Design Journal - New 2nd Floor Plan

2nd Floor After

The second floor of the addition is smaller than the first floor. I created a bathroom and closet space for the master bedroom above the new family room. There will be a cathedral ceiling with a high window above the new kitchen space.

2nd Floor Before

Design Journal - New 1st Floor

Like most families with young children, we spend a lot of time around the kitchen - making meals, eating snacks, & doing homework. Our kitchen was really only suitable for one person to cook, and I wanted more space for the kids and their friends to hang out. The addition will allow an expansion of the kitchen and extra living space for entertaining.

First Floor After

First Floor Before

Design Journal - Our First Renovation

The idea for the first renovation was to open up the interior and bring the living spaces together. Bedrooms had been added to allow a rental unit on each floor, and we wanted to bring the house back to its single family roots.

1st Floor Plan - Before

I removed a wall between the living and dining rooms, and added windows and glass doors to bring in the lovely wooded views. I moved the kitchen to the center of the house, so it could become part of the other living areas. I opened the foyer back up to the rest of the house to create a more formal entry, and I moved the pantry and bath areas adjacent to the side entrance.

This design is all about curves. I wanted the interior spaces to open up and flow inside the rectangular form of house. I wanted to subvert the rigidity of the typical house plan to create spaces that were visually interesting. And I tried to bring the idea of the curve into all of the details that I designed - from the bar top, to the archways, and even the shelves in the kitchen.

1st Floor Plan - After