Updating a Family Room

New Windows on Front Elevation

 

New Tall Windows on Back Elevation

This is the same house the "Modern, Open Plan Updates Historic Home" blog post is about. (click here to read it)

This Historic Federal-style Colonial had been flanked in the 1970s by a two-car garage at one end and a large family room with open-truss ceiling on the other. Of course these spaces added to the modern usefulness for any folks living there but these additions, while sort of symmetrical in their massing at least, were not sympathetic to the historic nature of the existing home. The windows were small and high in the back, with a large bow window in the front. The family room had a very dated style and the open trusses were designed with a heavy bottom chord that, due to the step down from the main floor level, was low enough to feel like you might hit your head as you left the kitchen and just made the room feel oppressively low for such a large space.

Renovated Family Room

The pluses were that this family room was large area-wise, with glass on three sides, and connected to the deck and pool with a sliding glass door at one end and the kitchen on the other end. We changed the front and back windows to let in more light, allow views of the beautiful property due to their lower sill height, and have more historically accurate proportions/placement on the wall.

We re-configured the truss to raise the height of the space below the structure and make the room feel larger, higher, and more contemporary. We removed the horizontal band of chair-rail/wainscot that further divided the walls and accentuated the long/low feeling of the room as well as the horizontal heavy beam along the top of the walls. We added new mechanical systems for heat and A/C, allowing the inefficient, dented baseboard radiators to be removed. In addition a new efficient (red!) wood stove insert was installed, bold paint color covered the walls, and engineered wood flooring replaced the water-damaged particle board.

Renovated Family Room- 3 Windows replace Bow Unit

Now the room is a family friendly, sunny, and comfortable lounging space with a vaulted/high open truss ceiling. It is accessed off the kitchen and the office by just a few steps. The space in the main section of the house that was a living room was taken over to be a mud room by the entry/garage and a larger dining room. (read previous post to see more on that). Once the clients decided they didn't need or want a separate formal living room and family room, they were freed up to explore what became the solutions you see here and this room is so large, that it can be arranged into activity zones and meet many needs/purposes for the family.

Family Room- Looking toward Kitchen/Main House

Ultimately the new residents are doing the latest update to a rural colonial that has housed many families for over the past century by being added to and modified throughout the decades. This most modern iteration is vibrant and classy without being too tied to history. It allows for all aspects of the family activities- from mud boots and backpack storage, to working from home and homework project space, to hosting dinner parties, to relaxing with a movie or a fire or even a game of billiards. (notice the pool table stayed!) Like we tend to do in current designs, rooms were opened up to each other, lots of light was invited into the space, and storage space was given more of a priority. In addition, poor circulation layout was re-designed -as in the garage door moving out of the dining room and into a new mud room area by the front door- and the powder room access being changed so that flow was better connecting the family room to the rest of the house. Lastly, updated finishes and mechanical systems changed the look and, literally, the feel (temperature) of the space.

Before - Front of Home w/ Garage and Family Room Wings on each side

Before- Back Elevation of Family Room Section

Before - back half of room was dark with small, high windows and wood paneling

Before- Heavy Bottom Chord of Trusses effectively lowered the ceiling height

Modern, Open Plan Updates a Historic Home

New Larger Dining Room Connects well to Back Patio and Kitchen

This historic Rhinebeck home was out of date- and I don't just mean the big radiators and the frumpy wall paper. The rooms were small, and there were too many walls jutting into spaces making them feel awkward. The space inside of the front door was tight, with no place to put one's coat or boots or greet a guest or stow a briefcase. A more recently added attached garage had an unfortunate door  placement directly into the dining room. The "wing wall" and 9 s.f. slate tile attempting to partition off a "foyer" only served to accentuate how cramped the entry was. Here is what we did to make this house work for the new family who moved in. (Before pictures at end of post)

