have gradually collected over the years and some fun new pieces as well, acquired from one of the local galleries,” Amy says. “Other decorative items have come from different trips that Barry and I have taken—some things from Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.”
The Howell team also proposed important details, such as pocket French doors between the kitchen and family room, that Amy was happy to incorporate.
“When Steve suggested a certain crown molding extending throughout some of the other rooms, I went along with it, even though I had no idea what it would look like,” she says. “And it became an incredible subtle detail that adds to the richness of the design…I would never have had the end result that we do now without the knowledge, experience, and input of the Howell team.”
Now, Amy and her family love their newly renovated home, and she hopes that their friends and family find it as calming, warm, relaxing, and peaceful as she does.
“I hope most of all that the space says, ‘Welcome! Come in and stay awhile!” she says.
Howell Custom Building Group
360 Merrimack St, #5, Lawrence, 978-989-9440