I like a houzz search: "The form of the addition is evocative of a traditional Pennsylvania bank barn. A second floor deck, carved out of the copper 'forebay’, is covered with a glass skylight that empties via chain downspouts to river rock drainage beds below." ???

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/farmhouse-addition-farmhouse-exterior-philadelphia-phvw-vp~1122396[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/farmhouse-addition-farmhouse-exterior-philadelphia-phvw-vp~1122396)

love the steel and glass, garage has proper footings but dimensions are 23x31 making it difficult to have good size brs

"The intimate scale and simple massing of an existing 18th century farmhouse and its outbuildings became informative elements in the design of this family room and master suite addition. A thoughtful organization of space and fenestration regulates daylight, controls views and connects living spaces to the idyllic rural Pennsylvania landscape...

The addition acts as a threshold from a new entry to the expansive site beyond. A glass ribbon, weaving through the composition, becomes a connector between old and new, top and bottom, copper and stone. "

Those steps up the stairs, and down might help you?? idk.

Course I'm not a pro, but was picturing more a center tower -- etc.

... like the glass one, or the curved roof, or both? :)

yes, steps in the "connector" was in the plan too use as a main entrance vs existing front porch entrance....just cant get anyone to get the right look (ie: so it doesnt look like a big barn or motel) PPF's comment above is how we feel....too big, inlaw space looks like main entrance, and overall too big barn massive looking....and would exceed budget.

What if small structure had a fully slanted roof? and middle was a tall rectangular 'tower'?

I'm still lost and can't 'see' the plan you posted. Our shared little space connected 2 wings, but also gave us shared door to the garage [and our basement also, but they had their own].

So that little space, which wasn't public/ viewed at all - had 4 doors! size of a closet.

Elevators aren't exhorbitant.... I think. Would this hidden bedroom loft be acceptable?

If garage can hold one less car, could part become this type room? will throw ideas out....

here's some of the options we are getting....the last one is just putting an addition in between garage and house and using existing garage footprint

we have now moved to a possible addition to the main house coming forward and making an L shape

"Clerestory windows set directly under the eaves of a roof can also make the roof seem to float and hover above the house walls. This visual effect of defying gravity is why clerestories have been used so much in religious buildings, where a lightness and reaching up to the heavens is a driving force of the design."

Ours was at an angle - it might look more contemporary that way... if liked.

Less like a motel if roof angle changes - and an L like you said. Could be nice landscaping to be seen from both wings... shared patio too. My mother and I sat on the bench at times....

More angles.... but I see a semi-circle to relieve all the straightness....

Saves a little space in the yard.

"The gable is unique in the way the second floor projects beyond the first floor at one end, creating a covered patio in the process. Gray roof and walls, but the gable has wood boards."

More costly, but what about each 'dormer' being a bedroom... again, idk.

I like all your ideas but I need someone to put it on paper for me....the arch we are using isnt doing that....we throw all the ideas to him but aren't getting anything but a big barn....right now we are concerned with the exterior look

I like the rough metal framing.

"A similar projection happens in this two-story house, but here it extends down to the first floor and works with the canopy to demarcate the entrance. Wraparound windows take advantage of the slight projection."

PRO / Birdseye Design

It is all anodized aluminum from Prevost windows...

This is the point of ideas -- if you continue to feel that "there's a way," and your pro can't get there [meeting over time, with your ideas, and questions, and photos] - choose another.

everdebz....did you see the existing structure and can you see what a challenge it is? the log cabin is on a above grade foundation on the side we are trying to add to....making the roof a full 3 stories and bringing it down to 1 or 2 is what the problem is i guess

What if small one had a skyway-type connector to the other. Small one - can't that serve as the addition with second floor?

yes definitely and I could use some humor right now......need walkway to garage to get to MBR above in law space but if we stray from garage footprint then we have to scrap using that footprint

I think if he can get the roof line right, then this one might be your best bet. If you did the L shape it would come off of the left side of the house right?

[https://www.houzz.com/magazine/style-divide-how-to-treat-additions-to-old-homes-stsetivw-vs~22668452[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/style-divide-how-to-treat-additions-to-old-homes-stsetivw-vs~22668452)

I am not intending to confuse, of course. But I get that this is difficult... this isn't your situation, but fyi:

Houzz user sstarr says, “Here in New England, there were many Victorian-era additions to earlier colonial houses. We don’t think that they should have respected the original style of the house, with low ceilings and small windows etc. I love modern additions on old houses...."

Have you, did architect mention clerestory windows? it's small feature, but maybe not. If in Mass. [?] would you want high sunlight through the south side...? If so, and you can ignore this... which side of the house is south?

Are there any views in your yard, and outside your yard....that you want to see, or you don't want to see?

everdebz - it would be so easy if she was changing the original house, but she is not. You've posted some nice pictures, but they are not like the current roof line. The addition has to look close to what she has now and thus far the architect has only provided an addition that looks too much like a barn.

Like the suggestion of PPF July 25 @10:01. What did you decide to do?

Building between the structures with an upstairs will look better than connecting the building without an upstairs, including per suggestions already offered, however, you might also consider removing the roof from the garage (rather than tearing down the garage).

