Faced with a situation that required a more accessible living space, rather than shop for a new house, the homeowners decided to renovate the home that they loved.

With several key features in mind, the owners and I envisioned an addition that would blend seamlessly with their original traditional home. Careful consideration was given to all accessibility concerns while keeping with the design aesthetic of the existing home.

During site preparations, it was determined that a large maple tree needed to be removed to make room for the new addition. I was aware of an artisan who could crafts custom furniture from local lumber. He created a table made from a slice of the tree trunk which serves as the centerpiece of the family room, near where the maple originally stood.

One challenge was to tie the new addition to the rest of the house without going through the kitchen. The Owner is an accomplished gardener, so we used the new connection as an opportunity to create an indoor garden space where plants could grow year round. A special gravel system in the newly constructed planter boxes allows water to drain naturally. Sunlight filters in through large glass windows and skylights, warming the natural stone floor which then radiates heat into the space. An energy efficient split system provides supplemental heating and cooling, although it has only been necessary during the most extreme weather conditions. Since the existing exterior wall is now an interior wall, the old windows and doors were refinished and can be opened into the garden room, creating a truly unified space.