The owners of this 1850s brownstone planned to stay in the home forever when they purchased it 28 years ago, but with two stories; steep, narrow stairs; small, dark rooms; and no attached garage space, they needed to do some major renovations to make it feasible to stay. The floors throughout the house were not level, and some areas had ceilings less than 7′ high, including the kitchen. This tall family had to duck going through every doorway in their home! They also had a beautiful, secluded wooded property with a creek, but without any usable outdoor space, they never got to sit and enjoy it. Their goal was to create more open space, a bright farmhouse kitchen, first-floor living so they could age in place, an attached garage, and outdoor spaces, all while remaining true to the historic home.

By adding more then 1,600 square feet and updating the rest of the home, we were able to meet all the needs of this client. With an appealing two-wing addition, we added a master bedroom and bathroom, complete with a walk-in shower and walk-in closet; a bright, open farmhouse kitchen, with a walk-in pantry, that looks into the impressive great room with cathedral ceilings, faux wood beams, and a stone fireplace; and an attached two-car garage. The staircase is open and wide and comes down into the heart of the living space. Lots of new windows in the great room, as well as throughout the entire renovation, were added, along with plenty of recessed, hanging, decorative, under-cabinet, and exterior lighting.

Farmhouse aesthetics were added throughout, with barn doors and a custom wood island top made from some of the original wood from the home. Deep windowsills in the great room pay homage to details of the original house, as well as an original door into the pantry, and the now exposed brownstone wall at the front door. In addition to interior work, a large deck was added off the kitchen to enjoy the outdoors.

2020 Award-Winning Whole-House Renovation