Case Study: Home Renovation Project in Westfield, NJ
Taking a “less is more” approach, we were able to provide an impactful design change with very little construction, saving the homeowners time and money.
About 10 years ago, the owners constructed an addition to their home in Westfield, New Jersey, which divided the kitchen into two separate spaces — one for cooking and eating, and one for TV viewing and playing.
At the time, their children were young. But kids grow up, and life changes. The room configuration just didn’t work anymore.
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Before – Bulky Built-ins and Cramped Spaces
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After – Family Room Flows Into Kitchen
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After – View of Family Room
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After – Rear View New Entry
Key Project Features
Bulky Built-ins
- Problem: Originally, the owners had installed a large counter / entertainment center to divide the room, but the setup did not allow for comfortable TV viewing for the whole family.
- Solution: We redesigned the room by removing the bulky built-ins in the center of the room. This simple, yet effective, solution allowed for more seating in the TV room and connected the room to the kitchen.
Cramped Entryway
- Problem: The existing rear entry way was tight and lacked room for shoes, hats, and coats.
- Solution: We increased the entry size by expanding into the existing covered porch, which gave us room to add a closet. We also replaced the covered porch with a large cantilevered roof that complements the original design and provides weather protection when entering the house. (An interesting side note: This is our smallest addition to date at 15 square feet, beating a 85-square-foot kitchen addition in 1993.)
Low Ceilings
- Problem: The previous design lowered the ceiling height, which compressed the volume of the interior space.
- Solution: We reviewed the existing construction and deduced that the ceiling height could be raised. This update made the room feel more open and spacious and helped connect the kitchen with the family room.
Ultimately, the main success of this renovation project is that we were able to make impactful design changes to the owners’ home with a minimum of construction. This not only saved the homeowners money but also time. They were able to quickly jump back into the normal rhythms of life with their newly improved space.
Thinking about starting up a renovation project of your own? Contact us to setup an initial consultation.
