Transformation

 Adding space by going up can help stretch the budget. There is framing of walls and roofs, but no excavation or foundation work required. This project did just that and the change in feeling and function is HUGE. Taking the opportunity to redesign the window and roof arrangement and change the vinyl siding materials to solid materials allowed for a whole new look. Removing fussy porch railing and it's too narrow wrap-around roof and too-thin posts for a better propotioned porch and installing new lighting and doors helped us take a mundane suburban modular house and transform it into a chic modern farmhouse.

Front of House after Addition/Renovation

During Construction - view from NW

During Construction - view from SW

Front of House Before

Both sides of the home were only one story - the garage on one side and the living room on the other. A large playroom was added above the garage (right side) and a primary bedroom suite was added above the one story area on the north/left side of the house. With all this extra space and new bathrooms upstairs, this family didn't need to add to the footprint of the home. The living room will feel so much larger when the kids toys are up in the new playroom!

Before- Front Garage Section

New Playroom above

The original vinyl windows that came with this modular home were not performing well, and the interior trimwork was more 'builder colonial' than the updated style my clients wanted. So new black-on-the-exterior windows with sa single vertical divided lite '2 over 2' pattern were ordered and installed with new painted square-edge interior trim. The update makes the home feel upscale inside and out.

New clean white window casing

New Dormer in New Bedroom

Former Window & Trim Style 
that was replaced

Back of House wit h dormers to add space upstairs

Back of house- BEFORE the 2 additions

This project was a fun update. We took what was a vanilla factory built modular home and gave it more space for a growing family, quality finishes, and an updated form and window/door/porch layout so it is more architecturally interesting. The change inside - but also from the curb- was dramatic!

Designing a New House

 I am working on the design for a new construction on a square, flat lot. The last couple months have been all about site and program analysis and gathering information and a "feeling"... There were meetings to discuss what the clients want from their future home and research into zoning and other regulations as well as walking the lot and taking note of the natural and man-made site features of the property. (like the 200 year old sugar maple tree I decided we really needed to work around!)

After all that fact finding (input in) my architect brain put this out. It's not going to be the final design (we met yesterday and already have a few tweaks to make) but it was fun to create both the design and this sketch-up model and animation and I wanted to share.

Photo of the site in November

View of proposed house from road

View from South and Pond

View from East and Pond

Classical Proportions

Shade providing porch along back/south

This "New House Next Door" is almost ready for move in day! And other than the fact that I'm telling you this is a newly built structure, if you were seeing it as you drive or bike past on the road, you might think it's an established, meticulously maintained historic Hudson Valley home. (This will be even more true when the compacted earth around the construction site has a chance to recover and be landscaped!) 

Traditional Symmetrical Front Facade

The classic proportions, balanced fenestration layout, and straightforward massing may look effortless, but like many beautiful things they take careful planning, designing, and thoughtfulness to look correct. You can learn about the "Golden Rectangle" by clicking here to read the previous post about this project.

Building Placement on the Site

The client and I discussed ideas to use color and architectural details that soften what could look or feel severe with this boxy colonial form. The classic white siding was detailed to have wide trim surrounding the tall windows and doors. The exterior light fixtures are sized for grandeur, but don't feel imposing next to a pink door. The porch posts were boxed in without classical caps and bases, and instead have only a minimal base for a clean modern vibe. Organically shaped bracket supports add curved decoration without being overly gaudy or old fashioned. The metal roof and door colors were selected to feel soft and feminine. Landscaping will add another layer of softness and will contribute to making this stately home feel comfortable and refined without being stuffy. 

But of course it's not only about looks. The placement on the site, the southern covered porch, the size of the roof overhangs - all these elements work hard to make the building function well. Windows are oriented toward sun and views. Roof overhangs are sized to lend shade in the summer, while allowing sunlight to enter the interior spaces in the winter. The geothermal heating and cooling system uses the natural temps under ground to mitigate the use of fossil fuel. The placement of the small garage structure gives definition and an edge to the back yard outdoor space. Inside the rooms are spacious but homey with tall ceilings and built in details and custom woodwork and trim. This is what I love about residential architecture- we think about the form and the function. It's not just pretty in pictures, it also has to work well for comfortable living. #lovemyjob

Welcoming Front Door and Front Porch

It was so much fun to collaborate with these design-oriented clients -and our really great craftsman builder, Ken and his crew at Landers Construction- to create such a beautiful home that manages to be both traditional & modern; elegant & friendly; serious an relaxed - all at the same time.

Kudos to the entire team!

