Summer School
Some houses, yards, and neighborhoods are perfect places for kids to explore, run-around, and be happy. The Summer School client found a location well suited—an expanded Cape with a big yard, originally built in 1989, in a small peninsula neighborhood surrounded by recreational opportunities like beach, boating, and hiking—but it needed some work. The existing house was well built and worth saving, but did not meet the spatial, functional, and aesthetic needs of an active grandmother and her extended family. Much of the floor plan was reworked, interior and exterior details were replaced, and a sunroom, guest house, pool, and extensive outdoor living space, were added. A large primary suite includes a sitting area with a fireplace. A new bunk room provides a nautically inspired hide-away for grandchildren. The house is set-up for multi-generational family visits centered on togetherness, but it also allows for restful retreat.
| Project Category | Renovation |
|---|---|
| Scope of Work | Architecture, Construction |
| Finished Space Above Grade | 6,305 |
| Guest House Finished Space Above Grade | 1,058 |
| Photography | Brian Vanden Brink |
Outdoor living around a new swimming pool and patio is adjacent to the family room, mudroom, and guest house. Fanciful garden gates announce entry into this zone of fun.
At the main house, a new classical entry porch including a broad arch is in scale with the expansive front façade and is an elegant announcement of welcome in a neighborhood of mostly large, and in some cases formal, homes. A new cupola above reinforces the entry as it faces the public view. New dormers expand and bring light into the second floor. The guest house is, in contrast, asymmetrical but balanced. Its corner entry faces the pool and main house rather than the street.
The house accommodates large scale entertaining, big family gatherings, or just a few.
The existing family room was refinished and new built-ins, fireplace, ceiling coffers, and light fixtures were added. A breakfast area with wraparound windows looks out to the backyard and new kitchen cabinets, fixtures, and finishes were added. A formal dining room is accessed from the other side of the kitchen. The sunroom addition is full of light and views to nature. It gets all day sunlight from windows on four sides. Landscaping beyond keeps it very private.
The narrow stair opens to a large, light-filled bunk room at the top.
The ceiling conforms to the roof above. Each grandchild has a paneled berth of their own around the perimeter of the large room, allowing the center to be open for play. Nautically-inspired art (here a Provincetown dock block print) fits right in. In the primary bedroom suite below, simple columns with an elegant shape separate the sleeping and sitting spaces. A corner fireplace and adjacent TV are both comfortably viewed without moving the chairs. The chairs are just right for two adults—with children, or pets, on their laps!
