The owner—a furniture designer and college president—was enthusiastic about transforming her summer home into a year-round residence. The original house had great river views and natural light, but suffered from cramped, awkwardly arranged rooms. We reconfigured the floor plan and straightened walls to create more comfortable, logical spaces. We relocated the kitchen from an isolated corner on the north end to a southern location with water views and patio access. The new kitchen features a walk-in pantry, breakfast nook, and patio doors. Living and dining rooms were updated with large windows to frame the scenery. The owner designed built-in shelves for her collections, and a rolling door separates the north study from the living area.

We were very conservative about expanding an already generous floor plan. We added a small addition at the entry to create a more inviting atmosphere for guests and provide practical storage space for coats and shoes. We redesigned a modern stair and balcony, visible from the entry and living room. A larger two story addition was added on the south side off the dining room and master bedroom above. This gave her a screen porch on the main floor and a sleeping porch above and resolved what was an “angry and disconcerting” half gable on the exterior. The master bedroom, bathroom and dressing room were all renovated to fit her needs.

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Gale Goff Architect

Martha Moore, Landscape Architect

Roseanne Somerson, Interior Designer

DBR Builders

Anthony Crisafulli, Photographer