Holtz Built Custom Cabinet Adds Elegance and Function to Basement

Holtz Built Custom Cabinet Adds Elegance and Function to Basement

Anne Pulliam, principal of Anne Pulliam Interiors in Richmond, knows she can turn to H.J. Holtz & Son when she wants something done right.

“I’ve been burned before, so it’s worth waiting for Holtz,” she says.

Last year, while visiting the company’s offices for a project, Pulliam happened upon the carpentry shop. Noticing work in progress, she realized the Holtz team could fashion a custom cabinet for her parents’ home.

Pulliam’s parents last renovated their house 25 years ago. With the passage of time and changes in how they use the space, they needed a refresh and asked their daughter to help. The lower level was a particular challenge because there were differences in opinion over how the space could be best used.

“The basement was cheap and cheerful, with wall-to-wall carpet from when we were little,” Pulliam laughs. “It was functional but not aesthetically pleasing; it had served its purpose. [In the recent renovation], Mom wanted it to become a welcoming space where the grandkids could play and keep their toys. Dad wanted it to be clean and masculine, where he could play pool or watch football games with friends.”

Pulliam’s solution was to fill a full wall – nearly 25 feet long – with Holtz Built cabinetry designed to accommodate the twin goals of being both attractive and functional. The base cabinets were built in sections, so they could be easily moved into the room. The top, face frames, and waterfall side are oak. The doors are solid poplar with a V groove cut to match the tongue-and-groove wall paneling throughout the room. The upper towers are plywood and poplar.

Pulliam says her parents weren’t sure the basement warranted the effort.

“They wanted something nice, but wondered if they really wanted to do something this unexpected,” Pulliam says. “I assured them that to get the look they wanted – for the space to not look and feel like a basement – that a little visual interest and a little more character can go a long way.”

The details are essential, she adds, pointing to the toe-kick front base, the “waterfall” oak end, and how the oak was stained to match the vinyl flooring that has the look of hardwood. “This feels like a furniture piece, not just a box that sits on the floor,” Pulliam notes.

Now, her parents are enthusiastic about the custom cabinet unit, which offers both storage and display space for college yearbooks, memorabilia, and toys, and provides an appealing surround for a wall-mounted television.

“Initially, I didn’t know who to turn to for the cabinet construction,” Pulliam says. “But the Holtz team said they could do it, and they solved a lot of problems I didn’t anticipate. All of the craftsmanship really makes a difference.”

Custom Cabinetry Helps Homeowner Make the Best Use of Space

Custom Cabinetry Helps Homeowner Make the Best Use of Space

As a designer, Emily Wood knows the value of built-in custom cabinetry. “It makes rooms more usable, it adds interest,” she says. “And if you want built-ins, don’t sacrifice on quality.”

So when a client asked Wood to help her make the most of her new home, Wood knew who to call for a variety of cabinetry needs: H.J. Holtz & Son. 

“They are the best,” Wood says. “The Holtz team built everything to our specifications. Josh Hastings was amazing and made our requests a reality.”

The client, a single woman in her 20s, had just purchased a ranch home that had been gutted and updated. “As a first-time homeowner able to make all the decisions herself, she was really ready to explore all her options,” says Wood, principal of Wallace Wood Interiors. “She wanted the spaces to be welcoming and lasting, able to roll with life changes.”

Together, Wood and the client talked about practical uses for all the rooms, and eventually called in the Holtz team to create built-ins for three rooms: the sitting room, the laundry room, and a room that is both office and guest bedroom. 

“We’re both very big on multi-use spaces,” Wood laughs. “We kept going back and forth between the use for that room. We ended up with a happy medium. 

In that bedroom, open shelving hangs above the desk and wraps around a corner to another wall. A shelf was added next to the bed, to eliminate the need for more furniture. In the sitting room, the Holtz team built a banquette with drawers underneath that hugs one wall. “Wall space was at a premium in that room, with two wide door openings, plus windows,” Wood says. “The client isn’t a formal entertainer, so she didn’t want the typical loveseat and two armchairs configuration. This banquette balances the sofa on the opposite wall and provides functionality to an otherwise dead corner.”

Another creative approach is evident in the laundry room, where a waterfall countertop was built to create work space above the washer and dryer then drops to become a bench that can hold a laundry basket and hide a litter box below. Two additional cabinets on the wall complete the look. “There’s nothing better than having good storage in your laundry room,” Wood notes. 

The process of working with the Holtz team was excellent, Wood says, noting that Hastings also worked with an electrician to install custom sconces in the bedroom, adjacent to the new shelves. “The communication was clear and efficient,” Wood says. “It makes for a seamless process from start to finish.”

Both Wood and the client are thrilled with the outcome. “I make the cost clear to clients up front, and she didn’t flinch,” Wood says. “Especially after everything was installed, it was very obvious it was worth the cost.”

Mission accomplished.

Fredy Vigil, Foreman, Reaches 10-Year Anniversary

Fredy Vigil, Foreman, Reaches 10-Year Anniversary

Fredy Vigil came to H.J. Holtz & Son 10 years ago at the suggestion of his friend Juan Villanueva. Both are still with the company.

“He told me there was a lot of work here, and everyone was treated well,” Vigil says.

Vigil already had plenty of experience; he had been working as a painter for nearly 10 years when he switched employers. He says the most compelling reason offered by Villanueva was the assurance that at H.J. Holtz & Son, he wouldn’t face random days off without pay because of erratic work load. Instead, he would be guaranteed steady work.

Once he joined the Holtz & Son team, Vigil spent a few years learning the Holtz method, then became a foreman, leading project teams. He enjoys that role, he says, because he can run the job using his approach, which includes plenty of communication.

“At the end of the work day, I let everyone know what we’re going to do the next day,” he says. “That way, they know what to expect.”

