A Nineteenth Century Grande Dame
When the family purchased the late nineteenth century house, it continued to be occupied by the noxious ghosts of former residents. Along with the house’s gracious architecture, the family had also inherited dangerous electrical wiring, outdated plumbing, an almost non-functioning kitchen, and an attic space consisting of a warren of tiny, unusable rooms. It was beguiling even to the owners themselves that they had tolerated the adverse conditions for many years. Ready for a profound change, they engaged me, the architect, to make things right. My task was to update the systems, reconfigure rooms, and design a new addition. The challenge was to accomplish this in a way that respected the elegant Queen Anne style architecture. I retained the original character of the house, and at the same time designed the addition to be a seamless part of the whole. And I did this by drawing on a keen understanding of the elegant period architecture. Through the process of working with me, the family has reclaimed their house. At the same time that they maintained the house’s historic integrity, they also got the space they sorely needed.
A Nineteenth Century Grande Dame
When the family purchased the late nineteenth century house, it continued to be occupied by the noxious ghosts of former residents. Along with the house’s gracious architecture, the family had also inherited dangerous electrical wiring, outdated plumbing, an almost non-functioning kitchen, and an attic space consisting of a warren of tiny, unusable rooms. It was beguiling even to the owners themselves that they had tolerated the adverse conditions for many years. Ready for a profound change, they engaged me, the architect, to make things right. My task was to update the systems, reconfigure rooms, and design a new addition. The challenge was to accomplish this in a way that respected the elegant Queen Anne style architecture. I retained the original character of the house, and at the same time designed the addition to be a seamless part of the whole. And I did this by drawing on a keen understanding of the elegant period architecture. Through the process of working with me, the family has reclaimed their house. At the same time that they maintained the house’s historic integrity, they also got the space they sorely needed.