The original stone
farmhouse is approximately 200 years old, and had been added onto at
least twice during the first 100 years. The goal was to enlarge and
brighten the kitchen, add a room for quilting and sewing, and improve
the appearance of the exterior.
The roof of the 1 1/2 story wing was raised to provide a full second
floor. This became the family activity room. A one story addition was
added, along with a covered porch. This addition accommodated a mud room
and eat-in area for the new kitchen. The new kitchen occupies the first
floor of the wing.
Installing the new kitchen was especially challenging given four stone
walls and a concrete floor. Creativity and a demolition hammer were
requirements for running pipes, wires, and air ducts. Another structural
concern was finding a method to attach the raised roof framing to the
tops of the existing stone walls which were originally assembled with a
mud mixture of horse-hair, lime, and clay. To do this, steel-reinforced
concrete caps were poured on top of the existing walls. The roof rafters
were joined on top of the collar ties in order to cantilever the rafter
tails out 8" over the stone veneer and still align the new eves to the
existing eves. –and if you think I have any idea what I just said,
you’re sadly mistaken.
All the woodwork was custom made by the contractor including the bead
board door jambs, closet doors and beaded window and door trim.
The homeowners gained all of the space and light they desired while
maintaining the character of the two hundred year old home. The almost
exclusive use of natural materials and traditional details ensures the
look and feel of the original home.
