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Houzz Tour: An Old-World Bungalow Earns a New Plan
With a hundred years under its belt, this New Hampshire home deserved the loving additions and modern updates made by its architect owner
Architect Amy Dutton and her family live in a century-old New Hampshire bungalow — an anomaly on a street lined with Victorians and colonials. The house had been the smallest on the block until Dutton added the square footage her family desired. "We loved this house back to life with updated materials, but we never lost touch of the home's age," she says.
Neighbors used to talk about the house as having an old-world feel because of its dark, broken-up rooms. "But after taking down three major walls and adding dormers, the house now feels more expansive and has a sunny and welcoming character," says Dutton.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Amy Dutton and her family of 5
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Size: 2,400 square feet
Year built: 1910
Neighbors used to talk about the house as having an old-world feel because of its dark, broken-up rooms. "But after taking down three major walls and adding dormers, the house now feels more expansive and has a sunny and welcoming character," says Dutton.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Amy Dutton and her family of 5
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Size: 2,400 square feet
Year built: 1910
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| The entry garden has a lush, welcoming feel. Bamboo, lollipop cherry trees and other landscaping create privacy. Prefinished shingles in sea-moss green lend an organic look that blends with surrounding foliage. |
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Mahogany decking juxtaposes nicely with the green siding. "Every single house on this desirable block has a front porch that people use as an extension of their living room," says Dutton.
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A ceiling vignette captures how old meets new in the house: A brand-new light fixture casts a warm glow on the original wood ceiling.
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Dutton opened the living room by removing an entry wall and adding a half wall and a column.
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She also removed walls between the living room and the dining area to create more open space. A copper accent wall provides visual interest without deviating too far from the interior's neutral palette.
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Dutton, a supporter of all things preloved, used architecturally reclaimed pieces throughout the house, including this pocket door salvaged from a church. The door's light panel ushers in sunlight while maintaining privacy.
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This perspective shows how Dutton was able to create a more open-concept kitchen, dining room and living room. Instead of a stationary island, she uses an antique nun's table on casters and easily stored bar stools for more flexibility in the kitchen.
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The mudroom's built-in fir cubbies and extra-tall five-panel storage cabinets work hard for the entire family.
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| The family can enter the mudroom from the patio or the driveway. |
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Hale Landscapers created the flagstone patio and the pergola over the outdoor dining room.
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The shed is pretty, but what Dutton likes the most is its exterior shelf, which hold plants and doubles as a bar for outdoor parties.
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Upstairs, the kids' bathroom features plenty of hooks, storage baskets and shelving units. Radiant-heat floors keep toes warm in the winter.
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This cozy reading nook is the focal point of a front dormer. "It's the only original dormer in the house, and I think we preserved it nicely," says Dutton. She's not one to waste storage space, so the banquette has pullout drawers below.
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Dutton uses one of the new 18-foot dormers as a bedroom. Lime-green walls, orange accents and chevron-patterned poufs lend the space a modern, youthful vibe.
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| The master bath's pièce de résistance is its sculptural copper tub. "Bathing in the tub is an exquisite experience," says Dutton. |
Ideabook published on Aug. 23, 2012.
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I really don't know why architects don't include them more in the blueprints. A lot of homes have the layout for a hangover in the front and for a little added cost upfront has the potential for a faster sale. That would be an interesting study...to see if homes sale faster and for more money with or without front sitting areas.
I do want to discuss the front porch since there are so many comments. We sit there almost every day depending on if we want to be "social" or the back patio if we want to be more private. The social part is very important to living in our home, we can talk to neighbors or just those people walking by.
So here are my thoughts for all future plans when designing the front porch... make it deep! The newer homes will have a 6' or even 4' porch but this isn't even functional and the scales get thrown off with any necessary columns. My suggestion is between 8' and 10' deep with columns 10" wide. This creates a beautiful and meaningful space. If you want a table, go for the 12'.
Hope this is helpful and thank you again for all your support!
I loved the colors, the style and the overall ambience of this home, great job.
Our color is Sea Moss.
Your local lumber yard should carry a line of shingles similar if you can not find this exact manufacturer. You should look for a double-coated single with a 10 year warranty. The higher the quality, the less you have to worry about painting them.
Also.... they are beautiful!
Word to the wise, always check with code enforcement before removing a structure about replacement restrictions - especially anything close to a property line.
Another interesting aspect of the house was the wood trim over the doorways in the 'public rooms'-had small crown moulding, whereas, the non-public rooms, i.e. bedrooms, bath, kitchen and hallway did not have the extra trim!