Vigil has also enjoyed the chance to develop his painting skills. He is now one of the Holtz painting team members with extensive experience in working with the Fine Paints of Europe (FPE) product line. When painting with FPE coatings, the environment has to be carefully controlled – to prevent dust and other particulates from marring the surface – and the application has to be deliberate and precise.

“I liked the challenge of learning something new,” Vigil says of working with FPE, adding that he enjoys talking with people about that paint line. “We have to educate customers about what’s needed.”

When he’s not in a customer’s home, Vigil can often be found in the spray booth, an enclosed space where furniture and other objects are painted in a climate-controlled environment. “I really like being in the booth, because when I finish, I can see the good quality of the paint job,” he says. “And it’s nice to be on my own sometimes.”

Vigil also appreciates the family atmosphere of the company, noting that he was able to get to know current president Rick Holtz’s parents and sister when they were working with the company. “That makes me want to stay,” he says.

Happy 10th anniversary, Fredy!

 

 

Attic Renovation Creates Welcoming Space for Family and Friends

Attic Renovation Creates Welcoming Space for Family and Friends

The unfinished third floor in the house had been useful over the years. With easy access to the second floor below via a wide stairway, the attic was a great storage spot for boxes and bins. Plus, it had two dormer windows that offered light and created a feeling of openness.

But the family now needed more from that space. An attic renovation was in order.

“My clients are almost empty nesters, but the kids come home all the time, and friends come with them,” says Ashley Hanley, principal of her own design firm. “The couple also has younger nieces and nephews, and they were running out of space for everybody to sleep.”

The solution? Turn the attic into a welcoming bunk room with built-in sleeping and sitting areas, and architectural details to elevate the look and feel of the space.

Hanley was familiar with H.J. Holtz & Son’s carpentry division, having worked most recently with the team on a project in Williamsburg that included a custom mantel, shiplap, and built-in cupboards. “I have used and loved the company so many times,” she says. “These clients had Holtz’s carpentry team build custom radiator covers for them, so it was easy for them to get on board.”

For the attic renovation, the Holtz carpentry team created three built-in twin beds, window seats that open for hidden storage, and a chair rail and beadboard. The team also fashioned a new railing for the staircase leading into the room, setting the tone for the refreshed space above. Holtz painting and wallpaper teams finished the room, adding whimsical “Cornwall” wallpaper by Anna French, which Hanley selected.

“The room really has that Mary Poppins attic feel,” Hanley says.

Hanley has worked with H.J. Holtz & Son since early in her career and quickly noticed that Holtz was different from other home services firms.

“I always knew Holtz & Son was really good, and I also knew they were expensive,” she says. “But after deciding to give them a try, I was just blown away by their professionalism. If something is wrong, they’re going to fix it; they’re not going to fight me on it.”

And she is delighted the company continues to expand its carpentry division, making projects like this attic renovation possible.

“Finding a good carpenter is really, really hard,” Hanley says. “Builders use the good ones and don’t like to take on smaller projects. This is such a smart part of the business for Holtz & Son to lean into.

“Everybody is nice, friendly, and talented,” she adds. “They are really proud of the work they do. It’s always a pleasure to work with incredible craftsmen.”

New Home Renovation for Holtz Customer Offers Fresh Template

New Home Renovation for Holtz Customer Offers Fresh Template

Kristen Ziegler wanted to avoid making the same mistakes twice.

In her first home renovation, she hired H.J. Holtz & Son to paint the house’s exterior after the painter who worked on the interior retired. She knew of the company’s high-end reputation, but soon found the craftsmanship and attention brought by the Holtz team to be worth any added expense.

So it was an easy decision for Ziegler to turn to Holtz & Son to help her renovate her new residence, a condominium in a 1914 apartment building. The original intent of the building was intact, but Ziegler wanted to restore the space with historical accuracy. “My first home was also my first renovation; I wasted some time and money in the learning process to get things right,” she says. “This time, I knew how to do things properly. It’s so hard: you don’t know what you don’t know.”

Painting the walls would be simple enough, Ziegler knew. The challenges were in the space’s woodwork. Trim around windows and doors was buried under layers of old paint. Crown molding at the ceiling wasn’t original to the apartment. And the baseboards were clearly also replacements; they were nearly two inches taller than the original baseboards in the building’s shared stairwell.

Working on a tight timeline, so Ziegler and her husband didn’t have to find a place to live between the sale of their previous home and moving into the new condo, the Holtz painting and carpentry divisions fabricated and painted new historically accurate baseboards, sanded and repainted all the home’s trim, and replastered and painted the walls after the inauthentic crown molding was removed. Later, after the couple had moved in, the Holtz team stripped and repainted exterior balcony French doors and painted the living room fireplace.

“The Holtz team was able to figure everything out – all the different parts – without me having to manage it,” Ziegler says. “They see other things that need attention and go above and beyond to make sure it’s complete. No detail is left unaddressed.”

As founder and principal of Minima – a firm that specializes in helping people declutter, organize, and redesign their spaces – Ziegler has an eye for detail. She credits Holtz craftsman Ricky Reid for working diligently to ensure that the new baseboards were aligned perfectly. “There are no straight walls here,” she says. “He got the trim to look straight and have the shadows look right. It was double the cost it could have been, but I’m so glad I did it.”

Ziegler is pleased with the finished project and even the process of getting there.

“I’m not an easygoing person, especially when it comes to renovations, but I’m kind,” she says. “I could tell they appreciated that, and they never got upset with me over my high standards. There’s no drama [with the Holtz team]; they show up on time and solve problems. They take pride in what they do.

“As a business owner, I value really strong customer service and really strong quality of service,” she adds. “I feel like they share those same principles, which brings peace of mind during complex projects.”

Find Minima at www.minimaonline.com