Regulations limited Alper to building only on land that had already been affected by the original structure. The new glass-enclosed living room now sits in the outline of a once-underused deck. Alper used steel to cantilever the addition, with steel posts set down exactly where the deck's wooden legs had been.
Redwood decking and two period windows from the demolition were reused in the addition.
Redwood decking and two period windows from the demolition were reused in the addition.
When the owners first saw the house, recent renovations had made it less like the original cabin and more like a house. Alper carefully incorporated the best of both features into the remodel. All the new siding and trim on the exterior matches the existing colors.
Although the 4-acre property feels very isolated, the cabin is just 20 minutes from town. The homeowners planted a few Japanese maple trees, but the natural surroundings make additional landscaping unnecessary.
Although the 4-acre property feels very isolated, the cabin is just 20 minutes from town. The homeowners planted a few Japanese maple trees, but the natural surroundings make additional landscaping unnecessary.
A sleeping loft was closed in for one bedroom, and the previous courtyard-facing living room became a second bedroom. The kitchen, enclosed in the original exterior that once faced the deck, opens to the living room through sliding windows. "The design for the addition was about the marriage of old and new, context and contrast," says Alper.
Couch: Milano
Couch: Milano
Expansive windows connect the indoors and out, and allow the creek to become the main focus.
A propane-burning stove, which replaces the original wood-burning one, provides ample heat for the small space. Its hearth is a piece of flagstone that the owners used in their garden for several years.
A propane-burning stove, which replaces the original wood-burning one, provides ample heat for the small space. Its hearth is a piece of flagstone that the owners used in their garden for several years.
The original intact exterior, now surrounding the kitchen, offers texture and character. These original shingles were simply cleaned. The team reused any shingles that needed to be removed. Reclaimed wood ceiling beams from Heritage Salvage create a spot for hidden uplighting.
Artwork: "The Culvert," by James Arendt
Artwork: "The Culvert," by James Arendt
The simple kitchen is for the most part original to the home. The homeowners updated the appliances, painted the cabinetry and added new hardware but kept the original wood countertops. The stovetop is just around the corner from the refrigerator.
Although the homeowners differ on styles — with one leaning toward modern and the other toward traditional — their desire to unify the old and the new helped them blend their styles. The kitchen's new connection to the living room makes it better suited for entertaining.
Cabinetry paint: Yellow Barn, Glidden
Cabinetry paint: Yellow Barn, Glidden
Custom storage under the stairs takes advantage of a previously open and unused space.
The owners had the master bathroom completely redone. A teak-lined shower floor, a wood vanity and reclaimed beams contribute to the modern cabin vibe, providing a fresh contrast to the white Heath Ceramics tile.
This bedroom is nestled upstairs in the former sleeping loft. The home's original owners built the cabin as a very basic part of their creekside summer getaway. Most of the visitors slept outside on cots, so the cabin itself really served only as a kitchen.
Ikea storage bins screwed into the wall studs act as nightstands in this guest bedroom. The pendant lights are miniature reproductions of prewar British lighting.
Builder: Marshall WhiteConstruction
Builder: Marshall WhiteConstruction
This has everything you would want and was planned to use all the space wisely. Beautiful & peaceful. Nice work.
Re: building next to a creek - We had a small vacation home next to a creek. Unfortunately our cottage was flooded and destroyed by Hurricane Irene when the creek overflowed and left it's bed and formed a new branch! You cannot assume that because it is only a creek and not a river, that it cannot swell and overflow and do tremendous damage.When we purchased the house we had to buy flood insurance because we were in a 100 year flood plain, but it didn't begin to cover the losses.We had to demolish the house.
We are now in the process of rebuilding. Our new home will be built in the same footprint, but higher, on piers, and according to the town's newly rewritten flood plain codes. We will also move the mechanicals out of the crawl space, which will have break-away panels in case of flooding, along with other measures to avert future flooding problems.
There is something magical about being next to the creek.
Really loved the teak floor in the shower.
Thank you Ms Alper for answering questions on how this was done and also to answer the flood concerns. We live on the Vermont border and after Hurricane Irene we were shocked to discover how much damage was done very "selectively" on the local streams--ones that NO ONE could remember flooding took down whole hillsides and the stream beds tended to take out whatever was on the "outbound" side be that a house trees or boulders bigger than cars. The sub soil was mere inches thick if that. This flood was much worse than any "100 year" flood that any one had ever recorded. Over a year later many of these homes--not just summer cabins which would have been bad for the families but peoples everyday year round ONLY homes--remain UNFIXED. FEMA was here---and did little.
Flood insurance turned out to be a joke.
Altho we were unaffected we had refugees living in our tiny house-- with 7 full time residents inc an infant --for weeks, Their house was considered NOT in a "Flood Area" and they were UNABLE to purchase Flood Insurance. For the SECOND time since they have lived here their house---which backs not 50 FEET from a major "creek"-was FLOODED PAST THE FIRST FLOOR. And this was NOT the most hard hit area.
This is obviously a bigger concern than a lot of people ever thought about before these disasters hit. Hurricane's IRENE and SANDY opened our eyes in a big way to the tremendous destructive power of these sorts of storms where we usually don't get this kind of weather. And it opened our eyes to--No one is going to HELP you should these things happen.
