BUILDING & RENOVATION
Rewriting History
Site Specific revitalizes a turn-of-the-twentieth-century home for a young family.
B Y K A I T LY N M U R R AY | P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y N AT R E A
When a young family first closed on this stunning, turn-of-the-
twentieth-century property in 2018, they knew it would require a few tasteful, carefully
executed upgrades to turn it into a home.
Fortunately for them, this was Site Specific’s specialty, on both accounts.
Phase one of the project kicked off that summer. With the new owners having yet
to move in, Construction Manager Chris Behlke and his team were able to perform
all of the ‘messier’ bits of the renovation upfront, including gutting the kitchen,
constructing a mudroom and installing all new heating, electric, flooring and paint.
Site Specific’s ability to self-perform work was one of the key factors in delivering
this project on time. In addition to managing subconsultants, the company uses their
own labor to push the schedule when needed and provide a seamless design and
construction experience for homeowners. “We have woodworkers, electricians and
more on staff so we are able to help our clients problem-solve early on and work
through any challenges that may arise,” says Behlke.
60 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY’S NEST |
2020
One such challenge: the original structure’s unusual construction materials.
Made up of terracotta block, the exterior walls were essentially immovable. “With
terracotta block, you cannot run wires through it. It just exists,” Behlke explains.
And so, when it came to revamping the kitchen, which is predominantly enclosed
by exterior walls, Site Specific utilized existing power locations wherever possible.
“When we needed to add locations, we ‘trenched’ the plaster to create new
pathways for new boxes,” Behlke says. “We then fully overlaid the existing walls with
quarter-inch drywall, fully glued and fastened to avoid potential cracks at the trenches
in the future, as well as provided a flatter, more uniform substrate to accept paint and
tile.”
While the counter-to-ceiling tile backsplash wasn’t applied until the following
summer, Site Specific did work closely with frequent collaborator, Kelly Taylor of
Kelly Taylor Interior Design, in that first phase to make the kitchen just as arresting
as it was functional. They opened the space up so it could flow freely into the dining