Boxed in Steel I Beam Allows Wall to be Removed

Hidden Door to Garage - Connects to Mud Room

Panelized Ceiling, Painted Wood Floor, Super-wide Glass Door

Wall of Cubbies Separates of Front Area into a Mud Room

The wall separating the front (living) from the back (dining) was removed and a steel beam was put in it's place to hold up the second floor. The wing wall shielding the front door from the rest of the living room was removed, as was the small slate floor inset. The door that dumped unceremoniously into the dining room from the attached garage was infilled to allow a long wall for furniture. The old mechanical system and radiators were removed, and a new, efficient whole-house A/C and air heat was installed supplied by new mostly-invisible and using-no-space grills in the floor. The front of the house was partitioned off with a floor-to-ceiling open built-in shelf unit. This front space functions as a "mud room" with the garage door relocated there and a new absorptive, reclaimed brick floor all across the entry area. The back of the house got a new super-wide sliding glass door to access the stone patio (one wonders why there was not a door to access that patio already...) and became a large dining room, while the function of living room was combined with the family room. Ironically new wall paper was applied- but sparingly over a high chair rail, and the ceilings were given a 'bead-board & trim' treatment. The too-pale pine floor was painted and unique lighting was selected and installed.

Room for a Large Cabinet, now that Garage Door is moved

The changes are transformative. The space feels larger, lighter, brighter and decidedly up-to-date. The home now functions much better for the family who lives there- giving them a place for boots and backpacks, as well as a luxuriously large dining room for everyday homework or weekend entertaining. (They made the big decision of "who needs separate living and family rooms?) I'll show you that family room renovation in another post. As an aside- a section of the wood timber that the Steel I beam replaced was salvaged as the new fireplace mantle shelf.

Before- Looking toward the back- see open door to garage on left and window facing patio

Before - Walls Divided the front & back of the house (left) and closed off the Entry (right)

Before - Wall & Slate Tile made entry cramped

NHND to the Pond - Windows

Composed Back Elevation Fenestration

Windows are a big deal. They are one of the high-budget items during construction. The are totally pivotal in how the space will end up feeling and performing. A room with just one window, or windows only on one wall, will feel quite different than a room with a "feature" window group or windows on two (or three! that's rare) walls. A window facing south or west is very different than a window facing east or north. A low quality (or U value, which is the energy rating for windows, like R value is the energy rating for walls and roofs) or poorly installed unit can let in too much summer heat or let out too much winter heat. One really does want to buy the best windows one can afford.
 

Awnings up high in the South Dormer & Double Hungs over Kitchen Sink

Windows- along with doors- provide a connection to the outdoors when we are inside - bringing in light and warmth from the sun, allowing fresh air exchange, and framing views of the land, sky, sunset, approaching visitors, etc. The layout of the "fenestration" on the elevations- from both interior and exterior- is an important part of the architectural design process and something us architects draw and revise over and over again.

South-Facing Feature Window in Master Bedroom

Windows come with a myriad of choices, and the architect's 'window schedule' on the plans outlines each and every feature and option. First there is the window brand; these are Marvin Integrity. The most common styles of windows are double hung, fixed, casement, and awning. There are also gliders, but we didn't use any of those on this project. The window style greatly influences the overall style/look of the home, and we went with large, un-divided glass panes for this modern bungalow. Since the site is so lovely to look at, no "divided lites" were used, which can chunk up the glass and view into smaller sections. (and slightly reduce the window's efficiency, since it is the air space between the panes that most contributes to the U value)

No out-swinging units on porch

 Here we chose mostly casements for large windows, placing fixed transoms above in the most public rooms, awnings for small windows and in bedrooms so that they can be left open to hear the rain, and double hung units where an out-swinging window would interfere with the use of the porch. Casement units help meet the egress code requirement in bedrooms without being excessively large. (see a previous post about windows here: https://cwb-architect.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-window-into-architects-process.html ) 

Upstairs Bedroom Egress Casement Window

Exterior and interior materials and colors can be specified - here we have a dark, contemporary color called "Bronze" for the exterior. This will add some modern "pow" to the look of the house. Gone are the days when all windows are white! The window frames are a Marvin-proprietary maintenance-free "Ultrex" material on the exterior that comes in a few colors, and a pine wood interior, that is factory-painted white in most instances, but will be stained in the Living Room for a warm feature. 