Is this house too "close" to the stream? Lets hope not. Are we going to force EVERYONE living anywhere near a water feature to build at LEAST 8 FEET up from the ground (as a local MA town FEMA request wants to have senior low income citizens do!) --probably not really feasible. But people are going to have to take responsibility for building in places like this; lovely tho they may be. And like I said--I am very envious!
If this were new construction the project could have never been built so close to the stream per zoning codes, but the original cabin was built in the 20's. We were limited to an addition of no more than 30% of the existing square footage and impacted only "previously disturbed" locations for structure. We all live with the possibilities of natural disasters whether in California or the Midwest or Coasts. Your area was hard hit and I would expect the local architects will be advising their clients and coming up with great designs for the new rebuilding.
I agree with halleyscomet that Hurricane Irene and Sandy have opened our eyes to the tremendous power and destruction these storms can cause in areas not usually affected by storms. Ironically, our weekend home which was destroyed by Irene, was untouched by Sandy, which happened just days before it was scheduled to be demolished.
Like Ms. Alper described for this beautiful home, our home destroyed by Hurricane Irene had been "grandfathered" in, having been built in the 1940's close to a creek. It would be impossible to build new this close to our creek today. In rebuilding now in the same "footprint", using the same septic and well, we have also had to meet more stringent guidelines in everything from the keeping the same # of bedrooms (2), (so as not to put any additional strain on the septic),, not "disturbing the (any new) soil" during construction (so as not to affect the creek), and requirements about building above the new flood plain guidelines, as I mentioned before, which has caused us to have to add steps up to our house (and causes me concern for my knees, which brings us into "universal design").
We were also shocked to learn after Irene, both FEMA and our flood insurance did not begin to cover the cost involved. The FEMA rep explained that they only provide "a leg up" to help "kick off" or "jump start" the process of rebuilding, usually only about 10% of the actual cost. Between FEMA and the flood insurance, there was only enough money to rebuild our driveway and fill in our front yard, both of which had been washed away, without even beginning to address the house.
We had to think long and hard about refinancing and rebuilding, but in the end, we decided to go ahead, within the constraints of a very tight budget. Our very small cottage had been the source of many happy memories for our family, and all in all, we are looking forward to our still very small (approx 900 sq ft) cottage to continue to be such a source. We do so with the hope that the new procedures we have implemented will mitigate any possible future flooding, and understanding that we will basically be "on our own" if we were to be.
This "creekside cabin" is wonderful, it's design is inventive, and a great mix of old and new. I can understand and imagine the family is looking forward to many years of enjoyment, and I thank you for sharing it with us.
If you are surrounded by trees on a large parcel of land, you have all the privacy you need. My neighbour is in the middle of twenty-six acres. Plus, as long as I am naked, what is there to worry about. And someone has nothing mor interesting to do but look at me for entertainment?
I live in a city where my neighbors tree got hit by lightening and is now gone.
They have a clear view of my home from about 200 feet away and on the right day they might see more than they bargained for.... I couldn't care less.
I know a lot of people think that Vermont in particular is a lovely bucolic farm and travel area. Well--it IS. However it also is home to some appaling poverty. And THESE places got--nothing. The FEMA "handouts" merely made mockery of the situation for thousands who will NOT ever have the money to decide to rebuild. The State is STILL counting as the FULL PROPERTY VALUE any land washed away by the storm too! If y9u had to walk away from the property because it is un-liveable--well too bad so sad from the Feds and the State. Some towns have tried to get trailers and re-hab help but a lot of people are still doubled up.
Sadly the places that WERE able to re-build were the ones financed by out-of-area tourist money and second home owners--those are all real purdy now. I am not mad at those fortunate people---they put local people to work re-building after all!--but it is sad when a person whose family might have lived here since 1700 is forced to move out because they are less well off than others. And when Flood "Insurance" was well beyond their means--and in the end did NOTHING to actually PAY to FIX anything.
I am sure that the architects involved with these rebuilds will do amazing things. Both here and in NY/NJ and the other areas affected by Sandy. But it is the people who can't afford architects that need homes now.
One local community has a Senior Citizens trailer park that was severely damaged by Irene. Several proposals have been made by the town and FEMA. One involved forcing these people to RAISE the heights of their TRAILER HOMES 8 FEET in the air. Now a lot of these people A. Can't afford this and B. Can't be walking up a flight of steps in the snow and ice to 8 feet in the air. ADA Approved ramps would take up miles of space and would have to be zig-zagged in such a long way that no other homes could be nearby---certainly not where they are today. Which would place yet another restriction on who gets to re-build.
Many of these were older trailer homes to start and cannot withstand being raised 8 feet or more! And imagine the "look" of a place with hundreds of aging trailers--many of which have various add-ons!--on STILTS. And yes mebbe you COULD park your car under there--or picnic! Yes that is a big "selling point" here. Seriously.
Can't we find some better way to work this out? Mebbe those architects could start to plan something for these places. They can't all be I.M. Pei or Gehry now can they?
I really meant NOT NAKED. Although what I said in error must have gotten a lot of attention and some good laughs. LOL.
http://www.jotul.com/en-US/wwwjotulus/
That's what I Love about this concept! All the glass.
If I moved into a home in a location like this, and I was warm and comfortable without sitting next to a slow burning fire and drinking something hot, I would feel cheated.
Why bother with the house then-a campfire should suffice.
Google "Noguchi Coffee Table" and you are on your way.
Love the incorporation of the exterior as design element!