Project Description
A family of 5 purchased a quaint cottage tudor with the understanding they needed more space. Specifically; bedrooms, storage, & a new master suite were requested. The property/home is narrow & the only viable option was to design/build over the garage to the rear of the site. This still presented a challenge to add the circulation, storage, extra bedrooms & baths. Thus, 2 cantilevers to the north & west were proposed, as well as a ‘destination’ balcony. The clients also expressed love of natural light & clean lines. Early on we realized, due to budget constraints, the master bathroom would be a phase 2 project, which gave immediate use of this space as a temporary office & extra storage.
Many initial layouts & parti diagrams sought to find the most efficient route to connect with the existing home/staircase, and accommodate the 2 new & 2 reconfigured bedrooms. An extra wide hallway, positioned to the west allowed for everything to connect well & for multiple family members to pass each other. The hall also became a promenade w/ a built in book shelf, landing, & window storage bench.(with exterior planter box) Moving toward the back of the home, there are 3 kids’ bedrooms to the right(each with study nook). A final resting spot draws the owners or visitors to the end of the hall, at the tension cable/steel beam supported balcony. The master bedroom is privately tucked around the corner with its own overhang & band of windows, which offer ambient light & birch/backyard views. Handscraped bamboo flooring connects all the spaces & the 2 new bedrooms utilize the vaulted ceiling as an uplifting volume.