Ranch House Becomes 2-Story Home

The original home built circa 1960, was a ranch style house with full basement. On the left side, the house included a 2-car garage with mud entry, a small kitchen lacking natural light, and a screened-in porch. At the center of the plan was the main entrance foyer, dining room, and living room, and on the right side were 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Rather than add on to the ground footprint, the client wanted to add a second floor and was receptive to modifying the bedroom side of the home to create larger rooms and a better plan. Modifying the existing kitchen was not in the scope or budget but they did wish to increase living space near the kitchen.

A new second floor was added which included a large master bedroom suite and rear yard facing balcony, an additional bedroom, additional bathroom, and reading nook in a front facing dormer. Space from one of the original bedrooms was used to create a new grand stair with large feature window. A second stair was also added at the mud entrance as was a new laundry area. The existing bedroom area was reconfigured to create 2 larger bedrooms, a larger bathroom, and a library. The existing screened-in porch was altered to create a 4-seasons room with its wall common to the kitchen removed to provide direct flow into the kitchen. A new skylight was added at the kitchen to bring in natural daylight.

The exterior of the home was finished with brick and stucco, heavy shadow line slate-like roof shingles were specified along with terra cotta clay chimney pots to add to the elegant European look.

Several years later, our clients sold their home and the new buyers retained us to update and expand the home. Their scope included remodeling and significantly expanded the kitchen, and the remodel of almost all of the first floor to better accommodate their expanded family and style of living. A large open kitchen was designed by our firm open to adjoining living and dining spaces. A large food prep pantry was located adjacent to the kitchen with a counter sliding service door to the kitchen. A new oversized garage was added with direct access to the kitchen area, and a “beverage area” bar was added adjacent to the Living Room and Dining Room. The first floor bedroom portion of the house was redesigned to include a new large guest room with amenities bar and private bathroom, a new master bedroom suite was added to the rear of the house and included a large tray ceiling bedroom, adjacent office area, amenity bar, large walk-in-closet, and master bathroom. A new full bathroom was created off the main hall. Photographs were not yet available, however, drawings have been included.