Prior renovations had resulted in a very cramped kitchen and an oversized three-quarter bath off the kitchen, while leaving the laundry in the basement down a narrow flight of stairs and around a couple of corners.

The original small dining room had been relegated to a small family room, and in its stead a large, tall new dining room had been created between the kitchen and the garage—but one that could only be reached by a circuitous path: up a step, through a narrow passage, down another step, through the front foyer, and down a curved half-flight of steps.

To top it off, the new dining room was finished with light-absorbing dark wood and masonry surfaces that negated any sunshine coming through the large windows at either end.

Architectural designer Bill Harper worked closely with the new homeowners to reimagine the uses of the various first floor spaces:
• An obvious first measure was one we’ve done at many homes: Combine the kitchen with the separate (and too-small) adjacent dining room by eliminating the wall between. This opened up the kitchen and provided an informal eating area.
• The prior living room had an awkward shape for a living room (too long relative to its width) but was perfect as a new formal dining room.
• We moved the living room to the former lower-level dining room but connected it more elegantly (and conveniently) to the kitchen by adding a short, straight stair—and also a balcony that serves as a wider, more welcoming path from the entry foyer to the kitchen.
• Another obvious change was to eliminate the first-floor shower and take advantage of the freed-up space to create a combination laundry-powder room off the kitchen (but not right off the kitchen), thereby rescuing the washer and dryer from the basement.

The end result: Spaces with clear purpose and flow, elimination of any number of prior pinch points, and a series of light, airy rooms that feel good to be in.

It was clear from the beginning that our clients had needed real faith in its potential to buy this house to begin with; it was uniquely satisfying to be able to work with them to find—and reveal—the potential they knew was there.
Architectural designer Bill Harper worked closely with the new homeowners to reimagine the uses of the various first floor spaces:
• An obvious first measure was one we’ve done at many homes: Combine the kitchen with the separate (and too-small) adjacent dining room by eliminating the wall between. This opened up the kitchen and provided an informal eating area.
• The prior living room had an awkward shape for a living room (too long relative to its width) but was perfect as a new formal dining room.
• We moved the living room to the former lower-level dining room but connected it more elegantly (and conveniently) to the kitchen by adding a short, straight stair—and also a balcony that serves as a wider, more welcoming path from the entry foyer to the kitchen.
• Another obvious change was to eliminate the first-floor shower and take advantage of the freed-up space to create a combination laundry-powder room off the kitchen (but not right off the kitchen), thereby rescuing the washer and dryer from the basement.

-Photos by Jim Raycroft