Colonial Farmhouse Addition and Sensitive Remodel

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Remodeling Historic Preservation Design+Build

This project involved both a substantial remodel to a historic farmhouse and a major addition with sunroom, kitchen and master suite. Care was taken to ensure that the new work both referenced and enhanced the character of the original house throughout. Designing and building a sensitive addition onto a century-old farmhouse without breaking character is no easy task. Construction methods have changed dramatically. People also live very differently than they did in the early 20th century. So working closely with the homeowners, we designed the addition to create warm and inviting spaces that also recall the feeling of a traditional farmhouse sunroom.

The gorgeous sunroom added to this historic home features architectural finishes typically found in an early 1900s enclosed porch. To fit a modern lifestyle we added windows along the east and south-facing sunroom walls.  And a fireplace, flanked with windows, highlights the symmetry of the room, while the built-in benches next to the fireplace roll out to reveal niches for flexible holiday furnishing. Located off a back foyer, the sunroom is a family retreat away from the more formal living room area.

The kitchen addition reflects both the farmhouse roots of the original house and the needs of a contemporary cook. Walnut countertops double as a butcher block and add warmth and richness to this update. A corner of the kitchen addition is carved out for a dining nook. And a charming butler’s pantry (formerly the kitchen) is located between the new kitchen addition and the formal dining room.

A new stairway in an expanded second-floor hallway seamlessly links the addition to the original farmhouse. The stairs connect to the master suite addition on the second floor.

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