I’ve seen very simple, barebones houses in some rural settings. This makes sense when the emphasis is on the farming property. More time is spent outdoors than in. These are not entertaining places or built for lounging - everything is practical. In this type of setting, the front door is rarely used. There is usually a way to enter the house, very dirty, and get to the laundry area and shower before entering the house. This ends up being the entrance that everyone uses.

PROBLEM

This basic 28’ by 33’ house in Arcade, N.Y., was built with a basement (A) and a two-car garage (B). I assume the stair (A) was located IN the garage for access with dirty clothes. The laundry and a shower stall in the basement were there for the convenience of the former owner, since he farmed. The home, now vacant, had been in the family for years. This couple’s plan was to remodel it into a perfect home for themselves, and have space for the grandchildren. The husband was still working and the wife took care of the kids during the day. She wanted supervised space for them to play, close to kitchen and laundry. The homeowners desired an up-to-date home but had no idea where to start. All of the existing spaces seemed too small. The house was just too well built to tear down. They looked to claim the garage space since a detached garage was adjacent to the house. Since they weren’t farming, they wanted to create an outdoor space for eating and entertaining. The prevailing winds played an important part in the planning. The challenge was to improve this house without totally rebuilding it. Let’s see what happened. SOLUTION

We saved money by leaving the two bedrooms (C & D) alone, with the exception of flipping one of the closets (E). The bathroom (F) stayed the same except we removed the linen closet for more vanity. The hall closet (G) also flipped around when we created a new hallway (H). We enclosed the living room (I) to create a good sized master bedroom (J). We raised the floor and extended into the garage (B) to add a master bath (K) and a foyer (L). To identify this new entry, we added a porch (M). Enough space was retained in the garage (B) for a single car space (N). Again, we claimed some of the garage space in the back for a family entry (O), 3/4 bath (P) and laundry (Q). The new open kitchen (R) has great flow and functions great. What was the kitchen/dining (S) was consumed for a nice new wide stair (T) to the basement and an open, flexible dining space (U). Minimal openings (V) in the existing back wall means no large beams are needed to open the house to the 16 X 21 foot addition (W). Skylights located near the existing house share new light. A modest deck (X) is tucked nicely away from the prevailing winds, and is handy for grilling and eating outside. Marcia Lyon is a professional remodeling designer, producing projects locally and across the U.S. and Canada. Her new book on remodeling design, “The Essential Planner for Home Remodeling,” is available at www.creatingspaces.net. Reach her at Marcia@creatingspaces.net or at 515-991-8880.