 

The most high-tech part of the window unit is the glass. These have 11/16" insulating glass, with Argon gas between the panes, and a Low E1 coating, that reflects unwanted summer rays. Tri-pane glass was our first choice, as it is more efficient, but the extra cost was too much. We got LowE1 glass for this project, as it is located in the woods with an ideal orientation of SSE and properly designed roof overhangs. Low E2 or E3 would have blocked more visible light than was necessary in our specific conditions. Depending on where they are located in the home, some units have tempered glass or obscure glass. The U value of this window = .29 and when installed correctly with tape and low-density foam, it performs quite well as a piece of a super-well insulated building envelope.

South & East Facing Kitchen Windows

Obscure Glass for Powder Room Privacy

Pair of Awning Window

The Back (Mud Room) Door to be painted or stained

Windows with Transoms Above on the Landing

 

 

Lowest Level "Rec" Room with glass focused toward Pond

Really Custom- photos from various projects

Mexican Tile and Wood Stove w/ Bread Baking compartment
in a Farmhouse Kitchen Addition to an Older Home

It's fun to be an architect, or hire an architect, and work on a design that creates something unique and personal as a result. It's part of why I enjoy being a residential architect. You can find out what the client really wishes they had in their home and build exactly that- a wine cellar? a wood stove to bake bread in? a library for a collection of books? a kitchen from which you can watch the game while cooking? I often urge my clients to dream of what they want from their home and not worry too much about how we get there. Use colors, styles, and materials that you will be happy looking at- for some that is clean and serene with a lot of white and cool colors, others keep wood accents natural and unpainted. And still others enjoy whimsy with bold and bright checkerboard patterns and unique tiles.

Red Tile, Wood Beams and Kitchen open to Living Room

Bold Colors and Patterns in this Home Office

Understated Custom Tiled "Tree of Life" Back-splash over cook-top

Colorful Tiled Back-splash

A Bench and Cubbies in the Entry

Panels built to match cabinetry hide appliances for a very clean look (not painted yet)

I like to incorporate features into the design that will make life easier and work for the way my clients live - a bench, wall hooks & cubbies near the entry or a room with a dutch door to contain the dogs. I also like to problem-solve to use space and materials efficiently - like when I tucked a little shower seat into a nook created when an addition was built around an existing fireplace or when a sink was tucked into an artist's closet rather than using up the corner of a room. No room to call a library? How about shelves at the top of the stairs? An easy place to personalize is a tiled design over the stove.

Book shelves create a Library in the Hall

Artist's sink hidden in closet of Painting Studio

Dog Room has Dutch Door, Doggie Stair up to
Doggie Door leading to outdoor Fenced Kennel

Shower Bench tucked into an extra bit of space

Sometime we want to highlight a beautiful piece of art or re-purpose a found object into art- I encourage this, as long as we are not using old single-pane glass in our new building envelope. (Always use insulated doors and windows that exceed energy code! Reusing old windows or doors is NOT being green - but that is another post...)

One client had a stained glass window we placed among bookcases between the library and entry and back lite for a marvelous connection between rooms. Another had antique heavy wood doors that were re-used as a laundry room and panty door. Objects and antiques as art can be placed in your home for you to admire each day.

Art House- from left Stained glass window set in bookcases,
Iron gates mounted and lite on far wall at end of long view,
Large-format tiled wall wraps around side of refrigerator

Closer view of the Iron Gates as art - and Antique Columns used to partition the Room

Sometimes custom can be more expensive, but not always! So go for it next time you renovate or paint! Be brave! Chose a funky tile or different light fixture or an antique piece of furniture. Plan for a built-in so you can put stuff where you need it and save space. Add a root cellar or a greenhouse or even just window boxes, if you are a gardener. Put wood on the ceiling instead of the floor. If you want to bake bread, get an awesome oven and use cool tiles to accent it. Find an antique barn door or column or metal hinge that you love and re-purpose it inside. Make your space personal & beautiful so it brings you joy and ease in your daily life!

