With inspiration by the surrounding landscape and outstanding views, our team is working closely with our clients and project team to transform a once outdated home into a contemporary family retreat.
The main level floors will be raised to eliminate the antiquated “sunken” living room and improve the view axis. The kitchen is being moved to the former dining room and opened to the new dining room and adjacent outdoor living and kitchen. The once dark and narrow staircase is opened, reoriented and windows are being added to the East, to capture natural sunlight. The master suite will be reworked to add natural light, a private outdoor lounge area with a fireplace, expanded closet and modified master bath with floor to ceiling windows surrounding the bathtub.
The lower level floors were dropped two feet, to increase ceiling heights and improve solar gain, which has become a complex endeavor. Mechanical and crawl space are transformed to a generous lower level family room with bar, billiards and game room, two guest suites and a bunkroom, each with outdoor lounging areas. Once dark and partially below grade, these spaces will now have high ceilings, ample natural light and light coves. The new stream and pond double as an attractive landscape feature, and assist with irrigation.
The pier and grade beam foundation system was found to be deficient, resulting in the shoring up of the structure to re-built it. Throughout the deconstruction process, our team has worked closely with the out of state owners to educate them on findings, challenges and offered solutions. Without a solid architect/builder/owner communication path, this project could have easily gone sideways.