Historic Home Update- Farmhouse Kitchen

Bright New Farmhouse-style Kitchen

Sometimes a house doesn't need any additional space added. Sometimes enough square footage is there, it just needs halls/doors relocated to create better circulation, windows added for more daylight and views to the outdoors, raised ceilings for a feeling of spaciousness, and updated fixtures and finishes in hardworking rooms like bathrooms and kitchens. That was what we did in this Historic Home Update. Two narrow rooms combined into a generous, sunny kitchen when we removed the dividing wall and added a new beam.

This is the second blog post about this project. To read the first, and see before photos and plans, click the link below:

cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2019/merry-and-bright

Exterior View from backyard

Formerly the house had no windows to the back yard- (And that is the south facing elevation... where the sun is... you want windows there!) So we cut in a pair of double-hung windows, with transom windows above, centered in the existing gable. That set the ideal placement for the kitchen sink, and influenced the cabinet/appliance layout.

The east side of the room had 2 windows; we kept one and closed off the other so our cabinetry and range/hood could wrap around to that wall. We kept the exterior trim and detail of that window, though, and closed it with "shutters". In addition, adding a wide sliding glass door from the sitting area of the room to the back yard allows the homeowner to enter from their parked car area and connects the new room to a stone patio extending the kitchen and eating areas into the back yard.

Windows and historic lighting make the Kitchen bright

 Historically appropriate light fixtures, materials, and details were used thoughtfully throughout the design. Both interior and exterior window and door casing mimics the existing style so things "blend". The existing house exterior was covered with asbestos shingle siding, popular in the 1950's which needed to be dealt with properly. The design allowed for that material to be removed only at the back wall- where the new windows and double door were being cut into the wall- and left untouched at the sides. (That's one reason why we kept the side window trim and used the "closed shutter" detail there.)

New Hardi Shingle on back wall

Existing asbestos shingles on side walls

Cabinetry has flush panel door and drawer fronts with bin pull hardware. Open shelving, glass door cabinets, crown molding, and the tiled back splash means everywhere you look you see something beautiful. The light fixtures are wall and ceiling mounted and correct for this historic home. (no recessed "can" lights were used - Yay!) The new structural beam was wrapped in stained wood trim and lends some warmth, along with the wood flooring, to the painted wood trim and cabinets. The counter tops are quartz that looks like marble and the appliance layout creates an ideal work triangle.

Tall Storage Cabinet next to Refrig

Beautiful Details add Charm

Powder Room -Bead Board Wainscot

Historically Sensitive Lighting

I couldn't be more pleased with this renovation. The new kitchen, half bath and second floor bathroom and laundry area (moved upstairs to be next to the bedrooms) make such an improvement to the house, while complimenting it's historic nature. The flow and function of it is better. It feels so new, so improved, bright and large, that it can be difficult to believe no additional space was created - just rearranged and redesigned to the maximum benefit.

New House Next to the Mountains - Final Photos

West Elevation View

The New House Next to the Mountains is located on a rural site with a spectacular view of the Catskill Mountains. This is an efficient new building, but was designed to look a bit like an historic farmhouse that had been across the street and in the family for generations. This house was constructed a few years ago, but I got out there today to take some final photographs. You can read some other posts on this project by clicking on these links:
cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2016//framing-another-new-house-next-door
cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2016//nhnd-in-mountains-update
cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2016/nhnd-to-mountains-interior-finishes

Front View of New House Next to the Mountains

Entry Side View of NHN2theMtns

BEFORE-Family Homestead that couldn't be renovated was demolished

 When the clients first hired me, the intention was to renovate the family homestead, but exploration of the neglected structure showed that it would be too costly, so that building was demolished. It was decided to build at a more advantageous spot on the site, but recall much of the former home's layout- with a lot of modern updates and efficiencies. See this link about the former house: (photo above)
cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2015/when-is-building-too-far-gone-to-renovate

Open Loft Space at the top of the stairs overlooks Living Room

Loft View -Nantucket Dormer

Living Room with custom wood whole-wall entertainment center

The many roof lines and porches and dormers create the idea of it being added to over time and create cozy nooks for desks and beds upstairs. The new location meant we could face the house toward the south and have lots of windows toward the sun and view. While the exterior is clean-line traditional with it's white clapboard siding and pitched gable roofs, the interior is very open and airy and feels decidedly updated and modern, even though we used some classic moulding profiles. I used a "Nantucket" dormer along the front to create more space for a larger second floor and a playful open space that looks down into the living room.

Living Room Fireplace

Vanity Cabinet

Elements from the demolished building were saved, like the heavy hand hand-hewn beams. This wood was reused creatively by the cabinet maker to create a unique kitchen island, master bath vanity, and living room entertainment center. Stones were gathered from the site to use around the wood burning fireplace.

