The House:

In the middle of this very small, quite unremarkable house, we found a barn. Ceilings were uncomfortably low, 6’5” in the former barn, and 7’-0” in three ‘shed’ structures, earlier additions around the barn perimeter.

The Program:

• Renovate, creating a home that feels spacious, light,
  and part of the river landscape.
• Retain/reinforce the existing building’s simplicity and
  lack of pretense.
• Enlarge the kitchen and living areas, budget allowing.

The Solution: “Smoke and Mirrors”

• Make small feel large and closed feel open, purifying the interior spaces, adding minimally.
• Remove interior walls entirely between the living area (the old barn) and the dining room, kitchen, and enclosed porch (two sheds).
• Uncover & expose original materials:

• barn siding at interior walls, weathered and still paritally-painted;
• rough-hewn second floor joists in the barn, now whitewashed;
• sloped shed ceilings, adding skylights;
• random-width heart pine flooring, refinished;
• clapboards, repaired & painted.
• Replace river-facing walls with floor to ceiling glass doors and decks beyond