Carrie McFall, the charming wife of a radiologist and mother to a family of three plus their dogs, was the true defining presence to this project.  Having read the famous book on ‘how to make a great house with small space and good detailing,’ it was our mission to design a large addition to Grandma’s House, cottage like, simple, and within a defined budget.

Originally a renovation, an alternate bid was accepted to remove the antiquated part of “Grandma’s” residence (ca. 1949), retain the stately and elegant living room addition (ca. 1962) and add on to both ends.  Providing a basement was a must and affordably the right decision for informal family gaming, exercise room, and storage areas.  A large kitchen in the joint of the old and new, allowed for the space to be an appropriate buffer between the public formal living room and the private family areas.   The use of a 1-½ story concept for the second floor bedrooms, like what Grandma had originally built, helped to de-massify the building form and work with in the notion of a cottage.

The project built for just under $500,000 is now a nice addition to the adjacent family compound.