Farmhouse Kitchen with so many windows

Dining Room View toward Kitchen

The kitchen exudes farmhouse charm with it's cheerful green painted wood cabinets, glass door fronts, bin pull style hardware, and open shelving either side of the farmhouse sink. Windows abound to and fill the spaces with natural light, bringing the outdoors in. The house was built to act as a weekend home during skiing and hunting seasons, to replace the family home that generations of the family had visited across the dirt road. But now that the owners have retired to live here full time, and they enjoy the feeling that this new clean house is reminiscent of other house, but with fresh air/light/life breathed into it.

Living Room with transom windows toward the back

Foyer- View toward Front Door & Living Room

Homeowners enjoying the view

Final Photos of Modern Farmhouse After a Fire

New Front of House

Front- BEFORE

Back- BEFORE

Move in day has come to the family whose house burned down! It's been rebuilt in a new bigger, better way with modern air sealing and HVAC systems, upscale finishes, and reorganized spaces with a focus on open rooms that connect to the outdoors, while also offering private spaces to each resident of the extended family living here. This 'Modern Farmhouse' used to be a Cape Cod style home with a cramped kitchen, awkward dated sunken family room, and small dark bedrooms, without much connection to the beautiful mountain views and sunlight available on the site.

New Back of House

When the home burnt, the foundation was the only piece we could re-use and the grading around the house- with it's back basement walk-out door- remained as is for our new design. Staying atop that footprint (while adding a mud room and garage to the side of it) set the design constraints, but when thinking about rebuilding, we made bold changes to the building massing, roof shape, floor plan, windows, and feel/style of the home to better fit the dynamic family who lives there. We omitted the back sun room and wrap around porch, increased the size of the back deck, and added a traditional front porch entry.

Living Room - Wet Bar near Glass Doors to Deck

Living Room - toward front and Foyer, Hall to Bedrooms

The new home is light-filled and spacious with a chef's kitchen connected through a brick archway to a great room with a fireplace, wet bar, and enormous deck. All those windows and glass doors made the interior so bright and open that the old "sun porch" room you see in the "BEFORE" photo didn't need to be recreated in our new design. All the public spaces have glazing toward the south/back/mountain view and the deck. The new bedrooms have full-height or vaulted ceilings with glass doors to individual balconies and their own custom bathrooms. The building envelope is super tight and well insulated and the new HVAC system is super high efficiency. The materials are classy inside and out - and the site work, when complete, will boast a circular drop-off driveway at the front porch and two-story foyer front entry, and a patio with a hot tub off the back. (The spa tub was existing, and remained untouched by the fire and the water damage after the fire.)

Kitchen - toward front

Kitchen - toward Dining/Back & connection to Deck and Living Room

Mud Room - Cubbies by Garage Entry

Dutch Door from Kitchen to Mud Room
and a Pet Door too

Walk-in Pantry in Kitchen

Darker colors used in Upstairs Study

Laundry Room

Interesting and unique custom details abound here to make you smile. We have built-in cushioned benches in the eating nook and the mud room entry. We have cubicles for organizing in the mudroom, dressing room, and pantry. There is ship lap wainscoting in the bathroom and the mud room and custom live-edge wood used as a sink base and as the fireplace mantel shelf. Barn wood creates a cozy plank ceiling in the master bedroom. Fun flooring appears in the Dressing Room and the Laundry Room. And high transom windows let in lots of light. The tile floors have warming mats to prevent cold feet, and while most of the interior door and window trim is painted white, the Study received a stained wood finish instead. Some of the smaller, private rooms have special wall colors, but the main public spaces remain neutral with their wall color. The interior doors and door/window trim is modeled after a traditional Craftsman design and has oil rubbed bronze hardware. While each room has its own unique features, theseconsistent details like doors, trim, and wood flooring bring continuity to the house as a whole.

Two Story Foyer Entry

Custom Hall Bathroom

Restaurant-style Dramatic Powder Room

Happy Dressing Room

Shoe Cubbies in Dressing Room

Master Bedroom w/ Barn Wood on Vaulted Ceiling & Lots of Light

Pet Doors allow the cat to leave the bedroom

This project was a joy to work on. I am often helping people improve their housing by making it work better for them and be more beautiful and efficient, but in this case, it was more than that. These client's took lemons and made lemonade, to use an inadequate phrase for the circumstances. The house they had moved into only months before was gone, along with all their belongings, and they always had smiles when I met with them. They  deliberately choose awesome interior finishes everywhere- from the lighting, to the fireplace design, to the plumbing fixtures and tile, to the kitchen appliances. They had a great contractor who could implement the ideas shown from a photo. And now they have a house that is truly personal to them and they are so happy to be living in it together.

Click here to read the previous posts about this project:

http://cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2018/12/modern-farmhouse-after-fire-finishes.html

https://cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2018/10/modern-farmhouse-mechanicals-roofing.html

https://cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2018/08/new-house-after-fire-framing.html

https://cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2018/07/rebuilding-modern-farmhouse-after-fire.html