The homeowners of this 1930s Tudor wanted a modest renovation to improve their kitchen and open the space to the rest of the house. As the project continued to evolve, renovations continued into to the family room, guest room, bathroom, main entry, sunroom, dining room, art room and a new breakfast room. The garage is laid out at an angle to the original family room, opening up the courtyard for vehicles and providing access to a mudroom door and the side turret entrance.

The existing landscape provided a challenge, but also the opportunity to design outdoor living spaces on several levels. The flat-roofed family room needed a pitched roof to blend with the existing house, but the roof, along with the turret, couldn’t block existing windows. To accomplish the homeowners’ vision, interior walls had to be removed, but they were constructed of clay blocks, which supported two-story block walls above. We continued the 16:12 pitched roof over the existing family room, but shifted it back to allow light into the third-story window. The same pitched roof covers the garage addition, but a reverse gable with paneled accents provides interest and a carriage house feel.

To add charm to the classic Tudor, a stone turret is incorporated, providing a whimsical, rustic element to the exterior. The durability of the exterior materials ensures that they will not need to be replaced for many years. Reclaimed brick is used for some of the floors and reclaimed slate for the roof to match the existing materials. Existing walls and floor lines are used in the design of the renovation to minimize the need for additions.

The new front turret provides access to the courtyard and a spiral staircase that leads from the upstairs bedroom sitting room to the comfortable family room and down to the wine room in the basement.