The original home was built in 1901, possibly without indoor plumbing. Sometime in the coming decades an addition was put on the back to house a more modern (for that time) kitchen, and within the last 10 years a mudroom had been added behind that. The layout was boxy and closed off, and the current bedroom and bathroom situation was simply not working anymore. The family’s idea was to renovate the kitchen space opening it up to the rest of the house, while putting a new second floor addition above it with a much needed master suite. Another item on their wish list was to bring the laundry up from the very cramped basement onto the first floor.
The design of the kitchen reused the same size space as the original layout, but reoriented appliances and cabinetry to provide an island and opened up the wall between the kitchen and living room making both spaces feel larger. Reworking the mudroom and adding a small laundry room off of that completed the first floor design. On the second floor, a very small existing bedroom that had been used as toy room, was eliminated to make room for an entry into the new master suite that included two large walk-in closets and full bath with a large walk-in shower. In order to keep the exterior characteristics of the home, we followed the existing roof lines and matched the original 4” lap siding. The original home was built on a slight angle on the lot causing the north side of the home to not conform with current zoning standards.
When working on a century old home, you are bound to come up with surprises. During the design it was our intent, and hope, to work with the existing foundation under the kitchen to keep cost down, but we were skeptical of the existing condition of that foundation as it would not be visible until demolition. This concern was addressed prior to construction and we advised that a contingency be put in the budget for potential foundation work. Upon demolition of the existing kitchen and mudroom, it became evident that the existing floor structure and foundation were in disrepair. Having formulated a plan “B” already, we quickly shifted gears to demolish what was left and create a new foundation and crawl space to provide a solid base for construction above, and as bonus giving some much needed additional storage in the basement.
A home addition and renovation like this can completely transform your day to day activities and routine. A once closed off first floor is now open and airy, creating a great family space and entertaining area. A second full bathroom gives parents a space of their own and makes for a much less congested morning routine for the family. Maybe best of all, a laundry basket will never again be carried down the narrow steep staircase to the basement. In the end, a 114-year-old was given the updates it needed to continue on giving a family all the charm of its age while now providing the modern amenities we all seek.
