Challenges & Solutions :
There were a multitude of challenges which included converting the rooms on the back of the house in to a single usable space. These frustrations were a three season cold porch which was a step down from the rest of the kitchen, an unused maid’s stairs filling a corner of the space, a tiny powder room, a hall and entrance, formal dining room, rear separate entrance, and the terribly outdated 1970’s kitchen in an awkward location.
To capitalize on the ‘best use of the space’ we removed the walls between all the rooms, installing LVL structural beams, insulated windows and walls in the former cold porch and raised the floor to be equivalent to the rest of the existing home which was then converted into a finished heated space as part of the home.
We then moved the kitchen location and centralized its heart at the hub of activity, placing it center on the back wall of the house, and off the existing exterior screen porch. Then the auxiliary functions were addressed; on one side, the rear entrance sitting room with adjoining powder room, on the other side of the kitchen an intimate breakfast area with a multitude of windows, and finally toward the interior of the existing house, a large walk-in pantry and prep area.
In order to harmonize space and function with interior style, elements of the existing house were carried painstakingly throughout the remodel. For example, the 2 ½” Red Oak natural hardwood floor was carried through the entire rear of the home, the cabinets were designed to enhance the high ceilings and doors styles, panels, and hardware were selected to remain consistent with the adjacent room decoration.
