Before & After: Exterior at the KHS Harvard Shaker-house renovation/addition

It's always fun once a renovation/addition project is completed to begin to pair off "Before" and "After" images. Here's the first of a few Before & After compilations that I'll be posting to House Enthusiast. You might recall seeing a couple images from this project as it progressed here on the KHS Facebook Page and here on House Enthusiast.

The primary exterior change you'll notice is that the arched opening seen in the "Before" image (at the bottom) used to be infilled with screen panels and led from an upper-level screen porch. That same opening now contains a new patio door system and leads from interior space that we captured (at the main floor level) in order to expand the kitchen/dining area.

What had been the lower-level screen porch, under the rear shed roof, has had the floor lifted and the foundation reconstructed to support new porch posts that have been painted house color.

Also not obvious is that four malfunctioning casement windows seen in the "Before" photo to the left of the arched screen opening have been replaced with three new casement windows that fill the same overall opening.

The exterior interventions were meant to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior, which you will begin to see in the next round of KHS Harvard Shaker-house renovation/addition Before & After photos. Stay tuned.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

Progress at the KHS Harvard Shaker-house renovation/addition

Having posted one early demolition photo for this project to the KHS Facebook Page, here are some progress "Before" and "After" exterior photos. Trim and clapboards haven't yet been painted, just primed. The notable difference between these "Before" and "After" shots is that the corner which had housed an upper level of the screen porch has now become interior heated space. Technically, this is the "addition". We maintained the exterior arched openings, one of which had been infilled with screen/acrylic panels, and infilled them instead with custom patio doors that lead to the exterior to the south and to the remaining screen porch (which has been re-framed) to the east. This additional interior space (with the floor level raised to align with the floor in the living space) allowed us to re-imagine and reconfigure the kitchen and dining area. The other subtle exterior change you may notice is that we replaced a bank of four failing casement windows (to the left of the arched doorway on the south elevation) with three new casement windows, occupying approximately the same size opening. Stay tuned for progress photos of the interior as the construction process continues. ("After" photos courtesy of the homeowners.)

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

Interior palette for the KHS Harvard Shaker-house renovation/addition

One of the perks of offering architecture and integrated interior design services is brainstorming a color palette for both exterior and interior finishes and furnishings. The images above all pertain to a proposed interior palette at a KHS renovation/addition to a Shaker house. That's a hickory floorboard from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors in the upper-right corner, a partial shot from the cover of a Garnet Hill catalog in the lower-right corner, samples from Oliveira Textiles for a banquette cushion and pillows in the lower-left corner, and C2 Paint swatches overlapping area rug options from Restoration Hardware and Dash & Albert in the upper left. When working out a palette, one choice leads to the next, and to the next, and so on. Here we started with the Hickory flooring selection and the inspiration photo of butter-, putty-, and gray-colored ceramics. I love how these muted neutrals softly intermingle.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

Sneak peek: Inside the KHS Wenham ranch-house renovation/addition

Last weekend the owners of this KHS project hosted a house-warming gathering to celebrate the completion of the renovation/addition to their 50's ranch house. Before touring the interior, neighbors, friends, and those who worked on the project, enjoyed live music in the new carport and mingled among tables brimming with potlock dishes. The homeowners described it as their first carport party. It was a drizzly day, but perfect for some interior photos before the guests arrived.

Here's a sneak peek inside. I'll head back on a sunnier day, once the landscaping is begun, to get exterior shots, too, and then post this project to the portfolio pages of the KHS website.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

Sneak peek: Inside the Touisset small-house renovation/addition

I took advantage of today's rain to capture photos inside the KHS Touisset small-house renovation/addition, now that the homeowner has had a chance to settle in. On a future sunnier day, I'll also photograph the house's exterior, and, eventually, final exterior and interior photos will be posted to the portfolio pages of the KHS website.

For now, here's a sneak peek of the interior. Enjoy.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast