Designed for an artist and a chef, this Exeter, New Hampshire two-story addition and whole-home remodel balances expressive design with everyday function, from a highly customized kitchen to a reimagined stairway and richly detailed powder room. As part of a larger home addition created to bring generations of family closer together, the kitchen and powder room are the focus of this project, showcasing the homeowners' appreciation for craftsmanship, meaningful collections, and details that make a space distinctly their own. Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel brought these ideas together through a coordinated design-build approach, creating spaces that are as personal as they are practical.

Project Details

Scope: 2-Story Home Addition, Whole-Home Remodel, Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel

Location: Exeter, New Hampshire

Key Features: three-tone cabinetry, layered finishes & metal combinations, multigenerational living, stone countertops and backsplash, custom appliances, historic home renovation, layout improvement

Design Resources: FloorMe!, Nashua Home Design Center

Blackdog Team

• Designer: Eli Konstantinidis
• Project Manager: Jim Hadley
• Lead Carpenter: Mark

Architecture & Design Photographer: James Reed Photography | @reedjamesk

Collected Character, Considered Design

When these homeowners relocated from Connecticut to be closer to their grandchildren, the goal was to create a space that felt distinctly their own while remaining connected to family. An artist's eye for color and a chef's appreciation for function shaped the vision: a home that could accommodate a lifetime of collected treasures, support serious cooking and cookware, and make room for the entire family to gather.

Highly Customized & Curated Kitchen

Natural wood grain, warm copper, and a striking pigeon blue give this kitchen its distinctive character. Three cabinetry finishes create depth and variation, anchored by a richly grained wood island and complemented by lighter perimeter cabinetry. Rather than relying on a single statement finish, the design draws its character from the interplay of materials.

The blue range hood establishes a bold focal point against the stone backsplash, whose sweeping veining introduces another layer of movement. Copper accents repeat throughout the space, from the range hood retailing and appliance trim to the plumbing fixtures and lantern-style pendants.

Beyond its striking appearance, the kitchen was designed around the demands of frequent and heavy use. Purposeful cabinetry for everyday and entertaining items, durable drawers for heavy cookware, and concealed storage solutions keep essentials organized without compromising design.

A Powder Room that Makes an Impression

In the powder room, the design takes a more immersive turn. Panoramic landscape wallpaper envelops the space in layered blues, greens, and earthy tones, depicting mountains and cascading waterfalls. The effect is dramatic without feeling disconnected from the home's broader appreciation for natural materials and collected objects.

A sculptural vessel sink and stone vanity surround introduce contrasting textures, while a recessed display niched provides a home for decorative ceramics. Together, these details transform a compact room into an expressive, highly personal space.

Adding Space, Stairs & Storage

A steep, difficult-to-navigate classic New England staircase presented an opportunity to improve the home's layout and functionality. The two-story addition expanded the living space, while a wider replacement staircase created a more practical connection between floors.

Throughout the home, added closets and integrated storage accommodate the homeowners' belongings, collected treasures, and evolving needs. These behind-the-scenes solutions help the expressive finishes and personal collections take center stage without sacrificing everyday usability.

The Details that Make all the Difference

From the kitchen’s carefully coordinated finishes to the light blue carried from the entryway casing through the staircase and into the new addition, this remodel reflects a high degree of customization. The paint schedule alone included more than a dozen colors, each contributing to the character and continuity of the finished spaces.

Bringing that many individual decisions together requires close collaboration between design and construction. Blackdog’s integrated design-build approach keeps those teams connected throughout the project, giving homeowners the opportunity to explore distinctive ideas and the confidence that the details have been considered, communicated, and carried through to execution.

Planning a Remodel or Home Addition? Let Blackdog Handle the Details

From custom cabinetry and distinctive material palettes to carefully coordinated architectural details, Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel helps homeowners bring their ideas to life with an integrated design-build process. Our approach brings design, planning, and construction together under one experienced team, supporting a coordinated remodeling experience from the first conversation through the final walkthrough.

All of Blackdog's work is backed by our industry-leading 3-year warranty.

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Start a conversation with our team and explore what may be possible in your home by requesting a consultation online or calling our team in Salem (603-898-0868) or Nashua (603-769-3344) to schedule your design consultation!