Description

Gary Maynard, a lifelong sailor and founder of Holmes Hole Builders, LLC, builds elegant, custom homes on Martha’s Vineyard. This stately property, situated on the edge of a salt water tidal pond on the southern shoreline, is a prime example. With a low-building profile that blends into the natural environment, it illustrates the high-quality construction, fine workmanship and attention to detail for which Maynard’s firm is known.

Assembling the project team, Maynard knew he needed top-of-the-line subcontractors and suppliers who could work with him to define the nuances of the building’s subtle curves and trim details. He wanted craftsmen who could turn around the job flawlessly and produce high-quality work, all in a demanding timeframe. Having worked with H. Hirschmann LTD on two previous projects, Maynard immediately thought they would be a good fit for the job.

The project consisted of a main house, a guest house by the pond, a garage with a studio and several other outbuildings. It involved over 200 windows and doors – all of which had to be designed, furnished and installed in under a year. The building design posed a number of challenges, with elaborate trim features aligning horizontally on the interior and exterior, and the need to fit straight fenestration units into bent radius walls.

Genuine South American Mahogany doors and windows were designed with interchangeable storm and screen panels, making it easy to adapt to the changing seasons and brutal Northeast winters. In addition, laminated safety glass set in true divided lites (TDL) provided an immediate sense of historic appearance and afforded added protection from the elements. At the curved building walls, Hirschmann created a system of radius interior and exterior sill and head jamb extensions to seamlessly hold straight window and door frames in their place.

The end result is a beautiful home with banks of mulled windows and French doors wrapping around the water-facing side of the main building – bringing in natural light and sea breezes, while affording its owners striking ocean views.

Description

During the late 1920’s, this private estate at “Daisy Hill” was owned by lifetime bachelor brothers O.P. and M.J. Van Sweringen. Following the stock market crash of 1929, the property passed on to an extended family, and by the late 1990’s, the “farm group” buildings of this once great estate were in disrepair. Special zoning was created to encourage their preservation and redevelopment, and in 2000, new owners began an extensive restoration and rehabilitation along with the construction of a new residence.

The compound of houses, stables, garages and dovecotes encircles a courtyard giving an immediate sense of heritage and dignity. Architects Ferguson & Shamamian of New York City and The D. H. Ellison Co. of Cleveland created a home reminiscent of a French Manoir, nestled within the existing Pennsylvania Farm vernacular style of the original buildings. The new home features predominantly French in-swing segmented top doors and casement windows with authentic hardware set into deep flared walls. A large faceted bow window creates a focal point in the living room, while two picture windows with integral venting sash align to views of the central courtyard – past a circular watering trough, a fox-hunting “Club Room,” and the stable entrance to the paddock and park like gardens beyond.

“There are a limited number of companies who can do this,” says David Ellison, ” — deliver completely custom details without us having to figure it out. Hirschmann’s expertise as crafts people was very important to the success of the project.”

Description

Sixx Design founders Robert and Cortney Novogratz built their business converting dilapidated spaces in Manhattan and around the world into homes of exceptional style and character. This shell on the edge of SoHo was to be a truly special project, serving as a home for their active, growing family.

During the planning phase, Robert contacted Benjamin Egozi of Pella Windows and Doors, Commercial Division, New York, N.Y., to discuss their vision of oversized windows and doors made of a natural finished wood. They wanted their windows to combine the best of old-world European style and clean modern lines. Ben knew that the high level of customization required for this project made it a perfect job for Hirschmann Windows and Doors.

In the end, the Novogratzes specified Inswing French Casement, Hopper and fixed windows as well as Inswing French doors, single doors and a main entry door made of mahogany, elegantly finished with a Sikkens semi-transparent stain product and detailed with brushed Nickel Valli & Valli hardware.

Two years later, when asked about their windows and doors, Robert remarked that he continues to be thrilled with how they have held up against the New York environment. “They look the same as the day they were installed.” He added, “That’s the reward in our business. As our projects have grown, we have gained the benefit of being able to work with some of the very best craftsmen.”