Antique Dry Sink re-purposed as Vanity Cabinet

Painted Kitchen Cabinets and Built-in Bench under Window

Built-in shelves in a Mud Room Entry

Wood and Not Wood

I am a residential architect, so my projects are built mostly out of wood. For example, we don't tend to frame houses with metal studs or build house walls out of masonry (brick or stone) -at least in my area. Some parts of a house that have traditionally been made from wood are now being built from non-wood materials (that look like -or try to look like- wood). Sometimes the material swap is for reasons of durability or sustainability. Sometimes it's to make construction easier or to reduce future maintenance. Sometimes using non-wood is a necessity, as in when wood is not strong enough for supporting open spaces and long spans or a village or city has a fire code.

Here are some photos from various projects illustrating this point.

Decks are a common place that, in today's home construction, wood has been replaced with various composite materials with success. This Trex composite material has integral color, concealed fasteners, recycled content, and is virtually maintenance free and easy to install. Being on the southern side of the house, it will have to deal with a lot of UV, so using non- wood makes sense. It makes sense on the shady side too, since nobody likes mildew on their deck. And it makes sense in a home that folks want to grow old in and hope to reduce the work they need to do to keep things in good shape.

Clapboards and other siding materials that were traditionally made from wood boards are often now made of cement on many, but not all, of my projects. Cementitious siding, such as those made by James Hardi, is durable, fire-resistant, rot/mold resistant, and installs similarly to wood siding. In addition it can be ordered with a factory-applied baked-on finish in your color of choice. That finish should last for many, many years longer than paint lasts on wood. Like the Trex decking material, it can still look traditional and carpenters can use the same tools and some of the same installation methods they are familiar with for installing Hardi siding.

High-Tech Material that can look quite traditional

Installing Hardi Siding is just like installing wood siding

Wood is still the primary material I specify for framing. (unless the loads are too large, and steel must be used for its superior strength) In addition to various grades and species of 2x material at the lumberyards, we also have choices like engineered lumber, which is super strong compared to simple sawn lumber. It's made in a factory from pieces of wood and glue and also comes in many grades and looks, like beams and I joists.

Most of the House Framing is 2x sawn lumber

At the NHND to the Mountains, I had to use a steel beams to hold up both the second floor over an open kitchen/dining space and the roof over an open wide dormer. The steel I beam is nothing nice to look at, and super heavy to install. Holes come in it so wood can be bolted to it so that we can attach finish wood trim or sheet rock to box it in and cover it up. (it becomes invisible!)

Hidden Steel Beam holds up roof (top left corner of pic)

At the NHND to the Pond, we have some "ugly" and some "pretty" wood beams carrying loads that regular sawn lumber couldn't handle. Wood beams can be covered up with other finish materials (like the wall studs and roof rafters are covered with sheet-rock inside or trim boards outside) If they will be covered, I use LVLs - which are strong and readily available, but not so pretty; they look like a stack of plywood. I can also use ugly metal fasteners, if I know they will be concealed from view.

Hidden LVL beam supported w/ metal joist hangers
 is above ceiling line and will be covered by ceiling

But sometimes, we want wood beams to be exposed and become an architectural feature in the space, not just a hidden item holding things up. That is the case in the open Living Room and Kitchen area. Like many houses being built today, the floor plan is open front to back, and a long beam was needed to hold up the floor above. Rather than use an LVL and cover it, I specified an "architectural grade" or "appearance grade" glulam beam. It is beautiful and strong, and we can sand it, leave it exposed, and wipe a varnish finish on it for protection. It, along with the wood staircase and wood windows in the corner of the Living Room, will contribute to the homey feel of the space.

Exposed Glulam wood beam supports floor above and creates
a distinction between LR & Kitchen in open plan

Exposed Glulam wood beam supports roof-
(R&L This is NOT your house :)

Wood Beam above Metal Frames for Double Pocket Doors

Another place that we find metal instead of wood in my projects is pocket door frames. I like using pocket doors, and this house has 5 or so. They don't use up space the way a swing door does, so, like built-ins, they are worth having when you are designing small. And in the case of a wide pair like we have between Kitchen and Office, they can enable the floor plan to have flexibility so that rooms feel wide open to each other if you want or they can be private when you need. They are also great in toilet compartments or for openings that may rarely get closed, like the mud room/hallway connections.