continue to page 2
This home began as two small cottages - one of them a log cabin - originally constructed in a rural setting as summer houses and later used year-round. This project's location – in what is now an affluent suburb – could easily have resulted in the tear-down of the two summer cottages and the eventual construction of a typical “McMansion.” Property values had soared, and this land; once used for country getaways, has become too valuable to avoid development.
Zoning sideyard setbacks would have required the construction of a single massive structure. By utilizing the foundations of the two non-conforming structures the building’s bulk was considerably reduced and fewer trees removed.
The owner’s needs and the value of the property dictated a substantial home. The challenge was to maintain the log cabin in context while adding living space and amenity.
Both cottages had become very dilapidated, but the log cabin contained craftsmanship and historical value well worth preserving. All logs were stripped of decades of paint and stain, completely decayed members replaced, and the rope chinking was all replaced with natural hemp. The interior was brightened with dormer windows and a concealed barrel-vault skylight. A custom metal chandelier was designed to light the interior and reinforce the hunting-cabin theme. All light fixtures and many furnishings were custom designed to articulate this concept.
The most important aspect of restoration was to prevent the necessary new construction from overwhelming the old cabin. Sightlines were carefully evaluated to keep new building areas from being visible beyond the cabin; and the porch was extended to visually conceal additions. The footprint of the second cottage was utilized and a curving glazed breezeway connected the two non-parallel structures. The intervening courtyard diminished the apparent volume of this 5500 sq. ft. home.
|
