Homes in Richmond’s Fan neighborhood have character, good bones and a great location. But their rooms typically don’t lend themselves to multiuse purposes. The H.J. Holtz & Son carpentry division recently assisted Alicia Conrad, principal of Alicia Conrad Interiors, in coming up with a solution that includes built-in cabinets for one family.
When the pandemic began, the husband began working from home, placing a desk and ergonomic chair in the front parlor, the first room people see upon entering the house. Now that he’s returned to an office – but wants to have the option for at-home work – the wife approached Conrad to devise a plan allowing the room to pull double-duty.
“We wanted to keep with the architectural style of the home,” Conrad says. “The family is constantly entertaining, and opening their doors to friends and family. This had to be custom work, given what they needed.”
The room had little wall space so Conrad made the most of it. With the help of the H.J. Holtz & Son carpentry team – who handled all fabrication, installation and painting – Conrad designed shelving and built-in cabinets on both sides of the fireplace. The new built-ins offer both open display shelving as well as hidden storage.
“The new built-ins really give the opportunity to work from home and also have that flexibility so they can quickly tuck it away when they want to,” Conrad says.
Conrad recommended Holtz & Son to the clients because she’s worked with the company before and knows they can be trusted. “I sleep well when Holtz is on the job,” she says.
Holtz craftspeople also hung grasscloth and fabric (behind the shelves) and painted the trim, so Conrad and the owners didn’t have to call in other workers. “[Holtz] is basically the general contractor, so I don’t have to be communicating with multiple vendors,” Conrad says.
The clients are pleased. “We created a beautiful, functional space in a historic row house with challenging square footage,” Conrad says. “The client is super happy.”