Home Renovation Project
Charlestown Farmhouse
Totally Phased: Charlestown Farmhouse with solar-heated floors and solar electricity. We have clients who want to do one project
this year, another in 2, and maybe more as the family grows. When we hear this from a
client, we know we can work with the big picture in mind. Then we can build it
one phase at a time, resulting in the best possible design and financial
outcome for our client. One thing I can tell you about 18th and 19th-century homes is that closets and circulation were not major considerations. This
house was small, and that was part of its charm. I think we lose something when
families are scattered to the far corners of the house, and in this case, more
square footage for the first child wasn’t necessary, but a master suite with
lots of closet space, daylight, and privacy was. Knowing there were more kids to
come, we decided to leave the 3 small rooms on the second floor as is. We
pushed up the roof with a dormer and lots of windows overlooking pastures and
woods. We separated the dressing room and bedroom with a beadboard wall which
became a 12’ long closet on one side. We added built-in dresser drawers into
the sloped area opposite the closets for 12’ of a dresser and bureau space. In
the bathroom we exposed a stone wall, sealed it for the shower, and installed
glass doors. A few years later we extended only one wall on the south side a
few feet, raised the roof just enough, and vaulted the ceiling with old beams
and skylights. We created an open bright and communicative area and renovated
the kitchen and dining room. A large island separated
the kitchen from the traffic areas, at the same time creating a fantastic workspace
and tying together the first-floor family hub. The
more formal dining room and quiet living room were just a few steps away. Always
thinking about energy efficiency and cost, we provided free heat for the house
and the pool by installing a radiant floor heated by a solar water heating
system. When the seasons changed, we transferred the solar water heating to
their pool, extending the swimming season by months, and at no cost. Next, it
was the timber-framed garage/shed. A solar electric system was added a few
years later... The kids are grown and out of the house now, and the house is
just the perfect size for them, not too big, but with enough room for the
grandkids.