Budget permitting, creating a complete efficiency apartment to turn your home into a multi-generational residence would be a much better idea for ensuring privacy for both generations. Leaving the garage as a garage and connecting it to the home leaves open the potential for fumes from the vehicles to enter the living space. Perhaps you could add a carport somewhere adjacent to the home instead.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/73/83/30/738330d38a12e053b2fe67862dd80f94--design-garage-carport-designs.jpg

.

Certainly ignore my posts if not creating question/direction for you, OP [and others].

If you want, tell if new entry for all the house can't be moved to new connector [and stairs be built to enter the other]?

I don't think we've seen the other side of the house...

and nothing can change in the big house?

suezbell.....exactly what we are trying to do

No offense meant here, but at some point you have to ask yourself if you're not requiring more than can be given. After all, you don't want to come out of this the other end having aged ten or twenty years, do you?

I feel as if you might be happier selling it and building what you want or knocking this one down and building what you want.

Why not add a glass enclosed breezeway between the main house and the garage. You could heat it and enjoy it in the winter. Then when you put in a room over the garage if the roof looks like the original home roof, it might look okay because the breezeway can be different.

pennydesign....all i am requiring is something that looks good ....not a mansion or an award winning design. No option to tear down main house or selling ....adding on to daughter's place and @71 ....I have already aged

Not an economically feasible project. This housing complex will never support aging in place living without a spit ton of money thrown at it. An expenditure that would never add any monetary value to the home. An expense only.

Explore selling and buying something that meets your needs elsewhere. Your money will go a lot further.

Carolyn -- I'm a bit confused. I assumed this was your house and you were adding living space for you on the 2nd floor, and an apartment for someones parents on the first floor.

Guessing now that you will occupy the apartment, and your daughter gets the new master?

Then, considering that this is the time when you have earned the right to enjoy yourself and your family and taking them on Disney Cruises....why not live simply and just convert the garage to a living space for you? It looks like a lovely large setup for your family.

I mean, this is a massive project. It would suck the life out of me, personally. If you choose to go ahead with it, then all you can do is keep taking ideas from what you want online, do your best to describe what you want, and visit more than one architect...

Good luck to you whatever you decide to do.

PPF.....yes you are correct... the apartment/inlaw space is for me. The home belongs to my daughter

The hiccup here is that in addition to adding my space they want to improve the main house by adding a MBR suite for themselves because they only have 2 br on 3rd level , 1 guest room in basement & and twin 10 yr old boys who need separating. We figured if we are adding inlaw space we may as well improve their space

If we could just add a roof to connect and convert garage to my space.... things would be a lot simpler....but that's not the case.

The problem is that this is not “your” project. It is actually your daughter in the drivers seat. Combining two separate conflicting interest projects isn’t a route to either improvement to a limited opportunity house, or a limited budget project.

Your family needs joint counseling to come up with a realistic route to integrating two families in one rather than to keep searching for the magical architectural solution that isn’t going to do what 10 hours of counseling will. There is zero reason that kids can’t share a room if that makes things easier for gramma.

lol sophie....you are assuming I have no interest in this project, that there is conflicting interest and a limited budget. What type of counseling are you suggesting here?

Little connecting part at right ....

Have you considered removing the roof to the garage roof entirely and then adding a single new large barn style roof at a right angle to the existing roof over both the garage and the space between? More angles and exterior walls would likely mean more cost. That right angle will make a huge difference in the look -- more house than barn. Where the two buildings actually meet would be where you put the two story wall holding the 4/12 roof. The steeper roofs on that (middle) side of the barn style roof could extend in front of and behind the existing building just enough to create the more attractive look.

The between space would be an entrance w/steps going up to new master suite and, accessible from in law suite, a new full private bathroom with laundry closet. The kitchen could include a floor to ceiling bay for the sink to put the plumbing for it beyond the concrete since a concrete floor in the garage (?) would make adding the bathroom and laundry closet and kitchen atop the concrete that is likely in the garage much more costly.

You're also going to need a new heating system -- or two. There are wall installed heat pumps -- think hospital room or hotel room -- that would serve the purpose. you need to budget for those as well.

Putting the master suite bath atop the new in law suite bath would be practical for the new plumbing. If you have a septic tank, you may need to add another to add two new full baths. Consider that in your budget planning. If you're on a budget, you could focus on completing the in law suite first and then take your time on the master suite.

If you built the new roof and got the new area in the dry, you could do the rest of the work in stages.

The floor plan of the house seems poorly conceived, as if rooms were defined without any thought.

Why not work within the existing space, correcting its flaws, rather than adding on?

Turn the first floor over to the kids, create a master suite in the 3rd floor, and clean up the 2nd floor plan.

Build out the garage for your space. Make changes on the rear (south?) side but leave the front mostly intact.

Create a minimal connection between the garage and house, using it as the entry to both structures.

We tried to do something like you want to do…didn’t work. Forget the garage and , remove it. Build a new home for in-laws and have a designer design a connector, which both families can use to access back yard.

"Wing" is at an angle - seems you mentioned it's possible.

folks....thanks for all your input. I was not ignoring....just had a death in the family so I have not been on here. I will review your comments and get back in shortly!

Carolyn, sympathies your way....