A simple one-story white clapboard cottage sat on a narrow straight street with many older homes, all of which meeting the street with a similar dignified approach. Though the owners fell in love with the charm of the original house, their growing family presented an architectural dilemma: how do you significantly expand a charming little 1920’s Craftsman style house that you love without totally losing the integrity that made it so perfect?

The answer began to formulate after a review of the houses in the turn-of-the-century neighborhood; every older house was two stories tall, each built in a different style, each beautifully proportioned, each much larger than this cottage bungalow. Most of the neighborhood houses had been significantly renovated or expanded. Growing this one-story house would certainly not adversely affect the architectural character of the neighborhood. Given that, the house needed to maintain a diminutive scale in order to appear friendly and avoid a dominating presence.

The simplistic, crisp, honest materials and details of the little house, all painted white, would be saved and incorporated into a two-story version of the house. Across the front of the house, the three original spaces would be saved; these three rooms are punctuated by thirteen windows, which for this house age and style, suggests a more modern aesthetic. The dormers that pop up on the front allow the home to maintain the great proportion that makes this home comfortable on its street.