Today, the Novogratzes — a family of 9 known for their Bravo reality show “9 by Design” — continue to refurbish buildings and indoor spaces, inspiring clients across the globe with their unique design aesthetic and signature style. Their HGTV show “Home by Novogratz” offers a close-up look at their work, as they undertake new design projects for clients on camera.

Description

When Stoutridge’s owners, Stephen Osborn and Kimberly Wagner, imagined their vineyard, they envisioned Riesling grapes, slow wine philosophy and a European-style winery based on German design.

Osborn and Wagner began with restoration of the farmhouse.The pair came into the process with several design ideas that would make the experience of the buildings more pleasing. From the start, they knew that the windows had to be authentic — shuttered, secured with Cremone bolts, and able to open inward. As an additional touch, instead of permanent exterior window screens that give buildings a dull look, Hirschmann integrated their imported retractable screen product into all the in-swing French Casement windows for a screen on demand solution.

A Hirschmann folding door connects Stoutridge’s conference room with the roof deck creating easy access and affording beautiful views into the vineyard. Five French doors complete the winery’s integration with the outdoors.

Description

A first glance at the architectural plans for the addition to this home revealed daunting site conditions and a design that would test window standards to the limit. Three stories high in some places and built on a steep rock ledge facing a lake, the plans called for a schedule of window walls — walls that featured floor to ceiling glass in as small a frame as possible — with a mix of fixed and operable elements.

The house flows with multiple levels, decks, walkways and window walls that coalesce with the surrounding rock, woods and water. While the end product looks like a single entity, the window wall units were actually assembled and direct-glazed on site. Cranes were used to move large glass panels (some spanning over 70 square feet and weighing more than 500 pounds) to their respective jambs.

The finished home has a very natural look to it that understates the difficulty behind the effort. For the homeowners, the Hirschmann windows and doors make the most of the southern exposure, lighting up the house even on the greyest Vermont day.

Description

The perfect complement to an urban life, the Mascoma Lake residence offers its owners a comfortable repose that interconnects its natural surroundings and living spaces.

Drawing from the vernacular of old New England wood framed cottages, the home is direct in its use of structural materials and exposed construction. Juxtapositions of off-the-shelf, prefabricated materials side by side with very beautiful and extremely well-made products gives the home a unique and uncommon character.

The open plan allows for a range of different spaces — gathering spots and private nooks — while the two-story screened porch offers views and year-round, protected access to the outdoors. A Hirschmann trim-less folding door creates an 8’x10′ interface between the porch and interior living space.

The 10′ tall door presented a unique challenge as the door hinge was situated at a fragile and unsupported jamb location. Using a full length stainless steel continuous hinge for the secondary door allowed the installer to fasten directly into the wall framing numerous times, lending the required strength to carry both doors. A small lifting device was also created to ensure proper spacing and to prevent any sagging over time.

Description

A flat expanse of farmland backed up by a mature stand of trees is the perfect stage for a home that balances formal gestures reflective of the status of the owners, with a profound sense of comfort.

Custom work allowed the architect, Sandy Kraemer of Grater Architects, a crucial level of refinement in both the interior and exterior of the home. The design called for interwoven alignments of trim and muntins, and windows and doors had to link seamlessly with interior mahogany woodwork. To make trim lines and reveals work with a variety of window and door types, Hirschmann designed several unique details.

Before any window or door was produced, the architectural team recognized a unique professional dialogue between Hirschmann and the contractor, Ray Vomacka of Herman Grefe and Sons, and an exceptional level of service from H. Hirschmann LTD. In total, over 80 windows and two dozen doors were produced for the residence. One can easily imagine the house in late afternoon as the sun shines through the lacework of windows and doors, giving scale and warmth to large rooms, creating a timeless elegance and a sense of place.