description
While it is true that ‘they don’t build them like they used to,’ some spaces beg to be adapted to contemporary life. That is certainly the case for our New England Revival Project. The interior of the original 1907 building was disjunctive and incoherent since undergoing at least three additions over the past century, none of which were particularly cohesive. Our design challenge was to unite these formally and functionally segregated spaces while still paying homage to the original architecture.
A new structural system was designed to replace the load bearing walls which divided the house in two. This allowed us to spatially connect the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The new structural beams were then ornamented with natural wood trim to bring the interior language back to its roots. An efficient LED light cove extenuates this language by providing warm, indirect lighting to the space. This warmth was further extended by replacing all of the windows and doors with modern, efficient wood clad products. These new doors and windows circulate out to a redesigned three season porch, entry deck, and back deck.
insights
Structural Rework
The original home from 1907 relied on a field stone foundation and rough-cut wood framed walls to carry the support the weight of the building. Since there were no beams or columns to speak of, each space was separated by a load bearing wall, limiting the spatial flow through the interior. Our first move was to replace these load bearing walls with LVL beams in order to create a more open floorplan. Additionally, the structural columns supporting the existing entry deck, porch, and back deck were discovered to be undersized and in disrepair. Capitalizing on the necessity of replacing them, the new design expanded both decks and opened up the porch significantly.
Bridging Interior and Exterior
Sitting on the porch with a hot cup of tea overlooking the Autumn leaves dancing among the trees is what makes New England such a special place. To capture this idea, our design sought to create a natural bridge between the interior and exterior by means of a screened porch and two flanking exterior decks. The three-season screen system employed includes clear vinyl panels that can be added over a traditional insect screen to block the wind during colder months. This allows the space to be used even when the weather is brisk. Combined with a full glass patio door and sliding window, this multiuse space can be used as an extension of the interior or a transitional space to the full exposure of the exterior decks.
Increased Functionality
Beauty is in the details, and well thought out details can make every day-to-day task a little bit easier. Examples of this include access panels in the cedar deck so that trash and recycling can be easily dropped into the designated bins stored below. Basement access has also been made more intuitive by means of a sunken patio leading to large, double doors. The new daylit basement is now more functional for storage and day to day utility.
Builder: Cousins Co
Siding and Roofing: Summit Exteriors
Mechanical Systems: Revision Energy
Structural Engineering: L&L Structural
While it is true that ‘they don’t build them like they used to,’ some spaces beg to be adapted to contemporary life. That is certainly the case for our New England Revival Project. The interior of the original 1907 building was disjunctive and incoherent since undergoing at least three additions over the past century, none of which were particularly cohesive. Our design challenge was to unite these formally and functionally segregated spaces while still paying homage to the original architecture.
A new structural system was designed to replace the load bearing walls which divided the house in two. This allowed us to spatially connect the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The new structural beams were then ornamented with natural wood trim to bring the interior language back to its roots. An efficient LED light cove extenuates this language by providing warm, indirect lighting to the space. This warmth was further extended by replacing all of the windows and doors with modern, efficient wood clad products. These new doors and windows circulate out to a redesigned three season porch, entry deck, and back deck.